Teacher

Chapter 9: Confrontation

" Eh? An internal war?"

The four other teachers laughed at the new sensei's shocked reaction, a noodle still hanging limply at one side of his mouth. The four teachers were having an early breakfast before the start of school, and were huddled around one table in the teacher's lounge. " Yeah," Mister Mizakan said, sipping from the cup of coffee in his hands. " Apparently there's some sort of trife between the ' Miyano-sensei' fans, and the ' Mouri fans.'

The new teacher, seeming even more puzzled than ever, looked at the other teachers questioningly.

" It's no contest, really." Miss Ayako said, leaning back in her chair. " Ran was here for years, and yet Miyano could catch up so fast in popularity in a matter of weeks. Miyano would overtake her in days, I assure you."

" Not exactly," Miss Takato said, biting into the onigiri in her hands. " Ran has been widely liked around the country for her many wins in judo, so technically, her fans win Miyano's by a tenfold."

Baki sensei lifted a cigarette to his lips, and blew. He smirked at the other three. " But Miyano's hotter than Mouri."

Mizakan blushed. " Baki!" he muttered. " There are female teachers here!"

" But it's true, really." Ayako said, smiling to herself. " Miyano has a sort of radiance wherever she goes."

" I hope you aren't just being biased towards her because she's a teacher." Takato laughed.

The new teacher, was lost in the conversation long ago.

" Well, I'm not." Ayako, laughing along with the rest. " You have to admit that Ran CAN be rather childish at times. Miyano just seems to keep her cool at all times of the day. When I speak to her, I feel almost as if she is my senior, when in fact she's. . .well. . ."

" Younger than you are." Mizakan said, grinning.

" Er. . ." the new teacher started, but was cut in almost right away.

" But Ran's friendlier than Miyano, and easier to approach." Takato said, shrugging. " Easily spoken, I would rather brefriend Ran than Miyano."

" Oh really?" Ayako said. " I heard some students speaking about this exact same subject when I was in the lift. They said that Shiho is really funny in class."

" Miyano?" Mizakan asked, raising his eyebrows. " Funny?"

" Yeah, I thought she was just hot, that's all." Baki said, grinning wider than the sun.

Ayako grinned at Baki. " What's wrong with you?" she asked. " She's only 17."

" So what?" Baki asked, squishing his cigarette butt into the ashtray before him. " She's five years younger than Takato, and her body's already better than hers."

Takato blushed. " Baki!" she said. " You. . ."

" It's true, at any cost." Baki said, grinning.

Secretly, Mizakan agreed.

" So who would you think will win the war?" Ayako asked, getting back to the main subject.

There was a short silence.

" I choose Miyano." Ayako said, answering her own question. " She's smart, beautiful, and extremely grown up for her age."

The others murmered in agreement and in objection.

" I'm going for Mouri." Takato said pointedly. " In the long run, Ran. . .no pun intended. . .would win. She's known more, and people would choose someone who stayed here for years, not pop out within weeks."