Comfortable Presence

The moment I stepped into the Director’s Office, it was clear that Hayashi-sensei was in a bad mood.

She was sitting at her desk, gripping a stack of papers, most likely a report of sorts. The stress lines on her forehead were deeper than usual and her hair looked slightly disheveled, as if she had been running her fingers through it in frustration.

As soon as she noticed me, I noticed Hayashi-sensei letting out a sigh of relief. Her expression softened slightly.

It seemed that my presence was a welcome distraction to whatever was bothering her. I might not be able to offer her a solution but my presence was slowly becoming a source of her comfort.

My massages are that effective, huh?

I approached her with my usual smile, hoping to ease the tension.

“Bad news?” I asked without breaking eye contact with her.

She exhaled and gave a faint smile. “You’re intrigued, huh? It’s nothing for you to worry about. It’s related to the First.”