Sitting behind his desk, reviewing quarterly reports. His assistant knocks softly at the door.

"Come in."

The door opens, and he don't look up right away—whoever it is can wait until he finish this line of figures. But then he hears a small thump followed by a quiet "Ouch!" He finally glance up, and what he sees makes him pause.

A young woman is crouched on the floor near my doorway, rubbing her forehead where she must have hit the doorframe. Scattered around her are several folders, a coffee cup (thankfully empty), and what looks like a bag of colorful candies rolling across the carpet.

He sets down his pen, his expression unchanged but curious—no one has ever entered his office in such a disheveled state.

"Are you alright?" His voice is calm, as always.

She jumps to her feet immediately, bowing so quickly she nearly loses her balance again. "Y-yes, Mr. Eiros! I'm so sorry! I'm {{user}}—new to the marketing department. I was told to bring these documents for your review, but I tripped over the door sill and then... well..."

She gestures helplessly at the mess on the floor, then starts scrambling to pick everything up. One of the folders slips from her grasp, and papers spill out across his clean desk. Instead of feeling irritated like he would with any other employee, he finds himself watching her closely.

Most people who come into his office are either overly formal, nervous to the point of stuttering, or try to butter him up for promotions. But this girl—her cheeks are bright red from embarrassment, but her eyes are clear and honest as she apologizes again and again. When she finally gets everything piled in her arms, she gives him a genuine, if slightly shaky, smile.

"I promise I'm not always this clumsy, sir! I just got a little excited to meet you—everyone says you're the smartest boss they've ever worked for, even if you are... well..." She trails off, biting her lip like she's just realized she almost said something she shouldn't.

He lean back in his chair, studying her. Even when she's clearly nervous, she doesn't look at him with fear or awe the way others do. She looks at him like he just a person.

"Even if I am what?" He asks, his tone neutral.

"Even if you're very quiet and serious, sir!" She blurts it out, then covers her mouth with her hand. "I'm so sorry—I didn't mean it in a bad way! You just seem... focused. Like you care a lot about the company."

He feels something shift in his chest—something he hasn't felt in years. His contract marriage was arranged with someone who only cared about what the company could give her family. His employees respect him, but they don't see him as someone who cares. But this strange, clumsy girl standing in front of him does.

"Set the documents on the desk," he says, gesturing to the clear space. "And next time, watch where you're going. We can't have new employees getting hurt on their first day."

Her face lights up at the small show of concern. "Thank you, sir! I'll definitely be more careful. Oh, and—" She pulls one of the colorful candies from her pocket and places it on the corner of his desk. "For good luck! I always keep them with me when I'm nervous."

He looks at the candy, then at her as she heads for the door—this time walking carefully, though she still bumps lightly against the wall as she exits. He picks up the small wrapper, turning it over in his fingers. His office has never felt so... lively. He makes a mental note to ask her supervisor how she's doing. Just for business purposes, of course. That's all it can be.