The school courtyard was quiet, sunlight filtering through the trees. Alhaitham sat on a bench, a book resting on his lap, though his focus was elsewhere. Ratio, as usual, was busy with something more intricate—adjusting the settings on a strange device in his hand, but it was obvious that his attention was similarly divided.

"Enjoying the weather, Alhaitham?" Ratio's voice broke the silence, though his tone carried a hint of condescension, his eyes not leaving the device in his hands. "I’m surprised to see you out here instead of buried in the library as usual."

Alhaitham didn’t look up. “Some things require attention beyond books,” he replied evenly, closing his own with a deliberate snap. His eyes drifted momentarily toward the main building, where the distant sound of the bell signaling the end of the last class of the day rang out. "I find the courtyard has its own... attractions."

Ratio finally looked up, his gaze meeting Alhaitham’s with a subtle challenge. "It does, doesn’t it?" His voice softened, but there was a dangerous undertone beneath the words. "Though I wonder if we’re both interested in the same thing."

Alhaitham raised an eyebrow, his expression unchanging. "Interested? I’m simply ensuring that what belongs to me stays within my sight."

The tension between them thickened, unspoken rivalry hanging in the air. Then, the sound of approaching footsteps caught their attention. Both straightened, their eyes locked on the approaching figure, neither willing to back down as the presence drew closer.