Hope Like an Angel

True Partner

Will it catch the physics teacher that I'm cheating? His teacher was very fierce and creepy.

The school bell rang, filling the contents of my head and ears that were focusing on the direction of the notebook. PR is so much, I wonder why Raphael can do it until it's done.

"Luck it! It's early morning, Raf!" There was a voice calling for Raphael, not knowing what they wanted to do.

"No, thank you. I'm not a bad boy." Raphael laughing.

"Please, just today! Ditching a minute won't cost you anything, huh!" Oh, that guy turned out to be asking Raphael to skip school. I did not look at them, my eyes were still fixed on the two written books.

Cracks! The sound of the doorknob twisting left everyone in the classroom mute, the physics teacher coming in with his cynical and resolute face. Those voices of solicitation and joking were gone, completely silent now.

"Morning, all." Ms. Hiva, say hello. All the students in the class immediately sat in his chair, my body shaking violently, how about I get caught cheating? I can't see Raphael either, the distance between our seats is very far! I'm at the very back of the right end, he's on the left end!

I quickly put my notebook in and Raphael got into the bag, I had a blunder at a time like this!

"FALISHAS!" Gosh, this is bad. I'm busted.

"Eject." Bernas, Miss Hiva looked at me and said flatly. I am trying to get both books out slowly. He came and took the two, lifting them high with one hand. All the disciples looked at me with a slumber, as if to say "Based on a bully." And sort of.

Cih, what do they know about the old man who was killed by the monster? Do they understand my feelings?

"Confessing, who let Falisha cheat?" The resolute voice resounded, beating the silence nonstop.

My head turned a long way towards Raphael, he immediately stood upright.

"I, Mum." The voice of the teenager tried to fight Mother Hiva, all the disciples were now looking towards him, now their gazes were like saying "Well, seriously? Raphael's? For a guy like Falisha?" They don't know what's going on.

"Roof... Raphael, you usually help others find answers, not cheat, why is this time different?" Miss Hiva approached Raphael.

"Sorry Mom, Fal..." Raphael was about to reply, but his voice was cut off, he suddenly fell silent.

Raphael's face seemed to think.

"Falisha helped me fix my bike yesterday, Mom, so she didn't have time to do PR." Raphael continued his sentence, scratching his head with an embarrassed face. Oh, my God, how sorry he is...

I was about to tell you the truth, but...

"All right." He ducked down, returning Raphael's notebook back to him.

"Fal, next time, try not to cheat. Poor Raphael who has tried hard, tell Mom that you were busy yesterday." Now he's heading towards me, preparing to put down my notebook. The whole class looked at me furiously, "Well, because of you, Raphael got scolded." They must have said that in his heart. But Raphael...he smiled at me instead, what was he thinking? She's not ashamed? Why even happy after being scolded so...?

"Good, Mom." I replied, a little shaken.

Ms. Hiva walked away, her body looking gradually smaller towards Master's desk. Some people were still staring at me, the rest were staring at Raphael, he was already sitting in his chair. Some people whispered towards him, I couldn't hear them talking about anything, but Raphael's mouth was as if saying "It's okay."

"Okay, let's pray first." It seems like today's physics lesson is about to begin.

***

Time off, 09:00.

I sat alone at one of the cafeteria tables, looking at the other tables filled with four to five people joking and shouting.

Usually after school, I as part of the Peacekeeping Force was assigned to do missions, missions to kill monsters or protect citizens, so I was waiting for that moment right now, it felt like a long time.

...

"Who? Fal?" Suddenly, someone was sitting next to me, Raphael. Perfect, I want to ask him something.

"Hi, Raf." I say hello briefly.

"Only alone? Where are your friends?" Raphael asked, I've never been to the cafeteria or to the snack, this is the first time I've sat in this noisy place. I'm only here because I want to ask Raphael something.

"Secret." I'm trying to joke.

"Eyeah."

"Raf, I want to ask you."

"Well, tumben. Ask what?"

...

Should I ask him this...?

"Are you part of the Peacekeeping Force?"

The atmosphere was silent for a moment, Raphael did not open his mouth. Leave the voices of the disciples and the merchants.

"Yes, Fal." He exhaled, nodding a little.

"Eh?"

"At that time, in the park..I once said that my parents were dead, right? They were killed by monsters." Raphael made it clear, his face looked sad.

Oh, my God, I know exactly how it feels...

I shook his shoulders with my right hand, looking at him with concern.

"I also prepared the house and the necessities for being part of the Peacekeeping Force."

"Where do you know where my house is?" Askaqua.

"That's a coincidence. Every time you go to school, you always meet. Until one day I accidentally saw you just came out of the house, so I could deduce that it was your house." Answer's short.

I'm so happy. He is an amazing figure...

Even with all that she experienced, she could still smile and laugh...

"Let's be partners, Raphael!" I stick my face to her, because now that it's clear, I can trust her completely.

"Huh? Usually you don't want to come near me."

"It's different, at the base, maybe we can help each other! Slaughtering the monsters!" I said enthusiastically, Raphael still sees me confused.

...

Silence, no answer yet.

"All right." He exhaled again, smiling softly.

"But on one condition."

"What conditions?"

"Don't call me a bitch again." He joked, laughed a little.

"Yeah..."

Looks like my friendship with him is up a bit, we're partners at headquarters now...

***

The bell home from school, at 14:00, the moments I waited for.

In class, I tidied up my tools, put them in a bag. But this time I waited for Raphael first, he was still busy chatting.

"Well, I'll go home first, yeah." Raphael spoke to his friends, waving his hand. Approaching me. "Come on, Fal."

"Yes." Yeah." I rushed out along with him, walking past the other students and teachers, towards a place that not everyone knew.

Outside the school, a few kilometers behind my school, there was a dark box attached to a wide black wall on a deserted street, each troop must swipe a special card into the box to open a path toward the base. Strangers can't know because they don't have those cards.

"It's still time, huh?" Raphael ran with me, his breathing still stable. We must not be late, otherwise we will be punished. Because the troops have to work with discipline and enterprising.

"Still, it should."

"Hey, Raf, why do you want to be part of the army?" I asked, still running with him.

"I just want to help others." He replied briefly. As expected, he is indeed a good person from me who only wants revenge on the Fedora Hats Monster.

Finally, after passing through the crowded and noisy streets filled with vehicles. Raphael and I took a tired breath. In a desolate place, the black wall was already in sight, along with its dark box.

"Ha, that's how tired it is." Raphael joking.

"Hey, look at your school uniform, full of sweat." My reply, a short laugh.

I took out my card, light blue, shiny, just a black sword. Then swiping his card into that box, Raphael too.

TING! TING! There was a sound, a sign that both cards were successful.

The front of the thick wall we were both in size opened quickly, leaving room for us to get into it, like an elevator. We both went straight inside.

Right, the base is underground. Not to disturb ordinary people. Also so that the monsters could not destroy it.

Zruuoung's. The sound of the elevator filled our bodies, the rest was silent, only me and Raphael were waiting for the door to open.

"Hey." Raphael whispered.

"What?"

"What is Leonardo planning this time?" Raphael asked.

Remember when I said that an officer with the initials "L" found me who fell at that time? His name is Leonardo. He was like an uncle to me, just that he often disappeared, too busy with his missions, as well as he was also called the Chief of the Western Regions Forces, which is the area where I live now.

"Nobody knows his brain, Raf. You must know how weird she is sometimes." I'm a little bit of a grin.

"Hahahaha, yes too." Raphael laughing.

TING! Elevator door opens.

"FALISHAS! RAPHAEL!" The guy we were talking about, Leonardo, a messy-looking hair that fit him, a tall body with his army uniform, and some accessories that I didn't know about, was waiting for the two of us. Behind him were some officers who were busy walking, greeting each other, preparing with his sword, and the others.

Welcome to the Peacekeeping Force headquarters.