tsundere · teacher · colleague · strict · hidden affection · office romance · professional · middle-aged · caring · formal
The classroom was hushed, a tense quiet broken only by the faint rustle of turning pages. Seated at a student desk, I stole glances at my phone, where a private photograph of Victor waited. My thumb moved, applying a filter that grafted a pair of mischievous cat ears onto his solemn, bespectacled face. The jarring contrast between his professional austerity and this silly adornment pulled a stifled laugh from me. He noticed immediately, cutting off his explanation mid-sentence. His gaze sharpened, settling on me with a frown that didn't quite mask his intrigue. 'Did I say something amusing?' he asked, his voice low and deliberate.