Parent Day

 It was the third week of April and the teachers office was filled with chaotic energy. Teachers printed worksheets, principals ran in and out of the office, and the secretaries had the phones constantly in their hands as they moved around paperwork. Even the usually calm Rinka was feeling the pressure.

“Tch.” She scowled at her computer. “What a waste of time. Why do I have to teach a lesson with their parents watching? They barely understand Algebra on a good day.” Rinka typed furiously at her keyboard, responding to emails and checking the schedule once more.

Multiple times throughout the year H**** Junior High School liked to invite the parents into the classrooms. They would be allowed to watch the period after lunch, and then the kids could go home early. It was a mess of moving parts. Teachers had to make the lessons interesting enough to impress the parents, the vice principal worked with the secretaries to ensure safety, and the principal was constantly moving around socializing to gain parent volunteers for whatever events they needed. Everyone did their best to represent the school at its best, even Haruki Asano.

“Akebi-san, how do you get off easy? Shouldn’t the award winner have a class in front of everyone instead?” Haruki looked towards Ayama with envy.

“The schedule just worked like that. I don’t have a fifth period on Fridays. And besides, no parent likes watching English lessons anyways. Most of them consider it a waste.” Ayama shrugged. “I still have something to do. Principal Sato wants me to watch Ogawa-sensei’s lesson and give a few pointers.” At the mention of her name Miki’s ears twitched. Her face turned to Ayama, a piece of rice still stuck to her cheek after her morning riceball.

“I really do appreciate it, Akebi-sensei. Help me be the best teacher I can be!” Her smile was wide and so earnest that the innocence of it struck Ayama deeply.

“D-do your best.” Was his stuttered response as he nodded and turned away.

( - ⌓ - )

A few hours later Ayama was standing in the corner of class 3-1. The parents had filtered into the room, a wide range of mostly stay at home moms, a few office workers, and some of the local factory workers who managed to get time off. Students chattered as Miki prepared the board. When she finally turned around the class became quiet as the bell chimed for the start of class. One of the students began. “Stand up! Bow. Please teach us well. Sit down.” Off to a great start as every kid followed the introduction.

Miki took a deep breath before starting. Her voice was a little shaky at first, but she quickly began her Japanese lesson. Once she got into the swing of things it went easy. Kids were focused and alert. 3-1 was rarely a problem class and never needed discipline, the perfect performance lesson for Miki. Ayama had no notes through the first part except how nervous she looked starting it. ‘Not bad. Couldn’t have picked a better class.’ He smiled as he leaned back against the wall.

The problem began when she started to explain a passage from a novel the kids were reading recently. Even before she finished a kid had raised his hand, and some of the kids looked at her a little confused.

“Ogawa-sensei. Why exactly is the author using this kanji here? Shouldn’t he have used this other one?” Miki lowered the chalk in her hand from the board and thought about it earnestly.

“Well you see, um. I think the author wanted to convey the double meaning. It’s an older kanji that we don’t use often anymore. So it’s uh. Well, both that old one and this new meaning.” Her voice wavered a bit, but she tried to deliver it with high energy. The student narrowed his eyes, thinking through the answer, yet he wasn’t fully convinced. Miki turned a little red as some of the parents in the back started to murmur.

“And so-! This next passage continues to talk about different animals.” She continued her lesson almost immediately. But from there the slip ups continued. Ayama could only look on as she struggled with her confidence and each bit of the lesson got worse as parents continued to talk. Finally, the bell rang and she was saved. Quickly, she fumbled over her folders and put them in her basket. Her face was red as she moved out of the room. Ayama sighed as he pushed past the parents to go back to the teachers office. When he squeezed past the throng of parents talking to kids he saw a parent had cornered Miki. He started making his way over to her and could hear their conversation. Miki’s face was red and her eyes were darting around.

“I don’t understand how you ended up a teacher, really. You couldn’t teach children simple concepts.” The parent’s voice was raised. An older man wearing coveralls who was just barely taller than her.

“U-um.” Miki couldn’t get out a word as his tirade continued, her hands clutching her basket close to her stomach.

“And my kid’s education is in your hands? What a complete joke. Find something new to do.” Ayama’s face twitched and his voice came out a bit sharper than usual.

“I’d appreciate it if you would stop talking to my fellow teacher like that.”

“Oh, are you another useless-“ The man’s voice stopped as he turned around and was met with Ayama’s broad chest.

“Coming into our school is a privilege. Can I get a name, Mr. ?” His eyes narrowed as he looked down at the man, clouds forming in his eyes. The man swallowed before answering.

“Satoshi. I uh, I was just kidding.” Now his eyes were darting around as he looked up at Ayama.

“I’ll let the principal know. We don’t appreciate people yelling at our teachers. Maybe your wife should come next time.” The challenge forced the man to recover some of his energy.

“Hey! Maybe if she did her job-“ Ayama stepped closer and cut him off.

“Ogawa-sensei is a vital part of our staff. Any complaints can be made to the principal. You’ll find he’s much less accommodating to harassment.” The parent stepped back and the idea went through his mind.

“I’ll be taking my daughter home now. Excuse me.” His face looked down as he went back into the class. Ayama let out a sigh and looked at Miki. Tears formed at the edge of her eyes, her body still trembling.

“Akebi-sensei!” She cried. “Thank you!” He looked around the hallway to make sure no one else was watching.

“It’s alright, let’s just get to the office.” Miki sniffed.

“Okay.”

( - ⌓ - )

Back in the teachers office Miki could feel her heart still pounding a little. Between the eyes watching her lesson flop and the yelling after, she had a lot to be shaken up about. But right now her eyes focused on Ayama as she felt a surge of warmth and admiration.

“You really saved me, Akebi-sensei! I couldn’t say anything to him!”

“It’s nothing. You scrambled a little in the second half of the lesson but I know you can do better. He had no right to tell you off.” Ayama sat down at his desk, Miki still standing next to him.

“Well, have one of my candies! Please!” Miki walked to her desk and opened her bottom drawer, grabbing a handful of chocolates. Before he could contest, she dropped them on his desk.

“Okay okay. But now we’re even. Deal?”

“Deal!” Miki bounced back to her desk and sat in her chair much happier than earlier. ‘The lesson went bad in the end. But it was just the people watching! Ayama never struggles with a crowd.’ She thought to herself. As a reward for the hard day, she pulled out a cookie, taking little bites as she sipped on her coffee.

“Ayama, why don’t you ever get nervous?” She asked. Her eyes looked over Rinka’s empty desk.

“I do. But I don’t let it affect me. Other people look up to me, so I have to keep that image up. Right?” In that moment, Ayama flashed a smile that calmed Miki, but also stirred something deeper.

“I want to become a dependable teacher, just like you.” Her lips pulled up softly as she turned away, whispering more to herself than speaking to him.