A huge shoutout and thank you to @Shadow Reader for being the first member to join my P*treon!
It was honestly a huge surprise for me, I couldn't believe it at first and kept checking again and again to make sure it wasn't a dream.
Thank you so much for your support. I'm truly grateful!
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Chapter 37: A 30-Minute Office Tour, The Privilege of the Bold!
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One minute later...
In Class 1-D.
"Hoo... hah... slurp!"
"Ah! Divine! Pure bliss!"
Iori Kitahara and Hidenori Tabata wore expressions of pure ecstasy. Each held a paper cup and a pair of chopsticks, squatting around the induction stove with Seito, frantically devouring meat like men possessed.
"I have to say, this wagyu is top-tier!" Iori mumbled, shoving another slice of marbled beef into his mouth.
Hidenori looked up, scanning the silent, judgmental eyes of Class D. "What are you all staring at? If you're hungry, grab a cup! No hustle, no muscle—your loss!"
He followed up by swallowing a meatball whole.
The students of Class D: "..."
As expected, anyone who hangs out with Seito eventually loses their sanity!
Click-clack, click-clack—
The sharp sound of high heels echoing through the hallway suddenly froze the trio in place.
"The executioners are arriving. What's the play?" Hidenori asked, his voice low.
"Am I a man who knows fear?" Seito countered.
"Respect! If we're going down, we're going down full!" Iori waved a hand. He'd survived enough campus disasters to know that once you're caught, you might as well finish the meal.
"Keep eating," Seito commanded.
The trio went back to their feast with a renewed, desperate vigor.
SLAM!
The front door of Class D swung open. Shizuka Hiratsuka didn't even have to step inside to know what was happening—the pungent, spicy aroma of a high-end hotpot had already colonized the entire corridor.
The teacher of Class E, Mafuyu Kirisu, stopped in her tracks right behind Shizuka.
Seeing Shizuka's temple throbbing with a visible vein, she peeked into the room.
Her jaw dropped.
In the corner of the classroom, three teenagers were huddled around a steaming pot, gorging themselves like they were in a competitive eating contest. She recognized two of them instantly—they were her own students!
Kirisu Mafuyu stood frozen, her mind processing the sheer lack of discipline.
Shizuka Hiratsuka took a deep breath and roared, "ENOUGH! STAND UP! ALL THREE OF YOU!"
Snap!
Seito and his cohorts instantly dropped their chopsticks and stood at attention. The students of Class D felt like weeping with relief. Finally, someone had arrived to exorcise these demons.
Mafuyu Kirisu stepped in, her expression icy and sharp. "Hotpot for breakfast... in a classroom? Which one of you came up with this 'brilliant' idea?"
Point!
Seito pointed at Hidenori. Hidenori pointed at Iori. Iori pointed at Seito. The three of them shared a brief, silent look of betrayal before falling back into silence.
"I didn't eat breakfast this morning," Seito said, flashing a charming, innocent smile.
"Most students eat lunch in the classroom anyway. I figured I was just early."
"Hah?!" Shizuka's eyes narrowed, glaring at him. "Who in their right mind eats a full-course spicy hotpot at seven in the morning?!"
"I am currently doing exactly that," Seito replied logically.
Shizuka: "..."
Mafuyu: "..."
"Come with me. Now," Shizuka said with a terrifyingly 'kind' smile.
"You two as well," Mafuyu added, her finger trembling slightly as she pointed at Iori and Hidenori.
The three troublemakers marched out of the room. "Head to the faculty office," Shizuka commanded. "Wait for me there. I'll deal with you once morning homeroom is over!"
As they walked down the hall, Seito stopped and looked back toward the classroom.
"What's wrong?" Iori asked. "Regretting it now?"
"It's too late for that," Hidenori added.
"No," Seito said, his face dead serious. "I'm just worried Shizuka-chan might throw my pot away."
Iori: "..."
Hidenori: "..."
Of course. You absolute idiot.
Hidenori then processed what Seito had said. "Wait! Did you just call our teacher 'Shizuka-chan'?"
"Yeah. Is she not beautiful? Is she not cute?" Seito asked as if it were the most obvious fact in the world.
The other two shuddered, picturing Shizuka's legendary iron fist.
"You truly are the bravest man I know," Hidenori said, giving Seito a thumbs-up.
They entered the faculty office, ignoring the confused stares of the other teachers. Seito strolled over to Sae Chabashira's desk, pulled up a chair, and sat down comfortably. Iori and Hidenori shuffled over to their own vice-homeroom teacher, a balding man in his fifties.
"Sensei, I've been having some stomach issues lately. I really need to stick to... soft foods," Seito joked, leaning toward Sae.
He knew Shizuka would likely try to punch him later, and he was actually looking forward to testing his new physical stats against her martial arts. But for now, he wanted to kill time with the cool-headed Sae Chabashira.
"Back in trouble already?" Sae glanced at him, pulling out a cigarette.
"Just a minor misunderstanding," Seito chuckled. He pulled out a sleek lighter and flicked it open, offering her a light.
Sae didn't refuse. She leaned in, lit the cigarette, and took a long drag. "Where'd you get the lighter? Don't tell me you smoke."
"I don't. But I used to write light novels in middle school for extra cash. I learned early on that it's good to have a light ready when you're networking over dinner."
"What was the book called?" Sae asked, blowing a cloud of smoke.
"Living with My Beautiful Teacher."
Sae: "..."
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Once again thank you for your support @shadow reader.
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Thank you for reading.