Yayoi has been a Health Teacher at Baiqiu High School for eight years, and her husband has been gone for almost seven.
The past is like wind.
Even if the memories with her husband were deeply ingrained, it had been a very, very long time.
Many nosy Grandmas had repeatedly suggested she consider remarrying, but she had always refused.
She considered her face and figure to be excellent. Even though her thirtieth birthday was approaching, many high school boys still blushed when they saw her. The bolder ones would even tease her with a line or two like, 'Yayoi-nee, why don't you be with me?' or 'How about you marry me!'... When they said such things, Yayoi, with her straightforward personality, would raise her fist to threaten these little brats, accompanied by a warning to 'Scram!'
Just like today.
But after Yayoi raised her fist, she found that this kid in front of her was a bit different. Usually, boys would add two lewd 'hehehes' after saying such things. This kid didn't 'hehe'. His tone when asking questions was as ordinary as 'Have you eaten yet?'
This was a bit strange. Yayoi put her fist down... And, Shezuka? Why would he mention that name?
She had heard it somewhere, but it seemed like that was even further back than her husband's passing.
Also, he knows Hikaru?
After a brief moment of thought, Yayoi remembered her main job.
"Enough small talk." She stood up and looked down at Hayato with a sidelong glance, wanting to teach this brat a lesson: "Get up!"
Hayato obediently stood up.
"Take it off." Yayoi commanded again.
"...Take off?" Hayato was a bit puzzled.
"Aren't you..."
Yayoi pointed: "Injured? You need to take it off to be examined, right?"
"Uh..." Hayato thought for a moment: "You might not believe me, but I'm actually fine. Do we really need such a thorough check?"
Yayoi thought the boy was just a bit embarrassed.
Sure enough, male high schoolers are creatures that embody both purity and vulgarity. They talk big, but when it comes to the real deal, they get shy.
"Take it off. I'm a doctor, I'm very professional." Yayoi said, narrowing her eyes.
She wanted to see why this kid was still so lively after taking a kick from Tōga. If it was really because it was too small to be injured... Hehe, then don't blame me, Teacher, for returning your strange words tenfold!
Yayoi's clear eyes seemed to be filled with mischief.
"No, no need, right?" Hayato was genuinely at a loss. Honestly, in this life and his previous one, he had never been to a urologist, let alone encountered a female doctor there.
"A patient should not avoid a doctor!" Yayoi declared a timeless truth.
Seeing Hayato's slightly stiff posture, she became even more energized. You little brat, can't I, your Grandma, handle you!?
With a swift squat, she directly reached for Hayato's waistband, her slender, fair hand pulling it down with force!
"Don't worry, Teacher has been through it all. What kind of scene haven't I seen in this life..."
Immediately after, she stopped speaking, expressing her current emotion with only one syllable: "...Huh?"
"I really haven't seen this scene before." Outside, Ayaka said to Sakura: "...He's acting as if nothing happened? Is he really exceptionally gifted?"
Sakura had worry written all over her face. Ayaka was slightly better, but judging by her continuously tapping her arm while hugging her chest, she was also anxious inside.
"Hayato won't be okay, will he?" Sakura asked.
"Don't worry." Ayaka's fingers tapped faster and faster, but her mouth was still reassuring: "Looking at Hayashi-sensei, it should be fine... Maybe he really did practice some divine skill in Hawaii. His swordsmanship... it's possible he practiced it in Hawaii too, isn't it?"
"...Mm." Sakura placed her hands on her chest, nodded, and then made a praying gesture. Afterward, she saw a graceful figure and exclaimed in surprise: "...Ryoka?"
"Ah, Sakura-senpai!"
The running Ryoka stopped and eagerly asked, "Where's Hayato?"
"He's still inside receiving treatment from Yayoi-sensei..." Sakura said.
"H-how could something like this happen?!" Ryoka's eyes were almost overflowing with tears.
"This..."
Sakura and Ayaka exchanged glances. Thinking back, they truly didn't understand why that Tōga-sensei suddenly attacked Hayato. However, Tōga was the Baseball Club's coach... Could it be that he was blaming Hayato for taking away their club's beautiful manager? That's too ridiculous...
Ryoka uncharacteristically woke up late today.
In fact, she should have woken up earlier than usual today, because around seven or eight last night, Ayumu called her and said that Hayato had invited him for morning practice tomorrow.
According to Ayumu, why would Hayato invite him, right? So this move was called 'the drunkard's intention is not in the wine,' and as for that fine wine... it naturally referred to his childhood friend, Ryoka. So Ayumu decided to help out, and incidentally teased:
"If you and Hayato get together, you'll have to treat me to a meal."
"Don't, don't talk nonsense! There's no such thing!" Ryoka said this, but after hanging up the phone, she immediately hugged her pillow and sweetly rolled around. Hehehe~ Does Hayato really mean that? Hehehe~
The corners of her mouth curved up even more noticeably.
Then, she received another call.
It was from Akane.
Ryoka didn't have many friends in her class because she was always busy with Karate Club matters, and Akane was one of them. However, Akane seemed quite busy recently too, and they hadn't had a good chat for a while.
After Ryoka answered the phone, Akane directly told her that she had already left the Baseball Club.
Ryoka was quite surprised, because before, she thought Akane was quite passionate about her work as the Baseball Club manager. As for the reason...
Akane said: "I've fallen for a boy, so I want to pursue him..."
"What, what?" If you say that, Ryoka won't be sleepy anymore! The girl's gossip instinct immediately activated: "Who is it, who is it? When can you introduce me? Hehe, I didn't expect Akane to be so proactive!"
"It's still up in the air." Akane sounded like she was pouting: "And he seems quite popular."
"If it's Akane, there'll definitely be no problem! After all, you're so cute!" After Ryoka and Akane exchanged some compliments, the former hesitated and said: "...Actually, I also have a boy I admire recently..."
"Hmm? Not Ayumu?"
"Of course not! I've been saying for ages that Ayumu and I are just childhood friends." Ryoka whispered: "But I don't seem to be able to leave the club..."
"Why would you leave?" Akane encouraged her: "The Baseball Club I was in was rotten, that's why I wanted to leave. You're the idol of the Karate Club! Just that title alone can charm so many people!"
"Heh, hehe..." Ryoka giggled. Akane then said: "For Ryoka, if you're just a little bit more proactive, boys won't be able to resist your charm. I think the one you like is probably the same."
"Akane, Akane too!"
The two talked for a while longer, then agreed that once they successfully confessed, they would go on a double date to the beach together.
It was during this kind of beautiful, imaginative conversation that, unknowingly, time passed three in the morning.
Then! The great tragedy!
Ryoka today acted like an outdated JK, rushing out with bread in her mouth. The first thing she received upon arriving at school was a text message from Ayumu, saying that Hayato had gotten into trouble.
Creak.
As the three waited, the door to the infirmary opened.
Hayato walked out, looking refreshed.