Sweet Temptations[DiaLovers Fanfic]

Part 18 - Headache

“Well, I would like to apologise for taking some of your lunchtime. I hope you understand that your presence here will help me solve some issues that need to be resolved immediately” Mr. Tanaka said, glancing at Sei momentarily, who was sitting right beside Lillia.

Lillia was in the principal’s – Mr. Tanaka’s – office after being called out during lunchtime. What she had thought was a chance of escape from Ayato and Raito, turned out to be an interrogation from the school principal.  Lillia studied the man of 60, wiping dust off from his glasses with his handkerchief. His high cheekbones and sharp jaw suggested that he was a handsome youth, but time has etched his way into his face. After years of being a disciplinary teacher, he had adopted a permanent scowl, adding some harshness into his expression. He rarely smiled, much like his presence in school. It was inevitable; he was after all, the principal of a prestigious high school. He had to ensure that the school was in order and had to pay visits to the higher ups to give them his report now and then. His job was for the benefit for the school and he handled everything.

This also meant that he had to oversee the student body and the staff’s conduct. So Lillia had already guessed the reason for her being there in front of him.

“Firstly, I would like to talk about your appearance” Mr. Tanaka said, his hands clasped in front of him. Lillia blinked in surprise. She had thought Mr. Tanaka was going to talk about her conduct this morning. Yet Lillia kept her cool and nodded slowly.

“Yes?” she simply said, unsure of what type of reply he had wanted.

“By the looks of it, you had used a picture which shows your appearance now, but from the first day you stepped your foot in the school grounds, you showed up in a different outfit altogether” Mr. Tanaka said grimly. Lillia nodded slowly again, more confused as ever. What does my appearance had to do with the school’s dress code?

It seems that Mr. Tanaka was able to read her thoughts as he cleared his throat, breaking Lillia from her thoughts. “I know it sounds quite strange for me to discuss about this, but starting next month, a new security guard will start his duty in the school. Unlike the previous security guard, who knows every student and teachers’ faces, the new security guard will have to know each and every member of the school’s faces. This ensures that he won’t give access to any strangers into the school” Mr. Tanaka explained, his deep voice resonating in the quiet room.

“So of course, I want you to remain looking like this, as to not cause confusion to the new security guard” Mr. Tanaka ended his long explanation, narrowing his eyes slightly, as if to dare Lillia to challenge his authority. Lillia merely looked down, avoiding the older man’s gaze. Who would challenge him, anyway?

After a second or two, Mr. Tanaka let out a dry smile. “Well, now that I have pushed that issue aside, I will now put the main issue on the table” Mr. Tanaka adopted a serious tone, narrowing his eyes at Sei before moving on to Lillia. “What was with that scene this morning?”

Mr. Tanaka didn’t even try to soften his tone. He said it out just like that, his eyes as cold as ice. Lillia squirmed once again. This was the exact reason why she was nervous in the first place. Hugging a grown man – even though it was Sei who had initiated it – in front of the whole school in the morning was not what a student from a prestigious school should do.

“To think that a teacher who hasn’t even started his teaching would do such a thing” Mr. Tanaka spat, glaring at Sei. Sei merely replied with a soft smile but Lillia was far from smiling. In fact, she was shocked. Sei’s…a teacher here?

Lillia has unconsciously turned to look at Sei, her mouth gaping. Sei looked at her and gave her a tight smile before looking away. Sei cleared his throat and gave Mr. Tanaka an apologetic smile. “Forgive me, I shouldn’t have acted rashly on my first day here. Is there any way for me to recompensate the panic that I have caused?”