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๐
Interview pt. 1
ft. Y/n’s side
” Girl I don’t know why I’m leaving “
–
It took many stalling, (sacrifices) risks, (of death via homework) and the tears of students to get a very certain pair together after painstaking weeks. And when they did, everyone was internally sobbing tears of joy.
The relationship that had a rocky startโ screw that, it was so jagged that the sailing ship almost split in half and got swallowed up by the abyss, was now flowing smoothly.
For now, at the very least.
A cycle of mundane days continued like that for the next while. School, discreetly interact in their workplace as if the whole building didn’t know them, come home, and the occasional affectionate moments in between. Kunikuzushi’s definition of affection seemed to be something along the lines of pinching her nose and block her airway for a good two seconds to get her jumped up on her feet, taking something and turning a blind eye to her frantic searching, kindly informing her that she looked like shit that dayโ and more. Many more.
Every story comes to an end. And if this was how the rest of hers would unfold before she finally had somebody to write the ending period down together, maybe this ending wouldn’t be so bad.
A throbbing sting from her forehead snapped Y/n out of her trance. “What are you thinking so hard about? Don’t strain your brain by doing things you never do.” So much for a romantic cafe date. Eyebrows furrowing, she protested and rubbed the sore spot where he flicked at. “Ugh, I can never find a cute romantic moment with you!!” She complained with a glare. He rolled his eyes and lurched forward again, shooing her hand away.
“It’s not even reddening, stop overreacting.” Rubbing the barely noticeable spot with the pad of his fingers, Scaramouche sighed before leaning back into his seat. Y/n stuck her tongue out and sulkingly took a sip from her drink.
After an eventful February and her birthday fiasco that felt like eternity, the next month finally arrived. Her current classes also changed as the semesters changed. Technically, it was supposed to change in between late January and early February, but the staff shortage and the play this year delayed things. After bombards of complaint emails from parents, the district finally began to move its gears again. Seeing her very first classes in this school, that left her with a gift she would never be able to forget was bittersweet. Someday, those immature children would be leaving wearing graduation gowns. Most of them, who she would likely never see again.
“…How did you feel when your first class’s semester ended?” She leaned into her palm, eyes softened. Kunikuzushi raised a brow and pondered back through his memory. “I bought myself two bottles of wine to celebrate my freedom from those brats.”
“Hey!!!”
He snorted, shrugging. “I wasn’t all giddy and up in cloud nine like someone. This was my goal, which I achieved on my own will. Whether it be my first or sixteenth class, my job is my job.” The response was simple and almost cordial, but there was an underlying tone in his words. The h/c haired teacher picked up her fork and nibbled at her nearly-gone dessert again. “But it was your very first, wasn’t it? There gotta be something you remember about them.”
His indigo irises stared up at the lights of the cafe while leaning his back onto the chair. “Hm. Who knows? It’s barely been three years since I began actually teaching. Come to think of it, how did you even become a teacher?” Y/n gave him a deadpan stare. “Is that supposed to be an insult?”
“I mean everything as an insult to you. That aside, I thought you were on your way to some top college master degree six-billion volunteer hours doctor the last time I saw you. Getting paid to teach students how to make fancy lines on paper isn’t something I ever saw you doing.” He admitted, arms folded. At that, Y/n had nothing to say. She cleared her throat, strumming her finger on the table in thought. Where to start everything was the real question.
After a few more seconds of contemplation, she opened her mouth. “Lots of things happened right before I graduated. You graduated a year before me, so you wouldn’t have known anyways.” She shook her head. “I know. I overheard when you got invited over to the witch’s house for dinner when they first moved in.”
“Don’t call your mom a witch, Kuni.” Y/n sighed in an exasperated tone. Casting her a what’re you going to do about it look, a very familiar stare she’d seen plenty in their school, he reached in for a sip of his own drink. After taste testing his coffee when their orders came out, she nearly shed tears of disgust. Her quoteโ ‘That tastes like all the sins in the world. Are you trying to self-atone for an unforgivable deed???’
“…But yeah. I’ll tell you in detail sometime.” His gaze relaxed more, but he quickly looked away. “Nobody told you to rush, dumbass.”
The cafe wasn’t bustling, but there were the occasional sleep deprived college students glued to their laptops and notes. After meeting everyone and coming here for a quick drink and laugh, this place had many fond memories too. Turns out memories were’t just things that seeped out of one’s mind, it smudged onto places and everywhere it first bloomed in. “Seriously though. You should sit down and have a serious talk with Ei one of these days. Both of you aren’t getting anywhere by avoiding each other like the plague.”
Y/n saw a ghost of Kabuki whenever he flinched while being caught mid-act of doing something wrong whenever she managed to jab her companion where he wasn’t expecting it. He didn’t respond, eyes averted. “Using your neighbour’s house as refuge can only get you so far, dear roommate. Don’t pretend you didn’t notice Ei glancing at your direction in the teacher’s lounge every morning nowadays.”
“….” Scaramouche scoffed and one shotted the rest of his drink. “Why does she want to care now? Because I don’t whine and tug at her sleeves like a brat anymore?” He scowled, brows furrowed harshly. His companion exhaled through her nose, tapping a finger on her cheek in thought. “..It’s not my place to tell you to forgive her or not, but I think you guys should at least try to talk it out. Miscommunication ruins more relationships than actual fights.” She sipped on her drink that was beginning to cool down.
“There’s nothing to misunderstand between us. She showed her distaste for me early on, and I caught on too late. Now we both have our own lives.” Y/n recognized the familiar defensive state he posed, and her eyes softened slightly.
“I’m sure she has things she needs to apologize for. But if you’re so hellbent on hating her like you say you do, how come you’ve never refused when I dragged you over to Ei’s house whenever we got invited?” She cocked her head to the side, observing his reactions. He tensed. “…You still have a chance in trying to mend things, you know.” She added in a breathy tone, staring at the cup in her hand.
Scaramouche blinked and allowed his arms to fall on the table. He clearly knew her situationโ experiencing the death of one parent and the other being fresh out of the psych ward, how was her situation any better than his? And here he was, grumbling and complaining as though she had seen lovelier things… Cursing over his word options, he was interrupted by Y/n snorting softly. “I can basically read your thoughts. Don’t worry about me, we’re talking about you here. Dummy.” Poking his forehead teasingly, Y/n brought her hands back to her lap.
“I’m not exactly over my situation either. Maybe, I’ll never be. But I think I’ve only recently realized,” Pausing, they made eye contact again before she continued. “โGetting over something doesn’t necessarily mean completing stepping over it, and forgetting it was even a part of your life. It’s just learning to live with it as a part of you, and just getting used to it to the point it doesn’t bother you anymore.” She smiled again. Not that airy, half empty grin she wore as if wearing a mask during the plague. But that smile that spun his head around in that disgusting, mushy way cheap romance novels described it.
“Maybe two people who’re neither over their own problems wasn’t exactly what was for the best… But we’re stuck with eachother now. Like it or not, thanks to someone’s heartfelt confession that made me feel like a movie character~”
Before she could speak any further, a spoonful of cake was shoved into her agape mouth. Scaramouche turned his head around, grumbling. “You’re going to grease the place up and set it on fire with how corny you’re being right now.” He complained, clicking his tongue. Y/n realized what just happened and chuckled, taking the fork from his hand. “You’re one to talk. Want me to recite what you said onโ”
“Gah! Just shut up and eat!!!”
He buried his face between his hands and ruffled up his hair while she laughed.ย
Meanwhile, the phone zooming on them from the window across was shaking from the sheer pressure the holder was receiving. “Hey, hold it steadier!! I can’t see.” Hu Tao complained, snatching the phone from the snowy haired male’s grip. “What was I supposed to do? There’s like seven people all staring at lil ol’me!”
“Be quiet, Itto!!”
While the said student was sulking, the rest all focused back at the scene unfolding ahead of them. “Um… Hu Tao?” Yanfei sweatdropped. The brunette hummed, obviously distracted. “Gimme a moment! Oh my goodness, she’s feeding him~!”
“Hu Tao. Look behind you.”
Pouting, she teared her eyes from the screen and twisted her upper body around. She almost leaped up into the air and screamed, but Yanfei knew what was coming and placed her mouth on top of the brunette’s. “M-Mr….” An almost serene smile was resting on his face. Everyone else felt a cold sweat dribbling beneath the back of their shirt. “Good evening, everyone.”
“Ahahaโ Mr. Zhongli! What brings you here today~” Hu Tao shoved the phone into her pocket and grinned. The said teacher was staring into the window with an unreadable expression now. “I see ms. L/n has attracted quite the fan crowd.” He hummed.ย Scratching her cheek awkwardly, Hu Tao glanced back at the window. The two were still blissfully unaware to what was happening outside. Well, maybe mr. Raiden was, and already planning on how to cook them alive tomorrow. “I haven’t talked to ms. L/n for some time now. I believe there must be much to catch up on. Now off you guys go.”
Everyone looked at each other, sweatdropping. Wellโ turns out the math teacher would be getting his hands full with meeting his future in-law..?
Before anyone knew it, the brunette teacher had already stepped into the cafe.
โ
When Scaramoucheโ Kunikuzushi agreed to come to the cafe with Y/n after their work ended, he really didn’t plan on getting interviewed. Mr. Zhongli was a name he was familiar with due to a certain someone’s endless rambles that included the said professor in many of her stories. He sounded like a respectable person who was the closest thing to a parental figure in her life, so he didn’t plan on making a bad impression.
What was supposed to be a quick catch-up turned into an hour long Q n A, and the cafe closed during that time. Eventually, the conversation moved to their shared home.
“…I see.” Closing his eyes, the taller male nodded solemnly in understanding. Y/n stared in disbelief next to her partner, jaw about to drop below their chairs. The Scaramouche that wasn’t hesitant to drop a colourful word bomb in front of anyone, sarcasm his mother tongueโ was acting like a dream son-in-law right now. A polite smile on his face, hands respectfully placed on his lap or on the table. Where was this man hiding all along during the time she knew him!??
“And I do not mean to pry too much, but the topic has indeed circled my mind for quite some time now.” The pair watched as he raised the teacup and took a small sip before placing it down. A smile of his own decorated his lips.
“….Roommating between a young lady and a young man with no official papers, that began with him barging into her home. In this day and age.” That smile didn’t seem so serene anymore. Y/n mentally cackled, throwing a smug look towards her right side. Kunikuzushi didn’t look phased, only kicking her foot beneath the table. “How did that work out in the beginning?”
The art teacher snorted and stood up. “I’ll go pull out some snacks from the pantry.” Like that, she left her oh dear boyfriend all alone at the mercy of mr. Zhongli.
Seeing two of her favourite people in the world in one place undeniably made her happy. Not to mention, Scaramouche was behaving himself! Although, almost terrifyingly well. He would have made bank if he went into the acting industry. With both the face and talent.
She expected that with mr. Zhongli’s unsettingly calm way of prodding, he would be nervous by now. So, she mercifully returned to the dining tableโ more than ready to see an amusing sight.
……
This guy was scary.
“Haha, of course. It’s my pleasure.” The blue haired male smiled, placing his tea down. Contrary to her expectations, they were getting along surprisingly well(?).
“Alright, alright, break it up, you two.” She set the tray down with a light clatter and poured tea into the cups. “I’m starting to feel like I’m intruding on something.”
Scaramouche shot her a sharp glance, clearly done with the subtle interrogation. “You were the one who left me here with him.”
Zhongli, ever calm, chuckled lightly. “I merely wanted to better understand the young man my dear friend speaks of so fondly.”
Y/n nearly choked on her tea. “Wait, fondly?”
The older teacher nodded. “Oh, yes. You’ve often mentioned him during our conversations, though not always in the most flattering of lights.”
Scaramouche’s lips curled into a smug smirk as he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “Oh? So you complain about me behind my back, huh?”
“More like venting,” Her response immediately shot back. “You’re lucky I have a saint like Mr. Zhongli to listen to me.” Zhongli sipped his tea and observed them with the faintest hint of amusement. “It is clear the two of you share a unique bond.”
Y/n snorted. “Unique is a polite way of putting it.”
Scaramouche, ignoring her, turned his attention to Zhongli with an unreadable gaze. “You’ve known Y/n for a long time, haven’t you? She always talks about how you helped her through some tough times.”
Faces softened at the memories that flooded the air. “Indeed. Y/n was a remarkable student from a young age. Her resilience and creativity have always been her greatest strengths.” He turned his gaze to her, and she squirmed slightly under the weight of his praise. “Although… She did have her fair share of interesting moments as a child.”
“Okay, okay, let’s not make me blush in front of this guy,” She muttered, jabbing a thumb toward Scaramouche. “And save those embarrassing memories for the holidays.”
Scaramouche snickered. “Too late for that.”
Before Y/n could retort, Zhongli smoothly interjected. “In any case, it is heartening to see her with someone who clearly cares for her, even if his way of showing it is… A little unconventional.”
Scaramouche bristled slightly, unsure if that was a compliment or a thinly veiled jab. “Unconventional works for us,” He said curtly. “Indeed,” Zhongli replied with a knowing smile.
The rest of the evening passed in a surprisingly pleasant blur. Zhongli shared stories from his own teaching experiences, and Y/n chimed in with her own anecdotes, occasionally dragging Scaramouche into the conversation. Despite his initial discomfort, Scaramouche found himself loosening up, even laughing at some of Zhongli’s more absurd tales.
As the clock ticked closer to midnight, Zhongli rose from his seat and prepared to leave. “Thank you for the hospitality, Y/n. And you, Mr. Kunikuzushi, for indulging an old man’s curiosity.”
Scaramouche nodded, a bit stiffly. “It was… interesting. Thanks for stopping by.” Meanwhile, his partner crossed her arms with a raised brow. “You’re barely in your forties, pops. A bit too young to be talking like you’re a dinosaur, don’t you think?”
Once the door closed behind Zhongli, Y/n turned to Scaramouche with a mischievous grin. “See? That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
He groaned, flopping onto the couch. “He’s like a corporate job interviewer that talks like everything’s good at the interview, but the afterward email finds you like a dead man.”
“Years of practice,” she teased, plopping down beside him. “But honestly, you did great. I’m impressed you didn’t throw any sarcastic remarks his way.”
Kunikuzushi smirked, resting an arm over the back of the couch. “Give me some credit. I know when to behave.”
“Rarely,” She quipped, leaning against his shoulder. He rolled his eyes but didn’t move away, letting the comfortable silence settle between them. “Thanks for putting up with that,” The art teacher murmured after a while.
Scaramouche glanced at her, his expression softening. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t get used to it.”
But from the way he rested his chin on her head, it was clear he didn’t mind at all. Suddenly, an idea popped into her mind. “Hey, we should visit Ei and Miko one of these daysโ”
“No.”
โMaybe they still had some steps left to go.
โโ
A/n MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONEEE notes is officially like a chap or two away from being over now TwT
Ill be posting side stories when i get the time, but the rest of my fics thats been gathering cobwebs and dust will be getting most of my attention for next year. That being said, i hope everyone has a wonderful christmas and a happy new years ๐ค
Depending on my schedule, notes sequel might actually happen with a very different plot line from what I originally planned. Take it as a grain of salt as I have a habit of talking big and forgetting half the things i said
And yeah, just some domestic fluff as apology for that ridiculously long waiting stage
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