Prompt: Teacher x Student
note: not underaged, not high school-all are of appropriate ages!

She was a diligent student and turned in her assignments every time. She never got anything below B, and always ask good questions. In short, Higurashi Kagome was a dream student for any professor. Professor Taijiya admitted, if only to herself, that she'll miss Ms. Higurashi when she leaves, moving on to the real world from the university.

If she wasn't a professor, she'd happily pursue her. She knew that Kagome had no issue dating same genders—she saw her flirting with some of female classmates before and overheard another girl giggling over a date they had some years prior. Despite Kagome's seemingly easy going, friendly nature and her popularity with all sorts of people, she was surprisingly reserved with her affections and dated very little, if at all.

Sango wished she'd be at the end of the girl's affection, but held doubts.

Sighing Sango tucked away her graded assignments into her folder, and turned to the computer. If she wasn't so conscious about saving trees Sango wouldn't think twice about printing all of her students' papers and grade them the old fashioned way. But, doing it on the computer not only would save these trees that meant she wouldn't risk her strange cat, Kirara, eating these said papers. "My cat ate your homework." doesn't sound like it would go over well with her classes.

Catch 22 she supposed.

Typing away on the computer and criticizing each block of texts, Sango didn't notice how long had she been in her office. She kept on going, until she saw her favorite student's name. Sango paused.

"Damn." She shook her head, palming her face and her lungs expelled a large breath, "I'm doing this one last." Sango decided, shifting the file to the bottom of her to-do list, with her other students' names attached that'd enable her to open their papers with a click. Nifty program, really.

After grading several papers Sango finally saw the time and she stretched with a groan, "I'll do the rest tomorrow I guess." She rubbed her head and turned off the monitor for another day.

It took her a week to find courage to grade Higurashi Kagome's paper, and it was still left largely untouched. She hadn't had any heart to get past the first page, realizing it'd signalize her last time of ever seeing her favorite student.

Busying herself with the end of term exams Sango's head shot up at a series of rapping knocks, "Come in."

She straightened and felt a touch of shame at the mess in her office, when she saw a familiar, precious face, "Hello, Professor." Kagome smiled a small smile that melted Sango's heart.

"Oh, Higurashi." Fixing the clutter at her desk embarrassed, Sango laughed, "How can I help you?" She gestured to a skewed chair across from the hefty furniture. There was a small part of her jumping for joy, for her attention, like a little lost puppy.

Kagome bounced in, placing her suitcase against the hardwood floor, and a hand darted to brush aside the thick end of her mane, "Um," she took the chair and bored up her eyes, "this may be blunt." She apologized.

"Hm?" Sango folded away her current works and rested her arms on the partially-cleared desk, "What's wrong?"

Boring her eyes on the professor Kagome crossed her hands on her knees and ignored the cringe when the rough cushion rubbed against her bare legs, "Um, do I have the grade on my essay yet? It is a little late and my graduation is coming up soon."

Sango flustered. Oh, busted. "Oh. Yes." She cleared and straightened her posture, "I haven't finished grading your paper yet." Might as well be honest. The best policy and all that.

"Er, why take so long though?" She frowned, scratching on her cheek, a nervous habit of hers, "Everyone else had their papers but me." It was rather worrying—had she misread her syllabus somewhere? Kagome was sure she followed the instructions to the tee.

The professor nearly gagged on her tongue, "Oh, oh, dear," Sango coughed again, "I'm really sorry—I'll get on that tonight and you should get your grade tomorrow."

Brightened Kagome laughed, "So, you forgot my paper?"

"…Yes?" Sango fibbed. Just a little. It had been on the back of her mind after all and she got distracted by other things. Still, her laugh was so cute!

Sighing a big breath of relief, Kagome clapped her hands, "That's good! I thought I was in trouble for something!" She slacked against her chair, the worries that kept her up at nights were fading from her mind.

"No, no, you are a model student!" Sango waved off, whitening at the idea of upsetting her, "This is all on me." She reassured, apologetic.

"That's alright." Kagome's smile widened, rolling to her feet and patted on her skirt, "Well, that's all I came in for, so I'll leave you be! Sorry to be a bother, Professor." She grabbed her suitcase and headed her way out from Sango's office.

Sango visibly wilted at too-soon departure of her favorite student, but tossed up a wave just the same, "Ah, alright, I didn't mean to worry you."

"Oh." Kagome stepped back inside, her hand clasping onto the doorframe to keep her balance, "Do you think we could have coffees sometimes? After I graduate?" There were dimples in her mischievous grin, "It'd be nice to keep in touch!"

The professor's mouth dropped open, and she thought she heard the hamster in her head bellowing its little lungs out. But before Kagome could prod, her brain finally got its wheel running again and words came back to her tongue, "Oh, of course! You can email or text me anytime for the meet up!"

Her student laughed, "Great! I'm looking forward to it, Professor Taijiya! See you!" She was gone, the door clasping shut.

Sango couldn't help but to squeal like an idiotic fangirl and cupped her mouth so her noises wouldn't puncture through the walls.