Chapter Text
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I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want
So tell me what you want, what you really, really want
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna, I wanna
I really, really, really wanna zigazig ah
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The sun was oddly bright today. The blissful shower upon the earth slowly faded as the rays of the morning crept through the buildings of Tokyo.
Utahime was at the train station, waiting. It was just past eight, and she had a class at nine. It usually took her only ten minutes to arrive at Tokyo Tech College by train, much faster than taking a bus or a cab.
As the train stopped, she immediately hopped in, securing a seat near the window. However, she spotted a pregnant lady standing with grocery bags, and it seemed like no one was interested in giving up their seat. She stood up, fixing the pleats of her skirt and tugging it lower to cover her bare skin before approaching the woman.
She tapped the woman's shoulder. "Excuse me, miss." The lady looked back at her, a little puzzled.
"You can have my seat. It's there." She motioned toward her previous seat.
The pregnant lady smiled and thanked her for her kindness. Utahime also helped her with her groceries so she wouldn't have trouble carrying them when she got off the train.
"Thank you so much! It's hard to find a woman like you these days." She smiled appreciatively. Utahime returned the gesture with a smile of her own. "Your boyfriend must be so lucky to have you."
Utahime nearly choked on her own saliva. She quickly shook her head, a small blush creeping onto her cheeks. "I-I don't have one."
The woman raised a brow. "Really?" Utahime nodded, scratching the back of her neck.
"Then boys must be fawning over you at school."
No... kinda the opposite, she wanted to say.
The boys on campus didn't really give a damn about her. They even teased her for being the prim and proper model student, joked about her choice of hairstyle, and mocked her lack of thrill in life. Sure, she received comments about how cute and charming she looked, almost like a doll, but boys preferred bold, party girls who didn't care if they got a forty-five out of one hundred on exams.
She sighed, disappointed that the men she knew always wanted women who satisfied their eyes and mouths first rather than their hearts.
Their conversation died down, though not awkwardly. The lady went back to admiring the scenery outside the train while Utahime put on her headphones and started playing some random music. As she hummed along to the tune, her head swaying slightly, her mind wandered back to yesterday.
They had just finished their P.E. class. She was still in her second year, so she still had subjects like this. They were running around the school's track and field when her clumsy ass tripped and grazed her knee. It was only a small scrape, but it was pretty nasty. Her knee was bruised, and the scratch bled.
Of course, some of her classmates laughed at her, the boys mocking her for stupidly tripping on a clear, flat road without a single obstacle. Their malicious stares at her legs didn't go unnoticed.
She picked herself up and informed her instructor that she'd just wash the wound and get a bandage. Swallowing back her tears, she silently wiped her bruised knee with a damp, clean towel. She feel like crying not because the wound hurts. It's because of the humiliation she received.
She was sitting alone near the open public wash area when the shadow of a man loomed over her.
"What happened, Hime-chan?"
She looked up and saw the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. He was wearing a long-sleeved white polo, his ID hanging neatly on his chest. A thick algebra book was tucked under his left arm.
"U-uh... I tripped while running, Gojo-sensei. It's not a big deal," she stuttered.
The teacher scooted closer and bent one knee, bringing himself to her eye level. She instinctively shifted a little away from him.
"Do you have a bandage?" he asked, inspecting her wound.
"I think I have one..." She rummaged through her personal first aid kit and found none. "Oh... I'll just ask Ieri-sensei."
She was about to stand when Gojo stopped her.
"Hold on. I think I have my handkerchief here." He stood up and searched his pockets. A second later, he held out a pristine white handkerchief.
"Just use this. I carry a handkerchief in case my hands get dirty from the board markers, but I didn't use it today, so it's clean."
Utahime stared at his outstretched hand and the spotless handkerchief, hesitating to take it. Sensing this, Gojo knelt before her again, reaching toward her injured leg. She yelped in surprise as his hands gently held the back of her knee.
"S-Sensei, you don't have to—"
"It's fine. It's my duty to take care of my students." He smiled sweetly at her, dimples appearing on his cheeks. She blushed and looked away as he carefully wrapped the handkerchief around her wound. After tying the final knot, he lightly tapped her calf.
"There. You won't have to limp your way to the clinic."
She carefully lowered the scrunched-up pajama to cover her lower leg. "Thank you, Gojo-sensei."
She bowed slightly, too afraid to meet his eyes and let him see how red her face had become. The man chuckled and gave her a gentle pat on the head.
"Be careful next time, Uta-chan. I don't like seeing my favorite student get hurt." He spoke the last sentence in a much lower voice, almost a whisper, but loud enough for her to hear. She slowly lifted her head and saw him smirking until he left.
Gojo Satoru is an Aeronautical Engineering graduate but works as a General Mathematics professor, having taught at Tokyo Tech for two years. He was one of the most popular instructors on campus, along with his best friends, Geto Suguru, a Philosophy and History teacher, and Kento Nanami, who taught Business Law and Taxation. They were all admired by teachers and students alike, one of the reasons why many chose the campus. They were not only handsome and hot, but they were also exceptional when it came to teaching.
However, among them, Gojo Satoru was quite the troublesome one. He has his own rules and had these unique teaching strategies that made math seem like a piece of cake during lectures but made you curse it during examinations. Despite his playful and cool aura, he had high standards, and only a few students managed to earn passing grades in his class. One of them was her, Iori Utahime.
Utahime was one of the most brilliant students in the whole college. She had never received a failing mark, almost always scored perfectly on her examinations, and had never been reported for any misconduct. She was, in every way, the epitome of a true Asian kid—high grades, talent, a good heart, and beauty.
Although her seriousness in life sometimes got mocked, people often said she lived too much inside books and was missing the fun of her youth. She couldn't care less... not until she saw couples left and right flirting all over campus.
She had two true friends—Mei and Atsuya—but they were all in different majors. Mei was taking Business Administration, Atsuya studied Computer Science, while she pursued Early Childhood Education. She loved teaching kids, Mei loved money, and Atsuya didn't really have any choice but to take the course his parents wanted for him.
She was happy to have them, really, but sometimes she still felt lonely.
Mei already had two exes. Atsuya had one. She had zero.
It was the peak of youthfulness, the time to experience teenage love and romance. Don't get her wrong, she had three suitors in the past, but they were all jerks. The first one was back in middle school. One of her classmates gave her chocolates on White Day, but a few weeks later, she saw him holding hands with one of their seniors. The second one was the son of her mother's best friend. Their parents tried setting them up, the guy initially awestruck by Utahime's cuteness and achievements. Later on, though, he started hating her because his mother wouldn't stop comparing him to her. That insecure, competitive dumbass even threw shade at her. The third one came during her first year. He was some random fourth-year student who kept asking her to go to parties, ditch classes, and skip assignments with him—things she absolutely hated. He didn't pursue her after that, telling her she was boring and would never find a guy in this lifetime because she was so old-fashioned.
That was what started the teasing from the boys on campus.
She was offended and furious but ignored them, tired of keeping up with their fantasies. She wouldn't change herself just so they could ogle more of her.
Why did society always want to corrupt the good ones?
She was starting to lose hope. She believed that no man would ever meet her standards, and she would never meet any man's standards either. Then, out of nowhere, her teacher, Gojo Satoru, started acting differently toward her.
He had treated her like any other student during the first semester. Yet, after only a few weeks into the second semester, he changed. She wasn't that oblivious, and she knew he was the reason why some of her female classmates no longer talked to her or wanted to group with her. Well, didn't it give off teacher's pet vibes when he always called on her first during recitations? Even during attendance, despite her surname starting with an "I." He also praised her publicly, telling her classmates to learn from her—usually accompanied by a pat on the head. He always assigned her a seat right in front of him. She often caught him looking at her while she was writing notes. Sometimes he'd lean in so close that his breath tickled her ear as he pointed out the equations on her paper. Surely, the girls in her class had been plotting her death every single day.
This raised the alarm, Mei once told her. Atsuya even volunteered to report him to the dean, but she refused and begged them to keep it a secret. The attention was overwhelming, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't like it. It seemed very unprofessional...
But she didn't hate it.
I mean, who wouldn't want to be the hottest teacher's favorite?
His favorite.
He told her she was his favorite again yesterday. It sent butterflies fluttering inside her stomach. She couldn't help convincing herself that maybe her instructor found her interesting... and pretty... and not boring.
Maybe she had impressed him.
Either way, she'd be puking and cursing herself for falling for her math teacher. It was unethical, but a simple admiration—a puppy crush—wouldn't be crossing the line, right?
Yes.
Let her settle on that lie.
She waved goodbye to the pregnant woman she had helped and exited the train. A small smile refused to leave her lips as she continued humming the song playing through her headphones. She entered the campus swiftly and headed straight for her classroom.
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If you want my future, forget my past
If you wanna get with me, better make it fast
Now don't go wasting my precious time
Get your act together we could be just fine
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It was past four in the afternoon and the library was almost closing. Utahime was searching for a reference book she could use for her report. Her eyes roamed over the neatly tucked-in books, her fingertips brushing against their edges as she walked past them. She then spotted a book similar to her topic, stopping her hand to pull it out. She started reading its contents silently, flipping the pages one by one, when she heard laughter.
It was Gojo-sensei.
She froze, taking a few steps back so she would be hidden by the edge of the shelves, away from their line of sight. They were four shelves across from her, but since they must have been the only people inside, she could hear them loud and clear.
"Wow, you're really so worked up over this bet, aren't you? I thought we were just joking around," she heard Geto-sensei say.
"Well, I need to protect my reputation and prove Nanamin here that no one can resist me. Babies, kids, toddlers, teenagers, college students, working women, pregnant women, grandmas... everyone, Nanamin. No one can say no to my charm."
She heard a scoff. Nanami-sensei must be rolling his eyes.
"Even the prim and proper model student, Iori Utahime, folds for me."
Her breath hitched. She quietly gasped, clutching the book tightly against her chest.
"I doubt so. Remember, if you lose, you'll be doing my paperwork for the whole semester next school year," she heard the blond-haired teacher say.
"Mine too," Geto-sensei added.
She heard a huff followed by footsteps drawing nearer. She quickly hid behind the bookshelves, one hand clamped over her agape mouth.
"And if I win and make her so head over heels for me that she confesses before the school year ends, you two will do mine. Suguru takes the first year, and Nanamin the second."
The two men laughed as if he had just said the most impossible thing.
"Seriously, if that actually happens, you'll break her heart."
"Well, having two years without paperwork is worth her tears, Suguru."
"What will you tell her? With all your advances, she might even report you and cost you your license."
Gojo chuckled. "I'll simply tell her I'm just being a good teacher, and it's her fault for getting her hopes up. Does she really think I'd have a relationship with her? I might even turn the tables and report that she's the one who's been after me. The dean won't question it. I practically own half this school. They won't kick me out. Besides, it's no secret that students fantasize over me."
"You are so arrogant."
"No, I'm not. I'm stating facts." He laughed. "Besides, I love seeing her reactions. She's adorable whenever she gets shy and bashful. She's not my type, but I'm looking forward to seeing just how far she'll go for me."
"Just so you can tell her she's been delusional and break her heart?"
"Well... that's inevitable, Nanamin. But hey, I'm doing her a favor too! I'm giving her my attention and a romantic experience trial card she can write on her résumé. She's probably never been asked out or been in a relationship before, so she's still lucky."
It took Utahime nearly half an hour to recover. She remained standing there, dumbfounded, still trying to process the revelation.
Well... congratulations to him. He managed to make her fall in love...and break her heart.
That night, she lay on her bed, crying instead of working on her report.
Why was it always her that jackasses wanted to mess with?
Just when she thought someone had genuinely acknowledged her existence, it turned out he was only doing all this to avoid paperwork for two whole years!
And what was that again? It's worth her tears? She was supposed to consider herself lucky for experiencing fake romantic bliss from him?
The heck.
Still a crying mess, she forced herself to get up and finish her report while going through her skincare routine. After that, she typed a message in their group chat, asking Mei and Atsuya to meet her tomorrow during lunch break at their usual spot behind the second building.
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If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends
Make it last forever, friendship never ends
If you wanna be my lover, you have got to give
Taking is too easy, but that's the way it is
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"He said that?" Atsuya exclaimed.
They were under the cherry blossom tree behind the second building, sitting on a bench while eating their lunch.
"Typical men," Mei commented before taking a spoonful of her chocolate mousse bento cake, a gift from one of her admirers.
"You should've recorded it, Uta," Atsuya sighed. "I knew it. I've always hated his guts."
Utahime felt her tears threatening to fall again. She sniffled, taking a large bite of her onigiri. She had been crying ever since she told them what she had overheard in the library. She chewed slowly until she could no longer hold back her tears.
"I... I never did anything to anyone, so why do they always pick me?" she cried. "Why do I always become the laughingstock? The one being played?"
Atsuya scooted closer and pulled her into a side hug, rubbing her arm up and down soothingly. Mei stopped eating and quietly watched their friend cry.
"I... I thought someone finally saw me for who I am, but it turns out I'm just some stupid bet!"
Thank goodness no one else was around. Otherwise, the whole campus would know what was happening to her. Nonetheless, they would surely mock her, shame her instead of the teacher. She just knew it.
Seeing their best friend hurting, neither Mei nor Atsuya could stand it anymore.
Utahime had always been an angel to everyone. She was kind, obedient, and endlessly patient. In all honesty, if Mei were a man, she would've asked her out long ago. Likewise, if Atsuya had never seen her as a younger sister, they would've probably been dating since high school.
She didn't deserve this.
Mei abandoned her dessert and leaned closer, gently wiping the tear stains from Utahime's cheeks.
"Oh, Uta love... you don't know your own potential." A sly smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. Atsuya eyed her suspiciously while continuing to comfort Utahime.
The crying woman abruptly stopped sobbing. "W-What are you saying?"
Mei cupped her face with both hands and tilted her chin upward. "I'm saying..." she smiled, "it's time you start hitting back."
Utahime frowned. "Huh? What do you mean?" Mei chuckled as she released her face. She returned to her mousse cake while Atsuya wiped Utahime's face with the sleeve of his uniform.
"The strong always bully the weak. They mistake your submissiveness for weakness while believing their arrogance is strength," she mused, taking another spoonful. "In today's world, flaunting yourself has become modesty, while innocence is treated like something abnormal. The proper way of living is disappearing, and everyone's chasing excitement."
She wiped the corner of her lips with a finger. "You're an easy target, Uta. Your version of normal attracts ridicule. But don't worry—that's actually your greatest strength. Continue being beyond average. Beyond their IQs and EQs. As long as people like you exist, humanity still has hope."
But there were plenty of students who lived quietly and peacefully just like she did. So why was it always her?
"There are many normal students like me, Mei," she said. "Why is it always me?"
"Because you have potential, Uta," Mei answered without hesitation. "You've always been exceptional among ordinary people."
"In what aspect?"
Mei grinned. "In every aspect."
Utahime let out a whine, convinced Mei was only saying those things to make her feel better.
"I know what's going through Mei's head right now," Atsuya sighed, leaning back against the bench. "And I don't like it... but I'll agree with her this once."
Utahime frowned even deeper. She tilted her head, looking up at the taller woman.
Mei chuckled. "That face... You look so naïve."
Utahime wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult.
"Sometimes," Mei continued, "being naïve can be a weapon. Have you ever heard of strategic naivety?"
Utahime shook her head. "Never heard of it. But judging from the words, I think I get the general idea."
"It's pretending not to know what you're supposed to know. Pretend you still have no idea about the bet... about his real intentions. Go with the flow. Make him believe you've completely fallen into his trap."
"I knew you were going to say that," Atsuya muttered, sipping his soda. The white-haired woman only grinned.
"Then what?" Utahime asked. "Wouldn't that just make me look even more pitiful?"
"We'll get to the pitiful part later." Mei winked. "While pretending you know nothing, you'll use every asset you have until the tables turn and you have the upper hand."
"Mei, you're going to corrupt her," Atsuya commented.
"No." Mei shrugged. "I'm teaching her how to fight." She turned back to the adorable girl with bangs. "I'll teach you how to make men's knees buckle."
Make men's knees buckle?
"Mei—"
"I won't corrupt her, Atsuya. Geez. Look at her. She doesn't even know what I mean."
"I have an idea," Utahime admitted. "It has something to do with my body... right?"
The two of them stared at her. She caught Atsuya shooting Mei a warning glare.
"No, Uta. Not necessarily." Mei laughed. "You don't have to reveal much skin. Your personality, your aura, your charm—they're already enough. Though..." she smirked, "...we can use that later if necessary."
Utahime didn't care anymore. She wanted to fight back. She wanted to prove them wrong. Yes, she wanted to preserve her image... but she also wanted them to see that she was more than the timid girl they thought she was.
"So..." she asked, rising onto the balls of her feet with newfound determination, "what do I do?"
Mei handed her nearly finished mousse cake to Atsuya, who accepted it absentmindedly.
"Just like I said earlier," Mei began as she stood and gently caressed one of Utahime's cheeks, "you won't tell him you know about his true intentions. Instead..." A slow, knowing smile spread across her face.
"...you'll act as though you're hopelessly in love with him. Use every ounce of your charm until he falls so hard for you that he starts breaking the teacher-student rules himself."