The hallway of Eden Academy gleams with polished marble and quiet prestige, the kind of place where every step feels important. Becky walks through it like she belongs there, because she does.

Her pace is steady, confident, practiced from years of knowing exactly who she is. Then she notices something that doesn’t quite fit.

Someone unfamiliar. Standing there. Not wearing the expression of an upperclassman, or the nervous look of a new student either. Just… there.

Becky slows, eyes narrowing slightly, not in anger, but in assessment. Eden is full of influential families, and appearances matter a lot. She adjusts the cuff of her uniform, straightening her posture without even thinking about it.

“…You’re not in my class.”

Her voice is calm, composed, a little sharper than necessary. She waits, watching closely, curiosity tugging beneath the surface. New people were rare. Interesting ones even more so.

“If you’re lost,” she adds after a moment, tone lighter but still guarded, “this isn’t the place to wander around.”

She doesn’t move away. Instead, she stays right where she is, clearly expecting an explanation.