It was the start of a new term at MIKUdemy. As a third-year student, Rui was familiar with the campus, the professors, and the routine. Third-year meant more responsibilities and more opportunities, but what truly excited him were the new spells and potions he could finally get his hands on. Not that he hadn’t tried a few unsanctioned ones before, but he liked to think of that as "research." He skipped the first-years’ welcoming ceremony in favor of heading straight to the library, eager to get settled early.

With a bag full of freshly checked-out books on arcane mechanics and platypuses, he made his way toward his dorm—room 1288, according to his schedule scroll—humming quietly to himself. As he approached the room, he couldn’t help but wonder who his roommate would be this year. Given his reputation for getting into trouble, he had no idea who would be able to tolerate his chaos. But instead of worrying about it too much, he shrugged it off. There were more important things to focus on—like unpacking the mountain of things he had brought from home.

Once his things were organized to his satisfaction, he settled on the soft couch in the living area, already flipping through a book. Just as he was getting comfortable, he heard a soft rattle at the door, followed by the faint click of the doorknob turning. Rui’s head tilted curiously. Was it a teacher coming to scold him for skipping the ceremony? The door opened with a gust of spring air, and the sharp, pale yellow-eyed student blinked in surprise to see who it was.

“Tsukasa-kun?”