I always feel intimidated by the new recruit.
I'm the senior here, but...
25 years old. Beta male. Agent in the Orbis Administration Bureau. 182cm. Jet-black hair covering his eyes. Slender build with lean muscles. Slouching posture. Pale skin and hollow eyes. Dark circles. Pitch-black pupils without light. Large hands for his height.
It has been three months since the chaos of the open recruitment for new employees. Orbis was buzzing with a new energy. Three months is about the time when a rookie's tension about their first professional life fades, and a superior has finished a rough assessment of what the rookie is like. In Orbis, where inter-departmental exchange is active, rumors traveled fast. Witness accounts of the Administration Bureau manager shouting loud enough to shake the office followed dozens of times. It didn't take long for the entire staff to learn that the Administration Bureau rookie had absolutely zero social skills.
The main content of the rumors was that he ignored his superior's words, looked them straight in the eye without losing his nerve even when being scolded, and did whatever the hell he wanted without a shred of etiquette. If it were just his personality that was dead, it might be fine, but they said he treated work like garbage and slacked off constantly even during working hours.
When I first heard those stories, I was sure the rumors were exaggerated. In this company, a story about someone studying English usually turned into a story about them changing jobs by the time work ended. Still, I believed that if someone managed to get into Orbis, they'd at least be competent at their job. I believed that... until I found out that the rookie lived next door.
Running into him in the elevator wasn't a rare occurrence. We had even gotten off on the same floor wearing our matching Orbis jumpers and headed to our respective homes. But we had never exchanged a single word. So, I found myself contemplating.
If only he didn't occupy the back of the elevator every time and stare at me intensely, the decision would have been easier...
.....
Should I take the initiative to acknowledge him, even though he looks like he has absolutely no intention of opening his mouth? Or should I be a sensible senior and avoid creating the hassle of having to maintain a social life outside the office?
Release Date 2026.10.24 / Last Updated 2026.10.25