Chapter Two
The bell had rung signaling the end of the class. They were able to finish in time for everyone to give their introductions and more so. "Okay, everyone! Bring.. whatever you bring to this class next time and we'll pick it up wherever you guys left off…" She said with complete uncertainty. Ms. Kuga was dumbfounded at how she's going to teach the class. It's already the middle of the semester! Isn't there midterms or something? Maybe I'll ask that Fujino girl. Everyone I've talked to had just told me to ask her since she's in my class. But ehhh! She's giving me a weird vibe. Whatever. Suck it up. Need to get this class rolling.
Almost everyone had packed up and was in the process of leaving, like Shizuru. The president was the last to leave, like always, but this time she seemed less attentive to the teacher. Ms. Kuga noticed the difference from her attitude during class and at the end of it had changed drastically. She was eyeing her like a hawk throughout the whole class session. But now, she's off almost without saying good bye, as if the blunette didn't exist. "U-uh, Fujino!"
The said girl turned around very casually. "Yes, Ms. Kuga?" She was almost out the door too! Just in time.
"Do you have whatever book or books you guys are reading for class with you today?" Ugh! I'm so unprepared! How embarrassing.
"Ms. Kuga doesn't have one of her own?" Those red eyes showed a glint of surprise—just a little.
The blunette put her stuff away. "Well I didn't want to teach something different from what you guys are using right now."
Shizuru shifted her weight and got into her thinking position. "Ara, they must have hired you rather late to be this unprepared. They didn't even tell you the book we use?"
"Heh yah they didn't. And yes, they did. Just yesterday." The teacher rubbed the back of her head.
The crimson eyes didn't falter in hindering the overflow of emotion to show. "Ara," the younger girl started in a compassionate tone, "that is rather late. Well we're reading this textbook." She pulled out an orange textbook that was about four inches thick.
The teacher extended her hand for the book, which was gladly reciprocated. The title of the book was already off to her. It was British literature. The blunette scanned through the book. "What have you guys covered so far?"
The brunette thought back. "We've read Othello and Romeo and Juliet. We were about to start poetry."
"How about grammar and spelling? Where is that covered?" She asked blindly still scanning the book. It was if she had forgotten that she was talking to a student.
The younger girl tried suppressing a light laugh. "Well that's incorporated through our essays about the topic covered in class."
Why did she laugh? "Oh okay." The teacher handed over the book to the younger girl. "Thank you, Fujino."
"Ara, so Ms. Kuga was not joking when she stated that she'll refer to us by our last names? No honorifics?"
The older woman grabbed her things. "Nope."
"Doesn't it sound rather crude for you to only refer to us like that?" They started making their way out while still holding the whole conversation in English.
"'Crude;' that's good." The teacher nodded to herself.
They were outside the door of the class. "Ara?"
"Nothing! Good day and thank you, Fujino." Ms. Kuga nodded her head in acknowledgement of their parting leaving a slightly confused president. What a good assessment. Well maybe just of her knowledge. The blunette was trying to assess the class' knowledge throughout the conversation her and Shizuru shared, but she knew better to use her as a baseline for the class.
The blunette walked to the only real destination she knew: the teacher lounge. As she walked there, students talked and whispered glancing at her. She was growing irritated from the unnecessary attention, but she mentally calmed herself down.
She opened the door and found the person she was looking for. "Natsuki-chan, how was your first day of school?" Blue eyes glanced at the younger woman.
"Bleh! Oh yah! Thanks for the job recommendation, Youko-san! Almost forgot to thank you." Natsuki dropped her stuff on the floor and flopped on the couch. She scanned the room to see the dark haired brunette sitting with a flamed haired woman with a busty chest in a clad suit.
The doctor shook her head. "Oh there's no need to thank me; we're family after all." They shared smiles. "By the way, Natsuki this is Mai Tokiha. Sugiura-san wanted to talk to both of you, especially you, Natsuki." Youko said in a disappointing tone.
The younger teacher looked clueless. "What did I do?"
"Well I don't know, but just go. Tokiha-san."
Mai nodded in acknowledgement to the unspoken request. "Kuga-san." The redhead was already at the door waiting for the blunette, whom was reluctant to move. But she knew better. Natsuki sighed, got up, got her stuff, and followed Mai side-by-side.
There was a weird silence between the two colleagues. "So Kuga-san," trying to clear the awkwardness, "how are you related to Sagisawa-san?" she asked. Neither looked at the other.
"She's my cousin. How do you know her?" Natsuki looked at her co-worker.
"For a few years, since I started teaching."
"A few years?" This girl looked to be, the most, twenty! "How old are you?"
"Just turned twenty-four this July. How about you? You look pretty young."
"Nineteen."
"Woah!" Eyes popped out. "Is this your first year teaching?" Is it that shocking?
"Yep."
"You must be a genius. I'm jealous. Be careful though, there might be some students that won't take you seriously." The older woman held a motherly tone, but there was something else there.
Natsuki started in a bored tone mindlessly, "You sound like a mother, heh. Married or have kids?"
"Are you saying I'm fat!?" Mai was utterly offended not sensing how her last statement came out.
"NO! No!!!" That came out so wrong. "It's just—you have this tone in your voice like a mother and yah! I didn't mean it like it looked like you had kids or whatever!"
Mai started laughing. Natsuki was confused. Wasn't she insulted a second ago? "Sorry Kuga-san, but that reaction was rather cute." She gave her a wink. Natsuki was a little stumbled by the action. What's up with all these winks!? I swear, one more— "We're here."
"I want to see Kuga-san alone first!" A loud voice came from the inside. They looked at each other with 'how did she know we're already here?' eyes. The headmaster's office door was huge and looked like it was three inches thick. They weren't that loud. Mai gave her the look to go in. Natsuki gave her a look as if she didn't know what to do, but was defeated when Mai shoved her in.
Natsuki regained her composure and straightened up. "You wanted to see me?"
"Did you meet her?" A voice came from behind a gigantic black leather chair facing a ceiling-to-floor window.
"Fujino? Yah. She was somewhat helpful. You should have just told me where they left off."
The chair turned around revealing a woman with a long red mane in a pony tail that held light forest green eyes. "Well soooooorrrry that I don't know everything!"
"I can't believe you're my boss." Natsuki said flatly.
"I know isn't it great!? Anyways, just ask Shizuru-san for help, not me."
"How can a student help me more than the head master?"
Midori got out of seat to sit on top of her grand maple desk. "Because the Student Council basically runs everything here except staff. And she's the president which means she's the top student! DUH!"
Natsuki gave her a bored look and decided to look around her office. It was extravagant for Midori's taste, but her desk did resemble what she would expect from her former roommate. It was cluttered with stacks upon stacks of paper piles. There were also some books opened lying on the floor. "You need a maid. So why did you want to see me?"
Midori cleared her throat. "Your tardiness today affected the whole school."
"How!?"
"Your motorcycle!" Natsuki had shut up. "Either you get here earlier—wait; you need to get here earlier! You basically missed a whole class period!"
"Psh! How would you know it was my motorcycle?" The blunette avoided eye contact.
"You're the only one in the staff that currently owns a motorcycle." She stated in a matter-of-factly tone. "You're lucky that none of the students complained or reported it. Especially Shizuru-san."
"She was in that class?!" Shesh! How many classes do I have that girl for? I should brush up on the attendance log later.
"Yes! And who knows! The powers of the Student Council are very mysterious, even to me." Natsuki blinked at her as if the terms 'powers' and 'mysterious' were very necessary to describe the Student Council. "No joke!" Blank look. "Fine! Don't believe me. Anyways, on to the second topic! I need you to help teach another class for you to be eligible to even be considered a teacher here."
Natsuki tried to hide an irritated sneer. "No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Blackmail." Midori's eyes challenged Natsuki.
The younger girl scoffed. "You have nothing on me."
A sinister grin grew on her old roommate's face. "Remember when you were hitchhiking in that black bikini?"
"What about it!?"
"I have photo and video proof." Midori turned her computer screen for the younger girl to see. The computer's background was valid proof.
Natsuki was so tempted to beat up Midori, like in the old days, but she remembered that the redhead was her boss now. UGH! "Fine! But you better destroy that shit! What class and when?"
Midori's face resembled that of the Cheshire Cat. Her teeth were flashing from cheek to cheek. "Freshman PE in ten minutes. You'll be teaching it with Tokiha-san." Midori looked at the door waiting for it to open. "TOKIHA-SAN!" The busty orange haired girl quickly appeared in the room. "Ugh… you missed the cue for your awesome entrance. I should fire you." Midori tried giving the Donald Trump stare, but failed miserably.
"U-uh huh?" Mai was so lost. She wasn't following Midori's explanation.
The redhead was about to smack her own forehead. "Never mind! Natsuki-chin will be your assistant for your PE class, kay? Good! Glad you understand! Okay! Both of you leave! I have urgent stuff to do!" The headmaster ushered them out of her office and out to the hallway. They were as confused as ever.
"Kuga-san, we should get going anyway. Class is about to start." The duo walked to the PE area.
Natsuki calmed herself down. Only a few more hours to dread. The younger teacher looked around the empty grounds. It was quiet but the scenery was nice. The fall leaves were falling off for the winter. She looked to the older girl. "Okay, so what am I supposed to do as your assistant?"
Mai thought quickly. She looked Natsuki up and down and looked quickly back away. "W-well I need to change and you should too. Do you have any workout clothes on you?"
"No, I wasn't thinking of working out today." She said in a calm demeanor. I wish I did now so I can punch the living hell out of Midori!
"Well I guess I could lend you mine. It's against school rules to do PE without workout clothes on. Come on, follow me." Natsuki followed Mai again. They passed the girl's locker room. She felt that all eyes were on them as they passed through. They went inside a small room in the middle of the locker room. It had one-way mirrors only allowing visibility to those whom were inside.
Mai relocked the room. Natsuki had the sense that only teachers and staff were allowed inside. The older teacher went to a locker and undid the lock with a combination. "Okay, try these on. They should fit. We look the same size." Mai tossed her a pair of shorts and a low cut v-neck shirt. Natsuki caught them with ease and sized up the pieces of clothing.
Natsuki looked around the room. "So where do I change?"
Mai laughed lightly. "Kuga-san, all the women teachers change here. Since we're late in arriving, the other teachers have already gone inside the gym." Natsuki looked uncomfortable. "Don't worry, we're both girls."
The older girl was already half way done changing. She was putting her top on when she noticed the younger girl taking off her own top and putting her top on. Natsuki had toned abs and had a fit torso. Mai turned away with a beat red face. What has come over me? The orange haired girl thought to herself.
On the other hand, Natsuki was trying on the clothes and they hardly fit. I knew it. The older woman's curves had stretched the clothing out too much for the younger woman to fill. This is depressing. Luckily the clothes just looked baggy on her as if she got one size too big. She turned to the other girl and saw she was facing away from her. "Well it doesn't really fit, but oh well right? Tokiha-san?"
Mai quickly turned around. "Oh yah… sorry Kuga-san."
"Eh, it's whatever. So what now?"
"We're going to leave our stuff in here. It'll be locked and we're going to take attendance in the gym. Today we're supposed to do some warm-ups and laps after." The younger teacher nodded and they headed out.
The students were clustered about. Mai did a head count of who was there. She said it was a quick way and to ask the students who was missing. Once she was done with attendance, Mai announced to the students, "Okay students! This is Kuga-sensei. She'll be my assistant for the rest of the term. Please treat her well." Natsuki bowed to them and sensed that everyone was staring at her again. What's everyone's problem?
The younger teacher looked around to scan the student's faces to embed in her mind. One of the students gave her a wink. The blunette tried making it look like she was unaffected. She quickly turned back. Just who the heck is that girl with short red hair and lime green eyes?
"Okay everyone, we're going to do sit-ups in partners. You know what to do and get to it!"
Natsuki got beside Mai and whispered to her, "Why was everyone staring at me?"
"Eh, probably because they think you're too hot to be a teacher. Or something along those lines." Her focus was divided.
The blunette smothered her hands to her face to defuse the redness arriving to her cheeks. It went unnoticed by the older teacher as she was keeping an eye on the students. "W-what makes you say that?"
"Well that's all I've been hearing about you."
"Oh…" she looked around and noticed that same girl that winked at her wasn't doing anything. "Hey who's she?"
Mai looked at the direction where the emerald eyes were looking at. "Yuuki, again. Nao Yuuki. She's a troublemaker, as you can tell. Hold on." She walked over to the student. Natsuki followed suit. "Yuuki, what do you think you're doing?"
Nao was filing her nails but stopped when she noticed the teachers in front of her. "Sensei!" She knew what was coming; she was used to Mai's face and what it spoke—what do you think you're doing. "Well I don't have a partner so how am I supposed to do such an activity?" The student said in the most innocent tone she could offer.
Mai cursed to herself. The headcount was an odd number so Nao was right. Mai turned to the blunette. "Kuga-san, can you please do sit-ups with her?"
"Huh?"
Mai went closer to the other teacher and whispered in her ear. "Please? Maybe if you do it with her she'll actually participate."
Shesh. I need to remind Tokiha that she needs to watch her wording. If that was taken out of context…EW! STUPID BLACKMAIL! "FINE!" Mai smiled and walked away to look at the other students. "Yuuki, get down."
The student put her nail file away in her pocket. "Mhmmm… yes~sensei~" She got down on her butt and was in sit-up position waiting for Natsuki to reciprocate.
Natsuki shuttered at how the girl talked to her. "Okay go!"
"Wait what!?" The tone of innocence faded instantly.
"What do you mean what?" Voices were rising.
"You have to do it too!"
"Psh! No I don't! I'm the assistant. Not a student!"
"Tokiha-sensei said to do it with me!"
Heh in your dreams kid. "Yah, but she never specified on what 'it' was! So get to it!"
Nao held her glare at the teacher. "Oh I see, you can't do measly sit-ups. No wonder you're only having me do it. It's okay; it'll be a secret just between the both of us."
Natsuki broke out in laughter. "HAHAHA! You think I can't do sit-ups?!"
"That's what I said!"
"That a challenge?"
"Maybe!" The younger girl's eyes grew eager in anticipation.
"You're on. First to do fifty push-ups wins!" The lime green eyes turned from eager to confused. The teacher sat down beside the student and started doing sit-ups.
Later that day, the blunette was finally home in her apartment. A white puppy came to view to greet his master. "Hey Duran." Behind him her cousin appeared. "I was wondering when you'd show up. How was PE?"
"I don't want to talk about it. I need to start the lesson plans for tomorrow." Natsuki went to her desk in the living room and set her stuff down on it. She pulled out her laptop and started searching around the web.
"My have you grown quite into a young lady, Natsuki."
"Eh." What should their assignment be if I can't find something for them to read during class? Hmm… A few moments later she stumbled upon her old files during her college years. "Yes. This will be perfect."
Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed and added this story to their alerts/favorites :] Means a lot! Sadly I wish I could reply to everyone's reviews, but I can't since some weren't logged on. So all of your reviews and update stuff made me really motivated to continue the story. This is the fastest I actually updated a story. Well yay me XD So this chapter was more for me and two other people: my roommate who really likes NaoxNat and TruePrime for the MaiXNat pairing. A test of the waters of which couple I'd rather write her with… wow Natsuki's a pimp here! Lol Oh and sorry for really bad mistakes; has not been reread/reworked XD Okay nuff about me, and what goes behind the story! Review please :] See what happens when you do XD Next chapter, we'll see what Natsuki has under her sleeve and maybe most likely some pairing action!