Hey Look, a Mermaid! [closed]

Beginning a new school year was never easy. Or fun. Having to carry around a backpack full of supplies, adhere to a schedule, complete assignments, and sit in classes that could feel like they dragged on for hours just… wasn’t very interesting. Nevertheless, it had to be done. With the final bell for the weekend having been sounded, it would have been an understatement to say that all the other students had really seen of her otherwise was a lavender flash out the door. Moving to Beata most certainly hadn’t been the worst thing in her life to happen, however, the Spring student still had yet to really click with anybody who went to the school.

The attempt to make new friends though was probably the last thing on her mind as she filed out with all the other students to go to their various after-school locations. Many, many of the students were headed towards Rivers Pointe to go home, or hang out downtown. Others were off to the dorms, and others to their extracurricular activities. A few other students here and there seemed to escape to odd locations, Hye-Rin being one of them. A peculiar path behind Liberi Academy carried the amethyst-cloaked teen to her destination, with the ‘path’ more being a trail through long, uncut grasses.

Hye-Rin had to admit, she wasn’t much of a fan of the chilly autumn air that the season brought. Much colder temperatures certainly came around in Korea, but if she had her preference, she’d rather for it to be summer. Pulling her sweater tighter around her frame as she left the shelter of the long grass, her violet gaze lit up as the familiar scent of water drew closer. It most certainly lacked the sting that salt water had, but nevertheless the base scent that she yearned for still called out to her. Unshielding her wrist from the comfort of her crossed arms, she quickly checked her unity link for the temperature. It wasn’t terrible out, as her watch read 67, but it was still too cold for her liking.

Once more her wrist was drawn into the shelter of her chest, and a smile broke out onto her face the moment she saw the lake. Something about the water just always instantly soothed her. More likely than not it was thanks to her ‘gift,’ but the uncanny affinity just allowed the liquid to put her in a trance. The moment she had discovered the lake existed, she had vowed to spend a good amount of time there. At least, until the weather got too too cold. With a cluster of nearby trees being used to stash her backpack, along with her shoes and socks, there was little delay before Hye-rin was sitting along the edge of the water.

Any tense sensations within her shoulders relaxed as she let herself just soak up her surroundings. A couple of songbirds still lingered and hummed their song in the air, reminding Hye-Rin of a musical or two. ”Hm-hmm, mmm mmmhmmm~ ♪” Her voice echoed around the otherwise deserted area, the tune unable to just simply hide back in her mind. Taking a seat at the edge of the water, the Spring took a risk of dipping her foot on in. It still wasn’t too late in the year to consider taking a bit of a swim.

”Kyaah!” Instant regret.

One could definitely get the girl to admit she was a bit of a wimp when it came to slightly cold temperatures, but there was no doubt about it - this water was really cold. With a flustered look painting her cheeks, she took a moment to compose herself. It was just a bit of cool water… right? Now knowing that to expect, she let herself dip both her feet back into the water, a stuttered breath resulting from the rather bone-chilling temperatures.

Not too far away from Hye-Rin down the lake, a boy ran out from the forest, bare feet scrambling up the grassy outcropping that looked partially over the lake. His bright blue and orange swim trunks drawing attention to him. Shepard leaped in the air, managing a flip before disappearing under the water, splash causing large ripples into the lake. With little hesitation or mind for the cold, the student resurfaced, laughing to himself. It was only after a moment of enjoying the view of the forest did Shepard spot another student not too far away with her feet in the water.

"Oh?" It was odd for him. When it became cooler out, many would avoid the lake and he would often get it to himself. The water may have been cold to them, but lacked its effect on him. It was for the same reason he needed gloves to touch snow, otherwise, it would melt instantly in his hands. Not recognizing her, the blond swam his way over, pausing a bit away from her. "Hey! Aren't you cold?" He asked, running a hand through his hair which stuck up despite being soaking wet.

The sound of feet hitting the ground and the sight of vibrant blue and orange flying into the clearing created by the lake was most certainly an attraction that was hard to miss. Blinking a couple of times to make sure she wasn’t crazy, the ripples that eventually reached her most definitely told her she was not. Watching as locks of hair tinted the color of the sun surface, curiosity immediately pulled at the student as they too seemed to take the moment to relax.

Lavender eyes couldn’t help but stare in curiosity at just who it was that had decided to come out to the lake. It was only when she realized they were coming closer did she pull her gaze away, casting onto her feet in the water as a blush sprawled across her cheeks. If he asked… it was totally the slight chill in the air causing it. With her feet subconsciously paddling in the water, his question caused her gaze to snap back to him yet again. ”Oh, ah.. A little.” Her gaze probably had her shock and surprise written all over it. But, it only lasted for a few moments as her brows furrowed together in a puzzled expression. ”Are… you not cold?” There was a very slight inclination to her head, the Spring making an attempt to annunciate her words as best she could despite her Korean accent. She could just barely stand to have her feet touching the water, much less actually submerging her entire body. Her gaze focused on the blond hair that seemed to stand up all on their own, and her eyes looked for any sign of the teen shivering in the water. Needless to say, she found none. She wasn't that crazy right?

Why was she here if she was cold? Cold water was the opposite of comfortable. He tilted his head to the side as she reflected the question back at him. "No, my gift keeps me warm no matter the temperature." Shepard was, in fact, a bad judge of temperature because of it. Those with a fever felt fine to him, he'd often pull things out of the oven without mitts, or eaten food too hot for others. It had terrified his parents for a long time until they realized his power.

"I've never seen you around before. Are you new?" It would explain a lot, how he has never seen her at the lake this time of year or how he hasn't seen her before. Because her face was too pretty not to forget. "Sorry if that's a lil' upfront." He added quickly, heading no mind to her accent. Considering Beata was the largest high school for gifted children in the world, many international students have found their way here. Accents were just cute.

The curious little head-tilt of hers faded as he responded to her question. Ah, that made sense. Nobody in their right mind would be swimming through cold water... right? Of course, here she was so she couldn't comment much. "I see. So you're not totally insane." Her hand instinctively went up to cover her mouth as she giggled, little droplets of water being kicked up into the air as her legs continued to swing out of pure habit. At this point, the water's temperature had completely adjusted for her, so the cold no longer bit at her toes.

"Yeah, I am. No need to worry, curiosity sometimes comes in blunt forms~" A bright, cheerful tone resonated from the lavender-haired student. Hye-Rin had no real shame in the fact that she was an exchange student, it was a fact about her and rather than trying to cover it up she simply embraced it. Judging by the various other students she had observed around campus she definitely wasn't the only one. Resting her hand once more onto the rather soft grass beside her, the Spring's gaze finally took the time to really study the face of her company. Aside from the rather messy locks of blond hair, his eyes were definitely... alluring.

To her, they immediately reflected the crystal waters beneath. It was an interesting contrast. The sun against the sky, in a way. Naturally, her gaze fell to what resembled whiskers next. If they had been on his neck, she'd have said they almost reflected the imprints of gills that she had. It was almost instinctive to wonder if they were in some way related to his gift, but a moment of thinking dismissed that notion. His face was most certainly one she wasn't going to forget. Catching herself staring though, Hye-Rin dipped a bit more of her feet into the chilly water. "What brings you to the lake at this time of year, if you don't mind me asking?" Sure, he had the ability to keep himself warm regardless of the temperature, but it felt a bit... odd to do.

The blond barked out a laugh, tilting his head back to the blue sky. Sometimes, he wanted to debate that idea of insanity, only looking back when she giggled as well. A smile quirked the corners of his mouth afterward. "Hmm," Shepard began, breathing in deep so he could float on the surface of the lake, his head slightly turned in her direction. "I could ask you the same thing, couldn't I? But, I like comin' to the water when not everyone and their uncle's mother is showing up. Once it cools down its much less occupied." He looked back at the sky, before shooting back up to treading water eyes wide. "Not that I don't want you here! It's nice to have someone who stands the cold--kinda--sometimes ya' know?" He offered her a sheepish smile, sinking a bit in the water to hide his blush.

Once he got the pinkish blush under control, the swimmer continued their conversation. "You doing any clubs or sports teams? I know there is a lot to look at..." Another pause, his mind was a bit all over the place. "Ah, my name is Shepard by the way!" Of course he decided to get socially awkward now.

She gave a small nod. That made sense, being around so many people in such a serene situation sort of... well, it took away the serenity of it all. Not that she minded company, but there was most certainly a point where it got to be too much. "You make a good point." Yet again, a little chuckle. His blush had just barely caught her eyes, but she brushed it off as something that she totally missed. "Just like you, I'm around because of my gift." That was all she really offered at the moment. After a moment of contemplation, and bravery, Hye-Rin shrugged off her jacket and tossed it with a rather good aim right over to where the rest of her stuff resided.

Taking a deep breath, the lavender-haired girl plunged into the cold water. The cold shot right to her bones, most certainly a jolt that kept her awake. Her gift activated, within a few seconds her legs having transformed into a long tail. Underneath the water the subtle gill marks at her neck opened as well, allowing her to breathe. Taking a moment to swim around and stretch her fin, Hye-Rin surfaced. What should have also been soaking wet hair also appeared to be dry, as if immune to the water's touch. However, even despite the supposed immunity... she was already freezing. The downside to being part cold-blooded fish, she presumed. "Mermaid physiology." She commented with an innocent smile, her fingers reaching into the long locks of hair behind her ear.

Now that they were more or less eye-level, it was actually much easier to hear him. "I'm considering the diving team, although I'm rather sure I can't use this to my advantage." Her bubbly tone continued as she leaned back into the water, the violet fin peeking above the water's surface for a few moments before splashing away to the safety and comfort of the water. "Are you part of any?"

Shepard. Most certainly a name she'd remember. "Hye-Rin. Although, Rin is alright... or whatever else you may want to call me." Having a Korean name, it was most certainly tempting for her to take an American name once she moved to the States. Something similar to her name like Hannah or maybe even Haley. In the end though, the Spring decided to simply keep the name she had. Introductions weren't exactly her strongest suit, however the heart of conversation certainly was.

The blond tilted his head to the side and knit his brows together as she tore off her jacket, then the girl suddenly jumping into what was blistering cold water for her. Shepard turned his head to the right, trying to watch her shadow under the water. Wide blue eyes stared back at her as she resurfaced from the murky water. Hair dry and gills on her neck, "That's so cool!" He beamed, Shepard's feet feeling the current that her fin made with his feet. "No wonder you came over here." He paused, watching her shake at the water. "You are cold, aren't you?" A frown crossed his face and he did his best to swim closer to her. Considering something for a long moment, he reached out around the water.

No light appeared, but a warmth radiated off of him, and into the surrounding water. Only a glimmer of light would be spotted if someone looked close enough, but the heat that it provided was more than enough to warm someone to a reasonable degree. If they got too far they would feel the cold once again. The blond turned back to her with a grin. "Any better?" Shepard asked softly, bringing his hands out of the water to keep himself afloat.

"Not really, I was in a lot as a kid. I'm just trying to graduate at this point." The boy laughed it off, only to add a moment later--"Diving sounds cool though! I don't know how to properly dive I don't think." Hye-Rin, or Rin. He would probably use them interchangeably if he could.

It was almost instinctual for the mermaid to attempt to feign innocence the moment Shepard asked how cold she was. If it wasn’t for the fact that her hands were treading the water to keep her above the surface, they’d surely be behind her back.. Her gaze veered off slightly to the left, almost as if she was surveying the area. But, if one even took just a brief moment to study her frame, the answer was given right away. It was part of why she had kept herself just hovering at the water’s edge. Sure, she’d adjust eventually, but for the time being, it felt as if she had just jumped into a snowbank with nothing more than a t-shirt and shorts on. Well… if mermaids could wear shorts.

Watching with a surprised gaze as the blond swam a bit closer, Hye-Rin honestly wasn’t sure what to expect. A hidden tension in her frame as a result of the frigid temperatures faded as the water suddenly grew warmer, the violet gaze glancing down in an attempt to see what sorcery had been pulled to make it so. Although, she most certainly wasn’t complaining. ”Yes… thank you.” Astonishment laced her voice. Of course, it shouldn’t come to a surprise to her that there was the chance she would run into somebody with the ability to create such a heat source. However, living most of your life outside of contact with other gifteds aside from one or two… the slight shock-factor was there.

Along with the warmth a surge of energy charged through her, Hye-Rin taking a moment to swim a few laps around Shepard, testing the radius of the warmth. It had a good enough reach to allow personal space, but it faded rather quickly outside of that. Surfacing back in time to hear what he had to say, she immediately empathized with the first half, although also knew it was likely they had very different situations. ”That’s understandable. My family heavily encourages to do extracurriculars, so I figured diving would be the easiest for me to pick up.” Or swimming in general - however Rin knew she’d have a much too large of an advantage to that sport. Diving at least required the involvement of land - the only points she truly got an advantage in would be entry. ”If you would like, I can teach you some time? I find it rather fun. All the flips and twists~ Rather thrilling.” There was a fascinated look in her gaze as she imagined all the sorts of dives she had learned over the years. A lot of it came from entertaining her grandparents with her gift as a child, ”Plus, you don’t always have to jump into freezing water to do diving.” A giggle and a wink followed her words.

Taking another moment to observe the other student before her, Hye-Rin perched her finger at her lips, a sort of ‘hm’ expression forming. ”I could see you as a diver. Maybe even a fo-ah, soccer player..?” From what she could see of him, he most certainly had a fairly athletic build despite not doing any sports. It would be rather easy for him to pick up something and look… rather attractive while doing so. The mental image of the boy before her in one of the classic diving suits brought a small blush to her cheeks, and as she mentally waved away that image she attempted to hone in on the idea of him playing ‘soccer.’ She most definitely could see that… especially without the blush.

Shepard only laughed in response to jumping into cold water for diving. He didn't feel the cold when he wasn't sick, so he didn't mind leaping into the cold water. Though he never tried diving before, it sounded like a lot of fun. "Yeah, I'd love it if you taught me! Maybe we could join together, that way you have someone you know on the team with you." The blond took a bit of his hair between his fingers, twisting it into a point absentmindedly. "Soccer? Never thought about it. I've played most sports but I've never dedicated time to it before I don't think."

Slowly, Shepard felt his limbs getting tired, and the blond slowly swam closer to shore where he could touch the rocky bottom. "How much have you explored in River Pointe? There is a lot of stuff to see"

Ah, that would make sense as to why he had such an athletic build. It was most certainly a contradiction to his previous statement of having not done any sports, but technically, he wasn't wrong. The mermaid gave a cheerful nod. "Only if you would be interested in it~ Would hate to be one of those people who force somebody to do something they don't enjoy." In her mind, Hye-Rin was sending sharp signals towards her parents. They had always encouraged her to do things, but in some moments, it felt more as if she was forced. Picking up the guitar was one of those. Her musical inclination led her more towards singing. In the end she had given in and knew a good bit on guitar, despite the strings always making her fingers burn by the end of a playing session.

Somewhat following Shepard as he drifted closer to the shore in order to stay within the warm radius, Hye-Rin's head tilted slightly as she paused to think about what all she had explored. "I can't say I have explored a whole lot. Whatever is closest to the school." Reluctantly, she admitted. A bit of a hermit in the exploration department, she did stay rather close to the school. Her navigation skills most certainly weren't the best so it was likely she would get lost.

The blond waved his hand in the air, a sheepish look on his face. "No,no. I'm interested," Shepard insisted, pressing a hand to his chest honestly. "but I've never had someone who would be willing to teach me." He balanced himself on one of the bigger rocks underwater, hands out to the side to balance himself. The blond made a thoughtful face and glanced up at the position of the sun. It was definitely setting, yet had a few hours before it vanished behind the large mountains that protected River's Pointe.

"Would you want me to show you around sometime? I grew up here so I know where everything is if you were interested." Shepard only partially realized how much it sounded like a date. "I-in thanks for teaching me to dive, yeah?" He added only a bit more quietly, head ducking and glancing to the side.

Giving an innocent chuckle, the mermaid gave Shepard a grin. "I can't wait, then!" Following his gaze towards the sun, she quickly squinted as the bright light of the sunset flashed across her face. Having been facing away from it, the reflection had illuminated the water around her into various shades of blue, green, orange and pink. It was beautiful, but a little bit painful on her otherwise sensitive eyes. Even with it just being the radiant light peeking through the trees and the mountains, it was just a bit too much to look at. She spun back around when the question was tossed at her, and she took a few moments to contemplate the offer.

Swimming over closer to the river bank to get further within the radius of warmth that was produced, Hye-Rin giggled yet again as the other teen ducked his head shyly. "I would really like it, actually. Maybe I can find a few other places to hang out than freezing cold bodies of water." Which - she swore was getting colder. Perhaps it was just her being in the water for so long. Diving beneath the surface for a moment, the mermaid swam closer to the shore. Ultimately, she resurfaced back as a normal human, legs and all. The clothes she had on were instantly soaked, but it didn't seem to phase her at all. Her hair was still dry as if it had never touched the water as well, despite being completely submerged. It was quite a contradicting sight.

Now that she could be more properly along the rocks at the bottom, Hye-Rin moved far enough up the shore to sit on some of the rocks. "How long do you usually stay around the lake?" Part of her curiosity stemmed from genuinely wanting to know. The other part of it came from knowing how long she could get away with being out here in the summer months. The time she had spent in the water was quite freeing. It had been quite a long time since she had properly swam without having to go through the horror of chlorine in a pool, and this was a location she'd be taking advantage of.

The blond made a face, his eyes watching the sun slowly sink towards the mountains without a flinch to the bright light cast his way. "Varies, I think. Sometimes my friends come with me and we spend a long time in the water. But," He slowly followed her out of the water, frowning at the discomfort of wet swimsuits. "Tis' not the season for swimming-- so here I am." He shook out his hair, running heated fingers through his locks, near instantly drying it. "Ah, hold on"

The blond returned to the clearing with his clothes, throwing them in his school bag, then pulling his towel around his neck. Strolling back, he dropped his things by her. "The stars look nice reflecting off of the lake," He commented honestly, ducking his head as he peered at the sun once again, it was almost gone. "we could stay here to watch or I can walk you back to your dorm if you want." It wasn't too bold to assume Rin stayed at the dorms. Especially if she hadn't seen the city before.

Hye-Rin gave him a nod, understanding the sentiment. Not too many people in their right mind would be crazy enough to jump into a lake that was rather cold. Even with the heat that Shepard had provided, she couldn't exactly swim very far. But nevertheless, she still got to enjoy the water some. "That's fair. Thank you for keeping me warm, by the way." She had to extend her gratitude, giving him a smile. She offered him a nod as he went off, taking a moment to go over to where she had kept her own bag and disappeared a little bit into the trees to change into actually dry clothes from her soaking wet uniform.

Having returned back before Shepard did, as quick costume changes had taught her how to switch outfits in almost record time, Hye-Rin had gone back to her original place. She had decided to keep her things in the little 'hiding spot' she had found for them earlier, more or less just making sure she didn't lose anything. Taking a spot on the soft and slightly damp grass, her gaze surveyed the water. It was much easier to look at, and she nodded. "They are really pretty." Even as her head was tilted out towards the lake, her violet gaze flashed sideways towards the other student. His gaze reflected the water and a bit of the sun on the horizon, and it was rather beautiful to see how it reflected in his sky-blue gaze.

Quickly glancing back at the water with a small blush tinting her cheeks when he extended the offer to stay and watch the stars, she pretended to contemplate her decision for a moment when in truth, she had it instantly. ”It’d be nice to stay out a bit. admit, I tend to go back to the dorms very early and am a bit antisocial.” An innocent chuckle resonated from the girl, her fingers absent-mindedly going to comb through the long locks of lavender hair. "Is there a curfew we have to worry about..?" She had heard rumors of one, but wasn't entirely sure if it existed or not. Despite such, the student let herself lay back onto the grass behind her, her fingers still twisting part her long hair into a braid. It really was a pretty sight - the open sky with few clouds speckling the air. The beginnings of stars peeking out into the twilight.

She'd have to enjoy the sight more often.

The sound of the grass gave way underfoot, contrasting with the soft sounds of the forest around them. Sitting close to Hye-Rin, he ran his fingers through the blades of grass, plucking the longer ones out by the root with a soft snap. He watched the stars pull through the dark, their light blazing against the purple sky. Reaching out toward the sky, he channeled the stars' light and enhanced what they could see. Suddenly, hundreds of minute stars glittered brighter, breaking past the layer or purple. The milky way arching across the sky in a greeting of the night.

"They are." Shepard agreed, casting a gaze back to Hye-Rin--smiling. He merely watched her comb through her hair, amused with how enthralled she was with the stars. A single brow raised as she commented on her own anti-social tendencies. "Well, you didn't run away when I approached you, so I think you are doing just fine, Hye-Rin." He leaned back, looking up at the ever darkening sky. "It isn't until eleven or twelve I think. We will be fine."

She became painfully aware of where Shepard sat rather quickly. The blush on her face was not going to be fading anytime soon. The excuse formulated quickly in her head - she was just a bit cold. She wasn't wearing her jacket either, which could help support her argument. Embarrassment wasn't something she was really well-versed in handling.

Her blush quickly faded as the stars brightened though, sitting back up and her eyes widening with amazement. "H-How... did you..? Woah..." Her fingers paused in her hair, the violet gaze scanning the sky. It was beautiful. Amazing. There were so many words coming to her mind on how to describe it, and the intricate beauty of the stars just completely had her in a trance.

She was only partially snapped out of it when Shepard spoke again, her gaze still scanning the stars. Connecting little pictures she could see formed out of the twinkling lights, it was hard to suppress a grin. "Well, I mean, it never hurts to make a friend or two." She offered a nod in response to his comment about the curfew. Good, so she could enjoy the sight before her for awhile longer. It was really, really pretty. almost as pretty as the one who made it happen.

"Do you ever try to make pictures with the stars? I know there are constellations. But... I see pictures in them aside from those."

The blond leaned all the way back as soon as the sun vanished behind the mountains behind them, the sunlight casting a slight golden ray as a last burst of light before giving away to the dark night sky, the purple shifting into black, and more and more stares shone to life. Shepard nodded, pointing out one of the groups of stars. "Sometimes I do that, but if I can't find a star to connect to, I kinda make one using the light." He explained, waving his hands for a moment, a ball of light coming to life in the palm of his hand. It hovered for a moment before being thrown into the night sky, just until it appeared like one of the other glowing stars.

An outline of a star shape glowed for a few moments. "My power is Stellar Manipulation." He explained, rolling his head to the side, to watch Hye-Rin with soft blue eyes. He didn't try to explain it too much to her, it had too many applications to explain in one sitting, so he hoped that it would be enough for her at the moment. "Have you seen an Aura Borealis before?" The star boy asked, rolling to his side to face her, not heading how close he was to her, only grinning at her blush.

A look of confusion flashed onto her features at his comment. Make one..? As light came to exist within his hand, Rin had to shield herself from the sudden brightness. Watching just beyond her hand as if it were the corner of a wall, even more amazement lit up her features. Once it started its journey, it didn't rest until it was up in the night sky where it belonged. The moment it wasn't painful to look at her eyes focused right on it, watching as the shape of a star came to light.

Ah, it was his gift. That made sense. It still was taking her some time to wrap her head around the fact that so many people had such crazy abilities. Those only in fairy tales or the desires of young children were actually real - fire benders, water benders, those who could even control and shape the very air around them. They all existed. Well, she couldn't say much herself... she was a literal mermaid. So many young girls would kill to be in her position. She leaned back once more, letting the soft, cool blades of grass yet again act as her pillow.

Ah, the Borealis. Her gaze fell to the ground as she thought about it. It was something she had most certainly heard about, but never seen. "I haven't..." There was a bit of disappointment and longing in her tone as she glanced back up at the sky, trying to envision what it was like to see vibrant hues dancing across such an open space. A glance to the side surprised her to see just how close the other teen had gotten to her, the blush only deepening. Her violet eyes tried to snap back to the sky, but it was hard not to focus on him out of her peripheral vision.

While he most certainly was close, there still was a warmth radiating off of him that she couldn't ignore. Hye-Rin hadn't noticed, but she was sitting there shivering. "You really have the power to manipulate the stars though..? That's amazing." She tried to make small-talk to hide her amazement. It all was just a bit crazy to her. One moment, she was trying to jump into freezing waters. And now..? She was talking to somebody who had the power to change the stars themselves. An innocent giggle came from her. "Makes sense as to why you're so warm..." Her voice spoke in a hushed whisper, although, the second she said it out loud there was no doubt he had heard it. A hand snapped up to her mouth, her eyes widening. "Ah... I'm not a creep.. I promise..!"

Whoops.

"Ah, it's not the coolest thing..." Shepard tried to laugh it off, pausing to himself. Cool. He was warm. Oh god. He was turning into his father. He barely caught her comment. His cheeks burned red but dissipated quickly after at her outburst. He chuckled, sitting up. "You are fine, I promise!" He managed between breaths, waving away the pink in his cheeks. "Here." He finally managed, reaching up to the sky.

The student had learned that Aura Borealis is from a solar burst, and had spent plenty of nights trying to replicate it. " I can't do it for long, but I've been practicing." Shepard admitted honestly, hand reaching as high up as he could. For a solid second, waves of the phenomenon spread across the sky, vanishing soon after. Suddenly lightheaded, the blond leaned back, taking a deep breath. "As I said more practice." At least he had distracted her from her embarrassment. He didn't want her to worry.

She was most certainly embarrassed, hiding her face within her hands and glancing away. She let her long hair fall around her as a sort of cocoon, but his comment coaxed her to peek out from her protection just a little bit. The vibrant hues of light caught her eye, her gaze once more lifting to see it. Even for the short amount of time that it had appeared, the beauty was apparent. Wonder formed at her lips and all throughout her gaze. It was... "So beautiful." Even once it vanished, it'd be a sight she'd remember.

Realizing she probably should honestly just keep her head tilted toward the stars at that moment, she glanced back at the other teen for a moment. "Even still, what you can do is quite amazing." She said with a gentle smile. Taking a moment to look at her unity link- a device she wasn't quite a fan of -the time jumped out at her. Had it really passed that quickly? Letting her wrist back down onto the grass, a gentle smile still rested upon her face. "Your gift is really awesome. I'm sure with practice you'll be able to do all sorts of amazing stuff~!" The words of encouragement were offered with sincerity. "I look forward to getting to see more tricks, if you do end up joining the diving team." She offered with a wink.

The blond blushed away her praise of his powers, "Thanks." he managed, pulling his hand up to his hair, pulling a fallen leaf from his head. He thanked the darkness for hiding his blush, as he eagerly responded in kind with her enthusiasm. "Definitely!" He turned his head to speak to her, pausing at a dark circle on her cheek. Shepard pursed his lips. Was it a bug? Or a leaf? He could create a light, but after the stunt with the Borealis, he wasn't willing to put any effort into pulling up some of his power. Forcing himself to focus on her cheek, the blond leaned closer to inspect. Were those legs or twigs?

The enthusiasm kept the small smile on her face, but it changed to curiosity at the pause by the other student. What was the issue..? Trying to follow where his own eyes were going to, she grew even more confused as he moved closer to her. There were two thoughts that ran through her mind. One was... a lot more lewd than the other. It had to be it.. right? Why else would a teenage boy lean in this close to her face?

No other possibilities went through her mind that seemed that logical. If it had been something on her cheek, he could have created some light again... right? Or simply reach forward and brush it off? The blush on her face was immense. Luckily, the darkness hid the vibrant red shade her cheeks had turned into. Plus, that was the rule with guys, right? Lean in 80, the girl closes the 20? Swallowing her pride, and all of the butterflies in her stomach since... he was cute, Hye-Rin leaned forward herself. She hoped she wasn't misinterpreting the situation as her lips gently came to meet Shepard's own.

Oh, it was a bug! Shepard's hand moved up to scare it away, but Hye-Rin closed the distance between them and as a result, startling the bug away, it scurried into the bush near them. However, the bug was far from Shepard's mind as the girl's lips connected with his own, gentle and soft. Wide blue eyes stared back, frozen. O-oh. He didn't think she was into him too much to kiss him so soon. Suddenly Shepard thought of Joanna, and he parted their lips, though still a hair's breath away. Hye-Rin was very pretty and was comforting to be around. Sheepishly smiling, "I'll walk you back to your dorm, okay?"

It had been quick, but judging by the reaction she got, she hadn't completely just made a fool of herself. A blush was still vibrant on her cheeks, and her eyes remained shielded by her eyelids as long as possible. With her violet gaze revealed to Shepard's grin, it only solidified that it was the right move. If it hadn't been... the embarrassment would have followed her for ages. With her signature gentle smile, her eyes stayed looking downwards almost shyly. It was hard not to be at least a little bit bashful.

"That'd be nice, thank you." She offered courteously. Brushing her hair behind her ear she got up, offering a hand to pull the other teen up as well. Small as she was, there was still a good bit of strength to her. Once he was standing, the Spring disappeared momentarily to grab her belongings. Having thrown on her jacket and replacing the bookbag onto her back, she returned. "Ah, if you're ready to head that way I am." Remains of her blush still tinted her cheeks, although it was barely visible in the low light. It was definitely slow to fade.