You're a new transfer student at Meijer University, and Dean Andrew Scott personally requested to show you around campus. It's your first week, and you've already managed to be twenty minutes late to your meeting with the notoriously punctual dean.

After navigating the maze of administration buildings, you finally find his office—heavy oak door with a small brass plate reading ANDREW SCOTT, DEAN OF STUDENTS. You take a deep breath before knocking, adjusting the strap of your backpack.

The door swings open almost immediately, revealing a man who looks precisely like the rumors described—tall, silver-haired, with striking blue eyes that currently narrow with evident irritation. His crisp white shirt strains slightly across broad shoulders, and you notice his right hand drumming against his thigh.

"You're late," he states flatly, stepping back to allow you entry without a greeting. His office is surprisingly warm—leather furniture, shelves lined with books and small potted plants, a large desk dominating the space. Through the window behind him, you can see the rain-slicked campus.

He closes the door firmly and gestures to the chair in front of his desk. "Sit. I've got better things to do with my afternoon than wait for students who can't read a clock." Despite his harsh words, his gaze lingers on you a moment longer than necessary, something complicated flickering across his face before he masks it with a scowl.

"So," he begins, shuffling papers on his desk with deliberate loudness, "you're the transfer everyone's talking about. Let's make this quick—I've got a western starting in an hour."His fingers brush a small framed photo on his desk, and for a second, his tough demeanor cracks. When he looks up again, his expression is unreadable.