"The clock's ticking, Kanta." Lada crossed her arms, her lips curling slightly as if holding back a triumphant smile.
"Relax. He's gonna be here any second now." Kanta leaned back in his chair, his voice calm and assured.
The classroom door opened, and Kim walked in, his short hair slightly disheveled. His neatly pressed uniform gave him a composed yet approachable look.
"No way." Lada's eyes widened.
"Here, buddy." Kanta gestured to the seat beside him, patting it lightly. Kim acknowledged the gesture with a small smile and walked over, nodding and saying hi to the students who greeted him along the way.
"How did you..." Lada paused, glancing at her phone. "It's exactly 8:25. It has to be a coincidence."
"You know, I know my friends," Kanta said, a playful smirk on his lips. "Their strengths and weaknesses, their likes and dislikes, and of course, when they come to school."
"Hey, Kanta, thanks for the seat." Kim settled into the chair next to Kanta, then turned to Lada. "Hey, Lada. It's been a while."
"Yeah, it has," Lada replied, smiling warmly. "Still studying like crazy, Kim?"
Kim chuckled softly. "You know me. Always keeping busy. What about you, Lada? Still keeping everyone at arm's length?"
Lada gave him a questioning look. "What do you mean?"
Kim smiled knowingly, his eyes briefly flicking towards Kanta. "You know, the confessions."
Lada laughed, a light, airy sound. "Oh, you know it. Boys just never learn, do they?"
"I think it's more like they can't resist trying," Kanta chimed in, grinning. "And who can blame them?"
Lada rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh please, Kanta. Don't encourage them." She then gave him a teasing smile, her voice dropping slightly. "Unless, of course, you've got something you want to say to me. Then who knows?"
Before Kanta could reply, the homeroom bell rang, and the door opened again. Tanya entered with Mori-sensei right behind her. Her shirt was neatly tucked under her skirt, but her clouded eyes hinted at the difficult conversation she had just had.
The students quickly settled into their seats. Tanya sat beside Lada without a word, her expression distant.
"Kim," Mori-sensei called, giving Kim a nod. Kim understood immediately, standing up.
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"Stand," Kim said, his voice clear. The class followed his instruction, chairs scraping the floor. "Bow." They all bowed, and Mori-sensei nodded in acknowledgment.
"Please have a seat." Mori-sensei's voice was calm but carried authority.
"Welcome to the Accelerated Program Class, or AcP for short," he began, pacing slightly at the front of the room. "I'm Mori Hideo. For those who've been here since junior high, you already know me. If you're new, well, now you do."
He paused, letting his gaze sweep over the class, his eyes sharp but not unkind. "I'll be your homeroom teacher for all three years you'll spend here. But my math class is only in your second year, which means we'll be seeing each other mostly in homeroom until then."
"You aren't required to attend my homeroom sessions, but I encourage you to show up," Mori-sensei continued. "The Accelerated subjects include first-year college courses, and you can earn credits for them. Details are in your student manual."
Mori-sensei suddenly let out a series of deep coughs, his face briefly contorting in discomfort. He reached into his pant's pocket, pulled out a small bottle of Pei Pa Koa cough syrup, and took a quick swig. A few students exchanged surprised glances. He lowered the bottle and cleared his throat, then continued speaking as if nothing unusual had happened, his voice steady once more.
"These courses are in addition to the regular curriculum, so expect the next three years to be challenging. There will be times when you'll want to quit, but push through—it will make you stronger. And if you're struggling, come see me in my office."
He leaned against the teacher's desk, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "There will also be times you'll need to see me. Aside from the tough classes, some people—even those you'd expect to support you—will want to bring you down. They'll use every dirty trick in the book. Some will dislike you just for being part of this class. When that time comes, come to me—tell me everything. I promise I'll find a way to help you."
He looked directly at Kanta, his gaze firm and reassuring. "Especially you, Kanta. Don't make yourself an easy target. Turn in your homework. And stop wearing your uniform to game centers, malls, or anywhere else during school hours, alright?"
Kanta nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Got it, Mori-sensei."
"Kim, keep an eye on your friend, will you?" Mori-sensei added, glancing at Kim, who nodded seriously. Kanta gave them a quick, uneasy smile.
"The cleaning duty will be assigned by your student number for the time being," Mori-sensei continued. "As for your seats—you'll be sitting in the same seats you're in now until we get a class rep. After that, you can figure out both the seat arrangement and the cleaning duty among yourselves."
He paused, surveying the room. "We'll choose a class rep next Monday. Until then, Kim will fill in, and I expect you to take this responsibility seriously, Kim. It's an important role, even if it's temporary." Kim straightened in his seat, giving a firm nod, his expression showing both determination and a hint of nervousness.
"Anybody got a question?" Mori-sensei stopped, his eyes scanning the room. Silence hung in the air; not a single hand went up. Mori-sensei's gaze lingered on the students. A few students sat still in their seats, avoiding eye contact, while others exchanged uncertain glances.
"Since none of you has a question, that'll be it for today. Enjoy your first day." With that, Mori-sensei gave a curt nod and walked out of the classroom.
The students let out a collective breath, the tension in the room easing slightly as they began chatting amongst themselves. Kanta glanced at Tanya, her eyes still downcast, and wondered what Mori-sensei had said to her. But he decided to wait—she’d talk when she was ready.