Teachers pet (COMPLETE)

Chapter 104: Adjusting to the New Normal

Mailin’s POV:

It’s been a couple of days since the big reveal, and honestly, it’s not as bad as I thought it would be. Sure, my classmates know now, but surprisingly, they’re not treating me like an outsider. If anything, they’re more curious than ever.

“Mailin!” Mina’s voice calls out as I head into the common area. She’s lounging on one of the couches with Kaminari, Kirishima, and Jirou, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Uh oh. I know that look.

I brace myself as she waves me over. “Come here! We were just talking about you.”

“What a shocker,” I mumble, but I make my way over anyway. The teasing hasn’t stopped since they found out, but I’ve been managing. Mostly.

Mina grins, clearly in full gossip mode. “Sooo, now that the secret’s out…” She leans forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “What’s Aizawa-sensei like in private?”

The others chuckle, but I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks. Of course Mina would ask something like that.

“Yeah, Mailin, give us the deets,” Kaminari chimes in, his eyebrows waggling. “Is he, like, super strict all the time? Or is he secretly, I dunno… soft?”

I cross my arms, rolling my eyes at them. “He’s exactly the same as he is in class.”

“Yeah, but in class he’s all grumpy and serious,” Kirishima adds. “So what’s he like when he’s not, y’know, teaching?”

Mina leans in closer, her grin widening. “Is he, like, super romantic? Or does he just sit around drinking coffee and glaring at you?”

I laugh, despite myself. “Well, he does drink a lot of coffee,” I admit. “But he’s... not always grumpy.”

The group erupts in laughter, clearly not convinced.

“So, he does have a soft side!” Mina exclaims, looking like she’s won the lottery. “I knew it!”

“He’s... caring,” I say softly, feeling a warmth spread through me as I think about Shota. “He shows it in little ways. Not the way you’d expect, but it’s there.”

They all stare at me for a second, as if trying to imagine the gruff, no-nonsense Aizawa actually being caring and gentle.

“I still can’t picture him being, like, romantic,” Kaminari says, scratching his head. “Does he, like, buy you flowers and stuff?”

Mina, always on top of things, jumps in with a gleeful look. “Or jewelry? Oh my god, does he buy you cute necklaces and stuff?”

I pause, my hand instinctively moving to the pendant around my neck—the necklace Shota gave me not too long ago. It’s simple but beautiful, a small, silver star on a delicate chain. It’s special to me, not because of what it is, but because of what it represents.

Mina’s eyes widen as she notices my gesture. “He did buy you something, didn’t he?!” Her voice is practically a squeal now.

I blush, nodding slightly. “Yeah, he got me this necklace.”

Everyone leans in for a better look, their eyes zeroing in on the delicate piece of jewelry. Mina gasps, her excitement reaching new heights. “It’s gorgeous! Oh my god, I knew he had a romantic side!”

Jirou smirks, nudging me with her elbow. “So, when are you two getting married?”

I sputter, my face turning crimson. “We’re not—I'm still in high school!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Mina waves her hand dismissively. “But you’re practically already a couple of newlyweds, right? I mean, come on, he bought you a necklace!”