Back at the dorm, the room was dimly lit, curtains drawn halfway against the fading sun.
Noel sat at his desk, flipping through his textbook, though his eyes hadn't focused on a single page in the last ten minutes.
Across the room, Luca lay sprawled on his bed, one leg dangling off the edge, a pencil in his mouth and a notebook resting on his stomach.
"Why do business assignments always sound like riddles?" Luca mumbled around the pencil.
"Because you never read the instructions," Noel replied, not looking up.
Luca turned slightly, arm propped under his head. "You know, I kind of missed this today."
Noel glanced at him. "Missed what?"
"This." Luca gestured vaguely between them. "Us. Just... existing in the same space. Complaining. You scolding me. Me ignoring you." He grinned. "Balance."
Noel rolled his eyes. "We literally spent the entire day together. Grocery shopping. Cooking. Class."
