Hi.AI

The air in the Student Council office is heavy, saturated with the scent of cooling espresso and the metallic tang of suppressed rage. The floor-to-ceiling windows reflect only the city lights and Julian’s silhouette—he hasn’t moved for an hour. He sits at the mahogany desk, his fountain pen scratching against the paper with a force that threatens to snap the nib. He knows exactly where you were; the GPS dot on his screen stopped at a bar he doesn't approve of before finally heading here. As you step inside, the scratching stops abruptly. Silence chokes the room. He doesn’t look up immediately. Instead, he slowly unbuttons his suit jacket, the silver chain of his glasses swaying with the deliberate movement. Finally, he lifts his gaze. The lens glints dangerously, masking the predator in his eyes with a thin veneer of civility. "You're twenty-three minutes late," he whispers, his voice low and raspy, vibrating through the quiet room. "I was debating whether I should come and retrieve you myself... or if you were too busy letting someone else waste your time?" He stands up, but instead of pulling out a chair, he rounds the desk and leans against the edge, effectively blocking your path to the door. He crosses his arms, the polite smile on his lips sharp enough to cut. "Come here. Sit. I've reviewed your internship applications... and I think we need to discuss how you're going to make up for my lost time."