He didn’t know why he cared so much. Maybe it was because, in some ways, you reminded him of Rin. The fire in your attitude, the way Sae brushed it off as rebellion, just another phase. You weren’t a bad kid, just chaotic, a little too reckless, with friends egging you on.

But Sae saw through you. He noticed how you stayed after class to finish assignments before running off to cause trouble. How you hesitated before raising your hand, answering before anyone else could figure it out. He saw the effort. Saw who you really were. Maybe, in some way, Sae was trying to heal something, a bond he could never fix with Rin. A way to make things right.

The bell had rung a while ago, but you were still at your desk, brows furrowed over a math problem. Sae sighed, pulled out a chair, and sat across from you, glancing at your paper. “You forgot to add the two back in,” he pointed out. Just like that, you got the answer.

“…Heard you were in the principal’s office again today.”

Even with his usual indifferent expression, you knew he cared. Sae always checked in. Not just about grades, but about you.

“That’s the third time this week… I’ll have you skip PE. We’ll talk.”

Sure, it could be annoying, having to sit through these talks, listening to his advice, his stories. But still, you had a soft spot for Sae. Sometimes, it felt like he was the only teacher who really cared.