This Is My World [High School AU]

Chapter 2

"This is so hard!" Api groaned, slamming his head onto his Science homework. Cahaya sighed in exasperation before closing the textbook in his hand. Seriously, this was kindergarten-level stuff. How can Api not understand the basic principals of Dark Matter and quantum molecular structures?

They were residing in Tanah's house, with Cahaya drilling every possible formula into him. With the semi-examinations upcoming within months, they had no time to lose. This study session had been occurring for over a week, and Api was visibly improving in his classes. Slowly, clumsily; but surely.

Tanah opened his room door, holding a tray of lemonade and scones. Api perked up. His mouth watered at the sight of Tanah's homemade desserts. The guy may be a boxer, but he sure as hell is a hunk of a softie. Have you tasted his parfait before? It's legendary. Well—you can't, because he's not real.

"Hey." Tanah extended his arms so it would be out of Api's height range. A week of accompanying him through academics had taught him this much about Api's personality and traits. "No sweets before you finish your homework."

Api wailed like a dying whale. "But it's so complicated!"

Cahaya snorted. "I'm surprised you even know what the word means."

Api glared. He sunk back to his seat and diverted his sharp gaze to the book. All it did was make his head spin from the formulas and facts. Science was never his strong suit, along with Math. But he wouldn't be able to use the gym unless he passed his exam, which would be as hard as getting Air to skydive.

The motherly male slunk next to him. He peered down to Api's homework and cringed at his handwriting.

"You're not as dumb as you think," Tanah encouraged, watching Api furiously erase incorrect answers off his papers like he was staging a murder. "You just need to find your motivation."

Api halted. He turned to Tanah. "Like what? My sister's awesome. I could never be as good as her."

"You're twins," Cahaya insisted. "As much as I hate to say it, but you're talented like her. You just need to find a balance. Do you think Air's debut is outshining yours by a mile and that's why you can't focus?"

Api snorted. "That's the stupidest thing I've heard in my life." His eyes caught the scenery outside of Tanah's room. He never really paid attention to the interior, but now distracted, he could see another room which has its door creaked open. The décor inside wasn't what Api had imagined. "What's in that room?"

Tanah and Cahaya followed his gaze. Tanah smiled in embarrassment. "Well, it's a storage room for my trophies or such. You can take a look, but there's not much to see, I guarantee you."

Cahaya stared at Tanah in utter disbelief. "Not much? I'd say that there's as many as mine. Perhaps even surpassing mine. To be frank, it says a lot."

Api entered the proclaimed storage room. He flipped the light switch and and was absolutely bewildered by what stood before him. It was glass shelves upon shelves of medallions, plaques, belts, ribbons and trophies. Most of them seemed earned through the sport, but there were obscure pieces where Tanah earned through leadership or the best president or the best chef.

If he didn't know any better, he'd say Tanah would be pestered with crwds of fans every waking moment. Maybe he is, but Api didn't see it. But what he did notice, it was that there was a dusty box located under the corner shelf. It was visibly uncared for, unlike any of the prizes that are displayed so brazenly in crystal cases.

Blowing the dust off the top, he pried the cardboard box open with his hands. What greeted him was more prizes, but they weren't for any of Tanah's visible achievements. There were more boxes stored under multiple shelves, but this one seemed to be the most obvious among all of them.