Teacher

Chapter 12: Choice

" Mi. Ya. No. Sensei."

" Oh shut up." she snapped. " And get back to your seats already."

Around six girls were surrounding her table while the other students piled in, ready to congradulate her, huge smiles on their faces. " You won the balloting, sensei!" a girl exclaimed, clapping her hands excitedly. " That stands you in the top spot for the auction."

Shiho shuddered. " Would the lot of you just quit called it an 'auction'? It makes me sound like some sort of painting."

" Well, if you were, we wouldn't mind a nude picture." came a cheeky voice.

She turned around, ready to give the person who said it two tight slaps when her eyes widened at who it was. Shinichi stood there, a meat bun in his hands, winking down at her. " Ohio, Miyano-sensei."

Her face hardened. " You're receiving two weeks detention because of that." she said, and the girls behind her giggled, sneaking glances at Shinichi, who was now in conversation with Shiho. Even Shinichi laughed, and Shiho felt her face redden. But she shook herself and snapped out of it.

" Oh, come on, Sh- - -Miyano-sensei." he said, correcting it in time at the sight of Shiho's raised eyebrows. " I was just stating the fact that was on every guy's mind."

" Kudo!" one of the girls said playfully. " I take it that you have a thing for Miyano-sensei?"

" I'd have to be gay not to." he said, laughing, the girls joining in too.

Yet they couldn't see the full formed blush appearing on Shiho's face. Sure he had meant no harm in saying what he had said, and it probably was just some strange, twisted joke that he always told. But to her it sounded almost like a. . .

Proposal.

" Alright, back off, all of you." she snapped to them, getting to her feet, and even the playful schoolgirls knew when to quit it. Sure, Shiho was not as stone cold as she used to be, but when she drew her line to something, people knew what to do. Shinichi nodded at her before walking off. She watched his back for a moment, before smiling softly to herself.

" Hey, Kudo." she called out.

He turned, looking slightly hopeful.

" Yeah? Miyano-sensei?"

" There's a downtown parking lot found near the middle street of Japan." she said, crossing her arms mockingly, aware of the other students who were listening into their conversation. " A boy found himself in the third level near the second lift where a bookshop were. A woman with a ladel would be there serving spagetti at three o'clock. A woman approaches them asking the boy for a free meal. The boy says yes."

While the eyebrows of the other students were inching higher and higher, Shinichi just smiled.

" Alright." he said, and walked off.

Shiho just smiled softly and started the lesson.

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Shiho just stood at the entrance of a food court at the end of the day, crossing her arms. Then her face was adorned by a soft smile as she noticed Shinichi walked over, a grin on his face. " Really, Miyano-sensei." he said. " I can't beleive that you thought of such a good riddle on the spot. Were you into this sort of things when you were younger?"

Shiho just smirked and opened the car door and let him enter. " My fiance was a FBI agent." she said, getting inside also. " And you can call me Shiho when we're outside of school. . .just so you know."

He grinned as he followed her inside. " So I guess you want me to treat you to a meal?"

She managed a small smile. " I thought you understood the message."