It was only later that I heard what had happened. That student apparently
gave me a slap that brought me to the floor. And as Rui was in the next
class, he came over and carried me to my room.
I hesitated before I stepped into the class.
I thought I heard someone saying, "She still dares to come!"
I wondered if that was meant to be a compliment. But I wasn't too bothered about it. I knew I had to come face to face with that student again.
Yet, he did not appear even at the end of the lesson.
"How's everything?" I was greeted by Rui when I stepped out of the classroom.
"He is not in school today?" That was the only thing I said. Rui smiled and indicated the shadow at the corner staircase.
"He seemed to be waiting for you." Rui said plainly.
I didn't know if I was ready to face that student. But before long I found myself in front of him. He was not looking at me in the eyes. His friend glanced at me as he stepped out, leaving us alone.
"I wouldn't have hit you if I know you are that weak." He said mouth fully.
I smiled. I guess it was good enough, and I began to walk away.
"Why don't you just go back to where you belonged? You are not suitable to work here."
Not suitable to work here? What's being suitable anyway? I was thinking of telling him a whole ton of philosophical theory which will bore him to death. But what came out was what I was shocked to hear too.
"I like my job a lot. And I like you too."
I could clearly remember how he looked like when he heard what I said.
It came across my mind that, I am the only person that ever used the word 'like' on him.
And if I wasn't wrong, I thought I saw him blushing.
I grinned to myself as I ate my lunch. The canteen food is good and I did not regret not catering my meals. I did not realize that Rui was observing me.
"Had fun in class today?" He finally asked the question.
"Quite." I smiled. I could remember how Doumyouji Tsukasa looked when he saw me in class just now. Many students were shocked to find him punctual too. It was most probably the first time he was ever not late for class.
He was looking at his book most of the time and grinning secretive every now and then. From the corner of my eyes I thought I sensed him watching me, twisting my tongue, trying to make the class pronounced the word 'idiotic' and 'exaggerating'. I even thought I heard some one in the front whispered that they think the former describe Tsukasa just well.
Rui looked at me disbelieving. "There seemed more to it."
"Well, Tsukasa was in class before I came." I expect Rui to twist his eyebrow in disbelief but surprisingly he did not.
"It happened a few months back too. He rarely expresses interest in any girl in school, but then there was this particular girl he seemed have laid his eyes upon. She was not the decent sort though she was from a respectable family. The Doumyouji family even proposes an engagement for the young couple because Tsukasa was too madly in love with her."
He paused and looked at me. He seemed to be waiting for me to guess the ending of the 'story'.
"Yes, it was the day before the engagement when Tsukasa found the girl in bed with another boy. I wouldn't want to tell you what happened to that boy but the girl was expelled from school and her family banished from the town."
I predicted part of the ending but it was far too dramatic than I expect it to be. Did he say banished? It is not as if Doumyouji family is the mayor or something.
Before I could ask, Rui nodded his head, "Yes, his father is the richest family among the neighboring 5 towns surrounding the city. He is also a confidant of the mayor."
I took a deep breath. So Tsukasa is really the boss here then. I felt relieved that he didn't banish me from the town or else I would really have nowhere to go.
"So... What are you trying to say then?" I played with my vegetables and not looking at Rui.
"Be cautious about what you say to him." I wanted to tell Rui that it was too late.
I hesitated before I stepped into the class.
I thought I heard someone saying, "She still dares to come!"
I wondered if that was meant to be a compliment. But I wasn't too bothered about it. I knew I had to come face to face with that student again.
Yet, he did not appear even at the end of the lesson.
"How's everything?" I was greeted by Rui when I stepped out of the classroom.
"He is not in school today?" That was the only thing I said. Rui smiled and indicated the shadow at the corner staircase.
"He seemed to be waiting for you." Rui said plainly.
I didn't know if I was ready to face that student. But before long I found myself in front of him. He was not looking at me in the eyes. His friend glanced at me as he stepped out, leaving us alone.
"I wouldn't have hit you if I know you are that weak." He said mouth fully.
I smiled. I guess it was good enough, and I began to walk away.
"Why don't you just go back to where you belonged? You are not suitable to work here."
Not suitable to work here? What's being suitable anyway? I was thinking of telling him a whole ton of philosophical theory which will bore him to death. But what came out was what I was shocked to hear too.
"I like my job a lot. And I like you too."
I could clearly remember how he looked like when he heard what I said.
It came across my mind that, I am the only person that ever used the word 'like' on him.
And if I wasn't wrong, I thought I saw him blushing.
I grinned to myself as I ate my lunch. The canteen food is good and I did not regret not catering my meals. I did not realize that Rui was observing me.
"Had fun in class today?" He finally asked the question.
"Quite." I smiled. I could remember how Doumyouji Tsukasa looked when he saw me in class just now. Many students were shocked to find him punctual too. It was most probably the first time he was ever not late for class.
He was looking at his book most of the time and grinning secretive every now and then. From the corner of my eyes I thought I sensed him watching me, twisting my tongue, trying to make the class pronounced the word 'idiotic' and 'exaggerating'. I even thought I heard some one in the front whispered that they think the former describe Tsukasa just well.
Rui looked at me disbelieving. "There seemed more to it."
"Well, Tsukasa was in class before I came." I expect Rui to twist his eyebrow in disbelief but surprisingly he did not.
"It happened a few months back too. He rarely expresses interest in any girl in school, but then there was this particular girl he seemed have laid his eyes upon. She was not the decent sort though she was from a respectable family. The Doumyouji family even proposes an engagement for the young couple because Tsukasa was too madly in love with her."
He paused and looked at me. He seemed to be waiting for me to guess the ending of the 'story'.
"Yes, it was the day before the engagement when Tsukasa found the girl in bed with another boy. I wouldn't want to tell you what happened to that boy but the girl was expelled from school and her family banished from the town."
I predicted part of the ending but it was far too dramatic than I expect it to be. Did he say banished? It is not as if Doumyouji family is the mayor or something.
Before I could ask, Rui nodded his head, "Yes, his father is the richest family among the neighboring 5 towns surrounding the city. He is also a confidant of the mayor."
I took a deep breath. So Tsukasa is really the boss here then. I felt relieved that he didn't banish me from the town or else I would really have nowhere to go.
"So... What are you trying to say then?" I played with my vegetables and not looking at Rui.
"Be cautious about what you say to him." I wanted to tell Rui that it was too late.