[Fic] It hurts: Part 1
It was his first day, his very first day as a full fledged teacher and he couldn’t wait to get there and start his classes. He was a bit reluctant about teaching in the same high school he ended up during his practice times alongside Yankumi but since Yankumi was no longer there, he figured he could put up with the Monkey Head Principal and do his thing. He chose the best pair of black jeans he had and one red shirt, then put on his black jacket and picked his bag, ready to arrive at his new workplace.
As he got there, he was first seen by Principal Sawatari and taken aside to be told something in private.
- What …what do you want? Ryu asked a bit annoyed, already getting fed up with that man’s way of acting.
He knew Head Monkey since he was in Highschool and that was also when he met Yankumi but although he could somehow get used to that woman’s way of being, he was still as annoying as before and probably too afraid to do anything that can make him lose his job.
- Since you are Yamaguchi’s former student…I expect you to be able to deal with …student just like…, the man stammered a bit, knowing fair well that Odagiri Ryu was once a delinquent himself and that it was that woman’s teaching that changed him into good.
Of course, Ryu caught that. He figured out pretty fast that the Principal was referring to students as he was and was trying his best not to offend him in anyway.
- I get it, Ryu sighed. It’s a classroom full of wrong doers. I get it. Let me guess…since I am Yankumi’s former student, you want me to take care of it.
He never felt more annoyed than when he saw the Principal nodding his head like mad, putting on that weird smile of his, not that he wasn’t weird without it. He brushed the man’s hand away and then placed his bag on his new desk. He pulled out his math books and then stood up right away, not leaving the others any place to say anything more. He wasn’t in the mood to hear anything because he was still the type to get annoyed by useless things. He politely nodded at all of them and then made his way to his classroom. If he could guess right, and he was pretty sure he was, then that classroom had to be 3-D, all the way to the most far away place in the school. The walls full of graffiti and the student so evil that they would punch him as soon as they got a chance. He got close to the door and suddenly remembered the “fight-oh!” Yankumi would always do. Naturally, he wasn’t as stupid as to do the same thing but at the same time he fixed his clothes and stepped inside the classroom.
- Good morning, he politely saluted, taking his place.
As he expected, everyone was ignoring him and even a few desks were empty. It was the exact situation he was expecting to find himself in after he was stopped by Sawatari. He began taking attendance but no one was even trying to pay attention to him. He took a breath and then closed the book and walked close to them.
- Okay, so you don’t wanna pay attention to me. What is that you want to do? He asked smiling, closing in on the last few open desks, tapping them slightly.
- Play!!! Came the loud answer from everyone, turning their faces his way, glaring at him while holding baseball bats and other things of a sort to threaten him.
Just when he was about to give his reply, the back door to the classroom opened and four other students entered, making the rest clear the way for them. Ryu didn’t move at all and apparently the others weren’t planning on avoiding him either. One of them was acting all cute, holding some paper clips, some other than the ones in his hair, one was holding a fan and continuously playing with it, while the other two looked pretty normal. All of them got seated and continued talking, just one in particular stopped right next to the desk Ryu was leaning on. Their eyes met for just one second and a frown appeared on the student’s face, before he tried throwing a punch at the teacher.
Odagiri was capable of dodging the punch and that made everyone suddenly pay attention to him. In just a split moment, the student that tried to punch him frowned again and then kicked the desk hard and set on the chair.
- So to understand…everyone is here. Good. Now let’s begin the class, Ryu smiled once more and then returned to his place, opening the book again in order to count attendances again
He wanted to begin a lovely lesson with his new students but the group that just recently arrived seemed to have made things even worse. The rest were now even more concerned with everything but things that had to do with school and that made Ryu feel a bit nostalgic. He used to do that with his friends all the time when they were in high school so he could perfectly understand why they would ignore him and the class and just do their own things. He sighed and gave up. He slowly walked towards them and picked up a baseball ball they were throwing and began playing catch with some students. They were quit surprised to see the teacher joining them but they seemed to not bother since they responded back. The one with hair clips joined as well and the fan boy tried hitting the ball a few times with his precious fan and everyone laughed at that since it didn’t work and the ball hit him. Well, almost everyone. One was seriously glaring, not wanting to join the fun at all and kept wishing he could do something to kill that stupid teacher that seemed to be messing around with him.
Just when things were getting better and Ryu seemed to have reverted to his high school self, enjoying all the fun, Yabuki stood up and hit the desk. Everyone turned around and looked at him. They watched as he picked up his back and left the room, from the back door, and then completely abandoned the classroom.
Ryu knew the rest would follow and the rest did. Soon, everyone was out of the room and he was left alone.
- Don’t worry sensei; he’s always like that, the hair clip boy smiled. I’m Take, he continued, making a peace sign before closing the door behind him.
Ryu just smiled. He understood what they felt like and that what they were doing was just being themselves. He figured they probably didn’t believe much in teachers either. Especially that first one who left, the leader. It reminded Ryu of his older self so he couldn’t find it in himself to be annoyed with him. How could he?
He waited for the bell to ring and then went back to the teacher’s room, not wanting to say one word about what happened. Not that it looked bad for him but he figured Monkey Head Principal would just think the worst and get angry at the students.
He managed to successfully avoid the man all day long and to continue with his teaching, although… from time to time, he would spot the group of boys playing in the courtyard, doing the same things he used to do when he was their age.
Six years. Six years felt like so long before but it didn’t bother him at all. he was still very young so he wasn’t the type to go: o my god, I’m already 24 this year. It would have been stupid.
Just as he got ready to leave, on the hill he had to pass in order to reach the city, he saw one particular figure, lying on the grass, watching the sky. He knew who that person was and he knew it probably wasn’t the time to start a conversation so he just walked pass it and went home.
He opened the door to his apartment and then threw his bag on the table, then completely crashed on the bed in his own room. He never felt so happy. Happy that he found his way, happy that he didn’t have to live in his father’s shadow anymore, happy that he could be who he was. He quickly got out of his clothes and then went to sleep.
The smell of the sheets was wonderful, they felt really comfortable and it helped him have a good night sleep. He was probably having the best sleep in a couple of days. When he heard he could teach there, he couldn’t help but feel excited but scared at the same time since this time it was going to be for real. Not just a trainee teacher but a real one, one that had to deal with things all by himself and that could blame only himself if something went wrong. Now he only had facts in his life. He was a teacher, he was a grown up. He was finally something.
He had a very good night sleep. So great that at the moment he heard a cell phone ring, he couldn’t help but curse and want to cover himself with the sheet until all of him was gone. His right hand stretched out from underneath the blanket and grabbed the phone, then pushed the answer button and put it to his ear.
- Yes? Ah…yes… ah…his teacher yes…
He suddenly stood up and woke up completely. Apparently, now it was his turn to go fetch a student from the police.