Second Serenade: Chapter 11

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"I wonder if something's up with Sunahara-sensei."

It was about ten days after that Sunday when Kakegawa brought it up, during a lunch break on a weekday. Aketo, Kakegawa, and Hayashida were eating together, something that had become a regular occurrence since the culture festival.

"Something up? What do you mean?"

Aketo asked, trying not to let his reaction betray just how much he had been avoiding the thought of Sunahara lately.

"He seems... off. I mean, he's not snapping at students or anything, but he's been really quiet and hardly ever smiles. It just feels like something's weighing on him. I've kind of been worried for a while now."

"Yeah, I noticed that too," Hayashida added, quickly chiming in. If even someone as dense as Hayashida had picked up on it, the change must have been noticeable.

But Aketo himself hadn't noticed. Or rather, he had been deliberately, perhaps even subconsciously, avoiding looking at Sunahara ever since that incident.

"So," Kakegawa said, leaning in with a conspiratorial grin, "how about we head over to his apartment tonight? Bring some food, make a bit of noise, and try to cheer him up."

"I'm in," Hayashida said immediately, raising his hand in enthusiastic agreement.

"I... actually have plans tonight," Aketo replied, turning them down. There was no way he could just waltz into Sunahara's place, especially when he might very well be the cause of his sour mood.

Kakegawa looked a bit disappointed, clearly having assumed Aketo would be on board.

"Come on, you should come too," he muttered, clearly puzzled by Aketo's reluctance.

Just then, as if struck by a sudden realization, Hayashida clapped his fist into his palm.

"Oh, I get it. You've got a date with Otomo-san, don't you?"

Both Aketo and Kakegawa turned to look at him at the same time.

Aketo had never told anyone about it. How had Hayashida figured it out?

Kakegawa leaned in, eyes wide. "Wait, this is the first I'm hearing of it."

Caught in their combined stares, Hayashida scratched his head awkwardly.

"Who told you that?" Aketo demanded, his tone sharper than he'd intended.

Hayashida flinched a bit, leaning back defensively.

"Whoa, chill. I just saw you two walking home together the other day. You were holding hands, so I kind of figured... you know."

Even someone as oblivious as Hayashida would have to be blind not to connect the dots after catching them in such a moment.

"I always thought Otomo-san had a thing for Sunahara-sensei, but I guess I was wrong. Still, it's a bit surprising to see you two together," Kakegawa said, a broad grin spreading across his face. "But hey, good for you. Looks like one of my biggest rivals just took himself out of the running. Can't say I'm not relieved."

Kakegawa's cheerful tone only seemed to deepen the crease in Hayashida's brow.

"I dunno if you can really call Otomo-san a rival..." Hayashida muttered, but his voice was drowned out as Kakegawa continued to talk over him.

"But hey, that's youth for you. We don't have the right to stand in the way of your grand romance. Just, uh, try not to go too crazy, yeah?"

He gave Aketo a playful slap on the shoulder, but instead of feeling pleased, Aketo felt his chest tighten with a complex, nagging unease.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

Just as they'd talked about the day before, Kakegawa and Hayashida had apparently gone to visit Sunahara that evening. The next day, Aketo couldn't wait for Kakegawa to bring it up, so he walked over to his seat during a break and casually tried to steer the conversation in that direction.

"I'm going to the beach with Sensei next Sunday," Kakegawa announced, his face lighting up as if he'd been waiting for an excuse to share the news.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I asked if something was bothering him, since he's been a bit down lately, and he just smiled and said, 'I guess I'm a bit tired. Sorry for making you worry.' Oh, and he said he bought a new car recently—a dark blue one. It was parked out front, so I asked about it, and he said it was his. I tried asking him to take me for a spin, but he said he was busy this week. Then he promised to take me wherever I want next week."

"Huh..."

Aketo forced a smile as Kakegawa rattled on, but inside, a sharp irritation flared up. That car... Sunahara had bought it because Aketo had said he wanted it. Maybe it was childish, but the idea of someone else sitting in the passenger seat—his seat—made him bristle. Of course, there was no way he could say that out loud, so he forced out a half-hearted, "That's great, man," and tried to keep his tone light.

Just then, Hayashida poked Aketo lightly on the back.

"We were both invited, you know. But then Kakegawa told me not to come. Don't you think that's a bit harsh?"

"Come on," Kakegawa cut in, sounding defensive. "This is a rare chance to hang out with Sensei. Who knows when I'll get another one like this? And, honestly, I was kind of worried about Otomo for a while, but once I heard you two were dating, I felt a bit relieved. Still, just because she's out of the picture doesn't mean some other guy won't show up and try to take my place. So, I figure I should get close enough to Sensei that no one else even stands a chance. Even if it takes time, I'll make him mine."

For a moment, Aketo's mind went blank. Make him mine? What the hell was that supposed to mean? His knees suddenly felt weak, and he dropped into a nearby chair without thinking.

"So, sorry, Hayashida. But this time, I'm asking you to sit it out."

"Not like you'd listen even if I said I wanted to come," Hayashida grumbled, casting a resentful glare at Kakegawa. Then, leaning in close to Aketo's ear, he whispered,

"Man, this whole 'guys with guys' thing is just a dead end, isn't it? Kakegawa's a decent guy, but why would he go for a man? I mean, I like Sunahara-sensei too, but it's not like I want to kiss him or anything."

But his quiet musings went unheard by Kakegawa, who continued on as if he hadn't said a word.

"Besides, when I mentioned that you got a girlfriend, Sensei actually laughed a little and said, 'Well, I guess I can't just sit back and take it easy, then.' So, if you're going to make a move, now's the time."

Aketo shot up from his seat so suddenly he nearly knocked it over.

"Kakegawa, did you tell Sensei who I'm dating?!"

"Yeah, I told him it was that actress from that movie. Why? Was that a problem?"

Aketo felt the blood drain from his face. He had deliberately kept his relationship with Otomo a secret, mostly because he didn't want Sunahara to know. It had only been ten days since they'd broken up. It was way too soon.

Seeing the stunned look on his face, Kakegawa clapped him lightly on the shoulder.

"Relax, man. It's fine. You're dating Otomo now, right? Have a little confidence. Besides, you really think Sensei's the kind of guy who'd make a move on someone else's girl?"

Ignoring Kakegawa's attempts to reassure him, Aketo spun on his heel and stormed out of the classroom. He ducked into the nearest restroom and locked himself in one of the stalls.

"Damn it. What the hell am I supposed to do...?"

He grabbed his head in both hands, feeling a wave of panic wash over him. What had Sunahara thought when he heard Kakegawa's careless slip? Was he connecting the dots, wondering if Aketo's sudden desire to break things off and his new relationship with Otomo might be related?

Even if he couldn't make the connection, the timing alone would seem suspicious. It was a dead giveaway.

The bell eventually rang, pulling Aketo back to reality. He returned to the classroom, but he couldn't focus on his lessons at all, his mind consumed with thoughts of what Sunahara might be thinking, of how much he might have already figured out.

When classes ended for the day, Aketo made up his mind. He'd have to confront Sunahara directly. Maybe, just maybe, he was overthinking things. After all, if Kakegawa said Sunahara had actually laughed when he heard about Otomo, perhaps it really wasn't as big a deal as Aketo feared.

But as he sat alone in the fading light of the empty classroom, Aketo found himself frantically trying to come up with a plausible excuse to get Sunahara alone.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

It was already quite dark outside, and the lights in the faculty room were on. Only a handful of teachers remained, scattered among the rows of desks. Sunahara was sitting at his, wearing a pale blue, short-sleeved, pinstriped shirt. He was hunched over his desk, deeply focused on the stack of papers piled in front of him—probably grading tests.

"Sunahara-sensei."

Aketo had spent a long time agonizing over how to start the conversation, but when the moment came, that was all he managed to get out. Sunahara turned at the sound of his name, his head tilting slightly as he registered who had spoken.

"What is it?"

His expression was neither angry nor particularly friendly—just neutral. Aketo had expected to feel too awkward to speak, but the words came surprisingly easily.

"It's about the movie we shot for the cultural festival. I'd like to make a copy of it. Someone I know really wants to see it..."

Ah, that, Sunahara murmured, bringing his right hand up to his chin.

"You can't just copy eight-millimeter film like a regular tape. You'd need some specialized equipment for that. If you really want a copy, the quickest way would be to set up a projector and record the footage with a video camera as it plays."

He glanced briefly at the wall clock.

"But it's already pretty late today. Why don't you leave it for tomorrow?"

"Could you at least show me how to use the equipment? If you do that, I should be able to manage it on my own."

Sunahara opened his mouth as if to say something, then paused, his expression turning thoughtful. After a brief silence, he slowly rose from his chair. He reached for the key cabinet, carefully selecting the keys for the audiovisual room and the adjacent prep room, which he gripped firmly in his right hand.

"…Follow me."

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