The afternoon corridor hummed with the lazy energy of students transitioning between classes. Aelric moved through it like a ghost, his blonde hair catching the golden light filtering through the high windows.
His calm, observant gaze rarely lifted from the notebook clutched in his hands, fingers tracing along the cramped theoretical annotations as he walked.
Several female students noticed his passage. They always did.
"Hi, Aelric!" one called out, her voice pitched deliberately high and sweet.
She leaned against the wall with exaggerated casualness, her uniform slightly loosened at the collar.
Another giggled, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "You're always so focused. Want to take a break with us?"
Aelric offered a polite nod—nothing more. His lips curved into a calm, distant smile that was friendly enough to avoid rudeness but cold enough to discourage further attempts.
He continued walking, his eyes already drifting back to the notebook.
