CHAPTER 39

"Suzuki-sensei is?"

"No way. Really?"

"Yeah."

The whispers that consumed the classroom during study hall would usually be something I'd brush aside as background noise. But this time, it had snagged my attention. I picked up my face from my desk, sitting up properly and rubbing at my eyelids.

         "Good morning, princess." I recognized the voice as Yuji's. As I leaned back against my chair, Yuji from ahead of me had a silly smile slapped across his face. "Have you finally come to realize that you shouldn't be sleeping during class time?"

A yawn left my mouth. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

"And when exactly have you ever gotten enough sleep?" Hiro inquired from the right of me. He was working on some worksheets.

"That's an extremely good question," I murmured, dropping my face onto my folded arms. "I wish I could give you an answer."

"You should be taking better care of yourself," Yuji tsked. "How about if you end up collapsing one of these days?"

"Then I'll count on one of you guys to catch me," I replied. Yuji shared a defeated look with Hiro. I bit the inside of my cheek, considering the level of noise around me. "Why's the class so rowdy today?"

"They're just celebrating," Yuji said.

He picked up his school supplies and dropped them onto my desk. I waited for him to elaborate further, knitting my eyebrows together. Even as he worked on what I saw to be a crossword puzzle, nothing else came from him.

"And?" I pressed, slapping my hands over his page. "We're in school right now. What's so celebratory?"

         "Suzuki-sensei's leaving the school."

My facial features washed blank. My eyelids fluttered as Yuji nudged aside my hand, placing a finger to his chin as he stared down at the puzzle. I tilted my head towards Hiro who was calmly working as well. I blinked once. Twice.

Then I was lurching to my feet with a fallen jaw by the time my third blink ensued.

"That old hag?" I demanded. "'Leaving' as in she's no longer coming back to Seisein? As in, I'll never have to see her again?"

The students in my class had stopped their conversations to look at me but their bafflement was the least of my concern. The gears in my mind were turning in indefinite twists and turns.

"And she didn't tell me?" I went on, a huge smile growing across my face. "I'd have thrown her a huge goodbye party if I knew! Say, when is she leaving? Today? Tomorrow? Don't tell me she's already gone! I can't believe this! Woo-hoo!"

"Well, she's taking the news pretty well." Hiro deadpanned.

"And here I was ready to cheer her up," Yuji agreed.

A laugh pooled from my mouth as I fell back into my seat. All the sleepiness in me had been completed knocked aside.

"So she's leaving for real?" I went on. "I won't see her again, huh..."

The corners of my upturned mouth began to twitch.

"I won't see her again..."

Yuji blinked, popping his head forward. "Miyuki?"

"You alright?"

Both boys had seen right through me in a heartbeat, even before I myself could come to terms with the heaviness that had weighed down my chest.

"Why's she leaving?"

"Oh, before you get the wrong idea she's not leaving permanently." Yuji's response jolted me. "She's going on a... maternity leave, was it?"

Once again a bundle of confusion consumed me. "Maternity...? But isn't that supposed to be when you're pregnant?"

Yuji's expression fell just as perplexed as mine, as if in realization. His brows scrunched together as he turned to Hiro. "Wait, I said it because I remember you said it but..."

The look on Hiro's face was enough to tell he utterly finished with us. "She is pregnant, idiots."

As if struck by a bolt of lightning, Yuji and I recoiled in or seats, the backs of our chairs colliding with the window. Our faces must've been priceless because Hiro deadpanned.

"Hold on, did you two seriously not know that?"

"I-I mean when I saw her in the hall the other day I did notice she was looking a little rounder than usual," Yuji stammered, wide-eyed.

"Was she?" I pressed. "That old hag looked just as old and evil to me."

Pregnant? Suzuki-sensei was? Images of mini Suzuki-sensei's coming after me fluttered around in my head. I clutched at the fabric above heart, already feeling lightheaded. "Please tell me I'm dreaming..."

"You do realize this 'old hag' you speak of is only twenty-six, right?" Hiro sighed.

Yuji and I were once again gaping.

"I was so sure she was a good forty," Yuji snapped.

"I had my bets on fifty-five!" I bit my lower lip, my mind a mess. The hell? "Wait," I said once another thought hit me, "if she's leaving to produce one or two more Suzuki-sensei's, isn't that bad for our club?"

Yuji's brows rose high on his face. "Oh, you're right. We are screwed without a supervisor."

"We don't need to worry about that," Hiro sighed. "She's getting a temporary replacement. Meaning, until she gets back that substitute is going to be our supervising teacher."

Hiro continued on with his homework without bothering to address anymore of our surprise. The guy already had this all figured out. My lips met in a purse as I turned my gaze to an equally frazzled Yuji.

"I feel like I've been lied to this entire time."

          Yuji heaved a loud breath in agreement. He then turned to meet my eyes, a new set of conviction reflecting in them. "Just try to imagine one or two more Suzuki-sensei's running around."

          We paled in unison and gripped our arms to keep from shaking.

          "I can't, it's too scary," I whined.

          "You two seriously worry me," Hiro complained.

          I sighed, falling back in my seat appropriately. Yuji did the same, hesitating on his next words, "In other news, Kazu's finally back from his trip."

          "As we've all been notified," I responded. "He's been spamming that group chat of ours telling us how he got souvenirs to give us, remember? But he won't technically be attending school until tomorrow."

          "See, and while you people were getting all excited about those artificial sentiments, I actually did something important," Yuji went on.

          "Didn't he say he got him snacks?" I asked Hiro.

          He bobbed even without turning his head away from his work. "Since Yuji's a fatass and would rather prefer a gift that's edible."

          "I don't like wasting money on things that wouldn't benefit me or my belly in the long run," Yuji defended, lips curving downwards. "But back to the point," he said. "I took it upon myself to privately interrogate him about our findings from the beginning of the week."

          "The sweets?" I asked.

          He nodded. "And guess what? With an awkward laugh he literally said: 'I thought you guys weren't a fan of sweets.' Can you believe him?"

          My jaw fell a good distance, leaving Yuji to bob his head vehemently.

          "That guy's known about that beautiful stash for a good three months and he didn't tell us anything about it! So every single day he's been going around to different clubs and offering it to them. I thought Kazu was a better person than that."

          "That Wannabe's so heartless!" I agreed, my own lips tilting into a frown. "Not even to his own club mates but other clubs?"

          "It hurts," Yuji whined.

          Making a face, I bit the inside of my cheek. "That only leaves us one option then."

          Yuji, without even a word of inquiry, rose his head to hold my gaze. "We have to get to school before Kazu can and swipe it all."

          I extended my hand with a nod. "For the sweets."

          Yuji clasped his hand over mine. "Sweets."

          "You guys are way too simple..."

          Sourly, we turned to Hiro.

          "We're the ones feeling betrayed right now," I defended.

          "Yeah," Yuji chimed in. "Kazu's the one playing it dirty. Keeping all those delicious sweets away from us."

          "For three months too," I concurred.

          "And you're telling me you two actually buy that story?"

          Hiro's words halted Yuji and I in place. With matching frowns, we cocked a brow simultaneously. Hiro removed himself from his work, setting down his pencil and slouching in his seat.

          "I'm not saying he's lying," Hiro went on, reaching up to adjust his cap over his eyes. "But it is a bit fishy."

          Quiet fluttered over us but it was soon obstructed when the final bell rang. We all rose to our feet, gathering our supplies while the rowdy noise from the students behind us shifted from whispers to shouts.

          "Hiro, aren't you being a little too paranoid?" Yuji spoke up, throwing his water bottle into his bag. "I mean, Kazu lying to us? The guy can barely hide the truth without it showing on his face."

          I bobbed my head, gripping my bag straps in as much dubiousness as Yuji. "Yeah what about him is fishy exactly? I know you just want the sweets for yourself."

        "As if," Hiro scoffed, face scrunching up. "I don't like sweets, remember?"

        Yuji, impassive as he was, lowered his body to whisper to me. "He's bitter to the core."

        "No surprised there," I whispered back. The glare Hiro sent us—radiating immense malice, might I add—froze me on the spot. Unable to sport a nonchalant reaction like Yuji had, I instead swallowed hard and veered my gaze. It took a while to plaster on my kindest smile. "Don't worry, I don't hate you or your bitterness."

          Hiro evidently locked up. Turning the other cheek, he emitted a grunt and ambled towards the doors. Bewilderment coursed through me, opposite to Yuji's countenance that had shifted to one of displeasure. He turned to me, brown eyes gaining a soft glint.

          "You don't hate me either, right?"

          His inquiry somewhat startled me. "Why would I?"

        He didn't answer. He'd only broken out into the widest grin there was. "Just asking."

          I mimicked his smile. "Anyway, we should get to the clubroom already. Kouichi said he was going to help me organize my manga shelf—"

          "Um, Miyuki-chan!"

          All remaining students in the room darted their attention towards the front. The homeroom teacher of the next class had somehow made an appearance and was standing near the board. Her narrowed eyes scoured the now silent classroom until they landed on me.

          My heart skipped its next beat when she beckoned me forward. "Miyuki-chan, come with me."

   I had become the centre of attention in such a short amount of time. Disregarding the piercing stares of my classmates, with one final wave over her shoulder, my social studies teacher gestured for me to follow her before excusing herself.

          My heart rate quickened as I returned my attention back to Hiro and Yuji.

          "What'd you do this time?" Hiro asked.

   "Nothing," I mumbled, my stomach clenching with nerves. Besides sleeping or maybe even my grades, Takada-sensei never had to call me out like this before. But just in case... "If I don't make it back in time for clubs come save me."

          "Roger," Yuji said.

   Heaving a nervous breath, I secured my bag on my shoulder and manoeuvred my way around the desks. I hastened towards the doorway and when I finally made it outside, Takada-sensei was waiting in the middle of the hall. I awkwardly closed the door behind me and approached her.

         "You're wanted in the office," she told me.

         My mouth went dry. Eyes wide, I couldn't muster my voice for a good while. "Wait, can't we discuss my behaviour face-to-face? We don't need to get the principal involved!"

         I hadn't done anything that bad have I? In the past I might've argued otherwise, but at least now I'd believed I was doing better in this institution. Arguably because I was actually putting in an effort. Suzuki-sensei didn't even have anything worth lecturing my ear off these past couple months, so was it naive of me to believe reality was kinder than whatever this was shaping out to be?

         Regardless, if I had to get sent to the office—speak to the principal—Kyo would literally throw a fiercer Kamehameha than Goku and take me out before my parents came home from their work overseas!

         "—chan. Miyuki-chan!"

        I snapped out of my spiralling thoughts, blinking rapidly to rid me of my daze. Takada-sensei took hold of my arm, lips curved up in a gentle smile. Her sweet laugh worked to ease my insurmountable nerves.

        "Hold on, that's not it," she told me, carefully this time. "I think you're a marvellous student, Miyuki-chan; I would never voice a complaint to the principal, don't worry."

         As if doused in a bucket of water, relief consumed me. "Then..."

"I was just told to pass on the message," she said. She let go of my arm and reached to push strands of her curly blond hair from her eyes. "I'm not sure what exactly they'd like to talk to you about, so you're going to have to go to the office and find out, but do trust me when I say it isn't anything bad."

        Regardless of her words I could vividly see she was trying to fight back a raw sense of excitement. For what exactly, I had no idea. But if she said it wasn't going to be bad...

"Don't worry too much, alright?" she said one last time for reassurance, giving me one last grin. "You should hurry along then."

I sucked in a tentative breath and bobbed my head. With a wave, Takada-sensei turned on her heels and went down the hall towards the staff room. I swallowed down whatever nerves were remaining and moved my legs forward. I made it to the office in no time and after approaching the secretaries at the front desk, they both equally brightened upon my arrival.

          "Oh, they've been waiting for you," one giddily told me.

          The other waved me off. "Go on in. Hurry."

          I wasn't given much of a choice in that matter because I was being signalled down the hallway towards the principal's office. My heart rate spiked exponentially in my chest. I spared a glance behind me but those two secretaries were happily rambling as they made their way back to the main desk.

          My lips met in a purse. Okay... this really was weird. I was going to see the principal, right? Why was there so much excitement from them, and even Takada-sensei from earlier? And didn't they both mention 'they'? There was only one principal, so who else...

          I shook my head when I reached the doorway. If only my knowledge from my animes could help me now. But no. I was on my own. Ugh, I should've grabbed Hiro or Yuji. Now I was getting too freaked out.

          I rapped on the wood with my knuckles. I waited an agonizing moment before the door to the office swung open. The furious wind blew through my hair and skirt, my eyebrows raising upon my forehead.

          The beaming face of my school principal was waiting to greet me. Donned in a professional looking suit, Fujiwara-sensei seemed to be the happiest person alive to see that it was me. And to prove that, he elevated his hands and shouted loud enough to pop an eardrum, "Hoshino-san, you're here!"

          To say that I was gawking would be nothing less than the truth. I was stunned into silence. He twirled his arms in an action to welcome me inside—one I didn't quite take the offer until he personally gripped me by the shoulders and yanked me in.

          Apprehension seized me. Swallowing hard, I carefully stepped trough the threshold of the office. He shut the door behind us and boisterously laughed as he did. For a fifty-year-old man that was always the stone-cold persona during school-wide assemblies, he sure didn't give much thought when he skipped around the room like a ballerina.

         "Um, Fujiwara-sensei," I started, uneasily chewing on my lower lip, "what am I here for exactly?"

          "It's because I really wanted to meet with you."

          The booming voice steered my focus towards the principal's desk. Similar to the movies, the big office chair twirled around and sitting in the seat was a big, burly man. He had blond hair, sleeked back with a few strands of grey interspersed here and there. His eyes were a pale blue as well, eyelids surrounding them crinkling as the smile on his face broadened. But the warmth radiating from this man's face was the least of my concern; in fact, my focus was more directed towards the huge bag of sweets he carried his arms. Primarily, the handful of caramel squares he'd just tossed into his mouth.

          Never in my life had I witnessed such an old looking man eat more than a couple bites of candy, let alone as much as he had in his possession. His entire bag was full of the stuff, and so was his mouth.

          I realized I was staring when this old man erupted into a loud laugh. My body stiffened as he flashed me a pearly smile—not a dent or cavity in sight. "I apologize for my roundabout way, Hoshino-san, so you'll have to forgive me." His voice had a husky drawl as he extended out his bag over the table. "Have some candy won't you?"

          Fujiwara-sensei's beady eyes urged me to take some but no matter how much of a sweet tooth I had, the predicament this situation had swerved into was enough for me to hold my ground.

          "I'm fine, thanks," I told him.

          "Is that so?" he said. Another chuckle poured from his mouth as he popped open a wrapper to a lollipop and slipped it into his mouth. His mouth stretched back in satisfaction. "Yum, watermelon's always been a favourite of mine."

          I furrowed my eyebrows together, wary as he picked himself up from the chair. He held onto his haul of candy as he made his way around the desk, over towards the principal. He extended his bag.

          "Candy?"

          Fujiwara-sensei's optimism hadn't dwindled the slightest as he gratefully reached to grab a piece. "Thank you, sir."

          Sir...? Did this weirdo have higher status than the principal? But the only people that could were...

           The man produced an airy laugh as he sauntered towards me, head tilted forward a bit. "Hoshino Miyuki-san, correct?"

          All at once, I went on guard. But this man had gone and gained an edge in his voice that was no longer nonchalant.

          "See, I've heard a lot about you and a certain club," he went on, lips twisted high. "It's really caught my interest."

          I couldn't muster my voice. Someone from the school board? Why would someone from the school board be interested in me; the Humanity Club? And why were Takada-sensei and those secretaries—even the principal of this academy—in such high spirits about it? This obviously couldn't mean anything good...

          "Oops, where have my manners gone. I haven't introduced myself yet, have I?" He held out his large hand for mine. "I'm Hayashi Taisuke, the superintendent of this academy as well as the President of Hayashi Enterprise."

          All the blood in my body had been replaced with ice as he laughed.

          "But you may know me better as Kazuya's father."