Chapter 3

I sat in the bathroom stall, glaring with frustration at the door. I didn't know where else to go. All I knew was that no one could bother me here. It was a place I could be alone.

'I can't believe this… How the hell did something like this happen? It doesn't make any sense at all.' I thought to myself, leaning back to look at the ceiling.

Mr. Taisho was a teacher; a teacher that seemed to have a problem with everything that I did. He was strict about everything during class and let no one do anything. By a teacher standard, he was a perfect teacher. So why would he do something that would compromise everything that he had? Why would he pick me out of all the female students he taught?

"Bastard's messing with me," I muttered, closing my eyes to think.

It was sad that I found comfort in a bathroom of all places.

Getting to my feet, I decided to just go home. I didn't have to put up things that shouldn't have involved me. There was no way I was going back to that classroom alone.

'Maybe I should catch a movie so they don't think I just ditched detention…'

Sighing, I peered out into the empty hallway. It was indeed empty; void of any life.

I stepped out and made my way to the front of the school. I could grab my things the next day; I was sure they would still be there. As I walked, the incident continued to run through my head. I couldn't figure out how it had come to that point; how he had even gotten that close.

"He's in this room."

Why would he have said something like that? Was he just playing a mind game with me?

The night air felt good as I made it outside. The sun was still making its way beyond the horizon; covering the sky in orange. I would have stopped to appreciate it longer, but I didn't feel like lingering around the school.

'I should get out of here and just go home… tell them that I got let out early or something like that…' I thought with a sigh.

Why did I get involved in things that should have involved other people? It wasn't like I asked for the trouble… at least not anymore…

"Maybe it's payback," I murmured as I walked down the street.

It wasn't until I got into the station that I realized that I needed my pass… the pass that was in my back pack. My jaw tightened with frustration. I f I wanted to get home, I would have to go back to the school.

"Life hates me," I groaned, turning around to go back to the school.

I paused in my steps when I saw familiar silver hair. My fists tightened at the sight of him. What was he doing here?

"I was wondering when you would notice," Mr. Taisho seemed to muse as he walked up to me.

"I'll e sure to look around from now on," I muttered, looking to the side.

He was the last person I wanted to see.

A hand grabbed my wrist before a weight was in my hand. The heaviness made me raise a brow. Why would he bring my bag to me?

"In your haste you forgot it at your desk," he explained simply, as if nothing had happened, "I caught you leaving the school, so I followed you."

My brows furrowed at his tone. Didn't he care about what he had done? Did he see nothing wrong in it?

"I left it there on purpose," I told him, trying to hide my frustration.

"Shall I take it back then?"

My teeth clenched with his words. I couldn't say yes because I needed my pass and I couldn't say no because he would be smug about it.

"Come. I'll give you a ride home," he stated as he took my bag back from me.

"Hey, give that back!" I demanded, trying to reach for the strap.

"If I give it back then you'll take the train."

"I would rather walk than ride in a car with you," I hissed as he pulled the bag out of my reach, "Damn it, give it back!"

"If you come with me, I'll give you all the answers you want," Mr. Taisho added, not stopping, "You may tell if you wish."

"Gah," I growled, following after him.

The way he was acting, it felt like he thought it was a game. I felt like I was a deer and he was a hunter throwing me on the roof of his truck. The thing was that I needed those answers. I needed to make sense of the whole thing. That was I knew if he deserved to be hit or not.

The car was nice and seemed relatively new. I couldn't tell if it was dark blue or black with the night covering the sky. It didn't take him too long to open the passenger door for me.

"You're going to let me ride in the front?" I asked doubtfully.

"Would you rather ride in the back?"

"It just doesn't seem like something you would do," I told him with some confusion.

He raided a brow at my words, "What would I do?"

"I figured you would stuff me into the trunk," I half laughed, "Since you don't seem to like me very much."

I heard a small laugh before his fingers lifted up my chin to make me look at him.

"Giving you detention was the only way to get you alone," he explained lowly, "Calling on you in class was the only way to make you speak to me."

My brows pushed together with some confusion. What was that supposed to mean?

"Acting like an enemy was how I made you think of me," he continued before shaking his head, "I would never stuff you in a trunk."

He guided me into the car, and I reluctantly let him. Now I wasn't sure if his sanity was intact.

"So what is this to you?" I asked him when he got into the car, "Is this some kind of game? Or are you being serious?"

"Why would I play a game with a student and risk my career?" he questioned, "For something I care about however, would be worth it."

"So what are you saying?"

"That you would be work it, Ku."

I shook my head; not understanding how it could be true. I wasn't worth anyone's time… wasn't worth fixing…

"You'd have to be crazy to believe that," I murmured, looking away from him.

"Why-"

"You just would. My own family doesn't want me," I told him, my hands clenching, "I don't understand why you would. You're a teacher and I'm just some kid."

"I'm a person that values what's in front of me. The world would be full of fools if they did not want you," he stated as he pulled my head toward him.

"Yeah," I scoffed, turning my eyes away.

"…Ku."

"Don't call me by my name."

"…Kuae."

I shot him a glare, but was a fool for locking eyes with him. There was something in his eyes that pulled me away from my anger. They were what brought the knots back to my stomach.

"I would not lower myself to such standards to lie about the truth," he explained to me with a low tone, "One cannot help who they want."

"You don't even know me," I murmured, forcing myself to pull my eyes away.

If there was one thing I needed, it was to stay angry wit him. If I was angry then I couldn't fall to the jaws of the wolf like so many girls had. The girls were in herds… so much like sheep…

'I will not become a sheep…' I thought as I pushed his hand away from my face.

"I could, if would allow it," he stated as he started to drive out of the school.

I shook my head. I was on thin ice as it was… the last thing I needed was to get expelled for having relations with a teacher. Something like that screamed boarding school.

"Where to?" he questioned, stopping at a stop light.

"To the station across town," I said lowly, looking out the window, "I can walk from there."

"You live far from there?"

"No. My aunt would expect me to walk than get out of a stranger's car," I explained as we went past other cars.

"What of your father?"

I felt my heart clench at the mention of my father. He could have been sucking on olives and I wouldn't have cared. He was dead as far as I was concerned.

"Who cares," I murmured, closing my eyes.

He didn't seem to press on the matter… probably thinking that it was a touchy subject. I was glad for the silence; I didn't feel like talking about it. Having a father that didn't want you didn't make for good conversation.

"If you live so far away, why are you at Nakazono high school?" Mr. Taisho wondered tonelessly, watching the road.

I sighed at the question. That wouldn't make for good conversation either.

I remembered how frustrated my aunt had been when she called high school after high school in the area. Each one had been sent a record and my transcripts. Each one had called back to deny my application. My record had been full of strikes and trouble and they didn't want that kind of student at their school.

"They were the only school that would take me in," I explained, not looking at anything.

Even then my aunt had to swear that I would be on my best behavior. If I caused the school a lot of trouble they could expel me.

"Your grades are that bad?"

I shot him a glare for the comment. I might have been a tyrant, but I wasn't an idiot.

"Record…"

His eyes caught mine before I looked away again.

"It's not like I'm failing anything," I muttered.

"You seem to know what you're doing…" he stated as he turned his eyes to the road, "How would you manage a bad record?"

I shook my head again. Silence made better conversation.

"Fighting, skipping school, fighting with teachers," I sighed, "Why does it even matter?"

"It's merely curiosity."

"I had anger problems," I laughed without humor, "One time I almost beat a guy to death with a chair."

I deserved to be kicked out of school… deserved to get my ass handed to me in return.

"I see," he said lowly before the car pulled over into a parking lot.

We were at the station.

Reaching back, I grabbed my backpack and pulled it into m lap. My stomach twisted at the awkwardness that filled the air. I was conflicted. I hated him because of how he treated me… but somehow I couldn't stop talking to him.

'Damn it Ku! He's your teacher! Just keep your mouth shut and get out of the car!' I yelled at myself, clutching at my backpack.

"Walk home safely," Mr. Taisho told me, seeming to look out the window.

"Yeah," I nearly murmured, "Thanks."

Once I shut the door, I sighed to myself. The man was tiring and highly frustrating.

"Damn it," I hissed as I began to walk.

What was I supposed to do? Things had just started to settle in my pond and now more ripples were forming. Why couldn't the ripples go find someone else's pond for once?

'Why can't they just leave me alone?'

The walk home dragged along, seeming to take longer than it usually did. By the time I actually made it home, I fell onto my bed and stared at the ceiling.

"How was your day Kuae? You're home early tonight," my aunt greeted me as she put laundry on my bed.

"I got done early and he let me leave," I explained as I rolled to glare at the wall, "And my day was pretty boring."

"Nothing exciting happened?" she wondered.

"Nothing worth reporting in," I nearly murmured, "I think I'm gunna go to bed."

"If you get up and you're hungry, there's a plate in the fridge."

"Thank you."

My brows pushed together as I glared at the wall. All my mind could think focus on was what had happened at the school. My face flushed as I tried to force the feeling of his lips on mine away. It lingered longer than I had hoped it would.

The thought and the idea was frustrating. I hadn't been looking to get involved with anyone. It had been hard enough trying to get things down to being normal. It was harder to maintain that sense of peace in my life. For some reason like just liked to disturb my sense of peace. Having a boyfriend was the last thing I wanted.

With a sigh, I covered my head with a pillow. Sleeping was the way to deal with everything right now. The only thing I was sure about was that I wouldn't be going to History class or detention tomorrow. I didn't want to be anywhere near that classroom.


His golden orbs stared at the ceiling as he lay in bed. There was no sense of tiredness, not even so late at night.

"I should have driven her home…" he murmured to himself, sighing.

His mind kept wandering to the day's events; what he had done.

He had spent months telling himself that he would not act on what ached in his heart. Being close to her in the classroom would have been enough. When had that changed? When had he started to want more than what he needed? His brows pushed together at the question.

The first time she walked into his classroom, he had been confused by the scent of sweet wildflowers. He had assumed that it had been a perfume that a student was wearing. To see that it came from the girl pushing boys around had caught him off guard. As he paid more attention, he could see that she had a lack of attention span. Her head could usually be found on her desk or her closed books.

The first time she glared at him, he couldn't help but smile a bit on the inside. He had been able to bring something out of her other than the bored expression she usually wore. Maybe that had been when he began pushing his limits. He started calling on her often when she wasn't paying attention. When the time came that he had given her detention, he had watched her clean his classroom. Her muttered had been amusing as she scrubbed the sinks.

Checking her eye had been a concern when she had been rubbing it every now and then. He hadn't meant to get so close to her or touch her hair. The way she reacted to his touch had given him curiosity. She had become embarrassed… and she then proceeded to cut off all her hair.

To hear her speak of herself like she was worth nothing frustrated him. In his frustration he found the need to prove her wrong. That had been when he had acted… and she had run…

His jaw tightened at the thought of her running out of the classroom. The act had been foolish and at an inappropriate place. At the current time, he was sure that she was angry with him. He didn't blame her for being upset with him. She was still younger than him self and did not see as he did.

"Kuae…" he murmured, closing his eyes.

Everything about the situation had been wrong, though it did not stop him from pursuing her. He had had his share of women; like any other he had been in and out of relationships. They had been false and unrealistic. Now… now he wished for something real.


"Hanaki, may I see you for a few minutes?"

He caught the girl freeze as he had spoken her name. She seemed surprised that he had called on her.

Can I help you Mr. Taisho?" she wondered with some confusion.

"Abukara calls you Sana, doesn't she?" he wondered, looking the girl in the eyes.

It had been a few days since what had happened and he had driven the girl home. She hadn't come to class or to detention. As far as he knew, she hadn't come to school at all.

"Yes, but I haven't seen Ku in a few days," Sana explained, "I went over to baby sit her cousin but she never got out of bed."

His brows pushed together at the girl's words. Had she become ill sine he had last seen her?

"I see… I was going to give her homework to you, but perhaps I should give it to her at a later time," he explained, looking down at the papers on his desk.

Sana pulled a book out of her bag and placed it on his desk.

"She told me to give this to you," she told him with a nervous smile, "She borrowed it without asking."

He raised a brow at the book that was now on his desk. It was one that had gone missing at the beginning of the year.

"I appreciate your honesty Hanaki," he stated, taking the book, "Thank you for your time."

She gave him a nod before making her way out of the classroom.

Rubbing his eyes, he let out a tired sigh. She had not come to the school and she wasn't speaking with her friends. He was a little worried as to what had become of her. If her relatives were away then she could have been ill and alone… His jaw tightened at the thought. There wasn't much he could do about the situation.


I grinned when I saw Sana coming down the school steps. She gave me a wave before bursting into laughter.

"He bought it," she mused, patting me on the back, "He honestly believes that you're sick."

"…Really?" I asked, having had my doubts, "I figured he would have stormed over to my house to make sure."

"I don't know," she half laughed, "He's been pretty out of it the last couple of days. He's not so… angry."

I shook my head at her words. As if he would actually be worried about my well being that he would lose his edge.

'Not likely.'

We started on out way home; walking down the street.

"So isn't your aunt mad that you haven't been at school for the last few days?" Sana wondered with a raised brow, "Usually she would be right on you for something like that."

"She doesn't know that I haven't been at school," I laughed with a small smirk, "After you baby sat Iichi, they went on a week long cruise together. They trust me to behave my best."

"Don't you think you should honor their trust?"

"I am honoring their trust by staying him and not getting into trouble," I beamed at my explanation.

"You have to consider what worse trouble you're going to get into by the time they get home," Sana stated with an apologetic smile, "I don't want to see you shipped off to boarding school."

With a sigh, I nodded my head in agreement. I didn't want to go to boarding school either.

"I know," I murmured, "I guess I better pick the better of two evils."

"Come to the dark side," Sana teased with a laugh, "Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow. Shin and I are going to see a movie."

I gave her a wave and a smile. She would be happy to be going to see a movie with just him.

"I hope that the two of you have fun."

"We will!" she laughed before going to run down the street.

Without Sana's company, my mind went back to the situation I was in. If my aunt found out that I had been skipping school while she was gone she would be furious. Then I would never get her trust back till I was old enough to live on my own.

Then there was the fact that Mr. Taisho – my teacher – had kissed me. If my aunt thought that I was involved with a teacher, then I was sure that I would have been sent away in a heartbeat. She would not tolerate something like that and I was sure no guardian would.

I was sure that the two issues would eventually collide together and make a larger problem than they already were.

'Damn it… I guess that the only thing I can do is go to school and face him…'

It wasn't like I had much of a choice in the matter. I needed to face him and get thing sorted out. He was a man, I was sure that he could be reasonable…

Though like many thing, I turned out to be wrong.

End of Chapter