The Silver Heaven Academy courtyard buzzed with its usual lunchtime chaos—disciples chatting, laughing, and exchanging bites of food under the bright afternoon sun. The air was filled with the scent of sizzling herbs and freshly baked bread drifting from the academy's grand dining hall, known to all as The Silver Heaven Hall.
At a corner table shaded by ivy and sunlight, Shaun, Natasha, Shaumin, and Sabastian sat together, trays half-empty but spirits full.
"Alright!" Sabastian announced, raising his glass of orange juice like a warrior before battle. "To our one-month friendship anniversary! We actually survived each other for thirty days without a single fatality!"
"Barely," Natasha muttered, giving Shaumin a pointed look.
Shaumin placed a hand over his chest, feigning offense. "I'll have you know, I'm delightful company."
"Yeah," Shaun said dryly, "like a thunderstorm during nap time."
Sabastian snorted, nearly spilling his drink from laughter.
"Hey!" Shaumin protested. "I haven't blown anything up all week!"
"You almost did," Natasha shot back. "The kettle yesterday."
"That was research!"
"On how to weaponized tea?"
"Exactly."
Shaun groaned, though a grin tugged at his lips. "You're hopeless."
"Hopelessly charming," Shaumin corrected, earning a groan from everyone.
Sabastian grinned. ""To impossible friends, exploding kettles — and Shaun's never-ending safety lectures."
"Hey!" Shaun said indignantly.
Natasha smirked. "He's right, though. You sound exactly like Lady Naomi sometimes."
Shaun froze in mock horror. "Don't curse me like that!"
Their laughter filled the courtyard, turning heads from nearby tables. A few younger disciples whispered, "Those four again…" but the group paid no mind.
Suddenly, Natasha's eyes lit up. She opened her lunchbox and revealed a small packet tied with a yellow ribbon. "Since it's our friendship anniversary, I made something!"
Shaumin leaned forward eagerly. "Tell me it's edible."
"Of course it is!" She opened a small box, revealing lightning-shaped cookies covered in yellow frosting.
"Nice," Shaun said, impressed.
Sabastian whistled. "You actually baked those?"
"Yup! Took me three hours and one burnt finger."
Shaumin snatched one and bit into it—only to yelp when a faint spark popped from the frosting flickered on his tongue. "Did you… enchant these?!"
Natasha crossed her arms proudly. "Just a mild lightning enchantment. Adds flavour."
Sabastian howled with laughter. "That's what you get for being greedy!"
Shaun tried one, chuckling. "Shocking—but surprisingly good."
Natasha groaned. "Really? A pun?"
"Always," Shaun replied.
Sabastian leaned back, smiling, the sunlight catching the edge of his glass. "Can't believe it's only been a month. Feels longer."
"Probably because we've already seen each other's worst sides," Natasha said.
Shaumin grinned. "Then it's official—we're family now."
Shaun raised his bottle. "To one month of friendship—"
"—and many more explosions to come," Shaumin finished.
By the time their laughter calmed, they clinked their glasses of orange juice together in a cheerful toast.
"To friendship!" Shaun said.
"To cookies that bite back!" Shaumin grinned.
"To my survival," Sabastian added.
Natasha smiled softly. "To us."
Their glasses met with a clear clink, the orange juice catching the sunlight in warm gold hues.
After a quiet moment, Shaumin suddenly stood, brushing crumbs off his coat. "Alright, that's it! A one-month anniversary deserves better than electroshock cookies."
Sabastian raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Planning another experiment?"
Shaumin grinned. "Better—a feast. I'll head to The Silver Heaven Hall's kitchen. The chefs there owe me a favor. I'll bring something special."
Natasha tilted her head. "Special as in what?"
He smirked. "Dumplings. The best ones on campus. Steamed, spiced, and served hot."
Sabastian's eyes lit up. "Now you're talking."
"Exactly," Shaumin said, grinning. "Natasha, you're helping me carry them. Sabastian, you're coming too—your charm gets us discounts."
"Hey, I can't argue with that," Sabastian said proudly.
Natasha chuckled. "Fair enough."
Shaun raised an eyebrow. "And what about me?"
Shaumin pointed toward the courtyard beyond the window, where cherry petals fluttered in the breeze. "You, Shaun Thunderhawk, have the most critical mission—find the best lunch spot in the entire academy. Preferably under a cherry blossom tree. Make it picturesque!"
Shaun laughed. "You really take this celebration seriously."
"As seriously as I am handsome," Shaumin said.
"Then we're doomed," Sabastian muttered, earning laughter all around.
Shaumin ignored him. "Alright team—let's move!"
With that, the three headed off toward the kitchen while Shaun slung his satchel over his shoulder and stepped out into the courtyard garden.
The academy garden shimmered in the afternoon sun, cherry petals drifting like pink snow. Shaun wandered until he found a peaceful spot beneath a wide tree overlooking the lake. Sunlight streamed through the branches, scattering petals over the grass.
"Yeah," he murmured to himself, setting his bag down and gazing at the drifting petals. "This'll do."
The wind carried faint laughter from the distance as his friends disappeared around the corner.
It wasn't much. But somehow, it already felt like the beginning of a lifetime of memories.
**********
The courtyard shimmered beneath the noon sun, petals drifting lazily from the cherry blossoms like falling snow. Shaun sat on the grass, one knee up, waiting for the others to return from the Silver Heaven Hall. Then he saw her.
Across the courtyard, beneath another cherry tree, sat Princess Nina Heavenstar. Her long black hair flowed like silk down her back, glinting faintly pink beneath the blossoms above. The soft breeze lifted the lavender sleeves of her royal pink warrior hanfu, making them shimmer in the sunlight like a dream half-awake.
A yellow ribbon tied around her waist fluttered gently as she brushed a petal from her lap—her movements so graceful they seemed rehearsed by the wind itself. Her smooth skin glowed in the light, and her kind smile—warm and unguarded—made her seem less like a princess and more like something the world itself wanted to protect.
Shaun forgot how to breathe. His heartbeat quickened, thudding louder than the chatter of disciples nearby.
She's real…?
He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly aware of how clumsy he must look compared to her calm poise. Every small motion—tucking her hair behind her ear, turning her head as if listening to the blossoms—was mesmerizing. Even the wind seemed to slow around her, reluctant to pass too fast.
Without realizing it, Shaun stood. He took a step forward. Then another. And another—
Thud.
Something solid blocked his path. He stumbled back, blinking up at the tall boy he'd just walked into. The stranger's long black hair shimmered like polished glass, tied high and flowing down his back. Two strands framed his face—sharp and beautiful as a blade. His deep violet tunic, embroidered with pale flame-like edges, marked him as someone far above the ordinary.
Four other disciples stood nearby, their finely tailored robes and faint, disdainful smirks making it clear—they didn't mix with commoners.
"Watch where you're going," the boy said, voice smooth but edged with danger.
Shaun raised his hands quickly. "S-sorry! I wasn't looking ahead. I was… uh…"
The boy's dark eyes narrowed. "You were what?"
Shaun hesitated—then, before his sense of survival could stop him, blurted, "Looking at someone."
The boy's expression froze. "Who?"
Shaun pointed before he could think better of it. "Her."
The boy followed his gaze. Under the blossoms, Princess Nina smiled softly as she spoke to her attendants, sunlight glinting off the golden pins in her hair.
The air changed. A muscle twitched along the boy's jaw. His eyes darkened, teeth gritting audibly. In one swift motion, his hand shot forward and grabbed Shaun by the collar, yanking him close enough that Shaun could see the reflection of his own startled eyes in the boy's.
"How dare you," the boy hissed, voice low and cold. "How dare you look at my Nina."
Shaun's breath caught. His hands instinctively reached for the boy's wrist, his mind scrambling for words—but none came. The crowd around them began to hush, drawn by the sudden tension.
Petals drifted through the air, landing quietly on Shaun's shoulder. For a fleeting second, he wondered if even the blossoms could sense how badly he'd messed up.
**********