The echo of Akeno-sensei's footsteps faded down the corridor, leaving only the faint hum of the fluorescent lights.
I sat there for a moment, staring at the paper in my hand Locker No. 17-B.
Strange how something so ordinary could suddenly feel… personal.
I was about to get up when I noticed something.
On the corner of the desk where she had been writing earlier, there was a folded slip of paper.
Curiosity tugged at me. I knew I shouldn't, but before I could talk myself out of it, my fingers had already opened it.
The handwriting was elegant, almost artistic.
"Library. After classes."
No name. No context.
But my heartbeat kicked up anyway.
Classes dragged on painfully slow after that. Every time I glanced at her, she seemed her usual composed self explaining, writing on the board, addressing students. But there were moments… fleeting, almost imperceptible when her gaze flicked toward me.
By the time the final bell rang, the sky outside had turned a pale orange, and the hallways were nearly empty.
I walked toward the library, my footsteps echoing against the polished floor.
When I pushed open the door, the warm scent of old books washed over me. The place was nearly empty just a couple of students at the far corner. And there she was, by the tall windows, bathed in the dying sunlight.
"Renjiro-kun," she said softly, her voice almost blending with the quiet around us. "You came."
"I… wasn't sure if this was for me," I admitted. "The note,
She smiled faintly. "It was."
Then, lowering her voice, "I wanted to talk without… certain ears listening."
I frowned. "Certain ears?"
Her eyes flickered toward the hallway. "There are people here who… watch too closely. You're new. That makes you a target in ways you might not understand yet."
I couldn't tell if it was concern or something deeper in her tone.
"You don't have to worry about me," I said, trying to sound casual.
But then, she took a step closer close enough that I could see the tiny flecks of gold in her hazel eyes.
"Maybe I do, she murmured.
For a moment, the world outside the library didn't exist. Just her, the faint rustle of her hair, and the subtle warmth in her gaze.
But the spell broke when the library door creaked open.
The same male teacher from earlier stood there, his expression unreadable but his eyes lingered on us a second too long.
Akeno-sensei straightened instantly, her tone shifting back to professional.
"We'll continue this another time," she said, her voice low but firm.
As I left, I felt it the first thread of something dangerous pulling me in.
I wasn't sure if it was love, curiosity, or trouble… but I knew one thing:
I wasn't going to stay away.