Razin: I... I've always been alone... just with my pets... I don't know if you believe so or not, but to me... you're the first friend I've ever had.
Verina blushed slightly, then playfully hit him on the head. "Idiot."
Razin smiled: Maybe it's too soon for you to consider me a friend... I honestly don't even know how friendships work.
Verina: ... you do now... This is how they work. And yes, I consider you a friend too.
Razin smiled warmly: That makes me really happy.
Verina: Idiot... You still don't know how to talk.
Razin: Hmm... doesn't matter.
Verina: Fool!
Razin: I want to ask you something...
Verina, curious: What is it?
Razin: ... Can you teach me how to talk and act properly... like you?
Verina: No. You're too dumb to learn.
Razin frowned: Hmmm...
Verina looked away: No!
Razin, more frustrated: HMMMMMMM
Verina sighed: For your information... I was raised this way since childhood. I'm from the ruling family... Alethiar.
Razin: Huh... I'm from the Alethiar family too.
Verina froze.
Verina: What? How? How are you from the Alethiar family and not living in the mansion? And you talk like a fool?
Razin: I'm not a fool! And I don't know... I've always lived in an isolated area with just my mom and dad. But my father is from the Alethiar family.
Verina: That's really strange... I might ask my dad about it later.
Razin: So we're from the same family...
Verina: Yeah, but you're still an idiot who can't talk properly.
Razin, frustrated: That's why I want you to teach me!
Razin: Really though... why are we living away from the family? It's strange... smiles But not important right now... Teach me, please!
Verina: Hmm... Alright, I'll teach you. But you have to follow my instructions and copy how I talk to people.
Razin, overly serious: Yes mis!
Verina, surprised: Calm down, idiot. I didn't mean that literally.
Razin: I'm not an idiot! You're not explaining things well!
They both got annoyed at each other.
Colin from afar: Hey Razin!
Colin approached them.
Colin: How are you, Razin?
Razin: I'm okay... but today's session was terrifying.
Colin noticed Razin was walking with someone, and seemed surprised.
Colin: Hey there.
Verina: Hello.
Colin: I didn't expect someone like you to get a friend this quickly.
Razin: I'm not stupid!
Verina in the background: Yes, you are.
Colin: So what do you two think about the core activation? Is that the scary part you meant?
Razin: Yeah... It's insane... and full of risk.
Verina: Yeah...
Colin: Don't worry. It's not that hard. Last year, everyone in our class succeeded.
Razin: Hmm... That's actually encouraging... smiles Right, Verina?
Verina also smiled: A little, yeah.
Colin: Oh right, I never asked... what's your first beat? You too, Verina?
Verina: 24.
Colin: What? That's an amazing number... Are you the top student this year?
Verina: Wait until you hear this idiot's number. points at Razin
Colin: Razin? Higher than you? That's hard to believe.
Razin: 70. My beat is 70.
Colin was shocked.
Colin: What?!
Razin: As usual... another shocked person. Annoying!
Colin: Did you say 70? That doesn't even make sense.
Razin: I don't care. Yes, 70.
Colin: So you two have the highest beats in your year... interesting. Razin, 70... I heard rumors about a kid with that beat but didn't believe it.
Razin ignored Colin: Hey Verina... can we keep walking now?
Verina tapped him lightly: No, idiot... You have to learn how to end a conversation properly.
Razin, annoyed: Hmmm...
Colin: Are you his personal trainer or what?
Verina: Yep. This dummy asked me to teach him how to talk.
Colin: Probably a good idea. He always annoys me with how he acts.
Razin smacked Colin: Shut up, Colin.
Colin: Ow!
Verina: Now, watch and learn, Razin!
Verina: Have a good day! We're off to think about our situation.
Colin: Alright, see you. Good luck!
Verina: You too.
They parted ways.
Verina: See?
Razin: Hmm... You're amazing, Verina.
Verina: No, idiot... That's not something to be amazed by. You're just clueless.
Razin: I'm not! ... So, are you planning to practice today?
Verina: Of course. But... let's sit and rest a bit first. Then we'll try.
They both sat on a bench by the road.
Relaxing.
Razin, frustrated: Ugh... I feel like I've absorbed so much information in just two days... I don't know if I can handle it all.
Verina: Yeah... it's a lot. But I don't think it's that hard to understand.
Razin: I came here to learn how to become amazing like my father... Why am I learning about things inside my body? This is boring.
Verina: I think this is the only boring part of learning.
Razin: Maybe.
A brief silence.
Suddenly... Razin felt a drop of water on his hand.
Razin: Hmm... is it raining?
He looked up and saw the sky was clear.
Razin: Hmm...
Verina: So... let's review what we learned about core activation.
Verina: It's related to the arteries... There's an artery that connects the heart to the core in our body. Our mission is to activate this artery and push blood through it for one minute to activate the core. It all depends on how much we understand what we're doing: blood, the heart, arteries... That's why we need to visualize them inside our bodies... and train to clear our minds and concentrate. Controlling the blood flow and heart muscle depends on that.
Razin: That's a lot... Isn't this too hard for us?
Verina: ... I realized this since we started... Anyone who tries to learn techniques isn't a normal kid. We're young, but we have to understand complex things about the body. They wouldn't teach something like this to a normal child... We're special.
Razin: Hmm... Really?
Verina: Yeah... and that's why an idiot like you sometimes says things like a man in his twenties.
Razin: You too, then.
Razin: ... Verina... do you know the other students in our year?
Verina: Not really, but I know all their names.
Razin: I don't know... I don't want to get to know anyone else right now... Even you, I didn't mean to... But I thought you seemed like a good person. And maybe... because we sit next to each other in class.
Verina: Everyone in our year is nice... not just me.
Razin: Hmm...
Verina: What's wrong?
Razin: Nothing...
Verina: ... Are you... scared?
---Heart Beat---
Razin grew tense.
His eyes welled up.
Razin (crying): Of course I am! I don't want to be apart from my mom and dad any longer... Just the fact that they're not here now makes me feel horrible... If I die... I'll never forgive myself.
Verina realized she'd hit a nerve unintentionally.
Verina, shocked: I'm sor-ry! I didn't mean to bring that up... I'm really sorry! Please don't cry!
She tried everything to calm Razin down... but she wasn't close enough to him to know how... or to be brave enough.
Verina: I'm really sorry!
Razin, teary-eyed: It's not your fault. Don't apologize.
Verina pulled herself together.
Verina: Then... why don't we get through this together? We're both special. We'll get through it easily. Why are you treating yourself like you're dumb... or weak?
Razin looked at her, wiping his tears.
Verina: You may be an idiot, but I don't think you're dumb. The things you say sometimes... only a smart person would say them. And your talent? That's obvious. So why are you scared?
Razin: But... what if I d-
Verina cut him off.
Verina scolded him: Your father didn't even mention this danger to you because he trusts you. He trusts you so much. But in this state... your fear, your tears... you're not returning that trust... He believes in you. But you don't believe in him.
Razin shouted: No! Don't you dare question my relationship with my dad!
In his outburst, Razin accidentally punched Verina and she fell to the ground.
Verina sat on the ground, touching her bruised cheek.
Verina: Then prove it to me...
Razin realized what he had done: I- I'm so-
But before he could finish, Verina got up and walked away.
Razin: I'm... sor-ry
Razin was overwhelmed with regret. Thoughts spiraled in his head... and his father's words echoed.
---His father's words echoed---
Oraphin: Raz... I'm placing my trust in you. Don't let me down. Act like a man... Don't cause trouble... Don't be rude to anyone, especially girls... and never become arrogant. Everyone has flaws.
...
Razin: I... betrayed my father's trust... I... I hit a girl...
Razin: What do I do... I need to apologize to Verina... How... how could I do that? Her words were right... I didn't return my father's trust... Why didn't I like what she said?
Verina, walking away... upset at Razin's actions... but not to the point of hating him. She knew she started it.
Verina: I hope you understand, Razin...
...
Razin: How can I prove it to her? Why did I hit her? Why?!
Razin screamed: Why did I do that?!
Razin, crying: I'm sorry... I'm really sorry...
Verina: I know... Razin can fix this. He'll come apologize... Maybe he's already realized his mistake.
Verina: But I should apologize too. I went too far with my words. I meant to encourage him... but I said it poorly.
Verina's eyes welled up: ... I never meant to belittle him.
Verina: How did things end up like this? We were enjoying ourselves just moments ago...
---Flashback---
Verina: ... Are you... scared?
...
Verina: Why did I even ask that? He's just someone I just called a friend...
She touched the bruise on her face: ... But he hit me.
Razin: I was wrong... Verina wasn't... I'm truly an idiot.
Razin: I'll apologize tomorrow... My only goal now is to fix things with her... She's the only one I felt at ease with... I won't ruin my first friendship.
Verina reached her room.
Verina: My emotions... I can't even understand them right now... I just want this to be over... I don't want the problem between us to last... I hope Razin understands... I hope he doesn't hate me... Because I don't hate him... I just don't know what to do... It depends on how he reacts now.
Razin was walking toward his dormitory.
Colin: Hey Razin!
Razin kept walking, ignoring him, heading straight to the dorm.
He entered his room.
Razin: I'm sorry... It was all my fault... I lost control... She did nothing wrong. She was just trying to encourage me...
Razin tried to sleep... but couldn't. He spent the entire night thinking about what happened...
Morning arrived.
Razin: Verina... Please forgive me...