Lesson Nine: Misfit Class Ritual

Morning sunlight spilled across the tatami like warm syrup as femme Mutsuki slid open the classroom door. His hair was tied up neatly to match his crisp black and white Angelic Baby lolita coord.

He braced himself before turning around. He was met with eight tiny faces lighting up like a fireworks festival. All rushed in to tackle, rather, greet him, like they all did on his first day.

He realized catastrophically late that trying to greet them all the same way was like trying to pet eight different time bombs. He got tackled backwards and they all fall into his soft fluffy barrier.

Mutsuki’s thought process could be slow, but his powers weren’t. 

The only thing he can do was to adjust. One personalized greeting per child. One ritual. One spark of belonging.

‘Line up! Let’s all greet each other in non-hazardous way, can we?’ Mutsuki said as he stood up and picked each child up.

Perfect. Or so he prayed.

Mon shot forward first. He tripped, rolled, transformed into a spinning top, then popped upright with a flourish. His hat fell back into his head in a comical perfection.

‘Senseiiii! I saw a video on Supergram! Cool people do this!’

He tried a three-step, finger-snap, hat-flip handshake combo. And then slapped himself in the face. Mutsuki ugly laughed.

‘Mon,’ he raised two fingers in a tiny flick-salute. ‘This is ours. Less danger.’

Mon’s eyes lit up. They flicked fingers together. Flick! Tap! Tiny spark!

Mon gasped like he’d just been knighted.

Ok one down… Mutsuki was already getting drained and the day haven’t even started yet.

Gon sauntered forward with the confidence of a fox who believed the world existed solely to admire him.

‘Sensei, I expect something fabulous.’

Mutsuki sighed and snapped his fingers.

‘Fine. Fox greeting. Bow, snap, swish.’

Gon bowed dramatically, snapped like he was signing autographs and swished his three tiny tails with flair.

‘The girls on Supergram would faint! Perfect,’ Gon purred. ‘We’re iconic.’

Sumire approached with royal dignity. Her hair (or seaweeds?) neatly stuck around her tiny crown.

‘Good morning, Sensei,’ she greeted like a noble from the Edo era.

Mutsuki straightened. They exchanged a formal, elegant, slow bow. Even the rest of the class bowed with them, as they watched and copied.

Sumire nodded with satisfaction. ‘Acceptable.’

Meow trudged up carefully, as if afraid the floor might collapse.

‘Sensei… um… c-can we have a gentle greeting? So I don’t break anything?’

Mutsuki knelt and offered a soft handshake.

‘No pressure. Just your paw in my hand, okay?’

Her paw rested delicately against his palm. She purred. Nothing exploded.

Miracle. Mutsuki had his senses heightened for any need of barrier, but it wasn’t needed.

Honey launched at him with full force. ‘HUG!!!’

Mutsuki caught him mid-air, bracing for impact.

‘Honey, can be reduce the number of hugs daily? Today we can have three? One for the morning, one for lunch, and one for saying goodbye.’

‘I’ll take three now!’ Honey chirped.

‘…It’s still morning.’

Honey hugged Mutsuki’s face anyway. Mutsuki was utterly defeated by cuteness.

A shadow passed overhead. Wings fluttered. Kojiro swooped down and landed with razor-sharp precision.

Mutsuki pointed upward. ‘Air-only high-five.’

Kojiro leaped, twisted midair, and smack! high-fived him from above with perfect form.

‘Hn,’ Kojiro said with pride. ‘You’re improving.’

Mutsuki blinked furiously. Improving on what?

Akashi lounged nearby and pretended not to care. However, his wolf ears twitched whenever Mutsuki moved closer.

‘Akashi. Wolf nod.’

Akashi lifted his chin in a short, respectful bob. 

‘I am cool and simple. I am not clingy… like someone else.’ Akashi said as he returned to his seat.

Honey glared at him. Akashi glared back. Growls emitted. Mutsuki mentally prepared a barrier spell. 

Kishin hovered near the corner with his bat in hand. Mutsuki knelt.

‘Tiny fist bump?’

Kishin hesitated. Mutsuki waited until he was ready. Kishin eventually tapped his fist to Mutsuki’s knuckles. Boop.

He smiled shyly. ‘T-thank you, Sensei.’

Mutsuki ruffled his hair gently.

‘That’s bravery, Kishin.’

The boy melted on his seat. As soon as greetings ended, chaos resumed.

Mon and Gon immediately began bickering over who had the “cooler” handshake. Honey attempted a second hug and Mutsuki sidestepped like a trained dancer. Akashi chased Honey. Sumire lectured them about “proper conduct in the morning”. 

Meow stepped on a pencil and apologized to the pencil. Kojiro stared at Mutsuki and Youchan whenever they got within 30 centimeters. Kishin tried to stop a fight by offering everyone a fist bump.

The day hadn’t even begun. Mutsuki rubbed his forehead.

‘…Teaching is exhausting.’

Youchan brought him a cup of tea.

‘You did well,’ she said softly. ‘They all looked so proud.’

Mutsuki discretely gazed upon the proud expression on Youchan as she looked unto the kids. He couldn’t help but feel that he actually accomplished something. He turned away quickly before anybody saw his red face.

‘It… wasn’t a big deal.’

But it was. The classroom felt lighter, as if someone had opened a hidden window inside his chest. The children glowed with a confidence that wasn’t there just the other week. Tiny sparks of pride, safety, and trust circled around him like fireflies. Mutsuki found himself having less panic attacks.

Small hands tugged on his sleeve. Little voices called “Sensei!”. Eight mismatched hearts finding comfort in his presence. A warmth that didn’t demand anything of him except to remain himself.

This must be… what family feels like.