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We decided to take a break at the canteen.. Jenna's part will come up after lunch. I finished my food, but remain distressed.
"You know... You shouldn't dwell on it too much. Negative emotions and negative thoughts can destroy you, you know?" Jenna was feeling concerned as she tilted her body and face. I sighed.
"It's not that I am dwelling too much, it's just staying so much to the point I can't even think straight." I rested my elbows and arms on the table and just stared down on my reflection shining on the table.
"One, that's dwelling too much. Two... You're really going to ruin your day just because of that?" She frowned and leaned closer to me.
"I don't even know..." I put my face flat on the table, still upset.
"Come on... I liked you much better when you were confident~" I can hear her playful tone again, and she suddenly hugged me by the neck, surprising me and making me flustered.
"HEY! WE ARE IN THE SCHOOL PREMISES!" I quickly pulled her hands off me.
"There's the Alrose I know and love!" He playfully giggled as I was upset at her. I really wanted to give her a slap but my morals wouldn't allow it.
"Stop it with that tone of yours, that must be why Syrra doesn't seem like you're type to catch a guy..." I turned myself away from her.
"Such a meanie..." She leaned herself onto me and I was again surprised having her close to me like this.
"Will you stop that?!" I quickly began shoving her away from me.
"Ara… Kore wa tanoshi-sōdesu..."
While pushing Jenna away, we both turned to a girl behind us.
"Uhhh… Pardon me?" Come to think of it, I didn't get what she was saying.
"Gomen… Watashi wa nihonjin desu." I was just sitting with a dumbfounded face in front of her.
"English?" I gave up and asked Jenna. She also didn't know as she shook her head, also dumbfounded.
The girl was then laughing at me as I was unable to process her talk.
"I was saying that I'm sorry, I'm Japanese. And you two seemed to be having fun..." She grinned at both of us, especially towards me. That made me embarrassed and have a tomato head once again.
"AHHH!!! IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!! WE'RE JUST FRIENDS! FRIENDS!" I quickly shook my hands in denial. Curse you, Jenna! You ruined my first impression towards this girl!
Jenna did a "teehee" gesture. Why...
"Souka… (Okay…) Eeto… (Well…) This is the first time I heard of a "student teacher". Can you tell me more about it?" So, she was curious about that.
"It's self-explanatory. A student volunteers to be the teacher, therefore being called a student teacher." I answered.
"Ahhh… Naruhodou… (I understand…) I never thought you can get experience teaching from this. Does every school have this event?" She asked.
"No. But if they agree to do this event, it brings a truly satisfying experience." I answered. It's a rare event to bring student teachers to other schools, the process of getting that approved takes such a long time.
"Hontou?! (Really?!) Arigato gozaimasu! (Thank you so much!) Hey, can we be friends? What's your name?" She wanted to know me more.
"Renn Alrose. What about you?" I introduced myself, then asked her name.
"Hiyame Fey Kasumi! Call me Fey." She introduced herself.
"Nice to meet you, Fey! Glad we got along well today!" I bowed to her.
"Pleasure is mine! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu! (Nice to meet you!)" She bowed back and shook hands with me.
"Can I sit here?" She pointed to the empty space next to me.
"Sure." She then sat down next to me.
"I've been watching you from afar and noticed how down you were." I was shocked at her, so she kept an eye on me since the beginning.
"It's nothing." I bluntly answered her. She pouted and slowly inched closer to me. I slowly backed away.
"Hmmmmmmm... Kusuguru." She said with her hands up.
"What?" I was confused, why are her hands moving closer to me.
"Kusuguru!" She then began tickling me!
"Hey- AAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! FEY! STOP! STOP!" I kept laughing, crying slightly as she kept tickling me, I ended up backing away so much.
"A happy Fey deserves happy friends! No more sad thoughts, okay? Show a smile! Egao! (Smile!)" Fey wanted me to smile as she showed her brightest smile. I chuckled as I showed a normal smile.
"Thanks for that. I feel better now. Say, mind if we talk more some time?" I asked her.
"Hai! Phone number?" She put her hands out with a phone on it, expecting me to give her my phone number.
"One second..." I gave her my phone number.
"Hontoni arigato gozaimasu! (Thank you very much!) Let's talk more, Alrose-san! Mata ne! (See you later!)" She stood up and left to her friends, waving to me.
"We'll keep in touch!" I waved back at her. I don't understand her Japanese but I know she was waving at me, so I waved back.
And that was the first time I interacted with a foreigner. I thought it was gonna get more awkward than that, thank god she speaks English then…
"Renn?" I reacted hearing my name from Jenna.
"Yes?" I turned to her. I can see a grin on her face while pointing down. My hand was practically touching hers. I froze on the spot and I was then surprised and flustered. I quickly turned away.
"My... You're already making moves~" Can she stop teasing me with that tone?! Seriously?! I am scared to look at her even once right now.
"Can you please stop..." She was giggling behind my back. I covered my face with my hands.
"Mr. Alrose, quite the ladies man~" I shook my head while covering it with my hands in disbelief from her.
"No, I'm not…" If anyone were to see my face right now, I'd be locking myself in a room.
Jenna was laughing at my embarrassment and patted me on the shoulder.
"Chill, I was only playing with you." Jenna kept patting my shoulders and I uncovered my calmed face.
"Don't do that to me next time, okay?" I looked back at her.
"Can't promise that, but I will tone it down a notch to keep your confidence high~" Oh boy… Once she starts, she doesn't stop…
"Not helping my case here…" I pouted at her.
"Sorry~ Anyway, Perimeter is next for class B-3, right? Review me on that one." She wanted me to review her on Perimeter, and I did just that for the rest of the lunch period.
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*4 hours later…*
Everything went smoothly. Everyone in class B-3 paid full attention to the lecture. My feeling of distress came back, only... It wasn't as prominent as the first two times I felt that.
"What a day... Teaching kids sure takes some work... Luckily, I have a genius beside me to help along." Jenna patted my head. Just like yesterday, I felt a little tired out.
"Don't call me a genius. I'm not that kind of person." I looked out the window, in thought. I really wonder about Ms. Serra Myers.
Can I even... Do anything to help her...
"I'll be blunt with you. I've noticed it even while you were all happy teaching. Was it that girl you called?'" Bullseye. That made me look down and fell silent.
"As I thought... You're bothered because of her. You want to help her right? Well now is not the time. She's not the type to ask for any help because of how things are right now. But hey, you tried to bring her to good spirits..." She consoled me with several gentle pats on the head.
"Can you... give me some time to think, Jenna? I... Need a moment." I requested, still fixed on looking out the window. I can hear her sigh right beside me.
"I'll give you a moment. Just remember that you might suffer the consequences if you persist." I am aware of the consequences, and am now thinking of if I'll persist.
Those eyes made me scared once and I was caught off-guard. Now, seeing those eyes again... I've grown concerned. Only... She doesn't want my help.
But I made up my mind. I'm not going to help her, but I'll be there for her.
"I'm willing to take that risk." I looked at Jenna with a determined face. She just smiled.
"Don't say I didn't warn you..." I sighed with a smile.
Something tells me we'll meet again.
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*1 hour later…*
I made it home and as I closed the door.
"Shhh..." Vance gestured to me to keep quiet and pointed upstairs. Oh, so Cherry's asleep. At least she is sleeping early.
"So how was school?" Vance asked.
"Oh, I went to Phoenix Ruby for the Temporary Teachers Day event." As I answered, Vance was shocked.
"Phoenix Ruby? THE Phoenix Ruby High School?!" He screamed quietly. I nodded.
"You've been there?" I asked Vance, curious about his experience there.
"I'm surprised you spent a day there. It's a prestigious school and I hosted an event there. I'm an alumni." So he studied there for a full duration of his high school years.
"What was the education there like?" I asked further.
"It's like Emerald Houston's way of teaching. The two of them are practically neighbors thanks to the principals, or so I have heard." I was amazed by the answer. So it's as prestigious as Emerald Houston! Who would've thought...
"The students there are nice as well." I faked a smile. I didn't talk further about Serra to Vance, because he doesn't know about her. And giving her more attention will just disrupt her, making things a lot more complicated.
"I'm glad. I'd be disappointed if your experience there is bad." With him being an alumni, I can't say I blame him.
"Yeah… What's for dinner by the way?" I sat down at the dining area as I was getting hungry.
"Well, there's chicken-" My eyes immediately light up and I slammed the table.
"GIMME." Whenever there is chicken, I'm here to consume.
"Of course, chicken lover. Enjoy!" He served me a plate of chicken and rice. I began eating it happily. Vance just giggled and watched me eat like a chaotic baby.
After eating, I quickly brushed my teeth and headed to my room.
While changing into my pajamas, my phone was ringing. The caller's name is just Japanese text, there was only one Japanese person I know. I answered.
"Hoi Hoi! Fey-chan desu! (This is Fey!)" It's Fey Kasumi Hiyame.
"Hey, Fey! What made you want to call me tonight?" I asked her.
"Eh? I just wanted to call you tonight and talk for a bit while heading home, is that bad?" So she was bored?
"Nope, glad you called actually. Do you live far from your school?" I asked further while putting on my pajamas properly.
"Hai. (Yes.) I'm in a van heading home right now. I got no friend to talk to here, so I called you. It's my first time phoning a friend here." How thoughtful of her.
"Heh… I might be busy the next time you call… By the way, are you staying here permanently or temporarily?" Since she is a foreigner, she probably was required to.
"Temporarily… I'll go back after this year." Called it.
"Figures… But hey, I hope you enjoy your stay here while it lasts!" I gave her some comfort.
"Arigato! (Thanks!) I hope I enjoy spending more time with you!" Her mood brightens me, made me giggle.
"Thank you... I have something to ask of you however..." I needed advice from her, I became serious.
"Sorehananidesuka? (What is it?) Tell me." She wanted me to tell her. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves down.
"Assuming you had someone who is very depressed... How would you comfort them?" I asked.
"... Renn-san... When it comes to comforting depressed people... It's very complicated. During my time in Japan, I have interacted with depressed people before. Some of them are beyond help, some are living their best lives... It all depends on their problems. If a depressed person failed to open up, they're beyond help..." Hearing that answer, I expected it. However, I'm not the kind of person to give up. I clenched my fist and stayed determined.
"Eto... (Uhmm...) I honestly do not know... But if I were you, I'd find a way to relate to them. If they can understand your message, surely they'd open up to you. These people usually have little to no trust to other people. But I know that with the right people, they can find more purpose to live for." Finding a way to relate to them... This will be difficult... But I have my answer. I'm happy to hear it from her.
"Thank you. It's been nice talking to you about this, Fey." I gained confidence as I looked at my own enclosed fist.
"Dōitashimashite! (You're welcome!) You better sleep now before you get baggage! Hahaha!" That was slightly hilarious, Fey. Made me laugh a little.
"You too! Good night." I hung up and laid down on my bed. I'll surely do my best.
I grabbed the book: "Shattered Hearts" and continued reading it.
It seems the boy lead, who also became depressed due to family and friends, tried to comfort the girl. How cute, a depressed person comforting someone who's also depressed like them. It's a lot better than what I did a while back with Serra. But just like the girl in the story, she ended up building trust in him and stuck with him for a while. How thoughtful.
But it's only easy in books.
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