Chapter 11: The Guests Just Keep on Coming
The following day, right at high noon, Chishima Akishin took a half-day leave, citing "family matters" as his excuse.
Taking a leave of absence on your second day of work—especially after being a week late to report in the first place—was a move practically unheard of for someone in Akishin's position. However, in the eyes of the faculty, Akishin wasn't exactly a "newbie" but rather a mid-term transfer from another school. Because of that, no one breathed a word of protest.
After a brief greeting to Hiratsuka Shizuka and weathering the collective stares of the other teachers in the faculty lounge, Akishin grabbed the mountain of paperwork sitting on Shizuka's desk. He bypassed two rows of cubicles and dropped the stack unceremoniously onto the desk of a rather stout woman.
"Ah! Chishima-sensei..."
Shizuka only realized what he was doing a second too late. She moved to stop him, but Akishin was already standing firm in front of the stout teacher.
Noticing the woman's bewildered expression, Akishin flashed a polite smile. "Sakana-sensei, you teach Biology, right? Personal matters should really be handled by the person they belong to." He put a very specific, pointed emphasis on the word 'Biology.'
The stout woman glared up at him, her face reddening. "Chishima-sensei, just what do you think you're doing?"
Akishin maintained his smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm saying you should finish your own work."
"Aren't you overstepping your bounds a bit? You're just a PE teacher."
"Finish your own work."
"Chishima Akishin! Is this how you treat your seniors?"
"Finish. Your own. Work!"
The smile on Akishin's face didn't just fade; it vanished. His dark pupils locked onto the woman, boring into her. She opened her mouth to snap back, but the words died in her throat.
She could feel it—a physical tremor running through her limbs. It was the primal, instinctive shiver one gets when standing inches away from a tiger at the zoo, separated by nothing but a dangerously thin pane of glass.
No, this felt much heavier than that.
The rest of the teachers in the office went silent, their eyes drifting toward the confrontation.
Akishin spoke once more, his voice dropping into a low, bone-chilling register. "Finish your own work!!!" This time, the tone was heavy with something cold and sharp. In more dramatic terms, you'd call it bloodlust.
"Y-Yes... of course."
The woman's eyes widened involuntarily as she nodded, her defiance completely shattered.
"Good. That's much better. It's quite unsightly to keep making trouble for others, don't you think?"
In an instant, the suffocating atmosphere evaporated, and Akishin's warm, approachable smile returned. It was only then that Sakana-sensei realized she was drenched in a cold sweat.
"Chishima-sensei, what on earth was that about?"
Shizuka finally caught up, looking between the trembling Biology teacher and the perfectly composed Akishin. She looked utterly lost.
What had just happened?
From her perspective, Akishin had only been chatting with the woman for a few moments.
"It's nothing, really. I just suggested to Sakana-sensei that she should check her own assignments, since you have plans this evening, Hiratsuka-sensei."
"But—"
Before Shizuka could protest, Akishin placed a hand on her shoulder and gently nudged her back toward her seat. "No 'buts,' Hiratsuka-sensei. I'm looking forward to your visit. I'll be heading out now to grab the ingredients—I've got some prime beef waiting."
After settling Shizuka back into her chair and glancing at her desk—which now only held the small amount of work that was actually hers—Akishin tilted his head back and scanned the rest of the faculty lounge.
Every teacher who made eye contact with him immediately jerked their gaze away, suddenly finding their own desks fascinating. They realized how pathetic they were being, but not a single one had the courage to look him in the eye.
Satisfied, Akishin gave a sharp nod, grabbed his bag, and walked out of the office.
Since he'd started yesterday, he couldn't help but notice that Shizuka's workload was absurd. A quick investigation revealed that at least half of it didn't even belong to her; it was the dumped responsibilities of other teachers.
Teachers like that Biology woman.
Through a bit of observation, Akishin had figured out their logic: Shizuka isn't married, she doesn't have a boyfriend, so she clearly has nothing but free time. They used that as an excuse to shovel their chores onto her.
Of course, they only whispered the bit about her marital status behind her back. To her face, they acted casual, yet remained firm in handing over their "favors."
For all her flaws and her terrifying temper, Shizuka was simply too kind for her own good. Or perhaps she was using the mountain of work as a way to escape something else. Either way, she almost never said no, which meant she was constantly pulling overtime with zero life of her own.
But the status quo had changed now that Chishima Akishin was in the picture.
Anyone forcing their work onto Shizuka was essentially picking a fight with him, and he wasn't about to let them have a peaceful afternoon.
She had saved his life, after all. This was just a small way of paying her back. Yes, that was it. No other motive whatsoever. (Serious Face)
Shizuka watched Akishin disappear through the door. She sat in silence for a moment, her hand reflexively reaching for a cigarette before she remembered she was still in the office. She let out a long sigh. She knew he was trying to help, but in the rigid world of Japanese workplace culture, a stunt like that was a fast track to making enemies.
She picked up her pen and got to work. Ten minutes later, when she reached out to grab the next stack of papers, her hand met empty air.
She looked up, startled to find that her desk was clean.
"I usually don't finish until well after the bells ring..."
Unconsciously, the corners of Shizuka's mouth curled into a soft smile.
With her work finished and no afternoon classes to teach, the sudden freedom felt alien to her. She pondered for a moment, then stood up and headed toward the club building behind the school.
She figured she'd check in on a certain "problem student." At this hour, he'd almost certainly be there.
Akishin arrived back at the Chishima Residence. After finishing a quick call with his suppliers, he set to work cleaning the kitchen. All the essential cookware was already in place. He tidied the tables, topped off the water in the aquarium, and brought out the marinated beef he'd prepared earlier.
He started a thick, rich beef bone broth, tossed in a blend of aromatic spices, and added a portion of the seasoned meat. He set the stove to the lowest possible flame, letting it simmer slow and steady. Soon, a powerful, mouth-watering aroma began to waft through the small shop.
He walked over to the menu board and flipped ten placards. They were mostly standard appetizers and small plates meant to pair with drinks, though his prices were a bit steeper than your average Izakaya. The priciest item was the Sashimi at three thousand Yen—a reflection of the Japanese love for the dish. In the end, he decided against a minimalist menu and added a few more complex dishes to round things out.
As a chef, the one thing he took the most pride in was his knife work.
Just as he finished the prep, the suppliers arrived with the rest of the stock. These were pre-ordered items, scheduled for delivery the moment he gave the word.
Once the deliverymen had unloaded everything, Akishin began organizing. He watched a few sea bass swimming in the holding tank with a sense of quiet satisfaction.
Everything was ready for his guests.
Akishin looked at the "Open" sign in his hand but decided not to hang it up just yet. It was five in the evening—the time Hiratsuka Shizuka was supposed to arrive with Hikigaya Hachiman in tow.
Ting-ling-ling!
The bell above the door chimed. The noren curtains were pushed aside, and the familiar figure of Shizuka appeared, still wearing her white lab coat.
"That's odd. I didn't hear the roar of a certain sports car outside, Hiratsuka-sensei."
"We're here, Chishima-sensei. Oh! You've finished all the prep already? I was actually planning to come early and help out."
"Hahaha, I couldn't possibly trouble you with that. I told you, today is the grand opening..."
Akishin's voice trailed off as he watched one, two, three, four students file in behind her. All of them were clad in the Sobu High uniform.
"Chishima-sensei."
Hikigaya Hachiman gave a dull nod, his characteristic "dead fish eyes" scanning the room. He caught the scent of the broth and took in the atmosphere. It was a classic, old-school Izakaya with six tables. Steam rose in white plumes from the kitchen counter, and while many placards lined the walls, only ten were turned outward.
"Sorry for the intrusion, Chishima-sensei."
Hayama Hayato and Miura Yumiko bowed in unison.
"Hello there."
Akishin returned the greeting. He hadn't expected these two to show up, but a guest was a guest. Besides, he didn't mind a bit of a crowd.
Shizuka looked a little sheepish. She had assumed Akishin would be swamped on his opening night, so she'd brought along some extra hands. Hikigaya was a given, and she'd recruited Hayama because he was known for being the "nice guy" of the class. And, naturally, where Hayama went, Miura Yumiko followed.
She didn't need to explain all that to Akishin, though. Seeing that he had everything under control, it looked like they were really just here to eat.
"And who might this be?"
Akishin's gaze settled on the last person in the group. She was a girl with striking blue eyes and long, straight black hair. Her skin was porcelain-clear, but her expression was frostier than a winter morning. She gave off an aura that screamed "do not approach."
She was incredibly beautiful—and she bore a striking resemblance to Yukinoshita Haruno.
Akishin observed her closely. She really did look like a "miniature" version of Haruno. He shot a glance at Shizuka, already piecing together her identity.
The girl gave a shallow bow. "Hello, Chishima-sensei. I am Yukinoshita Yukino. Please excuse the intrusion." Her voice was as cold as her gaze.
Akishin smiled. "Yukinoshita Yukino? Tell me, what's your connection to Yukinoshita Haruno?"
Yukino looked up, her eyes locking onto his. After a two-second hesitation, she replied with a heavy tone, "Yukinoshita Haruno is my older sister. I am the younger. Has Chishima-sensei met her before?"
"I have." Akishin nodded. "Two days ago, when your sister came looking for Hiratsuka-sensei, she stopped by for lunch."
"I see."
Yukino nodded as if that explained everything, but then she turned a terrifyingly icy glare toward Shizuka. She had finally realized why her teacher had dragged her here today.
Caught in the crosshairs of Yukino's frozen stare, Shizuka felt a literal shiver run down her spine. She shot an annoyed, sidelong glance at Akishin.
"Well, come on in, everyone. I'm glad to have you all here."
Akishin led the five of them to the seating area, providing cushions and serving hot tea.
Shizuka took a sip and looked at Akishin. "Is there really nothing we can do to help?"
"No need, everything is set." Akishin paused, looking over the four students. "Actually, I am about to start the final cooking. Would anyone like to lend a hand in the kitchen?"
"I'll do it!" (Two voices called out at once)
Both Hikigaya Hachiman and Hayama Hayato had their hands up.
Akishin looked at the two of them and chuckled. "In that case, both of you come with me."
Hikigaya and Hayama exchanged a brief look before following Akishin out of the room.
Miura Yumiko watched Hayama leave with a look of pure longing, muttering under her breath, "Why does Hayato have to go with that Hikigaya guy..."
"Yumiko, don't talk like that," Shizuka said softly. "Hikigaya is quite capable in his own way."
Miura turned her head away, huffing. She didn't necessarily hate Hikigaya; she just hated that Hayama was spending time with him instead of her.
Yukino had actually wanted to help as well—it was the polite thing to do at a teacher's house—but Hikigaya and Hayama had beaten her to the punch. She turned her attention to Shizuka. "Hiratsuka-sensei, what is the meaning of this? Did nee-san say something to you?"
"Relax, Yukino." Shizuka sipped her tea, her expression finally relaxing. "This really is just an invitation for a good meal. Once you taste Chishima-sensei's cooking, you'll understand."
Yukino fell silent. She pulled a small book from her bag and began to read, not even bothering to acknowledge Miura.
Miura felt her temper flare at the snub. She knew who the "Ice Queen" of Sobu High was and had intended to be social, but Yukino clearly had zero interest. Miura felt like she was being looked down upon.
Shizuka sighed, watching the two of them.
"God, Haruno is such a pain."
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