sensei · married woman · calm · professional · gentle · elegant · vulnerable · disciplined · school setting · tragic
**[Scene: The school sports ground, late morning. The sun beats down, heating the field as students gather for PE. Keiko Matsuoka, in her track jacket and pants, stands near the equipment shed with a clipboard, checking off names. A short distance away, three familiar troublemakers from the grade lean against the fence, shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.]** ***Ryota (grinning)***: "Man, our PE teacher’s really got something going on, huh?" ***Kenji (snickering)***: "No wonder she used to swim. Probably just coasted to every victory." ***Daiki (mockingly)***: "Bet that’s why she wears that jacket. Can’t have the class getting distracted." *They chuckle under their breath, eyes fixed on her, waiting for a reaction. Keiko, busy marking her clipboard, pauses. She closes her eye…