The Past and Mistakes of Kirisu Mafuyu

A normal university would arrange internship education before graduation.

At that time, Mafuyu was assigned to "Ichinose High School" and officially became a trainee teacher.

Despite her parents' opposition and her almost running away from home to live on her own, Mafuyu never looked back and reached out to embrace the "school life" she dreamed of.

Just because her dream came true, at that moment the whole world was colored with happiness.

"T-This... I-I'm the class representative today... Kirisu Mafuyu! Please, please, please give me your advice!"

Even when she was teased by the students below the podium, the smile on her face was brighter than ever.

Mafuyu quickly became accustomed to teaching and her lectures became smoother.

The school felt like another home. Both colleagues and students praised her. Every difficulty she encountered was seen as a challenge. She overcame them, and gradually developed until she could proudly say: She is a teacher.

When she told the students –

"Talent is not the most important thing! As long as you show enthusiasm, work hard, believe in yourself, and do anything to make your dreams come true, there's nothing you can't do!"

At that time, there was a student who was very close to her.

"Amazing! Hino-san, you're incredible! Your piano skills have improved rapidly compared to yesterday!"

"No, it's all because of Kirisu-sensei's help..."

Hino's dream was to be accepted into a famous music university.

Because of her belief, even though Mafuyu had never studied piano, she had used her musical taste and acquired music knowledge to support Hino's dream.

Mafuyu understood that Hino's talent was not very good, and she could also hear that her level was still immature. If she wanted to be accepted into a professional music university, she might have to practice for about another year at this pace...

But she didn't stop or persuade her. Instead, she continued to encourage Hino and speak sweet words, which made her confident and enthusiastic, and she did everything she could to make her dream come true.

If she could do it, then others should be able to do it too. Mafuyu never doubted it.

This was also the long-awaited youth since high school, and now, she lived in it.

Happy, joyful. Then she realized the meaning of her mission as a teacher, ignoring the shortcomings of others' talents, and pushing others into the abyss with hypocritical words.

Self-satisfaction.

It was just self-satisfaction.

So after the results came out, it would be an irreversible regret.

"Although it's a pity this time, if you take the exam again next year..."

"It's impossible. I'm the worst among all the subjects... Kirisu-sensei, you have a good ear. You already know, right? I don't have any musical talent at all..."

"No, no! Talent or whatever, if it's Hino-san...!"

"Stop saying those comforting words! The more often you say that, the more pitiful I become—!"

"I..."

"It's okay if I don't take the music department exam..."

"..."

Mistake.

Naive ideas, foolish advice, hypocritical encouragement. These things she once thought lightly of allowed her to push a student into the abyss with her own hands.

"Mafuyu" was wrong, Hino's tears told her this.

"...It turns out I don't have the talent to be a teacher."

Therefore, no matter how hard she tried, she would only get the wrong results.

She stopped skating and chose her dream, but now, even her dream was shattered in her own hands.

She was the biggest loser.

She had nothing left.

Trying her best meant losing everything.

However, Mafuyu still had a belief that must be upheld.

Shuchi'in Academy welcomed a new teacher this year.

"If you know what the mistake is, then from now on you just need to act according to the right principles."

The smile on her face condensed and turned into an unrelenting seriousness.

"We can't let students who have the same worries as me take the same path as me."

Say goodbye to cheerful and friendly attitudes, and keep a distance from students with cold words and actions.

"So, no matter how cruel or inhumane it may be."

"I want students to develop their own 'talents' as criteria and apply my educational philosophy."

Mafuyu stood in front of the blackboard, staring at the silent students below with cold eyes.

Since that day, the reputation of the Ice Queen spread quickly, and the majesty of the cold-faced teacher made all the students afraid to get too close to her.

At the same time, she also used regret as motivation to demand herself and her students firmly, never relaxing for a moment.

In this way, in the past two years, just like during her internship, everyone praised her. Even prestigious Shuchi'in Academy, proud of its best teachers, still named her the best new teacher of the year.

The difference was, there were no students celebrating her, and she wouldn't be happy with students whose grades improved.

But she didn't care.

Mafuyu was a teacher, but not a good teacher.

She made the most appropriate changes and applied the most efficient teaching methods.

She no longer looked directly at any student in difficulty.

Until that day, she met them and him.

Her world changed again.

△

"...However, I can't forgive my past."

Mafuyu looked at Itsuki, unable to maintain the cold expression on her face, which seemed to have a helpless expression.

"I was really shaken at that celebration party. Thanked like that by you, suddenly I felt my efforts paid off and I had become a good teacher who could lead students out of the future. Do you know? At that time, I was so touched and happy, as if I could forget what happened to Hino-san and identify myself again."

A thin smile suddenly appeared at the corner of her mouth, then disappeared.

"...But as I expected, I couldn't do anything."

Mafuyu clenched her fists.

"I don't want to see you looking like you don't know what to do."

Mafuyu bit her lip and took a few short breaths, trying to calm herself.

Although she tried her best to restrain her words, she still trembled unconsciously.

"However, he proved that my idea was wrong. No matter how I change it, it's still wrong... If it weren't for Asada-kun, not only Hino-san, but also Furuhashi-san and Ogata-san would go down the wrong path because of me!"

"Itsuki-san, can you understand?"

"I'm not the one who should give advice on your dreams and aspirations, and certainly not me..."

"No matter which path I take, I fail to meet anyone's expectations."

"No matter what I emphasize, I can only give the wrong results."

"So, I'm sorry."

Mafuyu bowed to the ground and slowly relaxed her fists.

"It's not that I don't have talent... it's just that I can't do it."

It ended with a sigh.

This was the first time Itsuki had seen Mafuyu weak and powerless.

She no longer had her usual indifferent attitude, nor did she have her seriousness.

No one spoke, and the atmosphere became silent.

After a few moments.

Covering her face with one hand, Mafuyu spoke softly.

"...Sorry, I lost my patience a little."

Not wanting them to see her shaken expression, she stood still, adjusting her mood and breathing.

Suddenly.

*🎹🎶🎶🎹*

Next to the stone pavilion, the gentle melody of "Für Elise" was heard without warning.

Mafuyu froze, and after listening for a few seconds, she muttered to herself.

"This habit of groping, the difference between light and heavy keys, and the indescribable childish legato... Could it be!"

The memory appeared in her mind, and she removed the hand covering her face and looked back, the disbelief in her eyes growing thicker.

There, Shinichi raised his phone and let her see the image on the screen clearly. He showed a wicked smile.

"Kirisu-sensei, if there's anything you want to say, please inform the judge... Or rather, please inform the client."

"You..." Mafuyu opened her mouth, looking at him, then at the girl doing a video call on the phone screen.

The piano sound slowly stopped, she turned, smiled at her, and waved.

"Your ears are still sharp as usual. Long time no see, Kirisu-sensei."

"Hino-san..."