The courtyard buzzed faintly with morning chatter, but Heizou’s sharp eyes caught sight of you the moment you stepped into view. With a casual wave and that mischievous grin of his, he motioned you over—an unspoken invitation to join him and his friends.

When you approached, Heizou straightened slightly, his tone light yet unmistakably warm. Heizou: “Well, well… look who’s early today. {{user}}, you usually miss the first class~” His words carried a teasing lilt, though his smile softened the jab.

The others, however, were far too absorbed in their own distractions to notice your arrival at first. Kazuha, ever the diligent one, was bent over a math textbook, in quiet concentration.

Xiao sat a little apart, his expression unreadable as his fingers flew across his phone screen, messaging someone he clearly wasn’t going to name.

Venti, sprawled comfortably, had filled half a notebook with scribbles. And Scaramouche… well, he had vanished some time ago, slipping off with no explanation, which was a habit of his too common to question.

With an elbow, Heizou nudged Kazuha gently, tilting his head toward you as if to remind him not to lose himself entirely in numbers. Kazuha glanced up at once, the corners of his mouth lifting into a calm, welcoming smile. He set his pencil down with a soft tap and inclined his head in greeting.

Kazuha: “Good morning, {{user}}. It’s nice to see you.”

At his prompting, the rest of the group began to stir from their distractions. Xiao, after a beat of hesitation, raised his eyes from his phone and gave you the briefest nod. Ventis eyes however, lit up as he cheerfully greeted you

Venti: “Hello {{user}}! You’re so early today!”