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Sobu High, Class 1-B's music room.
As the gentle pre-class bell faded, the back door of the spacious, brightly lit lecture-style classroom was quietly pushed open. Lucian and Shizuka Hiratsuka walked in one after the other.
"Lucian, this is your first time participating in a cross-observation between teachers. Take this evaluation form."
Keeping her voice low, Hiratsuka handed him a sheet titled Teacher Classroom Quality Evaluation Form with the school's header on it, then began explaining the scoring criteria with practiced ease as they walked.
"The evaluation is divided into several aspects. First, how well the classroom atmosphere is engaged. Second, control of the teaching pace. And third, how the teacher handles unexpected situations. You may be new too, but you were specially recruited by the board as a prodigy. Your judgment should be sharper than most. Just score based on your honest impression—no need to worry about social niceties."
"Got it. I'll be fair," Lucian replied, taking the form and pen. He skimmed it briefly and nodded.
Since they were only there to observe, they couldn't sit in the front and distract the class. So they headed straight for the empty seats in the last row.
By coincidence, only two seats were left—next to each other, but separated by an aisle.
Hiratsuka scanned the area, then decisively took the aisle seat, casually sitting down beside the transfer student with long black hair who was spinning a pen out of boredom—Natsumi.
"Hey, Natsumi. Behave yourself this class and actually pay attention," Hiratsuka said, arms crossed as she tapped the desk with her pen, radiating authority.
"Oh, come on, Teacher Shizuka, I'm always a good kid!" Natsumi leaned closer with a cheeky grin, acting like a total suck-up.
Looking at this mischievous, fearless transfer student, Hiratsuka kept a stern face, but a hint of appreciation flickered in her eyes.
As Sobu High's famously "hot-blooded iron-fist teacher," she actually hated lifeless, timid students the most.
Compared to them, someone like Natsumi—playful, troublemaking, almost like a little devil, yet brimming with vitality—was far more to her liking.
With Hiratsuka seated, only one spot remained in the back row: the window seat.
Holding the evaluation form, Lucian walked over and pulled out the chair. The moment he sat down, he naturally turned his head to look at the person beside him.
Yukino Yukinoshita.
She was sitting upright as usual.
But the instant he took his seat, the composed "ice queen" who normally wouldn't flinch even if a mountain collapsed in front of her stiffened noticeably.
As the distance between them closed, a faint, refreshing masculine scent drifted into her nose without obstruction.
She knew that scent all too well.
Just last night, in that dim bedroom, wrapped together under the sea-blue blanket, she had been completely surrounded by it… until she lost herself entirely.
Her heart began pounding like a drum. Her slender fingers, gripping her pen, turned pale from the force.
The moment she remembered how she'd cried—three times, no less—beneath him last night, her cheeks burned as if they were on fire.
What made it even worse was that less than two meters away sat Teacher Hiratsuka, the strictest teacher in the entire school.
If she showed even the slightest abnormal reaction now—if her face flushed like a ripe apple—there was no way Hiratsuka's sharp eyes wouldn't notice the "improper relationship" between her and Lucian.
"C-Calm down, Yukino Yukinoshita… breathe. He's just an observing teacher right now…"
She bit her lower lip, frantically coaching herself in her mind.
With all her strength, she forced her gaze onto the blackboard, maintaining her usual composed, elegant top-student demeanor.
Yet what both relieved and strangely disappointed her was that Lucian didn't seem to be paying her any attention at all.
His eyes were fixed intently on the new music teacher at the front.
"Good morning, everyone. I'm your new music teacher, Sawako Yamanaka."
On the podium, Sawako Yamanaka wore a refined light-gray business suit, paired with rimless glasses. Her soft brown hair fell smoothly over her shoulders.
With a gentle smile and a soothing voice, every gesture of hers radiated grace and warmth.
She was the perfect embodiment of a traditional, gentle "Yamato Nadeshiko."
"Today, we'll be appreciating the charm of classical music. Music is the language of the soul…"
As she spoke, she walked elegantly to the piano. The moment her slender fingers danced across the keys, a beautiful, calming classical melody flowed through the room.
From the back row, Lucian listened to her voice while filling out the evaluation form.
"Hmm… Classroom atmosphere: excellent. Teaching pace: perfect. Student engagement: extremely high…"
Looking at the string of high scores, he couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
As expected of "Catherine," the wild lead vocalist who once dominated the underground rock scene.
This acting, this disguise—it was award-winning level.
Who would guess that this gentle, refined woman playing classical piano was, behind the scenes, a heavy metal fanatic who could shred an electric guitar with her teeth and loved making people wear embarrassing cosplay outfits?
"Her disguise really is flawless. Full marks," Lucian concluded, giving her an exceptionally high overall score.
Just as he finished and was about to put down his pen to focus on the rest of the class—
Buzz… buzz…
A faint vibration came from his phone in his pocket.
He raised an eyebrow.
As a professional teacher, he didn't like checking his phone during class. But considering it might be something urgent from the little troublemaker at home, he discreetly took it out and glanced at the screen under the desk.
It was a LINE message.
Sender: [The Universe's Cutest Little Sister · Sora]
Seeing it was from Kasugano Sora, his heart tightened slightly.
She had been sulking this morning, even cursing him to choke on water. Why message him now during lunch break? Did something happen at Teitan Elementary? Or was she feeling unwell?
With a trace of concern, he quickly opened the chat.
But the moment he read the message, his usually composed expression froze completely.
[The Universe's Cutest Little Sister · Sora]:
"Lucian! When you get off work tonight, go to the supermarket and buy fruit!"
"I want papaya! Big ones! Buy ten! No, buy a whole box!"
"Tonight I'm having papaya milk stew! I HAVE to!!!"
Staring at the screen full of "papaya" and those three emphatic exclamation marks, Lucian's brain short-circuited for a moment.
Papaya? A whole box?!
"....."