The Equation of Hearts

√𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟻𝟾ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـﮩ٨ـﮩ

The lecture hall was empty, for the most part. A girl was talking to Tenshi at his desk when Kato returned. At the sound of the door opening, she stepped away from the desk and Tenshi sighed heavily.

"What is... the issue..." Kato crossed his arms and leaned against the door, "you can continue speaking." He raised a hand and the woman tensed, growing nervous.

"Sir please," she blurted out and Tenshi shook his head.

"I'm going to be sick if you continue insinuating what you are." Tenshi beckoned Kato over, and he gave the papers back to his father, "thanks." He mumbled.

"I can't get kicked out, please," she put her hands together. Tenshi didn't respond, "I'll do anything, just give me a passing grade, please Tenshi." She exhaled and Kato looked down at her.

"Then drop the course." Kato pulled Tenshi's chair back. She looked at him, "if you can't pass, then you aren't suited for the field." He leaned closer to her, "or study..." he tilted his head.

"Instead of wasting your nights at parties. Quantum mechanics isn't a course you can play around with." Tenshi looked up at Kato and crossed a leg over the other, "he's right. I can't say it myself but you're talking to an academic; if you can't enjoy the subject then you can see yourself out for the rest of the course. I'm not forcing you to stay."

"Sir... please-" she stepped closer, Tenshi shook his head, he raised a brow judgmentally and she simpered at the gaze he wouldn't give her.

"What... is she insinuating anyway?" Kato asked, Tenshi sighed and rested his head in his hand, pinching the bridge of his nose,

"Do you want to tell my son what you've been asking me for the past month?" Tenshi grumbled and she covered her mouth,

"You have a child!?" She rested a hand on her chest, "I-I thought the rumours were fake, Tenshi-"

"Saba." Kato corrected. Suddenly, it felt like he was looming over her. How he cast a shadow over the room and still stood so stern and formally. She trembled, because despite the complete contrast between the two, she couldn't see a hint of deceit in any of them. "And he has three."

"How is Camilla?" Tenshi suddenly asked,

"I assume she's back home at this time." He checked the clock to see it was 16:02.

"What..." she exhaled, "I should leave."

"You don't have to return." Kato saw her out. Tenshi stood up,

"She was insinuating sex." He explained before he could ask again, "I forget you don't have universities."

"We do." He nodded, "but we don't carry people who fail... those who do, they simply leave." He recalled "...I can't say for certain." He confessed, as someone still too young for university. "What comes from it," he wondered and looked up, "sex... that is," he added.

"...Oh wow." Tenshi realised that maybe, just maybe, Kato didn't know a single thing about romance. He saw how his parents behaved but they were secretive, so Kato saw it as something better hidden... or he knew but couldn't feel it himself. "Mateo have you ever... Hm..." Tenshi then realised he also didn't have experience with romance as someone who abstained from women anyway. He didn't see the need for it when he had maths and religion to focus on.

"Ever what?" He tilted his head.

"Wanted children?" Because even Tenshi sometimes thought of what it would be like to be a father. Having Kato and Camilla let him have that chance, and he babysat for his nieces and nephews as the family's wife-less man.

"No." Kato shook his head, "is that strange... people say it is..." he recalled Athena asking.

"Not strange." Tenshi shook his head, "some people just want children late. Or maybe you're like Irū and don't think of it at all. Maybe this is a conversation better suited for you and her." He decided and scratched his head.