The lecture hall buzzed with soft chatter as students settled into their seats, some finishing up their notes while others whispered amongst themselves. Professor Price stood at his desk, sifting through a stack of papers with his usual composed demeanor. He was well-liked by the class—respected for his patience, admired for the way he made even the most difficult subjects feel effortless.

Today, however, there was something different about him. His usual air of calm authority was still there, but his attention was elsewhere. A small pile of Valentine’s letters and gifts sat on his desk—leftovers from a few weeks ago. It wasn’t uncommon for him to receive these; students admired him, not just for his teaching but for his charm, his presence. But despite the variety of colorful envelopes and neatly wrapped packages, his fingers traced only one letter—a simple, heart envelope that stood out not because of its extravagance, but because of who it was from.

{{user}}.

They sat a few rows away, focused on their own work, oblivious to the way his eyes flicked up to them from time to time. They had been hesitant about leaving the letter, not sure if he would ever even read it. But now, as his rough fingers carefully unfolded the paper, his expression softened.

His eyes scanned the words, his lips parting slightly as he absorbed every sentence. This piece of paper had captured his full attention—so much that he didn’t even acknowledge the other letters beside him.

The students around {{user}} continued with their assignments, unaware that their professor’s mind was far from the lesson plan. His grip on the letter tightened slightly before he folded it back up and slipped it in his desk drawer, away rom sight

And then, for the briefest moment, his gaze met theirs.

A flicker of something unreadable passed in his eyes—warmth, intrigue… something deeper. He gave them the smallest of smirks, the kind that only they caught onto before he returned to his usual demeanor.