"Hey, Haruka, you've been working so hard lately. Are you planning to turn things around in the next exam week?"
Mizutani Nozomi suddenly leaned in close, narrowing the distance between them so much that Haruka Yuzan could clearly see his own reflection in her eyes,
"I've always been hardworking, okay? It's you, Teacher Nozomi, who's been slacking off. You're not setting a good example for me at all!"
"Who says I'm not!"
Facing a threat to her authority from a student, Mizutani Nozani puffed up her cheeks like someone aggrieved,
Her serious professional demeanor broke into a cute expression, her feigned ferocity so unthreatening it was adorable,
"I have been working hard, you know!"
"Sure, sure! I believe you."
"Why do you sound so half-hearted? I feel like you don't believe me!"
"I do believe you!"
"Respect me!!!"
......
"Hey, Haruka, what are you thinking about?" A student from Heisuke Yonchu poked the boy's arm.