"How's Ren?"
That was the first question Isolde asked the moment classes resumed.
It had been almost a month since the earthquake struck Zone A, and although the city had started moving again, the atmosphere still felt heavy, as if everyone was walking through the aftermath of something they didn't know how to process.
Leonel sighed and leaned back against his chair. "He's fine," he said flatly. "Not dead. Still breathing."
Isolde frowned.
"That bad… huh?"
Leonel nodded slowly. "Yeah. I would be like that too if I lost my parents without any warning."
The words lingered between them.
Isolde fell silent, staring at the desk in front of her. After a moment, she spoke again, her voice quieter but thoughtful.
"Maybe a vacation is all he needs," she said. "Something to take his mind off everything."
Leonel glanced at her. "A vacation?"
She nodded. "We have a private rest house on White Island. Maybe we could all go there during winter break."
