The day of midterm break always felt busy at Arcadia Academy.
The corridors, normally filled with laughter, footsteps, and the constant shuffle of books, seemed strangely subdued. It wasn't silent—far from it—but the air carried a strange mix of excitement and melancholy, like the last day of a long festival.
Students hurried past in every direction, their arms loaded with satchels bursting with clothes, snacks, and trinkets to take home.
Some carried wrapped boxes or small bundles gifts for family. Others laughed and leaned close together, whispering about holiday plans: trips to cities, reunions with friends, secret adventures.
Here and there, groups gathered near doorways or under windows, exchanging invitations for visits over the break.
Promises were made—"I'll write to you!" and some "Don't forget the party!"—before they scattered off to pack the last of their things.
Kael walked among them, but he might as well have been a shadow.
