To Live Again, For the First Time!

Mason released yet another helpless sigh.

It was only the nth time in the last few hours.

Emilin could also only helplessly smile and pretend not to notice.

...

A few hours ago...

Mason brought Emilin to one of the locations in which he would get inspiration on his leaves.

At moments like these, many would think of pretty forests or mountains.

But Mason was by no means a normal person…

Emilin was baffled when they ended up in the busiest shopping district in Phashi, which was also one of the most well-known fashion districts in the entire continent.

The clients in line would surely be angered to death if they found out that Mason's so-called seclusion was in fact sitting at the private balcony of the best pastry shop right in the middle of the no. 1 shopping district.

He also seemed incredibly familiar with the shop owner as he walked in and up the floors like he owned the place.

Emilin couldn't help but be impressed when she realized that there were even long couches, a bed, and a minifridge nearby.

The first three floors of the pastry shop were filled with tables and customers, but this fourth floor had no one else.

When she asked, he just responded saying, "Oh, I do own this floor."

Which answered a whole lot of questions, but not why this floor was connected to all the others of the bakery and why the people working downstairs would bring up refreshments and refill the mini-fridge every few hours.

The pastry shop clearly had another owner.

"This is my secret hideout," Mason said honestly.

This is where he went to get some time for himself when in Phashi.

And though he traveled, he was still here quite a lot as Phashi was well known for its fashion industry, which attracted a lot of clients from the industry.

That much could be seen from the fact that he had a studio here.

There wasn't a single well-known international brand that didn't have a shop in this district.

And while Mason made his way through the room, Emilin just followed him in silently.

Mason dragged a chair from inside to the balcony where there was only one other chair.

"Come on, sit down then," Mason patted on the chair he had just dragged over.

"Okay," Emilin sat down slowly.

There was an awkward silence created by the strange atmosphere where one was too ashamed of their work and the other didn't know how to bring it up.

In the end, it was still Mason who spoke first.

"Can I know why you want to become a photographer? I mean, it doesn't earn you a whole lot of money at first, and I doubt money is what you are aiming for in this industry, or you would have gone for something else. It also clearly isn't the best method of gaining fame. So, if not fame and fortune what could it be?" Mason asked.

There was something else that he didn't add, but if Emilin were trying to follow in someone else's footsteps, like a family member, then she wouldn't have to seek him out either.

Emilin hesitated for a moment before replying.

"…I- I want something to be remembered by." 

And also, something to remember from. Something that would tell the future her, that none of this was a dream.

Mason didn't quite understand why photography would be Emilin's choice when that was her goal, but he could understand the sentiment.

He nodded lightly.

"I see. Then let's get started."

Emilin was somewhat startled that Mason didn't ask any questions, but that was good too.

She probably wouldn't be able to find the right words to answer any of them.

"Okay."

For the following hours, Mason started sweating bullets.

He knew it was bad, but not this bad…

"You normally have such a steady grip! What's happening?"

"What is this blur?"

"Did you click something on the camera? Why are the pictures in such an angle?"

"Mm, but the camera is fine…"

"When did you even get the chance to tilt the camera in such a way?"

"It just feels right? Well… that's good, but not when the result of your gut feeling is this!"

"Did you just miss the target of your shot?"

His initial idea was to come to this district to show her the ways of the angles when photographing certain types of people depending on how far they are, what types of clothing they are wearing, and commenting on how to complement certain styles of the person with their clothes and accessories.

This place was especially good as on this balcony, while you could see the people below, because of the sheet that extended underneath, the people below couldn't see you.

With the high-definition cameras, the distance of 3 to 4 floors was no issue either.

But all that was for not.

A good idea, but useless in practice.

This was because Emilin couldn't even hold the camera straight…

If he didn't know any better, he would have thought she was doing it on purpose.

But clearly not the case as Emilin was at least 100 times more distressed than himself.

Mason was a little sad at the thought.

The clicking sounds resounded and he didn't know what to do.

Was he not fit to be a teacher?

Was he approaching this the wrong way?

If so… what was he doing so wrong?

At this point, Mason felt like he really had to give teachers some more respect.

The respect they deserve for the work they do.

In his head, Mason felt like he had things well thought out, but he was quick to realize that he didn't really know much about teaching at all.

It was somewhat like how an unqualified middle school math teacher might get frustrated as to which why the student couldn't understand the simple knowledge that represented Log or Roots.

Sure, that teacher may or may not have learned it, but that did not represent that they would be able to impart that knowledge properly to any and all people.

They might be trying to explain it time and time again in a way that they found to be simple or easy to understand.

But at that point, if the student doesn't understand, is it really their fault?

Honestly, Mason thought otherwise.

At a moment like this, he actually felt rather incompetent. Unable to explain things more simply and making his first and only student feel inadequate. 

That was also why most master's and Grandmasters were incredibly picky when choosing disciples.

They would be certain that their disciple could understand them beforehand, so they would most likely never face such issues.

Xander for example already had years of experience understanding most of what Emilin showed him, and even if he didn't his talent was just too helpful.

Emilin on the other hand didn't seem to have the talent in photography on her side.

That was when Mason decided that he was going to take a day off from the lessons to brush up on his own knowledge.

Emilin only nodded as a response, she was already feeling bad enough about the trouble she felt like she was causing, so she felt like that was only right.

Both of them, however, still stayed on this floor.

While Emilin remained on the balcony, taking her handy camera and trying again.

Mason was inside the room, rereading through his old books, textbooks, and looking through some good examples to use.

At these instances, the instances in which she had the camera in hand, sitting by herself with only her own thoughts to accompany her, sometimes she would question herself.

Holding it tightly, she asked herself what she wanted.

Sure, she had a long-term goal, but surely, she could have a short-term goal as well, right?

What did she want?

Emilin heard the reverberating clicking sound for the nth time.

But it was still just like any other.

The results were less than desirable.

"What was it?" Emilin mumbled to herself.

"What was that feeling?"

She was not talking about the feeling of taking a photo right now, but rather the one she felt back then.

That one good photo she took back in the Hemafuji mountain range.

Even though it was weeks ago, she felt like it was just yesterday, that beautiful scene that would forever be carved into her memory.

She could forget all the other photos she took, but not that one.

But that feeling… that perfect click.

She could no longer find it.

***

On a helicopter landing pad, Elijah stepped off with a freshly rested face while Liam, well… let's just say it's a good thing he is not openly afraid of heights, but otherwise, he really couldn't look any worse.

Elijah looked at this assistant of his and thought about having pity before dismissing the idea with a second thought.

"Let's go to Sister Margo's main shop," Elijah said, pretending not to have noticed Liam's poor countenance.

And Liam was too tired to say anything in his own defense, so things just ended up like that.

Well, since he said nothing, then nothing should be wrong, right?

Elijah walked off calmly while immersing himself in his own thoughts.

He had to go in person to ask Margo whether she had seen the person who went by the name of Xander or not… that was the main purpose for which he came all the way here after all.

"Things would have been so much easier if only teacher was not so..."

Elijah did not dare say the following words as he was sure he would probably be caught for it, even though there was no one else around to hear him other than Liam.