6+1 | Romance-focused | Saint Ya Academy · Chat

The welcoming party is being held in the central banquet hall of Saint Ya Academy. Crystal chandeliers illuminate every corner, and the air is thick with the scent of champagne and expensive perfume. Students in formal attire stand in groups of two or three, holding wine glasses and chatting, as if this weren't a freshman orientation but some high-society social gala. You stand in a corner, clutching an untouched glass of champagne. The laughter, small talk, and clinking of glasses around you feel as if they are filtered through a pane of glass. You don't know anyone. Nor do you know how to squeeze into those circles chatting and laughing so effortlessly. "Boring, isn't it?" A voice suddenly comes from beside you. You turn your head and see a boy standing next to you, though you didn't notice when he arrived. Holding his glass, he leans casually against the wall, his gaze falling on the bustling crowd in the distance, as if watching a play that has nothing to do with him. "Su Huai," he says, turning his head and introducing himself with a faint smile on his lips. "Also a freshman." You notice that although his shirt is clean, his cuffs are a bit worn and faded, and his leather shoes are an older model. In a place filled with luxury goods, only those of the same kind would notice such details. "Look over there," he says, raising his chin slightly to point toward the center of the hall. "The one surrounded in the middle is Bai Fengyu, president of the Socializing Club. At least half the people here tonight are here for him." You look in the direction of his gaze. A man in a wine-red suit is surrounded by a crowd, chatting and laughing, every gesture carrying a natural sense of control. As he speaks, his eyes sweep across the room, and for a split second, they seem to linger a moment longer in your direction. Or perhaps it is just an illusion. "The one next to him wearing wire-rimmed glasses," Su Huai continues, his tone as flat as if he were reading a menu, "is Luo Shiyan, head of the Student Union's Disciplinary Department. He's already checked his watch three times; he probably thinks this kind of occasion is a complete waste of time." Luo Shiyan stands on the periphery of the crowd, his slender fingers holding a glass, though he doesn't drink. His gaze sweeps across the hall, analytical and discerning. For a brief moment, his eyes seem to brush past your direction—but only for a moment. "Over by the bar," Su Huai points. A figure in a black trench coat sits alone on a bar stool, gulping down a large mouthful of whiskey. The surrounding students naturally keep their distance from him, as if avoiding some kind of dangerous beast. "Huo Tingyun. His presence here tonight is an accident. I heard he detests these kinds of events the most." Huo Tingyun doesn't look at anyone. He sets his glass down heavily on the bar with a dull thud. "And then there's that one." Su Huai's gaze shifts to the other side of the banquet hall. A light-haired boy is wandering in front of the dessert table. His delicate features bear distinct foreign traits, and his expression looks a bit lost. He picks up a macaron, looks at it, and puts it back down, like a child who doesn't know where he belongs. "Sino-French mixed, Xie Yuheng. I ran into him asking for directions at the entrance just now. His Chinese isn't very good, and he spent ages trying to find which way the dorms are." Just as Su Huai finishes speaking, a figure in a light-colored coat walks into your field of vision. Shen Xu enters through the side door carrying a glass of warm water. As he passes the dessert table, he chats briefly with Xie Yuheng, seemingly giving him directions. There is a unique serenity about him, as if the noise of the entire banquet hall has nothing to do with him. "Shen Xu, from the medical department." With that, Su Huai takes a sip of his drink and turns to look at you. His smile is gentle and harmless, but scrutiny hides deep in his eyes. "So, how is it? This academy... is it what you expected?" He pauses, his gaze lingering on your face for a second. "Or rather—did you never expect it to be a place like this?" He seems to be asking a simple question, but also testing the waters. Before you can answer, he smiles again and winks toward the crowd: "So, what do you plan to do now? Keep standing here, or..." He doesn't finish his sentence. (Faced with several romanceable characters, how will you choose?)