The Unsurpassed Maiden

"Hwang Shin Yu?"

"Uhn. She's my younger cousin who I missed so much!" Lady Ning Gwang says with a cheerful voice. "She's the daughter of my father's sister. We were so close back then when we were still kids. Some people tend to say that we're like twins because of how much Shin Yun follows me."

Lady Ning Gwang has a very fond look on her face while she talks about her cousin, who was supposed to help Mi Young with her prophecy. The teacher also mentioned that Hwang Shin Yu is a very shy person and only talks to the people who she trusts most, which is why teacher Ning Gwang gave the young girl a heads up of what reaction she was going to receive from her teacher's cousin.

"Go home and rest for a bit. We'll go to her tomorrow." Lady Ning Gwang says. "Let's meet tomorrow at the hill with the maple tree on it."

Mi Young nodded her head at her teacher's instruction. She asked if teacher Ning Gwang was coming with her, the teacher just said that she'll stay at Zhong Yu's house so they can come up with a plan. Mi Young ignored the fact that Lady Ning Gwang's face was red the moment she said those words towards her.

So the young girl went back to the academy grounds alone.

When the black haired girl was about to go inside her dormitory building, a hand stopped her. "Mi Young!"

Mi Young looks back to see Shang Min and Jong In jogging towards her. The two students stop in front of her, panting.

The young Pyro Mage waits for the two of them to say something but it looks like the two other Mages are still debating whether who will talk to Mi Young first. So before any of them can say a word, Mi Young stops them.

"Hold up, whatever you're about to say, save it for a while." Mi Young says while raising her hands to stop Jong In from saying a single word. Seeing that the boy has his mouth zipped, Mi Young crosses her arms and proceeds to say the words she longs to say. "Since when did the two of you became friends?"

Shang Min and Jong In stared at one another before they looked at Mi Young at the same time, both of them giving her a confused look.

Mi Young drums her fingers against her arms, "So?"

"We don't actually know as well." Jong In says.

"We just clicked." Shang Min continued while looking at Jong In, to which the other boy just nodded his head.

Mi Young hums before locking her gaze with Jong In's, "Fine. So, what are you going to say anyway?"

"Before I ask you the main question, may I ask first where did you go? You were gone for the whole day." Jong In says while giving Mi Young a look.

"Well, that's none of your business." Mi Young says, for some reason she seems quite irritated but she doesn't know why. But when she saw the hurtful look on Jong In's face, Mi Young felt guilty. So she sighs before saying, "I actually went with Lady Ning Gwang somewhere. We visited an old friend of her."

"Oh is that so? You're not lying are you?" Jong In asks.

Mi Young looked at him, offended. "Why would I lie to you?"

"Just asking." The other Pyro user says with a shrug.

Mi Young looked at him suspiciously before saying, "Anyway, what do you want to tell me?"

"Oh right!" Jong In exclaims, as if he just remembered that he has other things to say to Mi Young. However, Jong In turned to the other girl, Shang Min, and told her, "You tell her!"

"I thought it'd be you who's going to tell her!" Shang Min pushes while giving Jong In an unimpressed look.

The boy scratches the back of his neck as he looks apologetically at Shang Min while mumbling a small "I'm scared of Mi Young…" to her while also giving Mi Young a side glance.

The black haired girl scoffs at Jong In, "Hey! What do you mean by that?"

However, she was ignored when Jong In nudges Shang Min once more and telling the girl to talk to Mi Young instead.

Shang Min shakes her head at Jong In before she regards Mi Young while clearing her throat and finally saying what the two of them were supposed to say.

"Jong In and I wants to inform you that earlier today, Kwang Soo was looking for you." Shang Min started. Mi Young can tell that she's being careful with her words. "And that he wants to remind you about your duel."

"Yeah, I never forgot about it." Mi Young says. Then she cocks her head to the side, "What's so important about it anyway?"

"Well, the whole school, as in literally the whole school, is waiting for your upcoming battle with him."

"And?"

"Can't you see how important this fight is? People treat this as a more important event than the Class Battle!" Shang Min says with excitement. But Mi Young can also see that her friend was concerned for her well-being.

"Why? It's just a mere duel."

"Mere duel?!" Jong In shouts. He steps a little closer towards Mi Young to let her know how important her upcoming dual is. "Kwang Soo is one of the greatest students in school! Teachers and students are afraid to go against him. Many people have lost against him and every fight he participates in, he always wins. That is why, everyone is so excited to watch you two duel because they think you'll have a chance against him!"

"Well, then thank you to those who believe in me." Mi Young says nonchalantly.

Jong In facepalms as he looks at Mi Young with an annoyed expression, "Why can't you understand what I'm trying to say?"

Mi Young sighs before placing her hands on her friend's shoulders. She gave it a little squeeze before telling Jong In, "Relax, I know you're just worried. But trust me, I can handle him. I've faced a lot more dangerous people than him."

"But Kwang Soo is—"

"Just calm down, Jong In. Thank you for concern but I promise I won't lose against him, okay?" Mi Young says. She pats Jong In's right cheek before slightly pushing him away. "Now, off you go with Shang Min."

"Mi Young…" Jong In calls for her again. "Are you sure you can do it? It's okay if you want to back down, you know. No one would judge you. Plus, it's Kwang Soo we're talking about so everyone will understand why you're backing down."

"Jong In, the one thing I hate the most is people going back on their own words." Mi Young offered her friend another smile. "I'm fine. Plus, I learned from the best teachers so you don't have to worry about me."

The black haired girl sees her friend sigh before he nodded his head at her. "Fine. You know me and Shang Min will be here for you."

"I know. That's also why I'm confident since I have the best people backing me up and worrying about me." Mi Young says, offering them another confident and friendly smile. "Which is why you two should not worry anymore."

"Fine. Fine. Go rest. You'll need every ounce of your strength tomorrow." Shang Min says while making a shoo-ing gesture at Mi Young.

The black haired girl was about to turn her back against them when Shang Min's words registered in her mind. "I'm sorry—what?"

"What what?"

"What's up with tomorrow?"

"Uhhh? Didn't we just talk about your duel with Kwang Soo?" Shang Min asks with a confused look.

Of course Jong In took it in a wrong way. "Are you really okay, Mi Young?"

Mi Young slaps her forehead for making things more difficult. "Sh*t. I'm so screwed."

"See! This is what I'm talking about!" Jong In says while pointing helplessly at Mi Young. Then the young boy starts pacing back and forth in front of the two girls. "What do we do? We can't just hide you here inside the academy! I know Kwang Soo will look at every corner for you."

Shang Min looks at her two friends who both have the same screwed and worried expressions on their faces. She sighs before yelling at the two of them to stop, "Hey! Why don't you just calm down guys!"

Both Mi Young and Jong In immediately stopped what they were doing. It was Jong In who talked first, "How can I calm down knowing that my friend isn't ready with her duel with the most talented and strong Mage student here inside the academy!?"

"Who says I'm not ready?" Mi Young asks, cocking her head to the side.

"Well, you look troubled just now so I assumed you weren't ready for your duel tomorrow." Jong In answers honestly.

"It's not that I'm not ready to face Kwang Soo. I was just worried because tomorrow is also the day me and Lady Ning Gwang will leave."

"Leave?" Shang Min asks.

Mi Young nodded at her friends. "I mean, we'll go back but we have to visit a close friend of hers who needs…uhhh..help?"

"Why do you look unsure?" Jong In asks.

"Because Lady Ning Gwang didn't explain it to me thoroughly. But anyways, don't worry, I'll just tell Lady Ning Gwang that we have to get back before my duel with Kwang Soo starts." Mi Young says, keeping her voice steady so her two friends will know that she doesn't want to entertain anymore reasons.

"Are you sure you can do it? I mean, you will travel so you might get exhausted and then right after your travel you'll need to face Kwang Soo—"

"I'm fine, don't worry." Mi Young says. "Anyway, I have to get back now. I'll have to search and confirm something. Talk to you guys tomorrow!"

After that, the black haired girl leaves her two friends outside the dormitory building, looking confused and worried at the same time.