After lunch was over, Byun and Jae strolled back toward the classroom, their footsteps echoing against the polished stone floors of the academy halls. The chatter of other students faded behind them, leaving only the occasional clang of a distant bell or the soft rustle of papers in open lockers.
Sunlight filtered in through the tall windows, falling in thin, golden stripes across the floor, warming the otherwise cool and slightly sterile air. The smell of the cafeteria lingered faintly, a mixture of fried food and sweet pastries, but it faded with every step deeper into the quieter corridors.
Jae kicked a small pebble of dust absentmindedly, watching it skitter across the floor as he turned toward Byun, curiosity tugging at his brow. "Hey," he asked casually, "why do you hang out with Sun? He's… I don't know. Doesn't seem like much fun to be around." His tone carried a hint of genuine puzzlement, the kind that wasn't meant to provoke but to understand.
