The door swung open with a soft creak.
"Hi there," the woman said brightly, her voice warm, inviting.
Hayato froze. His jaw almost dropped.
Miss Kasiba stood in the doorway, the light behind her outlining her figure. She was tall, poised, and effortlessly elegant. Her long dark hair was tied loosely back, strands framing her face in just the right way. A fitted blouse hugged her frame beneath her lab coat, tucked neatly into a pencil skirt that traced her curves. Black heels clicked faintly against the tile. And perched on the bridge of her nose were glasses, thin-framed and gleaming, only adding to her sharp, intellectual beauty.
Hayato's face burned. No way. No way she's this hot.
Even Nabi faltered for a split second, her lips parting in quiet surprise. But she recomposed herself almost immediately, folding her arms and standing tall.
Miss Kasiba's eyes flicked between the two of them, lingering just a fraction longer on Hayato. The corner of her lips curved upward, and there was the faintest lick of her tongue over her lower lip, as if savoring the reaction she saw.
Beside him, Nabi cleared her throat. "We're the new transfer students. This is supposed to be our first class."
"Ah, of course," Miss Kasiba said smoothly, her smile widening with effortless charm. "Come in, come in."
She stepped aside, gesturing for them to enter. The students already inside glanced up, curiosity flashing across their faces before returning to their work.
Miss Kasiba walked them to the center aisle. "You two can join that pair over there." She motioned toward a table where a girl and boy already sat together, equipment spread across the desk for the experiment.
"Work as a group. I'll be watching and just call me if you need any help."
Her tone was friendly, encouraging, yet something in it lingered. Too smooth. Too sweet.
Hayato tried not to stare as he followed Nabi into the classroom, his mind reeling.
Hayato and Nabi slid into the empty seats across from the other pair.
The boy straightened his back quickly, adjusting his glasses. "Uh—I'm Satoshi."
The girl beside him beamed, her voice bright and full of energy. "And I'm Aika! Nice to meet you!"
Hayato gave a small nod. "Hayato."
Nabi followed smoothly with a radiant smile. "Nabi. It's a pleasure to meet you as well."
Aika blinked, tilting her head. "Nabi? That's not a Japanese name… are you Korean?"
Nabi hesitated, a flicker of nerves flashing across her face. "…Yes."
Aika gasped, leaning forward, her eyes sparkling. "That explains it! You're gorgeous—you could totally pass for a K-pop idol!"
Satoshi coughed into his hand, blushing. "Sh-she's not wrong."
Hayato kept his mouth shut, though inside, he agreed wholeheartedly. She really could…
But when he glanced sideways at Nabi, he caught something else. At Aika's words, her expression darkened, almost imperceptibly, like a shadow passing over her features. Hayato raised a brow but decided to leave it.
They turned to the science project, the four of them setting up the beakers and burners. While they worked, Hayato leaned forward casually. "So, what's the deal with your teacher? Miss Kasiba."
Aika perked up immediately. "Oh, she's super popular. All the boys love her! I've even seen some confess to her in the halls."
Satoshi flushed red, looking down at the table. "…Well, she is stunning."
Both he and Aika glanced toward the front of the room, where Miss Kasiba stood overseeing another group. Her glasses caught the light, her posture graceful, commanding without even trying.
Hayato looked too, lips pressing thinly. "…Yeah. Stunning." Then, quietly, in his chest: Still not better than Nabi, though.
Aika lowered her voice conspiratorially. "But she's… a bit mysterious. She doesn't talk about herself much. Always keeps to herself. And she's kind of… irregular? Sometimes she arrives late, sometimes she leaves early. But she's really chill and nice and super smart. Everyone likes and respects her."
Nabi's expression didn't change, but her eyes flicked to Hayato for the briefest moment. Both of them had heard the same thing. And both of them understood what it might mean.
Nabi pushed her chair back, standing with calm grace. She crossed the room toward Miss Kasiba, her steps light, voice even kinder than usual.
"Excuse me, Miss Kasiba," she said softly. "Would it be alright if we spoke after class? Just… about some things to do with the work."
Kasiba didn't look up from her desk, but her smile was warm, professional. "Of course. That's perfectly fine."
Nabi returned to her seat.
The rest of the lesson slipped by in what felt like seconds. For Hayato, every tick of the clock thudded against his chest. He couldn't tell if it was the nerves of being alone with two beautiful women… or the terror of being alone with a witch. Probably both, he decided grimly.
The bell rang. Chairs scraped, voices filled the air, and students streamed out into the hall. Soon, the classroom was empty except for the three of them.
Miss Kasiba's back was to them, her figure outlined in the late-morning light spilling through the windows. She shuffled papers in neat stacks, humming faintly. "You can say whatever is on your mind," she said kindly, still not turning around. "I'll do my best to help."
Nabi stepped forward, her voice firm, stripped of its gentleness. "We know you're a Witch."
The air shifted.
Kasiba froze, her hand lingering on the last sheet of paper. The hum stopped.
The room cooled almost instantly, the light itself seeming to dim. Hayato swallowed hard, every nerve in his body screaming.
Slowly, Miss Kasiba turned, her glasses catching the light. Her smile was lazy, playful, too controlled. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."
Nabi raised her hand. A shard of ice formed at her fingertips and shot forward, slicing through the air.
Kasiba's arm moved in a blur. She caught the ice between her fingers before it reached her, crushing it with inhuman ease. Shards tinkled to the floor like glass.
Nabi's eyes narrowed. "That's what we're talking about."
Kasiba tilted her head, her sly smile never leaving. "I suppose… you figured me out." Her voice dipped, smooth and taunting. "Indeed. I am a Witch."
Her gaze flicked between them, gleaming with hunger and amusement all at once. "Now tell me—" she whispered, her tone dripping with challenge.
"…what exactly is it, that you plan to do with that information?"