Chapter 62: GUARDIAN OF THE ANGELS

Whoosh... The afternoon breeze blew gently over the lake’s surface, creating small ripples that danced under the sunlight. Tweet... tweet... Birds chirped in the surrounding trees, creating a soothing melody. At the edge of the lake, the students of Class IX-9 were still having fun—some swimming, some sitting at the edge, and some just enjoying the view.

Lydia swam calmly near Mira and a few other students. Her movements were graceful—her hands paddled the water gently, and her long wet hair clung to her back. Splash... She dove for a moment, then resurfaced with a smile on her face.

"Ms. Lydia!" Mira called out, paddling with an irregular freestyle. "You can swim!"

Lydia smiled. "Of course. I love swimming."

"Cool!" Mira swam closer, then splashed water toward Lydia. Splash!

Lydia laughed softly, then retaliated with a bigger splash. SPLASH! The water hit Mira’s face—making the girl laugh out loud.

On the other side of the lake, Rin swam fast—her strokes strong and efficient. Whoosh... whoosh... She had already swum from one end of the lake to the other several times. Her muscles tensed as she paddled through the water.

Nora swam calmly near Rin—though she occasionally watched the surroundings. Her eyes moved from one student to another, making sure no one was in danger.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the lake, Eve sat on a wooden bench she’d brought from the tent. Her laptop was open on her lap—the screen glowed brightly despite the bright afternoon sunlight. Click... click... click... Her fingers danced across the keyboard. She paid no attention to the lake at all—her eyes fixed on the screen.

Ella, who had just finished swimming, sat beside Eve. Her wet hair dripped water onto her shoulder. She looked at Eve, busy with her laptop.

"Eve," Ella said.

Eve didn’t lift her head. "Hm?"

"Aren’t you going to swim?"

"No."

"Why?"

"My laptop could get wet." Eve typed again. Click... click...

Ella let out a soft sigh. "You could put it away first. You can get it back after swimming."

"Too much hassle." Click...

Ella stared at Eve for a moment. She knew Eve was like that—always busy with her laptop, always avoiding activities she considered inefficient. But this time, Ella wanted Eve to join in the fun. This was their first camping trip—and maybe their only one.

"Eve," Ella said again. "Come on. We’re all swimming. You should join too."

"I don’t like water."

"You’ve never tried it."

"I know I don’t like it."

Ella let out another sigh. She stood up, then stood in front of Eve—blocking the girl’s view of her laptop.

Eve lifted her head. "Ella. You’re blocking the light."

"Eve. Come on."

"No." Click... click...

Ella opened her mouth to persuade her again—but before she could speak, a voice from the lake broke the silence.

"Eve!"

Splash!

Mira—who had somehow already gotten near the lake’s edge—sprayed water toward Eve. SPLASH! The water hit Eve’s face, her laptop, and everything around her.

HAAAH! Eve was startled. She raised her hand to protect her face—but it was too late. The water had already soaked her laptop.

"AH!" Eve immediately closed her laptop. CLACK! She stood up, her face bright red. "Mira! What did you do?!"

Mira laughed from inside the water. Ha ha ha! "Eve! Come in! The water is fresh!"

"My laptop is wet!" Eve checked her laptop in panic. Clack... clack... She lifted her laptop, examining every corner. "If my laptop breaks, I won’t forgive you!"

"Ah, your laptop won’t break—" Mira sprayed water again. SPLASH!

HAAAH! Eve stepped back, but the water had already hit her again. She looked at Mira with a gaze that was... annoyed. Very annoyed.

"Fine," Eve said, her voice cold. "You want me to come in? Fine."

She carefully placed her laptop on the bench—in a safe place. Clack... Then she removed her sandals. Clack... clack... Then she walked toward the lake.

Tap... tap... tap... Her steps were firm—her eyes not blinking from Mira.

Mira, seeing that, started backing away. "E-Eve? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Eve didn’t answer. She stepped into the water—the coldness of the water didn’t bother her. Splash... She kept walking until the water reached her waist.

"Eve?" Mira backed away again. "Eve, sorry—"

SPLASH!

Eve sprayed water with both hands. The water hit Mira’s face—more than what Mira had given. SPLASH! SPLASH! SPLASH!

"AH! EVE!" Mira laughed while trying to dodge. "Sorry! Sorry! I’m sorry!"

Eve finally smiled. A little. Hmph... "You asked me to come in? I came in. Satisfied?"

Mira nodded quickly. "Satisfied! Satisfied!"

Ha ha ha! Their laughter filled the lake—making the others smile too.

Lydia and Ella

At the edge of the lake, Ella sat back down after Eve entered the water. She smiled seeing Eve finally joining in the swim—though with a face still a little annoyed. Hmph... But at least she was willing.

Lydia, seeing Ella sitting alone, came out of the water. Splash... She stepped to the lake’s edge, grabbed her towel, then sat beside Ella.

"Ella," Lydia said, drying her hair with the towel. "Aren’t you swimming anymore?"

Ella shook her head. "That’s enough, Ma’am. I’m tired."

Lydia nodded. She sat beside Ella, staring at the lake. Whoosh... The wind blew gently, carrying the scent of water and trees.

"Ella," Lydia said. "You’re the class president, right?"

"Yes," Ella answered.

"Do you like being class president?"

Ella was silent for a moment. "I... never really thought about it. I just do what I have to do."

Lydia looked at Ella with a deep gaze. "You’re a good leader. I can see it from the way your friends follow you."

Ella smiled slightly. "Thank you, Ma’am."

"Have you known them long?"

"Since first grade," Ella answered. "We’re all... we’ve all been in the same class since the beginning. We’ve been through a lot together."

Lydia nodded. "That’s why you’re so close."

"Yes."

They sat in silence for a while. Whoosh... The wind blew gently. Tweet... tweet... Birds chirped in the trees.

"Ms. Lydia," Ella said. "Have you been a teacher long?"

"Quite a while," Lydia answered. "I’ve taught at several schools. But this is my first time being an assistant."

"Why did you choose to become a teacher?"

Lydia smiled faintly. "I like children. I like watching them grow. I like helping them discover their potential."

Ella nodded. "That’s a good reason."

"What about you?" Lydia asked. "What are your dreams?"

Ella fell silent. She stared at the lake—watching her friends still having fun. "I... I want to protect them. I want to make sure they’re always happy."

Lydia looked at Ella with a deeper gaze. "That’s a noble dream."

"But it’s hard," Ella said. "Sometimes... sometimes I don’t know if I can do it. Sometimes I feel... I’m not strong enough."

Lydia smiled. "You don’t always have to be strong, Ella. You just have to... be there. Sometimes, being there for someone is enough."

Ella looked at Lydia. There was something in the woman’s eyes—something like understanding. Something that made Ella feel... calm.

"Thank you, Ma’am," Ella said softly.

Lydia nodded. "You’re welcome."

Cramp in the Lake

Splash! Splash! Splash! The sound of splashing water was still heard from the lake. Mira, Rin, Nora, Eve, and Lydia were still swimming—though Lydia had now come out. Luna was still sitting at the lake’s edge, her feet in the water. Iris and Aria were still sitting on the dock—Iris with her camera, Aria with her constantly bitten nails.

Suddenly—

"HELP!"

The voice broke the silence. HAAAH! Everyone turned.

Rin—who had been swimming fast—suddenly stopped. Her face was pale. Haaah... haaah... Her breath was panting. "My leg... my leg is cramping!"

HAAAH! Mira, who was near Rin, immediately panicked. "RIN! DON’T PANIC!"

Rin tried to paddle with her hands, but her leg couldn’t move. Splash! She started to sink—water entered her mouth. Gulp... gulp...

"RIN!" Mira tried to reach Rin, but she was too far.

Nora, who was nearby, immediately swam fast. Whoosh! Whoosh! But Rin was sinking deeper.

SPLASH!

A figure shot into the water. Lydia. She swam fast—faster than anyone. Whoosh! Whoosh! In seconds, she was beside Rin.

Lydia grabbed Rin’s body, then lifted her to the surface. Splash! Rin coughed, water coming out of her mouth. Cough! Cough!

"Calm down," Lydia said, her voice firm. "I’ve got you. Don’t move."

Rin nodded weakly. Haaah... haaah... Her breath was still panting.

Lydia carried Rin to the lake’s edge—swimming with one hand, while the other held Rin. Whoosh... whoosh... Her movements were strong and efficient. In a short time, they were at the edge.

Tap... tap... tap... Ella, seeing that, immediately ran over. "Rin! Are you okay?!"

Lydia laid Rin on the grass. Hff... Rin was still coughing, but she could breathe better now. Cough... "I-I’m... I’m okay."

Lydia sat beside Rin. "Your leg cramped?"

Rin nodded. "Y-yes. I... I forgot to warm up."

Lydia let out a soft sigh. Haaah... "That’s my fault too. I was too excited and forgot to guide you through warm-ups."

"I-it’s not your fault, Ma’am," Rin said. "I’m the one who was stupid."

Lydia smiled slightly. "No one is stupid. Just... forgetful." She started massaging Rin’s leg gently. Rub... rub... Her skilled hands massaged Rin’s tense muscles.

Rin winced, but slowly—the pain started to fade. Haaah... "Thank you, Ma’am."

Lydia nodded. "You’re welcome."

Warm-Ups

After making sure Rin was okay, Lydia stood up. She looked at all her students who had gathered at the lake’s edge—Mira, Rin, Nora, Luna, Ella, Iris, Aria, Eve, and Fay. They all looked at Lydia with different expressions.

"Before we swim again," Lydia said, her voice firm. "We need to do warm-ups. I don’t want anyone else cramping."

The students nodded.

Lydia guided them through warm-ups—leg stretches, arm stretches, neck stretches. Stretch... stretch... The sound of moving joints was heard softly.

"Rin," Lydia said. "Does your right leg still hurt?"

"A little," Rin answered.

"Don’t push it. If it still hurts, just rest."

Rin shook her head. "No. I want to swim again."

Lydia looked at Rin for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. But be careful."

After warm-ups were done, they went back into the lake. Splash! Splash! Splash! The sound of splashing water filled the air again. This time, they played more carefully—though it didn’t reduce their fun.

A Fragrant Scent from the Tent

Whoosh... The afternoon breeze blew gently. The sun was starting to tilt westward—creating a beautiful golden orange sky. Tweet... tweet... Birds were starting to return to their nests.

The students were still playing in the lake—though some of them were starting to get tired. Mira was still swimming with her freestyle, Rin was still swimming fast—though her leg still hurt a little, Nora was still swimming calmly, Eve had already come out of the water and returned to her laptop, Luna was still sitting at the edge, Iris was still on the dock, Aria was still beside her, and Fay was still sitting at the edge—not moving from her spot.

Lydia stood at the lake’s edge, observing everything with a small smile. She watched her students having fun—laughing, joking, and enjoying their youth. She watched them growing—becoming braver, more confident, more... alive.

Suddenly—

Hmm... Lydia lifted her head. She smelled something. A fragrant aroma—the aroma of food. Sniff... She smelled again. The aroma came from the direction of the tent—from the cooking area. The aroma of curry. Japanese-style curry she had prepared before going to the lake. Kai had finished cooking it.

Lydia smiled. She looked at her students still playing—they hadn’t noticed the aroma yet. They were too absorbed in the water.

Tap... tap... tap... Lydia walked toward the cooking area—wanting to make sure the curry was ready. There, she saw Kai sitting on the wooden bench—enjoying the calm of the afternoon.

"Mr. Kai," Lydia said.

Kai turned. "Ms. Lydia. The curry is ready."

Lydia nodded. She lifted the pan lid—Clack...—and peeked inside. The curry was golden brown, with pieces of chicken, carrots, and potatoes that looked tender. The aroma was very strong—making her stomach growl.

"It looks delicious," Lydia said.

"Please taste it," Kai said.

Lydia took a spoon, then tasted the curry. Slurp... Her eyes widened. "This... this is delicious, Mr. Kai. Better than what I usually make."

Kai smiled. "I just followed your instructions."

Lydia smiled, then looked at the lake in the distance. She saw her students still playing. "They’re still playing."

"Yes," Kai said. "Let them be. They’re having fun."

Lydia nodded. She stood beside Kai—enjoying the calm of that afternoon. Whoosh... The wind blew gently, carrying the scent of curry and the scent of water.

Time to Eat

Not long after, Kai stood up. He walked to the edge of the camping area—facing the lake.

"EVERYONE!" he called out, his voice loud enough to be heard. "THE FOOD IS READY!"

HAAAH! The students in the lake immediately turned.

"Come out!" Kai continued. "The water will get cold!"

Splash! Splash! Splash! The students immediately came out of the water—in various ways.

Mira jumped out with her freestyle—Splash!—then ran toward the tent. "FOOD! FINALLY!"

Rin swam quickly to the edge, then came out carefully—still remembering her cramp earlier. Tap... tap... "I’m hungry," she murmured.

Luna stood up from the lake’s edge—her wet feet dripping water onto the grass. Drip... drip... She walked slowly toward the tent.

Nora came out of the water calmly—though she was also hungry. Tap... tap...

Ella, who had already finished swimming, immediately stood up. "Come on, everyone. Don’t take too long."

Iris stood up from the dock—her camera still around her neck. Click! She took one more photo, then walked toward the tent.

Aria stood beside her—still biting her nails. "I-I’m... I’m hungry too."

Eve had already closed her laptop—she’d been ready since earlier. Clack... She walked calmly.

Fay stood up from the lake’s edge—her doll still hugged tightly. She walked at the very back—but her steps weren’t slow.

Lydia, seeing their behavior, could only smile. Ha ha... She saw Mira running while jumping, Rin walking carefully, Luna walking calmly, Nora walking alertly, Ella trying to organize everything, Iris occasionally taking photos, Aria biting her nails, Eve walking calmly, and Fay walking at the very back.

"They’re like little kids," Lydia murmured softly.

Kai, standing beside her, smiled. "They are kids. But they’re good kids."

Lydia nodded. "Yes. They’re good kids."

They both walked toward the eating area—where the students had already gathered. Tap... tap... tap...

There, the wooden table was already set with plates filled with curry. The warm curry aroma filled the air—making everyone impatient to eat.

"Please eat," Kai said.

HAAAH! The students immediately took their respective plates—filling their curry eagerly.

"Delicious!" Mira exclaimed, her mouth full. "The curry is so delicious!"

"Don’t talk while eating," Ella said.

"But it’s delicious!" Mira kept chewing eagerly.

Rin ate quickly—though she still winced a little because of her leg. Luna ate calmly—enjoying every bite. Nora ate alertly—occasionally watching the surroundings. Iris ate while occasionally photographing her food. Aria ate carefully—but she finished her plate. Eve ate efficiently—not wasting time. And Fay—Fay ate slowly, but she finished her plate.