Mission: Investigation

The teachers’ lounge was rather old-fashioned. Spacious enough, but each desk was equipped with an outdated computer. The principal led Shizuka and Takeshi there but excused himself almost immediately. In one of the back corners, Takeshi spotted Mr. Igurashi, who gave them only a glance before burying himself in work again.

His desk looks like a museum. Is he checking the length of his pencils?

Not even a moment after the principal had left, a tall man with an athletic build, tousled hair, and sunken eyes approached them. He seemed to be only a few years older than Takeshi.

“Hello, beautiful lady. I’m Kunio Watanabe, the handsome P.E. teacher and supervisor of the judo club. If there’s anything I can do for you, don’t hesitate to ask.” He took her hand and grinned.

Ah, the type who only needs a ball for his lessons, not a brain…

Shizuka was visibly uncomfortable. A forced smile was all she could manage.

“Ah, Uhm… I am Shizuka Maki! I hope we get along well!”

“What a beautiful name you have. Maybe we should go for dinner to… intensify our teamwork.” He said, a smug smile on his face.

“Y-Yeah… sure…,” Shizuka stumbled.

Another woman approached and called out to Watanabe.

“Watanabe-sensei, I heard some students gained unauthorized access to the gym,” she said in a firm tone.

Thumb nail tugging. Pressed lips. Overemphasized tone. Dilated pupils. Stress reaction. Elevated pulse. Conclusion: She’s lying… and doing a poor job of hiding it.

“Eh? Again?! Grrr… Those little brats are gonna get it this time!” Watanabe rolled up his sleeves and stormed out of the lounge.

He didn’t even notice…

“I apologize for his behavior. He’s a bit… special,” she said to Shizuka.

“Ah?! Um… t-thank you for your help. I’m Shizuka Maki. Nice to meet you!” Shizuka bowed, visibly relieved.

“Nice to meet you too. I’m Kyouko Suginami. I also teach Japanese. I’m sure we’ll have a lot to share.”

“Oh, that would be wonderful. I hope I can learn from you!” Shizuka's eyes began to sparkle.

Takeshi introduced himself as well.

“Wow, you look even better up close than you did on stage,” Suginami murmured.

I have a bad feeling about this… please don’t ask me for dinner.

Takeshi didn’t respond at first. He hadn’t expected their first impression to immediately spark a crush, but he wasn’t exactly surprised either.
More than anything… he was annoyed.

“I hope to learn a lot from you as well,” he replied, ignoring her remark.

“Oh dear, did I say that out loud? Where are my manners…,” smiled Suginami awkwardly and introduced herself to Takeshi.

“Come on, I’ll show you to your desks.”

Takeshi’s seat was toward the back of the room. Shizuka sat closer to the front. Suginami showed them where to find student files, the cafeteria’s weekly menu, and other useful resources.

Takeshi had the feeling Suginami was genuinely kind and passionate about teaching. Still, there was something he wanted to confirm.

“Ah, about those students and the gym… was that true?”

If he was wrong, he could play it off as curiosity. He didn’t want to poison the atmosphere on day one.

“Oh? Was it that obvious?” Suginami asked innocently, holding a hand over her mouth.

“No, just a lucky guess,” Takeshi replied, trying to ease the tension.

…It was pretty obvious. Her body betrayed her.

“Then I’m relieved,” Suginami whispered, quickly changing the subject. “Watanabe-sensei is kinda… pushy, you know? It took him a pretty long time to understand that I am not interested. Maybe he hit his head too often during class.”

She doesn’t even hide her dislike.

“However, if you have any other questions… don’t hesitate to ask.” With a warm smile, she disappeared behind her own computer, diagonally across from Takeshi’s desk.

So, this is my spot. Wall at the back. Full view of the room. Short distance to the coffee machine. It’s a good spot.

Takeshi spent his first day reviewing student files. Since it was already decided he would teach class 2-3, he could narrow the search.

As he flipped through the student files, one caught his eye. A photo was attached to it. A girl he immediately recognized. The same one he’d seen at the school gate. The same sad eyes and expressionless face.

Ayaka Ikehara. Female, 17 years old, 1.55 meters tall… transferred from the local middle school. Grades aren’t bad, but nothing spectacular either. Last year, she was part of the “going-home” club.

For some reason, her gaze stuck with him. He was convinced something must’ve happened. No one had eyes like that or behaved that way at the gate unless something significant had occurred. He’d seen that same look before.

On people who had endured trauma.

During a training camp, a comrade’s father had committed suicide. He hanged himself in their living room. The comrade changed completely afterward, carrying that exact same look. He eventually left the military. What happened to him after that, Takeshi didn’t know.

The day flew by. The sun began to set, and the last rays of light broke through the clouds. The first chill of the evening crept in as Takeshi shut down the computer.

Most colleagues had already left. Only Igurashi and Shizuka remained. She was studying her class list, probably trying to memorize names like vocabulary. Igurashi, on the other hand, was still measuring his pencils, with a ruler this time.

Has he done anything else today?

His first teaching was only one night away.

Takeshi had planned to go home early, so he could be well rested tomorrow. Preparation is key.

“Well then… see you tomorrow,” he said curtly, giving the faintest nod.

Igurashi replied with a grumble. No surprise there. Shizuka, on the other hand, offered him a gentle smile as he turned to leave.

Back home, he would train. A habit to maintain operational readiness. Whether it was necessary or not no longer mattered. Afterwards, eat and sleep. A routine he tried to maintain.

On his way out, his eyes landed on the bulletin board. The dropout list from last year was pinned up. One name was crossed out.

Ayaka Ikehara.

He furrowed his brow.

“Igurashi-sensei, do you know why Ayaka Ikehara’s name is crossed out?”

The older teacher looked up as if awoken from a nap. His expression resembled a surprised pug as he blinked at Takeshi, confused.

“What...? Oh… uh… no one really knows. Her parents withdrew her last year, but then they re-enrolled her. Not that it matters. Kids these days… just make sure you don’t fill their heads with any weird youth nonsense. They need discipline!”

He shrugged and returned to his pencils. Apparently, the conversation was over.

Withdrawn? From high school?

Something’s not right with that girl…