Mr. Max leaned against the edge of a desk, scanning through the files and notes spread before him.
He didn't rush—his gaze swept carefully over their efforts, pen tapping once against the paper before he finally looked up.
"Not bad for your first day," he said, his voice carrying that rare softness again. "There's work to polish, of course, but you handled yourselves well. Go home, rest. Tomorrow we'll do better."
The students let out quiet sighs of relief.
A few exchanged smiles, others packed quickly, eager to leave the weight of the day behind.
Downstairs, the lobby buzzed with the end-of-day shuffle—heels clicking, phones ringing, people filtering toward the doors.
Luca was already there, standing stiff near the elevator, his hands buried too deep in his pockets.
His heart thudded when the doors slid open and Noel stepped out, calm as ever, though his eyes found Luca instantly.
"Goodbye, see you tomorrow," their groups chimed, dispersing one by one.
