Sorry, I had a bit of fun yesterday and didn't realize I hadn't scheduled the chapter. So here are two chapters to make up for it.
If you think that's not enough, I can send you my nud—
KEUHAK!
*Someone caught my throat and dragged me away before I made a grave mistake!
---
At the hill just behind Kunugigaoka Junior High, where the abandoned building housing Class E was located, a breeze swept through, carrying dust and debris from the now-ruined warehouse.
The once-standing structure was reduced to rubble, its collapse leaving behind an eerie silence that hung over the students and teachers gathered there.
No one spoke.
The weight of the moment pressed heavily upon them, a palpable tension thickening the air.
"..."
Korosensei stood among them, his usually animated tentacles moving slowly, a clear sign that he was lost in deep thought.
His mind drifted to the shadows of his past—years spent as the infamous Reaper, a time defined by darkness, betrayal, and the cold isolation of being used as a mere experiment. But within that darkness, he had found a glimmer of light, a warmth that had touched his hollow existence.
The image of a silly, warm, and yet deeply sad face surfaced in his memory, a face that had always tugged at his heart. It was a face he could never forget, one that held so much meaning to him.
"So, she's the little sister you always talked about..."
Korosensei murmured softly, his voice filled with a mixture of sorrow and understanding as he gazed in the direction where Kaede had disappeared.
"That's unthinkable..."
Itona murmured, his voice tinged with disbelief as he recalled the torment he endured when those same tentacles were forcibly fused with his body.
The memory of that searing pain gnawing at his very soul made him shudder involuntarily, "If she grew those without any maintenance, the pain should be unimaginable..."
"It would be impossible for her to hide it completely from her face."
Terasaka and his group exchanged uneasy glances, turning their attention to Itona, who seemed lost in thought.
The burning agony that had once consumed him flashed vividly in his mind, and he couldn't help but wonder how Kaede had managed to conceal such suffering.
It made no sense!
Either Kaede was somehow miraculously compatible—a chance so slim it was nearly impossible—or she was exceptionally skilled at masking her emotions, able to reset her expression to happiness when she was in agony, or vice versa.
Both possibilities were deeply unsettling to Itona.
"..."
A somber silence settled over the students, their gazes dropping to the ground as conflicting emotions churned within them. On one hand, they were deeply concerned about Kaede's well-being, and on the other, they were equally worried about Korosensei.
Questions swirled in their minds. What could have driven Kaede to such hostility? Why had she called Korosensei a murderer?
"And as if that wasn't confusing enough..."
"Mmm..."
"We have another mystery to unravel..."
The girls exchanged murmurs, their eyes shifting toward Tsuna, now the center of their growing curiosity and bewilderment. Rio Nakamura, unable to hold back, raised her hand tentatively. "Tsuna-senpai…"
"...You don't have to raise your hand."
Tsuna's short reply only made Rio flush red with embarrassment as she quickly lowered her hand, feeling a bit foolish.
Still, she pressed on, the question burning in her mind, "Are you... also acting?"
Which one was the real you?
The revelation of Kaede's hidden side had left a deep wound in their hearts. It was as if everything they had shared throughout the semester had been a lie. And now, although Tsuna had only just started teaching them, they couldn't help but feel a similar doubt creeping in.
What if he, too, was hiding something?
What if the whole year ahead would be filled with pretense?
"What are you talking about..."
Feeling all their eyes on him, Tsuna couldn't help but shake his head in mild exasperation. "I'm me. Why would I act?"
"But—"
"But why were you so blunt just now?"
Tsuna asked, cutting them off.
The entire class nodded in unison, their confusion palpable. He sighed deeply before answering, "Y'all are too innocent. I was just treating you like any of my customers..."
There were, of course, some exceptions.
The Sendawara twins came to mind—they were a bit off in the head, requiring a firmer hand. But for the most part, this was just how he operated.
Especially when he got paid well to teach these kids, Tsuna would naturally be kinder by default.
After all, he treated those who paid him more favorably.
It might sound elitist, but keeping high-paying customers close was crucial to his business.
"Customers...?"
The word hung in the air, causing confusion as the students exchanged puzzled glances.
"Well, I get paid a lot per session. Of course, I'd take this job seriously," Tsuna replied with a casual shrug.
He then explained how it worked—something they should be familiar with since Irina, their English teacher, was also being paid to teach them.
Even Korosensei had his price, having once threatened the government to raise his salary so he could indulge in delicacies at Tsuna's restaurant.
"Hmph, your definition of 'a lot' is probably screwed..."
A loud scoff interrupted the conversation, drawing everyone's attention.
They turned to see Irina approaching with Karasuma by her side. Her eyes held a similar hostility to what they had seen earlier in Kaede, though it was different—more controlled, yet somehow tinged with something else.
Her cheeks seemed slightly flushed for some reason.
"Oh? So you're saying you got paid a lot then?"
Tsuna chuckled, his eyes narrowing as he sharply turned to look at Irina.
The sudden focus on her made Irina flinch slightly before she shamelessly cowered behind Karasuma, using him as a shield.
Trying to maintain her tough facade, Irina peeked out from behind Karasuma's back and scoffed, "Of course! I get paid a million yen a month, which is five times the average salary for teachers in Japan..."
"..."
Everyone stared at her in stunned silence.
Karasuma was unamused by her antics, and eventually pushed her out from behind him, forcing her to stand on her own.
Though surprised, the students couldn't help but admit that a million yen a month was indeed a significant amount.
Irina shot an angry glare at Karasuma for exposing her, but quickly added, "Not that I care much about it. My main job is to assassinate that perverted octopus after all..."
Despite her tough talk, it was clear that Irina had settled into her role as a teacher.
She had been an assassin for quite some time, a job that paid well.
However, now that she had fully committed to this teaching job, her only source of income was her salary, since killing Korosensei had proven impossible. The massive commission, worth millions of dollars, had long been out of reach, something she had reluctantly come to accept.
"That's quite a lot for someone past their prime," Tsuna remarked casually, his words instantly triggering another hateful glare from Irina.
The rest of the group looked on in confusion, not quite understanding the tension. But Tsuna's next words left them all stunned, "But I only get paid 4 million..."
"What!?"
Irina's eyes widened in disbelief as she pointed an accusatory finger at Tsuna, her voice rising in outrage.
"That's impossible! Who in their right mind would pay you 4 million yen a month?"
"Hmm that's right..."
"Huh? I was right?"
Irina paused, her confusion growing as she tried to process Tsuna's words. For a moment, she felt smug, convinced that he was just exaggerating.
"Ahaha, of course, who'd pay a peasant—"
She was about to mock him when he interrupted her thoughts.
"I'm not getting paid 4 million yen a month," Tsuna interrupted, his tone calm but firm. "I'm getting paid 4 million... per session."
"...."
Silence fell over the group, their minds struggling to comprehend what Tsuna had just revealed.
What did he just say?
Ding!
A notification cut through the silence as Korosensei pulled out his cellphone.
"Guys, it's not the time for that…"
The students, still reeling from Tsuna's shocking revelation, turned their attention to Korosensei as he held up his phone, "I just got a message from Kayano-san."
The mention of Kaede snapped everyone back to the pressing matter at hand.
Tsuna scratched his head, "Oh, right. I almost forgot about that part..."