Ruri returned haggardly back to her home, after all the things she learned from Sayuri and that other teacher lady surnamed Okada. She noticed that her uncle was not home. She just went to her room and lay down on her bead.

"Ughhh... why did I have to be born as a girl..."

She would have to suffer this every month from now on? Just because she was a girl? And guys did not have to deal with this at all?!

"This is so unfair..."

She just looked at the box of sanitary pads Okada bought for her. She was actually using one right now—after Sayuri taught her how to use it. They also taught her how to use tampons—but she found it a bit uncomfortable. She did find that one more useful, though. She would probably switch to tampons once she got more comfortable with it.

But these things meant more expense. Should she tell her uncle about it?

She did not want to talk about these things with her uncle. She found it more comfortable to discuss it with Sayuri. Maybe she should as he was her family, but she just did not want to talk about this with him for some reason. Maybe she would someday. But not today.

She shoved the packet inside the side drawer. She could think about it later, she was tired.

The next morning—when Gojima woke up in the hospital, he got released soon and so he decided to attend the office for a while and then take a half-day leave. He did not want to spend up all of his full-day leaves in such short term due to being hospitalized regularly.

A few minutes after Gojima sat on his desk (most of his colleagues were on duty, so not many people asked about his condition), he got called by the Principal to his office.

"May I come in, Principal?"

"Yes, please, Gojima sensei. Please have a seat."

"Thank you."

Gojima took a seat and sat in front of the Principal. He took a good look at the aged man in front of him. Usually, he would have a jolly look whenever he would greet him. Today, however, he looked a little solemn—guilty, even.

Gojima had an inkling of what the Principal wanted to talk about, but he still decided to let the old man bring it up first.

"...Are you okay now, Gojima sensei? I heard that you were hospitalized."

"...Yes. I did not receive any injuries and so I got released."

"That's good."

"..."

"..."

Gojima just calmly stared at the troubled man in front of him. The clock was ticking, and the silence was getting more and more awkward.

"...Would you like to have a cup of tea, Sensei?"

"...Sure, with pleasure. Let me—"

"No, no. Let me make the tea. I do enjoy making it, after all. Would you be okay with Darjeeling?"

"Yes, thank you."

Gojima just sat and watched around the room full of award certificates and trophies as the Principal made tea for both of them.

Regional award for the most prestigious school

Best Principal award

Award for producing exemplary graduates

—and many more. Miyabi high did have a nationwide reputation, after all. The recent events that happened did diminish the glory a little bit, after some of the rumors of drug circulation and wild orgy parties organized by some spoiled rich brats and all. The school did deal with these rumors strictly—which meant strongly punishing on the culprits, then throwing everything under the rug and then claiming everything was a rumor.

The whole idol kidnapping incident again brought everything up to the limelight. Especially after the interview from the girl Gojima had rescued and how she even got threat letters from the stalker at the school, people were asking questions. Some claimed of insiders being involved with the culprit. How else did that guy remain unnoticed otherwise?

Either way, it was bad for the reputation, since the admission season was nearing and the parents and guardians of the children were not happy about the recent events.

Gojima's concentration broke at the sound of the teacup placed in front of him.

He thanked his superior and took a sip. Hm, it was good.

"Gojima sensei, I... actually wanted to talk to you about the recent incidents."

"Please go ahead."

The Principal took a deep breath, and then continued, "the recent events have really shown our institution in a really bad light."

"..."

"We had already succeeded to deal with the... drug and party incident and had our hands full with dealing with the aftermath."

"..."

"Taking advantage of our diverted attention, this madman managed to engorge his claws on our school, to the point of ruining the career of a promising student."

"..."

"F-Fortunately, you managed to put a stop to the kidnapping incident and save the young lady from grave danger. I, as a father of a daughter, am grateful to you for that."

Gojima just stared at the Principal prostrating to him, pressing his forhead to the desk. He just stared. The Principal, for all his gratefulness, did not seem that much happy.

"Thank you," he said, "but I'd like to hear more about what you have to say as the Principal instead of a father."

Gojima saw the old man flinch, while still prostrating. Then the man finally got up, with the same guilty look.

"...There has been a video clip circulating on the internet about how you rescued young Hitomi. It, uh, shows you assaulting the kidnapper with tremendous force—powerful enough to give the man serious injuries."

"...And?"

"...And, uh, some of the parents and media, and... board members think that you were too much aggressive while dealing with the situation. Some are even questioning if you have some past as a... yakuza or something."

"...Are you serious?!" Gojima felt his eyebrows twitch.

"They... uh, are worried about having their teacher being of such a violent temperment, not to mention the dangerous feats you performed—including riding a bicycle on top speed in narrow pathways and disobeying the railcrossing laws. They... think you might be a bad influence on the young children."

"...So, I should have just gone soft on a madman like that? Or do you think it was better to just stand and do nothing while the poor girl got spirited away to who knows where?"

The Principal looked downwards with a conflicting look. It told him everything.

"You would have actually preferred that, wouldn't you?" Gojima narrowed his eyes, "if the girl was gone, then the board members could easily play the blame game on the hospital, while disclaiming any involvement of the school itself? Tanigawa would not be able to claim anything in front of the camera either. The only thing left then would be to shut the mouth of any snooping journalist, right?"

The Principal stayed silent for a while, then he sighed.

"Gojima sensei, I understand where you are coming from. But if... the board members truly find you objectionable, then there is not much even I can do for you. They do run the school, after all."

He felt his blood boiling for a moment, but calmed down after seeing the pathetic old man in front of him, who looked like he aged a few years in the last few days.

He already knew what was coming next, but he still asked.

"So? What do you want me to do, Principal?"

"We will have to arrange a press conference and then—"

"—apologize to the camera in front of everyone for not handling all these situations carefully while I do some extra apologizing for being unruly and thuggish?"

"...Yes. I'm sorry."

Gojima remained silent for a while, then he simply sighed. Was this messed up? Yes. Was he expecting something like this? Totally.

I can't even feel infuriated. This is just sad.

He couldn't agree more.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Ruri asked Takeshi with a scowl as he tried to drift his bike on the road only to fail and topple over again and again.

"I am trying to drift my bike just like Shishou!"

"...And who is this 'Shishou' you speak of?" She asked while sitting on a nearby bench.

"I am talking about Gojima Shishou!"

"Oh? Since when did that ogre become your Shishou?"

"Since yester—hey! Don't call him that?!"

"I can call him whatever I want," said Ruri as she sipped from a juice packet, "at least its not cringey as Shishou."

"You—are you okay?" Takeshi asked him with a concern.

"I'm... fine. I'm fine."

"You don't look fine to me though?"

"Now I'd have to listen to you to know whether I'm fine or not?" Ruri said that line and then stopped. Okay, maybe it was a bit too much. But she felt really irritated. So, whatever.

"Geez! See? You're not fine! You're not acting like usual!"

"And how can you say that I'm acting like usual?"

"That's because I've been always watching you."

"Fweh?!"

'Where did that come from all of a sudden?! That was... that was...'

Ruri could feel her face heating up. Her heart was beating faster as well! Damn that Takeshi! Even though he was just Takeshi!

It took a few seconds for Takeshi to also realize what he just said. Then he also blushed like crazy and started flailing his arms around.

"I-I-I-I didn't mean that way! I just wanted to say that I know you well since we've been close neighbors for a long time!"

"O-Oh."

"Y-Yeah!"

"..."

"..."

Ruri felt like she had to divert the talk, or she would be feeling more embarrassed by the time. So she decided to say something. Anything.

"Y-You know, maybe you should start with the basics before trying out the big stuff?" She did not know what she was saying, but decided to continue it anyway, "h-how many hours have you spent with your bike anyway?"

Takeshi just stared at her for a few seconds, then hit his palm in a 'eureka' moment.

"You're right! I've not even mastered the basics yet! I need to become one with my bike!"

"...No, that's not—"

"Tomorrow is Sunday! I'll be going on a long ride with my bike tomorrow! Get bonded with my bike more!"

"No, I think that's too mu—"

"Ruri, will you go with me?"

"No, I wo—yes."

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

Ruri had agreed to the 'long drive' date with Takeshi before she even realized.