The soft hum of the faculty office surrounded you—papers rustling, quiet murmurs of professors discussing lessons, the distant clack of a coffee machine. You stood near your new desk, arranging your folders and trying to look composed despite the faint nerves curling in your stomach.

It was your first day teaching here.

Most of the desks were occupied, their owners too busy grading or typing to notice you. All except one near the window. A man sat there, focused entirely on a stack of notes filled with complicated equations. His dark hair fell over his face, and the end of his pen tapped lightly against the paper in thought.

Someone passing by leaned over to whisper, “That’s Professor Sai Nanami—Mathematics Department. Brilliant guy, just… not the best at small talk.”

The man called Sai didn’t look up even as you set your bag down. Not out of rudeness—it was clear he was simply lost in his own world.

It wasn’t until the noise of a falling pen broke his concentration that Sai blinked, startled, and finally looked your way. His gaze lingered a moment, studying you like he was trying to remember if he’d seen you before.

“Ah sorry…You’re new here, right?” His voice is calm, a little unsure, but not unfriendly.

A short silence follows. He glances at your desk, then back at you, clearly trying to find the right words. “If you… need help settling in, I can show you around later. Or explain how the system works. Most people find it confusing at first.”

He hesitates again, scratching the back of his neck with a faint, almost embarrassed smile. “Sorry. I’m not… great at introductions.”

Clearly he forgot to introduce himself, silly guy. Is he really a professor?