The long-awaited day of the interview finally arrived.

  Being a conscientious person by nature, Arevik arrived at the institution half an hour early. What she saw around her filled her with admiration. She liked the seriousness that reigned in the reception area: everyone knew exactly what they were doing, and it was clear that they treated their work with full responsibility.

  The receptionist welcomed her and informed her that, despite arriving early, she would be received at the scheduled time.

  “Is she panicking?” Arevik thought, noticing the woman’s widened eyes. She stepped aside and sat down in one of the armchairs placed in the corner.

  Suddenly, everyone’s gaze turned toward the central door. Arevik followed their eyes.

  — So that’s what it is… the boss is arriving, — she whispered to herself.

  Everything immediately became clear — including the receptionist’s anxiety.

  But there was nothing Arevik could do. She was already there. All that remained was to sit quietly in the armchair, observe the commotion, and curiously await the person whose mere arrival caused such chaos.

  “He must be an older man,” Arevik reasoned. “Serious, dignified, with the manners of a noble gentleman and strict, expressive eyebrows. Definitely meticulous and demanding. Still, one has to admit — it takes a certain presence to create such a stir simply by entering a building…”

  Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted when a young man walked into the institution.

  — What? — slipped from her lips automatically.

  Arevik froze. Her eyes widened on their own, and with her whole being she tried to understand what exactly she was seeing.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  If dozens of women had been surveyed and, based on countless opinions, an ideal image of a man had been created — he would have been standing in front of her at that very moment.

  It wasn’t about beauty. That word was far too insufficient to describe the man who had appeared before Arevik.

  Curiosity made her follow the young man with complete focus. Without realizing it, she began to move along with him — she stood up and took a few steps forward. She came to her senses only when a sudden thought broke through.

  “That’s impossible. The head of such a powerful organization cannot be this young. It simply can’t be.”

  Disappointed, Arevik glanced at the distance she had crossed unconsciously, scolded herself inwardly, and before returning to her armchair, decided to look back once more — just to be sure she wasn’t mistaken, that this young man truly was the director of the organization.

  And once again, she froze.

  The director’s gaze, slowly scanning the room, turned in her direction.

  For a brief moment, Arevik imagined that she had caught his attention. But he quickly looked away. It became clear — he was simply assessing the overall state of the reception area.

  “He definitely took me for a decorative plant,” she thought with half-ironic amusement.

  Arevik smiled faintly, turned away, and sat back down in the armchair.

  “I’m not even his employee yet. Why would he pay attention to me?”

  When the director entered his office, the tension in the reception area instantly dissolved. Everyone returned to their work as if nothing unusual had happened.

  A few minutes later, Arevik was invited into the interview room. The interview itself went smoothly. She was told they would call her, and she went home.

  — Who was that girl in the reception area? Are we hiring someone new? — the director asked his assistant.

  — As far as I know, there is an open position in the archive department, but I don’t think she’ll be hired, — the assistant replied.

  — Why? — he stopped abruptly, turned back, and looked at her expectantly.

  — I think she’s too young for that kind of work.

  — The archive can play an important role in improving the institution, — the director said calmly. — Young people are capable of bringing new ideas. Hire that girl.

  The assistant hesitated for a moment.

  — Why her?

  — Change would benefit the institution, — he replied after a brief pause. — New perspectives.

  — Understood, — the assistant said and made a note in her notebook.

  The answer did not take long to arrive. Two days later, Arevik was invited to start work.