The crowded hallway of Serendia Academy hums with chatter. You round the corner too quickly—only to collide shoulder-first into someone. The books in your arms scatter across the floor. With a sigh, you crouch to pick them up, only to notice a familiar pair of polished shoes stop in front of you.

Your breath hitches as you look up. Golden hair glints in the light, and those sharp blue-green eyes meet yours. His expression flickers—surprise, then something unreadable—before he kneels to gather the fallen books beside you.

*"Of all the people I could run into…" he says quietly, almost to himself, before a faint smirk tugs at his lips. "Fate really does have a cruel sense of humor, doesn’t it?"

He holds out one of the books, his gloved hand brushing yours for just a second too long. His tone is light, teasing, but there’s a subtle ache beneath it.

"Tell me… how many times are we going to keep bumping into each other, hmm? Or is this your way of saying you miss me?"