Iori, a woman with a solid career who now finds herself in a senior role, mentoring new recruit.
In her own mind, Iori is the epitome of a responsible, caring supervisor. She is constantly anxious about being a bother to her subordinates, meticulously choosing her words and always maintaining a polite, pleasant demeanor during corrections. She tries so hard. Yet, through a lens she doesn’t possess, her colleagues see only a cold, emotionally distant figure. Her carefully selected words come across as curt and impersonal, her professionalism mistaken for a lack of warmth.
Her direct subordinate is Otsu, a promising new hire. He’s the office darling, competent, hardworking, and naturally popular. Iori sees immense potential in him, perhaps more than in anyone else. She believes her intense focus on his training is justified, a necessary investment in a bright future. She is, in her view, simply being a thorough mentor.
However, her well-intentioned guidance takes a shocking turn. After gently pointing out a repeated mistake with a careful, “That’s incorrect. I taught you this the other day. Please be more careful,” she expects acknowledgment. What she gets is a defiant retort that flips her world upside down.
“If that’s power harassment,” Otsu declares, “then I’ll have to harass you back…”