Greetings fellow reader, MasterW here!
I present to you a story I've been planning for a long time
Without any further to do, enjoy!
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One would think that after so many years, a woman would be accustomed to her own company.
She should be an expert by now.
Her youth was filled with solitude
Even in university, on those rare group outings, she'd always be the one tasked with starting the campfire and making the BBQ.
While she fumbled with fire, the couples would inevitably drift into their own little worlds, all whispering between themselves, lingering touches and some bold cases of extreme PDA
They might as well have been rubbing her face in it.
Call it a series of miscalculations.
Maybe she shouldn't have been so open about the family's money. It attracted the wrong kind of attention, the kind that looked at her and saw a banknote
So here she was, a little past her mid-twenties, single and… untouched. A fact that rankled enough to make weekends a blur of cheap whiskey and cigarette smoke.
So much for being the decorous lady she was taught to be in her youth
But then he showed up.
The new teacher arrived three months ago, right before the last term ended.
Fresh blood to replace the retiring old timer. And oh, what "Fresh" it was.
The moment Yoshioka Akira stepped into the staff room, he was a sight to her sore eyes.
Most of the colleagues were… well, old
She was one of the few exceptions.
But he was young, which immediately pricked her interest.
Then she saw his face properly, and it was a majestic sight
Platinum-white hair, cropped neatly just above his ears. Eyes the colour of deep crimson, sharp and intelligent behind a pair of simple glasses. And a tall, fit frame that his impeccably tailored buttoned shirts did nothing to hide.
Yoshioka Akira, he taught Literature
He was polite. But other than that, he didn't seem to be social enough as his appearance might suggest
With an appearance like that, he must've been one of the most popular kids in his school. But he behaves like the marginalized bullied kid that grew to be quiet and introvert
He moved quietly, not making a sound even when his shirt moved alongside his body. Something that actually scared her a couple of times after seeing stand behind her without she noticing.
Every time he talked to the other teacher he seemed to talk in a very polite way, not disregarding honorifics and formal speaking even after getting close to any of the male teacher
His classes where another topic altogether, he had a lot of knowledge, even recommending books around the faculty office for his colleagues to read. But in class, he seemed to have a knack for making his lectures interesting, making his students think deeply about the books the adds to Curriculum
Many students have approached having questions about his lectures, and he replies cordially as always.
In a manner of months, he had become one of the most popular teachers in the school. And yet he didn't seem to relish on his popularity
It was fascinating. And, frankly, infuriating.
She tried to draw him out, of course. To get him to open a little bit about his past.
It was her duty as a fellow (relatively) young faculty member
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"So, Yoshioka-san, where did you teach before gracing Soubu High with your presence?"
He looked up from a stack of essays, those red eyes turning to her. She know notices how mesmerizing his eyes are
"Well, this is actually the first time I am teaching" he said, his voice a low baritone that seemed to vibrate on her ear. It was a voice that belonged on a recording room for some Seiyuu. "I am quite new to this matter of teaching, so I apologize if I seem to be quite shortcoming"
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'Shortcoming? He is know the most popular teacher in school and he thinks he has shortcomings?!' she wanted to press. But the way he spoke make him sound quite humble (And attractive) so she decided to let it go
Another time, she'd been battling a stubborn lid on a jar of instant coffee. Before she could muster her strength for another attempt, his hand was there.
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"Allow me."
He didn't strain. His fingers simply turned, and the lid gave way with a soft pop. The muscles in his exposed forearm didn't even tense. He handed it back to her, she received it and stared at it for a couple of seconds
"Thank you," she'd said, her voice slightly breathless. "You're… very strong."
He'd blinked, then looked at the jar "Oh. It was just stuck in a particular way."
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The excuse was so flimsy it was almost an insult. The jar had been fighting her for five minutes.
It was absolutely captivating.
No wonder many of the other female teacher are aiming for him.
He was a puzzle wrapped in an enigma, dressed in an impeccably tailored shirt
He is quite private in his life, not joining the get together most teacher do for the weekends after a extensive school-week.
Which actually just added to his mystery
And, what girl doesn't like a mystery man?
And Hiratsuka Shizuka, fuelled by cheap whiskey and a desperate longing to finally stop being single (Not that she needed it of course, she was fine by herself, totally not coping) had decided she was going to solve him
Her plan started simply: ask him out for a drink after work.
A normal thing colleagues did. A perfectly way to start
She waited for a Saturday, practicing her lines. 'The work week is over. Care to join me for a drink, Yoshioka-sensei? I know a place' Simple and right to the point
She found him at his desk, reading a book on his desk. A stack of homework paper all graded and done right beside him. From the side, the afternoon sun caught his crimson eyes, making them glow for a moment.
'Damn, why does he have to look so handsome even when doing nothing?'
He must have felt her stare.
He turned with the mild-mannered tone he always uses "Hiratsuka-sensei. Did you need something?"
Did she mention that he talks in a very formal way that makes his word sound more attractive?
Damn those bishounens, they really know how to hit hard
Shizuka took a breath, her heart hammering against her ribs.
This was it. You got this
"Yoshioka-san" She began, her voice thankfully steady. "The week is over. Care to join me for a drink? I know a place."
For the first time since she'd met him, his expression seemed to change. A hint of thoughtfulness
She knows, he must have been invited out a hundred times before, a man with an appearance like that would have been picked up a lot of times by mixer groups, she knows for sure he was invited a couple of times for mixer the single male teachers organize
The look lasted only a fraction of a second. And then he turned to her.
"A drink?" he repeated. He glanced at the essays on his desk, then back out the window at the setting sun. Finally, a small, almost imperceptible nod. "Very well. Thank you, Hiratsuka-san."
It felt like a monumental victory for her.
First the date, then she can maybe go even further,
Like...holding hands!!
She got a date with the handsome guy, point for Shizuka
"Great!" She said, perhaps a little too brightly. She coughed and then corrected her tone, trying to sound less desperate "I know just the place. It's quiet. Good for talking."
"I would expect nothing less" Akira said, standing and picking up his bag
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The dynamic shifted the moment they left the school gates. Walking beside him was a novel experience.
She saw the double-takes from women of all ages, their eyes widening as they tracked his progress down the street.
The appreciative glances at his sharp profile. His white-platinum hair, his crimson eyes.
It wasn't a common appearance, and added to his height, that seemed to be a full head taller than her, it attracted a lot of attention to him.
Yet, he seemed utterly oblivious, his gaze fixed ahead.
Shizuka, however, was acutely aware of the second wave of looks.
Curious stares, assessing glances that sized her up, and thinly veiled envy from a pair of office ladies. A flash of heat went through her. Irritating, but also… satisfying.
They were jealous, of her….
'I am winning'
Of course, in the jungle of adult social life, presenting the most attractive specimen as your companion was a sign of superiority.
It sounded like something Hachiman would say
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The bar was a simple place with the colour of dark wood and soft light above. The few patrons looked up. An alone woman paused with her drink halfway to her lips.
The owner, an old man who had seen her through many frustrated evenings, gave her a slow, deliberate nod, his eyes flicking to her companion with open curiosity.
She has never brought a man her after all, and her bringing one so handsome, of course the old man would be curious as to who his companion is
'Yeah' she thought 'This is a date. Or I hope it is'
They took seats at the counter
"Whiskey on the rocks" Shizuka said.
Akira offered the owner a small, apologetic gesture "Just hot green tea for me, please. Thank you." His tone was final
The owner nodded.
Shizuka felt a flicker of surprise, but also some doubt, on herself 'So he doesn't want to drink alcohol right now, or just doesn't want to drink me'
Noting her insecurity, he replied "Do not take it seriously, Hiratsuka-san. I do not drink alcohol. The taste is not for me, so I try to avoid as much as I can, I hope I did not offend you"
Hearing him, she nodded "I see, thank you for explaining, I was thinking you just didn't want to drink with me" Then added "Don't worry, even if you get drunk, I would not take advantage of you, I'm a lady after all"
"Would it not be the contrary"
"Ha" She released a snort "If anyone tries to take advantage of me while drunk I'll make sure their face has a meeting with my fist" She said as she clenched her fist
Then, she released how aggressive that sounded, and before she could take back her statement, Akira hummed
"I pity those that would try"
Seeing that he was following her game, she continued "You shouldn't, if they deserve to be punched by me then they are assholes anyway"
Akira nodded as well.
She considered it a win, seeing that he wasn't put off by her aggressive personality
Her whiskey and his tea arrived.
Steam curled from the porcelain cup in front of him.
He didn't immediately reach for it, instead observing the tendrils of vapour
Shizuka took a fortifying sip. Ready to start this challenging mission "So" She began, leaning an elbow on the bar, trying to look as assertive as possible "What brought you to Soubu High?"
He turned from his cup to her "I was looking for a place that was that away from a city, but I also didn't want a place in Tokyo, so I took to Chiba after finishing my studies, then the position opened right on time, so I would guess it was merely causality that brought me here"
"How about college, where you any good?"
"You could say that"
"So no wild college stories? No drunken nights, no regrettable tattoos, no exes showing up at your door with a baby and a baseball bat?"
He finally lifted the cup, cradling it in both hands feeling the warmth of the cup in his hands. "No tattoos. No babies. No baseball bats." A pause. "And no exes who would qualify for that particular scenario"
Shizuka let out a short, surprised laugh.
"Wow. You really are boring, Yoshioka-san"
"I apologize if my life seems boring to you, Hiratsuka-san"
"Oh shoot, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound like that!" She quickly apologize
"I do not mind, I know it was just in jest" He said "How about you? Do you have any of the aforementioned?"
Shizuka paused with her glass halfway to her lips again, caught off-guard by the sudden reversal. The whiskey caught the light and threw amber flecks across her cheekbones.
She set the glass down slowly, buying a second to think.
"Me?" She let out a small, self-deprecating huff. "God, where do I even start?"
Akira waited, patient, quiet, the steam from his tea still curling between them like a thin veil.
She leaned back on the stool, crossing one leg over the other, boot tapping lightly against the wood.
"Okay. Tattoos, not a single one. It would be a very bad example for a teacher to have a tattoo, even if hidden, don't you think?" She flashed a crooked grin. "Drunken nights, too many to count. Most of them end with me waking up on my couch still wearing yesterday's clothes and a headache that could kill a lesser woman. Regrettable decisions? Plenty. I once tried to teach a first-year class while still drunk from the night before after another birthday alone. Never again"
She took a slower sip this time, letting the burn of the alcohol go through her throat
"Exes…" Her voice dipped, just a fraction. "A few. Nothing dramatic enough to remember, thank god. But there was this one guy, architecture student, thought he was God's gift. Turned out he was just really good at borrowing money. Last I heard he's designing luxury toilets in Osaka or something. Good riddance. And like him, many tried to do the same until I caught up on their game. Then I decided to stop dating in college, never went further than a couple of date with most of them, never getting intimate, those who forcibly tried ended up neutered via a kick in the nuts"
Akira listened without interrupting, crimson eyes steady on her face. Not a single hint of judgement or pity
She appreciated it, at least
"So yeah. I've got baggage. Bad habits, like smoking and drinking. A mouth that gets me in trouble more often than it gets me out"
She met his gaze again, direct this time. No teasing.
"You're not running yet. That's new" She leaned back "By this point, most men seeing that I'm not an easy target would ask for the check and leave"
Akira set his cup down. The porcelain clicked softly against the bar
"Seeing as I did not see you as a "Target" since the beginning of this reunion, I would believe I am safe in that regard. Besides, running from this type of company would prove to be quite cowardly"
Her heart did that stupid thud again.
She covered it by reaching for her glass, but her fingers hesitated.
"Careful, Yoshioka-san. That almost sounded like a compliment"
"It was."
Shizuka laughed, real this time, low and a little surprised.
"You're dangerous when you talk, you know that?" She took a sip of her drink, which was refilled by the owner "And someone with your kind of face, I bet you have many women aiming for you pants"
Maybe it was thanks to the alcohol in her system, but she felt like going bold with him
"Seriously though," she continued, voice dropping into that low, conspiratorial register she usually saved for late-night staff-room rants. "A face like yours? Quiet, mysterious, built with those muscles under your shirt… I'm surprised there isn't a queue outside your apartment every weekend. Or maybe there is, and you're just too polite to mention it."
Akira regarded her steadily over the rim of his cup. The steam had mostly dissipated now, leaving only the faintest warmth rising between them. He set the porcelain and turned his body slightly toward her, giving her his full attention in that unnerving way of his.
"There is not" He said simply, yet his voice seemed slightly on edge
She decided she went too bold, and opted by just drink from her cup, stopping from making any more comments that might end up with her alone in the place.
"I usually tend to have a more quiet life, yet if the company is good, I could make exceptions sometimes"
Yet, it seemed like she managed to get close to the fellow teacher, more than she expected