Suspicion

"Juho." Juho groaned the moment he heard someone calling him. He became unconscious after his encounter with a lady. "Juho, wake up." A soft yet nervous voice kept on calling his name until he came back to consciousness. He slowly opened his eyes and Desu, who had a worried face looking at him, welcomed him. She helped him to sit down after being laid on the ground. "Thank, god. You are now awake." She felt relieved the moment she saw him seated. "What happened to you? I've been looking for you and found you here lying," Desu said in her worried voice. 

Juho held his head because of pain. He tried to remember something, but that made him grumble. When he opened his eyes, he looked around, and they were outside the dark forest. The last thing he remembers was Haeju, beating him while his hands were tied. 

He groans more when he tries to move, "Damn. My body's in pain," he complained. Desu instantly helped him. 

"What exactly happened to you, hm? And why are you even here? Who beat you?" Desu asked. Her face is full of confusion. Maybe she was wondering who did it to him. "You know, this place is prohibited for students. You shouldn't be here," Desu added.

"Haeju brought me here. All I remembered is that he punched me nonstop while my hands were tied inside that creepy forest," he answered. He gently massaged his stomach and arms. Pain is all over his body. "Damn that asshole," he hissed. 

Desu, on the other hand, looked at him. She was curious and stunned. "He brought you inside?" she asked. Juho looked at her and nodded. 

"Yes. I didn't even know it was restricted to go here. I can't believe he did this just because he lost in our fight," he answered. 

"Juho..." Juho stared at Desu's face, who was strangely looking at him. He was confused, while Desu was terrified. "How?" she asked. Her voice changed from worried to frightened. "That place..." She was stuttering. Her eyes are scared.

"What? What's with that place?" he asked curiously. 

Desu remained quiet for a minute while still scrutinizing him. "Let's..." And can't even speak straight. "—treat yourself. Let's go." She helped him stand. They headed towards the infirmary. As soon as they arrived, Desu quickly left him without saying a word. 

Desu headed to Haeju's place, and when she reached there, she looked for the guy and choked him using her power. Haeju's friends were just looking at them in shock and fear. While Haeju was sprouting while confusedly looking at her. A tear escaped from his eyes.

"De–su," he said with difficulty because he was choked by her. "What—"

"You don't know who you are dealing with! How dare you bring him to a prohibited place, huh?" she asked angrily. Of course, she was as angry as a storm because she knew that, that place would forever be dangerous. 

"Desu, calm down. You might kill him," a friend of Haeju said, calming her, but she just looked at him furiously. The guy gulped after meeting her angry eyes.

"Speak or I will send you to the dungeon," she authoritatively said. Haeju was trembling because of her voice. 

"I just want to teach him a lesson," he answered while coughing due to choking. She became even more furious and tightened the choke.

"Teach him a lesson? You better know your place, dumbbell!" Haeju fell off the ground when Desu left.

As a master who is assigned to a newcomer, she should protect and take care of her partner. That's what she was doing. Even if they fight at the end of the school year to know who's the best, she will and should do everything to make her partner safe and sound.

"What happened to him?" Professor Kim asked the nurse who was taking care of Juho, worriedly. 

"Only Desu can answer the question, teacher. He was sent here in that situation," the nurse answered, and Professor Kim nodded.

He can sense an aura around him. It was powerful and yet, dark. He was curious. How can he feel this magic when the teachers have already gotten rid of the it? They even stop the spell from spreading before it can harm anyone, but why does he still feel the dark presence surrounding Juho? Could it be possible that they did not completely get rid of it? Or maybe the spell really came from him that's why he was still feeling it? He shook his head. "That's impossible." 

"Professor Kim." The professor looked at the person who had just come into the infirmary. It was Desu. "You called me?" she asked. The professor fixed himself to his chair before speaking.

"What happened? Why was he sent there?" he asked. 

"Haeju brought him inside the forest. I saw him outside. He was unconscious," she answered. He was shocked.

"What?" he asked again to confirm he heard her right. Desu nodded.

"Juho said he was beaten by Haeju while his hands were tied inside the forest. He said that he just wanted to teach Juho a lesson. Perhaps because he had lost the fight the previous two months," she explained. The professor gulped and looked away. 

He was thinking. How did they get in inside the forest? No one can go inside because of its dark barrier, and it is surrounded by a strong power. 

"I know it's confusing, Professor, but maybe the barrier is already ruined? Maybe we could try again? "suggested by Desu. The professor greeted his teeth because of stress. 

"No, the barrier's still there, Desu," he answered, his voice more like a whisper.

"Don't tell me..." Desu was shocked and couldn't believe it.

"Maybe yes, maybe no. We can't say it until it is proven," he said.

"So you mean, Haeju is a product of..." she asked out of nowhere. He tightly closed his eyes because of what Desu said. Sometimes, Desu's intelligence can't help him. "Prof?" 

"No, Desu. No," he disagreed. "Stop thinking that way. Haeju's family bloodline is superhuman. Go back and check Juho instead," he said before he ran out of patience.

Desu chuckled, "Sorry, Professor," she apologized, and left the room.

Since that day, the theory has never left Professor Kim's head. He tried to connect everything but sometimes thought, maybe it was just a theory. He needs more evidence to prove that Juho was connected to that sorcery.