Chapter 3
Seated within the magnificent auditorium was the new class of freshmen of Rising Sun Academy. The students were seated facing the stage that had a group of individuals standing with large smiles on their faces. The man in the middle that even now was presenting the opening speech was the principal of the school. He was an elderly man with a kind face. His hair was nowhere to be seen, but rather than laugh at him the students were simply uninterested and ignored him.
Unlike their fully attentive and respected faces, most of the student’s minds were divided into two categories. The first category housed most of the females in the auditory, but there were some male participants as well. They were, without reservation, staring at a certain. They looked at the man like starving wolves ready to ponce on their prey. The second group similar to the first group also held hungry looks, but in this party, most men we the participants, but some women were also in the cahoots. They were staring at a certain strange woman who was not even on the stage. For some reason, this strange woman was lifting her feet slightly from the ground. She acted almost like the ground was her mortal enemy, which she did not want to be in contact with. Among the ones staring at her were the three that saw her a few minutes ago crossing the street.
Saito curiously whispers, “Hey Sayori, that's the woman who was holding the potatoes right ?”
Sayori answers in a similar whisper still not believing it. “Yeah, it's her. But why is she here? And why did she go in the opposite direction when she was supposed to come here?”
While asking this she slightly turns her head to see a heated and almost hostile stare coming from her usually apathetic and slothful brother towards the strange woman.
Sayori - “W-What the hell is wrong with you?”
Sayori, upon witnessing this expression on the charming youth, was so shocked that she almost yelled. If not for the fact that Saito nudges her on her side. Her reaction might have been even more explosive. Saito himself was stunned seeing his friend in that state. He had never seen anything like that from his mild-mannered friend. Even at home; when his sister yells and hits him to get up he doesn't show that expression.
“Did this woman come to his house and took his favorite pillow?” Saito questions himself. Almost certain that his deduction skills would shock even the great British detective.
Jessie, as if in a trance, did not hear his sister and best friend’s conversation and continues to stare at the woman’s shoes. He did not know what he was thinking exactly and the only thing that made him more confused was that he could not pay attention to anything else other than this woman’s slightly uplifted feet.
She still wore her 4-inch high jet-black heels that matched perfectly with her suit. Jessie knew that her sense of fashion was not why he was staring at her shoes.
While staring at her, unknown to him he asked himself the same question his sister asked: “Why did she do that”. Jessie was not a practical genius like his sister. Nor was a tactile genius like his father and best friend. But Jessie was almost able to feel another person’s emotions.
He read in books that he is what people call an “Empath”. He can feel the emotions of those around him to an unbelievable degree. This is why he, ever since he could remember, hated to be at school. All the negative emotions, he would feel would overwhelm his pure and weak heart. Making him exhausted and fatigued. The only time he did not feel others’ emotions was when he was asleep. This was also why he liked being around his best friend. That idiot was like a tall heater on a winter night providing a cold heart the warmth it desperately needed.
His ability is the reason why he was much more puzzled than his sister. When a perfect empath asks the reason why someone acted, it is not because he does know what emotions guided this person, it's because he couldn't understand how did these emotions derive this action.
Jessie can feel that she is happy right now, very happy in fact. But he can also tell that she is in so much pain that she could even place her feet on the floor.
The annual assembly continued. First, the principal spoke of his ambitions. Which were to help realize the dreams of the students. More than a principal he was like a kind grandfather looking at his grandchild saying he would do anything to help them accomplish their goals. Then it was the student council president. She was a senior at the school who acquired the highest results in every one of her classes for the three years she was there. She was a beautiful woman but her demeanor was strict and serious. This would make anyone who looked at her feel like they need to fix their tie rather than say, “Hello”. Then after many teachers spoke to encourage the freshmen. And the assembly ended. The assembly took more than an hour and a half to finish. Many students shifted themselves in their seats. Even the teachers were looking like they were about to die from boredom. But two things or rather two people did not change their positions. One was the teacher who kept her feet slightly in the air, and the second was Jessie staring at her shoes.
After the final speaker was done and everyone was dismissed they were to find their names on the board outside the auditorium and enter their homeroom class. This is where their schedule would be given.
Saito immediately stands up not used to sitting for such a long period, he stretches his whole body as a sprinter would before a race.
Sayori had a small hint of smile look at her friend's actions. Then she notices her brother was still not getting up.
Sayori - “Hey, we need to find out what class we have to go to.”
Sayori says was ready to pull, this sloth off his tree.
Jessie - “I’ll catch up with you too later. Go ahead without me.”
Sayori - “Hurry up then”
Still confused she leaves with Saito. Saito tries to whine that he doesn't want to leave Jessie behind was dragged by his collar out of the auditorium. Even though it looked comical someone over 6 feet tall was dragged by someone who was 5’7 since they were one of the last people out they did not attract any attention.
After believing no one was left in the auditorium, the strange woman with a gentle smile on her face looked up to see if there was anyone left finds a handsome student staring at her.
Strange woman “Ah, hello student do you need help finding your class? Let me help you. “
She says with a soft and compassionate voice.
As she is about to get up, the student interrupts her saying “Teacher are you in pain?”
Jessie himself finds this question useless. He knows she is in pain. She actually has been in pain for an hour and a half. However, not a single grimace was found on her face for the whole time. But as an empath, he was able to preserve it easily through her actions of lifting her feet.
This is why he did not know exactly why he asked this question, but he knew that he needed to stop this woman from standing up no matter what.
Upon hearing this question the strange woman smiles embarrassingly and says “Yes, it was not a good day for heels, hehe.”
As if recalling the events from early this morning.
Strange Women “Oh you were there when I was holding the sack of potatoes, huh? Yes, I am sure it looked weird, but I couldn't just leave that old woman by herself. So when I saw her my body reacted on its own. And I found myself taking the sack from her and walking to her store. Hehe, I am so dumb.”
She laughs at herself dejectedly then says. “Now I am in pain hehe.”
Jessie, who now knew the whole story, still could not react. He knew she helped someone, and he knew she was in pain. But where did this happiness come from?
He couldn't even stop his mouth from moving. “Why are you so happy?”
The strange woman looked confused, then with a slight tilt of her head asked in an equally confused voice, “Isn't it fun to help people?”
Jessie asked “What”
Then he felt her emotions she was not lying at all. She was genuinely happy to help others. Around her, he felt the positivity of her emotions. He unconsciously compared her emotions to his best friend and strangely they were even more positive. He has never seen someone with more positive emotions than his best friend in his life. Now all of a sudden this person existed. Being even this far apart, from her he could feel the positivity she radiated at him. He couldn't help but smile.
Jessie - “Teacher take my shoes.”
Strange Teacher - “ Huh, I can't take your shoes silly. What would you be wearing then?”
She laughs it off like the teasing of a child. But Jessie was serious. He did not have a deep plan yet he simply did not want to lose the positivity she was providing him.
Jessie - “Don’t worry teacher. I call my dad and I will take his shoes. Oh by the way my dad worlds here too. His name is Kuro Hasegawa. Oh and sorry for the late introduction. My name is Jessie Hasegawa, nice to meet you. “
Strange Teacher “Oh your Jessie Hasegawa. I am your homeroom teacher. Kaori Izo. You can just call me Izo-sensi or just sensei if you would like. Oh, you are also Kuro-san’s son. Your dad is the pride of our school. Hehe. “
Jessie was confused, “Sensei, how did you immediately know I was in your class.”
Kaori smiled brightly as if she was very proud of herself. “Of course, I spent all night last night memorizing the name of everyone in my class. It is my responsibility as your homeroom teacher for making you feel at ‘home’ when you are in your ‘home’-room class after all.”
Kaori continues, “Jessie-kun, I don't know how much you were listening to assembly, but your homeroom class does not change for the rest of your time at our academy. Evidence in education proves that learning in similar environments improves the student's overall learning.”
Jessie was momentarily stunned, she skips my last name and when straight to my first name.
“Sensei is it ok for you to go straight to my first name?”
Kaori - “Of course I refused to be so formal with my students. I was hoping that my students also call each other by their first names, but I cannot force you. But I will bring it up to the class when class starts.”
Kaori smiles gently. Talking about class, she looks at her wristwatch. “Oh my no we need to get to class it's almost 10.”
Jessie thought to himself “This person is way too cute, wait WHAT !!!!”
He then looks up at her urgent face and becomes quiet.
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