I lunged after her. My heart pounded wildly, like I have asthma or some other lung disease. And I don't even smoke. "Sena, wait up! It's not what you think!"
She was already halfway down the hall, her legs were so damn long, I had to practically run just to close the gap. Right as we hit the classroom door, she spun around and started walking backward, grinning like she already knew the punchline.
"Relax, dude," she laughed, way too chill about the whole thing. "If you want to hook up with a hot teacher like Hasegawa-sensei, honestly, who could blame you? Fuck it, I'd probably do the same if I were you. Just, you know, maybe keep it down next time? People are gonna talk."
I didn't even think. I just moved. Two quick steps and I slammed my hand against the wall right next to her head—total kabedon, straight out of a manga.
"Listen to me," I hissed, leaning in, barely an inch from her face. "It's not what you think. Nothing happened between me and Sensei. Not a single thing."
Sena blinked, eyes wide, looking at my hand, then back to my face. "Whoa, where'd you pick up kabedon moves like that, Romi?"
"What? Uh… from Sensei," I stammered, suddenly feeling like an idiot. "She did it to me in her office earlier. Did it… work? Are you flustered?"
She looked away, cheeks turning pink. "A little bit, yeah."
I shook my head, trying to focus. "No, wait, that's not the point! Here's what actually happened: Sensei's blouse got stuck in a desk drawer. I was just trying to help her out. I don't know why she was making those noises, but seriously, that's all it was. Just a stuck drawer."
Sena narrowed her eyes, searching my face for any sign I was lying, then glanced down at the wet patch on my pants. The suspicion all over the place, erased the oxygen. "A drawer, huh? Sensei doesn't just… moan for furniture. Something else went down."
"I swear! I have no idea why she was making those sounds!"
She just smirked, leaning back against the wall. "Sure, no idea. So the drawer was that good, huh? Made her sound like she was fucking a wild animal." She let out this dry little laugh, then leaned in, voice low. "Or maybe you just don't wanna admit you liked hearing it?"
I shrugged, muttering, "I mean, I'd be lying if I said I didn't. But that's not what matters. Her blouse ripped at the bottom, that's where it got caught."
"Really? And your pants?"
"This?" I looked down, exasperated. "It's just water. I knocked over a cup after we got her free. It spilled all over me and her."
Sena didn't say a word. She just dropped to her knees, no warning at all, leaned in, and sniffed my pants. Before I could even process what was happening, she licked the damp spot. For a moment I thought she was gonna give a blowjob.
"Hey! What the hell?!" I jumped back, completely thrown.
She pulled away, smirking like she'd just won a bet. "Just checking your story. And guess what? It's water. Mostly. I know what sex smells like, and this is definitely not that."
"That's what I've been trying to tell you! I'm not lying!"
She sighed, sounding almost annoyed. "Fine, you're not a liar. And that somehow makes me even more pissed off."
"What? Why?"
She pinched my cheek—hard. "Ow! Hey!"
"Seriously, you're telling me you were alone in a cramped room with a smoking hot older woman, she's moaning like something out of an adult video, and you didn't do anything? Are you sure you're not gay?"
"What? I'm straight! For real!"
She let go, finally, but kept glaring. "I don't know, man. I have my doubts now."
"Just… please, keep quiet about all this."
Sena stopped walking, slowly turning to face me. That look, half mischief, half blackmail, made my stomach twist. "I don't know, Romi. You and Sensei have had a lot of 'moments' lately. This is top-tier gossip. I can't just keep quiet for free."
She stepped closer, voice dropping to a purr. "Unless you're willing to… negotiate?"
I groaned, hiding my face in my hands. "I'm so gonna regret this. Fine. What do you want?"
Her eyes lit up, she had me. "Oh, I've got ideas. But let's keep it simple for now. You owe me. Big time. You do what I want, no questions."
"Ugh, I don't love that. How about I just buy you a snack?"
She pulled back, arms crossed, fake-offended. "A snack? You think a bag of chips is worth my silence?"
I let out a sigh, totally defeated. "Fine. Dinner. My treat."
Her whole face lit up, like I'd just handed her the keys to a candy store. "Dinner? Now we're talking!" She grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the school gates, practically vibrating with excitement. "Hope you brought your wallet, because I'm starving and I want the good stuff."
"Bruh…"
We walked together, her hand sliding down until our fingers laced together. Like we were actually a couple or something. My face felt like it was on fire. She noticed, of course, and squeezed my hand tighter.
"What? Too shy to hold hands?" She nudged me, grinning. "Don't tell me the guy who helped Sensei out of a drawer is getting all flustered now."
"S-shut up… I'm just not used to going out with girls like this."
Sena just laughed, bright and sharp. "Like what? A gorgeous girl who knows all your secrets?" She bumped my shoulder again, and suddenly I was way too aware of how close she was, her chest pressed up against my arm. If only she noticed, or she didn't care.
We made it to the restaurant, and my jaw just about hit the floor. "Sena, this place is way too fancy."
She scoffed. "Fancy? Please. You're the one who owes me." She dropped into her seat and snatched the menu, eyes glinting with mischief. "I'm thinking steak. And dessert. Maybe the seafood platter." She shot me this fake innocent look. "I can get whatever I want, right?"
"Fine. I'm only doing this if you promise not to blab."
Her laugh was sharp and wicked. "Wise choice. But hey, this is just the start of our little deal. I'll take the most expensive steak, medium-rare. And a milkshake."
I peeked into my wallet and felt my soul wither. No way I'd make it to the end of the month like this. "I'll just have a small pasta and some tap water," I told the waiter, trying not to sound like I was dying inside.
Sena rolled her eyes. "Tap water? After all that 'exercise' in the office? No way." She waved the waiter back. "He'll have the seafood pasta. And a real drink. It's part of the negotiation," she whispered. "I can't have my secret-keeper looking like a hobo."
"Sena! You're gonna bankrupt me!"
"Stop whining. Think of it as an investment in our friendship." She winked, and for a second, I didn't know how to react.
Sitting there, watching the light play across her face, something clicked. Sena was… actually really pretty. Under all the teasing and threats, she was gorgeous. I kept sneaking glances at her while we ate, trying to figure out if I was just imagining it.
She caught me, obviously. She took a slow bite of steak, smirking. "Like what you see?"
My face went beet red. "Cut it out."
"Then stop staring and eat. Or do you want me to feed you?"
No idea why I said it—stress, maybe. "Actually, I wouldn't mind."
Sena froze, steak halfway to her mouth. Her eyes went from teasing to something way more intense. "Oh? You're challenging me?"
She set her fork down, leaned in close. She picked up a strand of my pasta with her fingers, eyes locked on mine, and ate it painfully slow.
"You said you'd feed me," I said, trying to sound braver than I felt. "Why're you eating it yourself?"
She laughed. "Alright. Open wide." She stabbed a piece of pasta and brought it to my mouth. For a second, my eyes dropped, her uniform was gaping, and I got a full view of her cleavage. She is not as big as Hasegawa sensei, but she still has the vibe of a hot girl.
"Hey! Eyes up here, pervert," she teased, but didn't pull away. "Or do I need to make you close your eyes?"
"I can handle it," I said, trying not to choke. "Go ahead."
She grinned and slid the fork between my lips, watching me chew with a mix of mockery and… something else I couldn't read. "Want another bite? Or is that enough?"
"Sena… you're really beautiful," I blurted out.
She froze. The mask slipped right off, her face, her neck, even her ears went red. She started fussing with her hair, looking everywhere but at me. "W-what? Trying to sweet-talk your way out of the bill?"
"S-sorry. Didn't mean to just say it. I… I don't know what got into me."
She fidgeted with her fork, ears still on fire. "Just… eat your food. And don't think this changes anything. We still have a deal."
After that, the silence hung between us, heavy and awkward. I had to say something to get out of this awkwardness. I could die just by hearing all the fork and spoon hitting the plate. Anything.
"Sena, can I ask you something?"
She didn't look up. "What now?"
"Do you have a boyfriend?"
"I do," she said quickly. Then she paused. "Well, I did. A few weeks ago. We broke up."
"Oh. That's too bad."
"Why? Are you applying for the position or something?"
"Don't be ridiculous," I rolled my eyes. "You didn't even ask if I have a girlfriend."
"Do you? Because I seriously doubt it. You aren't exactly the subtle type, Romi."
"So what? Is that a problem for you?"
Sena laughed, her bravado returning as she found a way to tease me again. "Well, since we're both single... maybe we should do something about it. Ever thought about dating someone like me?"
I scoffed, shaking my head. "Please. Don't twist this. You're blackmailing me, remember? I never thought I'd end up with someone like you, careless, arrogant, always doing whatever she wants. I can't be around you for five minutes without a headache. You are the real pain in the ass. My life would be miserable if you were my girlfriend."
The laughter died instantly. Sena's face went pale, then a hard, cold look settled over her features. Her eyes, which had been so bright moments ago, went dark.
"Miserable, huh?" her voice was a ghost of a whisper. She pulled her hand back, her entire body stiffening.
"You are such a jerk! I'm leaving."
She grabbed her bag, shoved her chair back with a violent screech, and bolted for the door. She didn't look back. As she ran past the window, she was covering her mouth with her sleeve. I looked down at the table and saw a single, wet circle on the wood where she had been sitting.
A tear.