[35]
Despite sitting all by herself at the most secluded corner of a cafeteria on campus, the furthest from the college of law, Mai still managed to attract curious (offended, really) gazes as she periodically hit her forehead against the table. Thump. Thump. THUMP.
"Okay, Mai, you damn idiot. Let's review the facts."
She got piss drunk; slept over at her professor's place; subsequently assaulted him with a kiss that might land her at the university's office of anti-sexual harassment; bonded with said professor's identical twin over embarrassing childhood stories; and finally escaped when the professor came back from his sudden tea run.
It had been a week since then, and she'd been trying to forget and dissociate to the best of her ability since she wouldn't be able to function like a normal human being if not so. It was a good thing that all her other classes weren't near Professor Shibuya's usual haunts, so she miraculously avoided him the entire week. But. It's Thursday. She had class with him today, and she couldn't even skip because, like the fool she was, she had already maxed out her allowed absences.
How should she face him? Fortunately, it was a bit cold today, so she wore a hoodie and a scarf to boot just so she could cover her cheeks, but she was positive that the moment she would lock eyes with the professor, her entire face would turn as red as a ripe tomato about to burst.
Well . . . what if he would call on her for recitation and her features would betray everything that happened last week? How would her classmates perceive this? Despite harboring this accursed crush since the start of the semester, she was proud to say that she never betrayed her innermost thoughts during class. She didn't exactly have a perfect poker face, but she knew at least that whenever she would talk to the professor on school grounds, she never once got flustered. Her peers would find a renegade blush suspicious and they would surely be able to connect the dots. She was definitely going to get in trouble, but what worried her more was the possibility that Professor Shibuya would take the fall simply because of the power dynamics between an educator and his student. Either way, with how insidious gossip spreads, one would be painted a victim and the other an assailant. Both labels carried negative connotations no matter which one they were assigned to, and it'll follow them both all throughout their careers.
Okay. She might just be spiraling so things are getting out of proportion but— to the beat of her forehead drumming against the plastic table, Mai groaned. "UGH. Why. The. Fuck. Did. You. Go. To. That. Damn. Party. Anyway."
This was all Ayako's fault for even buying a new apartment. John and Yasu's fault for bringing booze. Bou-san's fault for riling everyone up. Masako's fault for inviting the professor over. His fault for accepting the invite.
Her fault for not being able to restrain herself.
There was less than an hour before the class. She really really needed to get her shit together within two minutes because she still hadn't reviewed the assigned readings. The large stack beside her boasted of more than fifty case digests. How she'd manage to finish all that within the next hour (while deluding herself into thinking she wasn't in the middle of a crisis) was beyond her.
note: it's been,,,,, 84 years,,,,, but really tho how is it possible that three years passed by just like that? alsfkdfld can't say i could match my writing from back then, but i hope this still sounds like mai..?
i'll be doing regular updates again, don't worry! i have until chapter 46 drafted 👀 tho in the likely chance that i disappear again, please please nag me if i ever do lol i succumb to peer pressure pretty easily
join us at the SPR Writers' Cafe on Discord! PM me here or find me on discord (mikee#1150) so I can send you the invite link!