"Where do you think the two will stay? Personally, I think they'll get access to one of the larger houses of the Adepts." Junko said, obviously talking about Ren and his companion. Lin remained silent, not in the mood to think about something like that, but Aya indulged the other girl, a mischievous smile playing on her face.
"What about the mansion a little farther up the mountain, isn't something like that more appropriate for them?" More teasingly, she added. "And if the Novice is so much stronger, what about the Adept?"
Junko looked scandalized, while Lin just kept walking without acknowledging their nonsense. Junko looked around furtively, and lowered her voice, as if afraid their conversation was overheard by some passer-by. "You can't just say that, Aya, what if one of the Adepts caught you?" She whispered, sounding uncertain and wringing her hands nervously, as if she expected one of their teachers to jump right out of the woodwork.
It was a clear implication that might get them in a lot of trouble, which meant that it was better if they did not talk about such things, even in jest. As for the mansion, Junko really had no idea what the building was used for either, only that it stood unoccupied all year long and the disciples were not allowed to get in, or even close to it really.
Aya just waved her hand dismissively while turning to face the other girl, she walked backwards, a light spring in her step. "Don't worry about it. Haha, I didn't think you'd be so meek, Junko." She laughed, and hid a smile behind her hand. She heard some court ladies covering their expressions to seem mysterious, and she found other's reactions to it quite funny, especially as she was the furthest anyone could be from a courtly lady.
Junko looked like she was quite done with the other girl's antics, and as she was clearly not being taken seriously, turned to Lin for support. "This isn't something you should joke about, Aya. Come on, tell her, Lin."
But Lin had already vanished behind the next corner and was about to enter their house, seemingly completely unconcerned.
"Ugh." Junko sighed, giving Aya a mean look. "Don't think that this is over, you hear?" She pointed a finger at the back of Aya's head as the dark haired girl skipped ahead.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say." Aya replied flippantly, rounding the corner herself, and entering their living room right behind Lin, who had left the door open.
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Ren had an uncomfortable feeling festering in his stomach as he overlooked the relatively dense arrangement of residences that made up this side of the mountain. He thought there might be hundreds, or even thousands of disciples staying in this district. 'And the outer sect houses even more.'
A casual observer would think that there was no real rhyme or reason to the placement or quality of different houses, but clearly there must have been some kind of system in place. Ren based this on the simple fact that while Lin, Aya, and the third girl, who he didn't know, stayed together, all Novices he fought today had their own places. They were even a little farther removed, and bordered on the comfort that an Adept's abode afforded, though other than that he couldn't make anything else out.
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Shaking his head, Ren banished these useless thoughts about accommodations. It was bad enough that Zhi Mu's and his was a highly contested topic amongst the Adepts who taught in the elementary division. Some suggested they stay in the lonely mansion, while others had insisted on them getting any of the rooms they desired.
In the end, Zhi Mu had simply left said quarrelling Adepts to their pointless discussions, and told Ren that they would find a place, which likely meant they were going to sleep under the stars, or rather meditate, but that didn't matter too much.
"This doesn't look like you are talking to that girl of yours, brother Ren." Zhi Mu said, approaching Ren, and coming to a halt next to the branch the younger boy was sitting on. He held some kind of spicy smelling drink in his hands and leaned against the tree's trunk with casual ease.
Ren scowled lightly, but didn't turn to face the Adept. He had sensed him way before he arrived, of course, but also didn't want to necessarily avoid him.
Zhi Mu didn't look like he would continue prodding without Ren talking first, and so, after Zhi Mu took multiple sips of his drink, Ren began to answer. "She isn't 'my girl'. And it's not that I don't want to talk to them." He scratched his cheek, considering his next words. "But it just feels so weird, to simply barge in after one year, you know?"
"And just observing them from afar is better, brother Ren?" Zhi Mu raised a single brow at him, and Ren smiled wryly.
"Of course it's not, but maybe I should wait for a better moment. A few more days, or even weeks, won't hurt." Ren answered, sounding unsure of himself.
Zhi Mu sat down next to the younger boy, their branch not moving in the slightest. "Personally, I think you should just talk to them. It doesn't even matter what about, really. Just be there and show that you still care, that a year apart is not so long, after all. Waiting any more will only increase your doubts." He said, sounding almost self mocking.
"How do you know that simply talking will be enough, what if I mess it all up?" Ren said, insecurity shining through.
Zhi Mu wore a lopsided smile, and answered almost casually. "I just read it in a book, after all, I never had anyone I could call my friend. But even so, even if it was true that you had fallen apart, wouldn't you want to at least have the chance to talk, instead of silently fading away?" His smile was gone, and his eyes were heavy, like he tried to convey something immensely profound to Ren.
Ren looked at the boy sitting next to him, really looked at him, past his impressive arts and cultivation progress, his prestige and pride. What he saw looked vulnerable, almost resigned, yet steady all the same, and though there surely was a story behind it, Ren didn't pry and instead was simply compelled to agree with Zhi Mu.
The older boy stood up again, and Just like all things do, the moment of vulnerability passed, and Zhi Mu vanished in a flicker of movement, leaving Ren to ultimately make his own decision.
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A knock on the door roused Junko out of her meditations. She was the only one left in the living room, with the other two having already made their way over to their own rooms, so obviously the duty of having to open the door fell on her shoulders.
She grimaced, asking herself who would knock at this hour. "Yeah, what is it?" She said, quite rudely, not expecting an Adept, or one of the higher ranking disciples. It was far more likely that one of their nosy neighbours was asking for some unreasonable favour again.
She opened her mouth, already having thought of a snide remark to chase away any undesirables, when she registered who stood before her. 'What is he doing here?' Junko thought, not able to come up with a smart thing to say. 'Really smooth, Yu, he'll think I am an idiot now.'
"I am sorry to disturb you, but could I come in? Both Lin and Aya should be expecting me." Ren said, trying to sound polite. He didn't want to give their apparent roommate a bad impression of him.
"S-Sure, come in senior brother. Make yourself at home." They stepped into the living room, Junko almost running to Lin's room.