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I jogged up the steps to the college, my bag slung over my shoulder. The campus was in full effect, students milling about like ants in a colony. As I reached the top, I spotted a familiar face.

"Yo, Natsuo!" I called out, waving.

Natsuo turned, a grin spreading across his face. "Kazuya! Perfect timing, man."

As I approached, I noticed a woman standing next to him. She had short blue hair styled in a bob cut, her expression unreadable.

Natsuo gestured to her. "Kazuya, I want you to meet Rui"

"Rui, it's nice to meet you. What do you major in?"

Rui blinked, her brow furrowing slightly. "We've-"

I kept my smile steady, my eyes locked on hers. After a moment, she seemed to catch on.

"I'm in the culinary arts field," she said. "I want to become a chef."

"No kidding?" I said, genuinely interested. "That's awesome. What's your specialty?"

Rui's eyes lit up, just a fraction. "I'm particularly interested in Italian cuisine. The complexity of flavors, the emphasis on fresh ingredients..."

As Rui spoke, I caught Natsuo's eye. He looked between us, confusion evident on his face. I'd have to explain later, but for now, I was just glad to avoid the awkwardness of our previous encounter.

"That sounds amazing," I said when Rui finished. "You'll have to cook for us sometime."

A ghost of a smile flickered across Rui's face. "Perhaps."

Natsuo's phone alarm went off, cutting through our conversation.

"Crap, we're gonna be late," Natsuo said. "Catch you later, Kazuya?"

I nodded. "For sure. Nice meeting you, Rui."

As they hurried off, I couldn't help but wonder about the strange connection between Rui, Natsuo, and Hina. There was definitely more to this story than met the eye.

But that was a mystery for another time. Right now, I had a class to get to.

I slid into the math classroom, scanning for an empty seat. My eyes landed on a familiar face - Rui, her blue hair standing out among the sea of students. An empty chair beckoned next to her. Perfect.

I dropped into the seat, flashing her a quick smile. "Hey, Rui. Fancy seeing you here."

She turned, her face impassive. "You were with my sister three days ago."

Her bluntness caught me off guard. I blinked, my mind racing to catch up. "Uh, yeah. We had pizza. Small world, huh?"

Rui's eyes narrowed slightly. "What are your intentions with Hina?"

I leaned back, keeping my voice low as the professor started writing equations on the board. "Whoa, slow down there. We just met. I barely know her."

"That's not an answer."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Look, Rui. I like your sister. She seems cool. But right now, on campus, she's my professor and I'm her student. That's it."

Rui studied me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Finally, she nodded. "Good. Keep it that way."

The professor's voice cut through our conversation. "Alright, class. Let's dive into linear algebra..."

I turned my attention to the front, my mind whirling. This family was more complicated than any equation on the board.

The rest of the class flew by in a blur of numbers and formulas. As we packed up our things, Rui spoke again.

"You're not what I expected."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

A ghost of a smile flickered across her face. "I haven't decided yet."

With that, she was gone, leaving me to wonder what exactly I'd gotten myself into.

I slipped into the lecture hall, scanning for a familiar face. Natsuo waved from the third row, and I made my way over, plopping down next to him.

"Ready for another riveting English lesson?" I whispered, pulling out my notebook.

Natsuo grinned. "Oh yeah, I live for this stuff."

The room fell silent as Hina walked in, her heels clicking against the floor. She looked different here - all business in a crisp blazer and pencil skirt.

"Good morning, class," she said, her voice carrying to the back of the room. "Today we'll be discussing the use of symbolism in literature."

I scribbled down the topic, trying to focus on the words and not the way Hina's hair caught the light.

"Can anyone give me an example of a common symbol in literature?" Hina asked.

A few hands shot up. Hina pointed to a girl in the front row.

"The color red often symbolizes passion or danger," the girl said.

Hina nodded. "Excellent. Now, let's look at how F. Scott Fitzgerald uses color symbolism in The Great Gatsby."

As Hina launched into her lecture, I found myself getting drawn in. She had a way of making even the driest topics interesting, peppering her explanations with real-world examples and pop culture references.

Natsuo leaned over. "Psst, what'd she say about the green light?"

I glanced at my notes. "It represents Gatsby's hopes and dreams."

"Thanks, man," Natsuo whispered back.

Hina's eyes flicked to us, and I straightened up, trying to look innocent. She raised an eyebrow but continued her lecture without comment.

For the next hour, we dove deep into the world of literary symbolism. By the time Hina wrapped up, my hand was cramping from all the notes I'd taken.

"Remember, your essays on symbolism in modern literature are due next week," Hina said as we packed up. "Don't leave them to the last minute."

As the class filed out, I caught Hina's eye. She gave me a small smile, professional but warm. I grinned back, then followed Natsuo out into the hallway.

"Man, I never thought I'd actually enjoy an English class," Natsuo said, stretching his arms over his head.

I nodded, my mind already racing with ideas for my essay. "Yeah, Ms. Tachibana really knows her stuff."

I spun around, snapping my fingers as if I'd just remembered something. "Crap, I left my book on the desk. Natsuo, save me a seat at the ramen spot, yeah? My treat."

Without waiting for a response, I darted back into the lecture hall. My heart raced as I approached Hina, who was still gathering her things at the front of the room.

"Ms. Tachibana?"

She looked up, surprised. "Kazuya. Did you forget something?"

I scratched the back of my neck. "Uh, yeah. My book. But also... I wanted to talk to you."

Hina straightened, her expression guarded. "About the class?"

"Not exactly." I took a deep breath. "Look, I know this is weird. Us meeting before, and now... this."

She sighed, setting down her papers. "Kazuya, we can't-"

"I know, I know," I cut in. "I'm not trying to... I just wanted to clear the air. Make sure things aren't awkward."

Hina's shoulders relaxed slightly. "I appreciate that. And you're right, it is a bit... unexpected."

I nodded, shoving my hands in my pockets. "So, what do we do? Pretend we never met?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't think that's necessary. We're both adults. We can handle this professionally."

"Right. Professionally." I paused, then grinned. "So, does that mean I can still ask you for extra help with my essay?"

Hina laughed, the sound echoing in the empty room. "Nice try. But you'll have to come to my office during school hours like everyone else."

I held up my hands in mock surrender. "Can't blame a guy for trying."

She picked up her bag, her smile fading. "Kazuya, I hope you understand. While we're here, on campus, I'm your professor. Nothing more."

I nodded, my own smile dimming. "I get it. Really, I do."

Hina studied me for a moment, then sighed. "You're a good student, Kazuya. I'd hate to see you jeopardize that."

I took a deep breath, steeling my nerves. It was now or never.

"But..." I started, my voice barely above a whisper. "When we're not on campus... We still doing that park date Sunday?"

Hina's eyes widened, a mix of emotions flashing across her face. She glanced around the empty classroom, then back at me.

"Kazuya," she said, her voice low and urgent. "We can't. It's not... It wouldn't be right."

"Why not? We're both adults. And like you said, off campus..."

She shook her head, cutting me off. "It's not that simple. There are rules, ethical considerations-"

"Forget the rules for a second," I said, taking a step closer. "What do you want?"

Hina bit her lip, her resolve visibly wavering. "What I want doesn't matter. I'm your professor."

"For a few hours a week," I countered. "The rest of the time, you're just Hina. And I'm just Kazuya."

She let out a shaky breath. "Kazuya, please. Don't make this harder than it already is."

My heart pounded in my chest as I took a small step closer. Hina didn't back away. Instead, she tilted her chin up, her gaze never leaving mine. I could smell her perfume now, something light and floral.

"Hina," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

She swallowed hard, her lips parting slightly. "Kazuya, we shouldn't-"

But she didn't finish the sentence. We were so close now, I could feel the warmth radiating from her body. My hand moved of its own accord, reaching up to brush a stray hair from her face.

Hina's breath hitched at the contact. For a split second, I thought she might lean in.

Then, as if snapping out of a trance, Hina jerked back. She shook her head, her eyes wide with something like panic.

"No," she said firmly, taking another step away. "This can't happen."

I dropped my hand, feeling like I'd been doused with cold water. "Hina, I-"

"It's Ms. Tachibana," she cut me off, her voice sharp. "And this conversation is over."

She grabbed her bag, practically running for the door. But she paused at the threshold, glancing back at me.

"I'll see you in class, Mr. Kinoshita," she said, her tone professional once more.

And then she was gone, leaving me alone in the empty classroom, wondering if I'd just made the biggest mistake of this life.