Chapter Three
"So everyone," Ms. Kuga was sitting on her desk facing the classroom, "I will read you a poem today from the late 1500s around the time of Shakespeare. But before that I will assign you homework. Basically, write me a four page essay about whatever you want. Include a reference page; that means you need to research! It'll be due Monday." Groans were heard throughout the class. "Shut up! It's not that bad! I'll give you guys an example."
She jumped off the desk and onto her feet. She grabbed a stack of paper that was next to her and started walking to a side of the room. She passed out the appropriate number of paper needed for each student in each row. She continued once she reached the top. When she was done, she went back to the front of the room.
One of the students shouted out. "Mayonnaise? You wrote a whole paper about mayo!"
"Yes I did! And raise your hand next time!"
A student from the other end raised her hand. She called on her. "Why did you write about mayo?"
Ms. Kuga cleared her throat. "Well one of my English teachers told me to write about our favorite fast food. I asked her if mayonnaise counted and she said it did. So yah. Don't knock it till you try it!" She motioned to the class. "I know what you're all thinking!" As she motioned them to zip their mouths, the students that were about to speak shushed "Now use that as a reference. I want the reason why you choose to write about it, some facts about it, and whatever else you think is necessary to prove your point. Any questions?"
The chestnut haired girl raised her hand which confused the teacher. She thought the president would be smart enough to understand the curriculum. "Yes?"
"Any topic we choose? That includes people? Or even about a genre of music?"
"Anything."
"Ara, that's very broad, Ms. Kuga." The ruby eyes gave off a challenging appearance. Or was it something else? Maybe interest?
Ms. Kuga was puzzled as to why the president would care about her choice of assignment. Why does it feel like she's criticizing me? Why am I even taking it to heart if she does? Blah. Maybe it's cause she's the top student. "Well yes. Leaving no boundaries as to what you would choose for a topic would help me get to know all of you a little better."
The ruby eyes lessened their intense stare. "I see."
Emeralds softened from the release of pressure. "Anyone else?" She said in a more laxed tone. No one raised their hands as the students either put the reference essay away in their bags or were looking over it once more. "Okay, now please pay attention and don't fall asleep. It's somewhat short—I guess. I'll repeat it twice, if I must." The last part was stated under her breath. Today she was wearing a button up with a black blazer and dark blue jeans. She thought less formality would help her teach and for people to stop looking at her.
Time for her to test the waters.
Emerald eyes glanced up from the piece of paper she was holding to see her audience paying attention. She nodded internally. "The poem's title is The Passionate Shepherd to His Love by Christopher Marlowe.
Come live with me, and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove,
That hills and valleys, dales and fields,
And all the craggy mountain yields.
There we will sit upon the rocks,
And see the shepherds feed their flocks
By shallow rivers, to whose falls
Melodious birds sing madrigals.
And I will make thee beds of roses,
With a thousand fragrant posies,
A cap of flowers and a kirtle
Embroidered all with leaves of myrtle;
A gown made of the finest wool,
Which from our pretty lambs we pull;
Fair lined slippers for the cold,
With buckles of the purest gold;
A belt of straw and ivy buds,
With coral clasps and amber studs;
And if these pleasures may thee move,
Come live with me, and be my love.
The shepherd swains shall dance and sing
For thy delight each May morning:
If these delights thy mind may move,
Then live with me, and be my love.
Now did everyone catch that?" Some of the students nodded in response, but some were asking for her to repeat it. Damn these kids. "Alright! Pay attention!" She recited the poem again. "Now, what did you guys think about it? Would you date this person?"
One of the students raised their hand and received confirmation to speak. "I think it was so dreamy. I wish someone would say that to me!"
Another student added on. "It was really romantic and beautiful." The girls continued on about how they wished the guys were that romantic, while the guys stayed silent feeling at fault, some even blamed the poet.
Ms. Kuga looked over to Shizuru, whom was rather silent. She thought the president would certainly have an opinion about the poem. "Fujino." Rubies met emeralds.
"Yes, Ms. Kuga?"
The teacher was in a relaxed standing position but switched her posture where she crossed her arms. "Why don't you enlighten us with your opinion? Would you date this person? What did you think about the poem?"
The brunette rested her elbows on the desk leaving her fingers and hands to meet in a critical thinking position. Her hands clasped together. "Hmm… What is my relationship with this person?"
"Hm," that caught the teacher off guard, "this person is someone you know who has a secret crush on you for a while and you have been aware of it." All the girls shushed when they heard the teacher explain the rhetorical situation.
"Am I attracted to this person?"
"Sure?" The girls perked their ears up almost leaning over their desks.
The red eyes changed somehow, as if there was a gleam in those orbs. Or maybe it was Ms. Kuga going insane. "Ara, is Ms. Kuga trying to hint at something?"
The blunette turned blush red instantly. "BAKA! What are you trying to say! Just answer the question!"
Shizuru laughed lightly. Her classmates were looking intently at the two's interaction. The girls were already starting their talk. "Just kidding, Ms. Kuga." Then they stopped. "Hmm… what would I say?" This caught everyone's attention again. "If it's someone that I like and have a crush on, I would kiss them on the cheek and I would say to them, 'Sorry, but as much as I love your quixotic ideas and promises, I could not live in a fairytale." Silence, even Ms. Kuga was astounded. This girl—
Ms. Kuga cleared her throat. "I didn't think you'd be such an erudite, Ms. Fujino." She said with a witty smile.
"Ara, why thank you. But what did I do to deserve to be called Ms. Fujino?" The younger girl queried.
The teacher got out from her comfortable position to get another stack of paper from her bag to pass out to the class. "You'll see why in your homework." She passed out the paper and heard more groans when they realized what it was. "This is due tomorrow. Read the poem at the bottom half of the paper. The one at the top is what we have covered today, and write what you think about both poems today and use quotations to support your ideas. See you guys tomorrow." She waved them off as she started clearing out her things like the rest of the class. But she was the first to leave this time. Too bad, a chestnut haired student was about to ask her something too.
The rushed teacher was heading over to the teacher's lounge yet again. She wasn't in a rush to get there, more so to just get out of the class. When she got inside the lounge, a familiar voice vocalized. "So you never told me how were things yesterday? And today as well?"
"Are you trying to be my mother?" The blunette said in a somewhat irritated voice. She glided down onto the leather couch. She loved these kinds of couches. You could just sink into it and feel like you could instantly sleep.
"Of course not." The doctor actually took it to heart considering what Natsuki had to go through. "I'm just checking up on you to see if you're alright."
"Yah. Whatever. Sorry if it sounded offensive." She looked at the doctor and received a small smile notifying her that everything was alright. "Well yesterday this Nao Yuuki girl was challenging me to a sit-up duel."
"Nao Yuuki?"
"Yah—a stupid first year. Anyway, I won, of course! She could barely do twenty! That was funny!" The blunette was thinking back to yesterday's event where she even wanted to do a victory arm pump. Nao was dead tired and laid on the floor out of breath and stayed like that for a while.
"Oh so you were the reason as to why she came to my office yesterday."
The blunette's eyes bugged out. "What?"
"Oh don't worry. Nothing serious. She just said that she got beaten in a competition with a hot girl." The doctor laughed seeing her cousin's reaction to the news—she was starting to blush. "Be careful Natsuki! That's why the teacher you're replacing got fired for!"
"I'm not doing anything! Midori's going to fire me for being 'hot'?"
"Well more students are becoming enamored with you."
"What am I supposed to do about it? Not shower? Wear a paper bag over my head?"
"Just make sure you don't get involved with any of them. They may be your age, but there's still that teacher-student thing."
"Yah! Yah! Yah! I just remembered my question for you."
The doctor looked surprised. "You had a question for me?"
"Yah, why are you in the teacher's lounge when you're not a teacher?" The blunette asked with a playful expression as she received a vexed look from her cousin.
Hmm… is she here yet? A certain short red haired girl scouted around the locker rooms for traces of blunette strands. Her female classmates were too busy doing what they were supposed to do: change and get to the gym. Nao Yuuki was already dressed appropriately for class but was slacking around. She didn't think that her action was at all odd. Before she decided to do what she was doing, she convinced herself that it was only appropriate that she make sure to see if her 'rival' was here today.
As she kept searching, she noticed that the clock was about to signal for her to get into the gym before she's considered tardy. She didn't need more attention drawn to her. That was the last thing she wanted or needed. As she was about to give up, the teacher appeared and ran to the teacher's office in the locker room. The student let out a sigh, which she didn't even notice. She walked to the gym.
At the gym, Nao was leaning against a wall filing her nails to perfection. She never got tired of it. Then she noticed the two teachers walking closely together. Hm… that could be a possible revenge plot… if it was true. She knew she needed proof.
As Tokiha was taking role, she took notice of her prey. The blunette stood in a jaded stance looking extremely uninterested. But she noticed something different about her today. Yesterday she was wearing clothes that seemed a little loose on her versus her clothes today. They held her curves close which didn't deter from her toned muscles from showing. Her pants and t-shirt weren't skin tight, but tight enough. The young student deduced. She paused her thinking to reflect on what she had thought. Who wouldn't have noticed that woman was wearing something more… She stopped her inner explanation not wanting to say anything inappropriate and out of character. But the word she was looking for was 'fitting'. That word didn't hold much 'inappropriateness' to it, but it was her furthering her thoughts that did with that single word.
"Okay! Get into two teams. We'll play dodge ball. My team versus Nat—Kuga-san's." Tokiha shouted to the class. Everyone was buzzing around to get into two teams. What chaos. Shit. I need to get on her team. I'll show her who's boss. Wait… Did Tokiha slip? She barely caught it.
But Natsuki noticed it clearly. She didn't say anything. Wait! How the hell am I going to get into her team? I don't even know which side she's going to consider! Luck! Please be with me!
Once the class was split into two, Kuga and Tokiha looked at each other and played rock paper scissors. Kuga lost. She groaned and walked over to Nao's team. What was that about? "Everyone! When I say start, get your balls and start throwing!"
Everyone waited for their cue as they stared each other down on the empty basketball court. The teachers stayed dead center with a death glare on each side. But Tokiha's look was more playful. Kuga, she was there to kill. The first year could feel the seriousness of the competition. She knew she had to be the last one standing, or at least standing with her.
"START!"
Everyone turned around as quickly as they could to reach the balls that were on their side. And when they finally got a hold of the rubbery ball, all hell broke loose. Balls were thrown all over the place. Some of the other classes that were inside stood at the side lines to watch, but not too close knowing what could possibly happen.
The two teachers were only aiming for the other when they got a ball. Tokiha's amethyst eyes gleamed with enjoyment and fun. Kuga's emerald ones were fierce and competitive. Little did they know or were paying attention to the one who will steal the spot light.
Basically, Tokiha's team was basically getting killed by Nao. The busty teacher's team was decreasing in numbers rapidly, while the teacher was trying hard to catch and throw while being shot at all at the same time. It was all too easy for the first year.
But Tokiha's team wasn't letting go of victory that easy. Half way through, Tokiha changed her tactics to only catch balls and throw as fast as possible to get more of her team back from the stands. It was working too. Her students managed to deplete Kuga's team as fast as theirs came back. This made both Kuga and Nao curse under their breaths. They were the only ones left. They each had one ball.
The rivals stood back to back. "What's the plan, teach?" Nao whispered.
"Oh Kuga-san! It's just you and Yuuki-san left. Why don't you just forfeit to lessen the humiliation?" Tokiha smiled smelling victory. It was just around the corner. She didn't want to have any bad feelings between them. She didn't want that since they just started their friendship.
"In your dreams Tokiha!" Kuga turned her head in the direction to the first year and whispered, "Distract them with the first throw, then dodge, catch, and throw. I get Tokiha. Got it?"
Nao was a little reluctant wanting to claim victory by hitting the teacher, but she knew better if she wanted to be on Kuga's good side. On the plus side, it's just me and her against everyone. Nao nodded her head, looking as if she agreed to the blunette's strategy. She did, but she didn't mean the gesture to be for that. It was to erase how mushy gushy she sounded in her head.
"GO!" Kuga shouted. Nao threw her ball in the middle of the opposing team hitting a student in the balls. Some of the students were shocked at how accurate and fast her throw was. At the side lines, some even felt the punch and crossed their legs in fear of how painful that must have been.
Tokiha even looked at the poor student. Kuga took the opportunity to throw the ball at the older teacher. Aim, hit, and out. Kuga was dumbfounded when she noticed what the ball hit—Mai's breasts. Tokiha was even shocked when she noticed where Kuga hit her. "Nice shot, dog." Nao commented. Natsuki instantly felt the need to apologize but didn't have the time.
Balls instantly flew in their direction. Each of them caught one, which allowed another team member to come back. And in the end, Kuga's team won.
That felt good. Nao smiled to herself, not really knowing what felt good.
As everyone went back to the locker rooms, the teachers went straight to their offices. The teachers that were watching their match gave Natsuki good comments on her aim as they left. "Yah, Kuga-san, good shot." Mai said from behind the blunette whom was in the middle of changing.
The blunette jumped in her pants and buckled the belt shut. "Tokiha-san, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hit you there!"
Mai held up her hand. She was already dressed. "It's really okay, Kuga-san. I hardly felt it. But can you do me a favor?"
Natsuki put on her jacket and zipped it up. "Yah, of course." She normally wouldn't be quick to take a favor without knowing everything behind it, but she felt like she owed her.
"Call me Mai. Tokiha-san is way too formal for a friend." Shit. Mai thought to herself. Did I just jump the gun? Does she even consider me a friend?
"Alright Mai. Call me Natsuki then." The blunette smiled to her new friend. The orange haired girl felt instant relief.
Later that night in the dorm rooms, the Student Council president was looking over her homework. Math is done. Japanese as well. Then she stumbled upon the papers that were passed out earlier from her English class. Ara, I knew I was missing one. She decided to wait do the essay tomorrow. So she read over the assignment and read the poem The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd by Sir Walter Raleigh.
When the crimson eyes were done reading, the owner of those eyes smiled a truly innocent smile for the first time in a long while. She finally understood what her teacher's comment meant from earlier that day.
Ms. Kuga cleared her throat. "I didn't think you'd be such an erudite, Ms. Fujino." She said with a witty smile.
"Ara, why thank you. But what did I do to deserve to be called Ms. Fujino?" The younger girl queried.
The teacher got out from her comfortable position to get another stack of paper from her bag to pass out to the class. "You'll see why in your homework."
Till we meet again, Ms. Natsuki Kuga. Shizuru thought out loud as she finished typing her paper.
Author's Note: Bah you guys who don't have accounts should still leave me a review XD I noticed no one has left a review without signing up, but reduced the number of reviews. So just putting that out there.
ANYWAYS! How was having a little English lesson with Natsuki? Fun, yes? Anyways, this story isn't solid, so you can shout out some ideas, and maybe I'll throw it in there if I can. And if you don't like lagged out relationships (or getting to the relationship), then you should stop reading :/ This will be awhile XD
As for those who want me to reduce the ShizNat factor, I'm trying to make it equal right now XD I might even put up a chapter with just NaoNat / MaiNat / ShizNat. I wasn't expecting it to turn out this long – that's a maybe. Just don't tell me if you'd be upset if it ends up a certain couple t_t;; Just think about it like this, everyone's getting a piece of Natsuki in some way ^_^ /shot/
And for the poem (the last one) you don't have to read it really need to read it. Just know that the Nymph's reply was basically what Shizuru said in class.
OH~ Writing a paper on Mayo was actually easy - did that for a college Eng class XD Credits to my teachers esp Ms. Filar for the ideas for this story!
IMPORTANT: yes Natsuki is older than Shizuru, cause in the anime Natsuki was older than her. Mai is 24! My mistake! Just to make it fit more. I'm also glad no one has asked what '~' means, and if you're wondering now, it's like a roll/slur in tone/speech. At least for me. Also sorry if it looks like the English (American) school system! I don't think the traditional Japanese system works out for Natsuki's position [[?]] I don't reread my work so sorry if there's really bad mistakes X]
Thanks for reading! Please review!