Makoto was the kind of teacher who faded into the background. Quiet and gentle one. He had spent months burying the feelings that stirred whenever his student Mano entered the room. He told himself it was admiration, concern, the natural affection a mentor feels. Mano seemed oblivious. She smiled at him the way students smile at teachers they like, politely, distantly. Makoto convinced himself the feelings would fade. They always did. Then came the day everything changed. Makoto accidentally discovered Mano’s secret. What he learned shattered his perception of her entirely. Her response was not an embarrassment. She smiled, that same angelic smile she always wore, and made her request. It was pure evil wrapped in sweetness, a demon’s demand delivered by an angel’s lips. From that day forward, Mano pursued him relentlessly. She invited, tempted, suggested scenarios that made his professional conscience scream in protest.
