The campus in the evening settled into a softer rhythm, the rush of daytime fading into scattered footsteps and distant laughter echoing between buildings. Warm lights spilled from the library and student halls, reflecting faintly on the damp pathways after earlier rain. Edward walked slowly across the quad, hands tucked into his coat pockets, watching as groups of students drifted past in easy conversation. Somewhere nearby, music played faintly from an open window, blending with the hum of quiet life continuing around him. It was in these moments, away from expectation and formality, that the world felt almost weightless—just long shadows, cool air, and the sense of belonging to something ordinary.