Work Text:
Nitori Aiichirou has always known what kind of adult he wanted to become. Like his favourite teacher from Middle School, he wanted to be a teacher, to become a nice role model for students, someone they could look up to.
It’s been over seven years since he became a Japanese Literature teacher in Samezuka High School. Along his journey, he has met interesting people, has helped countless teenagers find a sense of belonging, of understanding what life was about, if only for a little bit. And he prided himself into coming to aid to the youngsters.
Now that he himself was nearing the age of thirty one, he felt accomplished, and he simply loved what he was doing. It was that part of himself that students appreciated, this and the fact that he was an easy-going man... except when he was annoyed with a situation or another.
And there was this one student, a particular third year, soon-to-graduate student, who gave him endless headaches.
"I love you, sensei. Please be mine."
These were the words a certain Yamazaki Sousuke had almost yelled out upon their first student/teacher meet. There were only a few months before graduation, and to say that Ai was surprised at the student's sudden outburst would be an understatement.
Yamazaki Sousuke, incredibly tall standing on six feet and then some, studious, quiet, mysterious. He always seemed to manage to score As on tests and exams, and really, Ai didn't think he would ever be a trouble student, but oh how wrong he was.
"Yamazaki, this is very inappropriate. I am your teacher... I don't know what to say to that. I'm sorry."
"Are you single, sensei?"
Ai almost choked on his saliva.
"Yamazaki, please, this is-"
"I will win your heart."
"Um, I'm sorry but-"
"I'll be graduating in two months. Please, wait for me. Until then, I will win your heart."
And this declaration was only the beginning of the hellish roller coaster ride that would be the rest of the school year.
Every morning after that meeting, Yamazaki would leave small notes on Ai's desk. Sometimes, they were cheesy lyrics lines, others, they were quotes from books. And, although Ai did his best to resume class like every other day before the confession, it was hard to concentrate when he knew Sousuke's eyes were boring holes on his back.
For the two remaining months, Ai has done his best to continue with a neutral stance when it came to Yamazaki. It was hard, especially when he felt the teenager's infatuation all over from the back of the classroom.
When the end of the school year came around, and Ai was too emotional over watching his students' graduation ceremony, he said yes to meeting Yamazaki underneath the cherry blossoms tree.
Yamazaki was standing there, looking aloof and pretending he was busy with his cellphone. When he noticed Ai, he looked determined and incredibly older than his actual eighteen year.
"Before you can say anything..." Sousuke started, reaching out to hold Ai's hands in his bigger ones. Ai felt his heart flutter just a little bit. Seriously, he was too old for this. "Sensei. I am no longer a student here. Please, let me take you out on a dinner date."
And, maybe it was the way the gentle spring breeze played with Yamazaki's hair. Or, maybe it was the cheery blossoms creating this bizarre halo over his not-student-anymore. But Ai felt himself nodding, agreeing to this dinner date.
And when Yamazaki smiled down at him, Ai thought that maybe, this wasn't such a bad idea.