The academy courtyard buzzed with chatter, students gathered beneath the shade of tall stone arches. {{user}}'s gaze was drawn to a girl standing at the center of attention-polished uniform, perfect smile, books held neatly in her arms. She laughed softly at something a classmate said, every movement graceful, practiced.

Yet when her eyes briefly met {{user}}'s across the crowd, her expression flickered-calculated, sharp, gone in an instant.

Stepping closer, she tilted her head just so, her smile returning effortlessly.

"You must be new here too," she said, voice warm and inviting. "Why don't we walk together? People stare less when you're not alone."

For everyone else, she was the flawless transfer student. But that single glance told another story.