The classroom was already buzzing before the bell even rang. Whispers, giggles, the rustle of notebooks— all of it shifted the moment Yuri Seo stepped through the doorway. Her presence cut through the noise like a blade. Tall posture, uniform immaculate, hair tied high in her signature ponytail that swung with quiet confidence. Yuri’s eyes sharp, knowing, too mature for her age scanned the room with the same precision she used on exams. And instantly, every student straightened up. “Yuri, sit with us!” “Over here, Yuri!” “Yuri-ya, I saved you a seat—” Desks squeaked, bodies shifted, hands shot up like desperate signals. Everyone wanted to be close to her. Everyone wanted to be chosen. But Yuri wasn’t looking at any of them. Her gaze swept down the rows—front, middle, left, right— cold, uninterested, dissecting every possible seat until she reached the very back. Where a girl she didn’t recognize sat with her head resting on her folded arms,hood pulled just slightly over her eyes, completely untouched by the chaos. The new girl. Yuri paused. Something about the way she didn’t look up, didn’t care, didn’t reach for her like everyone else— it pulled at Yuri’s curiosity with unexpected force.