“How long do you think you can keep this up? You have to stand up to them! Yell at them…beat them…whatever it takes!” she says with a lowered voice.

“They’re only kids…it’s just childish playing…nothing comes out of yelling…you know that!” he mutters and bends down to gather the books and papers that are lying all over the class floor. He refuses to glance at Lealy’s pout lips and her bony cheeks that look even more desirable when she murmurs. But Lealy notices his sneaky peeks and stops the cleaning. She straightens her back and sits up in the middle of the cabin and stares at him. Tirad denies the attention and continues picking up the pens and papers. Finally, he gives up.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” he asks.

“Why do you always act like that?” Lealy answers harshly.

“Act like that? To whom? The students?” he asks again, but Lealy only gives him a look as he stands above her with pens and papers in his hands. Tirad knows whom Lealy refers to. It’s not the children. She is upset because of the way he has been treating her.

Tirad starts explaining to Lealy in a defending tone that his new group of students are fewer in number but are lame in learning and only fool around. Lealy sighs and leans again to dry the wet floor. Tirad, trying to avoid the conversation about their relationship, squats by the door and looks at the narrow sunbeam that shines through the cabin window.

“They keep asking questions. Sometimes, I really don’t know how to answer them. They undermine everything they are taught,” he continues, but Lealy doesn’t seem to care. She picks the bucket and the napkins and gets up from the floor. Tirad turns towards her.

“What should I tell them?” he asks.

“About what?” she replies, as if she hasn’t heard a word he said. Tirad repeats the question that the girl had asked him about the snake’s killing. Lealy shakes her head.

“How should I know? You’re the third-tier disciple of the Saviour! Not me!” she says and steps towards the doorway. Suddenly, she turns around as if she has remembered something.

“By the way! Mart said that the First Disciple had sent for you…you handed me a bucket before I had a chance to say!”

“Now? Should I go right now?” he asks excitedly. Lealy nods. She points to him to stop a few seconds and listen to another matter that she has remembered.

“One more thing! Farnab had been looking for you the whole day. He said he had an important matter to discuss with you.” But Tirad knows Farnab never has an important matter, he just likes to fuss about everything. He doesn’t say anything about Farnab and leaps over to the door.

Their paths will separate before the cabin door. Tirad has to go to the stairway hatch at the end of the corridor and Lealy has to go to the deck to wash the bucket. For an instance, they become shoulder to shoulder and Lealy turns to face Tirad. She is nearly his height and without having to keep her head up, she can see her own reflection in Tirad’s pupil. Tirad panics as he feels Lealy’s deep breath against his face and the way their eyes have framed each other’s reflection. He avoids the kiss that he so greatly desires and turns his head towards the corridor.