Mission: Reinforcement

On some days, the school grounds felt like an anthill, on others more like a group of sloths, but today, it was like a hornet's nest.

Many students scurried through the hallways, loud whispers and groups discussing hectically. Even though he was rarely confused, Takeshi had to concentrate more on his surroundings, which was more straining than usual.

Between the banter, jokes and gossip the students talked about. One name in particular kept coming up: Aimi Tsukamoto. The girl from his class. Or better, the chair that was empty since the school year started.

Aimi Tsukamoto… I know that name. She’s the student from my class who hasn’t shown up yet… But why is everyone so worked up? Feels like the emperor’s visiting…

Even in the teachers’ lounge, Takeshi noticed an unusual restlessness. The usually grumpy chemistry teacher seemed a little nervous today. There was whispering everywhere, clinking cups, and an unusually high number of teachers walking back and forth. That was odd. Usually, the lounge was a sleepy place where even the dust moved more.

A few phones were ringing, and here and there someone was pounding their laptop keyboard like a maniac. These noises were nothing new, but the frequency and volume were significantly higher than usual. The most surprising was Igurashi, who wasn’t checking his pencils but combing his hair. It didn’t change much, he couldn’t conceal his beginning baldness.

Takeshi didn’t even realize he was blocking the doorway until a soft voice spoke up behind him.

“Um… excuse me. Could you just… maybe…” whispered the woman, whom Takeshi later identified as the school nurse. Takeshi never interacted much with her, nor did he introduce himself. She was always in her office and didn’t leave it often. She didn’t finish her sentence, but Takeshi knew what she wanted anyway.

“My apologies.” Takeshi moved almost mechanically to his seat.

Watanabe-sensei had been fiddling with his eyebrows in front of the mirror for minutes… not that it’s helping…

Just as Takeshi sat down, he noticed someone approaching him from the corner of his eye. She tried to sneak and surprise him, or so he assumed, but wasn’t very successful. No one could sneak up to him. Constant awareness and always ready to fight. Things he learned and never forgot.

Maki-sensei always dresses nicely, but it looks like she’s got a new blazer. High quality, expensive, fits perfectly. Tailored?

Before Shizuka could say a word, Takeshi turned to her.

“Finished yesterday?” he asked in his usual tone.

“Huh?! W-What do you mean?”

Her reaction felt to him more like he had sneaked up to her. As if he had caught a culprit red-handed.

“Your blazer…”

“Eh?! So… um… you noticed? Uh, well… yeah… I picked it up yesterday… Katou-sensei, it’s kind of creepy when you do that…” Shizuka tried to mask her discomfort with a laugh.

“Not really sure what you’re talking about, I thought it was obvious… good fabric, perfect fit, expensive. Had to be tailored, right?”

“You’re the first and only one who noticed,” she whispered behind her hand. “Do you have an eye on me or something?”

“Would you like that?”

Shizuka’s cheeks instantly turned red, slightly panicked with a sliver of embarrassment.

“Eh?! O-Of course not…”

Gotcha. Expected reaction achieved. Just a little trick from the old days…
It wasn’t about unsettling her. It was about keeping control of the conversation.
She’s going to change the subject now to deflect…

“By the way, Katou-sensei, did you hear that Aimi Tsukamoto is coming back to school soon?”

Too easy.

“Mhm,” he said curtly.

“So?” she asked, raising her eyebrows while looking at him expectantly.

“So what?” rebutted Takeshi with an annoyed tone.

“Eh?! Wait… could it be… that you don’t know Aimi Tsukamoto??” Shizuka was clearly shocked and blinked several times.

“Should I?”

She stood tall, posture upright with the chest slightly pushed out. It almost felt like she achieved a victory. With closed eyes and a big and joyful smile on her lips, she took deep breaths.

Takeshi looked plainly at her until she answered.

“Give me a second. So, this is how it feels to know something you don’t. I have to enjoy it. And you have this feeling all the time?”

“No.”

He turned around and ignored her.

This talk is inefficient. Time to go to work.

Their conversation was loud enough that half the faculty picked up on it. Watanabe didn’t miss his chance to butt in.

“Well, well, well, aren’t you something! You don’t even know your own students?! You should take a cue from me and get to know them!” he said smugly.

Get to know them… or stalk them? I’m not so sure in his case…

“I-I’m sure Katou-sensei didn’t mean it like that. He’s just… well… not into these things.”

“But how can you call yourself a good teacher and not keep up with modern pop culture?!”

As modern as your haircut? When was that last trendy… 1990?

Takeshi sighed quietly. “Look, I just don’t care who they are. The moment they walk into my classroom, they’re all the same. Students of this school, and that’s what matters.”

“You really live under a rock!” Watanabe scoffed.

“Unfortunately, otherwise I wouldn’t have to hear your voice.”

Watanabe-sensei turned beet red.

“W-What?! How can you be so… so… rude?! Don’t you have any respect for seniority?”

“Respect isn’t a birthright. You have to earn it…” Takeshi replied, almost annoyed.
A quiet giggle escaped from Shizuka behind her hand.

“Anyway. So? What’s so special about her?” he asked.

Shizuka was about to answer, but Mr. Watanabe cut her off, still red as a tomato.

“Aimi Tsukamoto is one of Japan’s biggest idols! She’s a charming singer and hasn’t come to school until now because of her concerts. She’s a freakin’ superstar! Remember that!”

Ugh, this is going to be a pain…

A pop idol. Takeshi regretted becoming a teacher in less than 0.8 seconds.

“Mhm… and why the fuss?”

“EEEH?! People love her! She’s beautiful, graceful, and her radiant light reaches even the darkest corners. Each of her songs touches millions, but especially me. Her voice is so gentle…” Shizuka added, now talking at double speed.

I think she’s in her own world now… Earth to Maki-sensei!

“There’s still time until next week. And even then, she’s not a superstar here. Just a student. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“… and her last song was soooo good, I couldn’t stop listening to it on repeat…”

Okay, she’s gone. She didn’t even hear what I said.

Takeshi stood up, sighed lightly, and ignored Shizuka. She continued to babble and swoon endlessly. Somehow, he didn’t like the situation. He’d have to pay attention to a lot more things. Almost like staying alert.

In a world full of masks, it was that smile that bothered him the most. The one that doesn’t feel but functions. And behind that mask… another mask?