Archive of Our Own ^beta

At a prestigious academy tucked into a tropical seaside city, the strict dress code always felt ridiculous. Who wants to wear button-ups and ties when it’s hot and sticky enough to soak through your shirt in minutes? Luckily, the principal—Mr. Haruto, who also owned the school—had air conditioning blasting everywhere, so at least that part wasn’t a nightmare.

Most days were pretty chill. Staff got along fine, students mostly kept to themselves. Except for Maya—Haruto’s distant cousin—who acted like she owned the place just as much as he did. Her ego was bigger than the ocean, and everyone tiptoed around her. Kai, the math teacher, found her especially exhausting.

Maya had this knack for making everything about herself and looking down on anyone who didn’t measure up to her impossible standards. Kai tried to keep his distance, but sometimes she was unavoidable.

One weekend, Haruto threw a pool party at his villa and invited the staff. Kai brought his wife, Jinora, who was still new but fitting in fast. When Maya arrived, it was clear she’d missed the memo.

She showed up in stiff, high-waisted pants and a frilly blouse—like she was headed to a board meeting, not a pool party. Everyone else was in shorts, tank tops, swimsuits—the whole relaxed vibe.

Haruto caught her at the door. “Maya, it’s a pool party, not a business meeting.”

She tossed back her chin. “It’s my family’s event. I’m just here to make sure things stay… appropriate.”

Kai, flipping burgers nearby, muttered, “Appropriate doesn’t mean out of place.”

Then Jinora came out in her swimsuit, tattoos shining in the sun. People smiled, complimented her, but Maya? She wasn’t having any of it.

Loud enough for Kai and Jinora to hear, she snapped, “Honestly, I don’t get how Kai’s wife lets herself go like that. Looks more like she’s trying to get attention than being a respectable spouse.”

Kai froze mid-flip. Jinora didn’t miss a beat—she held up their wedding rings and said, cool as ice, “We’ve been married five years. Maybe respect goes both ways?”

Maya’s face drained of color. She wiped sweat off her forehead and slinked back inside, nowhere to be seen the rest of the afternoon.

The party went on—laughter, hot tub talks, good food—and the whole thing quickly turned into a funny story to retell later.

In the end, Kai and Jinora knew exactly where they stood. No amount of nonsense was shaking that.