Mister Inokori

I: In Days of Old

"Now Class, do you like your teacher or not?" Mister Inokori said in a sing-song way, standing behind his desk in front of the class.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah—yeah!" the students sang back. It was their routine at the beginning of every class. All of Inokori's students loved him and labeled him as their favorite, but only one boy loved their teachers more than the rest. Poor little Sora Yoshitaka had fallen in love with his high school English teacher.

Riku Inokori was New Hope Highschool's teacher of the year for the past five years he had worked the occupation and his wood plaques were displaced on the wall right next to the chalkboard and below the quietly ticking analog clock.

Sora wasn't paying attention as his teacher began his lesson as per usual. Instead, he wore a droopy smile and laid his head on the palm of his hand. Images of love and romance danced around in his head. They were only interrupted by the teacher's voice: "Sora Yoshitaka, what did I just say?"

Sora snapped out of his daydream state, slamming his arms lightly on the wooden desktop. A chorus of chortles and giggles erupted from the students as they laughed at the blond. Sora was the only person bearing blond hair in the classroom full of black or dark brown hair. It only made him feel more like a foreigner in the country his parents moved to.

Inokori made quick work to shut the mouths of the mockers. He shook his head and gave the look that all parents give their children in times of naughtiness—something that contained disappointment and disapproval yet punishment and strictness; It was the perfect combination.

Mister Inokori walked around his desk and to Sora—who sat in the front row, right in front of the teacher's desk. Beads of sweat precipitated on Sora's forehead as the English teacher's black abyss eyes gazed down at the male student. It seemed to last forever, but the clock said it was only a minute—if even that.

"Always 'I' before 'E', except after 'C'. I'll see you when class is done."

As Inokori walked back to his desk, the students whispered almost themselves and Inokori let them. Sora was now the first student all year to receive a detention from this particular English teacher—the gossip was well warranted.

Sora looked up at noticed that the teacher had written what he said on the chalkboard and he felt more idiotic at that moment than in his whole student life being in that country.

***

The bell rang, telling everyone in the school that it was over and they could go home to start their homework. Mister Inokori waved as everyone else walked swiftly around Sora Yoshitaka and to the door, leaving the teacher and the student alone for a little while before the cleanup crew would show up.

Sora fumbled with his clammy hands as Inokori approached him. We're they too sweaty or too dry? Sora couldn't tell but they just felt all wrong. Sora bit his lip like a girl as his teacher stopped at the vanward of his desk.

"Do you know why I asked you to stay behind?" Maybe it was because the 30-year-old stood directly in front of a light, but as the 17-year-old timidly looked upwards all he saw was his teacher's silhouette. This was the first time that Sora had ever seen his teacher like this.

"Uh...because I wasn't paying a-attention?" Sora's voice cracked at the end and he mentally cursed himself. Now Inokori is going to think I'm weak. Well, he probably already thinks that. I am the black sheep in this class; the odd one out.

Sora continued to overthink as his tall, love interest got down on his knees. He didn't notice until Inokori was holding both of Sora's hands that the man had moved. They were around the same elevation at this point.

"Sora, I have noticed that you have been distracted lately in my class." The English teacher stood up but kept one of his hands holding Sora's. "I care a lot about you—as I do with all of my students." Inokori led Sora to his desk. "But you seem to need extra help. So these are not detentions, per se, but a way that I can help you." He then retook Sora's other hand. "This can be our little secret, okay?" Inokori gave a simple smile, but the way he also tilted his head a few degrees and his thin lips made him look like a model.

Sora Koshitaka's face went bright rose red.

Inokori was so elegant with his response. "There is no need to be embarrassed. Some people just need additional help, it's okay." He walked Sora to the door while Koshitaka's legs tried to work. Then as a final send-off, he patted Sora on the small of his back and parted with these words: "I'll see you soon."

Those after-school meetings and his great love made Sora Yoshitaka fall even deeper in love with his teacher—if that was even possible. The class pariah eventually had to graduate high school, but he wouldn't forget his English teacher crush, no, he would be inspired by the man and by the love he felt for him to become an English teacher himself. He worked hard and he graduated with an English and teaching degree.

It was new and exciting, but he was the most ecstatic when he got the news that he got a job at New Hope Highschool. He would be going to his old high school and more importantly his old church which he still was in love with. He knew that Inokori was still teaching in the same school, but that was all he knew of the man.

He would be surprised when he saw Inokori now as an adult.