Meanwhile, back at the Division 2 canteen, the other interns were still thinking about Araka’s confinement for her involvement during the earlier shard panther incident.

Tenka stabbed a chunk of rice omelet with her steel chopsticks and pouted faintly: “I get it,” she mumbled. “Instructor Huashin had her reasons. And I’m not saying Sara-cha shouldn’t have consequences after going off-script…”

She paused, looked up at the others.

“…But how could she even catch up with us after being confined for three days? She will miss her move-ins, she will miss the lectures - she may even fail the first quiz.”

Across the table, Jun was drinking a can of soda: “Tenka, you remember what’s different about Araka, right?”

Tenka blinked. “Besides being younger? She’s still 14 and turning 15 soon. But that’s it. We all made it through the entrance too.”

Sukeo, upon finishing another bite of the rice omelet, said: “She’s not like us, Tenka. If you remember, Instructor Huashin exclusively mentioned Araka had some special ability that couldn’t really be tested during the entrance exam.”

“That Matake thing?” Okuri raised his eyebrows. 

Sukeo nodded: “Instructor Huashin said it was the ability that allowed Araka to communicate through her mind. However, she also mentioned during the shard-infested panther mission that the SAIR also needed to use some suppressor to contain Matake.”

“I haven’t even heard about the term Matake before, let alone knowing Araka has one,” Jun said, while taking another sip of the soda. 

Tenka fell silent. “…I know,” she said softly. “But that’s why I’m worried. She has something that even Huashin wanted to hide, and that was bad. I - I just really hope she could return to our group rather than be sent to some kind of lab.”

“But what if - ” Sukeo said while sorting the vegetables in the rice omelette, “they want to know more about Araka?”

“What do you mean, Sukeo?” Jun said, raising an eyebrow.

“I don’t really think Instructor Huashin and Instructor Anawa were someone who followed the protocols blindly. After all, if I remember correctly, Huashin is not much older than us and quite exceptional in her rank, the same could be said for Anawa.”

“But it seemed that Huashin was very serious about it,” Tenka turned her attention toward Jun, “and I also was thinking - who is Araka really? Are you hiding something from us?”

“Tenka, why are you looking at me like this?” Jun said, “I said I had no idea why Araka had this ability - I just thought she’s smarter than average, but not to the extent of controlling someone else’s mind.”

“Jun, I think that Matake thing must be vital for the SAIR at this point, or otherwise Araka wouldn’t even have the candidacy for the entrance exam,” Sukeo cut in and said plainly, “so this confinement may also serve as a chance for the instructors to learn more about Araka’s potential.”

As the conversations between the interns continued, someone entered the canteen and dropped by the table. 

“I get what you all are thinking, but I can tell you - Araka will join you again and do the same quiz later this week.”

“Instructor Huashin?” Tenka asked first.

“So Instructor Huashin, are you saying Araka is going to be free?” Jun asked.

Huashin put away her tablet and took a sip of the soda she grabbed from the fridge. “She learned her lesson and now she’s studying for the quiz in her dorm,” she said while wiping off the sweat on her forehead. “She might even be ahead of you.”

“What? How could she finish the review so fast?” Tenka said, “I got bored just after reading ten lines.”

“Well, that’s Araka for you,” Jun said, “she may not do the best during an exam, but she always puts her all effort days before the exam, and sometimes even overthinking.”

“Unlike you who spend more time on dance videos,” Sukeo said under breath, teasing.

“Stop! I mean, I also spend more time on the quiz.” Tenka said.

Huashin chuckled a bit, and then continued: “If all of you really want to check Araka, you can find her around the dormitory wing after today’s lecture - she’s still doing her initial moving in now.”

——

Anawa led Araka down the dormitory wing of the Division 2 Complex — clean, modular dorms marked with small name cards. Each room was identical from the outside, but behind every door was a different life beginning to take shape.

They stopped at Room 212. The panel beeped softly as Anawa tapped her staff ID.

“Here we are, Araka,” she said. “This will be your new dorm.”

Araka took a glance over the interior: the dorm was minimalist but not unpleasant: a desk by the window, a twin bed, surrounded by shelves and draws that were waiting to be filled. At the foot of the bed: a small stack of cardboard boxes, each marked in Jun’s handwriting. Araka instantly recognized her family’s packaging tape. Her name was scribbled across the top, in both Shinari and Watanaba.

“Jun brought these earlier,” Anawa said. “You missed the scheduled move-in yesterday, so he volunteered. Don’t worry - your mom Moraka packs them up for you and Jun didn’t open it.”

Araka blinked, then walked slowly to the bed. She placed a hand on the top box and whispered more to herself than to Anawa: “Did he bring… those things too?”

Anawa raised an eyebrow: “Those things?”

“You know. My clothes. My woninsy (manga) collections. My, um, mini video game console …” She peeked into the top box and sighed when she saw only a few folded T-shirts, some underwear, a jacket, and a disorganized pile of study materials.

“Not much,” Anawa said with a faint smile, “You’ll be allowed a personal trip home tomorrow if you want to bring more.”

Araka let herself sit down onto the edge of the bed.

“At least it was mom who sent over changing clothes and underwear,” she muttered, while looking at the ceiling:  “Honestly, even if Jun had brought those… I don’t really mind either. I mean, he has already seen them whenever he wakes me up in the morning - not that I want him to, obviously. But you know, he is my brother.”

Anawa blinked again, then chuckled softly: “Well. I suppose that makes my job easier.”

“Still, I didn’t really understand what Matake really is,” Araka let out a deep breath, “Instructor Anawa, I - I think I have one question: is it good or bad for me to have Matake?”

She sat in silence for a few moments longer, and then leaned over and opened the second box: a small photo frame was inside, wrapped in cloth. She unwrapped it slowly—revealing a picture of her, Jun, and Moraka, taken at the time she finished middle school. It looked like a different lifetime, even though it was just months before. 

“I - to be honest, I couldn’t really tell. But from what I can see, I am pretty sure you will not use it to harm people; and to be honest, you were quite brave since you saved the little girl,” Anawa said with a little smile: “The thing you mostly need is proper training, and I am pretty sure Huashin sees it the same way. Plus, you really want to become the real life Ms. Possible, right?”

Araka nodded.

“Then using your Matake power properly will make you achieve that goal,” Anawa said, smiling. 

The room went silent again. 

“Thank you, Instructor Anawa,” Araka said.

“Now make this space your second home,” Anawa said upon getting up from the chair, “you will spend several nights each week here.”

As the door slid shut behind her, Araka looked back at the boxes. Then, slowly, began unpacking. Box after box, item after item, the dormitory began to feel lively piece by piece. 

—-

After unpacking her towels and toiletry set, Araka took off her hoodie, revealing her grey sports bra, and changed into slippers - the first time she could change into something more comfortable. She wrapped her towel around her neck and grabbed her toiletry bag - knowing that it was time for a shower. 

Meanwhile, along the corridor, Tenka, wearing a hot pink top and denim high rise shorts, rang the doorbell. 

“Sa~ra~cha! Have you finished your move-in?” she called, her voice playful but with a hint of curiosity tucked inside. 

Upon hearing the chime of the doorbell, Araka walked toward the exit and opened the door. However, upon seeing Araka in person, Tenka quickly realized that Araka was not ready for a hangout: her long blue hair was a bit messy, her hoodie barely covered over her shorts in underwear, and she looked like someone who had been thinking very hard for the past several hours and was only now realizing how much she needed a hot shower.

“Hi Tenka-sa,” Araka said, surprised but not startled. “Sorry for being like this. Do I smell?”

“Hey! Sara-cha, are you calling me that again?” Tenka’s cheeks puffed up slightly

“You’re older than me, so I guess that’s the proper way to call you. Plus, I was sorry for what I had done on Monday.”

Tenka rolled her eyes, then stepped closer, hands behind her back, rocking a little on her heels: “Anyway, I’m glad you’re back,” she said, a little more softly this time. “Everything’s been weird without you.”

“Really?” Araka raised an eyebrow. “I would’ve thought Sukeo and Jun kept everything in perfect order, plus it’s only one day.”

“He tried,” Tenka shrugged. “But to be honest, Sukeo wasn’t exactly good at conversation without bringing up some random facts. Plus, even Jun got moodier.”

Araka laughed under her breath. “That makes sense,” she said in her typical playful tone, “for being an older brother.”

Tenka glanced at the towel and bag. “So, you’re heading to shower?”

“Yes. Finally.” Araka groaned. “I was stuck in confinement with only a sink with cold water. I had to use deodorant just to feel human again.”

Tenka blinked. “Wait, deodorant?”

Araka raised her bag slightly with mock pride. “Yeah, the same one I used during the entrance exam. Still in the backpack despite forgetting to bring my ID. That really saved my life.”

Tenka snorted. “Well, that’s Peni Araka of Sakashi, I guess.”

They stood in silence for a second, the air between them relaxed.

“Hey, Sara-cha,” Tenka said more carefully this time. “Back there, inside the confinement, did Instructor Huashin and Anawa treat you like a… subject?”

Araka tilted her head thoughtfully, with her finger resting on her chin. “Not really,” she said. “Instructor Anawa and Huashin treated me quite well. But still, I just managed to  read someone else’s mind.”

Tenka looked uncomfortable. “That still sounds a little creepy.”

“I mean, they also did explain what Matake really is - better than last time,” Araka added: “At least I know I am someone who was born with the ability and I can control it without foundational training.”

Tenka frowned, her brows drawing together: “Is it really that special? Even during the introduction lecture yesterday, Huashin only said Matake was related to cognition or something.”

“Well, it seems to be far beyond that,” Araka said, “I can also visualize someone else’s mind and Anawa said my mind was even able to influence how others think.”

Tenka’s eyes widened slightly: “That’s confusing.”

Araka shrugged, adjusting her towel over her shoulder. “To be fair, I also had no idea what that really is. My mom never mentioned anything like that despite Huashin saying I inherited that ability from my mom.”

“I see,” Tenka said, “So do you think you can pass the quiz tomorrow?”

Araka nodded: “I had nothing else to do during the confinement, and it’s only several pages of book.”

“Well, I guess you should be fine by now,” Tenka said, with arms extended behind her back. “Sara-cha, don’t make another mistake like this one - I’m not saying you shouldn’t help, but - we’re all worried about your safety.”

Araka stretched her arm and said with a light smile: “I will.” She didn’t mention the idea of Matake training Anawa mentioned to her earlier. 

“By the way, Sara-cha, all of us have finished our initial move-in. Maybe you can check out our dorms if you want after tomorrow’s lecture.”

“Thank you,” Araka said, her tone now even more playful, “I mean, my room might stay the same even tomorrow.”

“No worries. Anyway, I’m heading back to my room. If you have any questions, you can message me on Miz.”

Araka nodded: “See you tomorrow, Tenka.”

“See you tomorrow, Sara-cha.”

After Tenka left, Araka walked toward the communal bathroom of the dormitory complex. As she took off her clothes and turned on the shower, she felt something was indeed different - not just the fact she hadn’t properly showered for two nights, but also an unusual sense of  clarity. She stared at the tiled wall, letting the water pour down along her shoulder and hair. 

If Matake could be controlled, like what Instructor Anawa said, and I have unconsciously been doing it for a while, wasn’t the short moments of certainty I had from time to time all actually signs of my cognitive power, or Matake’s working? Why is Ami's version so chaotic, while mine was controlled? More importantly, why Tenka wasn’t impacted by my Matake field, unlike Ami to her parents?

The mystery of Matake still lingered inside Araka’s mind. Then, she also realized something subtle during the interview with Huashin and also during her talks with Ami - whenever she was closer to Huashin, she suddenly felt her mind was touching something, as if she recognized Huashin and could sense something from her.

Wait, Araka thought as she washed off the soap foam on her body, what if - Huashin is also someone having this so-called “Matake” ability? Does she hold the key of how to control the Matake?