Volume 2: Chapter 3 – The Professor's Tears
[Scene: School Hallway - Next Morning]
(Kenta walks through the hallway. Students part like the sea. Whispers follow.)
Student 1: "That's him. The one who won."
Student 2: "He solved the unsolvable problem."
Student 3: "Legend."
Kenta: (thinking) "Nothing has changed. I still have to get to class."
(Sui and Yui appear. Flank him as always.)
Sui: "Kenta-kun! Everyone's talking about you!"
Yui: "You're famous now!"
Kenta: "I was famous before."
Sui: (grinning) "Yeah but now you're FAMOUS famous!"
Yui: (nodding) "Trophy famous!"
Kenta: (almost smiling) "It's just a trophy."
Sui: "It's NOT just a trophy! You earned it!"
Yui: "And we're so proud!"
(They squeeze his arms. He lets them.)
---
[Scene: Class 1A - Morning]
(Kenta sits at his desk. Takahashi is already crying.)
Takahashi Kenji: (sobbing) "Kenta... my man... my legend... you did it..."
Kenta: "You're crying."
Takahashi Kenji: "THESE ARE TEARS OF PRIDE!"
Kenta: "We've known each other for months."
Takahashi Kenji: "AND EVERY DAY YOU AMAZE ME!"
(The door opens. Professor Hayashi enters. His eyes are red. He looks... different.)
Professor Hayashi: "Morik. Come with me."
Kenta: (standing) "Again?"
Professor Hayashi: "Please."
(His voice cracks. Just slightly. Kenta notices.)
Kenta: (thinking) "Something's wrong?"
(He follows the professor out. The class goes silent.)
---
[Scene: Teacher's Office - Private Room]
(Professor Hayashi leads Kenta to a small office. No one else. Just them. The door closes.)
Professor Hayashi: "Sit down, Morik."
Kenta: (sitting) "Sensei, what's—"
(Professor Hayashi turns away. His shoulders shake. Just slightly.)
Kenta: (alarmed) "Sensei?"
Professor Hayashi: (voice thick) "Give me a moment."
(He takes a breath. Then another. When he turns back, his eyes are wet.)
Kenta: (thinking) "I've never seen him like this."
Professor Hayashi: (sitting across from Kenta) "Do you know how long I've been teaching?"
Kenta: "Twenty years. You mentioned it before."
Professor Hayashi: (nodding) "Twenty years. Hundreds of students. Some brilliant. Some average. Some who tried their hardest and still failed."
Kenta: (listening)
Professor Hayashi: "But I've never... in twenty years... had a student like you."
(He reaches into his desk. Pulls out a small box. Wooden. Old. Polished.)
Professor Hayashi: "This was given to me by my own professor. When I was young. When I did something he thought was extraordinary."
(He opens the box. Inside: a small medal. Simple. Silver. Engraved with characters Kenta doesn't recognize.)
Professor Hayashi: "It's not official. It's not from any competition. It's just... from him. To me. A token."
Kenta: (quietly) "Sensei..."
Professor Hayashi: (voice breaking) "I've kept it for thirty years. Never gave it to anyone. Never found anyone worthy."
(He slides the box toward Kenta.)
Professor Hayashi: "Until now."
Kenta: (staring) "I can't accept this. It's yours. It's from your professor."
Professor Hayashi: (tears falling) "Kenta. Look at me."
(Kenta looks. The old man is crying. Openly. Unashamed.)
Professor Hayashi: "That competition... that problem... no one has solved it in twenty years. Twenty years, Kenta. And you did it in three minutes. Three minutes."
Kenta: "I just—"
Professor Hayashi: "You just what? Used your brain? That's what everyone says. But it's not just your brain. It's your heart. Your dedication. Your refusal to give up. I've watched you. All year. The way you work. The way you help others. The way you love those girls even when you didn't understand it yourself."
Kenta: (ears red) "Sensei..."
Professor Hayashi: (wiping his face) "I'm not crying because you won. I'm crying because I got to witness it. I got to teach you. I got to see what you'll become."
(He pushes the box closer.)
Professor Hayashi: "Take it. Please. It would mean everything to me."
Kenta: (long pause) (thinking) "He's giving me his most precious possession. Because of me."
Kenta: (quietly) "Thank you, sensei."
(He takes the box. Holds it carefully.)
Professor Hayashi: (smiling through tears) "You're going to do great things, Kenta Morik. Greater than this. Greater than me. Greater than anyone."
Kenta: (looking at the medal) "I'll treasure it."
Professor Hayashi: (nodding) "Good. Now get out of here before I really lose it."
(Kenta stands. Pauses at the door.)
Kenta: "Sensei?"
Professor Hayashi: "What?"
Kenta: "Thank you. For everything. For the problems. For the challenges. For believing in me."
Professor Hayashi: (waving him away) "Go. Just go."
(Kenta leaves. The door closes. Through the window, he sees Professor Hayashi put his head in his hands. Shoulders shaking.)
Kenta: (thinking) "He's still crying. Happy tears."
(He looks at the box in his hands. The medal inside.)
Kenta: (whispering) "I'll make you proud, sensei."
---
[Scene: Empty Classroom - Kenta Alone]
(Kenta sits alone. Opens the box again. Studies the medal.)
Kenta: (thinking) "Thirty years. He kept this for thirty years."
(He closes the box. Holds it to his chest.)
Kenta: (thinking) "Father... someone else believes in me now. Someone else sees what you saw."
(His eyes are wet. Just slightly. He wipes them quickly.)
Kenta: (muttering) "No crying. Not here."
(But he's smiling. Real. Genuine.)
---
[Scene: School Gate - After School]
(Kenta walks out. Sui and Yui are waiting. They see his face. Something's different.)
Sui: (concerned) "Kenta-kun? What's wrong?"
Yui: (also concerned) "You look... different."
Kenta: (holding up the box) "Professor Hayashi gave me something."
(He opens it. Shows them the medal.)
Sui: (gasping) "What is it?!"
Yui: (also gasping) "It's beautiful!"
Kenta: "It belonged to his professor. He kept it for thirty years. Never gave it to anyone."
Sui: (tearing up) "And he gave it to YOU?!"
Kenta: (nodding) "He said I was worthy."
Yui: (crying) "KENTA-KUN!"
Sui: (also crying) "THAT'S THE SWEETEST THING EVER!"
(They hug him. Tight. Three together.)
Sui: (muffled) "We're so proud of you."
Yui: (also muffled) "So, so proud."
Kenta: (holding them) "Thank you."
(They pull back. Look at the medal again.)
Sui: "You're going to treasure this forever, right?"
Kenta: "Forever."
Yui: "And one day, you'll give it to your own student."
Kenta: (pausing) "Maybe."
Sui: (grinning) "The Kenta Morik legacy!"
Yui: (also grinning) "Genius professor!"
Kenta: (almost smiling) "Let's focus on now."
---
[Scene: Kenta's Room - Night]
(He places the box on his desk. Next to the competition trophy. Next to the astrolabe. Next to their drawings on the whiteboard.)
Kenta: (looking at them) "Father's astrolabe. Competition trophy. Professor's medal."
(He touches each one.)
Kenta: (thinking) "Proof that I'm not alone. Proof that people believe in me."
(His phone buzzes. Two messages.)
Sui: "Kenta-kun! Today was emotional! I'm still crying! Professor Hayashi is the best! Sleep well, our genius! "
Yui: "My prince~ that medal is beautiful because it represents how special you are! We're so lucky to be yours! Goodnight!"
Kenta: (smiling) (typing back to both): "Goodnight. Thank you for today. For being there. For everything. I'm lucky to be yours too."
(Immediate replies:)
Sui: "HE SAID HE'S LUCKY! "
Yui: "OUR KENTA-KUN IS GETTING SO EMOTIONAL! PROGRESS! "
Sui: "SWEET DREAMS OUR TREASURED GENIUS!"
Yui: "DREAM OF US! (AND THE MEDAL!) "
Kenta: (putting down the phone) (looking at the three items on his desk)
Kenta: (thinking) "Father. Professor. Sui. Yui. All of them believe in me."
(He closes his eyes, smiling.)
Kenta: (thinking) "I'll never let them down."
(He falls asleep, peaceful.)
End of Chapter 3
Ready for Chapter 4?