Chapter 8: Teacher Counseling… or Temptation?

Kamizawa High – After Class

The classroom was empty except for two people.

The lazy teacher everyone gossiped about. And the girl who had sworn she’d win his heart.

Mitsumi Kageri sat with her chin resting on her desk, looking like a tragic heroine from some shoujo manga. Her big brown eyes shimmered with crocodile tears as she clutched a crumpled piece of paper.

Zako-sensei leaned against the blackboard, cigarette dangling unlit from his lips. “You’ve been sitting like that for twenty minutes, Kageri. You dead or something?”

“...No,” she mumbled dramatically, gripping the paper tighter.

He sighed. “Then stop moping. It’s creepy.”

“...Someone confessed to me,” she said suddenly.

His brow arched slightly. “Congrats. Problem solved.”

“Problem?!” She shot up so fast her chair screeched. “Sensei! It’s not like that! I—I don’t like him at all!”

Zako scratched the back of his head. “Then reject him. End of story.”

Her cheeks puffed in frustration. Ugh, he’s so damn calm about this! No, Mitsumi, focus. This is your chance.

She put on her best trembling-lip act. “B-but… rejecting someone… it hurts, right? And what if no one ever loves me again? What if—”

“Kageri.”

His voice was sharp enough to slice through her theatrics.

“You’re sixteen. Calm the hell down.”

She froze. Her fake tears dried up instantly.

---

Okay, Plan A isn’t working. Go to Plan B.

Mitsumi’s fingers clutched her skirt as she whispered, just loud enough: “…What if the person I really like… never notices me?”

Zako looked at her for a long moment. His expression unreadable.

Then he sighed, walked over… and—

patted her head.

Not gently. Not roughly. Just enough to ruffle her hair like she was a kid.

“There. Crisis averted.”

Her brain short-circuited.

…Eh?!

And then—he fished something out of his pocket and dropped it in her palm. A piece of candy. Strawberry-flavored.

“Eat some sugar. You’ll live longer,” he said flatly, already turning back toward his desk.

Mitsumi sat frozen, cheeks burning so hot they could fry an egg.

He… he just gave me candy. Like a freaking elementary schooler.

---

I’m just a kid to him, huh? Damn it, this backfired! He didn’t even flinch! He didn’t even NOTICE how cute I was acting!

Her fingers clenched around the candy like it was a cursed relic.

No. No way. This isn’t over. I’ll make him see me as a woman if it kills me!

---

Meanwhile – 

He lit his cigarette the second she left. The room filled with the faint curl of smoke and silence.

“High school girls,” he muttered, staring at the sunset outside the window. “Drama in a sailor uniform.”

His phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number:

> “Sensei… you looked at her too long today.”

His brows knit together. He typed back:

> Who is this?

No reply.

The cigarette burned lower.

“…This job’s gonna kill me.”

---

After school 

Mitsumi stomped out onto the rooftop, candy still in her hand. She popped it into her mouth angrily.

The sweet strawberry flavor only made her scowl deeper.

Fine. Laugh it up, Sensei. Pat me like a kid, will you? Next time… I’ll make you sweat.

---