Chapter Text
This morning, the air at Lugnica High School feels different. While the usual morning scent at this school is just a mix of freshly cut grass from the field and lingering traces of disinfectant from the classroom hallways, today the atmosphere feels full of hope. Yes, the hope of Natsuki Subaru, the most energetic PE teacher in the universe, who is absolutely determined today to change his single status.
I stood in front of the mirror in the PE teachers’ locker room. As I smoothed out the collar of my prized orange tracksuit jacket, I stared at my own reflection with the intense gaze of a Japanese drama protagonist.
“Alright, Subaru. Today’s the day. No backing out. No backing down,” I muttered to my reflection while pointing at the mirror. My heart was already pounding wildly, even though I hadn’t even run a lap around the field yet.
To be honest, I’ve been harboring these feelings for quite a while. My target? Who else but Emilia, the biology teacher at Lugnica High School. I swear, the first time I saw her at the teachers’ meeting, it felt like the world had stopped spinning. Her long, silvery hair shimmered in the sunlight streaming through the teachers’ lounge window, her amethyst-colored eyes... oh my gosh, Emilia-tan is truly an angel who descended to Earth to teach about cells and plant anatomy! Emilia Maji Tenshi!
The thing is, I’m the kind of guy who’s always at the front of the pack when it comes to sprinting or playing basketball. But when it comes to love? My courage suddenly shrinks to the size of a pea. For months, my interactions with Emilia have been limited to morning greetings, chatting about unruly students, or offering her a cold bottle of water during break time. But today, I’m going to drop a hint. A bold, elegant, romantic hint—one that’s sure to make her realize that her P.E. teacher has a serious crush on her.
Plan One: The Meaningful Sweet Breakfast Operation.
I stayed up all night thinking about this strategy until I was sleep-deprived. I didn’t want to come out swinging right away—that would seem too aggressive and startle her. I had to take a smooth approach. So, early this morning before the school gates opened, I went out of my way to stop by cafe at the end of the capital’s main road to buy her favorite Matcha Latte and a box of berry-flavored macarons.
But of course, just the drink and pastries aren’t enough to send a signal. On the side of the Matcha Latte cup, I’d stuck a pastel purple sticky note (her favorite color—crazy how observant I am, right?). On that note, I wrote a message that I consider a literary masterpiece of this century:
“The caffeine in this tea might keep anyone awake, but do you know what makes my heart race faster than a student being punished by running 10 laps around the field? The answer lies with the person reading this. Have a great day teaching! :)”
Crazy. I swear, when I was writing that, I was grinning to myself like a maniac in my dorm room. That was such a brilliant code! It had the athletic element, the flirty vibe, and it was clearly aimed at her. There’s no way a girl would read a message that clear and not think, “Wow, Subaru is so romantic, he must like me.” No way! This plan is flawless.
After spraying a little perfume on my neck (so I’d smell nice if we passed each other), I carefully picked up the paper bag from cafe as if it were a time bomb. I walked out of the gym locker room toward the Biology lab in the east building.
All along the second-floor hallway, I tried to control my facial expression. I had to look relaxed, cool, and not too try-hard. A few students on morning duty greeted me.
“Good morning, Mr. Subaru! You smell really good today, sir!” exclaimed Garfiel, an 11th-grade student.
“Hahaha, good morning, Garf! You know how it is—a PE teacher has to keep up his appearance, right? Keep up the good work on duty—watch out if there’s still a lot of trash under the desks!” I replied, giving him a thumbs-up, but inside I was cursing. Ugh, does it really smell that good? Did I spray too much? Ah, forget it—focus, Subaru, focus!
I walked through the teachers’ lounge and finally arrived at the door to the Biology Lab. The door was slightly ajar. I peeked inside.
There, at the teacher’s desk near the window, sat the angel. Emilia was intently reading a thick textbook, occasionally adjusting her reading glasses. The morning sunlight illuminated her face, making her glow. My heart, which had been racing at a normal pace, now rebelled, trying to burst out of my ribcage.
Breathe in, Subaru. Breathe out. Breathe in again. Breathe out. I knocked softly on the lab’s wooden door. Knock. Knock.
Emilia looked up. Her amethyst eyes blinked gently behind her glasses, then a gentle smile—one that could cure every illness in the world—bloomed on her face.
“Huh? Subaru? It’s unusual for you to be at the biology lab this early in the morning,” she greeted me with a voice that was incredibly melodious. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
I swallowed hard. Come on, Subaru, work your charm!
“Good morning, Emilia-tan… uh, I mean, Emilia,” I said, quickly correcting the affectionate nickname in my head that had almost slipped out into the real world. I stepped inside, hiding my slightly trembling hands in the pockets of my sweatpants. “Nothing really. I just happened to be passing by after checking the field for first class later.”
Emilia closed her book, propped her chin in her hand, and smiled at me. “Is that so? Is the field safe? The weather’s so sunny today—the kids are definitely going to be excited for PE.”
“Safe, totally safe. As safe as I feel… uh, I mean, as safe as our school facilities,” I started rambling. Ugh, my mouth is so stupid! I cleared my throat quickly to break the awkwardness. “By the way, have you had breakfast yet? I’ve noticed you’ve been really focused on preparing your materials.”
“I had a little bread at home earlier,” Emilia replied softly, “But I’m pretty thirsty, actually. I was planning to buy a drink at the cafeteria during the first break.”
BINGO! A golden opportunity had come knocking! It was like a perfect set—all I had to do was smash it home.
“Well, that’s perfect then,” I said, lowering my voice slightly to sound cool. I slowly pulled the cafe paper bag from behind my back and placed it gently on her desk, right next to the microscope.
Emilia stared at the paper bag in confusion, then looked at me. “What… is this, Subaru?”
“It’s for you,” I said with a crooked smile—a smile I’d practiced for five minutes in front of the bathroom mirror earlier. “I happened to pass by cafe this morning. And for some reason... I thought of you. So I bought your favorite Matcha Latte and a little snack. To help you feel more energized for teaching today.”
Emilia’s eyes immediately lit up. Oh my gosh, she’s so cute. She looked like a kitten that had just been given a new toy.
“Wow! Is this really for me, Subaru?” Emilia said with a slightly awkward tone, but her expression was beaming with joy. “You went to so much trouble, but you really didn’t have to. I feel bad…”
“It wasn’t a bother at all, Emilia. Just relax. For you, I’d run to the end of the world in Lugnica if you asked me to, let alone to the end of the highway,” I replied quickly in a joking tone, though deep down I was one hundred percent serious.
Emilia gave a little laugh at my sweet talk. Her laugh was so crisp. “You’re such a character, Subaru. Always joking. “Thank you so much, I’m really, really happy.”
Emilia slowly opened the paper bag. My heart started racing again. This was the moment. She’d take out the glass, she’d see the purple sticky note, she’d read the message, and her cheeks would definitely turn red!
I stood frozen, staring at her the whole time. In my head, I’d already prepared a response for whatever sweet reaction she’d give after reading my love letter.
Emilia took out the drink cup. Her slender fingers touched the thick plastic cup. Her eyes slowly dropped, looking at the purple sticky note that was clearly and brightly stuck there.
She fell silent. Her eyes focused on reading my handwriting.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
I could barely take my eyes off Emilia as she continued to stare at the purple sticky note on the side of her Matcha Latte glass. In my head, a triumphant orchestra was already getting ready to play a romantic song. I’d already imagined her porcelain-white cheeks slowly turning as red as a tomato, then her shyly lowering her head, tucking her silver hair behind her ear, and saying in a soft voice, “Subaru… you’re so sweet.”
Yeah, my expectations were sky-high.
Emilia finally blinked. She lifted her face from the glass and looked straight at me.
My heart felt like it was about to jump out of my throat. Here it is! Come on, Emilia-tan! Give me that legendary shy smile of yours!
But... wait a minute.
Emilia’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. There was no blush on her cheeks. No shy, coy smile. Her expression had turned super serious instead, her beautiful eyes radiating an aura of... concern?
“Subaru…” she called softly. Her voice sounded anxious.
“Y-yeah, Emilia?” I replied, a bit flustered, suddenly getting a bad feeling.
Emilia stood up from her chair, walked around her desk, and suddenly approached me. The scent of her floral shampoo immediately hit my nose, making my brain short-circuit even more. She raised her hand, then very naturally pressed the back of her hand against my forehead, while her other hand reached for my wrist, pressing her fingers against my pulse.
“Huh? E-Emilia? W-what are you doing?” I asked in a panic. Our faces were so close right now—I swear, if I got a nosebleed right here, it would totally ruin my cool image!
“Oh my gosh, Subaru, your pulse is really fast,” Emilia muttered in a panicked tone, her eyes fixed on the lab’s wall clock as if she were counting my heartbeats. She then let go of my hand and glared at me with the kind of scolding look a teacher gives a student caught skipping class. “You, really! If you’re not feeling well, or if you have heart problems, why are you forcing yourself to come out this early in the morning?!”
Huh?
My brain suddenly froze. A 404 error page seemed to be clearly displayed right in front of my eyes.
“W-wait, Emilia… What do you mean my heart has a problem?” I asked, confused; it felt like I hadn’t fully gathered my wits to process this situation.
Emilia put her hands on her hips, pointing at the sticky note on the Matcha Latte cup. “This! You wrote this on the paper yourself, didn’t you? You said your heart was beating faster than kids running ten laps! Subaru, that’s called tachycardia! A condition where your heart beats way faster than the normal resting rate!”
BOOM!
It felt like lightning had struck right above my head, piercing all the way through to the lab floor.
“U-uh… no, Emilia, I didn’t mean it in a medical sense—”
“You really shouldn’t mess around with your cardiovascular health!” Emilia cut in, her tone growing increasingly anxious and serious. She even pulled out her notebook. "The caffeine in matcha can indeed cause your heart rate to spike, but if you feel your heart pounding as fast as someone running ten laps, that’s extremely dangerous! Especially since you’re doing intense physical activity every day on the field. What if you suddenly pass out while you’re teaching?”
I could only stare blankly. My mouth was half-open, but not a single word came out. She… she analyzed my nonsense using anatomy?!
“And about the line ‘the answer lies with the person reading this paper’…” Emilia continued, her face now looking a little guilty. “You mean… since I’m the one reading this paper, I should’ve realized and helped you to the infirmary, right? Sorry, Subaru, I was just chilling earlier because I thought you were fine. You must’ve written this because you were afraid to say it directly, afraid of making me panic?”
OH MY GOD, THAT’S NOT THE CONCEPT AT ALL! my mind screamed hysterically. I felt like crying and rolling around on the lab floor.
The god-tier pick-up line I’d spent all night crafting—the one with the analogy about running laps around the field and caffeine—was actually interpreted as a medical record and a referral letter to the school nurse’s office?! Since when did a love letter turn into a sick note?!
“Emilia, just listen to me first...” I rubbed my temples, trying to smile even though my heart was in pieces. “I'm fine. My heart's fine, my lungs are fine. I don't need to go to the nurse's office. That writing... it's... a metaphor.”
Emilia tilted her head, her eyes blinking innocently. “A metaphor? What kind of metaphor? A heartbeat is a real physiological response, Subaru. If it’s beating abnormally, you shouldn’t take it lightly. Do you want me to take you to the health room right now? As it happens, Mr. Felix, our school doctor, seems to have arrived. Let him check your blood pressure.”
I stared into those amethyst eyes. Eyes so sincere, filled with pure concern, and not a single... not a single sign that she understood my romantic intentions. She was genuinely worried about me as a fellow friend who was afraid her friend might be having a heart attack.
On one hand, I was touched that she cared so much about my safety. But on the other hand... MY PRIDE AS A MAN WAS SHATTERED INTO A THOUSAND PIECES!
“No need, Emilia-tan… really. I’m super healthy, as strong as an earth dragon in the Lugnica Mountains,” I said weakly, my smile now more like that of someone enduring a toothache. “That writing… just think of it as me practicing writing absurd poetry. Hehehe. Don’t take it seriously, okay.”
The worried look on Emilia’s face slowly faded, replaced by a sigh of relief, but she still looked at me with a hint of suspicion. “Are you serious? Promise me, if your chest feels tight out on the field, stop teaching right away. Don’t push yourself.”
“Yeah, I promise. If I get short of breath, I’ll just lie down on the grass,” I replied casually, because honestly, what’s tight right now isn’t my chest from an illness, but from holding back the sting of failing to sweet-talk her.
“Alright then,” Emilia smiled gently again, then picked up her Matcha Latte. “Thanks again for the drink, Subaru. You really are the most caring friend in the world! I’ll just throw this paper away so it doesn’t cause misunderstandings for others who read it—they might think you’re actually seriously ill.”
Friend.
The most caring friend in the world.
I’ll just throw this paper away.
Those three sentences slid smoothly from her tiny lips, piercing my chest one after another like ice arrows. Critical hit. Super effective. My HP dropped straight to zero.
“Yeah… just throw it away, Emilia. It’s fine if you throw it away,” my voice suddenly cracked, sounding like a tangled cassette tape. I took a step back toward the door. “I-I’m going back to the field first. The 10th graders seem to have all arrived. Good luck… with teaching.”
“You too, Subaru!” Emilia waved cheerfully, sitting back down in her chair with a completely innocent expression.
I turned around and shuffled out of the biology lab. My shoulders slumped, my head hung low. All the way down the stairs toward the main field, I pondered my fate. My original plan had completely fallen apart. A total, utter failure. No blush, no romantic butterflies—instead, I was suspected of having coronary heart disease.
Emilia is smart. She’s incredibly sharp when it comes to academics, anatomy, biology, and even the environment. But why… WHY IS SHE COMPLETELY CLUELESS ABOUT LOVE?!
I let out a long sigh, staring at Lugnica’s clear sky, which seemed to be mocking my failure this morning.
“It’s okay, Subaru. This is just the first attempt,” I muttered to myself, slapping both my cheeks hard to reignite the spirit that had briefly faded. “It’s normal to fail. Maybe that written pickup line was too ambiguous for a girl as logical as Emilia. Okay! I can’t give up here. A real man wouldn’t back down just because he’s accused of having tachycardia!”
My mind immediately raced to come up with a new strategy. If the route of writing and subtle hints didn’t work because they were analyzed through science, then I had to use a more obvious approach. Something involving real action, something that couldn’t be interpreted medically!
The first plan might have crashed against the cliff of Emilia’s insensitivity, but Natsuki Subaru hasn’t given up yet. Just you wait, Emilia! I’ll make you realize how I feel!