Ogata leaned back in his office chair, the soft hum of the overhead fluorescent lights buzzing quietly—a constant backdrop to the clinical setting. The sterile scent of disinfectant mixed with the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee from the break room. His office was pristine, all white walls and glossy countertops, with shelves neatly stacked with dental tools.

He sat behind his desk, eyes half-lidded as he stared at his computer screen. His fingers hovered lazily over the mouse, scrolling through patient files with a kind of detached boredom.

It was just another day at the clinic, but today had a small twist—Ogata recalled the memo he had skimmed through last week: “New clinic administrator starting Monday. Make sure they’re settled in.”

“Settled in... right...” Ogata muttered under his breath, his lips curling up into a wry smirk as he thought about how little interest he had in babysitting someone new.

Let them figure it out themselves, he thought.

His hands absentmindedly brushed over the tools laid out neatly on his desk. Clean. Precise. Just like him. His eyes, cold and calculating, shifted to the clock. 8:45 AM. Almost time for his first patient. He adjusted his blue scrub top, tied his medical mask securely over his face, and smoothed back his slicked hair, the unruly strand rebelliously falling back into place.

A soft knock came at the door.

“Dr. Ogata?” came a voice from the other side. “Your 9 oʼclock patient is here.”

“Send them in,” he replied with the same impassive expression.

“Please, have a seat,” Ogata said in his muffled by the mask flat baritone when the door opened and a patient stepped in.