Chapter Nineteen: Matsushita Kazuo Amidst Joy and Sorrow

Just as Aoki Tsukasa entered the classroom, Maeda Tora hurried over to him, respectfully greeting, "Boss!"

Huh? He got a haircut?

Aoki Tsukasa was startled by Maeda Tora’s new look. The flaming red hair that once billowed behind him was gone, replaced by a shaved head identical to Aoki’s own.

If Aoki’s shaved head made him look fierce, Maeda Tora without his dazzling red hair seemed unexpectedly honest and good-natured. He resembled a monk more than a delinquent now.

Scratching his head, Aoki Tsukasa set his backpack aside, took his seat, and propped his chin on his hand, puzzled. “Why did you shave your head too?”

“Boss, didn’t you tell me to get rid of the red hair?” Maeda Tora touched his bald scalp, a smile of admiration spreading across his face. “I’ve thought about what you said for a long time, and the more I reflect, the more sense it makes. To follow in your footsteps, I have to hold myself to your standards and become a true delinquent!”

“Uh…” Aoki Tsukasa laughed awkwardly. He’d only meant for Tora to dye his hair back… But he figured revealing the truth now would be troublesome if Maeda Tora were to break down, so he chose instead to nod with feigned satisfaction. “That’s right. How do you feel about having a shaved head?”

Maeda Tora rubbed his scalp with a look of contentment. “Without hair in the way, my movements feel more agile. I definitely feel stronger!”

“Exactly!” Aoki Tsukasa suppressed a laugh and steered the conversation elsewhere. “Have there been any rumors about me lately? On my way here, I ran into a group who turned away as soon as they saw me.”

Maeda Tora pondered for a moment before replying, “Hmm, maybe word got out about your one-against-ten fight the other day. It’s not surprising—someone as strong and imposing as you, Boss, is bound to attract attention and rumors.”

Excitement crept into his voice. “By the way, Boss, the friends who used to hang around with me all want to follow you now. Could you take them in?”

Aoki Tsukasa smacked his lips in thought, then nodded. “If they can accept the conditions I gave you, it’s fine. Of course, you’ll need to keep an eye on them for me. If they use my name to bully others or extort protection money, warn and discipline them on my behalf, and don’t let them follow me anymore.”

“Yes, Boss!” Maeda Tora’s expression grew slightly troubled. For people like them, Aoki’s terms were pretty strict, and he wasn’t sure his friends could accept them. Still, the Boss’s rules must be wise and meaningful—Maeda Tora would not dare alter them, though he felt he hadn’t yet grasped their full significance. He nodded and returned to his seat.

Aoki Tsukasa bit his finger and connected his phone to the internet—before the Kasugano couple left, they’d given him a generous sum of money, officially for a week’s worth of meals, but in reality, it far exceeded any reasonable living expenses. It was likely meant for him to buy things he liked.

He’d protested that he didn’t need it, but the Kasugano couple insisted. Given his current penniless state and the uncertain future of any part-time job, he had no choice but to accept it. He would think of a way to repay them once he found the rumored five-thousand-yen-an-hour job.

He never forgot the care and support the Kasugano couple had shown him, a delinquent with no relation to them.

At last, with this money, he could give his phone a data plan!

His fingers flew across the screen as he focused intently on browsing part-time job listings.

“Fried chicken shop… only thirteen hundred yen an hour. Waiter… eleven hundred. Dishwasher…”

The more he looked, the more his head ached.

Only jobs with high technical requirements, like bartender, reached around three thousand an hour—still far from five thousand. The sole listing above five thousand yen was at a film studio, seeking young female high school students… It was obvious what that was about.

“How annoying…” Aoki Tsukasa muttered as he browsed job ads, lips pursed and brows furrowed.

His irritation grew until he finally locked his phone and tossed it into the desk pit, picking up his textbook to read instead. His brow slowly relaxed.

Reading really does bring happiness.

Watching his experience points inch upward, Aoki Tsukasa smiled broadly.

On the podium, Matsushita Kazuo, who was teaching the lesson, caught sight of Aoki Tsukasa smiling at his textbook and was suddenly filled with immense pride: Who could say I’m not a capable teacher? Even a student like Aoki Tsukasa is focusing on his studies. I truly am a standout in this profession!

Ha! When I return to the office, those colleagues who mocked me will have to reconsider!

He remembered how, after being unable to utter a word in front of Aoki Tsukasa last time, he’d been laughed at by the other teachers in the office. Now, Matsushita Kazuo was so moved he nearly wept, and began reading the textbook aloud with newfound vigor, startling the students who were still paying attention.

But before Matsushita Kazuo could savor his triumph, Aoki Tsukasa let out a sigh, set his book flat, and took out his phone again.

Matsushita Kazuo’s teaching faltered. He turned away, his spirit sinking: Never mind… It seems I’m really not cut out to be a teacher… A student like Aoki Tsukasa is beyond me… I should give up…

Thus, the students who had just been surprised by Matsushita Kazuo’s passionate recitation were now further astonished to find his voice dwindling.

At last, Matsushita Kazuo slammed his book down, turned his back to the class, and spoke with a hint of a sob in his voice: “Today… today’s Japanese lesson… you’ll study on your own. Shinmi, I’m leaving it to you!”

With that, he carefully hid his tear-streaked face and ran out of the classroom, shedding tears as he did. His heart was in torment, and he once again began to regret his career choice.

Only then did Aoki Tsukasa look up, belatedly surprised: “Eh…? Another self-study session… I wanted to listen to the lesson. Honestly, I should have waited to check for part-time jobs. If I’d paid attention to the lesson, I might’ve gained some experience…”