The infirmary smelled faintly of antiseptic and dust, mixed with the lingering scent of burnt debris from the simulation.
Roshan stepped inside, boots clanking softly on the polished floor. Rows of beds lined the room, some occupied by students with bandages, others simply sitting quietly, recovering from exhaustion.
His eyes immediately found Miko.
She lay on one of the beds, her leg wrapped in thick white bandages. Lira and Daren stood vigil beside her, their expressions a mixture of concern and frustration.
“Hey,” Roshan said softly as he approached. “How are you holding up?”
Lira’s eyes snapped toward him, sharp and fiery. “How are you holding up with all that praise, huh?”
Roshan froze. “Praise?”
“You know,” Lira spat, crossing her arms. “All the attention you got today while Miko was almost crushed. Did you enjoy it?”
Confusion clouded Roshan’s face. “Wait… what are you talking about?”
Daren stepped forward, his jaw tight. “It’s your little attention-seeking stunt! That collapse thing—sure, it was a hologram—but it still caused Miko to get hurt.”
Roshan blinked, trying to process. “It was only a hologram…”
Daren’s eyes flared. “Only a hologram? And yet she’s in the infirmary! That injury isn’t ‘only’ anything!”
“That’s—” Roshan began, but Lira cut in with a sharp shake of her head.
“You really don’t get it, do you?” she muttered.
“I mean… I was just trying to protect the civilians,” Roshan defended.
Daren scoffed. “Protecting civilians doesn’t mean you get reckless! You should’ve been careful!”
“I should’ve been careful?” Roshan shot back, his voice rising. “Oh, so now you’re the one giving orders? You’re just mad it wasn’t you who thought of the strategy!”
The words hit Daren like a slap. His fists clenched. “Jealousy? You think I’m jealous? You’re ridiculous!”
“I’m ridiculous?!” Roshan’s hands shot up instinctively. “You think I’m the one at fault here? You’re—”
Before either could stop themselves, their anger boiled over, and they collided in a sudden scuffle. Fists flailed, knocking a tray over, and alarms in the infirmary blared as other students scrambled out of the way.
“Stop! Both of you!” Lira shouted, trying to pull them apart, but it was too late.
An instructor arrived moments later, his arms crossed. “Both of you, to the academy office. Now.”
Roshan and Daren were guided, still grumbling, toward the imposing academy office where the head instructors waited.
Once inside, the scolding began. “This is unacceptable behavior,” Garrick barked. “Physical altercations on academy grounds will not be tolerated!”
Roshan opened his mouth to defend himself, but before he could speak, Reese walked in, her calm presence cutting through the tension.
“Excuse me,” she said, her voice quiet but firm. “Daren initiated the fight.”
Garrick glanced at Reese, clearly taken aback. She gave him a look sharp enough to cut steel.
“Then Daren,” Garrick said reluctantly, “you will clean the stairs in the first building.”
“No!” Daren protested immediately, stomping his foot. “I didn’t agree to this!”
But nobody was listening. He was already being escorted out, muttering angrily.
Reese turned to Roshan. “Come with me,” she said.
Roshan followed silently, walking through the quiet corridors of the academy toward the infirmary. Once inside, she stopped him near Miko’s bed.
“You need to understand,” Reese began, her eyes serious. “This is exactly what I meant when I said friends can slow you down. You need focus. Discipline. You need to think beyond personal glory.”
Roshan frowned, conflicted. “But… was that punishment really necessary?”
Reese gave him a sharp look. “It isn’t about punishment. It’s about perspective.”
Her hand lightly rested on his shoulder for a moment. “Shush. Stop overthinking. Go. Rest. You’ve earned it.”
And just like that, she left.
Roshan sank onto a nearby chair, feeling the weight of the day settle over him. After being treated for minor scratches and bruises from the simulation, he slowly turned his gaze around the infirmary.
That’s when he noticed her.
A brown-haired girl was sitting in another bed, getting treated for scrapes and minor injuries. She glanced at him curiously, her expression soft but alert.
“Hey,” Roshan said quietly, moving closer. “Are you okay?”
She smiled faintly. “Yeah… thanks.”
“I haven’t seen you around much. What’s your name?”
“Sorrow,” she replied simply.
“Sorrow?” Roshan repeated, testing the sound of it. “It suits you.”
She chuckled lightly. “Thanks… you were… really cool out there today.”
Roshan blinked, caught off guard. “Cool? Me?”
“You protected everyone,” she said, eyes serious for a moment. “Even when it got dangerous… you didn’t hesitate.”
Her words made him shift uncomfortably. Compliments were rare, and praise even rarer.
“You really think that?” he asked quietly.
“I do,” she said. Then she leaned back slightly as a comms device buzzed beside her. “My team’s calling me.”
Roshan nodded. “Right… okay.”
Sorrow glanced at him one last time. “Meeting you was nice. And… what you did for the people today? That was… really cool.”
She stood, brushing off her uniform. “See you around, Roshan.”
And just like that, she was gone.
Roshan remained in the infirmary chair, watching her leave, a strange mix of admiration and curiosity settling over him.
He couldn’t help but think about what she said.
And about everything he had done today.
And for the first time, the weight of the glory he received felt… a little emptier without his friends by his side.
49Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CwShmEXnn
and then Add to home screen.