-With great power comes great impulses-

  Downtown TB–Bridgepath, TBU, Main Campus Hall

  Going through the busy campus today felt different. It feels like I could hear everything. The two students sitting by the fountain whispering sweet nothings. The group of jocks discussing their game plan for the next friendly tournament. The sound of doors creaking lightly as students entered the lecture halls. A guy at the end of the hall muttered an apology after bumping into someone. A girl was arguing with her boyfriend about how he didn’t call her back last night. It wasn’t like I’m trying to listen–I just knew.

  Ming, noticing me tensing up, decided to ask. “Are you still ill, Shiromori?”

  “What?” I snapped to meet her gaze. “No, perfectly fine.”

  “Your stiff body says otherwise.”

  “Woah Ming, take me to dinner first before checking my body out!” I smiled flirtatiously, which she tch’d.

  “If you fall again, I am not picking you up.”

  “Oh, you know you will. You love me too much.”

  Asri rolled his eyes. “You know, some people like their mornings quiet.” He looked at us. “Quiet, as in not hearing an old married couple flirting all the time.”

  I could feel my ears going red. Ming stiffens.

  “We are not a couple!” We said spontaneously together.

  Asri shrugged. “Sure, cause everyone disguised their flirting as bickering disguised as flirting.”

  “Then how about you tell your best friend to shut up for once?” Ming glared at Asri.

  “You’d miss me too much if I shut up for a day.” I snapped back at her.

  “How about both of you shut the hell up?” a voice suddenly interrupted.

  Three students stood behind us, their faces clearly annoyed.

  “How about you stop eavesdropping on other people?” Ming turned, crossing her arms.

  “Why don’t I make you shut up?” One of them started approaching. Big. Tough. Slow.

  I placed my hand on his shoulder, preventing him from advancing.

  “You really don’t want this, ‘friend’.” I warned him, a smile flashing.

  He grabbed my collar in a tight grip, and pulled me in closer. “And what if I do?”

  Ming tried to pull his grip away, but he was strong. “Let go of him, you jerk!”

  “Shut up!” With a hard shove, Ming dropped to the floor.

  Ah. Now that’s too far. My body moved before I could think.

  My fist sank deep into his gut–a sharp wheeze escaped him before he doubled over. Clenching my fists hard, I threw a sharp uppercut, snapping his head hard. A sidestep to reposition–my fist homed straight to his chest. The hit was clean and the impact sent him crashing into his friends like a bowling ball.

  The onlookers backed away, someone muttered under their breath. “What the hell is up with that punch?”

  His friends stood there, their gazes wide like they just saw a ghost. They tried to help their friend up, but clearly they were more focused on me.

  Ming’s gaze flicked to me. “Ryu…what was that?”

  My mind was still focused on the guy sprawled on the floor, clutching his chest.

  I stepped forward, looming over him and his friends. My voice was low. Cold.

  “Don’t touch her.”

  No one said a word. Not the crowd. Not the three guys. Not Ming.

  I gently placed my hand behind Ming’s back and guided her away from the commotion. I could hear people whispering about what had just happened.

  Ming exhaled sharply, glancing at me. “Dramatic much?”

  Asri snorted. “Oh, ‘course he’s dramatic. His wife got hurt.”

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  I could feel my cheeks burning up. “Shut it, you coding freak.”

  “And he doesn’t deny it as well.” He nudged Ming, who was sneaking a glance at me.

  TBU–Kinematics Classroom

  Ming was flipping through her notebook as the professor droned on about biomechanic. He was holding a tablet, and a projector was casting his slides on today’s topic: Kinematics.

  “Kinematics, class, is all about motion without considering the force. Speed, velocity, acceleration–these are some examples of the properties of kinematics.” The slides switched to an image of a runner, with velocity vectors pointing in different directions. “Class, can you give a real world example?”

  I kept my head resting on my hand. The class was silent, some were flipping through their notebooks, while most were keeping their heads down–as if trying to be invisible. After a long sigh, I raised my hand instead.

  “Using kinematics to measure how fast a runner can go?”

  “Are you telling me or asking me, Shiromori?”

  “Telling you?” I sarcastically said, making a questioning face.

  He let out a long exhale, his hand waving lazily–like shooing a mosquito. Muttering something under his breath, he turned his gaze back to me, a faint, tired smile tugging his lips.

  “Yes, that’s one of the applications.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, used to my antics. “For once, Shiromori, I’d like to have you answer me like you’re not in a guessing game show.” He resumed his lecture.

  I placed my hand back down, while Ming was glaring at me. “Smug.”

  “Ice-cold.” I retorted.

  “Get married already.” Asri sighed, and we flicked our sharp gazes at him.

  The slide now showed a question about calculating the displacement with linear acceleration. The professor turned to the class, tapping his fingers impatiently. “Well, everyone? Anybody have an answer?”

  As usual, heads start going down like the setting sun. Ming started calculating in her head, before raising her hand. “12 seconds.”

  “Very good, Ming.” the professor revealed the answer.

  “Showoff.” I glanced at her.

  Ming snapped back. “Slowpok–”

  “Don’t.” Asri, who was sitting between us, raised his hands. “I’m in the middle today.”

  I gave a final glance at Ming. Was that a satisfied smirk I saw?

  TBU–UniCafe

  The university’s cafe, unironically called UniCafe, was bustling with students. I could hear the conversations happening around me, but I tried to zone them out. Most of them were still talking about the fight this morning. I grabbed a can of Coke before joining my two friends at an empty table.

  “So,” Ming took a sip of her bottled water. “Since when could you teach someone to fly with a punch?” Her stares were locked onto me.

  “You’re not gonna believe it if we told you, Ming.” Asri smirked, ready to tell Ming about my newfound abilities.

  I kicked him under the table, maybe a little too hard. He let out a silent scream as he braced his shin.

  “What was that for?” Ming raised her eyebrow, flicking her gaze between me and Asri.

  “Nothing.” I casually said, glaring at Asri. “Just some people can’t keep a secret.”

  “And what would that secret be, Shiromori?”

  “That I’ve been training again.”

  “You haven’t been to the boxing gym for a year.”

  “Self practice. I still got my champion’s right hook, you know.” I gently swing a hook across her face. She rolled her eyes.

  I gave a quick look at Asri, who was still wincing in pain. “You good, man?” I sarcastically asked him.

  “Peachy.” He sharply replied, still bracing his shin. “Anyways, I wrote up something that might help with Neuroflex. He booted his laptop up, and started searching for his new software.

  Suddenly, I felt that now familiar jolt of electricity in my spin– Left. Girl. Slip. Food tray.

  Right on cue, a female student walked past us, her eyes were glued to her phone–completely missing the puddle of bubble tea. My body moved before my brain could register.

  I caught her by the waist before she face-planted herself. Her phone tumbled through the air, spinning like a buzzsaw. I snatched it midair–right before it could smack Ming in the face.

  Crack.

  Oh sh-

  I could feel the spiderweb crack forming under my thumb. I think Ming saw it too–she’s keeping quiet but her gaze lingered a little too long.

  “Guess the floor was more interested in your text notification than you thought.” I smirked, returning her phone back to her–flipped over to hide the crack. She thanked me, and I told her to be safe. She looked confused to see the new ‘present’ I left as she walked away.

  “You hurt?” I asked, looking at Ming with concern.

  “I’m okay.”She said, eyes wide with shock. “Since when were you that fast?”

  “I’ve always been fast, Ming.” I gave her a smug look

  “You got bit by a spider yesterday.” She looked at me, deadpan.

  “That’s different. I was… distracted by your beauty.” I gave her a flirty smile.

  “You say that to every girl you save?”

  “That one’s a Ming special.”

  “Ahem,” Asri cleared his throat loudly. “Speaking of Neuroflex, mom and dad, can I show you this before we get to testing?” He turned his laptop towards us.

  We each brainstormed a new approach to test on our science project, using Asri’s new algorithm as a foundation. Ming suggested refining it to look for sudden impulse spikes–reaction time to stimuli, muscles repairing itself. With newfound determination, we quickly packed up. A smile, packed with excitement and curiosity, tugged across our lips as we headed to the science lab.