a/n: just a cute gakushuu x reader comfort oneshot. there is no intention to make this a student-teacher relationship fic, but reader is 18 and in highschool.

if you've been consuming my content for a while now: hello! it feels nice to be finally writing again. thank you for sticking around. a full explanation on my sudden disappearance will be posted soon, i promise. <3 for now, just enjoy this short one shot i whipped up at 1 in the morning. hope this can at least cheer up anyone who's been going through a difficult time recently.

summary: teacher! gakushuu x student! female! reader, bad grades comfort, breakdown, au, gakushuu is very much ooc in this but its okay because he is now mentally stable <3

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You weren't sure when your strict, 'clearly too good to only be an educator' teacher became your go-to person for support... but you were glad he was the one.

You recalled how you almost went into full panic mode when Asano gave your class a sudden quiz on the first day of Highschool. Seeing that your scores in the entrance exams were in the top percentile of the cohort, he claimed that he did so to 'challenge' the lot of you, and continued to dish out random pop quizzes for the next three years. It reached a point where your classmates tried to figure out his patterns, and even calculating the possibilities of him giving his tests on specific days.

Worst part? He was capable of returning these devil-like papers the following day, each individual script coming back with remarks written at the front of the page. It was the same for major school examinations as well. Some were mood lifting praises, while others were...

'See me after school.'

Terrifying.

You sunk into your chair, with the recently returned mid-year papers trapped in your grip. Your heart sank when you first saw the number of crosses you've gotten on the tests during the exam review. Yet, before you knew it, rage had overtaken you after realising a few careless mistakes had cost you over twenty marks in your mathematics exam.

Your grasp on your papers tightened as the familiar feeling engulfed you once more, followed by the constant reminder that you didn't live up to expectations. Expectations you had set for yourself, and expectations set by the people around you. You hated the stares you got when the results were out. You hated how

Every. Single. One.

Of your classmates were secretly gossiping about you behind your back, wondering if you even cared about your studies at all.

And to say you were pissed was an understatement.

You knew you had studied hard for the mid-years. You knew you studied harder than anyone else for this fucking exam. While the rest were having a good night's rest a day before the tests, you were busy mugging away, trying to cram in as much content as you could into your already maxed out head.

It was unfair that your efforts barely paid off. It was unfair that there were some people who could go into the exam room with a 'wing it' attitude and actually ace it with ease. They were lazy, but incredibly intelligent. Why couldn't you be born that way? Was failing Mathematics, Japanese and Science for half a year worth the all nighters you pulled?

What? You were exhausted? Please, your body and mind felt like you went to hell and back.

Hot tears started to spill, dampening your already crumpled papers. Setting the horrid answer scripts on the desk, you buried your face into your hands as muffled sobs came out. Crying in school wasn't ideal, yet it seemed to be the best course of action at that point of time. You had no friends to go to, and you definitely couldn't bare to face your parents.

For once, you just wished for someone to talk to. Someone who you trusted, someone who would acknowledge your efforts and hard work.

"(L/N)?" A familiar voice called out.

'Shit. Mr Asano?!'

With haste, you wiped away the tears streaming down your face. His eyes widened slightly, surprised to see you still in school. Though what further shocked him was the state you were in.

His gaze then shot to the tear stained papers on your desk, his red inked comments clearly visible on the first page.

Before you could even look at your teacher in the eye, you gathered your stuff and immediately stood up, ready to dash out of the empty classroom.

"Stop."

You stiffened up, intimidated by the stern tone.

"Are you rushing for home?"

With your back facing him, you shook your head. You couldn't lie to him. He would be able to see through you immediately. Yes, you wanted to get your crying ass out of the room, but the male's dominating presence said otherwise. What did he want? Was he here to scold you like all the other teachers did? Asano had lectured you on your grades before (just a few hours ago, in fact), but he had never yelled at you the same way he did to the usual troublemakers.

You felt his eyes glued to the back of your skull, as you desperately attempted to hold back your sobs. Maybe staying in school was a bad idea. You should've went home when you had the chance. What were you thinking-

"Look at me when I'm speaking to you, (L/N)."

You jumped a little at the sudden command, yet obeyed. Turning to face the older man, you looked at him with watery eyes. Mumbling an almost inaudible "Sorry", you tried to crack a smile to show him you were alright.

If we're being completely honest, Asano hated seeing his students in such a state. (But of course, he wouldn't dare to admit it) The most he had done whenever a situation like this occurred was provide a few words of encouragement, always telling them to persevere through and never give up.

Asano let out a sigh before pinching the bridge of his nose. He was tired. "Go wash up and meet me back here. I'll go get you something to drink, alright? From the looks of it, I don't think you're mentally stable enough to go home right now." He offered, and you nodded.

After your trip to the nearby bathroom, you went back as you were told. Upon entering, you saw that Asano had already pulled out a chair and sat next to your desk. Although feeling a tad bit awkward, you still quietly made your way to your seat. The male then passed you the can of soda he had just helped to open.

"Thank you." You managed to croak out. Holding the drink with both hands, you took large gulps of the fizzy drink. Clearly, your throat felt dry after all the crying.

The classroom was dimly lit, with the only source of light coming from the beautiful sunset in the distance. Beaming rays of sunlight shone through the freshly wiped down windows, illuminating the oh so gloomy area.

You gazed at the scenery before you, admiring the mix of warm colours that filled the once blue sky. The blend of pinks, oranges and yellows was an absolute treat to the eyes. Yet, you knew you weren't sitting there just to look at some sunset.

"I know you're a hard-worker."

You immediately shot your head to face the older man.

"If anything, you're one of the most- No. The most hardworking student in this class." He looked at you straight in the eye. There were no qualms about him faking such a statement, and nor was it a 'textbook' kind of reassurance. It really was directed to you, and you alone.

"But it seems that your results don't bear the fruits of your labour, now do they?"

Your heart sank. You couldn't believe your ears. Did he seriously want to make you bawl your eyes out again?

"I..." You were speechless. The only words which you managed to squeak out, was a dispirited:

"I'm sorry."

Asano softened at your disheartened self, a huge part of him wanting to slap himself for using the wrong choice or words. He knew he was never good at this stuff. He always gave it to his co-worker, Nagisa, to handle situations like this in his place. (Considering that he was your class' English teacher for the same duration Asano had been your mathematics.)

But when it came to you, he was sure he had to do something about it on his own.

"What I mean to say is–" He gently placed his hand on your shoulder, as a gesture of assurance. "You have great potential. I know you do." Tears began to well up once more as you continued to listen.

"Out of every snobby, prideful brat in this damned class, you are the only one who has drive. You are the only one who is able to swallow every hardship being thrown at you. You are the only one who doesn't give up when the situation get tough. You are the only one who tries your best at every, single, aspect in school.

But you, are the only one who believes that relying on yourself is the only way to go. And that led to you losing confidence in your abilities."

"If you could overcome this minor setback of yours– with no doubt, you will succeed. If you would put your trust in me, I'll do my utmost best to help you improve. Be it for academics, or your inner conflicts. I promise."

With glistening eyes, a great sob escaped your lips as you crumbled before him. The stinging liquid starting to cascade down your cheeks. Your breathing became heavier by the second while your shoulders shook uncontrollably once more. Asano had dealt with a fair share of breakdowns throughout his teaching career, but this... This was more than heart wrenching.

"I...I worked so hard for this stupid exam! Mr Asano, I r-really did...!" You cried out between sobs. Your little gasps filled up the air, leaving a sharp, temporary pain in the strawberry blonde's chest. Asano had dealt with his fair share of breakdowns throughout his teaching career, but this... This was more than heart wrenching.

As if on instinct, a pair of muscular arms wrapped assuringly around your upper body. He pulled you close, one hand stroking your hair while the other gave you soft, gentle pats on the back. Should anyone walk in on your moment would be an issue he'd resolve at a later time. Right now, his main objective was to give you support— to ensure your security.

"(Y/N)," Asano begun. You continued to stay snuggled in his (surprisingly) warm embrace; more focussed on your crying rather than the sudden benignant gesture.

"I know you worked hard. But sometimes,"

Asano placed his hands firmly on your shoulders, forcing you to face him.

"You have to learn- Hey, hey," Your eyes started to shift to the side. "C'mon... Don't do that. Look at me." With two fingers, he softly tapped your chin, signalling you to turn your attention back to him.

"You have to learn to depend on others when you're at your maximum capacity. Trust me... I know that all too well." Confused, you tilted your head to the side, but had your thoughts cut off even before they began running in your mind.

"It's been hard for you. I understand. We can work together to help you plan a suitable schedule for consultation, or maybe even an effective study method that will fit your style." Asano reassured, retrieving his hands from your shoulders. "I won't let you struggle for the next few months on your own."

Suddenly, you felt a surge of confidence rush through your veins. After the recent exams, you had figured that all hope was lost. You accepted the fact that your future was going to be filled with misery, with the only possible solution was to rid yourself of this world.

But perhaps... you just needed someone to be there for you– Someone who had been rooting for you since the start. Today indicated a massive turning point on your life, and you couldn't be more than grateful to the person before you. With a steady voice, you said:

"Thank you, Mr Asano."
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hope you enjoyed this oneshot! this was all over the place but it felt good to be able to write about my favourite boy again

this book will just be a place for me to dump any gakushuu oneshots/scenarios i get the motivation to write about. i most likely won't be taking any requests unless they pique my interest.

in case you're wondering, my previous books havent been deleted, just unpublished! i still hold all of them really close to my heart but i'm still conflicted on whether i should republish them or not. if i do, my scenarios book will be the most probable candidate. i also won't be moving to any other platforms as i am most comfortable with the wattpad system. + posting on ao3 scares me because all the stuff there is just god tier lmao 

once again, a full explanation will be posted soon. thank you for sticking around even after all these months. i love you all <3