Chapter 3
Akane was relieved of being given a second chance in the interview. The principal was very generous to give her that chance and she was glad she didn't fail her. After the accident on the street, Akane went home and changed her outfit but before that, she called the school to apologize and explain what happened to her. The principal whom is a woman around her fifties is very kind-hearted and understanding. She told her to start as soon as possible since their history teacher had wandered off somewhere and it would take months for him to return.
She woke up early to prepare for her class. It's her first day at work and she has no idea on how will the children would react towards her. She felt like going to her first day class during her first year in high school, which she was scared of not being able to fit in with her other classmates. At that time, they accepted her but somehow she felt out of place with them, that even though how much she tried to blend in with them, she would always end up feeling lost on their company.
Her train of thoughts was suddenly interrupted when a student bumped her. The books that she had been carrying had fell and was recovered immediately by the student whom was apologizing vigorously to her.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am," the boy said handing her books.
"It's all right," Akane said then smiling at the student. "Can you tell me where's the grade four B classroom is?" she asked trying to know the direction for her first class.
"Second floor to the right of the stairs," the boy prompted.
"Hiroshi, let's go," his classmate called as he was running towards the school's door. "…or teacher Ranma would be asking you to carry those buckets again," he continued and teasing his friend.
"Yeah, I'll be there… Sorry again, ma'am," the boy exclaimed before leaving Akane.
Before going directly to her class Akane has to meet the principal first, so that she would be formally introduce to the children. But sad to say, the principal had not yet arrive thus forcing her to introduce herself alone.
She was fifteen minutes late in coming to the class. The children were busy wit their circle of friends that they did not saw her come in. she tried calling their attention but all her pleas and appeals have died on the air since it was overpower by the noise.
A man out of nowhere appeared and tapped the board loudly for three consecutive times. This caught the students' attention and immediately they rushed to their seats.
"Good Morning, class," the man said.
"Good Morning, Mr. Yamamoto," the class greeted in unison.
"You have a new teacher and I want all of you to give her the same respect as you give me or any other teacher," he stated gesturing to Akane and then giving her the class before he disappeared.
Akane was glad for his help. It would have been a tough thing to manage the children especially when they refused to cooperate but thanks to his intrusion, the children had been willing to collaborate with her.
Lunchtime came; the students love her and relieved to have her as a teacher. She on the
The principal, Mrs. Rumi Takada had accompanied her to the faculty room to be introduced to the whole faculty. Everyone were delighted in meeting her and she immediately been closed to some of them. Yuki and Sayuri both grade III teachers are the once whom Akane had really connected with for they are around her age. They told her of two more teachers which she hadn't meet yet and that includes Mr. Yamamoto.
"Ranma is not really that hard to be recognized. You'll meet him soon, Akane. He's probably hanging around with his students or his team. He usually does that," Yuri said as she went across to Akane's desk to give her some of her rice cakes.
"Yeah… and Mr. Ryoga Hibiki has a bad sense of direction so if a man with a bandanna asks you for a direction then it'll probably be him," intervened by Sayuri.
"Really? I guess you do know your co-teachers well."
"Nah… just the two guys. Besides, they're the only interesting man around here interesting in a romantic way anyway. Though I think Ranma has an edge over Mr. Hibiki," Sayuri stated with a dreamy look on her face.
"How about Mr. Hikaru there? I think he's around our age," Akane whispered then pointing to a man sitting alone in the corner desk.
"Hikaru Gosunkugi is never an option, Akane. He's weird and a loser. And he creeps me out," Sayuri answered with the awful feeling running through his spine.
"This Ranma guy, he must really be a catch for both of you to be drooling over him," she lamely said.
"Well, he is really hot, a perfect gentleman and very charming," Yuri uttered trying to participate with the conversation.
"Looks to me that he's the dream guy. Are you sure he's not taken? Because with that kind of characteristics then he should be married by now. And what about Mr. Hibiki? What can you say about him?" She inquired persistently.
"He is definitely available. The problem with Ranma is that he doesn't mingle much. He likes to be with his students more than people around his age. On Mr. Hibiki, well, he's too formal and serious. He likes to talk on politics, global warming, history and a whole lot of things than makes my head hurt just thinking about it," Yuri answered frankly with a pantomime of having a headache.
"And are they friends with each other?" Akane asked again.
"Its weird, but yes they are good friends. Even though they are totally opposite, they remain friends," Sayuri answered with confusion in his mind.
"You can't really understand men," Yuri concluded thus ending their conversation since the bell rang seconds later.
After cleaning up their own desks, the three went to their respective classroom. On her way up to the second floor, Akane bumped into someone that almost made her tumbling down. It was a relief that the person who bumped her had quite fast reflexes that immediately held onto her to prevent her from falling.
"Thank you!"Akane said then turning to the stranger's face.
"You're Welcome," he answered.
"You again! How unlucky can I be to see you twice in a row? Why are you here? Are you following me?" she asked a little bit annoyed.
"Me? Following you?" laughing sarcastically "how in the world would that happen when I've been working here for three years and I've never seen you here not until yesterday's encounter anyway," he continued.
"You jerk!" Akane cried then swinging her fist to wipe off the smirk on his face. He dodged it effortlessly by leaping from one-step to the other.
"I see that you two are well acquainted," Mrs. Rumi said as she found the two fighting on the stairs. Her interruption had caught them off guard that after her statement, they immediately excused themselves and went to their classrooms.
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"Who is he?" Akane asked herself silently. She could not concentrate on teaching because her mind would always wonder on that particular guy. Therefore, to prevent herself from teaching the wrong lessons or making a fool of herself, she gave some exercises on her students while she deals with her demon.
"He is a rather handsome demon and looking familiar," she thought. "Yeah, his shirt and his scent is the same with the person this morning…. No! No, he couldn't be Mr. Ranma Yamamoto," Akane finally realizing the whole thing. As soon as she made this realization, she knew that her bad luck is just about to start.
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"Who could she be?" Ranma kept on asking himself. "She said, I was following her so it must mean that she is from her… that's not possible since I haven't seen her around here before," he continued. "I get it. She's the new teacher, Akane Tendo," the idea finally struck him then he began to laugh insanely after it.
His students were astonished of their teacher acting weirdly. But they did not take heed of it since they were quite busy with the long quiz given by Ranma.
For the entire time Ranma's stay on the school or on the neighborhood, he had never encountered such a spirited lady. Though his sister is stubborn but not quite like her. Her looks are far more superior to those women he had been acquainted. The mere thought of her makes Ranma laugh at how they had met.
"This is going to be interesting…," Ranma said then grimacing to himself.