The Deal and The Misunderstanding

Monika continued looking at Katon.

He was sitting on floor in the depression position.

Usually...

His expression was almost impossible to read.

Calm and composed.

Almost annoyingly emotionless.

But right now...

He looked genuinely disappointed.

Monika had expected irritation.

Maybe even an argument.

Bhe she hadn't expected this.

She hesitated for a moment.

Then...

She gently patted his head.

"There, there."

"No need to look so sad."

"You're a good boy, right?"

Katon froze.

The moment her hand touched his head...

Something inside him cracked.

A distant memory.

Someone had done something similar to him once.

Something he had never expected to experience again.

His eyes slowly widened.

Then...

Tears began flowing down his cheeks.

Monika immediately stopped.

"..."

"...Huh?"

She stared at him in complete confusion.

She had absolutely no idea why this happened.

Katon quickly stood up, rubbed his eyes.

A few seconds later...

His usual expression returned.

Calm and unreadable.

As if nothing had happened.

Monika hesitated, then quietly asked,

"...Are you alright?"

"Did something happen?"

Katon looked directly into her eyes.

His expression was serious.

"Monika..."

"Ma'am."

"It's better not to pry into my life unless it's extremely necessary."

Monika remained silent for a moment.

She understood one thing now.

Whatever had happened...

It wasn't something he wanted to talk about.

"Alright."

"Fine."

"I have my own problem to solve anyway."

She turned around and sat on the edge of his bed.

Then she looked at him in salesman mode.

"How about this?"

"If you do what I tell you..."

"I'll give you access to a private cinema hall for an entire week."

Katon's eyes moved slightly after hearing that.

"...A private cinema?"

"Yep, you can watch whatever you want."

"Movies."

"Shows."

"Anything."

She smiled, showed one finger.

"And there are even movies that won't officially be released for another month."

Katon understood one thing.

The work she'll give him is difficult.

And...

"...So that means your family is rich."

Monika nodded casually.

"Of course."

"I could make you and your friends my servants if I wanted to."

Katon opened one of his drawers.

As expected...

She was never ordinary to begin with.

He pulled out a cleaner black shirt with a crown logo to replace the one he was wearing.

"I can easily imagine Rurouni becoming your servant. Since his priorities involve money."

He paused.

"But I'm not so sure about me and Kara."

Monika nodded approvingly.

"Yeah. I thought you might say that."

Katon began changing his shirt.

Then—

He stopped immediately.

“Excuse me, ma’am. Could you please leave for a moment? I’m gonna change my shirt.”

Monika started laughing.

“If you’re going to act shy, at least show some emotion. Or did you literally forget something that basic?”

Shit. I really forgot to show some this time.

Katon started walking toward the door.

Monika immediately began roasting him on purpose.

“Awww, what’s the matter? Don’t tell me you’re nothing but a ribcage on the inside?”

Katon stopped after hearing that.

Not because he was irritated.

But because he no longer had a choice.

I knew it.

There’s no way she’ll miss an opportunity like this to investigate me.

If I go outside, she’ll definitely knock me unconscious from behind in order to investigate.

Then she’ll just say, 'It’s your fault for acting so suspicious, like you put a bomb or something inside your shirt.'

Katon shifted his position, making sure Monika couldn’t see his left arm.

"Alright, fine."

Then he took off his shirt.

Despite his preference for efficiency...

He was noticeably more physically fit than the average student.

But the thing that stood out the most...

Was the tattoo on his left arm—

The one he had made sure Monika Kagenou couldn’t see.

 The Pure Black Trident.

Monika glanced at him, then paused.

"...Hmm."

"I didn't expect someone who values efficiency so much to spend this much time working on his body."

Katon didn't react and finished putting on the cleaner shirt.

"It's precautionary, ma'am."

"After all, I don't know what might happen in the future. Like today"

Monika sighed signed a stop with her right hand.

"Okay, okay."

"You don't have to call me ma'am anymore."

"I'm only two years older than you, anyway."

Katon put on his new blue sports shoes.

"Then tell me..."

"What exactly do you want from an introvert like me, senior?"

Monika laughed after hearing a word from his mouth.

"Introvert?"

"You?"

She stood up, checking the time from her phone.

"You're the one who planned to break the principal's window."

"And you're the one who wrote that ridiculous note."

She walked closer, then stopped.

"You might be the most shameless person I've ever met."

So she knows it was me, not Kara.

 Well, that was expected.

Since i never tried to hide it.

He cleared his throat, starts explaining his theory.

"Being shameless and being introverted aren't mutually exclusive."

"As you already noticed, I still talk less than almost everyone in the class."

"And before I met Kara and Rurouni..."

"I usually sat quietly by myself."

"Those are perfectly valid traits of an introvert."

Monika gave him a clapping.

Then...

She grabbed the collar of his shirt and started dragging him.

"Alright."

"Mr. Shameless Introvert."

"It's time to go."

Katon was getting dragged toward the door.

But he didn't mind that, she it's efficient way of travel.

"But you still haven't told me what you want me to do."

Monika tightened her grip.

"I'll let you decide who your group members are for the winter annual project."

Katon stopped to think.

That's something beyond the authority of a normal teacher.

It requires a good relationship with the principal.

She managed to gain his trust within three weeks.

Impressive.

"Do you still want to know anything else?"

"No."

"It's pointless now."

She let him go.

So he began walking beside her.

"Let's go, ma'am."

Monika stopped, got a bit irritated.

She leaned toward his left ear.

"I distinctly remember telling you that you don't have to call me ma'am anymore."

She whispered,

"Do you have a death wish?"

Katon understood one of the biggest mysteries about her.

Hmm...

So that's why no male teacher had ever tried to approach her, despite everyone considering her the most beautiful teacher in the school.

He nodded thoughtfully.

"Looks like it'll take some time."

"Time for what?"

"For me to stop seeing you as my teacher."

Monika sighed and agreed with him.

"Yeah, for real."

"It takes time to start seeing someone as a completely different person."

Katon asked while thinking if he should drink coffee before going or not.

"By the way..."

"What should I call you?"

Monika smiled sweetly with her eyes closed.

"For today?"

"You can call me whatever you want."

"Honey."

"Darling."

"Whatever feels natural."

A great deal of confusion comes in Katon's mind.

Huh?

Wait a minute.

I don't remember doing anything to impress her.

So why?

"...I must say..."

"I didn't expect that answer."

"Especially while you're dragged me around like a dog a moment ago."

He paused, start doing what he should never do.

Trying to understand the words of a girl.

Wait a minute.

"Does that mean you like boy toys?"

"Is beating me up some kind of romance according to you?"

Silence, awkward silence.

Monika sighed, then stretched her ankles slightly.

Then...

She made Katon learn a very important lesson.

Some questions...

...should never be asked.

For the next three minutes...

Monika repeatedly punched him.

Not hard enough to make him unconscious.

Not soft enough to make it painless.

Just enough to make him regret every single word he'd said.

And the leader of KRI who managed to fool all the police and the other teachers...

...still couldn't figure out which part of his question had offended her the most.