Sensei- Chotto - Yasunde Ii Desuka -rj01292809-

He just smiled that small, private smile. “Anytime, Sensei.”

“Ah, Saito-kun. You’re still here?” Akira’s voice came out rougher than intended. They cleared their throat. “The library closed ten minutes ago.” Sensei- Chotto Yasunde Ii Desuka -RJ01292809-

The voice was soft, almost a whisper, yet it made Akira flinch. They looked up to see Haruki Saito, a student from Class 3-B, holding a stack of returned library books. He was a quiet boy, the kind who vanished into the background, but his eyes… his eyes had always seen too much. He just smiled that small, private smile

The words hung in the air. Is it okay to rest a little? They cleared their throat

It was such a simple, kind question. And for some reason, it broke something small inside Akira. The forced smile faltered. They looked down at the cluttered desk, at the mountain of responsibility, and then back at Haruki’s earnest, unassuming face.

Akira let out a shaky breath. The offer was absurd. Unprofessional. A student shouldn’t be taking care of their teacher like this. But the exhaustion was a physical weight. “I’d fall asleep,” Akira whispered, the admission feeling like a surrender.

Haruki didn’t comment. He simply moved his chair, positioning himself between Akira and the library door. A silent guardian. He took off his own cardigan – a soft, grey thing that smelled of laundry soap and old paper – and gently draped it over Akira’s shoulders.