The lunch break came to an end, and I rose from the table, turning to Catherine, Aina, and Kanna with a smile.
"It's time to go back to the classroom," I said, my voice filled with warmth.
"Yeah, let's head back to our classroom, Adrian," Catherine responded cheerfully.
As we made our way back to the classroom, I couldn't help but feel the gaze of the other students upon us—both boys like Kaito and his friends, as well as the girls who admired me. Taking my seat beside Catherine, we patiently awaited the arrival of our teacher. Catherine turned to me with a curious expression.
"What's our subject for today? I completely forgot," she asked.
"Today, it's English, Catherine," I replied, a smile playing on my lips.
"I can't wait for English class. I've been practicing and learning English on my own," Catherine exclaimed with eagerness.
"I'm glad to hear that, Catherine. Your dedication to learning English is commendable," I said, genuinely impressed.
Just as our conversation reached a pause, our English teacher entered the classroom, introducing himself on this first day of class.
"Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Kenji Suzuki, and I'll be your English teacher for this academic year," he announced.
The lesson began with a discussion on English grammar, and Mr. Suzuki encouraged us to use the language in sentences. I noticed Catherine's enthusiasm to learn, and it resonated with me. As a "puppet heir" attached to the strings of my parents, I had received private tutoring on various subjects, including languages and advanced mathematics. While it often left my head spinning, I had to excel as the perfect heir of the Asendorf Family.
During the lesson, it became apparent that Kanna was struggling with English. Mr. Suzuki her out, asking her to circle a sentence written on the whiteboard. The sentence was simple: "They are good at playing basketball." But Kanna's hands trembled, and it was evident she didn't know the answer. I could sense her lack of confidence.
"I...I don't know the answer, Mr. Suzuki." Kanna stammered.
"What? The question is simple! You're a disgrace to the Takahashi Family," Mr. Suzuki tone turned harsh, his intention to embarrass Kanna in front of the class palpable.
While English might be challenging for some, Mr. Suzuki intentions seemed different. He seemed to derive pleasure from Kanna's potential humiliation. As my classmates' eyes turned to Kanna, her gaze dropped to the floor, disappointment etched on her face. I could tell she didn't want to face me after this failure.
Just as Mr. Suzuki hand was about to strike Kanna, a surge of determination propelled me forward, and I swiftly intervened, gripping his hand firmly, preventing him from completing the slap. I spoke up, my voice calm but resolute.
"Mr. Suzuki, this is not how a teacher should treat students," I asserted.
"Kanna deserves proper guidance, not this abusive behavior. By embarrassing her in front of everyone, you're demeaning your role as a teacher," I continued, my words laced with a quiet authority.
"You...Adrian....just because you're the heir of the As—," Mr. Suzuki began but faltered as I cut him off.
"Think carefully before you speak, Mr. Suzuki. Do you know who I am?" I challenged.
"I know who you are," he replied, a hint of fear creeping into his voice.
"Then do your job properly, or I will not hesitate to remove you from your position. Your parents won't see you again," I warned, my eyes locked with his.
"Is this a threat?" he asked, trying to regain his composure.
"Yes, consider it a threat. Lay a hand on Kanna, and you'll find yourself in a position you'd rather not be in," I asserted. "Don't ever harm Kanna or any other student. Treat your students as friends or even as your own children, and I won't bring harm to your family. It's as simple as that."
Mr. Suzuki nodded, clearly intimidated by the turn of events. The smirk that had adorned his face moments ago had vanished. I took the marker from Kanna and answered the question on the board.
"To answer your question, Mr. Suzuki the pronoun in this sentence is 'they'," I confidently explained, encircling the word 'they' on the board.
"C-correct, Adrian Asendorf. 'They' is the pronoun in the sentence 'They are good at playing basketball'," Mr. Suzuki said.
Turning back to Kanna, I asked, "Kanna, are you alright? Are you hurt?"
"Yes, I'm fine, Adrian. Thank you for standing up for me," Kanna replied, her voice filled with gratitude.
"Of course, you're my friend. I won't stand by and watch my friends suffer. They are precious to me," I replied, a genuine smile on my face.
My words resonated with my classmates, and they heard the conviction in my voice. As Kanna and I returned to our seats, I noticed Catherine looking at me with admiration and respect. She spoke up, clearly impressed by my actions.
"You really did that, Adrian," she remarked.
"Of course, I won't let anyone harm my friends. It doesn't matter who they are or what their status is. If someone dares to hurt those I cherish, they'll have to answer to me," I replied firmly.
"I'm glad we're friends, Adrian," Catherine said, her smile shining brightly.
With the class resuming, we all took notes on pronouns and sentence structure. The bell eventually rang, signaling the end of the English class. As Mr. Suzuki prepared to leave, we stood up and bid him farewell.
"Goodbye, and thank you, Mr. Suzuki" we chorused.
Once Mr. Suzuki closed the door behind him, he leaned his head against it and muttered to himself, "That brat from the Asendorf Family can't be taken lightly. It seems this will be a challenging year, HAHAHAHA!"
"I won't accept this, Adrian Asendorf. I'll find your weakness, and everyone you care about will suffer," he vowed.
With those chilling words, Mr. Suzuki headed towards another classroom.
[End of Chapter 7]