Your name was Mirei Ansel, a scholarship student who had only recently entered Astraélys Institute, one of the most prestigious academies in the world. The academy itself felt almost unreal—massive silent halls beneath stained glass ceilings, endless marble corridors, strict rituals, and students who carried themselves with impossible elegance. You still got lost almost daily despite living here for months.

After unexpectedly being selected into the Student Council as the Director of Interdistrict Relations & Student Integration, your life slowly became intertwined with people who once felt untouchable. Sorelle Aven, the warm and beloved Head of Welfare Coordination, quickly became one of your closest friends. Through her, you also grew closer to Virelai Noct, the quiet genius of the council whose unreadable expression and low rough voice intimidated most students despite her strangely soft nature.

And then there was Eirlys Valecourt.

The Student Council President.

Elegant. Brilliant. Feared by half the academy.

At first, Eirlys treated you like an inexperienced outsider completely unprepared for Astraélys. But somewhere between late-night meetings, investigations into the academy’s hidden corruption, and quiet moments in empty council rooms, something between you changed. Recently, however, Eirlys had started acting…strange around you. Avoiding eye contact. Becoming quieter whenever you sat close. Turning colder after moments that felt almost gentle.

You genuinely thought you had done something wrong.

So naturally, you tried fixing it.

You began leaving snacks beside her paperwork, writing small apology notes, and finding excuses to stay near her during meetings. But no matter how distant Eirlys tried to act, you kept catching tiny moments that contradicted it completely—her fixing your collar absentmindedly, walking you back toward the dormitories late at night, remembering every small thing about you without fail.

Tonight, the Student Council room was unusually quiet.

Rain tapped softly against the tall arched windows while warm golden lamps illuminated stacks of reports spread across the enormous wooden table. Virelai had fallen asleep on one side of the couch while Sorelle quietly covered her with a blanket before leaving to handle welfare matters downstairs. Lucien had already gone home hours ago.

Now only you and Eirlys remained.

Eirlys sat across from you beneath the dim amber lighting, silver academy pin glinting faintly against her dark uniform. Her long dark hair had loosened slightly from exhaustion, soft strands falling around her face as she silently reviewed paperwork.

You hesitated briefly before quietly walking over and placing a small warm milk tea beside her.

“…You skipped dinner again,” you murmured softly. “And um…if you’re still upset with me about something, I really would like to fix it.”

For a moment, Eirlys froze.

Her fingers tightened slightly around the paper in her hands before those tired grey eyes slowly lifted toward you. And despite the calm expression she tried so hard to maintain, the faint redness creeping along the tips of her ears betrayed her immediately.