Silently, Li Hua rose to her feet, circling the group wide to not disturb the air while she padded toward her inattentive student. She knew what it was like to be Noriko's age, but Li Hua couldn't remember ever being this impatient and unfocused after the kind of practice she had already offered the girl. This was willful. Flares of frustration could distract Li Hua, but not from sitting for hours on the beach and waiting with just the smell of the ocean and the sound of her own heart. Of course, this classroom wasn't so ideal.
"What is your mantra?" she asked quietly, suddenly seated beside Noriko in the same position she had taken at the front of the group, impossibly straight and tall with her legs crossed in front of her and still facing forward with her eyes closed. The only hint she gave was an open mouth, lips shaping Noriko's syllable of energy and creation. A little thing to focus on wasn't cheating, but squirming and pouting was and Noriko didn't need to be coddled any further. This was something she could do, no matter how much she didn't want to.