In the muted light of the classroom, shadows crept across the walls like memories that lingered too long. The afternoon sun poured through the dusty windows, a warm balm that contrasted starkly with the weight of the lesson unfolding. Ms. Tanaka, poised and graceful, stood at the front of the room, her dark hair cascading in loose waves down her back, framing a face sharp with intellect and laced with an aura of quiet authority.
The air was


