A Teacher in a Highschool Romance Novel?!

Chapter Eleven

THE NEXT DAY, JULIA EMAILED SHIMIZU YUU ABOUT HER PLAN FOR YOSHIDA TOSHIRO TO JOIN with the other students in the class for the Athletic Meet Competitions that happen every year. In the end, the only reply she got was:

<Good luck> With a winking emoji.

Really? No collaboration?

She shut down her laptop and began to prepare for the next day's class schedule. While working, she felt the smell of burning incense that brought her back to the time of her childhood. The silence in the empty apartment she lived in, slowly killed her.

Julia lived a life of neglect and loneliness since she first began middle school. She was an average student, with an average appearance, not quite popular or a loner. She had enough friends to form a circle of five. But it wasn't that close for her to confide in anything.

Her only family was her mother, who was always irresponsible but caring. Okano Risa was a hardworking woman who supported her only child, Julia, who was born out of wedlock and who was then kicked out of her home for having a bastard.

To support her child, Okano Risa went through many part-time jobs and never really had time to do any responsibilities at home. Their relationship was merely cold, and just mother-daughter in the name. They knew each other's hobbies and that's all.

It was only until Julia went to middle school did Okano Risa announce while showing off a diamond ring on her finger: "I'm getting Remarried, Julia! And you are going to become a sister soon and move into a bigger and large house!"

Julia moved to a bigger and wealthier household with her mother, who smitten in love with her new husband, Minamoto Ryoichi.

He was kind, loving, and nice, no doubt. He did occasionally treat Julia with nice things, but that was until her half-brother was born.

Minamoto Takechi was born into the world and soon the only attention she had from her irresponsible mother was going into her younger half-brother. She had watched her mother poured all of her affections to the young one, while the older was living an affectionless, black-and-white monotonous life.

It was only at the end of high school did she realize, she was just her younger brother's shadow.

Julia waited no more and then moved out of the icy household to create a better future for herself. Besides, she even kept her mother's maiden name to keep the distance between herself and the Minamotos.

***

***

Julia went outside to go shop for some pastries outside and have something sweet to chew on. It was a convenience store right next to her neighborhood, so it should be fine~ Julia was happily going through the dessert sections until-

"Eh? Hello Sensei!" It was Yoshihisa Hanna who spoke first with a smile. Julia flinched to see the female lead of the novel staring at her.

"Oh, Hello, Yoshihisa-san." Julia studied the female lead, who was also looking at the Pastry section aisle with her. Speaking of which, it was the first time this year that Julia had talked to a student outside of the school campus. It turned out to be Hanna, out of everyone, surprisingly.

She then recollected that the heroine loves sweets and came to buy from them for a local convenience store... so...

"Could it be Sensei, that you also live around here?" Yoshihisa Hanna put two and two together and solved the puzzle piece like a genius. Julia couldn't believe it was actually the same female lead of the novel she was thinking of.

"O-oh, yes."

"Really? That's funny, because I also live five blocks away from this store." Yoshihisa-san said with a bright smile. "Where do you live, Sensei?"

Julia was wary of telling a stranger where she lived. More importantly, she was a grown, unmarried woman living alone... but still, the person asking was one of her known female students. Yoshihisa Hanna wouldn't create any trouble.

"Ah, I also live around a few blocks, I'd say three?" Julia joked.

"Wow~ we live really close, don't we Sensei?" Yoshihisa-san's eyes brightened in interest. Julia smiled naturally and then studied the heroine.

Huh? Bandages and scratches?

"Yoshihisa-san, can I ask you something of you?" Julia's tone got serious. "Is something bad happening in the school campus? Do not feel worried to tell me, as your teacher, I must know."

"E-eh? Where did you get that from, Sensei?" Yoshihisa Hanna looked surprised, but then calmed herself as she said:

"Perhaps because of the scratches in my legs?" She giggled and said: "Don't worry, I'm fine."

'Eh?'

"Then can you please explain, why you are late to class every period?" Julia scorned Yoshihisa Hanna even more.

"I'm sorry Sensei, it's because... a few people have been holding me up."

'Aha! Confession time!' Julia wanted to hear who was bullying Yoshihisa Hanna for an entire month.

"Really? Are they bullying you?" Julia straightforwardly asked.

"Huh?" Heroine looked even more confused and said: "I'm being bullied?"

"Eh?" Julia titled her head, "perhaps, you don't know? Those bruises, scratches, and cuts on her knees, arms, and face aren't just friendship hugs, but signs of abuse."

"Oh..." Yoshihisa's shoulder's dropped and she started fiddling with her hands and said: "I'm so shameful for doing this..."

"Don't worry, I'm your teacher. You can tell me."

"I know I shouldn't be saying this... but... MY SINCEREST APOLOGIES! I WAS USING THE STOREROOM IN THE FIELD AS A DOJO!"

"Huh?"

'Come again?'