8 Proprioception

"What are we doing here?" I looked at Kolin. Even though he's supposed to be using mana to disguise our trails, he's still sneakily taking a peak at the boy who went inside a rundown apartment.

Yes, we are currently hiding in a bush under a tree nearby.

Apparently, Kolin found an interest in Tobin, he said that he felt the 'mana slap' he tried to give him. I'm not exactly sure what a 'mana slap' is, but if Tobin felt mana, then he could also be a mage.

'I thought mages were rare, now there's two?!'

I felt a tug at my sleeve, "I-isn't this stalking?", Lux said with a slight shiver. She went with us after hearing that we'll be going to where Tobin lives.

'Doesn't she feel hot in those all-black clothes?' I wondered.

"By definition, it is, but we're just passing by. Don't worry about it." Kolin said, squinting his eyes to get a better view.

"…108." He mumbled the room number.

I saw his eyes light up, as though he had an epiphany.

He looked at Lux rather ominously, "Say…"

…

"You sure she can do this?" I asked in doubt, looking at Lux who was knocking on Tobin's door.

"Bah! She obviously wants to do it, let her." He smirked, taking out a spyglass.

"Where'd you get that?" I looked at him, bewildered.

"I just come prepared all the time."

"What's the point? You can just use your magic." I lamented.

"For dramatic purposes, and in case he detects my mana." He said, comically twisting the spyglass.

"Nevermind, it's kinda useless." He threw it away.

A couple of seconds later, Tobin came out. Kolin suddenly waved his hands, and I felt my ear tingle.

Widening my eyes in surprise, I looked at him. "It's nothing special, just a spying spell, I guess. Close your eyes so you can see them better."

"You mean to tell that you have a spell for stalking…?"

"Well, if you put it that way, then yea." He said while rubbing the back of his head.

"L-Lux? What are you doing here?" A slight blush could be seen on Tobin's face.

But it's nothing compared to Lux's tomato face, "H-hello!", She squirmed.

"Ah."

"..."

After a minute of awkward silence, Tobin made a way for Lux.

"W-well, would you like to come in?." He offered, and although hesitant, Lux agreed.

The interior of the house is simple. A gray couch facing a 35-inch TV, and some books and small figurines on a shelf. You can also hear a loud boiling sound from the kitchen, like a pressure cooker.

"Oh, that's the soup, hold on a moment." Tobin rushed to the kitchen, obviously flustered at Lux's presence.

"O-oum." Lux nodded.

"Would you like some refreshments?" He offered.

"I-if you don't mind, then I-I'll have some." She bashfully said.

Noticing the sweat on Lux's forehead, Tobin went ahead and lowered the A/C temperature.

"You look hot," Tobin said.

And I guess Lux misunderstood for she flinched, her whole body turning red.

"T-t-t-thank you?" She said nervously.

I laughed as I watched Tobin's face drop, "Oo-oh, I meant that you look hot! No! I mean your sweating and all, and it's summer and all, and you are wearing black, and you're red! I-I-I, sorry!"

"L Rizz." My brother said while putting his palm on his forehead, "Sigh, c'mon kid, you can do better than this," He added.

I burst out laughing, it looked like a skit if I'm being honest.

"I-I see." Somehow, Lux looked crestfallen.

Tobin took notice of this and hesitantly said, "W-well, y-you could take it the other way, it's true a-anyway.'

My jaw dropped, and I saw Lux practically smoke from overheating.

"T-T-T-Thanks!!" She stuttered so badly but the slight smile on her face showed that she liked the compliment.

"Damn, this kid got moves."

'You just said...sigh' I thought.

"Hey Kolin, do your thing already! At this point, they're just gonna flirt." I smacked him multiple times.

"Alright! Alright! Chill out!"

The plan was simple, try to 'mana slap' Lux. If Tobin really could feel the mana, then he would interfere before it even touches her.

Before Kolin could do it, however, we saw Tobin look at us—it felt like we made eye contact.

"Did he just look at us?" I cursed

Kolin squinted his eyes.

And I actually felt a distortion in space as he swung down his palm.

"K-Kolin?!" I shouted at him.

"Relax."

I saw Tobin rush to Lux, and they rolled around the carpet to dodge an invisible threat.

A scar lined up on the spot Lux sat on.

"T-Tobin?!" Lux looked confused and flustered, but she gasped as she saw the torn-up couch.

"Shit, Kolin! She could've died!"

"She didn't though."

Damn, this guy…

Tobin didn't have any time to explain to Lux, for he looked around and made eye contact with us again.

My brother was about to do it again, but we heard a shout, "Stop it! Who are you?! Show yourselves!" Tobin yelled.

He held Lux in his arms as he looked around warily.

"Busted."

"Well, it's better to just show ourselves, I guess."

"Is he a mage?"

"I can't say for sure until we talk to him about it," Kolin said, getting up from his hiding place.

We made our way to Tobin's door, and contrary to my uncertain posture, Kolin had his hands inside his pocket while walking untroubled.

He didn't bother knocking as he opened the door.

I flinched as a stick stabbed at Kolin's eye.

It abruptly stopped as he used his index finger to tap the tip of it.

A look of doubt and surprise could be seen on Tobin's face as he took back his staff.

Still on edge, he asked, "Aren't you Beverly's brother?"

My brother just nodded.

Tobin flinched as he saw me, "W-what is happening?"

-Sigh…

Loudly sighing, "And here I thought I found another one like me." Kolin shook his head.

"What?"

"W-what?"

"Another one like You?"

The three of us asked simultaneously.

"Well…" He looked Tobin in the eyes, and Tobin gave it back, unwavering.

"What are you?" Asked Tobin with obvious hostility.

"I should be asking you that. A normal human shouldn't be capable of what you just did." Spat back, Kolin.

"Well, assuming you did that," He looked at the couch, "A normal human shouldn't be capable of what you just did," Tobin added.

"Huh…" I felt a wave wash over me, and I saw Tobin stagger, and he fainted whilst standing.

"W-what did you do?" Lux looked at Kolin.

Kolin ignored her, however, "I figured," He looked at me, "Remember what happened to you on the pool the other day?"

"Yea?" I knit my brows in confusion.

"Well, apparently this dude is experiencing it right now, and it only took a minuscule amount of mana for him to do so." He mused.

"So he's not an actual mage then?"

"No, unfortunately."

"What are you guys talking about? A mage? M-mana?" Slightly stuttering, Lux looked at both of us, her face scrunched up in confusion.

"Well, you should probably explain all of this." I nudged at Kolin.

"Sigh, fine. I will explain this after waking this lanky dude up."

He tapped Tobin's forehead.

-Gasp

He gasped for air and threw up.

"Cough! Cough! W-wha—?!" He again threw up.

'Ah, is this what I looked like?' I thought with a wry smile.

"You're exaggerating," Kolin lamented, "Get up and serve us some tea." Despite his words though, I could see him trying to support Tobin, and I also noticed the subtle waving of his hands—he's using mana.

'Exaggerating?! Did you forget that this dude is literally just a normal teenager?!' I thought.

Maybe he thought the guy was tough, but ordering Tobin to serve some tea is way out of the line considering we just barged in, and destroyed his couch.

Although wobbly, Tobin stood up and glared at Kolin, veins could be seen on his arms.

'Oh, he's pissed."

"Calm down, lest you don't want an explanation." Kolin calmly said.

Unclenching his fist, Tobin took deep breaths and relaxed his tense shoulders, "Alright, well…thanks to you, the house is a mess. You're paying for that freaking couch." He said.

"You're right, it's not exactly ideal to be here at moment…" He looked around the tattered place where feathers from the couch could be seen floating anywhere, multiple scratches lined up the wall from the impact of the mana slap.

…

Hearing Kolin's explanation, the two just stayed silent, but their face showed disbelief.

'Wow, did I look like that as well?' I wryly thought.

"You might not believe it, I know, but I proved it to you just now, didn't I?" He said as he sipped up the soda cup.

We decided to go to a fast food place to discuss and explain what actually happened since we probably caused a commotion in the apartment where Tobin is staying at.

And me? I'm quite amused with their expressions at the moment, "Can I have some of your fries, Lux?" I politely asked.

Lux just nodded, but her eyes never left Kolin who was loudly slurping his drink away.

'We probably look like gluttons right now.'

"So… you're saying that you're an extradimensional human? How is it that you can still use your magic after getting reincarnated?" Tobin rested his chin on his intertwined fist.

"Dunno." He said while munching on some hash browns.

"Then how am I supposed to believe you're not just a government experiment that got out of Area 51?"

-Burp

"Because I have parents, and they birthed me." He said after loudly burping.

"…I can even show you pictures, you know? No need to doubt."

"Sigh, it's more like I'm looking for a reason to disprove what you said. This is really hard to believe even for a guy who likes fantasy mangas, you know?"

"I'm aware."

There was an awkward silence.

"…"

"I-is Bevie a mage as well?" Lux suddenly asked.

"I am not. Actually, I was in the same position as you guys not too long ago, but somehow, it seems normal to me now."

"Ah… I see."

"…"

"So, Lanky guy—"

"My name is Tobin."

"—So Tobin, why is it that you feel mana?' Kolin leaned forward and squinted his eyes.

"I-I don't know? I've always been that way. I just feel things that most people do not."

"That really doesn't explain it." Kolin shook his head.

"Foooo… well, do you know proprioception?"

"Sense of space," Lux added.

We looked at her, 'As expected of the top-ranking student.'

"…Apparently, I have such strong proprioception that I can feel things around me even when I can't see them. I have been like that since I was bor—" He swung his fist behind his back.

"Hmmm… interesting, you really do feel it." Kolin smirked.

"What was that for?"

"A test."

"That was uncalled for." Tobin sighed and shook his head.

My Brother eyed him for a moment, before asking,

"Well, Tobin…

He called to Tobin with a somewhat malicious smile.

"…do you wanna learn magic?"