[Students Mu Tianchen and Ayanokoji from Class 1-D, your homeroom teacher, Teacher Chazhu, would like to see you. Please report to the teachers' office.] Repeating, first-years...
A flat, emotionless announcement came over the classroom speakers.
Mu Tianchen was slightly surprised, but still stood up and left. Ayanokoji followed close behind.
"Huh? Mu Tianchen? Is there someone by that name in our class?"
After hearing the announcement, Ike seemed confused. The name didn't ring a bell for him.
"He's the handsome guy who sits next to Takagahara. I heard he transferred here, just like Wang Meiyu," a girl reminded him.
"Oh, right. But why doesn't he ever talk in class?"
"Maybe he's a bit of a loner."
"Maybe..."
Mu Tianchen left the classroom and headed straight for the teachers' office. He didn't want to waste time on this.
"Hey, wait up."
Ayanokoji called from behind. Since the announcement had called him, too, Mu Tianchen stopped to wait for him.
"Mu Tianchen, do you know why Teacher Chazhu wants us to see her?" Ryoji asked as he caught up.
"Huh? I have no idea. Do you have any guesses?"
He was obviously testing him. Mu Tianchen wasn't stupid.
"I don't know either," Ayanokoji replied.
"Then let's go and see what's going on."
"Sure."
That conversation had ended awfully quickly. Ayanokoji hadn't let a single thing slip.
The two walked side by side for a while, then Ayanokoji spoke again.
"Um... have we met somewhere when we were kids?"
"You must be mistaken. I spent my whole childhood back home. I only transferred here recently. By the way, you and your desk mate, Horikita, seem pretty close. Are you two dating?"
"Not at all. We're just desk mates. We're not even friends."
He really had come from that room. His memory was impressive, considering they'd only met that one time.
"Hahaha. Everyone seems to be wondering about you two. Horikita only talks to you, after all."
Ayanokoji: "..."
Before they knew it, they had arrived at the teachers' office.
"Excuse us."
Mu Tianchen knocked first. After they were given permission to enter, the two went in together.
However, judging by the voice that had answered, it didn't seem to be Teacher Chazhu.
The office wasn't very large. It had two desks, one of them unoccupied. At the other, a female teacher was looking in a mirror. As expected, Teacher Chazhu wasn't there.
Mu Tianchen glanced at Ayanokoji. Understanding, he spoke up.
"Um... excuse me. Is Teacher Chazhu here?"
"Huh? You're looking for Saeko? I'm pretty sure she was just here. Maybe she stepped out for something."
The teacher who turned around had slightly wavy hair and a pretty face, though she looked a little tired.
"I see. Then we'll come back later," Mu Tianchen said, giving Ayanokoji a nudge.
Ayanokoji immediately turned to leave the office.
"Wait a minute! Don't be in such a hurry. Let's chat for a bit. Saeko will be back soon."
Since the teacher was asking them to stay, they felt awkward refusing and turned back.
"I'm Chie Hoshimiya, the homeroom teacher for Class B. Your teacher and I were best friends in high school. We even call each other 'Saeko' and 'Chie.'"
"Oh," they both replied. They probably felt she'd shared some pretty useless information.
"Um, why did Saeko call you out here? I'm really curious. Could you tell me? Please?"
"We don't know either," Mu Tianchen replied, seeing that Ayanokoji had stayed silent.
"What? You don't know either? Saeko really is awful... So, what are your names?"
"My name's Mu Tianchen."
"My name's Ryoji."
"You're both quite handsome. You must be popular. Do you have girlfriends or anything?"
This teacher was far too friendly. She was the complete opposite of Teacher Chazhu. Mu Tianchen wondered how the two of them got along.
"No," Mu Tianchen replied.
"What about you?" Teacher Hoshinomiya turned to Ayanokoji.
"Neither do I."
"Teacher, he's lying. He and his desk mate get along really well, like a couple."
"Is that so?!" Teacher Hoshinomiya reacted as though she'd heard some incredible news.
"Mu Tianchen, stop joking around. Teacher Hoshinomiya, Horikita and I are just desk mates. We're not even friends. Besides, I'm not popular in class," Ryoji protested.
"Really? I never would've guessed. If you two were in my class, I'd never leave handsome guys like you alone."
What did she mean by that? Mu Tianchen had a feeling this wasn't just ordinary small talk. It sounded like there was something more behind her words.
"Hoshinomiya, what are you doing to my students?"
Teacher Chazhu suddenly appeared at the office door and hurried over to Teacher Hoshinomiya. She smacked her hard on the head with the folder in her hand, making a loud thump.
After being hit, Chie Hoshimiya immediately crouched down, clutching her head as if she were in agony.
Mu Tianchen and Ayanokoji stared at the scene, dumbfounded, as though to say, "So this is the close relationship Teacher Hoshinomiya was talking about?!"
"Ow... Saeko, what did you do that for?!"
"Because I saw you harassing the students in my class."
"How is that harassment? You're so mean, Saeko! They didn't find you when they came by, and when they saw me, they were the ones who clung to me and asked me to chat with them to pass the time."
Teacher Hoshinomiya looked terribly aggrieved.
But wasn't she the one who came over and started talking to us...?
"Couldn't you have just ignored them? Forget it. You two, come with me to the Counseling Room!"
Teacher Chazhu changed the subject and fixed Mu Tianchen and Ayanokoji with a sharp look.
She was the one who'd been late, so why was she acting like they'd done something wrong? It was all Teacher Hoshinomiya's fault. They were completely innocent.
"Couldn't we just talk here? You want to take us to the Counseling Room... Did we do something wrong?"
Ayanokoji pleaded, looking utterly downcast.
He was probably faking it, wasn't he? Mu Tianchen decided to play along.
"I'd rather stay here too."
"Both of you, shut up! Come with me, now, or I'll have you expelled!"
They didn't think a homeroom teacher had the authority to expel students on a whim, but they still obediently followed her.
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