Those seconds of the kiss didn't feel short for the two of them. In that moment, it felt like time had stopped. Adonis slowly pulled away and looked at Miyu with both warmth and firmness in his eyes.
"I really like you… for real, shorty!"
Miyu, who had been looking at him curiously, felt her face grow warm and her cheeks flush when she heard his confession.
"Adonis…" she lowered her gaze and brought her hand to her lips. The softness of her voice and the way she said his name showed how shy she was.
As he stepped back and looked at Miyu, Adonis suddenly realized something. The wind of that afternoon brushed against his face, and it hit him that his impulsive nature had led him to his first kiss. His serious look faded into an awkward expression, bothered by his own action.
Restless, the redhead stood up from the bench. Miyu was startled by the sudden movement. For a moment, they just stared at each other, but neither could say a word.
"Well… I… I think… we… should… go…" he said, his voice trembling, reaching a hand to the back of his neck, trying to hide how nervous he was.
"Y-yeah… it's getting late…" Miyu said, looking away.
They said goodbye, each walking in a different direction. And so they went home, in complete silence.
Sayuri's house, later
Back home, already in her room and sitting on her bed, Miyu rested her head on her knees, lost in thought. She kept thinking about that afternoon, as if she could still feel the touch of Adonis's lips on hers.
"MIYUUUUU!"
Her quiet moment didn't last long. Akiko burst through the door, energetic as always.
"Girl, you're so quiet! Even more than usual…" Akiko said, walking closer to the bed. "I know, you're thinking about what to take on the trip!"
"Hm?" Miyu murmured. "Ah… yeah, right… the trip."
The topic didn't go any further. The rest of the week passed normally, until the long-awaited day of the trip arrived.
Saturday, April 24, 4 AM
There was a large group of students and some parents gathered, waiting for departure time for the favorite activity of students of any age: the school trip. The teachers had already been there for a while, making sure everyone would be received and boarded properly.
The large double-decker bus, chartered especially for the first-year students, was parked at the school entrance, headlights on, waiting for everyone to get organized.
Minami and Aino were already there, staring off into nothing, slightly tired, while Yukino slept leaning against a signpost. There were quiet murmurs and excited chatter, but nothing too loud. It seemed most of them had enough sense for the hour. Or at least most of them did, because Akiko approached full of energy and decided to greet her friends:
"AINO!!! YUKINO!!! MINAMI!!!"
"Akiko, it's four in the morning!" Miyu whispered, annoyed.
"I'm sitting with you, okay!" Aino said to Miyu, trying to avoid ending up next to Akiko.
"Okay!" Miyu nodded, understanding immediately.
Meanwhile, Minami found another friend and they quickly agreed to sit together.
"Yuki! We're sitting together!" Akiko said, hugging Yukino tightly.
"Who's Yuki?" Yukino asked, so sleepy she didn't even realize she'd just been given a nickname.
Departure time came, and everyone took their seats as the trip to the mountains began. The place was a regional tourist spot, also sought after by archaeologists, botanists, and other scientific fields.
As they climbed, the bus moved at the maximum allowed speed, and the sunrise could be seen lighting up the native forest landscape.
"Yuki! Too bad you're sleeping! It's really pretty, there's like, blah blah blah…" Akiko kept commenting on everything she saw to her seatmate, who slept with her head resting on her shoulder.
In general, the students talked about small things. School life, problems at home or school. It wasn't any different where Aino and Miyu sat.
"And then after that they never spoke again. Can you believe it, all because of the other girl's boyfriend," Aino gossiped, annoyed. "He wasn't even that good-looking, you know? Not even close to Adonis and—"
Up until that moment, Miyu had been listening quietly. But hearing that specific name triggered something in her, and she immediately spoke:
"What's wrong with you all? You just keep drooling over Adonis, you don't even know if he likes someone already…"
"Miyu?"
After that, I'll just stay quiet, Aino thought, turning to the window and remaining silent the rest of the way until they reached the lodge.
Serra do Rio do Rastro
The day was beautiful. The clear sky made the mountains fully visible, perfect for taking in the natural scenery.
They stopped at a lodge with several cabins, where the students would stay for the weekend. The buildings followed the curves of the hills, with minimal interference in the natural environment.
Professor Mira, from biology, and Professor Nanji, from chemistry, were responsible for the students. After getting off the bus with their bags, the students gathered around them to hear instructions.
"Everyone, groups of five. That's the maximum per cabin," Mira began. "For now, leave your backpacks here. We'll split into two large groups for the trails. One group comes with me, the other goes with Professor Nanji!"
The professor didn't speak much. His presence and firm expression were enough to command respect. Still, in class, he was usually kind and playful with his students, a contrast to his appearance.
Groups were formed, backpacks left in the cabins, and the hike began. The scent of the forest brought a calm feeling, and the soft breeze made the walk pleasant.
Moving deeper into the woods, they stepped carefully to avoid surprises. But someone always slipped. That day, it was Aino, who sank her foot into mud.
"AH, THIS SUCKS! MY FOOT'S STUCK! THERE'S TOO MUCH STUFF HERE, BUGS, MUD—" she complained, shaking her foot, trying to get it clean.
While that chaos unfolded on one side, Miyu found a flower.
"How pretty! This species is native to this mountain!" she turned. "Yukino, did you bring your sketchbook? We could draw the flowers for the assignment!"
"Yeah! That's exactly why I brought it!"
Everyone worked on observing the flora, finding species they didn't even know existed and recording everything carefully. Some out of interest, others just for grades. But regardless, they were learning and enjoying themselves.
After a good while exploring the plants, it was time for something else. And the most awaited moment was finally announced by Professor Mira:
"Alright, everyone! Time's up! To the waterfall!"
The students cheered. They had come prepared in swimwear just for that. The exhaustion from the hike and research was forgotten, and they followed excitedly. Even though it was autumn, the region alternated between very hot and mild days.
The view was almost unreal. At the top of the mountain, the cascades formed a wall of water, pouring down like veils. The river ahead was calm, surrounded by naturally shaped rocks. Some trees provided shade for a picnic.
The place usually had visitors, especially on weekends. And that day was no different.
"Look at that…" said a tall, beautiful woman with brown hair and dark bluish-gray eyes, watching the group. "This wasn't in our plans… but there are no coincidences. They seem to be the age we were told."
"What do we do? Your call," asked a tall man, around 1.90m, long straight black hair with some braids. He had several piercings and wore a mesh tank top that revealed a large dragon tattoo.
Unaware, the students started having fun. Minami and Aino ran and jumped into the water. Akiko followed, dipping her feet in.
"BRUUUUUUUH… guys, it's freezing, waterfall water is really cold," she said, shivering.
"Yikes… is it that cold?" Yukino asked.
"It is… but… you kinda get used to it…" Akiko replied, still shaking. "AH, A BUG!"
She panicked and splashed water everywhere. Yukino was nearby and saw it, confused.
"A bug? A tadpole or fry?" Miyu asked, hearing the commotion.
But the other students started running away from the river, back toward the trail. Professor Mira followed them. Everyone grabbed what they could and left without looking back, wondering what they had just seen.
Yukino, Minami, Aino, Miyu, and Akiko stayed behind. It was just them and the strange creatures.
If something unusual was happening, they were the ones best suited to deal with it.
"What… are those things?" Aino said, frightened, staring at the river.
The creatures had the same color as the water, but seemed alive. Small beings with a strange shape, like a mix between baby dragons and fish. They had four short legs, small sharp teeth, and a tail.
"Wow, what teamwork, huh! When things get scary it's every man for himself…" Aino complained, looking in the direction everyone had run.
"Are these those Potentia things you mentioned?" Minami asked.
"Actually… this is new for us too," Miyu replied.
"Are they… water puppies?" Akiko asked, scared.
"Are they really made of water or just translucent?" Yukino wondered.