Chapter 22: The Teacher's Decision
It started with a phone call.
Aika answered first, pressing the phone to her ear with a look of confusion. Then she handed it to Riven without a word.
"Haruto," Ms. Haraguchi's voice was sharp and formal. "I'd like to meet both of you after today's lecture. It concerns your situation."
Aika looked uneasy. Riven only nodded.
They met her in a quiet corner of the university café, long after the halls had emptied. Ms. Haraguchi sat with her back straight, fingers folded neatly over a notebook. She wore a grey blazer over a simple blouse, her long black hair tied back in a low, precise bun. Her lipstick was muted. Her perfume was faint.
She didn't waste time.
> "You've been staying at her apartment for nearly a week."
Riven frowned. "Is that a problem?"
> "Yes," she replied, eyes narrowing. "It's inappropriate. A male student cohabiting with a female student, regardless of relationship status, is against policy. And potentially illegal, depending on her lease."
Aika's voice was calm but firm. "He has nowhere else to go. His home life is complicated—"
> "Which is why I'm offering a temporary solution."
She took a sip of her tea.
> "Haruto. You'll come with me."
Riven blinked. "Excuse me?"
> "I live alone. My apartment is a ten-minute walk from campus. I have a spare bedroom and enough space. You'll have privacy and safety, and it'll remove the liability from both of you."
Aika looked stunned. "You can't be serious."
> "I'm not asking," Ms. Haraguchi said. "I'm giving him an option before the university gets involved officially. You're both adults—but under university guardianship, your actions reflect on us."
Aika stood up, fists clenched.
Riven remained seated, quiet.
Because deep down, he knew what this was.
Control.
Not malice. Not cruelty. Just quiet control.
---
Later That Night
Aika helped him pack.
She didn't cry—but her silence said more than tears.
> "You don't have to go if you don't want to," she said.
> "I know."
But he went anyway.
Because resistance would make things worse—for Aika more than himself.
He hugged her before leaving, their bodies pressed close, her breath warm against his neck.
> "Call me every night," she whispered. "And come back as soon as you can."
He promised.
Then he followed Ms. Haraguchi into the night.
---
The Teacher's Apartment
It was smaller than he expected.
Minimalist. Books lined the walls. The air smelled like sandalwood and old paper.
Ms. Haraguchi handed him a key.
> "You'll sleep here. Spare bed. Closet's empty."
Her tone was still clipped. But there was a weariness behind her eyes now—a shadow of exhaustion he hadn't noticed before.
> "Why are you really doing this?" he asked.
She didn't answer right away.
Instead, she sat by the window, removing her heels with slow precision.
> "You're not the first student I've seen fall through the cracks," she said finally. "And maybe I was hoping to catch one before he disappeared entirely."
Her gaze met his.
> "That's all. For now."
Then she stood and left him alone.
---
Nightfall
Riven lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The apartment was quiet—too quiet. No Aika in the kitchen. No warmth of shared space.
Just books and walls.
He wasn't sure what this arrangement meant.
But he knew one thing:
He was being watched.
Not out of lust.
Not out of care.
Out of curiosity.
And maybe something more dangerous.