Chapter 4: Takkun, Remember Me?

Kamizawa High – Class 2-B

Morning light streamed through the windows as Zako-sensei strolled in, tie half-loose, cigarette scent faintly lingering on his shirt. He looked the same as always — lazy, unbothered, radiating that adult aura that made boys grind their teeth and girls whisper behind notebooks.

“Morning,” he drawled, setting his coffee can on the desk. “Open your books. Roll call first.”

Half the class yawned.

Half the class swooned.

And one girl shot her hand up so fast it was a blur.

“Sensei!!”

Zakaki looked up. “What?”

The entire class turned toward the front row where Chihiro Arima — track star, sunshine personified, and too comfortable with smiling at trouble — was grinning like a cat with cream.

“Takkun, remember the firefly night?”

The room froze.

“…What?”

The class collectively exploded.

“TAKKUN?! WHO THE HELL IS TAKKUN?!”

“You—you know Sensei?!”

Chihiro tilted her head innocently, ponytail bouncing as she laughed. “Of course I do! We grew up together.”

Gasps.

“WHAT?!”

“Sensei had a childhood friend?!”

“Is this… is this an eroge in real life?!”

Boys slammed their desks in frustration. Girls exchanged looks of pure shock.

Zakaki rubbed his temple. “Chihiro…”

But she wasn’t done.

Her eyes softened with nostalgia, voice dipping lower, almost tender:

“You were the first boy I ever loved.”

The classroom turned into a riot.

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Flashback – Ten Years Ago

Summer nights in the countryside were endless and sticky. Crickets chirped. Fireflies floated like tiny lanterns.

A six-year-old Chihiro crouched by a stream, her yukata slipping off her shoulder as she cupped her hands around glowing insects. She giggled, her laughter echoing under the trees.

And a teenage boy sat on the bridge nearby, knees drawn up, cigarette unlit between his fingers. His face was hidden, but she saw the glint of tears sliding down his cheeks.

“Takkun? Why are you crying?”

He startled, then forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Don’t tell anyone, okay, Chii? Big brother just… lost something important.”

He’d failed his med school exam. She didn’t understand at the time. She just knew he looked lonely.

So she did the only thing her tiny heart could think of:

She ran up and hugged him from behind.

“Then I’ll be something important for you instead!”

---

Back to Present

“T-Takkun?!” Mitsumi slammed her palms on the desk. “You’ve got to be kidding me! You’ve been hiding this?!”

Minami adjusted her glasses, voice cold. “…First love? How bold.”

Chihiro beamed like sunshine incarnate. “Oh, did I not mention? Sensei used to carry me on his shoulders all the time.”

Boys in the back were losing their minds.

“HE GAVE HER PIGGYBACKS?!”

“I’m gonna throw up.”

Zako sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose. “Please stop digging up my embarrassing teenage years…”

Chihiro ignored him and leaned forward on his desk, both elbows pressing against the wood — which, unfortunately for everyone with eyes, made her uniform strain against her very generous curves.

“Sensei, don’t be shy~ They should know how kind you were.”

The class held its breath as Chihiro leaned just a little more forward, her shirt collar gaping enough to give a scandalous glimpse of pastel pink lace.

A boy in the back choked on his juice.

Mitsumi’s jaw hit the floor. “W-W-WHY IS SHE SO BRAZEN?!”

Minami’s pencil snapped in two.

---

Zakaki stood up so fast his chair screeched.

“Arima. Sit. Down.”

She giggled, unfazed. “Aww, Sensei’s embarrassed~”

He turned away, tugging his tie tighter, ignoring the heat crawling up his neck.

What the hell is with this class? Every day feels like a damn harem anime…

---

After Class – Rooftop Scene

“Hey, Chii! What the hell was that?!” Mitsumi stormed toward her, fists clenched.

“That was called honesty,” Chihiro said sweetly, twirling her ponytail. “You should try it sometime, Kendo Queen.”

“Honesty my ass! You—you flashed your boobs at him!”

“They didn’t flash themselves, Mitsu-chan. He just happened to look.”

“Bitch—!!”

“Girls,” Minami’s voice sliced through the air like winter steel. She stepped into the sunlight, her glasses glinting. “Keep your voices down. People will hear.”

Chihiro smirked. “Oh? Worried your secret love note plan will get out?”

Mitsumi gasped. “What?! She wrote him a note?!”

Minami didn’t blink. “And you challenged him to a duel. We’re all guilty.”

A pause.

Then Chihiro grinned. “Guess this means… war.”

---

Meanwhile – Faculty Room

Zako leaned back in his chair, popping open a beer he definitely wasn’t supposed to have on school property.

“…This is getting out of hand,” he muttered.

His phone buzzed.

> New Message:

“Sensei… do you remember what you promised me that night under the fireflies?”

He stared at the screen. No name. Just an unknown number.

He exhaled smoke toward the ceiling.

“…I’m screwed.”

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