Chapter Text
That Monday, as she arrived at her classroom, Nakamura noticed a small piece of paper on her chair. She unfolded it and read:
“Let’s both do our best today. If you’re ever stressed out, remember I’m rooting for you. I’m your biggest fan! I have been for a while. You’re the coolest, really. Even my writing rambles. Sorry about this letter, I was too nervous to say it in person. Yours, S”.
Oh my gosh.
She felt herself begin to melt, as thoughts of Sakurai rushed through her head. She pulled at her hair, jumping up and down. How could one woman have such an effect on her? How did she manage to share a kiss with someone so divine? Her heart was beating really fast and she was about to swoon when her students began filing into class. She had completely forgotten she was supposed to be teaching. She needed to splash some cold water on her face so they wouldn’t see her blush.
Nakamura quickly stashed the note in her desk drawer, trying to be inconspicuous. Nakamura put her brain on autopilot as she taught her class, trying desperately not to think about Sakurai, lest her arch-enemy blush show up on her face.
Weboshi slumped down at her desk. Science class was sooo boring, like it always is. She looked over at her friend Fecchan, who was staring intently at Nakamura, a gleam in her eye. Weboshi nudged her classmate.
“Don’t tell me you’re actually paying attention”, Weboshi whispered.
“Oh no, I’m not. I was just thinking- doesn’t Ms. Nakamura seem different today?”.
Weboshi glanced over at her teacher, raving about Marie Curie.
“Nooot reaaallly” she replied to her friend.
“You should have seen her earlier. There was a point during the lecture where she just froze and stared longingly off into the distance. It was super dramatic!” Fecchan said excitedly.
“So what?”.
“So what?!? Can’t you see- our Nakamura has found her one true love!” Fecchan said, fanning herself. Weboshi considered the case presented to her.
“Nah. Probably a coincidence”.
“Look! She’s doing it now!”.
The two looked over at Nakamura, who was staring wistfully out the window, her hands above her heart.
Suddenly, Nakamura slapped herself in the face.
“Excuse me. Where was I?”, Nakamura said, turning back to her chalkboard.
“You might be onto something…” Weboshi conceded.
Despite Weboshi’s desperate attempts to stop her, Fecchan marched up to Nakamura at the end of class.
“Miss Nakamura, I have a very important question for you!” Fecchan said.
“What is it?” Nakamura said, tentatively.
“Did you finally get yourself a boyfriend?” Fecchan said, excitedly.
Nakamura was dumbstruck. Was she really so obvious that one of her students (not even one of the smart ones) could guess she was having mushy romantic thoughts?
At least she still thinks I’m straight , Nakamura thought to herself. Silver linings, I suppose .
“That is not a respectful question to ask a teacher, but to answer it, no. I do not have a boyfriend, or any significant male in my life. I am unsure of what you based this assumption off of”.
“It was cause you kept staring off at the horizon and blushing. What was that about?”.
I really am obvious! Ever since I kissed that woman she’s all I can think about. Her hair, her arms wrapped around my neck, her lips…
“Ms. Nakamura you’re doing it again…” Fecchan said.
“I was not doing “it”. There is no “it”! You go about your day”. Fecchan sighed.
“Alright. Seeya!”.
Fecchan left the classroom cheerily, an apologetic-looking Weboshi trailing along behind her.
Nakamura wrung her hands.
That was all too close. I can’t have those children catching on… it could ruin my career! Stay strong, Kana.
I wonder how Sakurai is... Izumi? I wonder if she’d let me call her that. My Izumi. She thinks I’m “the coolest”!
Nakamura slammed her fists onto the table.
Dammit! I need to stop thinking about her!
Nakamura sighed.
Fuck it.
Nakamura broke out a piece of paper from inside her desk.
Dearest Sakurai,
Like your name suggests, you are beautiful. Like a cherry blossom. Those are very pretty trees. You are also very pretty. I couldn’t stop thinking about you yesterday after I got your letter. Perhaps you might be thinking of me. That would be pretty neat. I hope you have a nice day.
-N
The next day, as Sakurai sat at her desk, a beam of light flashed in her face. It was coming from Nakamura’s desk. She was shining a magnifying glass intermittently across Sakurai. Sakurai looked incredulously over at Nakamura, trying to shield her face from the light. Nakamura scratched her head and decided that was her cue to stop.
Dammit! She doesn’t know morse code. This will make privately communicating my love for her a whole lot more complicated.
She was set to work on creating some invisible ink when Sakurai stopped by her desk.
“We can meet in the parking lot if you’d like," Sakurai whispered. Nakamura nodded rapidly. That would probably be a bit easier…
“Why did you shine that mirror in my face? It kinda stung my eyes…” Sakurai said, on the way to her car.
“I was trying to communicate a secret message to you using Morse Code,” Nakamura said curtly.
“Why not just write it out like I did, silly?” Sakurai said, smiling. Nakamura paused, embarrassed.
“One of my students asked if I had a boyfriend today. I suppose it was because I was thinking of you. I was worried that someone would find out about our”, Nakamura looked around, then whispered, “liaison”.
“I was thinking about you today too. You’re a very handsome woman so I- I was thinking about that I guess…”.
“We mustn't let them find out about us.”
Sakurai stifled laughter.
“What?”.
“Sorry, I just thought ‘mustn’t’ was an interesting word choice”. Nakamura frowned.
“I was being serious”, Nakamura said.
“Oh, I know. We’ll keep it a secret”. Nakamura was caught completely off guard.
“Speaking of which, we should probably go somewhere more private…” Nakamura whispered.
“Your place or mine?”.
Later that night, Nakamura and Sakurai cuddled together under a blanket while grading papers. It was very productive, as all good dates are.