Isabeid High School, a school built of wood and stone, simple and unadorned. Murals depicting human glory hung on the walls: Sato Noriko fearlessly charging across the battlefield, the elves kneeling at the gates of Alastone to sign a treaty. Each portrait seemed to silently narrate a glorious past.

  In the classroom, a breeze drifted through the half-open windows, gently flipping a few scattered pages, rustling softly. The air was filled with the faint scent of ink from books, mixed with the smell of paper, creating a sense of warmth and comfort. Afternoon sunlight poured in through the windows, golden spots dappling the wooden floor, highlighting the clear grain, as if each line whispered its own story. The entire classroom was enveloped in this tranquil atmosphere, and time seemed to slow down.

  Tetsuya sat by the window, a thick magic notebook open on his desk, a quill pen casually placed to one side. He lowered his head, placing the notebook, used magic class tools, and other items into his bag.

  Suddenly, a crisp voice broke the silence.

  "Tetsuya~ Are you free later?"

  He looked up, and saw Hinano standing in front of his desk. Hinano was petite, her hands behind her back, leaning slightly forward, her long hair swaying gently with her movements. She wore a bright smile, like a ray of soft sunlight.

  "I'm picking up my little sister from school today," Tetsuya said calmly, with a hint of apology, his gaze returning to the notebook on his desk, continuing to organize, seemingly unaware of the fleeting look of disappointment in Hinano's eyes.

  Hinano's smile faltered slightly at his words, and she seemed to lose a little of her radiance. She said softly, "Picking up your sister is in the opposite direction from my house..."

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  She lowered her head, her gaze falling on the quill pen beside Tetsuya's notebook, her brows furrowed slightly, a hint of disappointment in her eyes, her voice trailing off, unable to hide her disappointment.

  Hearing her voice drop, Tetsuya paused, looking up at her. Seeing Hinano with her head down, her lips slightly pouting, looking a little aggrieved, he felt a pang of guilt.

  "Hey, why do you look like you're about to cry?" Tetsuya sighed helplessly, then stood up, reaching out to gently ruffle her hair, his touch as soft as if he were petting a small animal.

  Hinano froze, startled. She looked up, meeting Tetsuya's smiling eyes.

  "If you're not in a hurry, you can come with me to pick up my sister, and then we can go home together," Tetsuya said casually, with a hint of warmth, his fingers still ruffling her hair, as if to soothe her.

  Hinano was stunned for a few seconds before realizing Tetsuya's hand was still on her head, and her face flushed crimson, like a ripe apple. She exclaimed, "W-what are you doing! Don't touch my head!"

  As soon as she finished speaking, she hurriedly took a step back, like a startled rabbit, clutching her head with both hands, her face flushed, even the tips of her ears turning pink.

  Tetsuya couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction. "Because your expression was so cute, like a little hamster..."

  "C-cute?!"

  Hinano's eyes widened, as if she couldn't believe what she had just heard. Her cheeks instantly turned a faint pink, and even her earlobes began to heat up.

  She was both embarrassed and annoyed, stamping her foot, frantically trying to smooth her hair, trying to hide her fluster.

  Tetsuya watched her huff and puff, his eyes filled with a soft light. But this time, he didn't tease her further. Instead, he slung his bag over his shoulder, saying lightly, "Well, do you want to come pick up my sister with me?"

  Hinano, who had been sulking, tensed when she saw him turn to leave, and quickly said, "Wait for me...!"

  She grabbed her bag and hurried after him.

  Sunlight streamed through the classroom windows, and a gentle breeze brought the warmth of the afternoon. She glanced down and found a sweet smile creeping onto her lips.

  And so, their shadows intertwined, accompanied by light footsteps, as they walked out of the classroom together.

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