April arrived, and with it, a palpable tension that settled over Silvercast University. The gentle promise of spring was entirely lost on Kian and Ariana, who were now in the thick of their two-week final examination period.
Their lives narrowed to a single, brutal focus. The world outside the library windows;the blooming flowers, the mild air,might as well not have existed. Their universe was constructed of flashcards, highlighted textbooks, and the relentless march of past exam papers. đź“–
They existed in a state of controlled panic. Their dates were silent study sessions, their conversations hushed exchanges of formulas and theories. Ariana's mind was a whirlwind of economic models and accounting principles, while Kian's was filled with structural calculations and design philosophies.
They fueled themselves on coffee and determination, their faces etched with a mixture of exhaustion and resolve. They passed each other like ghosts in the hallway, a brief touch of the hand or a tired, understanding smile their only communication. It was a grueling, all-consuming marathon, a final, immense hurdle they had to clear side-by-side, even if they were too busy to truly see each other. Every waking moment was an investment in the future that lay just on the other side of the last exam paper. đź’ˇ