I slide a sheet of paper toward Shizuka.
Of course, I'm not actually planning to 'teach' Shizuka a Biology lesson. That'd be stupid of me. She is way smarter. I just had to stall her until Sohee arrived, and then she will take over. I hope she finishes whatever duty she has in the student council soon.
Shizuka narrowed her eyes at the paper question sheet. "Shizuka is expecting a lecture like yesterday, not a test."
"Yesterday's yesterday, today's a test."
The test paper, of course, was handed to me by Sohee. She told me this is for the girls to do by the end of the week, which is not today. She'd forgive me.
I have skimmed through them. Even if Shizuka knows the answers to these questions, it'd still take at least thirty minutes to write down her answers, just enough time for Sohee to come back. Hopefully.
The papers are still untouched on the table.
The Japanese girl crosses her arms, puckering her pink lips. "Shizuka is not doing it."
"Why? I thought you wanted to study."
"Shizuka said she wanted Sunbae to teach her, not to answer a test."
"But this is how I teach."
"Then Shizuka thinks he is a bad tutor and does not deserve to be hers."
I feign getting my feelings hurt.
"But…" a smirk from her, "Shizuka is all right if she and Sunbae do it this way."
She grabs the paper and stands up, showing her white, sharp legs. Then makes her way beside me and plops down.
Our arms graze each other, and her lavender smell fills my nostrils. Her big black eyes look up at me, almost pleading.
"How about this, Sunbae?" Her glossy lips make a subtle movement. "Shizuka answers one question each time, and Sunbae reviews it before going to the next."
"That's…"
"If Sunbae disagrees, then Shizuka won't come here anymore."
"... fine."
Is this the right way? Most probably not. But I don't want her to leave. I don't want her to walk away now. I never liked Shizuka, but one can only admit she's a hottie.
—tear up her clothes! Hurt her! Make her cry!
There's not enough time to do that. Sohee is coming back. I'd rather care about her respect than my lust. So keep it down.
A hand on my thigh, "Are you getting excited, Sunbae?"
"Any man would."
"Is your mind racing fast?"
"Shizuka…"
"Which one would feel better? Shizuka or Sohee?"
I… I need to break her off from my mind. If she keeps pulling me in, Sohee will be very sad.
Very, very sad.
I put her hand away. "Shizuka, this is not appropriate. Let's go back to studying."
My throat pushes up and down. A big mistake since she could see that clearly.
"Hm… if Sunbae insists," she says, almost disappointed, and places the paper down.
Her hand pulls out a black pen from her skirt… and she begins writing down an answer to the first question.
She's actually doing it.
…
Tick.
She taps her pen on the table.
"Done, Sunbae. Would you check if it is right?"
I lean closer to the paper, reading the first question. 'Bob's hand touches a heated kettle, and he instantly pulls his hand away without thinking. State what process this is and how it happens.'
Shizuka chuckles, "It is quite funny to hear the word kettle being used nowadays, isn't it, Sunbae? Shizuka thought that kind of kitchen appliance was obsolete."
"Well, Bob's still using it."
My eyes climb down to her answer.
'The process is called angel's protection. Every human has an invisible little friend that always accompanies them wherever they go. When Bob touches the hot kettle, the angel yanks his hand away, thus saving him from a first or second-degree burn.'
That was a long answer.
"What do you think, Sunbae?"
I think an elementary school student wrote this.
Shizuka is giving me a big grin as if she's clueless and innocent.
It's obvious what she's trying to do here. She is being wrong on purpose. By doing so, it gets me to talk.
"Well, Shizuka, you gave the question too much."
"Shizuka's answer was wrong, then? Can Sunbae explain why and what the correct answer is?"
"It sounds like fiction rather than actual science."
"Is that so? What would Sunbae's answer be like?"
…
I have a feeling I've answered this type of question back when I was in high school. What was the process called again? I swear this is easy. "Reflex."
"Reflex?"
"Reflex action." That's right, I remembered. I clear my throat, trying to sound serious, "The process is called reflex action."
Thank god I actually finished high school.
*
It has been about ten minutes, and we've answered nine questions.
I lean back on the couch, taking a deep breath.
Some of those questions were really hard. But still, I have given them a good answer. Now, that could only mean two things: I remembered what I learned in my high school biology class… or my brain just recalled what the old user knew.
Shizuka, on the other hand, always had the wrong answer. I've proved to her that I have what it takes to teach since I know the answers. And yet, her smile never faded.
"Sunbae has a really unique way of teaching, doesn't he? It almost feels like Sunbae is the one struggling to answer these questions, with his frequent pauses before answering."
I laugh, "Some of Shizuka's answers just stunned me a while. Like when you wrote that our fingers wrinkled in the water because they don't like being cold."
"Nobody likes being cold."
"Even if that's the case, that's more psychological."
"Everything psychological is simultaneously biological, Sunbae," she brings her body closer, "For example, if Shizuka is to strip right now, wouldn't Sunbae feel something down there? That wouldn't have happened if Sunbae didn't like Shizuka's body, right?"
"How'd you know that I'd get one?"
But it was a mistake playing this game with her.
There are six buttons on her white blouse. And she has decided to unbutton one at the very top.
Pop.
That is one button. Her blouse loosened.
Pop.
And that is two.
Her white collarbone is fully exposed now. Her cleavage is peeking a little.
Just one more button and we'd get to see the color of her bra.
A hand on top of my thigh. This time, I have no power to get the fingers running close to my crotch out.
Her fingers are down there, just inches away, to know how I am feeling about this.
She pinches for the third button.
But then she lets it go.
"Sunbae," a hot whisper to my ear, "Why don't you unbutton them yourself? Would you like that?"
Any man would.
My hand reaches the area of her breast.
We need to get this blouse out of the way. Let's unwrap her
— knock.
Sohee.
That couldn't be anyone else.
She's coming to see.
Shizuka still has her blouse loosened.
Think fast; I need to act fast.
We can't afford to make Sohee sad.
She's our only ally.
We need her.
Knock, knock.
"Sunbae, it's me. Can I… come in?"
I can't let her see Shizuka like this.
Wrap her up.
My hand is quick.
Click.
Click.
I button Shizuka up.
Shizuka pouts, trying to undo it.
But I grab both of her hands before she can.
She winces, almost yelping.
My grip might be too hard.
I let her wrists go, leaving a mark on them.
"Sun… bae? Is something wrong?"
She needs to hear my voice. "Come in, Sohee. I just finished reviewing Shizuka's answer."
Our gaze clashes for a moment.
The door swings open.
There it is, my pink-headed friend. All pretty and curious.
"Reviewing? Eh, why is Shizuka sitting beside you? And those papers… Sunbae! I thought that was for the end of the week!"
Her voice trails off… maybe finally realizing something strange is in the air.
"Uh… what happened here?"
Shizuka stands up, shaking her dark head, sighing, "Chief, you really disappointed Shizuka this time."
"I just came in. Also, stop calling me that."
"She could've done that a little earlier. Must she knock on the door for the room she's welcomed to?"
"You might not get it, Shizuka. But I knock out of my respect for Sunbae. I hope you'd do the same."
"After this, never. Shizuka doesn't want to miss something as Slow-Sohee did?"
"Sl-slow?"
Shizuka wanted Sohee to catch me in the act. Thankfully, I get myself together and fight her off. This girl… I have to be more careful with her from now on. I can't let myself be seduced by her anymore. Which would be difficult since she has every feature of a woman a man dreams of.
The pink eyes turn to me, "Sunbae, did I… miss something?"
"Yes, Sohee. You did."
"Wha, what is it?"
I smile, "I taught Shizuka something."
Her wrist must've still hurt.