Chizuru had noticed throughout the day following her talk with Hijikata that some of her teachers were acting somewhat concerned, and they seemed to know something. She had the uncanny feeling that she knew what they’d been told when Nagakura-sensei had handed her a note while passing out a handout with his phone number and instructions to call or text him should she need anything, and Harada-sensei looking over at her every once in while during their lesson, reminding her of a worrying older brother. Her confusion turned to caution when attached to her literature handout was a sticky note to once again see Hijikata after the end of class.
Dread pooled in her stomach as Chizuru noticed how closely the minute hand on the classroom clock was to the next hour and the class’ dismissal. Sitting next to her, Ryunosuke didn’t miss her anxiety and offered to wait in the hall for her, but Chizuru politely refused his offer. It wasn’t long at all until once again she found herself in front of the teacher’s desk while the rest of her classmates had gone. She pushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear before addressing Hijikata, “Sir, is this about yesterday?” she asked tentatively. Taking a seat on the edge of the desk Hijikata folded his arms over his chest.
“Yes,” he started. “First, I would like to apologize if any of your other instructors have been acting out of sorts today; I think you can guess why. After our talk yesterday a few of the staff and I had a meeting to discuss your situation.” He paused when he saw her shifting on her feet. “Yukimura?”
She looked down, probably embarrassed that more adults knew her father had left her alone her entire high school career so far, “…Yes?”
He offered her a small smile, “Only Harada, Nagakura, Sannan and Kondou know of this; trust me, they won’t tell anyone else. We talked about it for a bit, and we reached a… solution, I suppose you could say?”
Chizuru glanced up at him with a hint of curiosity, “Solution?”
He nodded to answer her, “It’s completely up to you and it’s legal.” Hearing that, he could see Chizuru trying to think of whatever he was about to propose. “I understand if you would like someone else or no one at all but would you want to come live with me?”
Hijikata watched as her head snapped back up and her eyes widened; she clearly hadn’t been expecting that. “Live with you?” she repeated back to him, seemingly uncertain she’d heard him right. He nodded to confirm it, “More or less we all agreed that you shouldn’t have to spend this year by yourself, and especially not with university right around the corner; family is an important part of someone your age’s life right now. Of course you can always go back to your house if you want to; Nagakura and Harada are willing to come over and check in, and we can help you with preparing for entrance exams, applications, and the like. Toudou, Okita and Saitou still come to me to check their essays, so you’d be able to get back in touch with them as well.”
Chizuru took it all in slowly; her teachers were so worried over her? She felt heat rise into her cheeks at their thoughtfulness and at the seemingly unanimous decision they’d made to be her new family. Her father had left her with a big and comfortable house, but it felt much too empty with only her living there. She looked back at the man in front of her, his head tilted a bit as he waited for her to give him an answer. “Are you sure it’s okay? I don’t want to impose…”
‘Considerate as always,’ he mused. Hijikata offered her a small smile, one she knew by looking at it that he was amused by her. “Yukimura, I wouldn’t offer if it wasn’t alright.” He could see the relief his answer gave her, her tensed shoulders that he hadn’t seen rise were lowered with an easy breath. She seemed to be putting some thought into the offer, and pressed a finger to her lower lip in thought. After a few moments of pondering, Chizuru looked back up at him.
“When?” Her eyes looked hopeful when she uttered the question, as if no matter when she was moved, she would accept anyway. Hijikata gave her a slight shrug before offering an answer.
“As early as you like. You wouldn’t have to pack everything since you can still go to and from your house as needed. Kondou-san already had the office staff give him your emergency contact form during lunch so that I can put my information on it if you decide to do this.”
Chizuru ran one of her arms up the other before grasping a bit of her blazer’s sleeve, “…I would like that very much, Hijikata-sensei.” She gave him a little smile and he knew she appreciated what he was doing. He cleared his throat before jotting down his phone number on a nearby note card.
“We can get you settled in this weekend, if you want,” he told her, offering her the card before continuing. “If Saturday afternoon works for you, give me a call whenever you’re finished packing and I’ll come pick you up.”
Tucking the note card into her pocket, Chizuru gave an enthusiastic nod before pausing and putting a finger to her lip, “Um…doesn’t my emergency contact form need two contacts? I don’t remember who my second one was…”
Hijikata nodded as his student brought it up, “It does; however, your second contact is a Dr. Matsumoto, I’m assuming he’s a family friend?” he paused to see Chizuru nod before continuing, “Whom after calling, Kondou-san found he hadn’t heard your father was out of the country and that Dr. Matsumoto wasn’t even aware he’d been listed as a contact. Once Kondou-san gets the form to me, I’ll ask him or Harada-san if they’d be willing to be your contact.”
At that, Chizuru felt a grin tugging at her lips as a wave of warmth spread through her chest. “Oh, earlier today Nagakura-sensei told me to call him if I should ever need something…” she wasn’t sure if she was telling him or reminding herself of that fact, but the warm feeling continued to spread through her; it was an odd feeling to know her teachers cared so much for her they would readily adopt her as family. Hijikata hadn’t realized how much time had passed since he’d last glimpsed his student this content, but the sight was welcomed one; she seemed overly pleased with his offer, and that thought let him ease the tension that had a hold of his shoulders. At least now he wouldn’t have to tell the others that he’d been rejected by their favorite student; who knows how long they would’ve teased him about it.
Chizuru opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by a knock at the classroom door. Calling for whoever it was to enter, Hijikata watched as the door slid open and Kondou poked his head in, the older man’s eyes settling on Chizuru. “Ah, Yukimura! Good afternoon!” The excitable principal walked into the room with an air that told of a good mood; in his hands was a file, presumably containing Chizuru’s paperwork.
Said girl bowed to the new arrival as she reciprocated his greeting, “Good afternoon, Kondou-san.”
After the new addition to the room, Chizuru excused herself to go home, and after some parting words and a reminder from Hijikata to call him if she would need to, Chizuru practically skipped out of the school (almost colliding with Sano, who had just finished coaching the track team, on her way out). The redheaded P.E. teacher watched his favorite student make her way off campus, and had a feeling he knew why she was so happy.
Making his way up to the girl’s classroom, he knocked on the open door. “So, how’d it go, Hijikata-san?” Said man had been filling out a form (Sano assumed it was Chizuru’s) while speaking to Kondou in a low voice.
“Ah, Sano! I was just about to come get you. Track went well?” Kondou walked over a clapped the redhead on the back. The cheery principal lead Sano into the room while said man raised a brow, “Practice went fine, now what did you need me for?”
Hijikata stood from his chair behind the teacher’s desk, “Yukimura’s emergency contact sheet needs two new contacts—I filled in one of them—and Kondou-san and I were going to ask if you would be willing to fill in the second.” Sano’s brows rose in pleasant surprise, “Of course! Should I assume that Chizuru accepted, then?” taking up the pen from his colleague, Sano filled his information in on the form. Approaching footsteps clicked down the hall and into the classroom, accompanied by a loud voice.
“Hey, how’d it go? Did she say yes?” Shinpachi strut into the room, a tabloid with the latest horse races tucked into the hip of his pants. Clapping Sano on the back as he came near, the math teacher nearly caused the redhead to botch his address on the form. Hijikata had to resist the urge to sigh, and instead opted to sit on one of the desks in the front row.
“This is crazy…” he mumbled, raising a hand to his forehead to cover what felt like an impeding migraine. Shinpachi looked between him and Sano, who was finishing filling out what he recognized as a student’s emergency contact form. The math teacher barked out a laugh, “Oh my—I can’t believe she actually said yes to this!” Another chuckle passed the brunette’s lips before he paused and looked at Hijikata, “Nothing against you, of course!!” Shinpachi quickly added, waving his hands to quell any offense Hijikata may have taken. This time, Hijikata did sigh, and Sano knew from the sound of it that the literature teacher was tired.
Kondou took a seat on the desk next to the one Hijikata occupied and clapped a hand on the younger man’s knee, a good natured chuckle rolling over in his throat, “Don’t worry, Toshi; you know we’ll help you.” He knew all was well when he glimpsed a smirk on his colleague’s lips, and a glint of humor in those purple eyes.
“That’s why I’m worried. Yukimura isn’t used to so much attention at home, you lot will probably spoil her.”
A chuckle shook Sano’s chest, “And are you not planning to spoil her, Hijikata-san? Whether she likes it or not, Chizuru just agreed to us practically being her big brothers, so now it’s our job to spoil her.” Before Hijikata could reply, the room was filled with the sound of Shinpachi snickering. Sanosuke cracked a smile as the snickers slowly became hearty laughs. “What on earth has gotten into you?”
Doubled over, Shinpachi’s shaking form gripped a nearby desk for support; heaving to catch a breath he finally shouted his answer;
“SAN-BRO-SUKE!” it seemed that after answering, the math teacher could only laugh harder at his own joke, and he pounded his fist on the desk a few times as the hysteric laughter continued, and Sano snorted at his best friend’s antics. Hijikata shook his head at the bad joke and rose from the desk. As he took a step toward the door Kondou caught his shirtsleeve. “Hm?”
Kondou offered him a reassuring smile, “Toshi, stop worrying. You’ll be fine.” After a nod from Hijikata, Kondou released the man’s sleeve. Just as Hijikata was exiting the room, Kondou called after him, “I mean it, Toshi. I’ll bring over dinner for the two of you this weekend.”
