Love Equation

CHAPTER 2 - Mission Failed, Successfully

"I'm home..."

Closing the door, I slumped down right at the entrance. The sound of kitchenware clinking on and off; and there is a sound coming from the living room, indicating that the TV is on. Both of them are home.

"Hana, my dear? How's your humanitarian project?" Mom peeked from the kitchen.

"Oh my... are you okay, Hana? You look disastrous.", she inquired.

She returned to focus on her sizzling pot. The aroma that gets around the house is mouthwatering, enough to make me forget about my fatigue. Taking off my shoes and putting it on the hidden rack, I went further inside, following the hungry need that must be quenched soon.

I put my forehead on my mom's shoulder and sighed.

"I'm fine. I'm just tired. Those stupid organizers are getting on my last nerve."

She patted my head with one hand, trying to comfort me, and she said, "I'm making seolleongtang, dad's favourite when I was staying with him in South Korea."

"Never heard of it. What's that? It smells amazing, mom."

"Hmmmm... what's this called again, honey?" She called out to Dad.

Since we are a mixed ethnic family, of which mom is Japanese while dad is South Korean, mom can't really translate the dishes' names that well, but her cooking skill is unmatched even by five-star hotel chefs!

Dad, who's been watching the news, turned his attention to the two people near the stove. He is the most attentive person I have ever known. Dad can focus on anything he wants but when one of us calls out to him, he always answers right away.

"Seolleongtang is an ox bone soup, dear."

"Ah... so that's what it's called! It's been years since you made one, Mom. I missed it."

"Hana, Your mom told me about the reason for your early departure this morning. It should be perfect to comfort and get your energy back. Clean yourself up now and we'll have dinner together, it's rare to have you back at this hour lately as your exam is nearing."

I nodded and went straight to my room. Leaving both of them doing their own separate activities. It's been a while since we can have a little family gathering. It will be either Dad working overtime, Mom's bakery needing her to stock things up, or me focusing on the needs of exam. As you might heard, Asian parents do have high hopes for their children.

After making sure the door was closed and they wouldn't come fetch me anytime soon. Unzipping my bag and looking around back and forth as if I'm secretly doing drugs or cig. I reach inside the bag and it reveals a document which includes the handwritten agreement that was signed by Mr. Shizusu and me. Basically, the content is that my well-being will be taken care of and no disadvantage should befall upon me. Should there be any that may harm physically, mentally, or financially, he will do anything to compensate for it.

I guess I am now a teacher's pet. Mission: Hana beating teacher's pet allegations, failed miserably.

I sighed and wondered if it was for the best cause.

Flipping it to go to the second document of which contains his printed personal information. Quite detailed if I say so myself.

"Shizusu Lucio, aged 25-wow he is very young; height 1.85 m and weight 81 kg-pretty ideal; birthday February 28th, double degree in math and medic??? Damn, this man is a smarty-pants," I couldn't help but to comment to myself.

Not only he has a pretty face, but also he has a pretty brain.

Nothing strange from the medical report aside from the notable red iris which I was curious about earlier. It was stated that they are not a problem since it's hereditary.

The more I read, the more I'm fascinated by him.

Maybe I hit the jackpot...

"Hana! Dinner's ready!", mom called out from the dining area, making me flinched in surprise.

I hurriedly stacked the documents up and stuffed them inside my drawer of the wardrobe. Since I was gobbled up reading the files, I forgot to clean myself up. I threw away my uniform and changed into a more homey clothes and dashed out of my room.

"Coming Mom.."

✧༺♥༻∞ - ˚*∞༺♥༻✧

The very next day, I woke up later than usual. The fatigue seemed to perish after eating mom's soup, but I couldn't sleep well because of the overwhelming overthinking of what he might need help with... or to be precise, of what I might be used for.

After what feels like a minute or two of not wanting to get out of bed, I lazily prep myself to go to school as usual.

Outside my room was a dead silence, not even bird chirping can be heard.

As I leave my room. I noticed that Mom and Dad had already gone to work, leaving a once warm pancake on the countertop and a "love" note for me.

'You seemed very tired and we didn't want to wake you up. You can take a day off if you want.

-with love, mom'

I know that I'm not sick. Perhaps, I'm just mentally fatigued with all the shit that's going to smack me as a senior class. I look at my phone while eating my breakfast, scrolling through social media. Absolutely absorbed in the act, for time seems to stop this instant.

A notification popped up. It was from Micchan.

- Why r u late???

- Where r u?

Realization hit me like a ship, wrecked from a giant iceberg. Stuffing the last bites of the pancake into my mouth, I cleaned my dishes as I chewed them.

Shoot. How did I manage to feel relaxed in such a rush hour?

I locked the door and bolted out to the station.

It seems that the goddess of fortune really is on my side today because I managed to hop on the last train before it left only one minute later.

Adjusting my heavy breathing and uncontrollable heartbeat, I had to get ready to run as fast as possible after the train stopped at the station. The adrenaline rush was quite exciting.

It is fortunate that today's first session is filled by the homeroom teacher. Not a single drop of knowledge will be lost, perhaps an announcement or two-but it doesn't really matter.

As the train nearly approaches my stop, I get closer to the door. And when it opened, I rushed outside and ran as fast as I could.

The cold morning wind that is mixed with dew creates a humid atmosphere. Caressing my cheeks and the tip of my nose. Making them redder than usual. The steady huffing becomes a laugh due to the dopamine being released.

Getting to the school grounds is easy, but getting into the classroom is the tricky part. I have texted Micchan to signal me so that I wouldn't be caught late by Mr Shizusu. The whole class had tried this method and it worked like a charm. Not a student was caught late. So even though I wasn't exactly liked nor hated by them, they knew how it felt and wouldn't tell a soul. Perhaps.

Micchan gave me a signal when Mr Shizusu turned his back to face us, writing on the black board. I crouched from the back doorway and carefully went to my seat, making no sound and succeeded. The other students just act normally when they see me. Just then...

"Miss Sasaki."

I froze. My ears couldn't believe what it had received. My heart starts to beat faster. No doubt that the alluring voice of a merman belongs to the one and only beloved teacher.

"You're late-and dared to sneakily come into the class, you are secretly a naughty student, huh? Come to my office after school. Now take a seat."

Fuck.

Dejected, I slumped down. Guess my fate is crueler than most, my luck has turned into misery in less than a half-day. Filled with fumes, I buried myself with my hands, concealing the raging sea beneath the calm surface.

In three years! Three. Fucking. Years. Not a single person here was ever caught red-handed... BUT ME????