Not-So an Extra



—Rustle!

They stopped whatever they did and darted at the sound, only to discover their classmates with inexplicable expressions etched on their faces and a sense of déjà vu washed over them.

However, unlike before, this time Rhea recovered fast and promptly spat her snide remark.

"Oh my, it seems that Péréz is so infatuated with our leader that he obstructed him from entering the Examination Hall, trying to prevent his graduation, huh?"

"What? No, I—"

Péréz immediately got up and let out a fake cough.

"Ahem! What are you guys doing here?"

He put on a stoic face as if what had happened before was just an illusion.

Ralph, Rhea, and Sylvina exchanged disgusting glances in response to Péréz's blatant lie.

With a sigh, Adrian chimed in, helping the boy to escape the awkward situation.

"It's been a while."

Immediately, the trio strode past Péréz and approached Adrian, warmly returning his greeting.

"Leader! It's been a while!"

"It's been a while!"

A flicker of annoyance crossed Péréz's face as he turned towards them and retorted.

"Seriously, did you all just ignore me?" 

Sensing his frustration, Rhea playfully stuck her tongue out at Péréz, further aggravating him. 

Péréz clicked his tongue in annoyance and rolled his eyes in boredom before reluctantly joining them.

As a thought kicked in, Adrian asked.

"By the way, how did you find us?"

Ralph grinned and lifted his Telesphere, revealing a map with a red dot flickering on it.

"We tracked Péréz's location."

The group nodded their heads and Sylvina elaborated further.

"After the accident in Syna, we decided to exchange our tracking systems. This way, if we ever get separated again, we can easily find each other."

"I see. That's a good idea."

Adrian was impressed by their foresight and let out a smirk.

"Then, should I exchange mine with you?"

"Sure, why not?"

Péréz chimed in and the others nodded in agreement, they had no problem with it.

Soon, they proceeded to exchange tracking locations with Adrian, ensuring that they could locate each other easily in the future.

As an idea popped into Ralph's head, he expressed it.

"Now that Vivi mentioned Syna's accident, how about we hang out together after the exam is over?"

Thanks to the sudden appearance of the Kraken, their plan to create beautiful memories was shattered. 

"That's a great idea!"

The others nodded in agreement, and after a few barter of suggestions, the plan was settled.

Once the exchange was complete, Sylvina voiced the intention of finding him.

"Ian, good luck with your graduation exam."

Although they could have simply called him to convey the message, they decided to meet their leader because it had been a while since they last saw him.

Adrian's lips curved up and responded.

"Thanks. Good luck with your final exam as well."

Since they were following the same academic calendar, all the students were taking their respective exams.

"By the way, what do you think about having an extra class in the library once again?"

Adrian suggested.

With only a month left before his graduation, he thought it would be a great idea to spend more time together with his classmates.

"We're… uh…"

Ralph mumbled, his face showing a mix of hesitation and interest, causing Adrian to arch an eyebrow.

"Really?!"

Péréz exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement. 

His voice was filled with anticipation, and his eyes sparkled with joy. 

He couldn't believe what he had just heard!

"I'd love—argh!"

Péréz groaned in agony when something hard struck his shin.

He swiftly shot a death glare at Rhea, who intentionally caused the mishap. 

However, before Péréz could open his mouth to protest, Sylvina interjected.

"We'd love to, but we understand if you are busy. We don't want to burden you, especially since it's your graduation exam."

Not only she, but everyone in the academy was well aware of the importance of the graduation exam.

Nonetheless, Adrian shook his head, a warm smile on his face.

"No, I'm not burdened at all."

He was the one who suggested it, so why would he feel burdened?

The group exchanged glances, their expressions slowly shifting from uncertainty to excitement. 

Eventually, they nodded and started cheering in merriment, agreeing to Adrian's proposal.

To be honest, the private tutor provided by Adrian during the mid-term exam greatly helped them.

"Thank you so much!"

Sylvina exclaimed, her gratitude evident in her voice. 

Unexpectedly, she bowed to him, and the others immediately followed suit, causing Adrian to palm his face in frustration.

He couldn't understand why everyone was being so overly dramatic this morning.

Their exaggerated reaction drained a lot of Adrian's energy. 

Lowering his hand, Adrian was ready to speak his mind; however, he was interrupted.

—Ding —Dong —Ding —Dong

A resounding bell echoed throughout the area, and upon hearing it, Adrian cursed inwardly. 

'Shit.'

His beloved big brother would undoubtedly scold him for being late.

Without wasting any more time, Adrian urged his classmates.

"Alright, enough bowing, let's go." 

They straightened their backs and nodded before making their way out of the woods.

As the trio walked ahead, Adrian swiftly swung his leg and kicked Péréz's shin, causing him to yelp.

"Arg—"

Péréz immediately covered his mouth with both hands to prevent their classmates from hearing.

Looking at Adrian in disbelief, Péréz protested in a hushed voice.

"What the hell was that for?!"

Why did everyone suddenly develop a fondness for kicking his shin?

Adrian met Péréz's gaze; his expression serious and spat the thing that bugged him.

"Don't ever do that again. I don't like it."

His voice held a firmness that made Péréz feel a twinge of nervousness.

'Was he referring to him clinging to his feet earlier?'

Well, he did it in response to panic, so he reflexively clung to his feet.

Péréz couldn't help but wonder if his actions had crossed a line.

Feeling a surge of concern, Péréz quickly apologized.

"I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable." 

"It DID make me uncomfortable."

Péréz hung his head and apologized once again.

"I'm so sorry."

Letting out a weary sigh, Adrian questioned him in a gentle yet probing tone.

"Let me ask you something, you're a man, right?"

"W-what?"

Péréz abruptly lifted his head and blinked several times, confusion etched on his face.

"Of course! I'm a man! I'm a big man!"

Péréz's voice tinged with a mix of pride and defensiveness.

Adrian nodded, a small smile playing on his lips.

"That's right. If you're a man, then please speak like one next time."

Péréz shut his mouth.

Suddenly, it dawned on Péréz how childish he had been acting, allowing panic to dictate his behavior. 

He realized that his instinctive response of clinging to Adrian's feet had been unnecessary and immature. 

With this realization, a smile slowly spread across Péréz's face.

"I understand. Thank you for your enlightening words."

Péréz replied, his voice filled with sincerity. 

He appreciated Adrian's honesty and willingness to address the issue, recognizing that it was an opportunity for personal growth.

Adrian nodded and lifted his fist toward Péréz.

Acknowledging the gesture, Péréz's smile widened, and reciprocated by lightly punching Adrian's fist with his own