Chapter 19
Stricken, Elyna wondered if he would buy a lie. But Shūji’s eyes had already pierced her. Bluntness worked better with the ever-insistent boy. “Yeah.”
His expression turned sly, almost scary as things seemed to click in his mind.
Did he catch something when I read Sano’s letter?
“Oh, this is it, right? I bet it’s someone your mother wouldn’t approve of?” the boy finally sing-songed.
A teacher. A non-ambitious, passionate guy that had no chance of earning enough to impress her. The answer was instantaneous. “Definitely.”
“Elyna-chan, are you…”
Shit, merda, kuso… Elyna’s panic probably registered on her face as her opponent approached, triumphant. Of all the people to discover her secret crush, Shūji was definitely the worst. Could she blackmail him, perhaps?
“… a secret lesbian?”
A lesbian? Oh! What an amazing cover story! Flooded with relief, Elyna nodded. “You caught me.”
For a dreadful moment, their gazes remained locked; a challenge. Then, Shūji’s features morphed into a triumphant grin. “Oh! That’s why you always say you don’t like boys!”
Keep thinking that. Elyna laughed; Shūji joined her, looking positively giddy at having pierced her facade. Elyna was so relieved by the misunderstanding that she stood on her bad ankle; he reached out at once, stabilising her.
Her gratitude was sincere, as well as the warning she needed to issue. To hide behind the lesbian facade, she would have to shut down any questions about her love life. Ever. “Before you pry, be a good student and don’t ask, ne?”
The choice laid in Shūji’s hands now; to return to being a brat, or to uphold his side of the agreement. And, to her surprise, the boy nodded seriously.
“Deal,” he confirmed. She was about to offer her hand to shake when he added, “Doesn’t mean I can’t tease you about it.”
Elyna almost groaned. “No more pranks.”
Shūji bowed formally, giving her an inkling of the man he might become. “Promise, I’ll eat a thousand needles if I lie. Anyway, I’ll be there at 7:30 to get your bag.”
Elyna grimaced at the traditional expression and was about to retort when her door slid open with a bang. Her mother appeared, slightly dishevelled, and looking sour. Her sharp gaze took in their position, Shūji’s hand still hovering at her elbow as they stood face to face. Katrine pursed her lips.
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I need help with the rice cooker. A very convenient appliance, but it’s all written in Japanese.”
Her words were polite, but the look she sent Shūji could have frozen hell over. The student mustered his most oblivious smile. “I could show you, Satsuki-chan has…”
“You go home, Shūji-kun,” Elyna interrupted. “I’ll take it from there.”
Her eyes narrowed in warning. Don’t you start bringing chaos into MY house. The boy relented. He may have no shame, but he had honour.
Thus was born, out of hardship and a nasty fall, a tentative friendship.
Elyna: I think sushi wants us to be friends. Sortof ??
Aksel: What the heck? THE walking disaster?
Elyna: ??
Aksel: weird. What are you gonna do?
Elyna: Wait and see ?? I’ve got some stuff on him for blackmail
Aksel: ??clever, sis!
Career Plans
Mao Feng?