Chapter 5. The talk

Chapter 5. The talk

"I am going to announce the winner of the essay competition now and the winner is...…"

The students kept their eyes fixed on Shiki sensei lips in anticipation. Whether they had tried or not, all contestants were probably hoping secretly that their name was called.

That was the effect an award had. Whether one had fought for it or not, he longed for it.

Ren could see that Kei was staring intently at Shiki sensei. Ren knew Kei had worked hard for the award and wished that he will get it.

"....Minami Ryuu."

Kei dropped his shoulder once it was announced that the winner was not him. He was clearly dissapointed that he wasn't able to win the award.

"Don't be so sad. It was just a competition. You can win it next time."

Rem said to Kei to console him but he didn't say anything in response. So, Ren didn't disturbed him. He knew that Kei will recover on its own.

Ren looked towards Minami Ryuu who was going towards the teacher to receive his award.

'He really is handsome.'

No matter how much Ren thought about it, Minami was someone who was handsome and he was also popular considering that several girls were cheering for him.

"Minami-kun is so handsome."

"I didn't knew he was good at essays too."

"He really is perfect."

The whole class was clapping for him and Minami just stood there with a smiling face. He was obviously happy that he won the award.

"Oh, yes, Amano, go visit Nakai sensei in the staff room."

When the teacher called for his name, he was slightly confused but he still stood up as a basic etiquette.

"...…Me?"

"Yeah, Nakai sensei called for you. Now go."

As he was going out of the classroom, Kei whispered to him.

"Hey, did you do something?"

"I don't know."

"I don't think anything would happen. Nakai sensei isn't someone strict."

"Yeah."

Kei looked like he had already recovered. He was always quick to recover after setbacks. That's how he was able to recover from that failed confession.

Ren exited the classroom and walked towards the staff room. The whole way, he was thinking about the reason the teacher had called him for.

He was sure that he didn't have done something that the teacher will call him for. He didn't have any fights nor he had done something worth mentioning.

He was just living his unworthy high school life silently.

'Why did Nakai sensei of all the teachers called for me?'

He was more confused as to why Nakai sensei had called for him. He obviously knew who Nakai sensei was. He was the literature teacher and Ren remembered him because of his strange antics.

Rather than teaching, he liked books more and his class will often be just self-study. He also sometimes talked about books.

Because of his strange connection to books, he had remembered him well.

As he was thinking about that, he reached the staff room and approached Nakai sensei who was sitting in a corner.

The staff room was rather empty as there were not many teachers in there.

As Ren was walking towards Nakai sensei, he noticed that Nakai sensei was reading something and Ren was familiar with the thing he was reading. It was his essay.

'He shouldn't have called me because of my essay, right.'

As Ren was thinking about that, Nakai sensei saw him and said.

"Oh, are you Amano-kun?"

"Yeah, that's me. Nakai sensei, why did you called me?"

Ren can tell the reason that he was called was related to his essay but he didn't knew the exact reason, so he asked him.

Hearing Ren's question, Nakai sensei put down the essay he was reading and said.

"It was because I was curious."

"Curious? About what."

Ren asked confusingly but Nakai sensei just smiled while answering.

"About your essay."

"My essay. I don't think there was something to be curious about my essay."

"There was something! It was the ending."

'Ending!'

"You are curious about the ending?"

"Yeah, you know. I read your whole essay but there was no ending. I was really curious about that."

Ren had not written the ending of the essay as he didn't have much time left. Before he knew it, the time was up and he had to submit his paper.

"I didn't write the ending as the time was up."

'Tch!!'

Nakai sensei clicked his tongue at Ren's answer while he muttered 'I should have set the time a little longer'.

He looked really upset while looking at Ren's essay. It felt like he really was dissapointed that he wasn't able to read the ending.

"Why did you want to read the ending that much?"

Ren asked as he was curious about why someone wanted to read his writing.

In his previous life, he was a failed writer and no one wanted to read his writing. So, he was pretty curious why someone wanted to read his writing now.

"The reason I wanted to read the ending..."

Nakai sensei paused for a second and looked outside the window and then he turned towards Ren and said.

"Didn't you want to read the ending of a story you liked?"

"A story you liked. Does it mean that you liked my story?"

"Of course. I really liked it."

Nakai sensei said with a smile but Ren was really stunned hearing that.

'How much years have gone since I heard that sentence.'

It's been nearly two decades since he had heard a compliment about his writing. He was slightly emotional hearing that and he also felt good hearing that someone liked his writing.

"Amano-kun, can I ask you something?"

"Ask me? Ha, sure."

Nakai sensei straightened his back at Ren's answer and asked.

"Why did you choose 'Genius' as the topic?"

'Why I choosed 'Genius' as the topic?'

It was somewhat peculiar question for Ren. He had choosed that as the topic because that word closely relates to his past life.

He also had a sudden impulse feeling to write about that topic. That was the only region but Ren can't tell Nakai sensei that.

"I just choosed this because I thought I will be able to write it the best."

"Just for that reason. Wasn't there more easier topics like 'School' and 'Friends' to choose from?"

"There were those topics but I just thought that I can write this topic the best."

"That was your only reason."

Ren nodded and Nakai sensei just smiled at his answer.

'Why is he taking so much interest in my essay?'

Nakai sensei wasn't someone who will take interest in something. His only interest were books. So, it was really weird that he was taking interest in a essay.

"Do you have any plans to continue it?"

"Continue? My essay."

"Yeah."

"Sorry, I didn't have any plans to continue it."

Even if Nakai sensei tell him to continue his essay, Ren will not continue it. It was because it will only ruin the ending if Ren continued the essay.

He had written that essay when he had that sudden impulse to write. If he wrote it without any motivation, it will only ruin the story.

"Not your essay but a novel."

"Huh? Novel?"

"Yeah, a novel."

Ren was really confused by Nakai sensei words now. He wanted Ren to write a novel? It was really absurd.

"That story is too big to stay as a essay. It should be a novel."

"So, you want me to take my story and make it into a novel."

"Yeah, that's what I want."

"What absurd things are you saying?..."

Ren didn't wanted to say those words but he just blurted it out after hearing those absurd words. A novel is not something that can be written just because another person said that the story is good.

It takes many things to write a novel and not everyone have those things.

"I am not forcing you to write a novel. I am just suggesting that you should try to write a novel."

"Me? A novel."

"Yeah, you will do well as a author."

'Ring!'

As Ren and Nakai sensei was talking, the school bell rang.

"I think I need to go to my class. The next period is Sato sensei and he is strict."

"You can go but don't forget about what I said. You can find me at the literature club if you want."

After hearing those words, Ren left the staff room without saying anything.

On the other hand, Nakai sensei just smiled seeing him leave.

"I wish that kid would consider writing. He will bring a storm in the literature world if he can write stories like this."

Nakai sensei muttered that while looking at the unfinished essay on his desk.