Chapter 22: Close Contact (1)
I couldn't sleep that night. I didn't know why. Maybe I was just over-thinking or maybe I was too tense for the future. I know Gin; he can be approachable in a few seconds, then in an instant, back again. He'll revert back to being intimidating.
Another thing is, he becomes a different person when it comes to training. He takes it very seriously, just like what happened yesterday when Ethan and Cain fought. It was like he's studying their every move. In his head, he was taking down notes; what were the weakest point, the strongest point, and what to improve. In short, he is the typical serious and competitive Captain. The kind of person I don't want to associate myself with.
I woke up late so I hadn't eaten yet for breakfast. Moreover, I wasn't able to hear what the group had discussed. We are now under physical training. It meant a new set of rules and procedure. Good thing I bumped to Luna who's walking by the hallway.
"Hey! Why are you here just now?" she called while quickly walking over.
"I woke up late."
"Same here!" She laughed. "I have much to read about medical plants and poisonous herbs last night."
"Isn't that the assignment given to you by Sir Apollo yesterday?"
"Yes," she nodded. "I'm hungry. Let's go quickly to the Breakfast Hall."
Here we go again, sneaking. I just followed her. It's good that the others are already in their respective classes and only the servants walk towards the direction of the Breakfast Hall.
"What's your schedule today? We're having physical training, right?" I asked her while we both sat down to our seats, by the table for our group.
The Breakfast Hall, right now, is very quiet. Lights from outside entered through the high glass windows. Some glass windows by the ceiling are wide-open so you can hear the chirping of the birds hanging out there.
"Agility with Ethan." I noticed the complaining tone in her voice.
"I swear my body will be aching all over again. How about you?"
Lisa came to us. She's the servant who could ride along Luna's antics. Luna told her that they'll take whatever was available. She just nodded and went back to the kitchen.
"Weapon training with Gin," I replied to Luna after Lisa left.
She raised an eyebrow. "Really? Wow."
I furrowed my brows at her reaction. "Why?"
"Team Captain doesn't like one-on-one training. When he is in charge, it is always with everyone, the whole team. But I guess you are an exemption since you have a lot to catch up."
She paused as if remembering something. "The last time he did it was with Corrine. That was almost a year ago. It was also physical training since Corrine is pretty weak in that area."
"How was it?"
Luna shrugged. "Fine, I guess. After their training, Corrine somehow managed to evade most of the attacks. She was scared of Gin when they started, you know? But they gradually became closer."
Ironic. This is fucking stupid. What the hell? Am I following the footsteps of Corrine? So I'm not just her substitute but actually a copy. Her fucking copy.
Luna noticed my mood change. "You okay?"
I struggled to calm myself then stared to Luna like nothing happened.
"Excellent."
I will never be a second version of her or anyone else in this place. We are way too different to each other. I will never fall into the same trap.
—
I went to the training room in an hour after we ate in the Breakfast Hall. The other members have their own schedule around this time. I guess we're alone here. This is a one-on-one training with Gin after all.
I wished to say that I'm not nervous but I will only deceive myself if I did that. I'm nervous but I'm not scared. Those are two different things.
I just don't want to mess this. I want to show him that I can handle myself without the help of anyone.
As expected, he was already in the training room when I came. He was never late when it comes to these kinds of things. He had his back turned from the door and was facing the weapons on a table. He's serious again. I wonder if he's thinking what kind of weapon will hurt me.
"Long range weapon first."
I was startled when he spoke. What the? So he knew that I was already here. I straighten up to disguise my surprise.
"Sure."
After I said that, a kunai was quickly thrown to my direction. I was greatly surprised so I couldn't react immediately. I could just tilt my head just milliseconds before it hit my face. I winced at once when I felt its edge grazed my cheek. I cupped it with my hand and looked at the blood that wetted my palm.
"What the fuck is that?!" I screamed at Gin. Foul! Shameless! I wasn't ready yet. Where is the justice on that?! Damn it!
He turned to me, gazed at his hands, and looked at me again with a mock-innocent look.
"If I were the enemy, would I really be kind enough to tell when will I shoot an attack?"
Wow. He really did have to be sarcastic.
You ungrateful, arrogant bastard! I couldn't keep my irritation anymore. So this is what he wanted. No warning. No orientation.
I took the gyro on the nearest table, a type of knife designed to spin like a bullet when thrown, aimed and flung it to his direction.
(ED: Basically, gyro is cooked meat in pita bread; shawarma. The knife used to thinly cut the meat on a vertical grill is usually 19 inches long so I'm wondering if she was really talking about the knife or the spherical blade used in electric gyro that may actually be used as shuriken. Anyway, it's a Greek term for 'turn' or 'revolution'. Credit to google and affiliated sites. XD)
With all my aiming strength, I threw all the gyro towards him continuously. I don't know if he's snickering on my reaction or whatever; I just saw the corner of his lips curved into an annoying grin before he grabbed a dagger from the table and used it to repel the gyro hurling to his face.
So fast. I couldn't believe that he could counter all the weapons I threw. The small knives were fended off with just one of his hands, on which only annoying sounds of metal hitting metals could be heard. Was he really like this? Was he also like this to Corrine?
"You're a short-tempered devil."
I tightened my grip on the remaining gyro knives in my hand.
"And you're an asshole, Captain."
He just laughed. Funny he almost sounds like he's fairly entertained.
"Come here."
I froze and stared at him. He was still smiling. I don't like the way he smiled. It's not even a smile; it's a cross between a smirk and a mischievous grin. Like he was silently planning something.
"No." I found myself taking a step back instead.
He ran his slender fingers through his fine dark hair.
"Come here. I'm going to teach you something."
No. My mind repeatedly told me. I know he has no the intention to hurt me anymore or to continue attacking. But more than the physical pain he might inflicts me there is a certain something about him that bothers me.
He looked at me, waiting. I tried to stare back daringly but that was until I heard his warning voice.
"I said come."
I flinched. His tone was harsh, cold and commanding. This time, I found myself taking a few steps towards him.
"I said here," he pointed to front, to the table where the weapons were.
I was almost beside him when he said, "I want you to look at these weapons carefully."
I looked down and saw the small weapons lined on the table. I unknowingly got closer to him. I noticed the kunai that he used earlier and some other of its kind. There were others that I've just seen now.
I completely faced the table and the items above it. On one side, there were shurikens, kunai, gyro, air knives, and others used in long distance attack. It's mainly because of the rotation of their blades while on air that made them useful compare to a dagger in long distance attacks.; the farther the distance the greater the impact they gave when hitting a solid object due to the accumulated momentum.
On the other side are the short distance attack weapons like the push dagger, trench knife, cat claws, and ripper. Those are the only things that I'm familiar with. There are lots of daggers piled on the table. There are different cuts and sizes of the blade but all of them have either golden or silver handle.
I gulped. I have always loved these things. I touched one. I ran my fingers through the shiny blade. This one is a high-quality steel. I wonder if—
"Like what you see?"
I froze when I felt Gin's warm breath on my neck. He's already behind me. I forgot about him. My hands stopped admiring the blade. I couldn't move. He was so close; too close that the proximity was overwhelming. I could almost feel his body heat against my back.