How will the first session with Sensei go?

Enjoy.

~~~~~

The next day was a hot one. It was going to be just brutal going forward in the day. After lunch it was going to be hot for three or four more hours before it died down. Mafuyu Kirisu took off her blazer as she ate lunch in the teacher's lounge. Treated herself to sushi today as an underclassman teacher sat down two seats away.

"Afternoon Kirisu." He greeted. Sitting himself down and going to some rice balls. 

"Afternoon. Okunya"

"Hot outside. And after this I got to see how the baseball team is holding up. How about yourself." 

"I have a tutoring session after school in my classroom. Then afterwards I'm going to grade papers. But question for you. Do you know a (FN) (LN)? A pitcher."

Okunya nodded. "Ah. Yes. I've talked to his former coaches and the coach here. Talented kid. He's nice. He's a gamer. But heard he got really hurt and no one has really heard much since. I know he had arm surgeries and the coaches rushed him. He wanted to win. Wanted to be the best and win for his team. He got all that, but I just don't know how he will manage. Two major ligament surgeries in the same places before your body stops growing? It's a lot asking of the kid. The pain. The feeling of next year you can't play."

"Pitching is an individual position but he's on a team. What happened when he watched?" She asked wanting to learn more.

"Surgery process is a year or a little more than a year. If there is a problem in recovery a year and a half. So after both surgeries he couldn't play. Can't throw a baseball or swing a bat. He could run, but that's about it. Pinch runner? Wasn't fair to him."

"Do you think he could recover Okunya?"

He sighed. "I don't know. I have doubt but I know he will lie about being in pain. Most players do. Medicine has advanced so far and so much. But how many years he has left I can't say. Could be three. Could be ten." He shrugged his shoulders. "He would need to be on a daily routine in season with exercises and stretches. Make sure his scar tissue doesn't tighten or crack. I'm not a doctor or a physical therapist. I haven't a clue."

"To me it seems over. Three surgeries at the same age."

"Three?" Pondered Okunya.

Mafuyu looked at him. He really was clueless. Maybe he doesn't know. (LN) could be hiding the fact from him. I wonder. "If he has a third is it over?"

"A very good chance." He nodded sadly. "He's a good kid. Thank you for helping him. Coach Rio and I agree that Shark is a good kid."

"Shark?" She pondered.

"We were playing the Waves this one game. (LN) was excited and a little hyper. Pitched the whole game, struck out ten batters, and he had on this bright smile like grin on his face the entire time. He went through those waters with a full teeth smile. We joked around and called him Shark. It's stuck the last two years."

"Interesting. Well I will keep that in mind. But I assure you I have expectations to meet. Does a pitch in the middle always get hit or do sometimes you get lucky?" Seems that she knows just a little about the game.

"In the middle once in a while you get lucky. But I would never recommend it." 

"If someone's GPA drops five to ten points in a week and see obvious decline or it a slump?"

"Depends. But I see where you are going with it. Do what you have to do. Shark is a gamer. He should be able to do it right."

"Indeed."

~~~~~

The final bell rings. You were jotting down two more notes from Ideka's lecture and wrapping everything up. You were one of the last in the classroom. Your buddies came up to you.

You friend Mika was hyped. "Hey dude. What are we doing afterwards? Diner? School pool?" 

"I can't guys. I got summoned to Kirisu." They all gasped. "What?"

"What'd ya do?" Cried Mora.

"Got to get my grades up."

"You're not failing right?" Asked  Shiki.

"No Shiki. I'm not failing. But I think there is something else. And with me not playing ball people are talking. You know this."

"Your arm will be fine. I'm more concerned about you getting thrown to green eyed witch." Said Mora.

"Mora witches are ugly. She's pretty actually. Wonder what she would look like if she smiled. She has this serious attitude. Hopefully its just a front." You put your bag together. "I got to head off so she's not waiting too long."

"See ya (FN)." Waved Mika.

"Bye guys."

Mika sighed. "Pray for that guy will ya. Can't play baseball, can't hang with us, grades dropping, and even though things are okay, you feel sorry for him."

"Yeah man." Agreed Shiki.

You look at your phone to see the time. There is little bit of room. Enough to grab something from a vending machine and get right to her classroom and long as nobody stops you. Going straight to the staircase to put the money into the machine to grab some water and proceed to Sensei's classroom. Standing near the door.

She took a look at the clock. "On time. As I expected. That's a positive step."

"First impression face to face like this needs to be a good one. Sorry if I pushed it a little. I wrote down a few more extra notes, told my friends I'm busy, grabbed a water, and now I'm here."

"So, Shark," Sitting down at her desk chair. "Pick a subject."

"You know my name?" That was a surprise to you.

"I'm a teacher. We can figure things out with time. And I also hate it when someone's strength or talent is wasted. If you were a healthy athlete your playing time is borderline in jeopardy. When you ditch talent there is no purpose." She wasn't trying to be scary. This was really just who she was. Not glaring at you at all. Her demeanor.

"I see."

"This is how I am."

"You're firm. I know. Is that why you teach History?"

"There is other subjects of course. You go by strengths  and what is available. I took an open position. That is that."

"Straight and to the point. Huh Sensei."

"We cannot have a wrong path based on emotions. It's that simple."

"That I can agree with. World History. Your class to start with. Shall we?"

"Let us proceed."

I got to just think around this. She is getting closer to my level. Understanding who I am. And yet I just can't fathom this. On what is going on? Sensei is just so hard to read.

~~~~~

Is she always this way?

-Rel