“Pick up the pace, Yerim! It’s the day we can enter official teams!” Jiwoo kept running ahead of the crowd, towards the training arena. It was a once in a lifetime (more so every two years), Loona Unity’s Hero Academy would select two newer teams to add onto the execution unit. Basically, those who would be responsible in missions and/or tasks to destroy mutants in the farther cities. You know, typical defeat the enemy stuff.

To both the two year students, thankfully enough they already had personal recommendations from their instructors when they took their examination tests. For being trained for little amounts of time, or at the least to their perspective, Jiwoo and Yerim were at the top of their game if they were lucky enough to past this next entrance test to the execution team.

The execution team already consisted of Uni-Q, the staff decided they would need back up or in case if the other higher seniority squads were too busy or missing. Two more teams of four, Jiwoo was filled with excitement, although Yerim didn’t particularly reflect the same expression.

Yerim, compared to Jiwoo, was still frightened by the idea that they could be sent out there and never come back. She felt as if she wasn’t trained nearly enough yet, considering she saw Uni-Q with two  4th years, a 5th year, and of course the one and only 7th year.

She shook off most of these thoughts and showed Jiwoo a reassuring smile, this entrance test will truly determine her fate.

“Haven’t you heard? I heard the virtual mutants in this arena are tougher than anyone as seen! You think Yves has beaten them?”

“You kidding? I bet she did the entire thing with her eyes closed!”

“Are they just gonna put us all in there? No way, we’re gonna be mutant bait!”

“Swear to god, you’re gonna die to a virtual mutant?”

These were the things Yerim heard as she tried to chase Jiwoo down the hall. It wasn’t long until they were filed into sections. Section A, B, and C. Each which Yerim could tell to be about 30 students each. They all sat in their respective places on the bleachers.

Unfortunately for Yerim, Jiwoo got caught up on B while she was A. She tried to look around her section, anyone she knew so she could team with them for the time being.

“Scared your friend isn’t with you?” A voice from beside her makes her jump, more so how could she hear this one voice compared to all the yelling and shouting?

Yerim turned over to be faced with a blonde. She could recognize her anywhere, “Jungeun!” It was her first year instructor that brought her through her examination test, they became well acquainted ever since then.

Although due to her shouting her name, students of her section turned over and were bedazzled by the sight of the 5th year just mere inches from where they were sitting.

“Oh shoot, you blew my cover, Cherry.”

“It’s Cho-e-rry! Come on, I thought you’d get it by now!”

Jungeun only patted her head in the younger one’s whining, “I know, I’m only teasing,” Yerim only sighs “But seriously, you can’t stick to that friend of yours forever. Who knows if either of you will get in.”

To this, Yerim seem unaffected, as if the words went in and out the other side of her ears, “I’m sure we can both do it. Just I don’t have anyone to rely on now.”

“Sometimes you got to fly solo, sometimes you need a helping hand.” It was like the start of another of Jungeun’s famous lectures. Yerim didn’t mind but, she always seemed to repeat herself as if Yerim didn’t understand it the first time.

“But you always need to consider the long run, which is better to you.” Jungeun went on.

“Never forget who you are and what you got Yerim, you’ll need to keep that in your head for this entrance test. Though it’s virtual, these ones are a pain in the .” She pat her back and left to join Uni-Q at the bottom of the bleachers.

She was left a little stunned for how deep her words got, but they were understandable. Unbeknownst to Jiwoo, in Yerim’s first year before she met her in the summer of 2nd year, she was an insecure mess. So passive agressive. She couldn’t control her power properly or lost focus easily.

Jungeun was the one that lead her through that first year and to this point, Yerim was doing just fine.  

“Calling Section A to the battle arena!” She heard over the intercom. Her stomach began turning, why was she getting so anxious?

As she made her way down the bleachers, she could hear Jiwoo cheering for her already. She hid her face in embarrassment.

Once she filed herself along with Section A, she saw Jungeun give her a reaffirming nod. She needed to trust herself. Her power, she needed to maintain it. One way or the other.

And so, like any virtual esque match, you know the drill. All students equipped with the health mech instrument, scoreboard displayed to both participants and spectators, everything would disappear that includ