CH 5: Hiromu Sensei

Beginning of the Class

Youko leafed through the pages of her workbook to ensure that she did everything that was assigned to her. Last night, Hiromu proved to be a good tutor even if she was quite uncooperative. To Youko's amusement, he even left flash cards that contain shortcuts to problem solving. She closed her workbook, smiled and put a hand under her chin to balance it. However, the memory of Hiromu telling her that she wasn't his type made her face sour.

She regained her composure when the school bell rang. Instead of their first period teacher, a familiar figure stepped inside the room—donning a knitted red sweater over a white polo. Youko's female classmates giggled in their own seats because of their new teacher's composure and youthful looks. Youko on the other hand couldn't believe her eyes.

"I'm Hiromu Sakurada," Hiromu said, bowing low, "I'll be your substitute teacher for the next two periods." He explained further that he was both a college student and a trainee at the Energy Management Center. The Energy Management Center required him to do a one week teaching assignment to any affiliated school of the EMC.

"uzo!" Youko said too loudly that her classmates looked at her impishly. Hiromu glanced at her and gave her a short smile.

Hiromu proceeded with the first period—math. Without any copy, he began writing formulas on the blackboard. While explaining the formulas, Youko's classmates couldn't help but admire him. Youko just put a palm on her forehead and groaned resentfully.

Approaching Hiromu Sensei

The two periods finished with Youko's section feeling overwhelmed. Breaktime ensued and all of Youko's classmates went outside the room. Youko crossed her arms and approached Hiromu, who was erasing the markings on the blackboard.

"oi siscon, you never said anything about teaching here"

"Gomen. I thought you'll disagree with the facility's decision to send me here" Hiromu replied without looking at her

Youko didn't say anything anymore. Without saying goodbye, she proceeded to the door with her hands inside her pockets. Seeing that Youko didn't have anything with her, Hiromu glanced at her desk and confirmed to himself that her snack was just sitting there.

He hurried to the hallway to catch on her. Soon enough, Youko's insides grumbled and Hiromu was just in time to catch her. Her head fell comfortably on his shoulder as he locked her in a sudden embrace. The sight was too palpable that students took the opportunity to gossip.

Leaving an arm around Youko's waist, he pulled a wafer from his pocket and helped her consume it. With her strength returning, Youko moved away quickly from Hiromu's grip. Her cheeks were red from embarrassment that she had to look down while consuming the other half of her wafer. From the corner of her eye, she saw Hiromu's expression playing between frustration and worry.

"g—gomen" Youko said apologetically

"daijobou" Hiromu replied with a hint of content, "your snack's on your desk"

Youko nodded uncomfortably and walked slowly towards the classroom.

"chotto—" she said faintly

She gazed at the wrapper in her hand.

It was DEFINITELY not from her lunch bag.

It was Hiromu's.

And she was absolutely sure that Hiromu wasn't a fan of wafer biscuits.

Going Home

Hiromu was waiting for Youko by the gate even if the latter didn't ask to.

With her hand forming a fist on her heart, Youko tried to calm herself down. She fanned her warm face with her hand and tried to brush away the memory of Hiromu holding her close to him after she collapsed.

"ikuzo" Hiromu told her. Both his eyebrows were raised after seeing Youko in a contemplative position.

He took a book from his bag and hit her on her head.

"you don't have to be that serious!" Hiromu chuckled

Youko jumped back to her normal disposition. She grabbed her own workbook and hit his head with it.

"you could have gone home earlier" she said, while making a face.

Getting Hiromu's Workbook

Youko finished her science workbook and began working with her math. Some problem sets were left unanswered and Youko thought of only one solution to her predicament.

I have to ask Hiromu, she said to herself. Afterall, Hiromu's her teacher for that subject.

She glanced at her wall clock. It was past nine in the evening. She presumed that Hiromu was still awake because the latter would sleep beyond 10. She tiptoed outside her room in her pajamas. She had to be as silent as possible so that the employees wouldn't see her sneaking to a boy's room.

She approached the room and knocked gently on the door. Nobody was answering from the inside. She grabbed the door knob and was surprised to see that it was unlocked. Tiptoeing inside, she looked around the room. Nothing was lit to serve as her guide, not even a lamp or a night light. But by squinting her eyes, she could figure out how exactly Hiromu's room looked like. There was a desk near the window on the left, a low table at the center of the room and a bed beside the right wall.

Youko was sure that Hiromu kept his room tidy at all times. His workbooks and papers were neatly stacked on his desk and there was no litter to be seen anywhere.

Youko decided that she had to wake Hiromu even for a short while. She tugged his arm lightly, "Hiromu, wake up".

Hiromu didn't budge.

She tried to wake him up one more time, but he wouldn't do so.

Then she saw the math workbook near Hiromu's pillow. But it was placed at the right side that she had to pass by him lightly to get it.

Half of her body was only a few inches away from his. She stretched her hand and extended her body over him as discreet as possible. She had reached the workbook successfully. However, the hand with the workbook hit a bedpost.

Hiromu woke up. His reflexes acted by pinning Youko on the bed. He was now on the top of her, with his face only an inch away from hers.

"YOUKO!" he said, surprised.

Youko forced a grin and pointed the workbook in her hand, "Explain me this, will you?"

Hiromu released her and both of them sat up.

10 PM

Youko stretched her arms, "yokatta!" she said, looking at her finished problem sets. She closed her workbook and proceeded to the door. Hiromu followed. Youko turned around to look at him and laughed hysterically to see his hair spiked up in angles.

"your hair—looks funny!" she commented between laughs

Hiromu quickly covered her mouth and restrained her to the door.

He released his hand from her mouth and placed it on her shoulder. The other hand did the same.

And slowly, his face was drawing closer to hers.

Youko felt her face turning red and her eyes were as round as Usada's. She held her workbook tightly in a hug.

Closer and closer…

Until he diverted to the left side of her face and peeked at the eyehole of the door, which had the view to the hallway.

"Ryuu-san has left" he said with a smile and released her from his grip, "the hallway's empty now, you can go back to your room"

"s—souka!" Youko said, forcing a chuckle

She quickly covered her reddened face, grabbed the doorknob and walked briskly back to her room.

Baka! You're not his type, remember? She said to herself.