It was Sunday morning, the mall was fairly empty, so it was the best time to go shopping.
Ringo had gone to buy some vinyls, lately, they were becoming fashionable once again. Saving for one was quite worth it, plus he was going to stop by his sister in about two hours, having plenty of time to spare.
Looking at the vinyls, the only one that caught his attention was one of Michael Jackson, who in Japan was quite famous for those times.
It had been pretty cheap since it wasn't for export or anything like that. To test it, Ringo put it on a record player in the store, he liked it so much that he bought it instantly.
As the vinyls were placed in front of the window, a surprise came to him, almost as if it had fallen from the sky.
Teacher Aimi was banging on the window to get the student's attention. Lately, she began to appreciate him quite a bit, but it was not the only student, also Yurisa and Yumei.
Ringo shook hands with her and invited her to come and see something together, maybe even she would end up buying something.
-Good morning, Aimi. –The boy greeted.
-Good Morning. –She returned, but not before giving him a small blow on the arm. -Don't forget that I'm your teacher.
-I did not forget it. I remember perfectly that you said that you did not want to know anything about the academy on weekends, right?
-Well thought, you deserve an award.
Ringo turned to see the vinyls again, raising the volume of the one already playing a bit, all to whisper to a medium tone:
-A kiss wouldn't be bad.
-Did you say something?
-That a point would not be bad, don't you think?
-Sigh, not at all.
The two continued to watch the vinyls, although Aimi was not attracted at all, not even the CDs. She preferred to have all her music downloaded to her cell phone, just in case.
After seeing the vinyls, the two of them walked around the mall a bit, seeing Yumei and Eiji eating ice cream in the distance ... being followed by Yurisa, who was disguised as a European so as not to be recognized by the couple.
-Hey… can you accompany me to a place? -Aimi asked, blushing.
The first thing that went through the head of the teenager with extra hormones in his head was a masochistic hotel, where Aimi would be tied up by him while he hit her with a small stick ... but the reality was very different.
They were… in an Anime Center.
Aimi had asked Ringo to please, that they act as if they were relatives looking for a gift for a teenager.
She took a manga x and said while winking at him:
-Do you think he likes this?
-Yes, surely you are going to love it. –He answered, with a certain air of mockery, so Aimi stepped on his foot for being funny.
Leaving the Anime Center, Aimi looked like a girl who had just been given the newest doll of all, the one who did and said the most things.
Ringo was looking at her tenderly, almost with a fatherly love: it was as if they were father and daughter, but they were teacher and student.
Seeing that Yumei and Eiji were going to pass in front of them, Ringo immediately took the bag.
-Teacher Aimi! –Yumei jumped on her to give her a hug.
-Hi, what are you doing here?
-How are you doing? –Eiji greeted Ringo, who only made him the sign of peace.
-We are walking, you know, on a "date" to call her in some way. –Yumei was still hugging.
-C-could you let me go now? -Aimi asked.
-No, that's fine ... you are like a teddy bear. –Yurisa walked by, pretending to be sitting and reading a magazine.
Between Ringo and Eiji they had to detach Yumei from their embrace, he leech to Aimi.
-See you a lot teacher, I love you later. –Yumei said, breaking out her words… she was immediately followed by Yurisa.
Aimi couldn't help but smile at the curious students she had. She knew she would have some "cases", but without a doubt it was a joy for her to be his teacher.
-Thanks for that, but now. -She jealously snatched the bag that contained "her precious"
-Well, there are still forty minutes until I have to go get my sister from her classes, what else do you want us to do? -He asked.
-Let me think ... -In less than a Philippine rooster crow, teacher and student were sitting in the viewpoint of the mall, enjoying an Italian soda.
She had ordered it from grapes, which was funny. To spark conversation, Ringo asked for an apple, to ask why the teacher detested the forbidden fruit.
-In reality the forbidden fruit is the grape. And regarding apples… I don't like them because for some strange reason my teeth swell when I chew them.
Ringo became serious, very serious ... then he gave a giggle that he tried to contain by closing his lips, although the attempt was a failure.
-Don't laugh ... rude. -Aimi hit him on the cheek with a napkin.
-Pardon, pardon, je ne pouvais pas m'en empêcher. –He apologized for not being able to avoid it.
-The truth is that my French is already very rusty. It has been just under two years since I returned to Japan.
-Why did you go to study in France?
-That doesn't matter… no, it does matter. I'll be honest with you because you are with me… what happens is that I don't want to talk about it. –Aimi took a sip of her soda, she looked mildly sad.
The funny thing about the situation is that Ringo had never been honest with Aimi, he always hid little details from her ... among them the most important.
-That being the case… -Ringo checked his watch. -It's time for me to go, see you first thing tomorrow, teacher. -He got up from his chair, put the money on the table and as he approached Aimi he bent down a little with the intention of kissing her on the cheek.
She was quite surprised, so she didn't avoid it, although when there was nothing left of her lips to pink her cheek, he stopped in her tracks, being able to smell her citrus perfume.
-Like I said, see you later. -Ringo left calmly, with the awareness that she had not seen him blush.
Aimi blushed from the bottom up. That had been a very awkward moment, was he going to give her a kiss on the cheek or did he want to sniff her for some fetish reason?
Ringo was waiting for Risa, his sister, who was coming out of her extra classes. Seeing him, she naturally gave him a hug, which he didn't respond to.
-Is something wrong, Onii-chan? -Risa asked.
-I looked stupid, that's all. -He replied dryly.
After telling her what happened in the mall (skipping the details that the girl was her history and letters teacher), Risa understood in her account the mistake her brother made.
-Don't worry, you just have to clarify what happened so that he doesn't think you're a weirdo. -She smiled.
-Even I thought about it, but I wasn't sure if I should.
The two brothers talked throughout their walk from Risa's academy to the house, where, far away, he could see Aimi's car parking.
-Merde. -He thought, to himself.
She came home, half messy, unbuttoning the first two buttons of her blouse to shake off the heat of the awkward situation and putting the large shopping bag on the floor of her bedroom.
She tried to convince themselves that Ringo wanted to kiss her goodbye, but after thinking twice, she didn't. It was a bit to reflect, why would a student kiss his teacher goodbye? The greatest gesture of affection that could be given was a hug or a warm smile, but nothing more personal than that.
He had never behaved strangely in class, except on this occasion, so it was another counterweight to her strange theories.
The one who also had a very hard time was Yurisa, who suffered from love ... but not from her.
She was mildly inconsolable. Her only friend stayed away from her, it was the first time she saw Yumei very closely with someone other than her.
Just when she remembered her, Yumei sent her a message, telling Yurisa that she felt sure that Eiji was going to propose her a week later, that she couldn't be happier.
That would be the straw that broke the camel's back. Yurisa only answered her with a very dry "do what you want", so as not to answer her for the rest of the afternoon, the night and the next day.
Eiji, for his part, was texting with Yumei. They had stayed awake the day before talking about all possible topics. One circle opened, another closed, but that endless cycle never ends.
It was like a vinyl record spinning in the same groove. Only when going through the groove the same topic was not discussed.
The next day it wasn't raining, but it looked cloudy. Eiji bought a rose for Yumei, a red one, which was her favorite. He was going to declare the love she already knew he had for her. Even though it was very fast, he was sure of Yumei's answer. Anyway, Juro had told him what he needed to know.
Yumei, behind Yurisa's back, had left a cloth napkin in her locker with a kiss marked with red lipstick, to which Eiji planted a huge kiss in the pure Hans Landa style.
When Yurisa saw that Eiji had a rose in his hands, her eyes caught fire. That rose was not going to end up in Yumei's possession as long as she breathed.
-Your! Are you planning to hand that over to him so fast?! -Yurisa sputtered, cornering Eiji against his locker.
-Yes… can I ask why that makes you mad?
-Jealous friend syndrome! –Ringo yelled, who was passing with Juro.
-Ah, is that it? ...
-Don't you dare give it to him.
Yumei had heard Yurisa scream from two corridors away. So she quickly went to see what was happening between her friend and her suitor.
When he heard "do you plan to hand that over to him so quickly?" An engagement ring crossed his mind. Eiji told her that he had been educated the old way ... but she never thought it was so serious.
-Yurisa, what's going on? -She ask.
-Yumei, as a friend that I am, I ask you to leave! –Yurisa tried to prevent Yumei from seeing the rose that was in Eiji's hands, but he was ahead of her.
-Hey Yumei, I know it's very soon and everything but, how about you become my girlfriend? –Eiji handed her the rose and kissed her hand.
-If it's early but ...
-Don't answer! –Yurisa intervened. -If you say yes ... then we'll stop being friends! We can no longer be together, you will always be by Eiji's side! Don't you remember that we are best friends forever and ever through thick and thin?! –Yurisa was about to cry.
-Yurisa ... of course I remember, but there are some things that we cannot limit ourselves, such as having other friends ... or in this case, boyfriends.
Yurisa was surprised, letting tears fall on her cheeks.
-The truth is that I did not plan to spend all the time with Yumei. I know that you are her friend and I respect that, as well as her space. –Said Eiji.
-You don't have to be so jealous, I would never trade a hundred Eiji for a Yurisa. –Yumei gave her a hug, smiling while closing his eyes.
-But ... it won't be like before.
-You have the boys, just don't get used to Juro much. He told me that he was already going to propose to Kazumi.
-Hey, that's not true! –Juro exclaimed, Kazumi was at his side.
The doorbell rang, to which Yumei led Yurisa to the classroom, taking her hand and comforting her. Even though she had said yes to Eiji, that day he would spend with Yumei.
In the classroom, teacher Aimi was advancing the notes on the blackboard even though they hadn't played yet. Again, there was some money left in the account, which by returning it to Ringo, would also tell him something that she believed was crazy.
She was going to tell her that he could kiss her goodbye, if he wanted to and without any shame. After all, in the academy they were teacher and student. Outside of her, they were only two almost neighbors.
The rain released again, something that was very curious. Every class, Yumei encouraged Yurisa by telling her that now she could get to know the boys more, that she could make some new friends (without replacing her), that they were still unconditionally best friends.
But Yurisa was reluctant to accept the reality that her best friend already had a boyfriend and that they would not spend the same time together, for a day or two.
Ringo had accidentally dropped the pencil and, while trying to pick it up, he dropped the pencil with everything it contained.
-Oh, come on! How did I offend you, God?! -He exclaimed.
-I want you out of the class you keep making noise! -Aimi sputtered.
-Huh? ... but he had not spoken in the whole class.
-Get out, you have no excuse!
-OK… -Ringo thought, disheartened, that now teacher Aimi hated him for that incident. -Hell, all my dreams went to the toilet.
After five minutes, Aimi left class under the pretext that she had forgotten something in the teachers' lounge. Opening the door, Ringo was, as usual, sprawled on one of the benches in the hall.
-Hey, forgive me. –She asked.
-OK… why did you take me out?
-I wanted to tell you that you can kiss me goodbye if you want ... as long as it's not at the academy, of course. -Aimi was checking a notebook to hide that it was not of her importance. -And again, you had money left over.
-Ah, thanks for that. –Ringo received in his hands some coins, which he put in his pocket. -Yes, I hope I haven't bothered you too much.
-I'll tell you something, but I'm not doing it with bad intentions ... the truth is that I was very surprised at first, but then I knew it couldn't be anything else.
-Sounds good to me ... now can you let me pass?
-No, we have to hide that!
-Oh, okay! -Ringo was scared.
Precisely, they played to end the session. As there was no class because the teacher had been absent, everyone chatted in the classroom.
Yumei took Yurisa by the head, telling her that she was not going to abandon her. In turn, she winked at Eiji and sent him the odd little kiss.
Juro was thinking about where his next date with Kazumi could be, although this one did not have that title as such but rather "casual meetings".
-Yeah, I'll meet you what are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, Friday is reserved so that I can go out with Eiji at the end of classes.
-But that's what we did. -Yurisa crouched down, covering her face with her hands to start crying.
-I'm running out of ideas ...
Dai was with his group of friends throwing pieces of rubber at Ringo's head, who ignored that detail, not giving it importance although deep down it made him very angry.
He had promised Aimi that he would never fight again, something that he would try to fulfill fully. He didn't want her to worry about taking care of him again, putting ice on his bad eye.
-I will be alone ... do not ask about the cries you hear. -Yurisa left with her head bowed and shuffling, with an aura of unease around her.
-Guys… can I ask for your help? –Yumei asked.
-Of course, we are willing to be with Yurisa. –Juro say.
-Surely ... I have no problems with it. -Ringo added.
-She doesn't listen to me or Eiji, maybe she does. Just treat her with care… she's sensitive today.
Yurisa had sat on the second rung of the stairs, facing forward, putting her hands on her knees, resting her chin against her arms.
Teacher Aimi's heels were clattering all over the second floor, then down the stairs, then all over the first floor. Seeing Yurisa in that state, she sat next to her, not caring that her fault would be stained.
She looked at her for a second, but Yurisa was so exhorted in her thoughts that she wasn't paying attention to anything other than the marbling on the floor.
Teacher Aimi simply touched Yurisa's cheek with her finger twice, to clear it.
-You're sad? -She asked ironically. It was obvious that Yurisa was sad.
-Yep. –She answered.
-Why? ... did you fight with your boyfriend?
-Not.
-Why was it then? –Aimi took Yurisa's hand and led her to the teachers' room, where Tadashi slept, with her feet up on the couch. –Once again, why are you sad?
-My best friend now has a boyfriend. -Yurisa pouted. –We can't be as close as before.
-Do you have other friends, even friends?
-Two, you know who they are.
Aimi told Yurisa an anecdote from her university. It was something very similar to what happened to Yurisa.
Her best friend had gotten a boyfriend, they did not go out as often as before, which made her feel very sad, but she realized that it was not the end of the world.
To fill in the absence of her best friend, Aimi had found a hobby not very fun, but one that was the one for lonely occasions.
She had found someone to spend those times with: one of her teachers. They both had nothing to do during breaks. The teacher did not mind that Aimi spent her free time with her, it made her feel that she had had the daughter she never wanted, however it was a good gift of life.
-I can now be the one who shelters one of my students from loneliness, and you are also very nice.
-Tea-teacher. –Yurisa cried, who hugged Aimi as tightly as her heart told her.
- Yeah, yeah ... friends are not conditioned by age. It's not like I wanted to be a mother, but I can find in you something more than a younger friend, what do you say?
-I could never see her as a mom, teacher Aimi… but I can see her as more than just an older friend.
"Old woman". That word echoed loudly in Aimi's ears, it was as if she had been hit with something very strong in pride.
Aimi lay down on the ground, wailing.
-No ... I'm not that old, I'm twenty-two years old, I don't have wrinkles, I'm getting prettier every day, I can't be getting old. –She said with paranoia in her voice. –I am as young as Yurisa, only more mature. Also, the more ripe the fruit tastes the better.
-Are you okay, teacher? –Yurisa asked, leaning out to see Aimi's face.
-Yes, I'm young and beautiful, I'm on my best streak. -When Aimi got up, her knees snapped, listening to her as if it had been a direct shot in the ears. -Not! Am I getting old so fast?! -She looked at a hair, one that did not have the same color as the others. -What is this? ... is ... is ... is it a gray hair?
Finally, in a panic, she fainted, falling round to the ground, while a tic hit her in the eye.
-I think I went a bit too far when I told her that she was "older than me"...
Aimi was lying in the infirmary. Yurisa and Ringo were sitting, waiting for her to wake up.
Seeing that she opened her eyes, the two youngs quickly went to see how she was. She no longer looked pale or her eyes were shot with paranoia.
-Is okay? –Yurisa asked.
-Your! -Aimi pointed her finger at Ringo.
-He? -Yurisa pointed her finger at him.
-I? -He pointed too, to which Aimi took him by the collar of the jacket.
-Tell me one thing and you must answer me honestly! Do I look young and beautiful to you, beautiful, sizzling, don't I look like a very desirable French girl ?! –She spluttered at him while still looking into his eyes… Ringo immediately blushed.
-Well ... of course she's beautiful, but I don't know if I should answer the rest, out of pure respect for you.
-Say it, I warned you that you had to answer honestly!
-Well, okay, you really are "sizzling" and very desirable, so much so that I would like to have you in my bed for a whole night! You has a beautiful body, a cute face, she must be the envy of the other teachers!
-That comforts me a lot… -Aimi released the collar of the jacket and leaned back. -Good afternoon, Professor Tadashi.
"Oh no ... -Tadashi looked at Ringo with wide eyes. He had heard everything he said to Aimi.
Tadashi had one hand on the septum of his nose, pulling it to try to think of what to say. Ringo was sitting across from him, guiltily looking around the entire office.
-You told a teacher that you want to have her in your bed overnight, that it is good and that it is desirable, what can you say in your defense? -Ringo was silent for a few seconds ...
-Well… What did she ask me to tell her?
-I've heard stupid things and then that ... you really broke the record forever, I don't even believe it.
Yurisa was reading a book to Aimi while she was still lying on the bed in the infirmary. They had to give him a sedative since she asked Ringo for every outrage.
It was not only the compliments, but he had also told her that she could prove that she was still "young and beautiful" leaving her student very satisfied.
The crazy things a woman can do for her pride, there was nothing more to say.
-And finally, did you like the story, teacher? –Yurisa asked.
-Yes. It was extremely entertaining.
-I want to apologize for calling you "old woman" I didn't think you would take it so badly, hehe. -She laughed nervously.
-When you turn twenty-one you will count that you are nine years away from turning thirty, when you turn twenty-five you will realize that you are fifteen to forty… and at forty you will realize that you are two steps away from sixty.
-I hadn't seen it that way ... I think that's why it got too upset.
-Do not see it in any way, you will only be mortified to know it.
Yurisa got straight on her back. She also became very serene, even calming her breathing.
-Teacher… can you give me a hug?
-Are you still sad?
-Just give it to me, please. -Yurisa started to sniff, to which Aimi immediately hugged her, tightly as she would have liked when she was in the same situation.
-Don't be sad, the world doesn't end, here you have me with you.
-I'm going to miss Yumei a lot… I can't think of a break without her.
-You have your other two friends, you calm down, Yurisa.
And so a while passed, in which Aimi did not stop hugging Yurisa, until, practically, the tears ran out.
Seeing that she had runny nose, Aimi did something that made her feel like a mother. She took a handkerchief from her bag and wiped Yurisa's nose, with a tenderness that indeed only a mother can have.
They agreed that that day they would go shopping, anything (not more than one thousand one hundred yen), was his responsibility.
A vanilla ice cream first and, weather permitting, a walk to the swing park the next day. Unfortunately for both of them that day it rained. However it was all with the mission ... to heal a broken heart.