Return to school and a shocking surprise.

Leo’s heart was practically in his throat that day. Vacations were over and it was the first day of the new semester. He walked to school with Kaede, Valerie and Angela, meeting Reiko halfway there.

The image wasn’t all that different from how it was before summer vacation. One guy surrounded by gorgeous girls already made people talk, but now… Leo was in a formal relationship with three of them, and though they weren’t flaunting it everywhere, they weren’t hiding it either. To make things worse, Kaede and Reiko shared Leo’s nerves.

“Don’t worry so much,” Angela said. “If anyone says anything just tell them to shove it and mind their own business.”

“I can do that, sure,” Leo said. “I just don’t want people to start harassing you all or talking behind your backs.”

“We’re perfectly capable of punching their faces in,” Valerie said.

“Please don’t.” Leo sighed heavily. “The last thing we want is to give people valid reasons to hate us.”

“It’ll be fine!” Kaede said, pumping her fists. “It’ll be fine!”

“What makes you say that?” Reiko asked.

“…I-It’ll b-be fine!” Kaede repeated, voice shaking lightly.

Once at school, Leo, Reiko and Kaede parted ways with Angela and Valerie and headed to their classrooms. When they entered, they saw the chairs still over the tables. The janitors probably hadn’t gotten around to setting them down after sweeping.

Reiko and Kaede got their chairs down, but before Leo went to his, he started setting down all the chairs around the classroom. The girls looked at each other, shared a chuckle for some reason, and began to help.

“Ah! It’s you guys! Good morning!” said a girl entering the classroom. Her smile and greeting were genuine. She went directly to her seat, which Leo had already fixed. Leo noticed her skin had a deeper tan than it used to.

“Good morning,” Leo and the girls answered. “How was summer?” he asked. “Looks like you took full advantage of the beach.”

“Too noticeable, huh?” she laughed. “Yeah, I went there every other day!”

“Good morning!” said a couple of guys coming in.

“Oh shit. Leo, let me help.” One of them ran to Leo and helped him get some more chairs down. “How was summer, man?”

“Eventful,” Leo answered with a chuckle.

“So I hear,” said his classmate, sparing a look towards Reiko and Kaede and giving Leo a knowing wink. “As for me, I’m as lonely as ever. You’re the envy of town, you bastard,” he said with an honest, good-natured laugh.

“So it’s true, then?” asked the second guy, walking over and whispering. “That the Tensai Clan practices polygamy?”

Leo blinked. It had only been two weeks. Was that the level the rumor was at already?

“Apparently,” Leo answered, not wanting to commit too hard to an answer.

“Man, I don’t envy you one bit. You have my condolences, actually. Broke up with my girlfriend over summer because of how terrible that was. I don’t want to imagine what you’re going through.”

Leo grimaced. “Sorry to hear that. How are you now?”

“Free and happy,” the dude laughed. “But we’re not talking about me.”

“Well, you don’t need to worry. Things are going well for us.” Leo smiled. He turned to look at the girls and noticed that more of their classmates had arrived. A group of girls surrounded Reiko and Kaede, and he could hear some lively chattering. He got worried at first, but then his eyes met Reiko’s and she shot him a subtle thumbs up to show that everything was going well.

More students arrived, and the group around Leo began to grow as well. Everyone had questions, but there was no hint of morbid curiosity, only sincere interest that someone they knew was doing something unheard of.

“My aunt said she saw you with an older woman,” said one of his classmates. “The super hot one who works at the radio station.”

“What!? Her!? I listen to her show every week!” said another. “Can you tell her I love her work?”

“I’ll be sure to do that.” Leo answered.

“Hey, is it true you’re also going out with old lady Wisler’s daughter? She looks kind of unapproachable, though.”

“Oh yeah! She went to buy something at my family store one day and she barely spoke to me. Gave me chills, man.”

Well… This was overwhelming, to be sure, but so far so good. The news had caused a stir, as expected, but not a negative one. Reiko and Mrs. Wisler were correct. The reputation of the Tensai Clan and the mysteries around it seemed to help them a lot.

“Alright, students, settle down and go to your seats.”

The teacher came in and everyone went back to their respective seats, though some whisperings could still be heard. The teacher remained silent for a while before coughing and waiting for everyone to quiet down.

“Let me welcome you all to the new semester. The day of your graduation fast approaches, your futures are in your hands. There’s a lot of things we need to discuss, and I’m sure you’re all eager to catch up on summer stories, but before that, there’s someone I need to introduce.” More murmuring filled the room, but the teacher went on. “I want you to remain calm and save your comments until I explain everything, alright? Now, please come in,” he said, looking towards the door.

And the moment the person stepped in, Leo’s jaw dropped to the floor. The teacher’s plea for everyone to remain calm and quiet was already forgotten, too, and his classmates’ eyes darted from the new person, to Leo and back.

“This is Wisler Lucia. She’ll be working as an assistant teacher here from this semester on,” the teacher explained.

Leo’s mouth was dry. Lucia was there, at the front of the class, dressed in a very professional dark suit and with her hair tied into a bun. And the more he saw her there, the more he remembered that there was something she had been hiding for a long time. So this was it…

“A pleasure to meet you, everyone,” Lucia said, bowing. The expression on her face was neutral and professional. “As your teacher said, I’m Wisler Lucia. I’ll be working as an assistant teacher for the English and Classic Literature subjects. I hope we can get along, and should you have any questions, please feel free to ask them.”

Someone raised their hand immediately, and the teacher allowed them to speak. “But aren’t you going out with Leo?” the girl asked, now pointing to him.

Lucia offered them a small, polite smile as she explained. “I am. It is a strange and unorthodox situation, to be sure, but don’t worry. At school I am but one of the teachers. You can be sure I won’t be playing favorites. In fact…” she grinned. “Maybe we could arrange to give him twice the homework, just so you’ll believe me.”

“Maybe we should!” The homeroom teacher laughed. “Well, Wisler-san is a trusted and extremely capable member of our community here in the island. When she came to us, we were eager to have her join the team. Though when she recently revealed to us her… relationship with one of the students, we were quite troubled.” He sighed. “But after some serious talks with the principal, it was decided that she’d be allowed to work here regardless, given, of course, that they keep their relationship outside school grounds. I promise you, she’s under heavy scrutiny.”

…This had Delilah Wisler written all over it. That old lady had no shame, did she?

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