Realization

Chapter 24 – Realization

Phyro sat alone on the dorm balcony, staring at the sky. The academy grounds stretched before him, but his mind was somewhere else. The past day had been a whirlwind—he had been rejected, heartbroken, and completely lost in his emotions.

But the thing that hurt the most? He really thought she might've liked him back.

A soft knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. He sighed. "Come in."

The door creaked open, and he didn't even have to turn around to know who it was.

Lana.

She stood there for a moment, shifting nervously, before finally stepping inside. "Phyro… we need to talk."

He didn't respond right away. Instead, he took a deep breath, calming himself before finally speaking. "What's there to talk about?" His voice was quiet, his usual teasing tone completely gone.

Lana walked closer, hesitating before sitting on the balcony railing beside him. "About… what happened yesterday. About us."

Us.

That word felt foreign. Like something he wasn't sure he wanted to believe in anymore.

Lana bit her lip before looking him in the eyes. "I… I like you, Phyro."

Silence.

For a moment, Phyro swore he misheard her. Then he laughed. But it wasn't his usual cocky, confident laugh. This one was bitter.

"Oh, so now you like me?" He scoffed. "What, you feel bad for rejecting me and want to take it back?"

Lana flinched. "No! It's not like that, I—"

"Then what's it like?" Phyro turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "Because I don't think you actually mean that."

Lana clenched her fists. "I do mean it! I just—" She exhaled sharply. "Yesterday, I didn't fully realize how much I cared about you. I didn't take what you said seriously at first, and I'm sorry for that. But I've had time to think, and I do like you, Phyro."

Phyro searched her eyes, looking for any sign of hesitation. But for the first time, Lana looked truly serious.

"…You're not messing with me?" His voice was softer now, unsure.

Lana shook her head. "No. I swear, I'm not."

The tension between them was thick, but slowly, Phyro felt his heart start to unclench. He wanted to believe her.

"…I still don't know if I trust that yet." His voice was barely above a whisper.

Lana sighed but didn't look away. "Then let me prove it to you."

She stepped forward and, before Phyro could react, wrapped her arms around him.

It wasn't romantic. It wasn't rushed.

It was just a hug.

A simple, warm, genuine hug.

For a moment, Phyro stood there, frozen. Then, slowly, he raised his arms and hugged her back.

And just like that, the weight he had been carrying in his chest felt a little lighter.

After their talk, Phyro felt… better.

Not fully, but enough to return to his usual self—at least on the surface.

As class began, the instructor, a tall man with sharp golden eyes, stood before them with his hands behind his back. "Today, we'll be conducting a combat agility test—an obstacle course that will challenge your speed, endurance, and adaptability. Your final score will be based on how quickly you finish."

A few students groaned, while others smirked at the challenge.

Phyro cracked his neck. "Obstacle course, huh? Easy."

Klein grinned beside him. "Hope you don't get second place, little bro."

Lana nudged Phyro's side playfully. "You better not fall behind."

Phyro smirked, his competitive spirit kicking in. "Just try to keep up."

The course was set in a massive outdoor arena, filled with towering walls, rope swings, platforms over water pits, and even a section where they had to fight magic constructs while running.

The instructor raised his hand. "On my mark… Begin!"

Immediately, students dashed forward.

Jai Gashi, the academy's top student, shot ahead with insane speed, his agility almost inhuman. Phyro and Klein were right behind him, neck and neck.

Yenta, despite his usual goofiness, was surprisingly skilled, moving with fluid precision.

Lana pushed herself hard, gritting her teeth as she vaulted over barriers and dodged incoming magical attacks.

The course was brutal, pushing everyone to their limits. But in the end, the rankings were announced:

1. Jai Gashi – The undefeated champion.

2. Phyro Nishiki – Just barely behind Jai.

3. Klein Nishiki – A solid performance.

4. Lana Kinlion – Strong effort, but not quite at their level yet.

5. Ryuzen "Yenta" Shinju – He barely made it into the top five.

The instructor nodded approvingly. "Good work. These scores reflect your current ability, so take them as motivation to improve."

Phyro glanced at Jai, who stood at the top with an unreadable expression. A new goal formed in his mind.

Next time, I'll be first.

Lana, standing beside him, nudged his shoulder. "Second place, huh? Not bad."

Phyro smirked. "Don't get used to it. Next time, I'm winning."

She laughed, shaking her head. "You're ridiculous."

Phyro chuckled, but as he glanced at her, something felt… different.

For the first time in a while, he actually felt happy again.

End of Chapter