Winter in Tokyo arrives exceptionally early, the boundary between sky and earth indistinct in the morning. Snow-white mist rolls incessantly, seeping through the daylight into dreams, myriad forms drifting silently past the window.
Inside the bedroom, there was no trace of cold, only the soft, warm embrace of the duvet and the fair, tender skin of a young girl.
Still half-asleep, I moved my arm to turn off the phone alarm. The person in my arms hadn't woken yet, still sleeping soundly.
It had been a long time since I'd slept so comfortably. My entire body was filled with the vitality and energy that comes from complete relaxation. Only my right shoulder felt slightly uncomfortable, aching from being pressed all night, causing a minor inconvenience upon waking.
The covers were simply too warm. I struggled for a while before finally getting up, carefully extracting my arm so as not to disturb a certain young lady with a notorious temper upon waking.
I slipped on my slippers, gently lifted the duvet, and carefully tucked the edges around Kusanagi.
She could sleep a little longer. School time was still early.
Kusanagi's sleeping face was very peaceful. She curled up, her fair fingertips resting near her chin, like a small animal lacking a sense of security.
I usually can't enter her room, let alone see her sleeping. This was a special treat.
By the faint morning light, I brushed aside the duvet corner and saw her skin, fine and smooth as jade. Two strands of black hair clung to her cheeks, rising and falling with her breath. Her lips were naturally red without any adornment.
Perhaps she stayed up late last night. Her fair forehead was slightly flushed, with a small berry-red pimple. It wasn't unsightly; instead, it made her seem youthful and energetic, brimming with vitality.
Her hair tickled her. She frowned and scratched, her long black eyelashes fluttering faintly. So cute, I couldn't help but think.
So pretty and adorable, yet with a temper ten times as bad. At least we've made up. I couldn't help but smile. A clingy girl is a sign of reconciliation, a return to how things were at the beginning. Just thinking about it made the corners of my mouth turn up.
As if hearing my thoughts, she lazily turned over, revealing a pale, gleaming shoulder and a large expanse of chest like cream.
...It would be better if she wore a bit more.
I decided to ask for leave on her behalf. High fevers can easily relapse; it's best she rests properly at home today.
I touched her forehead with the back of my hand, confirmed the fever had subsided, then quietly left the room to wash up and get ready.
So she's really this afraid of the cold.
Unclear whether Kusanagi even had an electric blanket, and worried about sleeping with her again, I directly ordered one online from Amazon for next-day delivery.
Yes, you heard right. I was worried about sleeping with Kusanagi. Specifically, worried she might hug me indiscriminately, and worried about her overly revealing camisole.
...In short, I was worried.
To avoid this situation recurring, thorough preparations were necessary, especially ensuring Kusanagi doesn't get sick again.
It was a subtle feeling. The girl was such a small bundle, curled up in my arms with almost no weight, soft and smooth like a body pillow. I hardly dared to touch her, yet she somehow had a sleep-aiding effect. It felt like absorbing her energy left me bursting with vitality.
Could it be that sleeping with a body pillow makes it easier to fall asleep?
I rubbed my head, forcing myself to focus back on class. Approaching year-end, theory and practical exams were increasing. Add to that part-time jobs at the bookstore and emergency department, I needed to plan this period carefully to avoid scheduling conflicts.
With two months left until New Year, the school had already announced the holiday schedule early. To accommodate international students, the break was unified—a very considerate arrangement.
"Nozawa, have you checked your email?" Li Shijia hurried over from the next classroom, clutching a Winnie the Pooh hot water bottle.
"No, why?"
"You should check. I don't know what the research institute is thinking. Don't they think we're busy enough at year-end?"
Hearing this, I picked up my phone and started scrolling.
"They're adding classes this semester too. A pile of year-end assessment papers. Something about a pilot theory course. God, where am I supposed to find the time?"
The latest email stated that for the remaining semester, a new Medical Equipment Lecture course was added every Friday, with mandatory attendance. The professor was Hinamori Reiko.
As expected, everyone felt overwhelmed like Li Shijia. This sudden addition was the last straw, and frustrations were about to boil over.
It seemed this renowned Mori Reiko was about to face a barrage of student resentment. I wondered how she'd handle it.
"Just watch, a bunch of people will skip." Li Shijia punched my arm, remembering something. "Why did you leave so suddenly last night without even saying goodbye?"
Her punch nearly knocked me over. "Something urgent came up. I had to go."
"What kind of emergency happens late at night?"
I knew leaving a birthday party without notice was improper, but I had a valid reason. So, I explained everything to Li Shijia.
"Alright, the kid's health is more important. But after you left, that guy drank a lot, even sat on the floor throwing a tantrum, hahaha. Let me show you the video."
She played the video. An elegant, refined young man was sitting on the floor, making a scene, alcohol spilled everywhere. It was quite an eyesore.
I awkwardly looked away. This was clearly my fault, but I hadn't expected him to get this drunk.
"I'll find time to apologize to him."
"Why apologize to him? He brought it on himself, acting like some lovesick fool. Pfft, ignore him. Just wanted to show you. Don't feel burdened; that guy's an idiot."
"You, all sharp words but a soft heart."
"Enough about that. New class soon. I haven't submitted my project yet, and my credits are short. So stressed."
"I have foreign reference materials for the anatomical structure project. I can send them to you on WeChat if you need."
"Yes, please! Top student, save me!"
After some back-and-forth, the file was too large for phones, needing a computer. With the deadline pressing, Li Shijia could only stare helplessly at the screen. No choice—if she didn't submit it, she'd be in big trouble.
Li Shijia whispered in my ear, "Nozawa, you've met Mori Reiko before, right? Could you ask her for a leave of absence for one class?"
"I can try, but what if she's very principled and refuses?" University professors are usually strict. Can't forget that just because Mori Reiko is young. I did want to help Shijia.
"Just try. I think she'll be more lenient with you. After all, her preference is for girls. A young girl like you should be right up her alley."
"..."
"This Mori Reiko is a longtime friend of Alex's dad. They've known each other since childhood. They say Mori Reiko often brings different pretty girls home, especially favors talented, beautiful female students."
My eyebrow twitched. "If that's the case, I think you fit the criteria better."
"True, looks-wise, we're on par." Li Shijia couldn't resist preening even now.
"..."
"You go ahead. I'll find her after class." Based on our previous chat, Professor Mori Reiko seemed reasonable. It shouldn't be a big issue.
"Anyway, I'm counting on you! Little Nozawa, you must get her to approve my leave!! If needed, use your charms at this critical moment!"
"...Got it!" That last part was completely unnecessary!
Large classes usually have attendance checks, so some students sign in and slip away. Professors often turn a blind eye, but strict ones are trouble—a single absence could cost you the course. Must not let Li Shijia fail. With this in mind, I wrote a leave request note for her, thinking it might increase the success rate.
"Silence!"
The noisy lecture hall quickly quieted down. The grumbling students, unable to fight the university's arrangements, reluctantly found seats.
On the podium, a young female professor with silver-rimmed glasses looked down at her notes, revealing a patch of fair skin on the back of her neck.
The woman had a beautiful face and a tall figure. She glanced around briefly, waiting until the hall was completely silent before looking up and asking in a deep voice, "How many of you are worried about failing the final exams?"
The students, quiet as a morning lake, rippled with murmurs like a stone tossed in.
Her voice was commanding, confident, her words sharp and to the point. "Students worried about failing, those who need key points reviewed, you may leave this classroom now. I will still give you a passing grade."
This caused an uproar.
The students couldn't tell if she was serious. Discussions erupted. The university's credit requirements were heavy, and this course counted for 2 credits. Getting them so easily would be a windfall.
A bold male student already raised his hand. "Professor Mori Reiko, if we get a passing grade, do we still get the credits?"
"Yes," the woman replied.
That set off a frenzy. Students already overwhelmed started packing their laptops and files. After a few took the lead, many more followed suit. Soon, more than half the class had left. Less than a few dozen remained, not even filling the first five rows.
Naturally, I was shocked by this move. Granting credits without attending class was unheard of. What was she really up to?
The woman walked to the front of the podium. Her height gave her a commanding presence even just standing normally.
"To the remaining students, congratulations. You are the only batch from the 2019 cohort eligible for an additional 5 credits. You are outstanding talents who can balance theoretical knowledge. I look forward to your performance in the coming months."
So that's how it was. An unexpected twist. The benefit for staying was actually this.
AI Model: gemini-3.1-flash-lite
The remaining students were all grinning from ear to ear upon hearing this good news; now they wouldn't have to worry about their assessment performance, and they were all surprised by the female professor's unexpected teaching method.
"The students who are staying, please fill out the list and hand it to me after class." The woman deftly clicked open the PPT. "Let's officially begin the lesson."
Two periods flashed by. She spoke very quickly and used many technical terms; without sufficient pre-class preparation, it was hard to keep up with the rhythm. It was a bit strenuous, requiring me to flip through the textbook to look up information from time to time.
Through this class, I also discovered my own shortcomings. Focusing solely on practical operations was far from enough; I also needed to have a sufficient understanding of every piece of equipment. Internationally, new medical devices were being updated rapidly, with their principles and efficacy significantly improved. A moment of inattention, and one would fall far behind.
During the break, the young female professor took a sip of water, signaled the person in charge to compile the list, and then said: "There are a few minutes left before class ends; some students, please do not leave just yet."
She read out a few names, all students from other classes, before suddenly glancing at me, who was sitting in the back row. "Reconstructive Surgery Class 1903, Nozawa Mizuki. The students mentioned above, come to my office after class."
Me?
I happened to need to see her about Li Shijia's leave of absence, so this actually saved me some trouble.
However, this was my first time attending her public lecture, so logically, there shouldn't be any reason for her to call me. I couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled, and Li Shijia's mischievous teasing suddenly echoed in my mind: "Mori Reiko likes girls, you know."
…Don't let her influence you; it must be just hearsay and gossip.
I packed my bag and followed the few other students whose names had been called, heading toward the office in the teaching building.
Mori Reiko was an overseas talent hired by the institute's affiliated college; one could see how much the institute valued her just from the welcome ceremony. Her office was located on the main floor of the college, was quite spacious, and was a private office—a level of treatment that even a mentor of Yamashita's caliber didn't have.
After winding through the stairs, the few students stopped, and I discovered that all the students called to the office were female.
What a coincidence. I subconsciously double-checked—that's right, including myself, there were a total of 7 girls, and not a single boy.
Remembering what Li Shijia had said, I couldn't help but hesitate for a few seconds.
…It's just a coincidence… It's all that person's fault for saying such baseless things, making me lose my own train of thought.
"Everyone, please sit; there's no need to be reserved." Mori Reiko turned on the heater, and the room instantly became warm as spring. A few girls who were sensitive to the cold thanked her repeatedly.
"I didn't call you here for anything special. Based on the comprehensive grade rankings, I selected the top-performing students, which is all of you."
"Professor Mori, there is also Yuji ranked ahead of me; why didn't you call him?"
"Because men already possess many advantages, what I want to do is make the girls even more outstanding." The woman stepped down from the podium, as if she had become a different person. She became very approachable, and her magnetic voice was also extremely charming.
She talked broadly about situations where one might encounter bottlenecks, the experiences of girls not being valued by mentors due to gender limitations, and professional methods for handling different medical conditions. These topics were very sharp; being brought up abruptly, they greatly tested the responder's knowledge reserve, academic cultivation, and professional ability.
One could feel that the girls present had high aspirations and resonated deeply with the topic raised by the young female professor. They began discussing it in a few words, and there was no lack of righteous indignation and condemnation among them. Everyone's enthusiasm and participation in the topic were very active.
Mori Reiko listened to every girl's input, and with her experience, she gave the most pertinent and practical advice, also offering appropriate comfort and reassurance, urging them to be more confident and brave enough to break through their own limits.
Her brilliance lay not only in her high emotional intelligence but also in her ability to precisely grasp the pain points that the girls cared about and then break them down one by one. When encountering problems that couldn't be solved, she would shift the focus of the conflict and then proceed to cut into the next topic.
Listening to these remarks, the young girls felt a sense of enlightenment, and their admiration for this young, beautiful female professor was overflowing. In less than a quarter of an hour, the discussion concluded, and she had successfully won over a group of fangirls, who were completely convinced. People from Jikei Medical University were indeed different; setting aside everything else, just in terms of speech and communication, it was enough for me to learn a lot.
I glanced at her on the sly, but unexpectedly, I happened to meet her gaze. She looked back openly, her slender eyes behind frameless glasses narrowing playfully.
As for why I used the word "playful," I'm not sure myself; I just subconsciously felt that was what she meant.
"That's all for now, students. If you have any questions, you can come to consult me." She immediately issued a gentle dismissal.
"Bye, Professor Mori!" "Goodbye, Sister Mori~"
The students said their sweet goodbyes, and the woman seemed to add another sentence nonchalantly: "Student Nozawa Mizuki from Class 03, please stay. Everyone else can go."
Uh, she kept me behind alone.
The group of girls turned to look at me one after another. With their gazes converging so densely, I felt a bit bewildered. However, I didn't plan on leaving either; Li Shijia's leave slip was still clutched in my hand, and the key task hadn't been completed yet.
The office door slowly closed, and I caught with my sharp ears some girls whispering: "Is this the only girl from Class 03 who was selected? I heard she's very impressive..."
Not impressive, just good luck.
I thought this, but I was still in a good mood because of what the girls said. As for why she kept me behind, I didn't know either.
"You have quite a reputation." The woman winked at me shrewdly.
I lowered my head in embarrassment; I couldn't be arrogant and had to work even harder.
"Aren't you curious why I kept you?" Seeing that I wasn't speaking, the woman spoke first. She brewed a cup of coffee and leaned back leisurely in her boss chair.
This question hit the nail on the head. I was indeed quite curious, so I asked: "Why did you keep me?"
"Allow me to keep you in suspense." She smiled. "Sit down first. Coffee or milk?"
Alone in the office, she switched to fluent Chinese, a level of thoughtfulness that even I had to marvel at. Why would there be milk in the office?
"Here, it's better for a little one to drink milk." She took a can of milk from the hot drink machine next to the desk, her tone barely perceptibly gentle.
Called a "little one" again, I rubbed my ears, suppressing my irritation.
Is this her usual trick? Relying on psychological techniques to close the distance—does she rely on this single move to capture girls' favor and trust?
"Thank you." I took a sip of milk. It had a very familiar taste and was very hot—it was Kusanagi's favorite Meiji. Since winter started, because she was too lazy to heat up milk, Kusanagi drank cold milk quite often. I wondered where she bought this hot drink machine?
Seeing that I seemed to like the milk, Mori Reiko took another bottle for me. I waved my hand to decline, and accidentally, the leave slip I was clutching fell out.
"What is this?" Mori Reiko picked up the paper, glanced over a few words, and immediately understood, but she didn't say anything, waiting for me to explain.
I immediately explained: "Actually, even if you hadn't kept me today, I had something to come to you for. Students who didn't leave today can get 5 extra credits, but some people had to take emergency leave. I don't think that should count as leaving voluntarily; it should also count as having stayed." If I could get 5 points for Shijia too, she wouldn't have to worry about the year-end assessment. I had to arrange this good thing for her.
"Li Shijia." Mori Reiko pinched the paper, reading the name on it. "If I remember correctly, she was also present on the day of the birthday party?" Her memory was very good; she could call out the names of everyone she had met.
"Yes, she also attended the senior's birthday banquet." So Mori Reiko knew her; that made things easier. The 5 credits were securely in the bag.
Just when I thought there would be no problem, the woman's tone suddenly became regretful. "But I did not approve it. Taking leave on the very first class—what is the difference between that and someone who voluntarily abandons the course?"
As expected, it wasn't that easy; I had been happy too soon. My brain spun rapidly. Combining why she adopted this teaching format and why she didn't approve the leave, I quickly derived a hypothesis: she was specifically abandoning the struggling students to filter out the top-tier ones. If this hypothesis held true, then Mori Reiko certainly couldn't be considered a good teacher, but she was the sharpest hunter, only selecting the most outstanding weapons to polish.
"Professor." I deliberated for a moment and said: "Li Shijia had an important document to transmit at the last minute, which is why she had to take leave. Her professional level is very high, and she is very smart; you can verify that later."
The woman clasped her fingers together, giving me that same look of keen interest. "I am indeed more willing to teach smart children."
My emotional intelligence went online at lightning speed at this moment. "It's her loss for not attending your class; if you give her a chance, she will be very grateful to you."
Hearing this, the playfulness in Mori Reiko's eyes became even more obvious. The corners of her lips curled up as if she were thinking, and it was quite a while before she said: "Putting it that way, it's not impossible."
"You agree?" I was overjoyed.
"She is your good friend, and you want to help her secure the credits, right?" The woman's voice was low and magnetic. I didn't know when she had gotten so close to me; her mature and refined facial contours were like a beautiful oil painting.
"It can be done, but you have to agree to one condition."
A condition? What condition?
…Why does this sound like a scene that would appear in some adult-rated work? I was stunned for a moment. Is it the meaning I'm thinking of, or is she actually talking about something else, and I'm just misunderstanding?
Using her status as a professor to exert pressure, forcing students to agree to certain conditions, such as…
I started to stutter: "Wh, what?"