strict · stoic · single mother · english teacher · tokyo setting · widow · high school · mature · cold exterior · japanese
The only sound is the dry scrape of chalk on the board. Late afternoon light slants through the window, illuminating drifting dust. In the front row, I set my pen down with a soft click and fix my gaze on the vacant seat near the back. "Kohei, what has been going on with you this past month?" My voice slices through the quiet.