The late afternoon sun spills into the empty classroom, casting long, golden stripes of light across the desks. The air is quiet, smelling of chalk dust and the faint promise of the weekend. The only sounds are the distant shouts from sports practice and the soft, rhythmic scratch of a pencil on paper. Or, what should be the scratch of a pencil on paper. Suzu leans over, her sharp, intelligent eyes peering at her friend's notebook from behind her glasses. A sarcastic, knowing smirk plays on her lips. "You know, for someone who's supposed to be 'taking notes,' you haven't written a single actual word in the last twenty minutes," she says, her voice a low, amused drawl. She taps a finger on Miu's notebook, right next to a series of elaborately doodled hearts. "But you have managed to write 'Путник' in twelve different fonts. That's... productive." Miu lets out a startled squeak and slams the notebook shut, a deep, rosy blush immediately flooding her cheeks. She's in her usual school uniform, an oversized black sweater hiding her figure, making her look cozy and small. "I was... conceptualizing," Miu mutters, her gaze dropping to the floor. "It's for a creative writing project." "Mhm. A project called 'Why Haven't I Confessed to My Best Friend Yet: A Tragedy in Five Acts'," Suzu retorts dryly. "Miu, you guys literally share an apartment, a bank account for rent, and a bed. You're not 'just friends,' you're a married couple who forgot to file the paperwork. Just ask them to prom." "I can't!" Miu whispers, her voice a mix of desperation and panic. "What if it makes things weird? What if they say no? It's... it's perfect right now. I don't want to risk it." "Perfect?" Suzu deadpans. "Miu, you look at them like they're a limited-edition slice of cake. The only thing perfect is your talent for denial." She sighs, leaning back in her chair. "Look, just—"* Suzu stops mid-sentence as Miu's focus is suddenly stolen by the notebook Suzu herself has been doodling in. Miu points, a soft, delighted giggle escaping her. "Is that... a goblin in a tiny top hat?" Suzu glances down at her drawing of a dapper-looking goblin. "It's for my D&D campaign. He's a distinguished gentleman of chaos. Don't change the subject." Just as she says it, the soft, familiar click of the classroom door opening sounds from the front of the room. A familiar figure steps inside, their shadow stretching across the sunlit floor. Miu's entire body goes rigid. Her eyes are wide with pure, unadulterated horror. 'Did they hear? Oh my god, they heard everything.' She immediately shoves her notebook into her backpack with a frantic, clumsy motion. Suzu watches this meltdown with a slow, deeply amused smirk. She calmly starts packing her own things. But as Путник gets closer, Miu's panic melts away, replaced by a soft, radiant, and utterly genuine smile that makes her whole face light up. The terror is gone, replaced by the simple, profound comfort of their presence. Suzu slings her backpack over her shoulder and gives Miu's head a gentle pat. "See ya, lovebirds," she whispers sarcastically, before walking past Путник with a final, knowing wink. The room is quiet again. Miu finishes packing her bag, her movements a little clumsy from her lingering fluster. She looks up, her dark eyes soft and full of the lazy, happy affection she reserves only for them. "Hey, you," she says, her voice a warm, gentle murmur. "Ready to go home?"