When Petir looked to his right, he was no less than shocked. His expression gave him away, but it was more than surprise. It was fear.

"Petir?" Cahaya could barely hear his own voice. The streets were almost vacant, many preferring to stay inside after the amok. "Is that you?"

Petir's lips trembled, as if he was seeing something that he could only see in his dreams.

"Cahaya?"

It was like Cahaya's world crumpled to pieces. Mindlessly, he walked over to his missing rival, except he was no longer missing.

He was standing right in front of him, alive and well, in the flesh.

"Why..." Cahaya gripped Petir's collar. He recognized from the fabric that it was their uniform. "Why did you just disappear?"

Petir stared at him, as if still incapable of processing anything else, other than the image that stood before him at this very moment.

"Why are you here?" he said breathlessly, more of a whisper.

"Why am I here?" Cahaya repeated, looking up to him. There were tears in his eyes. "I was looking for you! For months! You never contacted me for months!" Cahaya looked down, glaring at his own shoes. "Where were you?"

"I..." Petir muttered, though he never finished the sentence. "Why are you here, Cahaya? Just to look for me?"

"What else?" he lashed. "You just disappeared one day. You left and never came back. And you didn't even bother to tell me. Of course I'm going to look for you!"

Petir avoided his gaze. "That's..." he whispered. "That's not a good idea, Cahaya."

"WHY?"

Petir looked taken aback by his sudden outburst, but he bit his lip.

"SO YOU'RE JUST GOING TO LEAVE ME AGAIN?" he screamed. "LIKE HOW YOU LEFT CELESTIUM ACADEMY? DO I MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?"

"Cahaya-"

"What are you playing at?" Cahaya snapped, letting go of Petir's clothes. "Why are you so secretive? Do you think I'm going to hurt you?"

Petir bit his lip. He accepted Cahaya's berating quietly, but he was not going to go with his words unsaid.

"Why are you here," Petir rephrased, "in this place? Celestium Academy is hundreds of miles away, and you live in a dorm."

"What school do you go to?" Cahaya demanded, all depressing tones gone. He glared at the teen, a spark of his annoying self returning. "Didn't you see me? I went to all the schools around here! It's impossible not to see me!"

Petir glared back. "Sorry. I have a condition where I turn blind when I see idiots."

"What the hell did you call me?!"

"Did I say who?! HUH?!"

"YOU LITTLE PIECE OF-"

Both of them burst out into laughter, holding onto each other for support. Though they were laughing, there were tears in their eyes, their bodies finally relaxed after such a tense period of time.

It was as if they hadn't laughed for years; that when the other was gone, the emotion was robbed of them, like half of their souls had disappeared without a trace. Two years of resentment, hollowness and loneliness was chased away, all by a single touch.

If only this moment could last forever, but it can't.

So when Petir left, Cahaya couldn't help but feel sorrow, but have a sliver of hope.

Petir is alive, and well. If he could stay here long enough, then he would know where Petir had left. Perhaps he could go to Petir's school and stay there with him.

After all, they were both prodigies of the country.

The next day, Petir was greeted to school by a punch to the face, quite literally. Standing by the school gate, next to Tanah, was none other than Cahaya, glaring daggers at him.

Tanah yelped in panic, and whipped to Cahaya. "What'd you do that for?" Clearly, he wasn't aware of how Celestium students weren't as civilized as they seem.

"It's seven in the morning!" Cahaya barked. "Why the hell are you late!"

Petir rubbed his cheek, but there was barely any redness. "Some of us have a life, pretty boy!"

"And why didn't you tell me you're in Rintis High?!"

"Neither did you! Stop playing the victim!"

They glared at each other, their faces only inches apart as they stared each other down. The only difference this time, however, stood a confused prefect, who couldn't understand their sudden change in attitudes.

They didn't notice Tanah, either, as they continued arguing as they waltzed into school. Students around them turned to them in confusion and cast them odd glances.

What was that? Tanah blinked, glancing at their silhouettes. From a distance, Petir swung a punch at Cahaya, but the teen caught it and said something that set Petir off.

He'd never seen them so riled up, or energetic. They were always cold and isolated.

"Who was that?" Daun leaned in closer to Tanah. He'd arrived the same time with Cahaya, but he'd wandered off to god knows where. "And is that really Cahaya? I never saw him so riled up before."

"That's Petir," Tanah said, turning to Daun. "He's my friend, actually. I didn't think he likes to make friends to begin with."

"Hm." Daun glanced at their silhouettes. They were already gone. "Neither does Cahaya."

It was like a switch had flipped in them the moment they met each other.

"You're in what class?" Cahaya snapped, glaring at the door of Petir's class. He gripped Petir's collar as if he'd murdered a man. "I leave for a year and you already suck?"

"Do I look like I care?" Petir snarked back. "Why don't you poke your pretty nose in someone else's business? It's not like you told me anything about your little programme in the first place! If I knew, I'd continued in contests just to smite you every time! I still have space in my shelves anyway."

Petir sunk himself down on his seat, where Cahaya stood next to him. Surprisingly, the Celestium student didn't retort, only standing there, watching him as his fists were clenched.

"What?" Petir asked. He felt uncomfortable with Cahaya's staring. They were close, but whenever Cahaya doesn't let your eyes off you, it meant that he was trying to say something but couldn't.

Right now, Petir was frightened of what would come out of that mouth.

What if he didn't see him as the same person? The same boy that was always by his side, always in every class he was in. He'd left, and some parts of him were destined to change, for the better or the worse.

"I'd rather you do that," Cahaya whispered. "I'd rather you come back and compete for first place."

Petir stared at him, but no words came out, either. He was just as stunned as the other; if not, even more surprised.

"I can't go back," Petir whispered. "I'd rather not talk about it. Please."

Cahaya frowned. "Why?" he demanded. "What's stopping you? Is someone blackmailing you? Did someone threaten you? I want answers, Petir. And you're not giving me any."

"I can't," Petir said. "Not yet. When I'm ready."

"Fine." Cahaya turned around and began to mutter curses. Petir pretended not to hear them.

An hour later, during class, a knock was heard on the door. As the teacher motioned for the person to come in, the class all held their breaths in shock. All but one.

Petir was at the back, dozing off into dream town. But he was soon woken by a tap on his shoulder, which he snapped back to reality, and whirled around in shock.

Cahaya sat next to him, crossing his arms as he glared at his behaviour.

"What are you doing here?" Petir groaned, rubbing his eyes.

"I asked the principal to change my class. Turns out by threatening to leave he'll give you just about anything," Cahaya answered, turning to the front. "Let's see whether if you're worthy of being my rival again."

Petir glared daggers at him, but there was nothing he can do. He would rather save that pummelling for later rather than get kicked out of class.

But for now, all that they can do was wait for the other to spill.