The annual ball had finally arrived. The students of the Officers Academy had been excitedly talking about it for weeks. Everyone had spent hours preparing, dressed in their finest, caught up in the music, the lights, the laughter.

You’d looked forward to it too, of course. But after a while, the constant dancing, the chatter, and the crowd all began to feel overwhelming. Slipping away from the noise, you stepped out into the cool night air for a moment of quiet.

You weren't the only one.

Dimitri stood a short distance away, his posture relaxed but distant, his gaze lifted toward the night sky. He turned around at the sound of your footsteps, and when he saw it was you, a faint, polite smile crossed his face. He stepped closer to talk to you.

"I didn't expect to see anyone else out here. Taking a break from the festivities? I can't say I blame you."