Sakano Academy? Ito Makoto?
Long-buried memories resurfaced, and Kawashima Toya's expression turned odd.
"Apply as a teacher? And investigate the cause of Ito Makoto's death?"
What is there to investigate? Everyone knows how it ends for him. He gets beheaded.
Despite his internal complaints, Toya accepted the quest. No one in their right mind would turn down ten thousand Origin Points.
That same day, Toya returned to the Trash Fox Detective Agency. He handed over the current commissions to Hanazono Yurine and made a hasty departure for Sakano City.
Tohru and Nyaruko were clingy, their eyes filled with reluctance, but Toya refused to let them tag along. He needed them to keep an eye on things at home.
Two hours later, Toya arrived at Sakano Academy.
It was a prestigious school, well-equipped with modern facilities. Toya went straight to the dean's office and presented an impeccable resume he had purchased from the system.
The balding dean scanned the papers, nodding with approval.
"This is an impressive background. However, being a teacher requires more than just a good resume. We need to see your practical knowledge. Why don't you sit for a few of our qualifying exams?"
.....
Infirmary
By that afternoon, Toya was officially the school's new health teacher. He was dressed in a white lab coat, looking every bit the refined professional.
With his height and balanced build, he looked more like a legitimate doctor than a mere school nurse. Unless a specialist started grilling him on complex medical theories, no one would ever suspect he was just a substitute.
Toya leaned against the windowsill, watching the students on the athletic field. He let out a dry laugh.
"What kind of luck is this? I passed every test with perfect scores, and they stick me in the infirmary?"
The exams that morning had taken him barely thirty minutes to breeze through. Yet, when the assignments were handed out, this was where he ended up.
Can anyone actually survive as the health teacher at Sakano Academy?
This school was a notorious landmark in the anime world. The rooftop, the clubrooms, the infirmary... these were places where things usually spiraled out of control. And here he was, right in the center of one.
"Investigating Ito Makoto's death might have to wait," Toya muttered with a shrug.
Since the timeline seemed early, he wasn't in any rush. He'd let things unfold naturally.
"Excuse me... sensei?"
A soft, timid voice came from the doorway. Toya straightened up and looked over.
Standing there was a girl with long, jet-black hair that cascaded down her back like a silk waterfall. She had a delicate, porcelain face and a figure that was, quite frankly, distracting.
Katsura Kotonoha.
Toya recognized her immediately. In a school like this, only one girl possessed that specific combination of a staggering figure and an incredibly shy personality.
"Hello. Is something the matter?" Toya asked with a welcoming smile. "I'm the new health teacher, Kawashima Toya."
"Nice to meet you, sensei. I'm Katsura Kotonoha, from Class 1-4. I... I'm not feeling very well. May I rest here for a while?"
Kotonoha caught sight of Toya's handsome face and gentle smile, and a faint blush colored her cheeks. Being naturally introverted and sheltered, she had never really been treated so kindly by a man before.
Toya pointed toward one of the infirmary beds.
"Of course. Go ahead and take a seat. Do you need any specific medicine, or just some rest?"
"Thank you, sensei. I think I just need a moment of quiet," Kotonoha replied, keeping her head down.
She didn't dare look at him directly. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was afraid he might hear it. There was something about Toya's refined, approachable aura that made it hard for her to stay composed.
"Rest well then. If you need anything, just call out," Toya said softly before returning to his desk.
He knew Kotonoha was a central figure in the tragedy of this world. Her involvement was likely a key factor in the investigation, but he decided to be cautious. She was fragile; pushing too hard would only scare her off.
The room fell into silence. Toya pulled out his phone to kill time with a game. Across the room, Kotonoha lay on the bed, her heart still racing. She found herself stealing glances at Toya. He felt warm and approachable. Just being in the same room as him made the unpleasant memories of being bullied feel a world away.
"Hey! Katsura! Where are you hiding?"
Suddenly, a sharp, arrogant voice shattered the peace of the infirmary. Soon, three girls with flashy outfits and heavy makeup marched into the room as if they owned it.
"Is there something you girls need?" Toya asked, setting his phone down. His tone was neutral but firm.
Obuchi Minami, Koizumi Natsumi, and Mori Kumi stopped in their tracks. Seeing a man in a lab coat instead of a helpless student, they faltered.
"Oh... sensei. We were just checking to see if Katsura-san was hurt," Obuchi stammered, offering a fake smile.
"Is that right?" Toya's gaze swept over the three delinquents before landing on Kotonoha. "Katsura-san, your classmates are here to visit you."
"Ah..." Kotonoha looked up, catching the threatening glares from the three girls. She quickly looked away. "Thank you for coming, but I'm fine."
"Well, that's good to hear! Since you're fine, we'll get going now."
With a teacher present, the bullies didn't dare do anything. They scurried out of the room as fast as they could. As they walked down the hallway, their hushed whispers still drifted back into the room.
"Wow, did you see the new nurse?"
"He's so handsome! That refined look, that voice... it felt like he was whispering directly to me."
"I wonder if he has a girlfriend. I'd definitely sign up to be next."
Toya ignored them. Even if he were looking for a girlfriend, he wouldn't waste his time on girls like that. Meanwhile, Kotonoha was bright red. The way those girls talked about him was far too bold for her ears.
After resting for another ten minutes, Kotonoha stood up to leave. Toya gave her a polite nod but didn't push for further conversation.
It looks like she hasn't met Ito Makoto yet.
If they hadn't crossed paths, then the tragedy hadn't truly begun.
Later that evening, Toya headed toward the Faculty Dormitory. On the way, he happened to cross paths with Kotonoha once again.