The obnoxious school bell rang once again. Loudly.

"Uwaa! Is that Haruna Mase!?"

"The actor? I heard she does her own stunts."

"That's amazing!"

"Move over!" "Let me see!" "Go find your own window!"

The girl sauntered on campus as if she wasn't a mass celebrity. Although most of the girls of the school easily outmatched her in size, both in height, and in… other places, Haruna seemed to tower over them. A crowd thickened as she neared the school building, clearly headed for the main office. It was amazing how she slipped through them. It was like a katana cutting a falling cloth. The students hardly noticed she had passed them. A talent that came with the ease of a lot of practice, and from having a purpose.

Haruna. Mase. I'd heard that name before. Somewhere recently? Or a long time ago? Either way, it was time I got back to grading, and preparing for whatever plots my students would come up with tomorrow.

And so, I thought nothing of a celebrity visiting the school. Surely it had nothing to do with me. Until I heard a knock on my door. Then the name clicked. Just like the handle of my door clicked open.

"Kayano?" I had barely finished her name before I was on the ground. If I had been untrained I would have a huge bruise on my cheek and a dislocated jaw. And if I was unaware just who's arm was gently squeezing my neck with a classic chokehold I probably could have died. Then and there.

"Clumsy. If you can't even handle a surprise attack by little old me these days, how are you supposed to deal with your students?"

"True enough. I suppose emotional confusion is a weakness I should work to let go of."

A voice came from the open door. "No, keep it. Lose it and you might become like I was when you were in that class."

"Asano-Sensai," called someone from the next classroom, "I need your help with this problem. You see…"

"Asano!" Kayano began wrenching her neck around to see out the door.

"No the other one."

"Headmaster?"

"Well, I'll leave you two to your… fun." And with that he left to help the student, muttering something about young love.

Young love?

We looked at each other and realized that we had been lying side by side on ground that whole time. Her arm now casually draped around my neck, a suspicious red mark on my left cheek. In a split second we were on opposite sides of the room, the door closed, and both of us bowing to each other and frantically apologizing.

"Is this place private? Can I speak freely to you?" She asked when we had both calmed down.

"I can make it that way." I walked over to my teacher's desk. "Just a moment."

I reached into the top drawer and pulled out a handmade revolver. Each person in the class got one. They were presents from Gastro. "maybe one day you'll learn to love the taste like I do." He had said with his signature creepy smile and lick. "I'm opening a shooting range next month; I hope to see all of you there at least once or twice."

I had gone a few months ago. And I had asked him for some special modifications, which he insisted on doing for free. So no one heard, or figured out how, the bugs and listening devices in my room suddenly went quiet. Of course, I could have turned a couple off with just my hands but that would have taken time, and I didn't feel like tearing down the wall for that one the government was using. I definitely wasn't showing off. its just much cleaner to patch a hole before class tomorrow than the entire wall.

"First, what the hell is the headmaster doing here! I thought he would never be able to return to teaching."

"Actually, he's quite good about it all now, he's learned some basic ethics, and the students love him. It's all thanks to his first two students that he got back in the market. It seems somehow he just couldn't keep himself away."

"And second, how are you feeling?" So soft, that voice. The change in mood was palpable. What else could you expect from such a great actor.

"I'm doing well. Classes are, well, classes. I'm keeping Korosensei's methods alive the best I can. What about you?"

"Acting is great! I miss the freedom I had when I left the business for that class but, I love it. Its my life. Except for one thing."

"And what is that?" I asked cocking my head to one side.

"Umm." What's she so nervous about? It's not something with our lives on the line is it?

"About that kiss."

Oh no. Was she still angry about that? Why bring it up after all this time? Wasn't my apology enough? Had one of our classmate released those photos? Why hasn't she said anything. Is she going to finish her sentence? Had I ruined her…

"Let's do it again some time!"

Again?

She was gone.

And that smile was the first time I saw Kayano as a woman.

Besides That time.

Of course.