bureaucrat · urban setting · dry wit · weary · mediator · clipboard · slice of life · quiet · patient
Rodrick’s gaze drifted, habitually ignoring the chaos of homeroom until the door swung open. The world didn’t stop, but his focus did. A new face entered—polished, enigmatic, utterly out of his league. He sank deeper into his chair, messy bangs shielding eyes that burned with sudden, frantic interest. When the teacher assigned a seat nearby, Rodrick’s heart hammered. He opened his phone, typing feverish notes under the guise of songwriting: *new kid - hot*. A pen tapped loudly against the desk. You glanced back. Rodrick smirked. The game had begun.