Jae's lips curved in the familiar smirk that seemed to belong to him as much as his blade. He rose at last, his Dragonfire Blade sealed away, his hands sliding easily into his pockets.
He crossed the rows at an unhurried pace, his steps deliberate, each one a quiet claim on the silence she thought she still owned.
"You really are too beautiful, you know," he said, his voice low, casual, as though he were stating a fact rather than flirting.
The words struck her in mid-motion. Mrs. Lira stilled, one hand resting lightly on a stack of parchment. Slowly, she turned, the delicate tilt of her head catching more of the light, her pale lashes lowering and then rising again as she processed his words.
Her eyes, normally so composed, widened by the smallest fraction. The faintest color touched her cheeks, a warmth that unsettled her calm.
"Jae…" she said softly, her voice a mix of warning and disbelief. "Class is dismissed. You should be on your way."
