The moment I stepped through the school gates, I could feel it.

Eyes.

Dozens of them, crawling over me like I was some exotic animal brought in for show and tell.

The whispers weren't subtle either.

"that's him, right? The one the new teacher called out yesterday?"

"Wait, did you see how she looked at him? Totally sus."

"No way a teacher would just… hug a student like that…"

"Bet he's screwing her."

"Bro, if that's true, he's living the dream."

Yeah. The cafeteria incident had spread like wildfire. No surprise, teenagers feed on gossip harder than soldiers feed on cigarettes in the field.

I kept walking. Shoulders relaxed, steps steady, like none of it mattered. That's the thing about confidence: if you act like whispers can't touch you, half the time they really don't.

Ding!

The familiar sultry voice purred in my head.

[System Alert: Public Perception is shifting…]

[New Passive Unlocked: "Scandalous Aura."]

People will notice you more when rumors swirl around your name, Renji~~~. Increased attention, both positive and negative.

Note: Scandal is a weapon. Wield it well.

I smirked.

"Scandalous Aura, huh? That's one way of putting it."

> "Face it, Renji," the System teased, dripping amusement into every syllable, "you were already a magnet for trouble. Now you're officially branded."

Couldn't argue with that.

By the time I hit the main hallway, the atmosphere was thick. Girls in groups cut their chatter the moment I passed, only to start giggling again when they thought I was out of earshot. Some guys scowled like I'd stolen their girlfriends.

And maybe, in a way, I had.

Because once a scandal wraps itself around you, desire works differently. It's not just about looks or charm anymore, it's about danger. And danger? That's an aphrodisiac.

I rolled my shoulders and headed for class, my lips twitching. Let them talk. Let them whisper. In the end, all rumors did was sharpen the hunger.

---

By the time lunch rolled around, the buzzing hadn't quieted. If anything, it had doubled. Word traveled faster in this school than bullets across a battlefield.

I ducked into the empty classroom, sliding the door shut behind me. A second later, it opened again.

"Renji."

Her voice was low, clipped, carrying the weight of authority that only a teacher like Rika could pull off. She stepped inside, closing the door firmly. No room for eavesdroppers.

She didn't waste time.

"You need to be careful."

I leaned against a desk, arms crossed. "About?"

Her eyes flashed irritation. Not anger—worry.

"You know what the students are saying. What they're whispering about you… about saki."

I let the silence stretch, watching the way her fingers twitched at her side like she wanted to reach out but couldn't. Not here. Not now.

"You think I care about a few rumors?" I finally asked, a smirk tugging at my lips.

She sighed, stepping closer, lowering her voice.

"It's not just rumors. If the administration catches wind, if they think for even a second that you and ..." She cut herself off, biting her lip.

The sight sent a flicker of heat through me. That lip, those eyes, the fire in her that fought against her own restraint.

"You mean if they think I'm fucking my teacher?" I said bluntly, watching her flinch.

"Renji!" She hissed, cheeks coloring, eyes darting to the closed door. "Don't say things like that—"

I tilted my head, meeting her gaze with a calm I'd earned in a hundred warzones.

"Relax, Rika. Rumors are just noise. They can't touch us unless we let them."

For a moment, she just stared at me. Then, slowly, the sharpness in her expression softened, replaced by something heavier. Something raw.

"You're impossible," she muttered, shaking her head. But her hand brushed against mine, brief and trembling, before she pulled it back.

Her voice dropped to almost a whisper. "Just… don't give them more reason to talk."

I leaned forward, my words a low murmur meant for her alone.

"They'll always talk, Rika. But in the end? The only thing that matters is what you and I know when the doors are closed."

Her breath hitched, and for a split second, I saw the mask of professionalism crack, the woman beneath, aching, hungry, tethered to me in ways she couldn't admit out loud.

The bell rang, slicing the tension in half. She straightened instantly, slipping her teacher-face back on.

"Get to class," she said curtly, but her eyes lingered on me a moment too long before she left.

---

The infirmary smelled faintly of disinfectant and something sweeter, like lavender oil. It was always calmer here, quieter, like the chaos of the school couldn't seep through the walls.

"Sit," Reina said softly, patting the edge of the bed. Her tone wasn't a request; it was the kind of gentle command only she could give, the one that made you want to obey without thinking.

I humored her, dropping onto the mattress. She moved with that unhurried grace of hers, every gesture precise but natural. The way she tucked a stray lock of her long hair behind her ear, the way her white coat shifted just enough to hint at the curves underneath, it was all Reina.

Her hands brushed my shoulders, checking nothing in particular, just touching.

"You've been busy causing storms, Renji." Her voice carried warmth, but also that sly note beneath it.

I smirked. "Storms? You mean the cafeteria thing?"

She chuckled, low and velvety, her fingertips trailing down my arm in a way that felt more like affection than examination.

"The whole school is buzzing. Students whispering, teachers pretending not to notice. And you…" She leaned closer, her breath tickling my ear. "…you walk through it like a wolf strutting past sheep."

I tilted my head, catching her gaze. "You sound like you're enjoying the rumors."

Reina smiled, the kind of smile that could calm you or set you on fire depending on how long it lingered.

"Of course I am. Forbidden fruit always tastes sweetest. And right now, you're the boy everyone is whispering about. The one who might be a little too close to his teacher… or maybe more than one."

My eyebrow arched. "That what you think?"

Her hand pressed lightly against my chest, steady, motherly almost. "What I think…" she whispered, "is that scandal makes you shine brighter. And if the girls in this school weren't looking before, they are now. Even the ones who tell themselves they shouldn't."

The way she said shouldn't sent a delicious tension into the air.

She straightened, brushing invisible dust from my shoulder like a doting wife. "Just be careful, Renji. Scandals are double-edged. They can make you irresistible… but they can also cut you open if you let them."

I grinned. "Good thing I know how to handle a blade."

Her laugh was soft, affectionate, and just a little dangerous. "That's my boy."

---

The squeak of sneakers echoed through the gym as I stepped inside. Half the class was busy fumbling with basketballs, the other half pretending to stretch. Typical PE chaos.

"Renji."

Her voice cut through the noise like a whistle blast.

Coach Mayumi stood near the bleachers, arms folded, eyes sharp. Her tracksuit hugged her athletic frame, every inch of her radiating authority. But when those eyes locked on me, there was something else flickering behind them, something that remembered the taste of my lips.

I walked over, casual, hands in my pockets. "Yeah, Coach?"

She lowered her voice so the others couldn't hear. "You've been making waves."

I smirked. "You mean rumors?"

Her jaw tightened. "Don't play games. Students are talking. Teachers are whispering. And you—" She stopped, her words catching, like she wasn't sure how to finish the sentence without admitting too much.

I leaned in just enough that she had to tilt her head back slightly to meet my eyes. "And me…?"

Her breath hitched...barely audible, but I caught it.

She recovered quick, clearing her throat, mask of discipline snapping back on. "And you'd better remember this is still a school. Keep your head down. Don't make me regret…" She trailed off, lips pressing into a thin line.

"Regret having sex with me?" I said, voice low.

Her eyes widened, the crack in her armor exposed. She glanced away, pretending to watch the students, but the blush climbing her neck betrayed her.

"That was!" she began, then stopped, shaking her head. "It shouldn't have happened."

I leaned closer, my voice a whisper only she could hear. "Maybe. But it did. And from the look in your eyes, Coach… you don't regret it half as much as you want to."

Her hand twitched like she wanted to shove me back. Instead, she gripped her whistle so tight the cord dug into her palm.

"Get to warm-up," she snapped, a little too harshly. But as I turned to walk away, I didn't miss the way her gaze lingered, hungry, conflicted, burning.

---

The sun was dipping low when I finally caught her alone.

Saki stood on the rooftop, her hair stirring gently in the breeze, the same way it had that night she hugged Rika and vanished. Only now, she wasn't a ghost in the shadows, she was a teacher, just like Rika, walking these halls as if she belonged here.

She turned before I spoke, her eyes finding mine like she'd been waiting.

"You're handling the rumors better than I thought," she said softly.

I stepped closer, the distance between us shrinking. " You started this."

Her lips curved in a faint, unreadable smile. "I didn't start anything, Renji. I only revealed what was already there. The rest? That's just people doing what people do....gossip, envy, desire."

"Don't play games with me, Saki. You stood up in front of everyone, called me out, made me a target."

She tilted her head, her gaze never wavering. "And you hate it?"

I hesitated. That was the problem. I didn't.

Her eyes softened. "You thrive in the fire.

You always have. Even before this life, you walked through chaos like it belonged to you. All I did was… remind you of that."

I stepped closer still, so close her perfume tangled with the evening air. "So what are you, Saki? A teacher? A ghost? My shadow? My tether?"

Her smile faltered, and for a moment, the mask slipped. Something raw, almost pained, flickered across her face.

"I don't know," she whispered. "All I know is that wherever you are… I can't stay away."

The wind tugged at her skirt, carrying her words into me like a secret oath.

And in her eyes, I saw it, the same mix of mystery and need that had haunted me since the rooftop. She wasn't just stirring trouble. She was tied to me in ways deeper than even she could explain.

Before I could answer, before I could reach out, she turned her face away. "Be ready, Renji. The whispers are only the beginning. What's coming…" She trailed off, voice almost lost in the wind. "…is so much bigger than gossip."

---

The bell rang, echoing across the rooftop. Saki didn't move. She just stood there, eyes still on the horizon like she was watching a storm no one else could see.

I turned to leave, my mind buzzing with her words, with the weight of her presence. But I didn't make it far.

The second I stepped back into the hallway, a voice stopped me.

"Sakamoto!!!."

It wasn't a student. It wasn't even one of the usual teachers. It was the vice principal. His expression was carved from stone, his glasses catching the light like a blade.

"You're wanted in the staff room," he said flatly. "Now."

The students nearby hushed instantly, the air thick with unspoken tension. I could feel the stares drilling into my back again.

Rumors were one thing. Being called into the staff room? That was blood in the water.

I adjusted my bag strap, straightened my shoulders, and walked toward the lion's den with a smirk tugging at the corner of my lips.

If the staff thought they could intimidate me… they were in for a surprise.

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