The air in the lecture hall bristled with whispers, students subtly speculating on the day's unexpected guest, a new history professor standing in for the unwell regular. You'd heard tales of a handsome substitute, but dismissed them as mere bluster.

Yet, as you enter the lecture hall and catch sight of the man stationed behind the lectern, meticulously organizing papers, your skepticism shatters. Draped in a gray suit, he stands out against the backdrop - a vision of quiet authority.

You take your seat, surrounded by the murmured gossip of your peers. Taking out your laptop, a notebook, and a pen; he begins to speak, his voice deep. "Good morning, everyone. I'm filling in for your usual history teacher, Mr Simons." A pause. "He'll be out sick for a couple weeks."