Chapter 34: Beautiful Professor

The guy named Ryu Yu caught sight of a figure flitting in through the door and quickly shut his mouth.

I saw the smiling expression in Ryu Yu’s eyes instantly go slack as he stared toward the front. His mouth hung slightly open, a line of drool trickling down the corner of his lips. I hastily nudged him, whispering, "What’s wrong with you? Snap out of it—why are you acting like a fool?"

"A beauty! The goddess of my dreams!" Ryu Yu said excitedly under his breath.

What? Is it really that exaggerated? Just then, the instructor at the front cleared her throat and said, "Hello, everyone. I am Shuyan, the advisor for Marketing Class 5. It’s a pleasure to meet you all!"

A particularly familiar voice reached my ears. Only then did I raise my head to look toward the front. That single glance scared me so badly that I instantly ducked my head back down! Wasn’t this the very same shrew who had walked in on me taking a shower yesterday?! How could I be this unlucky—meeting her again, and having her be my academic advisor of all things?! What was I supposed to do now? Given her fiery temper that day, it’d be a miracle if she didn’t torment me to death! If I had known, I never would have stayed in that damn faculty housing area. If I had rented an apartment outside, how could there be so many problems?

Unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret in this world. The fiery woman named Shuyan spoke in a crisp voice: "Everyone has come here from all over the country. Next, let’s each give a brief self-introduction so we can get to know one another and build mutual understanding. Alright, let’s start from the first row!"

Damn it, there’s no hiding now. What was this evil woman going to do to me? Beat me up black and blue? The moment I recalled that fatal kick she aimed at my groin yesterday, my legs turned to jelly. Before long, it was this kid Ryu Yu’s turn to go up and introduce himself. Running up to the center of the podium, he looked around at everyone and said coolly, "Hello everyone, my name is Ryu Yu, from Kyoto! I’m very glad to meet you all, and I hope to become your most trusted friend and partner over the next four years! Of course, I also hope to offer my heartfelt devotion to Professor Shuyan—Professor, could you tell me your phone number?"

The crowd below started hooting and hollering. Shuyan gave a gentle smile and replied, "Of course you can have my number—though my phone is only turned on when I’m on campus!" Naturally, everyone caught the meaning behind Shuyan’s words and burst out laughing. That kid Ryu Yu slunk back to his seat in disgrace.

"Boss, it’s your turn! Go tease the female professor—don’t lose face for us guys!" Ryu Yu egged me on.

Tease her?! Wouldn’t that be poking a tiger’s tail? I’d end up getting my little brother kicked into oblivion by her!

"Who’s next? Hurry on up!"

"Boss, she’s rushing you! Hurry up! You’re not getting weak-kneed just because you saw a beauty, are you?" Ryu Yu urged.

"Screw you, who’s weak-kneed?!" Cursing at Ryu Yu, I slowly stood up and walked toward the podium. Shuyan had her head down, looking at the roster in her hands. When she raised her head toward me with a face full of smiles, she visibly froze on the spot. Awkwardly, I used one hand to scratch my head while using the other to guard my crotch just in case. "Professor Shuyan... my name is Fuitsu, from Tokyo," I said sheepishly.

Shuyan’s slender willow-leaf eyebrows twitched, and she wrinkled her nose, asking, "You’re that national top scorer, Fuitsu?"

"Yes, yes, that’s me. Please guide me well in the future, Professor!"

"Fine! I’ll give you some ’guidance’ right now!" With a fierce shout, she unleashed a powerful kick straight at me—aimed dead-on at my lower body once again! I really admired my own reflexes now; having been on guard from the very beginning, my hand was already protecting the spot, and I hadn’t let my guard down for a second even when she tried to lull me into a false sense of security. Quickly protecting my lower half, I managed to catch her incoming foot in the nick of time.

Seeing how fast my reaction was—not only dodging the kick but actually catching her foot—Shuyan turned bright red from the embarrassment. Letting out a cry, she ignored the fact that one of her legs was caught by me and charged directly at me anyway! A fast and ruthless fist slammed hard into my body. A wave of sharp pain surged straight to my brain, and instinctively, I pushed Shuyan away. Because I used too much force and her center of gravity wasn’t stable to begin with, my push sent Shuyan falling backward, a look of panic flashing through her eyes.

Damn it, why was I born so soft-hearted?! Seeing the panic in her eyes, my heart ached for her. Leaning my body forward, I instantly grabbed her around the waist. Being caught by me and seeing me wrapping my arm around her waist, Shuyan’s wild temper flared up again.

Reaching out, she grabbed my clothes and yanked hard. Since I was already leaning forward, my center of gravity was unstable as well; pulled by her, I collapsed right on top of Shuyan—and my lips landed squarely against her delicate lips without missing a millimeter!

From the moment Shuyan first attacked me, everyone’s eyes had been glued to us. In the end, my wrapping an arm around Shuyan and her pulling me down looked to the class like Shuyan was actively embracing me.

By the time our lips locked together, everyone’s eyes were wide with shock at the scene unfolding before them. Feeling the softness of Shuyan’s tender lips against mine, a flutter rippled through my heart. Realizing the astonished gazes of the crowd, I quickly scrambled up off of Shuyan. Covering her mouth, Shuyan scrambled up right after me.

Ryu Yu was the first to snap back to reality. Giving me a big thumbs-up, he took the lead in clapping. With someone leading the way, everyone else started applauding us too, the underlying meaning obvious to all. Many of the guys looked at me with faces full of envy. Unable to take a scene like this, Shuyan grabbed my hand and dragged me running straight out of the classroom!

She didn’t let go of my hand until we reached Sanshiro Pond. Breathing heavily, her chest rising and falling rapidly, Shuyan clenched her teeth and glared at me furiously.

"What did you drag me out here for?!"

"For what?! You bastard, you pervert—you take advantage of me and then ask me what for?!"

"Damn it, you wild woman! Which time wasn’t it you who picked a fight first?! Striking out at the drop of a hat—where are your manners?!" Since I had already offended her anyway, I didn’t care about throwing more oil on the fire. Worse comes to worst, I’d just ask the President to transfer me to another department!

"You...!"

"What about me?! The first time, you were the one who barged into my dorm room unannounced and saw my entire body! I was generous enough not to settle accounts with you, yet you hurled insults at me. And this time, if you hadn’t hit me first, would any of this have happened?! Let me tell you, don’t think you can bully me just because I look easygoing. Let me tell you—no way!"

"You...! You still dare to bring up yesterday?! You bastard, you actually did that kind of thing to me, you..." Shuyan’s originally pretty and sexy face was completely red right now—not the rosy blush of bashfulness, but a deep crimson flush of pure rage, like a volcano ready to erupt at any second.

Worried, I asked, "Why did you drag me out here anyway? You’re not planning to silence the witness, are you?"

"Why?! Every time I run into you, nothing good ever happens! After you did something like this to me today, what do you think others are going to think?! Before tomorrow, this whole incident will spread across the entire university! How am I supposed to teach at Tokyo University after this?!" The more Shuyan spoke, the more agitated she became, finally rushing forward, grabbing my collar, and roaring at me.

Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I pried her hands off and said with a look of complete innocence, "Who told you to hit me in the first place? Besides, it’s not like I did it on purpose! Who knew it would be such a coincidence that I’d kiss—no, not kiss, but bump into your lips?"

"I don’t care! You have to give me an explanation today!" Seeing me dodging responsibility, Shuyan panicked and grabbed my collar once more.