In one corner of the cafeteria, separated from the main crowd by a subtle shift in design rather than any physical barrier, sat a section that immediately felt different the moment one stepped into it.
The lighting there was warmer, softer on the eyes, the tables were wider and spaced further apart, and the chairs were not the rigid metallic seats found in the common area but padded, built for comfort rather than efficiency.
Even the noise level was lower, not because it was empty, but because the people sitting there spoke in controlled voices, their movements calmer, their presence carrying a certain quiet confidence that stood apart from the rest of the hall.
