Chapter 71
Graduation
Elyna was still reeling from the graduation ceremony, eyes wet from the moving speeches and parting song. The gymnasium was emptying now, the weight of three years of high school coming to an end.
I wish we had a graduation ceremony in England. It would make it more significant.
The Japanese had certainly nailed it; her students would remember this day forever. And so would she.
She had watched Haruki receive his diploma with ceremony, Shūji climb the stairs with barely contained energy, and many other kids she’d shadowed and supported for a year.
That was bound to wrench a few tears out of her.
Especially when the second year representative spoke, voice cracking in the end.
Thank you for walking beside me. I will carry you with me even as you go your own way. We are who we became together, not who we were alone.
The words still echoed in her mind, the poetic truth of it settling in her bones. This might not be her graduation, but it was a parting all the same. Even as a teaching assistant, Sakura Seishin had nurtured her while she shed the veils that clung to her phantom self.
It had become a second home.
A home I’d love to return to next year, if they renew my contract.
For now, Kazuki had tasked her to round up class 3-C for their last homeroom—after teasing her about her misty eyes, of course.
Haruki appeared by her side, as if summoned. Shūji was right outside the gymnasium, surrounded by a few select members.
Satsuki hung by his side, cheeks red as his hand engulfed her, one inch away from combustion. Dr Sōhma looked regal in her kimono, her demeanour relaxed; Onishi hovered nearby, his frame dwarfing her small one.
Well, look at that. Aren’t they cute!
“Shūji-kun, we are expected in class. Let’s go.
” Haruki’s voice interrupted their private banter, and bowed to both adults.
Surprisingly, Shūji didn’t kick up a fuss.
He only stole a kiss from his girlfriend and waved.
“See you at home,” he sing-songed, features softening as he took in Satsuki’s flushed cheeks.
“See you, Son.” Onishi-san beamed with pride, as if completely oblivious to Shūji’s anarchic character. Elyna couldn’t help but smile back, charmed by the older man. A man who could withstand both Shūji’s chaos and Dr Sōhma deserved respect.
“Ne, will you miss me, Elyna-chan?” the prankster asked, eating up the distance in pursuit of Haruki.
“I’ll cry every day,” she deadpanned, almost running after them in her kitten heels.
Damn, discipline-man really takes punctuality seriously.
“Afraid of another ambush?” Shūji teased his friend as Elyna struggled to keep up.
Ambush?
“I’m afraid of nothing,” Haruki responded evenly, his fast pace belying the proud statement. “I simply prefer efficiency.”
“Ah! You’re afraid of girls with scissors.”
Haruki’s jaw tightened, but he ignored Shūji’s baiting. Disappointed, the young man turned to his next prey. “I already gave my second button to Satsuki, see?”
“Closest to the heart?” Elyna chanced.
Shūji nodded, his features settling into a rare peace. The tradition was cute. The trio climbed to the second floor through corridors that had seen thousands of students, and would soon forget them. Elyna let her hand trail along the railing, wondering how many fingers, exactly, had done this.
Ugh, no maths!
Either way, it felt strange to think it was the last time that Shūji and Haruki would share the same classroom.
“Haruki-san!”
Discipline-man froze; across their classroom stood his fan club, adorned in finery that belonged to the past: kimono and hakama with elaborate obi.
Elyna almost expected them to kneel and proclaim their unwavering loyalty like a bunch of samurai.
Or, given the expectant look on a girl’s face, sake and less savoury activities.
“Ah, your harem awaits,” Shūji declared pompously. Elyna couldn’t help but chuckle; there was nothing that put Haruki more ill at ease than a group of women vying for his affections.
Oh, so that’s why he was running.
The hakama brigade descended like birds of prey, carrying the smell of perfume and hair spray.
The semi-circle they formed seemed unbreakable without dealing bodily harm; they were trapped.
Some of the girls hesitated between sending murderous looks towards Elyna and drooling over Haruki’s tall form.
Their leader stepped forward, hands clasped in front of her chest demurely.
“Haruki-kun. Would you bestow your daini botan to our group?”
The stoic man stood frozen, not even a blink betraying he was still breathing.
“Your second button,” another girl pressed, probably wondering if their hero had understood. Her cheeks flushed scarlet underneath Haruki’s unsettling attention. Elyna pursed her lips in disapproval, but Shūji had no qualms mocking the squadron of painted ladies.
“Please, do continue,” he drawled, as if getting ready to buy popcorn. “Don’t let us interrupt this beautiful moment.”
The leader glared at him, then cleared her throat. “Haruki-san, we…”
“I intend to keep my uniform intact,” discipline-man finally responded, polite and utterly immovable. Crestfallen, one of the girls started to tear up, but the bolder one refused to back down. “But it’s tradition!”
This time, Elyna couldn’t keep her mouth shut. “Tradition doesn’t entitle you to someone’s heart.”
This was getting ridiculous, but the Haruki fan club was unyielding. Affronted, the leader whirled around aggressively, almost spitting the insult in her face. “Hey, gaijin—”
“Those are words I hope to never hear again!” a familiar voice cut in.
Blood drained from the leader’s face. “Sano-sensei,” she breathed. Kazuki’s eyebrows scrunched deeply. Elyna longed to smooth that furrow with her thumb. Those beautiful eyes were cold. Protective. “I am not proud of you.”
“But—”
Before the girl could continue, Kazuki turned to Elyna, his expression softening. Professional, but warm. “Elyna-san, I need your expertise.”
The fan club went very still. Her lips curved as she saw through Kazuki’s smooth game. As if he needs me! “Of course, Sano-sensei,” Elyna bowed, keeping her voice steady.
“I’d like something written on the blackboard for homeroom. Something fitting for today.” He paused, purposefully ignoring the Haruki fan club who lingered, unwilling to admit defeat. “You’re never short of good quotes. Do you have one in mind?”
Her breath caught. He was asking her to choose something significant to their joined class. His trust was astounding. How I love that man!
The quote popped into her mind, fitting the mood perfectly. “I do,” she smiled. “The only constant in life is change—Heraclitus.”
Approval settled on his features. “Perfect. Will you write it? In English, if you would.”
“Hai. I’d be honoured.”
Only then did Kazuki turn back to the deflated fan club, his expression cooling. “Now. Get to your class. You’re lucky it’s graduation day, else Fujimoto-sensei would have had a few choice words for you.”
The girls weren’t moving, either desperate to get their prize, or too stunned that the laid-back PE teacher had raised his voice. When Kazuki’s posture shifted, his eyes blazed in warning.
“Go and say goodbye to the man who dedicated three years of his life to guide you, and stop harassing my people.”
My people. Shūji and Haruki. And me.
The girls deflated visibly, shooting betrayed look behind their backs as they hurried away in a flock of coloured fabric.
“Thanks for the save!”, Shūji piped in ironically, disappointed that an adult had defused the confrontation.
Kazuki gave the trio a tight-lipped smile that betrayed his exasperation, and they followed him into class for the last time.
Elyna photographed the room in her mind; there was nothing special about it, but it had hosted her for a full year.
The worn-out furniture had witnessed all of Shūji’s stupid pranks. The sensations of a desperate lip lock with a certain teacher tugged at her memory, and Elyna grabbed chalk to write her favourite quote on the blackboard. Then she walked to the back of the class, settling in her usual spot.
Around them, students sat quietly, some of them trying to stifle tears. At the front, stood the love of her life.
But today, he was class 3-C’s homeroom teacher, draping his jacket over his chair to reveal rolled shirtsleeves and toned forearms. Formality shrugged off, he seemed to transform back into himself after the solemn ceremony.
“Three years.” His voice was warm, carrying easily through the room with natural authority. “Three years I’ve watched you grow from nervous first years who got lost finding the gym, into the adults sitting before me now.”
Laughter rippled through the class, and a few jokes directed to one of the boys at the back.
“You entered this kōkō as teenagers, but you leave as adults who learnt to work together, even though you came from different backgrounds.” He paused, gaze sweeping the room to touch each face. “You leave as a team.”
Elyna’s throat tightened as pressure built in her eyes. At the front, Shūji’s fidgeting stilled.
“I’ve watched you support each other through entrance exams and difficult moments, through victories and losses, in the dōjō and the gymnasium. You’ve learnt that strength isn’t just about how hard you can strike, but about knowing when to stand firm and when to yield.”
What a Confucian speech.
“I’m proud of you,” Kazuki finally said, his voice slightly rough. “All of you. For your resilience. Your compassion and your courage in the face of change.”
Kazuki gestured to the blackboard where the quote awaited to be acknowledged.
“Change is inevitable. Some of you will go to university. Others will enter the workforce, or take different paths entirely. You’ll meet new people, face new challenges, become versions of yourselves you can’t yet imagine. ”
Eyes softening, Kazuki rounded his desk to lean against it in his favourite pose.
“I’m especially proud of this class for welcoming Sakura Seishin’s first foreign teaching assistant in our ranks.
” His gaze found hers across the room; Elyna held it for no more than a heartbeat before averting her eyes.
“For showing Elyna-san what our kōkō’s spirit truly means.
That tradition does not exist for tradition’s sake, but it leads to an existence lived with honour.
You have learnt not to fear the difference, but to grow from it. ”
As many heads turned towards Elyna, Kazuki nailed his message. “I hope you’ve shown your future comrades the way forward.”
Especially after the insults just thrown in the corridor. With a few closing words, Kazuki bade them farewell, and let the class dissolve into controlled chaos.
Photographs came first. A ton of group pictures, with and without the teacher, and a final one where fitting everyone in the frame turned into an advanced game of Tetris. But finally, all of them—Kazuki included—were immortalised and shared on the class chat.
Elyna signed diploma folders; she inked page after page until she thought her wrist would fall off. Out of the corner of her eyes, she spotted students lining up to offer small gifts to Kazuki. His usual composure didn’t falter, but his features softened. A slight waiver only she could catch.
Ayumi dissolved into tears before his desk, choking words about guidance and kindness. Kazuki set his hand gently on her head, his features serene and full of fondness. His words were low, only meant for Ayumi’s ears, but their magic was undeniable when the girl’s expression transformed.
Elyna smiled, catching Kazuki’s gaze just an instant.
Every sliver of attention he’d ever given his students would bloom into something beautiful.
A safe memory to recall when things would get rough.
Overcome with emotion, Elyna brushed a tear away from her face, only to be engulfed in a fierce hug by Natsuki and her close friends.
She, too, found her eyes misting when the same students swarmed her with small tokens of gratitude: chocolates, and knick-knacks typical of Japan.
Eventually, Shūji decided that enough was enough; his girlfriend was waiting. “Ja ne, Kazu-san!” he launched cheekily, knowing that they would inevitably cross paths again.
The classroom emptied slowly, except for a few stragglers for whom cutting the cord with their homeroom teacher felt like jumping off a cliff. Shūji grabbed Elyna’s shoulder, and pushed Haruki out.
Elyna paused on the threshold one last time. Sensing her eyes on him, Kazuki turned, the card-box he was using to gather gifts balanced on his hip. He gave her a small and private smile, loaded with everything they couldn’t say aloud.
She allowed a torrent of love to flow through her gaze. But also, the deep respect she had for the man, and his teaching skills.
“Arigatō gozaimasu.” She bowed, trying to convey just how much his guidance had meant to her this past year. Her last words as an assistant to her teacher.
His responding nod was everything that was proper, and she smiled back. Some goodbyes were only temporary. “Elyna-chan!” came a very familiar voice from the corridor. The young woman lifted her eyebrows playfully. “Don’t call me that, sushi!”
Aksel: so … how much did you cry
Elyna: I didn’t
Aksel: bla, bla bla ??
Elyna: OK just a bit. But they got me a Nyan cat phone case!
Aksel: that explains a lot…