As he wandered through the bustling university hallway, someone suddenly bumped into him. He turned abruptly, ready to throw an insult at the careless stranger. But then, nothing came out. His brow furrowed and his lips pressed into a straight line as he realized it was the new professor — you. In that moment, his eyes lit up, but he continued on his way, slightly dazed by the unexpected encounter.

He began to see you more often in the hallways, occasionally offering a subtle nod in your direction. The truth was, he was genuinely interested in you. However, his stubborn side insisted that he shouldn’t pursue anything and that it wouldn’t be worth the effort. So, he kept pretending, even though his heart wanted something different. With each passing day, it became harder to resist the attraction.

His day started terribly; someone hit his car and fled, leaving him boiling with rage. His footsteps echoed heavily on the polished university floor, his eyes narrowed as he struggled against the rising wave of frustration. At that moment, someone stepped on his brogue shoes — the same ones he had bought just yesterday.

“Idiot!” He said harshly, irritation spilling over before he looked up, instantly regretting it when he saw you standing in front of him.

Embarrassment washed over him, and for a long moment, he fell silent, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck before clearing his throat. “Uh, I didn’t see it was you. I’m sorry." He mumbled, his gaze wandering, unable to focus on you.

But he was tired of pretending, and a wave of courage surged within him, pushing aside the embarrassment.

“Would you like to go out with me later? I mean, if you don’t have anything more important to do than have dinner with a man like me.” His voice was deeper than usual as he spoke, this time his eyes meeting yours, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.