When the day arrived that Rain had been eagerly awaiting, Yunara was there. They were heading to another school for the competition. Ken spotted Yunara and made his way over to her with a friendly smile, genuinely happy to be working with his old friend once again.
"Ready to go?"
"Yeah. How about you? You are the main character, after all."
Yunara returned his friendly smile with her own unique smile. She could sense the weight of the competition on his shoulders, especially after their heartfelt conversation yesterday.
Like past days with her by his side, this would be a day to remember, Ken thought.
"You'll see someone you know there too..." Ken suddenly said, catching Yunara's attention.
"Who?"
"You'll see when you arrive," he replied playfully. And Yunara returned his smile-after all, these two were childhood friends.
After some time, they arrived. All of the students were excited and nervous at the same time. Ken and Yunara took a moment to address the students and offer encouragement.
"Hey there. What's taking so long? I heard you were around a bit ago... and-"
A voice suddenly broke through the rambling, and the speaker, who had been talking, looked utterly stunned.
"Yu... Yuni?"
"Aken?"
Everyone around looked confused except Ken, who wore a knowing smile.
"Is this really you?... Yuni?"
At that moment, Yunara felt her eyes well up with tears, blurring her vision as she whispered the name. Her heart ached, and she could only nod slowly.
Moments later, she found herself enveloped in the warm embrace of her brother, her childhood best friend, offering the comfort she so desperately needed.
"Where the hell were you?"
Yunara knew that such scolding came from love and care. He had been her constant companion during their childhood, staying by her side until she moved to another country. When she cut off contact with everyone, he was included too. Now, she knew she was going to regret it.
"Aa..."
"Ha! Is it hurting? You hurt us more than that."
He pulled her ear-almost as if to correct her, though not quite by the ear-and then released her.
"Hey, hey... There are students here, and you two teachers are acting like kids," Ken interjected. The students enjoyed the drama, though with a hint of confusion.
"Oh, sorry," they said in unison before quickly resuming their teacher roles.
"And you didn't say you met her?" Aken asked Ken, his eyebrow raised in seriousness.
"Calm down, buddy. It wouldn't have been fair if I were the only one surprised by her appearing out of nowhere. You should share in that shock."
"I'll deal with you later... Students, come on. Let's go inside. Yuni, come."
"Still calling me Yuni?"
"What am I gonna do? Your name was so difficult for younger me to pronounce, and now it's just a habit."
"Hey... wait, what about me?" Ken protested, feeling a bit abandoned as they moved on.
"Overdramatic." Ken dismissed
"Students, your seats are over there. And behind the stage, there are three rooms-one for practice, one for rest, and one for refreshments."
"Oh, okay... Thanks, Buddy." Ken thanked him on behalf of the students.
"Then all the best to you, students. Do your best. Some of you already know me. And if you don't know me yet, I'm Aken-the music teacher at this school and your teacher's friend. If you need anything, just let me know and I'll arrange it."
"Thank you, sir," the students replied as Aken saluted and walked away from them.
"Okay, guys. In case you're curious about what just happened, Mr Aken is Miss Yanvi's childhood best friend. They saw each other after a long time, so no more wild imaginations or distractions. Focus on your competition. We must give our best; even if we don't win, we'll have no regrets. And Rain, don't stress out, okay? You're only the leader-not a magician. Just do your best. That's enough."
Ken wrapped up his thoughts, and the students listened intently.
"Good luck, my children," Yunara added in her honeyed voice, her warm smile captivating their hearts. (Everyone silently agreed that it was much better this way.)
---
Later, when the Dream High School team started practising, Yunara watched them while leaning against the door frame.
"You love them, don't you?" Aken remarked, and Yunara startled for a moment before smiling.
"Hmm... What about you?"
"Well, you know. I love these little troublemakers. And I must admit-they're even more talented than I am."
"Mr Aken, there is..."
Both teachers turned toward the voice and saw a boy staring at Yunara as if he had just seen a ghost. His eyes revealed a whirlwind of emotions-surprise, yearning, hurt, sorrow, affection, confusion, and maybe even more...His vision began to blur, and fragments of past dreams and nightmares played in his mind. He clutched his head as a throbbing pain set in like thunder crashing inside him. Before the teachers could fully register what was happening, he started to lose consciousness, and Aken caught him just in time.
"Son-"
"Mevin-"
Both teachers uttered in unison.
For reasons unknown, Yunara's heart ached for the boy, and her eyes filled with tears. Aken noticed but knew it wasn't the right moment to question her feelings.
"Let's bring him to the restroom," Aken instructed, carefully carrying the boy inside.
Once there, Aken settled the boy on a bed. Without hesitation, Yunara grabbed a bowl from a nearby table, poured water into it, and found a small towel. Her actions were quick and thoughtful-like a mother tending to her sick child, Aken observed silently.
Yunara sat beside the boy and began gently dabbing his face with the cool water, careful not to hurt him. The restroom was empty except for the two of them, and Aken watched silently, worried about what had just happened. When the boy's eyes slowly began to open, Yunara exhaled sharply-she hadn't even realised she'd been holding her breath. It felt as though she might lose something precious.
"How are you now, Mevin? What happened? Do you feel sick?" Aken asked, his voice full of concern.
Then, unexpectedly, the boy sat up, wrapped his arms around Yunara, and began to cry. Yunara's eyes overflowed as well-tears streaming silently, their pain unspoken. Neither of them knew the reason for this sudden outpouring. She tried to calm the boy while holding back her own tears, and Aken was momentarily speechless as he watched Mevin cling to Yunara like a lost child finally finding his mother, his grip desperate. When it's getting tied,
"Mevin, she can't breathe properly," Aken noted urgently.
"Ah, sorry. Are you okay?" the boy managed as he released her.
"Ah, yeah. How about you, son?"
The word "son" sent a shiver through them both.
"Ah... Mmmm. I... I don't really know... And I'm sorry for my behaviour. Miss...?" he stuttered.
"I'm Yanvi. And you are?" she replied softly.
"I'm Mevin. Yenula Mevin."
"Nice name. Now, tell us-how are you feeling?"
"Yeah... You worried us for a long time," Aken added, more like a complaint.
"Act like a teacher, Aken. You're not his friend; you're his teacher," Yunara scolded lightly.
"Yeah, yeah... I forgot. No more jokes. What happened, Mevin? You were fine this morning."
"I don't know, Mr Aken. I can't explain it-my head... it hurts," the boy said, staring at his trembling hands as the teachers exchanged glances.
"Maybe a nap will help. Try to rest, Mevin," Aken suggested kindly.
"Ah... Okay... I know it's a lot to ask, but... Miss Yan, can you please stay?" Mevin pleaded, his glistening eyes silently begging her to remain.
Yunara looked at Aken as if asking, "What should I do?" After a brief pause, Aken nodded.
"If you stay, I'll let Ken know about this. You can stay for a while, Yuni."
"Thanks," her eyes conveyed all the gratitude in her heart.
"Mevin, try to sleep a little. You'll be okay-Miss Yanvi will be right here," she reassured him.
"Yes, Mr Aken. Thank you, Miss Yan."
"I'll get going. I need to arrange a few things," Aken excused himself, leaving the teacher-student duo alone.
"Miss Yan... Please don't leave," Mevin said in a soft, trembling voice, barely audible through his tears.
"I won't. Sleep tight, dear. I'll be right here next to you," Yunara promised, moving a chair closer to the makeshift bed and sitting down beside him.
Soon, Mevin drifted off into a much-needed rest after the storm of emotions.
---
Meanwhile, as the chaos of the day settled, Yunara found herself lost in thought. Her heart ached as she pondered what had just happened. This boy felt strangely familiar, yet it was the first time she had met him. She couldn't quite pinpoint the feeling, but one thing was clear: she didn't want this boy to get hurt. She knew deep down that she would do anything to protect him, even though he was essentially a stranger-and yet, an inexplicable connection had already been forged. Who is he? Yunara wondered.
"Please, I don't want any more heart-burning situations. I just cured my heart," she silently prayed, her thoughts echoing the fragile hope of a new beginning.
-------------