Welcome to Source Academy

(Umji)

Yewon looked around as she wandered onto the next campus of her life, having just graduated middle school, she was looking forwards to finding her older sister on this campus. Having arrived here on full recommendations, she hoped that her older sister would be proud, even if they hadn’t seen each other in the last three years because of her enrollment in this magic academy. Adjusting her grip on the handle of her suitcase, she observed as the students around her throbbed with excitement as they rushed to the main gates to their future. She too moved forwards to reach the grand hall, where she would receive her dorm assignment, roommates, and most likely, she’d be placed in the school of nature.

Having graduated top of her class with a distinction in nature kind of already set that bit for her future up. Taking a random seat, she tucked her suitcase against her knees, making sure there was enough room for people to cross. Not many people were very courteous as she witnessed another girl trip over a duffel bag and nearly fall on her face, only to be saved by another girl who scolded the boy who owned the bag. She seemed brave and she looked strong in Yewon’s eyes. Hearing the tapping on the mic for attention, she sat up, back straight hands gathered in her lap.

“Listen up. Students, old and new, you all are gathered here for a new semester. As you should all be familiar, the way teams work depends on your abilities and skill level. There are teams who are incomplete from previous years as they drop out or died valiantly in our daring war against the darkness. Some of you may be paired with a powerful upperclassman who will be your mentor rather than getting teammates.”

            This was true, Yewon had read it all in her handbook that she received in the mail when she got her acceptance letter. There could even be transfer students from other academies, making the ages between the teammates vary by a few years at most. Maybe she could get her sister in her team, but that was highly unlikely. Remembering her older sister’s strength, she wondered if she would meet her sister’s team, they surely had to be just as amazing if not even better than her older sister.

“First, I will announce the teams, starting by listing them if they had a third-year student in them.”

Yewon wasn’t sure why, but she sat at attention as the man continued the ceremony, flipping pages. She had a feeling that something might happen, maybe she’d be called, maybe not. She wasn’t sure this uneasy feeling was.

“Jung Yerin.”

Yewon watched as a taller girl walked up to the stage, she appeared strong, dressed in the school uniform belonging to the school of passion, in Yewon’s mind however, it was better off just being called the school of fire, rather than burning passion. Oddly however, Yewon noticed that this Yerin girl was uncomfortable, was it the fact that she was the only third year? Or that she had lost someone in her team before? Or maybe because she didn’t think she’d be appointed as leader?

“You will be leading one second year, Choi Yuna.”

Watching as Yerin’s smile welcomed her first teammate, Yewon still wondered what her premonition was triggered on. Yuna seemed like a soft kind of girl, her smile showing her perfect teeth and her posture displaying her confidence. Her blue uniform accented her slimness and Yewon smiled as it seemed as if this Yuna could be in the contending line of girls who could be taller than her older sister. Looking around, she tried to see if she could spot her, where were the seniors seated at?

“And two first year students, Hwang Eunbi and Kim Yewon please come up.”

She had heard the announcer say her name, but she wasn’t quite certain it was her, there was no way she could be part of the first team of the year. The handbook said that the first team announced at the ceremony, whether full juniors being regrouped or full sophomores, would be the highly anticipated bunch of the year. There were never freshmen in the first team, but her team had two. Standing up as the student next to her urged her forwards as they saw her temporary sticker name tag. Walking towards the stage, she quickly put her suitcase by the stairs to the stage as she made eye contact with the girl who had defended her friend earlier. So, her name was Hwang Eunbi. Silently, they went up the stage understanding each other’s hesitation and nervousness.

“From this day forwards, this team will be known as YYUS pronounced ‘use’.”

Yewon looked down towards her fellow classmates that she was leaving behind, the students who were watching enviously for the position on the highly anticipated team. A certain bitterness settled into her stomach as she realized the meaning behind their team name. It wasn’t just because their initials- wait, initials? She recounted their names, Yerin and Yuna, Eunbi and Yewon. Where was this U and S from? Either way, their team was probably going to be the busiest team ever under the teacher’s special care. At the least, she could be ‘useful’, right? She breathed a silent sigh as she remained standing for the rest of the ceremony as the students got their assignments.

Tuning back in after her internal conversation that she was probably going to do alright with this team she heard that there would be only one duo created this year, and that this second year would be staying with their team while the senior stayed in the senior towers for a duration. What could that possibly mean? Were there not enough double rooms? Yewon knew that the senior towers were unavailable to all underclassmen, but were there no more doubles in the sophomore towers? He flipped some more pages as the students shuffled about on their sore legs, they had been standing for the last two hours.

“Now announcing the only double of this year, the duo that will be rooming with team one temporarily. Senior Kim Sojung and Sophomore Jung Eunbi.”

Yewon quickly stepped on her tippy toes, her sister’s name was called, but was it her sister or another person with the same name? Spying a head of long dark brown hair that stood above a lot of the students, Yewon couldn’t believe her eyes that her sister didn’t have a team, or even a partner. Did her sister’s team fail? Did her sister’s partner die? All these questions that she had for the older Kim had her nearly bouncing with excitement. If Jung Eunbi was going to stay with them for a while, then there was a chance that she would be able to meet her sister. Hearing the instructions to pull out the school phone to use the apps in it, she noted with extra care what needed to happen to unlock her dorm door and how to use it as a money source. As the students all were dismissed to move to their rooms, Yewon quickly followed behind, but kept a note on where her sister was with her partner. Finding her sister was turning out to be easier than she thought.

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Mwahaha