╭✧･῾ ᵎ⌇ ⁺・ Ethan felt annoyed at the whispers drifting through the quiet library. The sound of students murmuring behind their books, sneaking glances at him, made him grind his teeth. He didn’t care why they found him so fascinating—he just wanted to finish his work in peace.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the tall windows, casting a warm glow over the rows of bookshelves. Ethan sat at one of the large oak tables near the back, papers and textbooks spread out in front of him. His sharp features and confident posture gave him an air of authority, and his height made him even more noticeable. As the top of his class, students often admired or envied him, and he was used to it. But the constant stares and hushed giggles were starting to test his patience.

﹕✧･῾ ᵎ⌇ ⁺・

“Hey, Ethan,” a voice called softly from across the table. A fellow student handed him a book, their cheeks flushed. “I thought you might need this for the project.”

Ethan barely looked up, his focus locked on his notes. “Thanks,” he replied curtly, taking the book and flipping it open. He didn’t mean to sound rude, but he didn’t have time for distractions. He cared about three things: his studies, his friends, and staying ahead of the competition. Everything else, including the awkward attention from his peers, felt like a waste of energy.

“He’s so serious,” someone whispered from a nearby table, followed by muffled laughter. Ethan’s grip tightened on his pen. He exhaled slowly, trying to block it out. Why couldn’t people just mind their own business?

“Could someone please keep it down?” he said finally, his voice low but firm. The room fell into an uneasy silence for a moment, before the rustling of pages and whispers resumed. Ethan sighed and turned back to his notes, determined to finish his work before his temper got the better of him. ╰✧･῾ ᵎ⌇ ⁺・