Chapter 7 – Final Farewell
"It's just grades. I can tutor you—no need to worry so much. As for the scholarship, I'll talk to the teachers about it."
All Kazama Sakura had told the boy was that her grades were slipping and her scholarship was in danger.
There were things she chose not to say.
Like her family situation.
Like the ambiguous and unsettling signals from Yamazaki Jihei.
She kept her home life to herself, out of pride. She didn't want Yuzuki Gen to see her as someone from a broken or pitiful background. And she especially didn't want his sympathy—she wasn't looking for pity or kindness that came from guilt. That kind of attention wasn't what she wanted.
As for Yamazaki Jihei, she worried that if Gen found out, his hotheadedness would lead him to do something reckless.
And given how complex Yamazaki Jihei's background was, Gen would almost certainly be the one to suffer.
She was already trapped in this whirlpool—how could she drag him down with her?
If it came down to it, she would rather leave this school behind than compromise herself or fall any deeper.
But then Gen's easygoing reply made her freeze.
He could help with studies—his academic record certainly proved that.
But what could he possibly say to Yamazaki Jihei?
If anything, confronting that man might just redirect the storm toward himself.
She couldn't let him get dragged into this!
"Wait—what are you planning to say to him? I'll handle this myself."
Sakura's voice rose with urgency.
Her eyes, tinged with redness, locked onto the boy's face.
But Gen only smiled, as calm as ever. "And what exactly are you going to do? You're just a second-year student."
"You're one too, aren't you?"
Sakura shot back.
Gen paused, slightly caught off guard. "…Huh, right. I almost forgot."
That carefree tone of his was only making her more anxious!
Before she could say anything else, he gave a light nod.
"Well then, I'll go have a quick word with Mr. Yamazaki. I get the feeling he'd love to chat with me."
"Eh? Wait—listen to me!"
But Gen was already walking off. Sakura couldn't stop him.
That boy who usually looked so lazy, as if nothing in the world could rouse his interest—not even his smiles ever seemed genuine—
And yet, in that moment, there was a kind of rawness about him. A clarity.
As she watched his back move toward that dreaded office, Sakura couldn't help but think:
He feels like a safe harbor. Warm. Reliable.
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Creak—
Gen pushed the door open and walked right in.
Yamazaki Jihei nearly jumped out of his seat—he had a lit cigarette in hand. Smoking was strictly prohibited on school grounds, for both students and staff. But he knew full well: no one was going to punish him over something like this.
He just made sure not to flaunt it too blatantly.
Seeing that it wasn't another teacher, but just Yuzuki Gen, made him visibly relax.
Only for a wave of irritation to rise right after.
And no, it wasn't that kind of reaction. Sure, the boy was handsome—he'd probably look great in a dress. But Yamazaki wasn't interested in that today.
"Has no one taught you to knock before entering a teacher's office?"
Yamazaki snapped, his face darkening.
Gen smiled in a way that made the older man feel inexplicably uneasy.
"You sure look relaxed, Mr. Yamazaki. After pressuring a high school girl to the brink, you're just sitting here, smoking away. Does that give you some kind of thrill?"
There was something in Gen's tone that set Yamazaki on edge.
And it annoyed him.
Yes, the kid had good grades. But so what? He didn't need his academic praise or his shining record to boost his own reputation. He wasn't exactly short on cash either.
"Is this how you talk to your homeroom teacher? Do you even see me as an authority figure?"
Gen chuckled.
"In a school full of teenagers—many of them girls—Mr. Yamazaki, you dress… rather extravagantly. I doubt you're doing it to impress the female faculty."
"…What's that supposed to mean?"
Yamazaki's expression turned cold.
A thought struck him.
Did Kazama Sakura tell him something?
Tch. Young love. So naive. So pure. They tell each other everything.
But so what if she did?
In the end, all it meant was that they'd sink together.
And besides, he was confident he hadn't left behind any evidence.
Yuzuki Gen's voice turned cold.
"You know exactly what I mean, Mr. Yamazaki. You spoke to Kazama earlier, didn't you? I'm sure there were more than a few implications in that little conversation."
Yamazaki Jihei let out a low chuckle—mocking and dismissive.
Should've turned on the voice recorder, huh? What a childish move.
He looked up at Gen and said coolly,
"I have no idea what you're talking about. I only did what any responsible homeroom teacher would do—check in on a student whose grades are slipping. I don't know what's made you so biased against me, Yuzuki. Or... could it be that you have feelings for Kazama? Maybe you're the reason his grades have tanked."
Yuzuki Gen slowly pulled his hand from his pocket—along with his phone.
"Don't bother looking—I didn't record anything. And you can drop the sanctimonious act."
Yamazaki's face flushed.
For a brief second, he felt something unnerving—like this eighteen-year-old boy could see right through him. The shame of it, of being pierced through so easily by someone so much younger, made him seethe. He couldn't accept it.
SLAM!
His palm hit the desk.
He glared at Gen, eyes icy.
"Don't think just because you're one of the top three in the year you can go around slandering your teacher however you like! With that kind of attitude, I could easily have your scholarship revoked. I could pull all your financial aid. What do you think you are, huh?"
He already knew plenty about Yuzuki Gen.
A scholarship student. Top scores. But an orphan. No connections. No background.
Just some mongrel out of a group home trying to play the hero. What, does he think this is an anime?
But Gen showed none of the fear or regret Yamazaki was hoping to see.
Only a chilling indifference.
"You don't have any proof of misconduct. And based on my academic standing, the school won't approve any of the actions you're threatening. You can't touch me."
Yamazaki laughed.
He rose from his seat and strolled toward Gen.
The boy met his gaze, unmoving, unblinking.
Yamazaki leaned in, lips near his ear, and whispered:
"Then tell me... what can you do? You're just a piece of trash from an orphanage—no parents, no family, no future. Do you really think grades alone will change your life? You can barely stand straight, and you think you're going to save someone else?"
He jabbed Gen in the chest with a finger—hard, deliberate.
Then spoke slowly, enjoying every word.
"As your teacher, let me give you a final lesson. In the real world—the adult world—if you don't have power or money, you are nothing. You're just garbage with good test scores. Even if I gave you ten lifetimes, you still wouldn't make it out."
Yamazaki stepped back slowly, reclaiming his chair like it was a throne.
Then looked back at the emotionless boy with a smug smirk.
"Anything else? If not, Mr. Yuzuki, you may leave."
Gen thought for a moment, then looked directly at him.
"You said I can't do anything. But honestly... I think switching homeroom teachers would solve a lot of problems."
"What did you just say? Switch teachers?" Yamazaki burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Go ahead, try it!"
It was the most he'd laughed in years.
But Gen smiled too.
"Mr. Yamazaki."
"Oh? Got another joke, do you?"
"Goodbye."
With that, Yuzuki Gen turned and walked out of the office.
Yamazaki froze.
That goodbye—it wasn't the usual kind.
It carried the weight of finality. Of something permanent.
A farewell... or a warning?
Maybe I should be a little more careful around that boy. At that age, boys are easy to rile up. Especially when it comes to girls.
Hot-blooded. Impulsive.
Naive... and stupid.
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A/N: Hey hey hey, anyone out there? Drop a Like or Comment if you're still alive!