Ficorpio
Chapter 1
My little sister got caught dating in high school, and I was summoned to school as her parent. I never expected her homeroom teacher to be the girl I had dated back in high school.
“Is dating young a family tradition in your household?”
“Not at all. Her teacher must be exceptionally good at guiding her.”
The retort slipped out before I could stop it.
The entire office fell silent.
Me: “…”
Wait. Ms. Hart, please let me explain!
If I had known I was going to run into Claire Hart today, I never would have rushed to school looking like I hadn’t shaved in a week.
The most embarrassing thing about seeing an ex wasn’t the encounter itself. It was realizing that she looked even more beautiful than she had back then while I hadn’t even washed my face.
“Are you Ivy Bennett’s parent?”
Claire’s voice rang out, clear and bright.
“I’m her homeroom teacher, Claire Hart.”
“…”
We had broken up several years ago, but surely she hadn’t forgotten me entirely, had she?
Claire and I had gotten together during our senior year of high school.
She was a straight-A student. I was barely scraping by. That year, she had dragged my grades up by a shocking amount, and in the end, we both got into colleges in the same city.
Unfortunately, her school was on the south side and mine was on the north. Even by subway, I had to transfer three times, and the trip took three hours round-trip.
Once she started college, she was busy running experiments with her professors and competing in academic contests. That left even less time for us.
We were young and stubborn then. We tossed the word breakup around far too easily.
In the years that followed, we remained in the same city but never crossed paths again.
I never imagined that when we finally met again, it would be under circumstances like these.
Since my sister had been caught dating, I was naturally at a disadvantage in front of her teacher. My manner became polite and respectful without any conscious effort.
“Hello, Ms. Hart. I’m Ivy’s older brother, Ethan Bennett.”
I had been sent to the principal’s office more times than I could count for fooling around when I was a kid, but this was the first time I had ever felt so awkward sitting in one.
The more I thought about it, the stronger my urge to strangle my sister became.
If it weren’t for her, would I have been reduced to this?
Our parents were both away on business trips. Otherwise, there was no reason I would have been the one forced to endure this humiliation.
The other student’s parents had arrived too, so it was two against one. I apologized repeatedly, but thankfully, they were reasonable people.
Chapter 2
Claire handed over both students’ report cards.
“They’re in their senior year now, with only a few months left before the college entrance exams. Their state of mind is very important. I’ve already spoken with both of them, and they’ve promised to focus on their studies until the exams are over and not let their relationship affect their grades. I asked you all to come in today because I hope the families can cooperate and guide them properly.”
I took the report cards and muttered under my breath, “I knew it. That girl’s been acting like she’s possessed lately, staying up every night doing practice problems. Looks like she really did inherit my habits…”
Claire paused.
Then, at last, she lifted her eyes and looked at me.
“Is dating young a family tradition in your household?”
What?
Why did that sound so insulting?
I met her cool, dark eyes. My mind went blank, and before I could think better of it, I shot back, “Not at all. Her teacher must be exceptionally good at guiding her.”
Silence.
The air in the office seemed to freeze. The other parents and several teachers stared at me as if I had just grown a second head.
Then I finally realized what I had said.
Oh, no.
“Ms. Hart, I didn’t mean it that way! Please don’t misunderstand!”
At that exact moment, the other student’s parents received a phone call and left first.
That left only Claire and me in the office, along with an atmosphere so painfully awkward I could hardly breathe.
I decided I should leave too.
Claire stood and walked me to the door.
Every step felt like torture.
When we reached the hallway, I thought I was finally free. Then Claire suddenly spoke in a flat voice.
“I never taught her to make the first move.”
As someone who had made the first move on Claire back in high school, I could only say, “…”
In high school, Claire had been the girl countless boys secretly admired.
I had been different.
I had admired her openly.
Everyone knew how much I liked her, and everyone knew how difficult she was to win over.
That was why so many people had nearly fallen out of their chairs when we actually started dating.
The way she looked at me now was exactly like the way she had looked when I first confessed to her: completely unmoved.
An inexplicable anger flared in my chest.
Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, “Ms. Hart, let’s be fair. I did chase you back then, but I was also the one who dumped you.”
I regretted the words the second they left my mouth.
She wasn’t my girlfriend anymore. She was my sister’s homeroom teacher.
What kind of death wish had possessed me to say something that outrageous?
Fortunately, my useless little sister finally appeared in time to save me from the disaster I’d created.
“Ethan?”
Chapter 3
So Ivy had been waiting outside the office all along.
I seized the opportunity. “There’s no need to walk me out, Ms. Hart. I’ll have a quick word with Ivy, then leave. My friend’s waiting for me at the school entrance.”
Without daring to look at Claire’s expression, I grabbed Ivy and hurried her around the corner into the hallway.
She gave me a puzzled look. “Why are you so nervous?”
I reacted like she’d stepped on my tail. “Who says I’m nervous?”
Ivy rolled her eyes. “I’ve known you for seventeen years. You think I can’t tell?”
She glanced back toward the office. “Ms. Hart isn’t that scary, is she?”
“…”
“Ivy Bennett, you’re the one who got caught dating behind everyone’s back. Instead of feeling guilty and reflecting on your actions, you’re standing here giving me attitude?”
“But didn’t you date in high school too?” she shot back. “I don’t remember you feeling guilty or reflecting on anything.”
Thanks. That nearly gave me a heart attack on the spot.
My face went blank. “And now karma has come for me. Your homeroom teacher is the girl I dated back then.”
Ivy stared at me.
Then stared some more.
Her expression twisted into one of pure anguish. “I’m doomed! You had your fun and dumped her, and you never once stopped to think about what that might do to your poor sister!”
“…”
Getting caught dating hadn’t frightened her this much.
Besides, how was I supposed to know Claire Hart would end up becoming my sister’s homeroom teacher?
…
The moment I left the school grounds, I climbed into the car parked by the curb.
My friend Noah Reed glanced over at me. “Well? Did the homeroom teacher tear you apart?”
We both happened to have the day off, so we’d gone out for hot pot. Afterward, he’d driven me straight to the school.
I collapsed into the passenger seat, feeling as if life had lost all meaning.
“No. It was ten thousand times worse than that.” I stared lifelessly ahead. “Her homeroom teacher is Claire Hart.”
Noah gave a casual, “Oh.”
Three seconds later, he shrieked, “What the hell?!”
I clapped my hands over my ears, but he yanked one of them away.
“Claire Hart? Claire Hart? The girl you dated back in high school?”
I answered with a miserable grunt.
Noah covered his mouth. “Oh, Ivy is screwed. Her brother dumped her homeroom teacher. How is she supposed to survive the rest of the school year?”
I turned to him slowly. “Does nobody think I’m the one suffering here?”
“Suffering, my ass.” Noah rolled his eyes. “You managed to win over the untouchable ice queen, then dumped her. Who could possibly have had it better than you?”
“…”