Chapter 2
Sano-sensei
The Vice Principal pushed the door before she could gather her wits. An empty classroom greeted them, except for one man. The homeroom teacher froze mid-stroke; on the blackboard sat his name, neatly written in almost calligraphic lines.
佐野 和希 - Sano Kazuki
A bulb sprang to life in her mind. Sano! This is what Katayū meant. He’d been laughing at her Latin quote because of Sano-sensei’s surname. All mirth left her when the man turned to greet them.
His eyes were striking—warm brown and inviting.
Solid shoulders betrayed hours of sports practice.
But it was his hair that caught her attention most. The morning light revealed unexpected russet tones in his mid-length tresses.
Something unfurled in her chest at this small discovery—she wouldn’t be the only one around without deep black hair.
His expression faltered as his gaze landed on her. A glint, come and gone too quickly to fully read. That flicker was unsettling: what if he disapproved of the concept? Perhaps he'd been burdened with her without being asked?
“Sano,” Katayū rumbled. “This is Trewith Elyna, your new teaching assistant.”
Sano’s thin eyebrows lifted slightly as his attention shifted fully to her. For a moment his composure faltered, just a flicker, before his focus returned to the Vice Principal with deliberate control.
Elyna ducked into a bow to greet him. “Hajimemashite, Sano-sensei. Please take care of me.”
When she straightened, a professional mask slid across his features.
“Welcome to Sakura Seishin, Turerōsu-san,” he said, struggling through her impossible surname. His voice was welcoming and smooth despite that flicker of tension that remained in his expression.
“Good.” Katayū’s gaze swept the empty classroom, his imposing presence intimidating the few students who filed in to settle quietly. “I trust you’ll coordinate on lesson planning.”
Mind rolling with a thousand questions, Elyna spotted a tall boy by the door, dark hair slicked back with such care that no strand dared rebel. His uniform was as immaculate as his appearance.
“Senda,” Katayū acknowledged with a nod.
The student bowed deeply and slipped past them, settling into the row with perfect posture. His movements were precise, controlled, almost military.
He’s the discipline-man of the class.
As more students took their seats, whispers ran across the classroom. Curious glances were flung her way. One boy stumbled over his own feet, gaping at her hair. Or perhaps the colour of her eyes. Another elbowed his friend and received a sharp look from Sano that shut them both up immediately.
His silent show of authority impressed her. Then a panicked voice cut through the murmurs from the hallway. “Shūji-senpai, you’re going to be late again—oh!”
A girl appeared in the doorway beside a tousled-haired boy. She froze as she took in the Vice Principal, rounded features losing colour underneath the dark bangs of her princess cut.
“Kanae-san,” Katayū remarked without fire. “Your classroom is down the hall.”
“Hai! Gomen nasai!” The girl bowed frantically and scurried away at full speed, light on her feet despite her diminutive stature.
But the boy did not look intimidated at all. His bed head-I’m-late style seemed artfully arranged, matching his nonchalant posture. A cat-like smile bloomed upon his lips as his gaze landed on Elyna.
Could that be Onishi Shūji, the Vice Principal’s nemesis?
Their eyes met across the classroom. Welcome and challenge wrapped in mischief. Katayū’s expression turned sour. “Shūji. You have five seconds to reach your seat before I assign you cleaning duty for the entire term.”
“So hostile, Katayū-sensei,” the boy sing-songed, but he sauntered to his desk in the second row. “I was just welcoming our guest.”
Just as the bell rang, one last straggler skidded through the open door. He dissolved into a flurry of ‘Gomen nasai’ and careful bows.
The Vice Principal addressed the now-full classroom, cutting through speculation like a blade. More than thirty-five pairs of eyes turned to Katayū… and to her. “Good morning. I hope this first day finds you all in good health and even better spirits.”
The room erupted in synchronised response: “Hai, Katayū-sensei!”
“As you are aware,” he continued, “our class has been selected for a special pilot programme this term.”
The weight of the students' curiosity pressed on Elyna’s chest. Being the new foreign girl always came with a thousand questions, but this time felt different. Even though her heart hammered in her ribcage, she fought to keep her expression composed.
“This is Trewith Elyna,” Katayū announced. “She will be serving as your teaching assistant. She comes to us from England and will be helping with English communication and cultural exchange.”
She caught a few whispers, the usual comments. “Wow, look at that blonde hair.” “And the eyes.” “A foreign teacher?” It wasn’t anything new—whether in Mexico or Italy, she’d often been dubbed ‘exotic’.
She spotted the slight tightening at the corner of Sano's eyes though his expression remained professionally neutral. When Katayū shot the class a quelling look, silence descended once more.
“I expect you all to make our teaching assistant feel welcome,” he warned, his sharp gaze sweeping the room before landing pointedly on Shūji. “Trewith-sensei represents not only herself but our school’s commitment to international understanding. How you treat her reflects on all of us.”
When the Vice Principal’s full attention returned to her, the physical weight of his expectations settled on her shoulders.
“Ne, Katayū-sensei,” Shūji raised his hand, that mischievous smile still playing on his lips. “What if…”
The retort came hard and fast. “There is nothing you can suggest that is possibly in the realm of good ideas.”
“Rude,” Shūji responded cheerfully, his smile widening.
Katayū whirled, eyes ablaze and ready to lay waste to his cheeky student. “Shūji,” he growled, sounding like divine wrath about to descend upon mortals.
The boy’s smile only widened further, shocking Elyna to the core. That sushi-guy is crazy.
“Of course, sensei. I was merely thinking of her comfort.”
The storm slowly settled after one long stare-off. Katayū’s attention drifted to her. “I’ll leave you in Sano-sensei’s capable hands.” As he moved towards the door, he sent one final look at Shūji that clearly said, ‘behave yourself’.
Then he disappeared into the hallway, leaving behind the wreckage of young adults who’d just weathered the Katayū tornado. Elyna's pulse spiked: she was now on her own, facing thirty eight students, and one gorgeous supervisor who didn't seem too keen on her presence.
She was surprised when Sano cleared his throat with obvious amusement. “All right everyone.”
Elyna’s eyes left the door, only to get trapped in Sano’s warm gaze. Breath catching in her throat, Elyna ducked her head to keep a blush at bay. Alright your supervisor is a hunk. Get used to it!
Slowly, murmurs started their course again. Of course, the first to speak aloud was Shūji.
“Ne,” he started. Elyna caught his gaze, heart unsettled as that mischievous smile widened. “I have a feeling things just got much more interesting.”
Elyna straightened and met the troublemaker’s eyes without flinching; she never backed down from bullies. Courtesy of her mother. She would give this troublemaker a run for his money. “Thank you, Onishi-kun,” she replied sweetly. “I certainly hope so.”
He seemed satisfied by her response; had she passed some sort of test?
“How about you take a moment to tell us about yourself?” came Sano’s smooth voice.
About myself? Probably not the best time to claim I have a weakness for athletic guys!