Act 3
***
"Look, I will go straight to the point here..." the teacher muttered, her voice carrying an air of authority as she adjusted her golden-rimmed glasses.
A hush fell over the class, each student frozen in anticipation, as if awaiting a verdict for a crime they hadn't committed. Takashi's attention sharpened, his focus honed on the teacher's next words, curious about the impending revelation.
The teacher rose from her seat with a lazy sigh, her movements unhurried as she made her way to the chalkboard. With deliberate strokes, she wrote her name in bold letters: "Miyako Miyazaki." Takashi couldn't help but notice the peculiar coincidence that the first syllables of her first and last name rhymed.
"My name is Miyako Miyazaki. You can call me anything you want. But i suggest you guys to just call me Miyazaki-sensei..." she said, her voice carrying a hint of weariness as she turned to address the class.
"...And I will be your homeroom teacher until next year." she continued, her gaze sweeping over the students before her as she adjusted her glasses once again.
"Look, I'm not the strict type of teacher, so I will-" Miyazaki's sentence was interrupted as someone raised their hand.
All eyes turned towards the source of the interruption, where a girl with bright pink hair tied up in ponytails had her hand raised. A murmur of curiosity rippled through the class, wondering what she might want to ask.
"Mimi-chan-sensei," the girl demanded with an innocent look, her hand still raised in the air.
Miyazaki-sensei raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of annoyance and confusion as she adjusted her eyeglasses once more after a moment.
"I'm sorry, what?" she demanded, her tone seeking clarification.
"Mimi-chan-sensei!" the girl repeated the nickname, her innocent expression unwavering.
As chatter filled the classroom, Takashi found himself just as confused as the rest. "Mimi-chan-sensei?" What did that even mean? Was the girl mistaking Miyazaki-sensei for someone else? Only the girl could provide an answer to this puzzling question.
With a lazy sigh that was almost imperceptible, Miyazaki-sensei addressed the girl once more, still clearly bewildered.
"What are you trying to say, kid?" she asked, her confusion palpable.
"You said that we can call you anything we want, right? Then, Mimi-chan!" the girl declared in triumph.
It dawned on Takashi that he wasn't alone in noticing the rhyming syllables of Miyazaki-sensei's name. The girl had cleverly shortened it to Mimi-chan, drawing a chorus of understanding murmurs from the class.
"Mimi-chan! Mimi-chan!" echoed throughout the classroom as laughter filled the air, the students embracing the newfound nickname with enthusiasm.
Miyazaki-sensei, or rather, Mimi-chan sensei, turned her head back to the chalkboard with a defeated sigh.
"Ugh...great...this is just what I needed," she muttered under her breath.
Takumi turned his gaze back to Takashi with a wide grin, clearly amused by Miyazaki-sensei's new nickname
Takashi nodded faintly, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he processed the unexpected turn of events.
As Ms. Miyazaki, now affectionately known as Mimi-chan, she continued writing on the chalkboard, Takashi's eyes caught sight of the word "Introduction." An involuntary sigh escaped him as he inwardly groaned at the prospect of introducing himself in front of the class. He had always despised this ritual since his preschool days.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
"As I said before, I'm not the strict type of teacher. However, that doesn't mean you can behave however you want. As long as you don't show up late and complete your homework, then we're good," Mimi-chan stated with a firm voice, her words earning nods of understanding from the students.
"Now, I want you guys to introduce yourselves. Also, please tell us your hobbies if it's necessary. Starting from the back," Mimi-chan instructed, pointing towards Takashi, who was seated at the back of the classroom, before retreating to her desk.
Takashi felt a sudden freeze grip him as the realization sank in that he would be the first to introduce himself. Panic fluttered in his chest as he sat there, unsure of what to do next.
"Oh geez, what should I do? Okay, okay. Breathe, Takashi, breathe," Takashi muttered to himself, attempting to calm his racing heart. With a deep breath, he stood up, feeling the weight of everyone's eyes on him.
As Takashi began to speak, a sudden flashback to his elementary school days flooded his mind. He remembered the laughter and ridicule he faced when he struggled to finish his sentence during introductions. He was determined not to let history repeat itself.
"My... my name is Takashi Yamada,"
"My hobby is... er... I like to play videogames and read manga,"
To his surprise, applause erupted throughout the classroom as Takashi finished speaking. He couldn't believe it. Why were they clapping? For most people, receiving applause after introducing themselves might be normal, but for Takashi, it was a completely unfamiliar experience.
Takashi sank back into his seat, a wave of relief washing over him as he sighed deeply.
"I... I did it," Takashi whispered under his breath, a small sense of accomplishment washing over him.
Turning his gaze to Yukiko, Takashi noticed her still maintaining her emotionless facade. He quickly averted his eyes, trying to shake off the strange feelings stirring within him.
"Right. Thank you, Yamada-san," Miyazaki-sensei. acknowledged.
"Next, the girl beside Yamada-san, please. You may introduce yourself."
Without any hesitation, Yukiko stood up and adjusted her glasses before confidently introducing herself.
"I am Amemori Yukiko. I really enjoy reading novels. Pleased to meet you all," she stated succinctly.
Just like when Takashi introduced himself, applause filled the room as Yukiko finished her introduction. Takashi couldn't help but steal a glance at her, only to be met with her neutral gaze before she calmly returned to her seat.
The introductions goes on until it was Ryu's turn...
"Ryu Kurogane. I really like to play basketball. I don't really like sweets, but I'm okay with spicy foods," Ryu introduced herself confidently, her arms folded across her chest.
...and goes on...
"I'm Takumi Ishikawa. I am also a fan of basketball. Ryu-chan and I usually have matches together!" Takumi added eagerly, a hint of excitement in his voice.
Ryu interjected, her expression smug as she folded her arms.
"Pfft... Yeah, and he's always losing. Every. single. time," she remarked, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Y-you don't need to call me out like that!" Takumi protested, scratching his head in embarrassment as laughter erupted throughout the classroom.
Despite the teasing, Takumi didn't seem too bothered by it, shrugging off the jests with a good-natured smile.
Miyazaki-sensei sighed in annoyance as the class grew too loud with laughter and banter.
"Thank you, Ishikawa-san. Next is..." Miyazaki-sensei trailed off, realizing it was the pink-haired girl who had given her the nickname earlier.
"...You," she continued, her tone indicating a mix of impatience and resignation as she gestured towards the pink-haired girl, indicating it was her turn to introduce herself.
***
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Meet them all!
̶M̶̶i̶̶y̶̶a̶̶k̶̶o̶ ̶M̶̶i̶̶y̶̶a̶̶z̶̶a̶̶k̶̶i̶ Mimi-chan-sensei ("Hey! don't call me that!")
- Biography: Homeroom teacher of class 1.1. She teaches biology. Always fantasizing that she has a boyfriend almost every night, ("Ugh, you don't need to tell them that!") resulting in her not getting much sleep. A quite (very) lazy person. So lazy that she would rather stay in class and sleep on her desk during recess than go to the Teacher's office.
- Height: 160 cm
- Appearance: Miyako wears golden-rimmed glasses and ties her hair into ponytails. She's often seen in a suit including her skirt suit at school, projecting a professional image even though she's a lazy person ("I heard that!"). Outside of school, she dresses modestly, maintaining her elegant style to attract men. ("Finally! some complime-HEY!!")