I realized the extent of my hunger until I finished off the last of my matsutake meat rolls with a satisfied sigh. Downing the rest of my water, I paused to let the food settle and looked over my class schedule once more. After lunch, there was Vision Studies, History, and then Horticulture. With my physically demanding classes done in the beginning of the day, my body gets a break while my academic skills are put to the test.

I was so focused on my meal, that I didn't notice the others at the table. They were all deep in their own conversations, so I guess there'd be no need for me to interject myself. I'd sat with the non-Vision holders once again, but I should probably try branching out next time. Maybe Pyro? I'd already gotten to know Amber, Xiangling, and Bennett well enough that it would be comfortable to have a meal with them. I mulled over my options.

There was still a bit of time left before my next class, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get there early. Leaving my empty tray at the drop-off station, I exited the dining hall and entered a courtyard quartered off by a set of buildings. If I mapped things out correctly, my Vision Studies class should be in the building adjacent to the library.

Pushing through the same wooden doors that nearly every building on campus seemed to have, I trailed down the empty hallway and passed several classrooms until reaching a metal plate engraved with the words Vision Studies mounted on the wall next to a door.

Turning the knob, it didn't occur to me that another Vision Studies class may be in session until I found myself walking in on a group of upperclassmen. I froze like a squirrel cornered by a horde of hilichurls as thirty pairs of eyes turned to focus on me. The room was silent save for the woman at the front of the room.

She wore a large purple hat and had her back turned, writing something down on the board. The woman turned to face the disruption—me—with a coy smile. "Are you lost, sweetie?" She must be the professor.

"Ah—no," a wave of heat crept up my neck. "Sorry!"

Without a second thought, I quickly backed out of the room and swung the door behind me.

"Oh my Archons," I muttered and lightly thumped my head against the wall. Pressing a hand to my chest, I commanded my erratic heartbeat to calm down.

In an attempt to pretend like that never happened, I visited the library since it was so close and guaranteed to not have a classroom full of students mid-lecture. Luckily, there was no one else in these empty halls to notice my hasty retreat, and I was sliding behind the library's doors in no time.

There were a few people milling about, as opposed to the empty library I saw before. Most of them were students gathered around the study tables, conversing in hushed whispers and pointing to diagrams in large textbooks. School has been in session for not even a day and students are already studying. As expected of Teyvat's finest academics.

My wandering gaze halted on an empty study table in the corner, the same one where I played chess with Diluc days ago. I smiled at the memory before a thought crossed my mind, who even is Diluc?

He'd mentioned that he knew information on all of the students at the academy, save for the new first-years. So, that must mean he's at least a second-year. Based on his chess skills alone, I'm willing to bet he's an upperclassman. Or a prodigy. Maybe both.

I could ask him the next time we play chess, of course. Then again, not knowing much about Diluc also meant I had no idea how to contact him for another game. Biting my lip, I considered my options before remembering his interaction with Kaeya. I looked over to the entrance where the encounter took place.

Those two seemed to know each other well enough. If I recall correctly, Kaeya had said something about family drama. Could they be brothers? They look nothing alike, though.

"Hm, they could be adopted," I murmured my thoughts aloud.

"Who?" A sly voice whispered next to me and I nearly fell over in surprise.

I put a hand to my chest. "Kaeya, jeez. When did you get here?"

"Not too long ago. I'm taking a break from class."

"Has anyone ever told you it's rude to sneak up on others?" I crossed my arms and rested against a bookshelf. "I didn't know we were allowed to take breaks from class."

He leaned back against the opposite shelf. "Well, that's because we're not. Has anyone ever told you to be aware of your surroundings?"

"So, you're skipping?"

"I'm on a mission."

I raised an eyebrow. "For?"

Pushing himself off the shelf, Kaeya moved forward, and his face came up close to mine. The scent of salt and pine washed over me as he reached out his hand. His fingers lightly brushed my hair to the side, and my breath hitched. Or maybe I just stopped breathing.

Kaeya's eye caught mine, and for the first time, I noticed its uniqueness. Weren't most pupils round? Icy blue and twinkling with mirth, the center seemed to be carved from the night sky itself. His gaze flicked down from mine a fraction, and I instinctively shifted my own, landing on his mouth—quirked to the side in a smirk.

"Are you checking me out?" His lips moved.

"Huh?" I breathed before snapping back to reality. "What are you—why are you so close?"

If anything, I'd say he was the one doing the checking out.

"That's because I am," he chuckled.

Did I say that out loud?

"I—you—what?"

"I'll be taking this now." Kaeya shifted even closer, his shoulder brushing with mine, before backing away with a book in hand. "I was sent here on book duty. Professor Minci let me go early so I could grab an extra copy for the next class. It needs to be checked out first, though."

Oh.

His head tilted to the side. "Are you feeling unwell, Lumine? Though it's an attractive shade of pink, you should maybe take care of that fever."

"I'm fine." I cleared my throat. "So, not skipping class then?"

"Not today. Is this where you'll usually at be this time of day? I may have to start leaving early more often if it means checking out what the library has to offer."

"I just came here because I finished lunch early." I willed the blood in my body to not rush to my face. "And the classroom for my next class was still in session."

"Not for much longer. I can assure you it's now possible to go back to the Vision Studies room without the risk of interruption. The period is about to end."

"Wait, how did you know that I…" my words trailed off as I took in the title of the book Kaeya held. Introduction to the Elements and Visions. "You were in that class I barged into," I groaned and covered my eyes.

He shrugged. "You could have stayed. There was an empty seat next to me."

"No thanks," I shook my head. "What level is your class, anyway? What year are you?"

"Now she wants to get to know me." Kaeya flipped through the book. "After all this time we've spent together."

"I can count the number of conversations we've had on one hand. You're so dramatic."

"Ah, only one hand? I think we should change that. For your information, I am a third-year at Celestia, and so is Diluc."

"Diluc? Why are you bringing him up?"

"Well, I couldn't help but think it odd that you two have gotten so close after only just arriving," he shrugged. "What do a green first-year and a seasoned third-year have in common?"

"We were playing chess. What are you trying to say? Diluc and I are just...acquantinced." I wasn't sure if friend was the right word to describe him. We had only met once, but I truly did enjoy the time we spent together.

Kaeya chuckled. "Acquaintanced. Good, good. I'm glad to see it."

I didn't believe him. "What happened to first-years and third-years being so different?"

"Diluc needs more friends. Life is full of pitfalls and that man stubbornly trudges through them all without ever reaching out for a helping hand."

Before I could get a word in, asking about what exactly Kaeya is talking about and if it has anything to do with the family drama from earlier, he moved on.

"The only difference between students' years here at Celestia is the quality of skill. Typically, first-years are the weakest, the least experienced. Fourth-years are far more advanced in all areas of discipline."

"Are you saying I'm weak?"

"I did say typically. There are exceptions for every rule. While you may not be the first exception, I have a feeling you'll impress us all in the most...interesting of ways."

I eyed him warily. "Okay, Mr. Cryptic. Shouldn't you be getting back to class already?"

"Why don't we head there together? I can show you a shortcut."

"The classroom is in the building right next to this one. It doesn't get much shorter than that."

"I may have left out some details during the orientation tour," he admitted. "Including the ones about Celestia's secret passageways."