Murai in Love (村井の恋)

French novelist Maurice Bedel once said,

"Love is the shortest path from one heart to another."

"A straight line."

FACULTY ROOM

Excuse me. Sensei, what did you need to see me about?

Seriously...

You've gotta cut the crap.

Murai, a 17-year-old high school student.

Has excellent grades but is a bit weird.

Tanaka, a 24-year-old homeroom teacher. Anxious to go home and play otome games.

Why couldn't you fill it out properly?

With your grades, you could get into a good college.

I did fill it out properly.

If you keep screwing around like this, I'm going to call your parents.

I have never, not once in my life, screwed around.

How can you say that with a straight face?!

CAREER PLAN MARRY TANAKA-SENSEI

Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that you're serious about this.

I can't accept it.

You know why, don't you?

Yes, I know.

The truth is, I'm confused myself.

This is the first problem I've encountered that I can't figure out with my head.

Here's my conclusion.

This emotion is impossible to control.

It is truly a once-in-a-century, once-in-a-millennium, love.

I just wanna go home and fawn over my fave.

- Are you listening to me? - I wasn't listening at all!

I understand how you feel.

But listen, Murai.

Here's the thing. I would never go for someone...

...in the 3D world...

...with long, black hair in the first place.

So will you think about your career plan seriously?

Thank you for your advice.

The following day.

Murai, do you understand?

This is an important period for you as a second-year,

as your scores in school will determine your career path.

Okay, let's start homeroom.

Yes, I do understand.

I believe I'm scoring higher than ever now.

I love you, Sensei. Please marry me.

Murai, come see me in the faculty room after homeroom.

With pleasure.

I'm a 24-year-old high school teacher.

People around me are always asking, "Don't you have a boyfriend?"

-Shut up. -

I'd rather spend my time and money on video games

than waste it dating some guy.

Hitotose!

Let me pray. I am so content.

I don't want a boyfriend. I don't want to get married.

This official pic is killing me.

I have him.

Tanaka-sensei, are you okay?

You've been frozen for two minutes straight.

You told me to come see you after homeroom, so here I am.

Wait.

Wait a minute. Wait... What?

He... He looks...

exactly like him!

Looking at him up close, he's the spitting image of Hitotose!

Sensei.

The distance between us is unnatural.

No. Get a hold of yourself. Calm down!

I'm just losing it because of that godly new pic, that's all!

Make sure you dye your hair back by tomorrow.

Calm down and look again. He looks nothing like...

-He looks exactly like him! -Why?

So, Sensei. Would you go for someone with short, blond hair?

Would I?! It's like my fave walked out of the game and into real life!

This isn't about what I go for.

Stop messing with me, will you?

I'm not messing with you. I truly am in love with you.

I'm dead!

Enough is enough!

I'm telling you this for your own good, Hitotose!

Who's Hitotose?

Now I'm dead.

What the hell is up with your hair?

KIRIYAMA (16) LOUDMOUTH

I thought you were going for TenTen's look!

I was rooting for you, you know?

HIRAI (16) SLEAZEBALL

It suits you somehow.

TenTen wasn't going to cut it anymore.

-The hell does that mean?! -Quiet down.

-Why didn't you tell me? Hey! -So, what happened, Murai?

-A little thing called love. - Love?!

Wait a minute! You know the concept of love?!

I've known it for quite a while.

For real?

Love? You're talking about L-O-V-E love?

Yes, L-O-V-E love.

So? Who's the girl?

Who is it? Who, who, who, who is it?

Tanaka-sensei.

Why do you guys look like that?

Murai, Murai.

There's no way you could be talking about Tetsuko, is there?

- Tetsuko? -Don't be stupid, Hirai.

I'm sure it was the autocorrect in Murai's head.

It malfunctioned and Tetsuko popped out, right, Murai?

What's Tetsuko?

Huh?!

The teacher of class 2-1, Tetsuko the Iron Mask.

She's your homeroom teacher. Come on!

She came in first on the ranking of Merciless Teachers her very first year!

And by the way, based on appearance alone, her BWH measurements are 30-22-32.

Not bad at all!

Listen to me, Murai.

As your friend, there's only one thing I can tell you.

Give up on her.

No.

You...

Winning Tetsuko's heart would be harder than winning Osaka Castle

during the Toyotomi regime. Do you understand that?

So what?

I'd defeat even Ieyasu Tokugawa in order to marry Tanaka-sensei.

Are you insane, Murai?

We're talking about the Iron Mask here. Snap out of it!

Such a mask doesn't suit her.

I'll throw it in a blast furnace along with the two of you.

Help!

We support you.

I am Tanaka, a high school teacher.

I have 20/200 vision. I usually wear contacts,

but my student has transformed into my fave and I'm about to lose it,

so no more contacts! I'll just wear glasses when I need them.

Okay, finals are coming up next week,

and those with low scores will have to take extra classes over the summer.

That's all from me.

No way!

Sensei.

There he is, the troublemaker boy!

What is it, Murai?

What is the schedule

-for the extra summer classes? -

The schedule isn't set yet.

Besides, I don't think it's relevant for you, Murai.

That may be, but since I am highly concerned about my teacher,

I'll attend the summer classes while staying on top of the college prep class.

That's admirable, Murai.

Too close, too close, too close...

-Thank you. -

A haiku from Tanaka.

Seriously no

Seriously no, for real Seriously no

Sensei. You've turned into the Buddha, Sensei!

I almost achieved enlightenment.

By the way, Murai.

What happened to your face?

Oh, it's from a fight I had with Tao.

Tao? Do you have a brother?

No, Tao is who I live with.

So cute!

Tao's front paws are both white, like he's wearing socks.

God, that's so cute!

This is a picture of Tao when he was a kitten.

Cute!

This is when he called me for the first time.

No way, that's too cute!

This is when Tao walked in on me in the bath for the first time.

So cute! So precious!

Cats have the power to save the world.

And...

And?

I love you, Sensei.

Huh?

Hey, Murai.

We were looking at pictures of Tao, weren't we?

How about you stay on-topic?

I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself.

A haiku from Tanaka.

I can't with this guy

I truly cannot with him I can't with this guy

Sensei, you've turned into the Buddha again. Sensei!

Murai in Love.

-Thank you. -

BATH

HAPPINESS

Huh?

- Murai? - Sensei.

What a coincidence! Do you come here often?

Why the hell are you here?

Yes, since I was little.

I feel relaxed whenever I come here. How about you, Sensei?

Me? I've been coming here since I moved back to town.

I went to college far away, so it's nostalgic for me.

BEER

At this distance, this'll be easy!

I'll go home before he has the chance to get any closer.

Sensei.

May I sit next to you?

What?

That's a bit...

A bit?

No, nothing. It's fine...

Wait, wait, wait!