"Awkward."
Iejei, sitting opposite Uuzhit and Asakay, sat looking between Eshuumina and Inyoninko who had not stopped staring at one another for the last, she checked the time, six minutes and twenty-eight seconds. Everyone knew the confrontation between Inyoninko and Eshuumina in the oratorium and had heard of the fight in the tunnel between Asakay and Inyoninko, so even when the instructor realized that all the students weren't listening or paying attention, when he looked over and recognized Queen Eshuumina and War-machine Inyoninko, he stopped breathing for a second, looked down, then turned to his presentation and resumed.
Glancing down at her phone, counting eight minutes and fourteen seconds, Iejei sighed. She shook her head to herself. With a frown, she breathed in and screamed "Bored" so loud and long that everyone around her was wide-eyed. Uuzhit covered his ears, while Asakay as if she were not the loudest thing to ever set off next to his ear blinked and stared forward. Even Inyoninko was calm, shifting sideways on her chair, and across from her, Eshuumina started laughing, arms folded, smiling. When Iejei finished, she huffed. "Just introduce yourselves already!" She looked between the two who glanced at each other. "You know what," she cried, "Forget it," and stood, marching to the spot between them. "Inyoninko. Eshuumina. Now kiss and make up."
Asakay burst with laughter and flailed on his seat. Inyoninko shifted in her seat and picked up the book she'd brought. Iejei glared at her. When she spun to Eshuumina, she found the green-haired woman admiring her nails. "Don't you have something to say?"
Eshuumina paused in admiring her nails. She lifted dark blue irises surrounded by rhinestones and orange to bright red glitter to peer at Iejei. "What you think of my nails? Blue might've been better."
Asakay was cackling, slapping his knee, not caring that either Uuzhit or Iejei looked at him funny but when he stole a glance at Inyoninko, Iejei spun to her. All she found was a bookworm reading with earbuds plugged in. She blinked, not sure whether to believe this or not. She looked to Asakay, confused. Then she looked to Uuzhit whose face was blank. He shrugged. At a sudden cough from behind her, she spun around, finding the instructor there, peering at her over the rim of his glasses, his hands clasped behind his back. She froze. The instructor glanced past her. Uuzhit smacked Asakay on the shoulder. When he realized what he was seeing, Asakay choked and sat back. Then Inyoninko moved, turning in her chair as she lowered her book. She looked to the instructor as she removed the earbuds. Inclining her head, she apologized. "We didn't mean to disturb your class."
The older man's eyes shifted to Eshuumina who stared at him, bored. Iejei spun about and hurried back to her seat behind Eshuumina. Refocusing on Inyoninko, he started to nod his head. "Good to have you in class, Miss Inyoninko." He turned to walk back.
"Sir." He paused and looked back to her. "Would you have a list of books for this class?"
Eshuumina scoffed, earning their attention. She looked at Inyoninko. "You're joking."
Staring back at her, "I'm here to learn."
Eshuumina raised one fine brow. Pushing down on the table and sitting forward, she tossed her hair back as she said, "You're not in Shsyryo anymore. And it's public rhetoric. It's our way or no way."
They stared at each other. Glances were shot around but no one dared even whisper. Looking between the two, the instructor cleared his throat. He took a deep breath before addressing Inyoninko. "You weren't here first semester," he said slowly, fidgeting behind his back when he noticed Eshuumina glaring, "as I understand it. Is that right?" Inyoninko glanced at him. "There are probably some things," he glanced at Asakay then at her, "that are a bit foreign or strange, no doubt. You would like some reading to catch up."
"I would, sir. If you have any."
The instructor nodded to himself. He spared a glance at Uuzhit, Iejei and then Eshuumina. "Well, we do have a different way of doing things here. Your classmates can help you. But if you would like some material for reading." Asakay groaned and slumped in his chair. The instructor smiled. He looked to Inyoninko. "I'll give. You. My suggestions."
Inyoninko bowed her head. "Thank you, sir."
The instructor hesitated to turn back, looking to Eshuumina. He addressed her. "Regarding yesterday's." She glanced up at him, dark eyes narrowing. "Very good." The other students applauded, a few nodding their heads, along with whispers of agreement. Confused, Inyoninko and Asakay looked around. Inyoninko looked to Uuzhit. He had a sour expression. Across from him, Iejei glanced sideways at him, hesitant to clap for Eshuumina who Inyoninko found smirking at her.
With a toss of her hair, Eshuumina turned away. "Class," she announced, "has started."
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