Chapter 16 – Lessons

After a few days of training and trying to instil defence on the four packs Yuna is set to train, the day of the elimination has finally arrived. Honestly, looking around the hall, every club is around the corner. The Busay Entrepreneurs are there, selling popcorns and snacks. The Busay Cadets are also there, looking around the area for any danger, and that includes a flying-around Youngbin. Yuna also saw Byullie-unnie flying around in the cadet uniform so she figures that Byullie must be a member of the said club. Speaking of Yuna and her pack, the six packmates just entered the hall and chose their seats. From their seat, they were able to see one more club, the Busay Commentators, who are set to commentate about matches and the Battle Committee, who are meant to regulate and score the matches. Yuna sat next to Seokmin, aka the usual seating arrangement, and Seokmin brought soda and popcorn with him. “How was your week, Yuna?” He asked his partner.

“Hey, at least it’s just my Monday that was kinda hellish for me, I mean, I found out that my mom used to be the Queen of Sky Dragons and it was a mess, too.”

I found out lots of things about you, too. Seokmin told himself as he glanced at Yuna and gave her a nod. “You’ll get through it.”

“Oh yeah, speaking of that night, where the heck did you run off to that night?” She suddenly asked. Seokmin’s face hardened and he just said,

“Yugyeom suddenly needed me, so I came there.”

Yuna nodded in understanding. “I see.”

“So what do your kids have?” He asked. “Like, who’s the strongest among the packs that you looked after for in the 4th year?”

Yuna began thinking. “You know that high-ranked angel in the fourth year? She’s never been defeated once.” But hey, it makes sense since Yewon, after all, is a high-level angel. “She’s like Chanwoo. They’re never been defeated once. And surprisingly, they didn’t face each other in the practice games. It’s like fate is working with their stats.”

“That’s cool.”

“I can see the two of these packs facing each other strongly in the games.” Yuna soon noticed Chaeyeon on the stands as well, selling popcorn. “I didn’t know Chaeng was in the Busay Entrepreneurs?”

“She’s not.” Luda flatly answered. “Her new boyfriend, Longguo is.”

“Longguo as in, the pharmacy Longguo?!” Yuna asked, almost suspicious. Her lousy childhood best friend CANNOT be dating the school’s number one it girl, right?

“Who else? It’s all over social media since last week!”

“Wasn’t she dating Seokwoo?” Dawon asked as she took a handful of popcorn from Yugyeom’s bucket.

“Until Seokwoo and Seungcheol did a Marvin Gaye.” Luda answered flatly once more. Yuna noticed this and she checked the strings. And her hunch was correct. Luda and Chaeyeon has a yellow string between them.

“Oh, you two had a beef between you, too?” Yuna asked.

Mingyu, who was sitting next to Luda, smirked, showing off his iconic canine tooth. “Chaeyeon sent me love letters after our modelling job. She got pissed.”

Luda elbowed Mingyu and rolled her eyes. “I would have let it slide until I found out that he’s been eating the chocolates she gave him, too.”

Seokmin just shook his head and sighed, “This is why dating is sometimes a pain.”

“Wow, I suddenly agree with you.” Yuna added as the couple began bickering.

“This is why our partnership is so meant-to-be, Yuna.”

“Is it? Well, you have a point.”

Dawon and Yugyeom, who are ultimately cringing at the two pairs next to them, as they were squeezed between the couple and the not-so-couple, just heaved heavy sighs. “Well,” Dawon began, pointing at Luda and Mingyu. “Exhibit A of a married couple, titled, ‘The Bickering’” then she pointed at Yuna and Seokmin. “Exhibit B, ‘The Understanding’. Hope you enjoyed the gallery today, good sir.”

Yugyeom smiled and laughed his head off, making Dawon laugh the same. Dawon glanced at Yuna, then to her hands. Yuna caught Dawon staring at her hands and asked, “What is it, Dawon?”

Dawon smiled it off and shook her head. “No, nothing.”

“Okay.” Yuna shrugged and looked back at the centre. The hall is divided into four battlefields with corresponding elements; Water, Earth, Fire and Air. For the first battle, the groups will send out one representative to take on the battle of elimination where they will be randomly paired with a group. Everyone’s matches were quite predictable, honestly. In Yuna’s kids, too. She can already tell who’s gonna win and who’s gonna lose as they enter the two battlefields. It’s Chanwoo vs Minghao from Yoo Taeyang’s pack in their class in the Fire Battlefield, then Kevin Moon vs Park Jihoon, a third-year, for the Water Battlefield, Yewon vs Wonwoo, Seungcheol’s friend in the Air Battlefield. Ji Changmin vs Daisy, a third-year is on the Earth Battlefield. Yuna glanced at Seokmin. “You’ve seen Chanwoo’s other form, right? What colour is he?”

“He’s a red hydra.” Hydra is a type of dragon that has three heads, while the colour red symbolizes fire, most likely, Chanwoo’s element.

“You’re a crystal-blue oriental, right?” Yuna asked Seokmin. An oriental is the typical dragon we would usually see, the most common ones, and the crystal-blue colour symbolizes ice, which is Seokmin’s element. He nodded in acknowledgement of her knowledge.

“You know a lot about us dragons.”

“My mom is a dragon, remember?”

“Point.” As he said that, a whistle was heard through the hall and the four battles begin simultaneously. The elimination was quite quick for Chanwoo and Yewon. Those two might just be the most powerful Unnaturals in their year. Chanwoo didn’t even bother to change forms. She doesn’t know if Minghao is just weak – wait, he’s not. The guy’s a kitsune, not to mention that he already has six tails up. Kitsunes’ powers depend on how many tails they have. They can have up to 12 tails, and 12-tailed kitsunes are usually at least a thousand years old. This means that Minghao should be half as powerful as a fully-grown kitsune. But from Minghao’s performance, Yuna doesn’t know.          

“Yuna, what did you teach Chanwoo?” Dawon suddenly asked.

Yuna raised a brow. “Their team at defence so I focused on defence.”

“Chanwoo’s defence is impenetrable!” Luda exclaimed while Yuna noticed Mingyu sneakily putting his arm over her shoulders. “I don’t know if it’s because he’s a dragon, but good work, Yuna.”

“Thanks.” It didn’t take Chanwoo long before he defeated Minghao. Yuna heard chattering from behind her. All of them were exclaiming about Chanwoo’s improvement, and how he managed to close off his one and only black hole – that is, defence. Some kids were talking about how he was destroyed by Kim Yewon last year because Chanwoo couldn’t defend himself.

Speaking of Yewon, she was quick to destroy Jeon Wonwoo. Looks like the latter didn’t see Yewon coming. And besides, Yewon can fly. They’re in an Air Battlefield, Wonwoo was definitely at disadvantage. Yuna analyzed Yewon’s speed. She’s gotten really fast. Looks like all the flying activities worked out for her. Yewon stayed on air for a few minutes until she and Yuna met eyes. The angel gave the fairy a thumbs-up and a smile. Yuna smiled back, and she noticed that Chanwoo’s flying as well, and he gave her a slow nod. She felt a nudge coming from Seokmin and her partner has this undeniable smile – the smile Yuna loves so much.

“He’s thanking you.” He pointed at Chanwoo. “That’s how dragons thank others.”

“Really?” Yuna brightened and she pulled out her fairy pen. She wrote on air, addressed to the two fourth-years, saying, ‘You’re always welcome.’ Chanwoo and Yewon looked at one another and shared a nod as they flew back to the ground. This made Yuna really happy, t