「16:02」

I'm waiting outside the main gate.

Ma'am Iris refused to go out of the school with me.

She said I should wait when she leaves and just follow her towards the fast food chain.

We shouldn't be seen as purposely going somewhere together.

I've been waiting here for almost thirty minutes.

I'm getting bored.

“!”

Oh. She's finally here.

She glances at me first before stopping a tricycle for a ride.

It's an empty tricycle. There's no passengers inside.

Hence ma'am sneakily points at the seat behind the driver. She wants me to sit there.

Fufufufufufufu.

I will sit beside you inside though.

“!!”

“Hello po ma'am...”

I whispered and I saw her swallow.

“What are you doing here?”

She whispers back.

“You'll treat me right?”

“I said that yes, but I told you to sit ther—”

“Where are you going po ma'am, sir?”

“McDo.”

The driver suddenly asked so ma'am became slightly flustered.

“Okay po.”

“Fufufufufu.”

Ma'am Iris glares at me.

“So, what kind of meal you'll treat me po ma'am? Expensive?”

We are stuck in red light and the silence is awkward so I started a conversation with ma'am.

“Do NOT talk to me mister Reverren.”

She is holding her voice back.

“Why? It's so awkward to just sit here in silence ma'am.”

“No it's not. We don't know each other and we just happened to be in the same tricycle.”

“You're my math teacher and homeroom adviser. No way we do not know each other.”

“Can you just not? I'm just going to treat you, that's all. No need for a conversation.”

“Speaking of, why did you wanna have an after school date with me all of sudden?”

“No!”

“Ma'am?”

“!”

“Fufufufufu.”

Ma'am suddenly raised her voice so the driver turned to her inquiring if there's a problem.

“No it's nothing.”

“Okay po. We're almost there po.”

It's green light now. So the tricycle moves again.

“This ISN'T a date mister Reverren.”

“Sure. So why did you invite me on a date?”

“You! Are you listening?”

“Please don't answer me with another question ma'am.”

“I... Haahh~”

She exhales while closing her eyes to calm herself down. She looks noble doing that.

Her profile view is bloody amazing.

“This isn't a date. I just wanted to end our relationship once and for all. And this is also a form of apology.”

“You wanted to start a new relationship with me?”

“No way. Just student-teacher relationship.”

“Ohh. I thought you wanna be friends with me.”

“No. We can't do that.”

“Hmmm. Boyfriend-girfriend then?”

“NO!”

“Eh? Ma'am?”

Oh hell. She looks mad this time. It's not seen on her face but I can feel she's mad. Or at least triggered.

“We're getting down.”

“But we're not there yet ma'am.”

The driver is confused.

“We're going down.”

“Okay po.”

Ma'am Iris hands him fifty peso bill then immediately walks down the tricycle after receiving her change.

She didn't even wait for me and started walking away.

I follow her.

“Wait po ma'am.”

“Do not walk by my side mister Reverren. Kindly keep your mouth shut.”

“Alright po ma'am. I'm sorry. I was just teasing you.”

“Kindly shut your mouth.”

“Ma'am—”

“Shhh.”

“Wel—”

“Shhhh!”

She speeds up her steps.

I follow her from behind.

I keep my mouth shut until we're on a street with not much people in it.

“Well ma'am, I'm sorry for teasing you like that. I'm just trying to close the distance between us.”

“There's no need for that.”

She didn't turn around but still replied.

“There is bec—”

“Just why are you so eager?”

She stops then she turns around to face me.

“What's your true motive? Just tell me and I'll see if I can help. You're my student anyway so it's my obligation to help you.”

“How distant. There's no such thing like that. My intention is pure.”

“Why? Pitying me or what? Don't be condescending. I don't need you to care for me.”

“No. I don't feel any pity for you po ma'am. Do you really wanna know why?”

“...............”

“I'm just friendly. And like what I said, you want it too.”

“No I do not. What do you know about me?”

“You aren't cold like what you seem to be. That you actually want a companion.”

“No—”

“You keep asking me po for the reasons behind my actions. Why don't you tell me yours? Why are you so against it?”

“I already said this and I'm going to repeat it for the last time. We're teacher and student mister Reverren. We're members of each other's opposite sex. It is not appropriate!”

“...............”

“My reputation and image as a teacher will be damage if I have a close relationship with my male student. It's not just mine, but yours too. It's indecent mister Reverren. Kindly think about the consequences of what you want.”

“It's just an excuse.”

“No it's not.”

“Then why are you not looking me in the eye.”

“I am.”

“You are looking at the center of my eyebrows.”

“!”

“See?”

“So? Just follow me and eat. Then that's the end. We'll remain as just student and teacher.”

She turns around and keep walking forward.

“You keep saying ‘indecent’, ‘inappropriate’ and whatever... Is that your definition of friendship?”

She didn't stop nor respond.

I take off my uniform putting them inside my bag.

“Are you having indecent thought when I am asking you to be friends with me?”

“!”

She stops walking.

I stride towards her.

“Are you assuming po that I'm asking you to be my fuck buddy?”

“!!”

She turns around jerkily.

“Mind your words mister Reverren! I'm your teacher.”

“We are not at school. We're just man and woman in the street Iris.”

“You can't disrespect me like that.”

“Hmmmmmmmmmm.”

“...............”

“...............”

“What?”

Fufufufu.

“Well, let's continue with our date now.”

“What? No! Hey mister Reverren— Don't grab me— I'm warning you!”

I am walking while holding ma'am's right forearm. And she's struggling to get away from me.

“Stop...!”

There are people looking at us so mom became quite reserve.

“I am not letting you go Iris.”

“Don't be intimate with me. You're just my student.”

“Sure.”

“Let go!”

She's getting frustrated.

“I won't.”

“I don't want to be friends with you. Are you going to force me to do so?”

“No. I mean, you want it too after all.”

“Don't gaslight me. I don't want to be close to you. You're a jerk!”

“Oohh.”

“What?”

“You just cussed at me. That felt nice. Can you do it again?”

“W-What? No! Just let me go. I will not treat you anymore. I'm going home. And don't you dare come to me tomorrow for whatever reasons.”

“Aren't you my teacher? Are you going to neglect your duty?”

“You! You don't even need any help.. You're just making excuses to come to me.”

“Exactly. So you can see the effort I put just to befriend you after all? Fufufufufu. That's great.”

“I don't want to.”

“Like what I said— hmm. Even so actually, then I'll just make you want it. I'm very charming anyway.”

“No!”

“Fufufufufu. We'll see—!!”

Eh?

Not good.

I hug ma'am Iris immediately to push her onto the ground.

“Wha— What are you doing?! Let g—”

*BANG!*

That's the sound of gunshot.