They hurt. They hurt like hell. But the pain in my feet was nothing compared to the agony I felt in my chest. It felt like utter betrayal. Nonoka had looked up to me, poured her soul into fitting in, and I’d just spat in her face, repaid her efforts with cold dismissal. In that moment, the mask was about the fall, the heat welling up, manifesting as tears, when the sound of footsteps approached. Frantically, I wiped away the nascent tears, the brief window into my soul swiftly closing as I donned my usual facade once more.
“There you are, Ms. Sakurazaka!”
It was a female voice. Painting indifference over my face once more, I raised my head to see the gym teacher who had just reprimanded me.
Her name was Chiaki Urabe. Twenty-four years old, single, young, and thus a bit of a loose cannon, as Shizuki’s app had indicated. Her pursuit of me was likely a display of this impulsive trait.
“Ms. Chiaki. Don’t you have a class to teach?” I inquired aloofly.
“They’re practicing independently, and the boys’ teacher is overseeing them. But you don’t need to know about that. I’m here because we need to talk about your behavior,” she began, but her attention was abruptly drawn to my feet. I attempted to hurriedly put my shoes on, but it was too late.
“Your feet, show me them now!” she commanded, squatting down for a closer look.
“Asking to see a young maiden’s foot—are you trying to lose your job?” I shot back, trying to deflect.
“That won’t work. Just take off your shoes,” she insisted. Without waiting for my response, she took my shoes off. Her expression turned grim as she saw my feet. “My God, there’s so much blood… What happened?”
“My blisters burst. Now are you quite done making mountains out of molehills?”
“Blisters wouldn’t even form, let alone burst, from just a single day of dancing, which means you…” She paused, lifting her eyes to meet mine, her suspicion apparent. She lacked certainty or any proof to speak of, but she didn’t need any—her empathy didn’t hinge on it. This realization sparked a thought: could I leverage her sympathy, possibly win her over to my side?
Maybe not, but I tread down that path regardless. “It is as you suspect,” I said, slipping into a faint smile.
“So, you picked up the steps so fast just now because…”
“That was not my first day in their company.”
“R-Really? But then why were you…” her voice trailed off, but the question was obvious: Why were you so harsh on Nonoka?
“How is Nonoka now?” I deflected.
“Nonoka?” she echoed, slightly taken aback. “She’s, um, I think she’s joined another pair. There were quite a few girls asking her to join them.”
“Really? That’s good to hear.”
“Is it?” Her head tilted in confusion.
“Ms. Chiaki, tell me. Are you aware that there is a divide between the Corporate Legacy students and the rest of the student body?”
“Huh? Um, yes, of course I am.”
“Then you are also aware that Nonoka was being shunned because of her perceived association with me?”
“No, I wasn’t aware of that, but… Wait, really?! Then just now, you did all that to…” Her face was a portrait of shock and confusion. I said nothing, only offering her a disarming smile, and slowly, the shock slid off her face. “But why do something like that…?” she said, her voice quieter now. “Surely, you had other options?”
“I did not.”
“Why not?” she pressed. “If it’s not something you can say, then I can talk to Ms. Hiragi for you—”
I stopped her there. With that same, disarming smile pressed to my lips, I narrowed my eyes slightly as I placed a hand on her shoulder. “Ms. Chiaki, I like you, so I’m going to offer you a piece of advice.”
“A-Advice?” she stammered, a hint of apprehension in her voice.
“Yes. You have my utmost respect for standing up for Nonoka, especially against someone like me. Your compassion and courage are commendable, and you are indeed a wonderful educator. For that, I assure you, you won’t lose your job. However, if you try to delve deeper into my actions or discuss this incident with others, you know the consequences.”
Ms. Chiaki visibly tensed under my touch. “Y-You make it sound quite serious. But what exactly will happen?” Though she tried to maintain a brave front, her voice betrayed her fear.
“If you’re truly eager to find out, then I welcome you to test the waters,” I warned, tightening my smile.
She shook her head quickly, understanding the unspoken threat that hung in the air. I could tell she would no longer speak to Nonoka about this matter.
As the conversation seemed to conclude, I went to put my shoes back on, but Ms. Chiaki reached out to stop me. “What is it now?” I asked.
“Ms. Sakurazaka,” she began earnestly, “as an educator, it’s my duty to nurture and protect my students.”
“Yes, and?”
“If it turns out you really are bullying Ms. Hiragi, I will act.”
“In other words, you have no intention of staying silent?”
Problematic if true. But Ms. Chiaki shook her head again. “Bullying is a complex matter. Sometimes, a person might not mean to bully, but if the other person feels hurt or picked on, the impact is all the same.”
“Yes,” I replied, somewhat uncertain of her direction. “It’s a story as old as time.”
Sometimes, a boy might act in ways that upset a girl because he likes her. But if his actions hurt her, regardless of his intentions, it was still bullying. Thus, was Ms. Chiaki implying that my behavior was bullying, intentional or not?
“But after listening to you, and reflecting on what just happened, I started thinking—maybe the opposite can also be true. Sometimes, the intent to bully is there, but what if the person on the receiving end doesn’t actually feel victimized?”
“What are you…” I was at a loss for words.
“That’s why I’m going to let the matter slide. At least, for now.”
How did she even arrive at that conclusion…? There was no question in my mind that Nonoka perceived my actions as bullying. I’d witnessed her heart break with my very eyes. Was Ms. Chiaki truly convinced by her own reasoning, or was this her way of yielding to me with dignity? I needed to safeguard myself against her potential change of heart, but for the moment, I chose to trust her promise of silence.
“I’ll keep your words in mind,” I conveyed, standing up.
“What about your feet?” she asked.
“I’ll have my servants tend to them. Please do not ask me to go to the nurse’s office.”
“I… All right… Take care now….”
Shrugging off her concern with a dismissive smile, I turned and left her behind.