WANTING TO OVERCOME AN OLD FEAR

...

Time slipped by stealthily, and before I knew it, it was time to leave. Combat training at the Cube took place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and today marked the last day of the week dedicated to this intense activity. Tomorrow, Friday, would be a normal school day, followed by the weekend, which would be reserved for club activities. In theory, this meant a bit more freedom, but in practice, I already had plans for the next day. After a brief discussion with Nayun, we decided that we would start her training tomorrow. The reason for not starting today? Well, the girl still felt a slight discomfort between her legs, a result of last night's heavy training.

As we left the training arena, Nayun nudged me with her elbow, a slight smile playing on her lips. Her green eyes sparkled with a mix of fatigue and satisfaction.

"Did you send the application?"

She asked, tilting her head to the side, as if she already knew the answer.

"Yes, I just did it. And you?"

"I already did it in class. You're late."

She said, making a superior face while crossing her arms. Her challenging demeanor was almost funny, but I knew she loved to tease me.

"Tsk, so efficient."

I retorted, rolling my eyes.

"You bet."

She replied, with a victorious smile on her face.

After the training ended, Nayun and I walked together to my dormitory. Of course, not without first activating my invisibility magic on her. It would be risky for someone to see her entering my room, even though we lived on the same floor. The magic was a necessary precaution, to avoid unnecessary problems.

As soon as we entered, I closed the door and deactivated the invisibility magic. Nayun, seeing that the illusion was no longer necessary, immediately relaxed.

"Ah..."

She let out a satisfied sigh and threw herself on the sofa as if she were at home. With a fluid motion, she pulled the elastic that held her hair, letting the brown strands fall freely over her shoulders. The scene was almost comical, but also somewhat captivating. She seemed so at ease that it was hard not to smile.

I watched the scene with a mix of amusement and exasperation.

"You're really relaxed, huh... What kind of girlfriend did I get?"

She gave me a lazy but provocative look.

"It's your fault!"

"Of course, of course. Always me."

I replied, trying to maintain seriousness, but failing miserably.

She turned her face, pretending disinterest, but the slight blush on her cheeks gave away that she enjoyed these little games. It was one of those moments when I realized how cute she was, even when she tried to act tough.

"Something to refresh?"

I asked, walking to the small kitchen.

"I want pineapple juice."

She replied without hesitation.

I turned, raising an eyebrow.

"What's with that look?"

She frowned, suspicious.

"Nothing!"

I replied, holding back a smile.

"I'll get it for you. I think I'll have pineapple juice too."

As I prepared the drink, Nayun pulled a cushion and hugged it against her chest, watching me through the open kitchen door. A comfortable silence settled between us, broken only by the sound of the juice being prepared. It was one of those simple moments, but they seemed to mean much more than they appeared.

Some time later, when I returned to the living room, I handed her the drink, which she took without ceremony and took a long sip.

"Hm, just the right amount of cold. You've learned how to please me, huh?"

She said with a mischievous smile.

"I'm a dedicated student."

I replied, trying to look serious, but knowing she wouldn't fall for it.

She rolled her eyes.

"Ah! While I was inside, I got a message saying that there will be a travel orientation for our club at the Cube Portal Station on Saturday."

The Cube Portal Station was a fascinating place. It connected the Cube to over 100 locations in Korea, allowing us to cover great distances in mere seconds. It was literally a teleportation portal.

Nayun quickly clicked on her watch, and a notification appeared.

[Travel Club Announcement]

-There will be a short trip on Sunday to serve as an orientation for freshmen.

"Ah! I didn't see it, the notification was off... Good thing you told me, Theo,"

She said, smiling slightly as she reclined further on the sofa. Her body seemed finally relaxed after the training, and the cold juice only helped reinforce this feeling of comfort.

"Well, now you know."

I said, sitting down beside her.

"Hm..."

Nayun took another sip of the juice before looking at the watch screen.

"And it's just a short trip, right?"

"Yes. Apparently, it's just an introduction to the club."

She sighed, lying down on the sofa and placing her head on my lap.

"Well, if it's just that, I guess it's okay."

"Actually..."

I started, but stopped before completing the sentence.

"Uh?"

She asked, raising her head to look at me.

"Ah, never mind... It's nothing."

I replied, trying to avoid the subject.

"You were clearly going to say something now..."

She insisted, with a penetrating look.

"It's silly, no need to worry..."

I lied, even though I knew she wouldn't fall for it.

She was right. I almost told her about the Djinn attack that was scheduled for Saturday, but after a brief thought, I realized it would be better not to. Talking about the dark future that awaited us would only make her worried, and Nayun wasn't ready to deal with that yet. This week would be special for her, and I didn't want to ruin it with matters that were beyond her reach. These things could stay with me for now.

"Anyway. Want to take a bath with me?"

I asked, trying to change the subject.

"B-bath! What bath? Of course not... You go first, then I'll go."

She replied, quickly getting up while throwing the cushion at me, which I caught and returned immediately.

I simply shrugged and got up, not paying much attention to her refusal. It was a matter of time before that changed. She might be embarrassed now, but in the future, this would certainly be extremely normal.

"Alright. While I'm there, order something for us to eat."

I said, leaving behind a girl embarrassed and hugging the cushion.

...

Friday

The Cube's training room was practically empty when I arrived. The distant sound of footsteps echoed through the hallway, but inside the arena, only the soft noise of the training machines could be heard.

Nayun was already there, warming up with some basic stretches. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she wore a fitted training uniform that highlighted her athletic figure.

"Ready to start?"

I asked, approaching her with a smile while holding a training sword.

She turned, with a determined look.

"I'm ready..."

"Sure? Then take it..."

I extended the sword to her. As soon as her eyes landed on the sword, I could perceive a slight touch of hesitation appearing.

"...Nayun!"

I pulled the sword back, and then sat on the floor.

"I'm sorry, I..."

"It's okay. Sit down. Remember our conversation last night? Traumas are not easily overcome... I haven't told you yet, but just like you... I'm like that."

She plopped down on the floor, sitting in front of me, clearly curious...

"You may not know yet. I'm an orphan... I lost my family when I was 11 years old in a plane accident. Father, mother, and a 5-year-old sister."

Nayun was silent. Her green eyes fixed on mine, reflecting a mix of surprise and empathy.

"I... didn't know."

She murmured, her voice softer than usual.

"I never told anyone."

I shrugged, trying to downplay the importance of the subject. It was something from my past, something I had accepted a long time ago. But still, sharing it with her was harder than I expected.

"You lost your family... so early."

She lowered her gaze, her hands lightly gripping the fabric of her training pants.

"I don't want to compare pains, but... I understand a bit of what that's like."

I knew what she was talking about. The death of her mother, her brother's coma, for Nayun all of this was a shadow that haunted her to the point of making her feel quite uncomfortable seeing blood, thanks to all this Nayun decided to stay away from close combat, and go for long-range, since there she wouldn't need to see all that.

"You don't need to force yourself to hold a sword now."

I continued, returning to the focus of the moment.

"I know you want to overcome this. But, I think that won't work now."

She bit her lower lip, clearly conflicted.

"Then... what should I do?"

"To start... You're already to be congratulated for trying to change, so now, let's train in another way. No weapons for now."

She blinked, surprised.

"No weapons?"

"Yes. We'll work on your posture, your movements, your body awareness. Before fighting with a sword, you need to be comfortable with your own body, that is, we'll work on your hand-to-hand combat."

She hesitated for a moment, but then let out a sigh.

"Alright. I trust you."

Smiling slightly I said.

"That's the right attitude."

...