It's autumn in this world, but because they're out on the Pacific, the morning already feels warm—practically summer all year round. A hot breeze brushed their faces; it might as well have been July.
On the basketball court by the Saikai Academy field, a gray-white–haired boy was shooting hoops alone. He stood beyond the three-point line and sank the ball effortlessly.
"Kojou, what are you doing out here where it's scorching? Come cool off in the gym." A spiky-haired boy with headphones hanging around his neck walked over.
"Give me a break. I'm not going to play free coach for them." Akatsuki Kojou picked up the ball, glanced at the approaching Yaze Motoki, and answered lazily.
Kojou and Motoki were Shichen's former students; he used to play basketball with them all the time. Now both of them were in their third year of junior high. They were on the basketball team—Kojou used to be the ace, but he'd stepped back.
"Sigh… you're really not playing anymore?" Motoki asked suddenly.
"Nope. I want to take it easy for a while," Kojou said.
Motoki shook his head helplessly. "Is that really okay? If you don't play, you're not going to have any strengths left."
"Mind your own business! Don't make it sound like basketball's the only thing I'm good at." Kojou shot him a glare.
Motoki just laughed. He knew why Kojou had quit—simply because Kojou was too strong. Every game turned into his one-man show; his teammates couldn't keep up, and he bulldozed the other side like a monster. And they still lost.
There was an accident during a match. With his sturdy build, Kojou knocked an opponent so hard they had to call an ambulance. He hadn't committed a foul, but the way his own teammates looked at him—like he was some kind of freak—left him cold. He didn't dare play again. Without him, they soon lost anyway.
He didn't know why his body had become so over the top, but that near-superhuman physique felt like cheating, and it made him unwilling to keep playing.
"What are you two idiots doing standing out here? Not hot enough for you?"
A crisp, lively voice rang out behind them. They turned to see a strikingly pretty junior-high girl. She wore the middle-school uniform with flashy flair; her dyed golden hair spilled down her back—gaudy maybe, but it suited her perfectly without the slightest awkwardness.
"Asagi? What are you doing here?" Motoki asked, puzzled.
Aiba Asagi—Motoki was her childhood friend. Kojou only joined their little duo in junior high; the three of them were close in class.
"What? I can't come here?" Asagi stepped up to them, arching a brow.
"I don't see you braving the noon sun for nothing. You've definitely got a reason."
"Hmph~"
Asagi gave a little snort instead of answering, looking toward the faculty office building with obvious expectation in her eyes.
"You're not thinking about Shichen-sensei again, are you?" Motoki asked, exasperated.
"None of your business! Idiot Motoki!" Asagi snapped, cheeks flushing.
"Sigh, forget it. Shichen-sensei isn't coming back."
"Don't be so sure~" Asagi suddenly smiled.
"Huh?"
"Motoki—look." Kojou slapped Motoki's shoulder, pointing ahead in surprise.
"No way! For real? Isn't that Shichen-sensei? He actually came back?" Following Kojou's finger, Motoki saw a familiar figure you couldn't possibly forget.
"Heh-heh~" Asagi let out a smug little hum. Watching Shichen stroll toward them, her heartbeat kicked up. She'd known since early morning that he was back—there isn't much on Itogami Island she doesn't know.
"Aren't these Asagi, Kojou, and Motoki?" Shichen came up to the three with a smile and a little wave.
"Shichen-sensei, you're back?" Kojou asked, unable to hide his delight. Shichen had saved his little sister; Kojou was grateful—though it still annoyed him that his sister kept pining after the guy.
"Otherwise? What would you call me standing here?" Shichen shot back with a grin.
"Th-then… are you going to teach our P.E. again?"
"Take a guess."
"Shichen-sensei…"
"Shichen-sensei!" Asagi stepped forward, trying to rein in her excitement, though her smile wouldn't be suppressed. She'd waited so long, and she wasn't the same girl anymore—she'd grown.
"Asagi, you've grown up—and you're as pretty as ever." Shichen reached out and ruffled her golden hair.
"Hehe… you don't hate this hair color, do you, sensei?" Asagi asked, nervous.
"Nope. It really suits you."
"Th-that's great." Joy bloomed on Asagi's face, a blush rising to her cheeks.
In the past two and a half years she'd changed a lot—truly reinvented herself. Before, because of her mother's illness, she'd shut herself off, avoided people, hard to approach.
After Shichen cured her mother, she began to open up. It was tough at first: her looks intimidated classmates, and her top grades plus old impressions made girls her age too wary to befriend her.
But Asagi pushed herself—starting conversations, reshaping her image, learning makeup and fashion, finding topics to share. Soon she won the girls over, made friends, even became a center of the group.
She did it all to make herself better—so that when a certain someone saw her again, his eyes would light up.
And Shichen's eyes did light up. He'd expected it, braced himself, but seeing the drastic change with his own eyes was still striking. Asagi had grown fast; though only in her third year, she was tall, shapely—a bona fide beauty.
"By the way, what are you doing out here?" Shichen asked Kojou.
"Sensei hasn't come yet, so we're doing free practice," Kojou answered honestly.
"No, your sensei has arrived."
"What do you mean? Eh—Shichen-sensei, you mean…?" Kojou's eyes went wide.
"Yup. I'm back to teach you."
"So that's it—awesome!"
"Really awesome," Asagi said happily. She'd already dug up the news and barely paid attention all morning, but hearing it from Shichen himself made her even happier.
"So you're our teacher again, Shichen-sensei," Motoki sighed.
"Oh? Sounds like you've got a problem with that." Shichen squinted at him, smiling.
"No! Not at all!" Motoki shook his head furiously. He knew how terrifying this man could be—not just his strength; back when they had class together, Shichen had a habit of picking on him.
He remembered all too well the horror of being singled out by Shichen.
"Heh~ I'm not sure I believe you. How about two laps to prove it?"
"Eh? Nooo—" Motoki clutched his head and wailed. Figures—Shichen-sensei always targeted him. He'd been totally ignored just now; maybe Shichen was waiting for him to speak up.
"What's that? No? Then make it two more."
"No! No! Two laps is enough!"
"Four."
"Don't—on a day this hot, four laps will kill me!"
"Six."
"Okay, okay! Four laps—four laps! I'm going!" Motoki bolted for the track. He didn't even dare curse Shichen in his heart—what if the guy was so strong he could tell? If Shichen made him run even more, he'd die. As long as he kept his thoughts clean, even if Shichen wanted to bully him, Motoki would have a clear conscience.
"Um, Shichen-sensei… is that really okay?" Kojou couldn't help asking, shooting a sympathetic look at the already-running Motoki.
"What? You want to run with him?" Shichen looked over.
"Nope." Kojou shook his head solemnly.
"Heh~ come on, time for class. Wonder how many still remember me." Shichen led the way toward the gym.
"Don't worry, Shichen-sensei—everyone remembers you," Asagi said with a smile, hands clasped behind her back as she walked beside him.
"Yeah?"
Asagi was right—everyone remembered him, boys and girls alike, though the girls were clearly more excited. After today, the whole school would know he was back, even those who didn't have his class.
There wasn't much to teach on day one. Since he'd just returned, Shichen let everyone have free activity. The girls, however, flocked around him and refused to budge, leaving Asagi no real chance to catch up.
When P.E. ended, Asagi and the others headed back to class. Shichen stayed put; he had another period. Before long, the next class filed in—and to his surprise, this class had familiar faces too.
"Isn't that Shichen-sensei? Shichen-sensei, why are you here? When did you come back? This is great—you finally came back!" A girl spotted him and ran over, firing off a barrage of questions.
"Nagisa, long time no see." Shichen reached out and ruffled the lively, cheerful girl's hair.
Akatsuki Nagisa—Kojou's little sister—was in her second year.
"Hehe~ it really has been a long time. I missed you a lot, Shichen-sensei~" Nagisa leaned into his head-pat, beaming.
"Oh yeah? How much?"
"Mm—so much! So, so much!"
"Heh."
Shichen chuckled, but his gaze drifted to a figure among the students—someone bright and angelic.
"Kanon, long time no see."
"Onii-chan~" Kanase Kanon's smile bloomed like an angel's.
~~~
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