Chapter 22: Assistant

"Hey, did you guys hear Yanagi-sensei picked her as his assistant?"

"I know, right? I mean, she's clumsy."

"Yeah, I gotta admit that she's pretty. Maybe he's into someone like her?"

"No way... he must have chosen her because he doesn't want to bother his Senpais, right? There's Chabashira-sensei who's more suited for him, I think so..."

Yor sighed as she remembered how the other female teachers talked behind her back. But she had a strong mentality and found it pathetic to respond to them.

'Should I just take them out?' Yor shook her head. 'No, no, no! I'd be a burden to Yanagi-san!'

She had a double life as a trained assassin, using the teaching job to stay occupied. After university, she became a teacher due to her sports major, and her workaholic nature prevented her from being idle while awaiting mission calls from her superiors.

"Damn, it's him. Hush..."

Suddenly, a man entered the teacher's area in the cafeteria. This separate room suddenly felt different, as if his heavy aura filled the entire room. He silenced everyone without even saying a word. He walked over to Yor's table while she ate her pudding alone.

Yor lit up as Minoru finally came here for the first time, yet...

"Let's go."

She was startled.

"E-Eh? Where to?"

---

After Minoru filled her in on the situation, Yor nodded in understanding, and now they were both on their way to talk to Ishigami Yu.

Inside Minoru's car, she stole a glance at him, grateful to have such a kind-hearted colleague. Minoru had always been there to help her out whenever she ran into trouble.

"Yanagi-san! My keyboard is acting up again!"

She'd been typing so vigorously that her keyboard couldn't handle it.

"Yanagi-san! W-Why is the printer spewing ink like crazy?"

She had somehow managed to destroy the printer's cartridge. How? she had no idea.

"Y-Yanagi-san! My work! Noooo! Why is it acting like this?"

Her computer had suddenly started updating on its own, almost causing her to lose her unsaved work. Well, that was a common occurrence, but thanks to Minoru, everything was always sorted out.

"Yanagi-san, I don't know if I'm cut out for this job."

"Don't worry about it. We're a team."

She felt extremely nervous because she wasn't confident in many things.

'I never thought she'd volunteer to be my assistant.'

Minoru recalled, remembering how enthusiastically Yor had offered to help with School Affairs.

'Anyway, that's fine.'

He had chosen her because he believed he could manage her, but he also harbored some suspicions about Yor, so he decided to keep her close.

"Unfortunately, Hiratsuka-senpai can't join us," Yor remarked.

"Well, she's busy handling guidance counseling."

"Eh...?" Yor looked puzzled. "Does that mean Yanagi-san isn't busy?"

Minoru just smiled faintly, his eyes fixed on the road.

"This is also part of the job. But, I'm surprised that Briar-san wants to help me."

"Of course, I want to help! Since you've always helped me. And this time, I'll help you, Yanagi-san! But, um... maybe I can't help you with everything, like paperwork, um... I'm terrible at that."

Yor had finished her work and was available to accompany Minoru. Her last sentence lacked confidence, as she doubted her intellect but trusted her physical strength. Nonetheless, Minoru welcomed her as his assistant.

"It's okay. Our job is to maintain student discipline at all times. Unlike me, who uses the classroom for teaching, I think you, Briar-san, as the PE teacher, with your constant movement around the school, are a good fit. Besides, I've found that I can trust you."

"Oh! I understand now!"

Yor replied with a shy smile, her cheeks turning pink with embarrassment because Minoru was putting his trust in her.

The car fell into a comfortable silence as they continued their journey. An awkward silence hung between them. Yor's nerves were getting the best of her.

'W-What should I do now?'

She is desperate to break the silence. She knew she had to come up with a topic to erase this uncomfortable void. Then, a light bulb moment struck her.

She glanced at him, "Yanagi-san! Have you ever heard about a horse named Yuuya in our school tales?" She expects him not to know about the story.

"I haven't..."

"O-Oh! Well, first, you should hear a story about the founder of our school, who was a retired General..."

Yor explained excitedly, using her index finger to illustrate her points as she led the conversation with the story. The story revolves around a Chad, a general named Sumiragi, and his loyal comrade, Yuuya, a black war horse with iconic golden eyes.

"Unfortunately, General Sumiragi decided to retire just as the Meiji Restoration was about to begin. But instead, he built our school, Shuchi'in, and became its principal, even teaching here. To honor him, Emperor Meiji sent his children to attend our school."

Minoru nodded in understanding.

"I see. So that's why the school has remained prestigious all these years."

Yor beamed with happiness as she continued.

"And, Yanagi-san, to honor his comrade Yuuya, he chose black as the school uniform color and used Yuuya's eye color for the Shuchi'in emblem— the golden horse! That's the story, Yanagi-san."

Minoru was aware of this fact but had never given it much thought.

"Oh, Yanagi-san, I've heard that Yuuya's lineage still exists to this day. The CEO herself will bring Yuuya IX to the welcome ceremony because it's a tradition! This leads to General Sumiragi's last will. He said..."

She clears her throat.

"Anyone recognized by my comrade, Yuuya, as worthy enough to ride my horse's back is worthy to become Shuchi'in principal."

Yor finished the legend with enthusiasm as a result, Minoru was surprised by Yor's intense interest in this tale. He wondered if she had a thing for stories like this. But then, Yor's expression turned somber.

"And then, um... there have been several attempts by teachers, but, um... I don't understand it," Yor hesitated, choosing her words carefully, and innocently tilted her head, "Hiratsuka-senpai once said that many teacher's balls ended up getting kicked by Yuuya."

In fact, this war horse only recognized strength, yearning to stand with an alpha. Its instinct to follow the strong was innate. Until now, Yuuya had only allowed General Sumiragi to ride him because he refused a beta.

"Pfft!"

Minoru managed to suppress his laughter. 

"Um, I beg your pardon? Did Yanagi-san know what 'balls' mean?"

Minoru cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure.

"Ahem, it's nothing. I'm just surprised that you know so much about this story, Briar-san."

Yor stammered, "N-No! It's not like that! I don't have a thing for school mysteries or ghost stories, or anything like that! It's just a habit I developed when... you know, I used to gather stories for my little b-brother back then." Her face turned as red as a tomato as she waved her hands in panic.

"Ah... Isn't that good?"

Yor simply covered her face with both hands instead of answering him.

He hadn't looked into this legend before because he didn't consider it important for his mission. He thought of the legend as something similar to "The Sword of Excalibur in the Stone" where whoever was worthy could become a king. It was a fairy tale, nothing more.

He chuckled at the thought that the teachers were probably a bunch of idiots who knew nothing about horses. Then again, who cared about riding horses in this day and age? That's probably why Yuuya had been so offended and resorted to kicking their balls.

"Alright, we're here."

His G-Wagon came to a stop in a parking spot near an apartment.

---

It had been a year of this solitary existence, all because he'd crossed paths with a girl named Otomo Kyoko.

"Arrghhh! Damn it, damn it! Fine, I'll do it! I'll freakin' do it! I'll write this shit!"

The 16-year-old kid shrieked, exhaustion etched on his face, as he focused on jotting down the day's events. He wrote, erased, and repeated. Though it wasn't for her, but his stubborn pride wouldn't allow otherwise.

Sitting alone in his tiny studio apartment, he thought about being kicked out of his home for refusing to write an apology on that piece of paper.

That day had started like any other, with him gazing out of the window, pondering the purpose of his life. His thoughts wandered, wondering why he couldn't catch a glimpse of a girl's underwear, even when they wore short skirts.

He mumbled, "Illogical..." as his daydreaming led to clichéd.

"Hey there, Ishigami-kun…"

Someone poked his shoulder, pulling him back to reality. He turned to see the source of the interruption.

"You dropped your eraser, you know..."

Her smiled bath in the captivating afternoon sunlight. Her cheerful demeanor, the sound of her voice, and the warmth in the air all brought back memories he wished he could erase, like a disease.

She always smiled at people like him, the guy at the back of the class, lost in daydreams, friendless, and socially awkward. Until he discovered his friend's boyfriend was up to something shady behind her back, and Ishigami Yu had been too naive.

Knock, knock.

The sudden sound startled the introvert in him.

"It's been a while since I had a visitor, huh?"

He cautiously made his way to the door, unaware of who was on the other side.

As he peered through the peephole, he caught sight of a handsome man, probably with his girlfriend.

A pang of envy hit him, thinking, "Damn, I wish I had one." Despite his curiosity, Ishigami Yu hesitated, choosing not to open the door until he knew who the heck they were. He turned away, heading back to his cluttered bed.

"Is this Ishigami Yu's apartment? We're teachers from Shuchi'in High School," the voice outside called.

His ears perked up at the mention of his name. Curiosity piqued, he carefully opened the door to reveal Minoru and Yor, both wearing friendly smiles.

"Ishigami Yu, perhaps?" the silver-haired man inquired.

He blinked a few times in disbelief before muttering, "Yes..." Glancing at the woman beside Minoru, he added, "Is this some kind of prank? Because I find it hard to believe that Shuchi'in's teachers could be this attractive."

Yor's smile faltered as she failed to grasp his humor.

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"Like a TV show, you know? I can't believe Shuchi'in's teachers are this good-looking."

Minoru couldn't help but giggle. "We're not here for that, Ishigami. Can we talk for a moment?"

"Ah, sure, but my room is a mess."

They settled inside Ishigami Yu's cluttered apartment.

"First of all, my name is Yanagi Minoru. I'm a math teacher and also temporarily the head of School Affairs. This is Yor Briar, a PE teacher who will assist me in School Affairs."

"My name is Ishigami Yu."

Then Minoru grinned like a carefree person.

"Alright then...! Congratulations on being accepted into Shuchi'in High School, Ishigami."

Yor joined in with enthusiastic clapping, making the atmosphere a bit awkward.

"Eh? I never thought I'd be accepted," Yu admitted. "How?"

He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd be kicked out due to his past.

"Oh, wait a second."

Minoru retrieved a file and handed it to him.

"After we took over School Affairs, our investigation showed that Ishigami Yu was innocent. Therefore, the Academy wants to correct this mistake."

As he read Minoru's report from top to bottom, Yu's hands trembled. He hadn't expected his secret to be revealed in such detail, along with evidence from Otomo Kyoko's video. Ishigami felt immense relief that someone recognized he wasn't in the wrong.

"I don't understand your motivation for doing this, but Ishigami, you've worked hard."

"T-Thank you..."

Ishigami felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He genuinely meant those words. With an amused smile, Minoru noticed a crumpled sheet nearby. He guessed that Ishigami had attempted to write an apology but kept erasing it repeatedly.

"Heh, alright then." Minoru picked up a nearby pencil and handed it to Yu. "Now, you can write whatever you want."

Yu hesitated, glancing between the pencil and the grinning Minoru. "Is that alright?"

Minoru nodded with a smile.

Yu took the pencil with trembling hands, his gaze fixed on the crumpled sheet beneath his long bangs. He knew exactly what he wanted to write all this time, and he began to write it down.

"Sensei, this is what I want to write!"

Yu showed them his message...

[FUCK YOU, BITCH!]

"Hahahahaha! Alright, alright! Put it down."

Minoru burst into laughter, while Yor smiled awkwardly, finding it a bit too harsh for her liking. Nevertheless, they had succeeded in bringing Ishigami Yu to Shuchi'in High.

---

April 1st, 2014.

Three days had passed since then.

Everything was supposed to go according to the plan, well, not exactly. His butt still throbbed from the showdown with Agent Twilight, and he hoped nothing major would happen. But he had prepared for this day.

The Welcome Ceremony...

It was the event that would determine his success as the temporary head of school affairs. If he failed, his mission's progress would hit a roadblock. But time wasn't on his side.

Minoru had already completed his Russian psycho-morning routine. And he was ready to emerge from his nest and head to school as the new teacher.

He gazed at Ai, "Are you sure you can do this?" His perfectionism kicked in, and he felt a bit uncertain as Ai adjusted his tie.

"Hm~? You doubting your wife's skills?"

Ai playfully grinned as she fixed his tie. Meanwhile, the twins observed the scene from the sofa.

"Um... could you two, like, stop flirting in front of us?"

Minoru glanced at Aqua, grinning even wider than his wife. He then winked at Ruby, prompting her to give him a cringe-worthy glare that practically said, "Drop dead."

"Ahh! Geez, stop moving your head around!"

"Ouch, ouch. Hahaha… sorry, Mom."

Ai stomped on his foot as he playfully continued to tease her. But they couldn't resist making jokes and acting like a newlywed couple, even though they weren't.

Aqua couldn't help but smile helplessly as he watched Ai's happiness. He was happy too. Then he looked to his right, and his left brow arched. Ruby had crossed her arms, a clear sign of disapproval. She was jealous of how much attention Ai was giving Minoru.

"Hmmmph~! I bet he'll enjoy his time with lots of girls at his school! Hahhhh! Typical ikemen! Hah! Hah!"

When Ruby made her remark loudly, Ai suddenly tightened her grip on Minoru's tie, clearly agreeing with Ruby. Minoru felt the pressure on his neck increase, mainly from the mental strain of the situation. He met Ai's scrutinizing gaze, and she seemed suspicious of him.

"Ugh, again? Why are you so stubborn?"

"Don't lecture me, Onii-chan! I'm in a bad moo—"

"Both of you, stop talking..." A chilling tone silenced Aqua and Ruby, and they looked at Ai.  "...and get ready for school."

She switched to her new mode: Asian mom. Ai smiled with a cold, icy beauty as she didn't hear any response from them.

"Your answer, please~?"

She asked gently, but her demeanor was terrifying.

They both gasped and saluted, "Y-Yes, ma'am!" before making a quick escape.

But it wasn't just the twins. After Ai finished with Minoru's tie, he grabbed his leather briefcase and started to walk rapidly and stealthily.

"Thank you, Ai. Alright, wish me luck~!"

"Ara~! Where do you think you're going? We still need to talk, right?"

Ai wasn't finished with him. Ruby had a point. She needed to make sure Minoru wouldn't cheat on her as he started his teaching career.

Minoru felt her piercing gaze at his back. You see! thanks to his work experience, Minoru had a knack for sensing someone's intent. And he was damn sure he was right. Not only was she giving him a dangerous look, but she also had a slipper in hand!

---

Yandere wife? Yes.

Stones? Yes.