When I reached Ryouko-san's room, Orimura-sensei was also there waiting. While the former brightened at my arrival, the latter looked impatient as she pulled me into the room.
She then pushed me down on the couch, next to Ryouko-san, while she took the open space on my other side, "You brat. Did you know how long we were waiting?"
"Long enough for you to miss me, sensei." I ended that with a wink. And to the surprise of no one, she lightly hit me on the head.
"Do you hear that, Ryouko? This brat has always been audacious. That's why... he ought to be disciplined!" Orimura-sensei curled her fingers on my collar that it felt as though she was about to pull on it. But she held herself back because of Ryouko-san's presence.
"Un. I hear him, Sanae. But he's right, isn't he? You missed him." Ryouko-san put on a meaningful smile before winking at me. She's taking my side... Mhm. This is why I love her.
"W-wha... No! We talked about this... All I have with him is... just my attempt to correct his path and bad habits!" Orimura-sensei stuttered as her cheeks flushed pink. She released my collar and crossed her arms, looking away. "Anyway, we're wasting time. Ryouko, explain the activity and take his opinion. We're five minutes away before those kids in the pool think you're not going to hold a lesson."
Ryouko-san chuckled softly before opening her folder, presenting it to me. Just like always, she put all her creativity into her creation. The only thing she needed to polish it was a few adjustments that could add fun and reduce fatigue. "So, what do you think? I thought we could incorporate a relay race with floating obstacles to build teamwork. But if it's too chaotic—"
"We already did a relay activity, Ryouko-san. What about this? Keep the obstacles but make it a duo tournament? Of course, that should be done after half of the allotted time for the class." I pointed at the sketch of the floating platforms. "We can have them compete in pairs, navigating the course together. That way, it's still teamwork-focused but adds a competitive edge to keep it fresh."
Ryouko-san looked at me as her eyes gradually glowed along with a radiant smile. "You always astound me, Ruki-kun. That's perfect. I also thought I was pushing it a bit to do another relay."
She then turned to Orimura-sensei, who was still looking away with a slight pout. "What do you think, Sanae? Should we do it?"
"It's your class, Ryouko. I'm only helping. Also, I'll have to keep this brat in check. You're not going to assist us today. You'll have to join it. And..."
Orimura-sensei trailed her voice there before saying, "...you have to pair with someone not connected to you."
Someone not connected to me? As if she knew everyone I was involved with. But she probably meant avoiding pairing with the girls they often see me with. Of course, if she just asked me about them, I would be willing to tell her. After all, despite her constant denial that she's only correcting my path, our relationship was already as deep as the others.
"Alright. If that's what you wish, sensei. Is that also alright with you, Ryouko-san?" I glanced to my other side where Ryouko-san was already nodding enthusiastically. Her eyes glinted a bit as if she were already looking forward to my performance.
"Ruki-kun, I know you can do it again." She put on a smile that totally tore down the image of a strict military-like PE teacher that everyone feared. "But Sanae, stop picking on him too much. It doesn't always end well for you."
"W-wha... What do you mean by that?"
"Am I wrong? Think about it. How many times have you been swept away by him?" Ryouko-san's smile turned knowing as she tapped the folder. "Anyway, let's figure out how to make pairs. Randomized? Mixed? Or... do we assign it right now? With classes 1 and 3, that'll be more than 60 students."
Orimura-sensei covered her face again as she held herself back from rebutting Ryouko-san's words. She then sighed and looked at me. "Ask this brat again."
I scanned the class lists Ryouko-san provided. "Randomized pairs might cause unnecessary friction. Some students are competitive, while others are shy. How about only those willing to compete sign up? That way, we avoid forcing anyone to be uncomfortable. In exchange, there should be another lighter activity for those who don't want to compete. We can't just have them watch on the sidelines."
Ryouko-san's eyes lit up. "That's considerate, Ruki-kun. We can set up a separate lane for casual swimming or water exercises. Sanae, you can oversee that group while I handle the tournament." Orimura-sensei nodded, her earlier irritation fading into professional focus. She leaned closer, her finger tracing the proposed pairings. "But about your partner... I'll assign you to someone unexpected. Let's see... Hmm. Do you want a girl as your partner? Or a boy?"
I met her gaze steadily. "Whoever you choose, sensei. I'll make it work."
Ryouko-san's lips twitched. It looked like both a suppressed smile at the challenge and a tease.
She circled a name on the list, Umeda Nanaka... the Class President of Year 1 Class 3.
"Huh? Ryouko-san, she's not from the same class as me."
"That's the twist, Ruki-kun. The pairs will be cross-class to encourage new connections," Ryouko-san explained, her smile widening as she tapped Umeda's name. "Of course, that'll only happen if she's also going to participate."
... Alright. Should I tell them that I already had a small connection to that girl? I mean... I still owe her and the other girls who heard us last week inside the girls' shower room a favor for being silent about our... naughty activities.
No. I'd better not. Not right now. Besides, it's still not set in stone. Who knows? She might not be up to it.
"Alright. If that's the plan, I'll go with it." I stood up, stretching lightly. "Should we head down now? The bell will ring soon."
"Not so fast, brat." Orimura-sensei grabbed my wrist, pulling me back down.
Meanwhile, Ryouko-san turned slightly, her arms looping around my neck as she pulled me into a sudden kiss. A sweet one. "Ruki-kun, can you also pamper me? Give me more courage to not be afraid of facing the male students. I can't help but be strict with them. Especially when they kept acting like I was going to drill them to death."
I chuckled and chased her lips for another kiss. "Of course, Ryouko-san. But I think you're already plenty brave." Check latest chapters at novel•fire.net
My hand slid to her waist, feeling the subtle tremble beneath her track jacket. "Just remember, they're more scared of you than you are of them."
Well, her experience from before was still hindering her from treating both genders equally. But I knew she could overcome it. Especially with me supporting her.
"That silver tongue of yours never quits, does it?" Orimura-sensei muttered from behind as she leaned forward, blowing hot breath into my ear. Her fingers tightened around my wrist, a silent demand for attention. "Don't forget who's watching, brat. Ryouko might be soft on you, but I won't."
"Sensei, I'm not forgetting about you. I'll also pamper you, alright?" I turned to kiss her as well before smirking.
And , I was sandwiched between two teachers who both wanted my attention. Ryouko-san's kiss deepened, her fingers tangling in my hair as she pulled me closer, while Orimura-sensei's hands wrapped around my waist, locking on my abdomen. Slowly, she slid her palms downward, finding the bulge in my pants.
For the next few minutes, I pampered the two lovely ladies in their tracksuits and got pampered back intimately in return.