Pranks

Ken startles by her sudden offer, but he somehow delights him as well, for it can be much easier for him if Czerene is willing to help him, so he smiles back as a sign that he agrees to her help.

The rabbit sleep so soundly that it looks dead, and the tomato sauce spread all over its fur makes it more believable when he shows it to his Master, Ken distances himself.

Their master is on the balcony of their training house meditating as he holds the sleeping rabbit both in its ear as he shouts.

"Master, I caught and killed it already."

Ken is standing a few meters away from his master, for he still doesn't want his master to find out that he is lying and for he doesn't want to find him suspicious.

His master opens his eyes, his eyebrow frown as soon as he speaks.

"Why are you shouting Ken," his master speaks in a calm voice.

"Do you already lose the respect to other living things around this forest?" he said in a firm tone.

Ken gulps. It amazes him how his master has that intense concentration and conviction at the same time.

He bows his head and says,

"I'm sorry, Master," he utters in a low voice.

"Why don't you come near me, Ken" his master commands.

He is a little hesitant at first, but he still has to follow his master's order.

As he takes his step and walks towards his Master, his heart beats fast when his master speaks, once again.

"You can come out now, don't worry," Master talks in a soothing voice.

Czerene is currently hiding in a pile of plants with enough leaves to protect her whole body as she eavesdrops on Ken and their master conversation.

She manages not to make a single sound. She is stunned, leaving her without any choice but to come out.

As she bows her head and mutter, "I'm a sorry master."

She hears Ken sighs as he looks at her, eyes closed, and he seems pale.

As they both hear, their teacher speaks again.

"You think you can fool me, Ken," still in a firm, soothing, relaxing voice, another rustle from Ken.

Ken knew that he failed to prank him; he can't open his eyes and look at him; he exhales out of frustration.

Ken hears his master speak once again.

"I can smell the tomato sauce all over the air; it's that what you use for the fake blood?" he question, and then a slight chuckle turn into loud laughter that fills the whole forest.

Czerene and Ken are both surprised as to why their master is now laughing his heart out.

Ken's eyes are now wide open. His master action confuses him as he notices his master stand up from its meditating position while clapping his hands and with a full bright smile on his face.

"You pass!" His master exclaims, still clapping.

Ken is having a hard time analyzing what is happening. "I pass?" he confirms.

"Yes! You pass, my dear apprentice, you have respect for other living things, and you will not let greed take over you to impress me and hold on to your spot," his master explains.

Ken is puzzled, so his master decided to talk once again.

"You see, it worries me that you give importance more on you being an ace rather than you being an archer. It bothers me that you might change when everything does not favor you anymore, so

I conduct this test to see if you're willing to kill that innocent cute rabbit j to prove me your skills as an ace or you will not as I see so far the playful tricky Ken play its part and try to pull a prank on me" he then laughs as his laughter's echoes in the whole forest.

Ken doesn't know what exactly he feels.

He was supposed to feel relieved, but he wasn't; he doesn't feel happy either.

The fact that his master conducts a test on him without his knowledge pisses him off. He then just sighed as a sign of a defeat towards his master plan.

He then hears his master speak once again as he stops laughing already.

"You can keep the rabbit as a price." his master smiles widely, this time as he starts to walk away.

"You two can leave now and bath that pity rabbit" he waves his hand as he walks as a sign; he's dismissing both of them.

They both heard each other let out a loud sigh as soon as their master is out of sight.

They look at each other and then suddenly burst out laughing at what just happened.

They bathe the rabbit in the nearest sink; Czerene is drying its fur with a towel.

Ken suddenly speaks, "Czerene, would you mind taking her?"

Czerene is a bit surprised, but she like the idea of keeping the rabbit for it is cute and cuddly. "Why?" she asks out of curiosity.

"Ahm... Raven has allergies in fur, so it is not a good idea to keep it in our condo," he explains.

"Oh! We already have a cat in our home cause Faye takes it home one day, but okay, I will take care of this bunny" she then agrees.

Ken is no longer surprise as she quickly agrees because he can see how much Czerene is so fond of that cute rabbit.

"What should I name her?" Serene suddenly ask

"What do you want to call her then? Your choice," he says while giving his brightest smile.

"I don't know, like Fluffy?" She asks, asking for approval.

It surprises Ken. He can't help but smile that Czerene being cute, and it makes his heart flutter.

"Alright... Fluffy will be her name" he smiles widely for approval.

Czerene goes back to their house, introduce the rabbit "Fluffy" to Leigh and Faye, and the two best friends coo over the cute rabbit. They do not mind. They have each separate cage for the cat and the rabbit.

They were glad that the house rules don't involve "no taking care of pets" besides, they can mostly do whatever they want as long that it will not tarnish the University's reputation and their Family's name.

They are all preparing for the Evaluation Week of each club. It only means one thing; bloody work.

Leigh is aware of the talked topic in their University this whole week, the member's evaluation, but Lexus is not discussing anything about it.

As the vice-president of the horse-riding club and Gardner's heiress, Leigh participates in University activities. The grandest event will give her the highest grade and good records as University alumni. It will be beneficial in her family image; neither did she know Lexus is having his headache while looking at the pile of the "horse riding club" profiles.

Each club got 50 members; you can't start a club without enough members.

Some of their club members are not skilled in riding horses; they join the club because of him.

Most of their girl club members join the club because they want his attention; likewise, the boy's club members participate because they want Leigh's attention, and he admits to himself he likes it too.

Since the requirement of each club is you have the skills to join the specific club you want.

He hires a coach to train those freshmen who wanted to join the horse riding club, and now it's evaluation time; it gives him a headache.

At first, he decided to pass the evaluation work to the coach since he knew better about his member's skills, but he can't since it's not a part of his job description.

He sighed and finally started to lift one of his club members' profiles and started to work.

Leigh has to bombard by the fact that the evaluation week of their club members is happening at the moment,

And here she is, practicing all alone in the horse track without Lexus appearance everywhere.

She thinks if Lexus were working on that evaluation paper, and she thinks maybe he is.

Leigh finishes her practice and changes her clothes.

She passed at the club office; she saw Lexus head down on his table with a pen in his hand and an open laptop in front of him.

He is to focus on what he is doing, and his face is firm.

It is the first time Leigh sees Lexus that way. "hardworking and serious."

She never thought he got that side. She decides to enter the office.

Lexus didn't even give him a look, which is quite surprising to her again.

She fakes a cough so she can get his attention, but still, the guy didn't move and care to lift his head.

Somehow it pisses her off. Leigh usually gets his attention. The reason it is so hard for the guy to lift his head and look at her.

She crossed her arm over her chest and let out a sigh. She stamped her feet and decided to give up, and she is about to leave until she heard Lexus's voice "Leigh?" in a questioning tone.

Lexus is concentrating; he doesn't want to wake up doing the same thing again, for he thinks it's going to kill him, decided to do it as fast as he can.

Lexus consumes finishing it, does not notice his surroundings anymore as if all he can see is his work, and all in his mind is to get his job done.

He didn't even notice the hours passing by. Lexus snapped out of his busy world when he heard a loud stamp of feet on the ground; he lifts his head and looks, he can't help but be surprised to see Leigh in front of him, but she is about to leave, so she called her name for confirmation.

He sees the startled girl's reaction until he tries to speak again and feels his throat is dry and his stomach ache.

As he remembers, he is not eating or drinking anything, the moment he starts to sit at that table and work.

He tries to talk again, "May I have a glass of water, please." his voice is not right seems dry.

Leigh, even if it takes her by surprise. She walks to the table where there is bottled water.

She grabs one and gives it to Lexus. The guy immediately drinks it. Leigh then notices that after he drinks, he gulped and holds onto his stomach. He suddenly asks, "what time is it?"

"It's past 3 pm,"; she answered.

The guy suddenly groans while lifting both of his hand in the air, then stretch his upward body, then leans almost half of his body in his working table, unconsciously and say,

"I didn't eat anything yet; I don't believe I skip lunch."

Leigh stiffens for a while as she listens to Lexus's complaint; finally, she decided to talk.

"I'll go and grab you some food at the cafeteria,"; she said in a low tone.

That kind of tone is new for Lexus.

She may be talking in a low tone with him, but most of the time, it is sarcastically, obviously trying to piss him off, but this tone she uses is sincere.

He wants to fall for it and savor this moment. Leigh walks towards the door.

"Wait!' he exclaimed. "I'm coming,"; he said in a hurry and quickly got up.

"You're coming? But it seems you look so weak that you can hardly walk"; she smiled teasingly.

Lexus is taken aback by her smile and the playful tease, but he admits he likes it this way.

He is naturally playful too, that's why this kind of atmosphere is much comfortable for him, and it was appealing to the point he enjoying it.

"I'm starving to death" Lexus started to act like he was dying.

Leigh giggles while saying, "Okay! Let's go," and they walk towards the school cafeteria.

Leigh is startled by her reactions, too, and what she's been doing since he enters their club office.

When he sees Lexus's serious side, she is somewhat dazzled, and when he doesn't pay her attention that easily, she is confused that it affected her somehow; it gives a little pinch of bitterness in her heart.

She may not understand herself, but she is so used or rather "fond" in the attention Lexus gives to her.

That's why having that little encounter, not getting Lexus's attention, pisses her.

Lexus being playful is not new to her, but she never knew that Lexus has this serious side, which makes him look manlier.

They are walking side by side towards the school cafeteria.

A lot of people stare at them, and when they pass through them, mumble words everywhere.

They are both so used to that kind of attention.

It wasn't intimidating for them; it's rather strange that the people they pass through give them a weird look as if seeing them walking together is like seeing an alien in real life.

They just both ignore those weird gazes and mumbles.