Author's Notes: I do not own Jigoku Sensei Nube. Believe me if I did it would have been Nube and Ritsuko. Period.
Ritsuko Takahashi sighed as she was checking her papers of her students. Back to work again. She apparently wished it was summer and just go to the beach along with Nueno and-
She shook her head lightly. No she can't think of him. She had to move on actually. He didn't choose her. He had chosen Yukime. But every time she sees him she just wants to escape somehow. Her feelings for him had gotten stronger that she doesn't know how to deal with it and face him. Every time he gets near her she always finds an excuse to run away. She smiled to herself thinking she had somehow overcome his ghost stories and is not affected by it anymore. But actually she just misses him.
She misses how he teased her about his ghost stories and slaps him afterwards telling her those scary stuffs. She missed his blushing face and how his demon red eyes shyly look at her when they are talking. She missed his presence even if their table is just next to each other basically because she doesn't talk to him like the usual anymore. She sighed more. It was getting harder each day. She had thought something silly like asking him to use his demon hand on her and erase her memories. But she doesn't want to forget about him. Even if he had chose Yukime she wanted to love him secretly.
The faculty room's door burst open as Nube, Tamamo, and Nube's students went in. It was lunch time and she noticed they had a very nice conversation. Tamamo had become a teacher in their school too which wasn't difficult for him to get the job and noticed that he and Nueno had become close along with Nueno's students. She went back to what she is doing as Nueno had placed his stuffs on his desk. Noticing Ritsuko his eyes softened. They haven't talked for a while and he didn't force her to talk to him even if he had looked stupid in front of her. But Ritsuko just wouldn't give him a chance and he doesn't even know why.
"Neh Nube", Kyoko, one of his students said and glanced at Ritsuko. She mouthed the words "Greet her" to get rid of the awkward silence. He nodded slowly wishing that would work.
"A-Anou Ritsuko-sensei konnichiwa", Nube said with a slight laugh. Ritsuko looked at him smiling wryly and went back to whatever she was doing. Not another word again. Ritsuko what's wrong? It's getting harder each day the silence between us.
"A-Anou Ritsuko-sensei we are planning to have an outing. Do you wanna join us?" Hiroshi said out of the blue. Everyone looked at him blankly and said in unison "E-Ehh?" Kyoko whispered to his ear, "What the heck are you thinking?"
"Trust me", he replied back. The orange haired gal just pouted.
"An outing huh", Ritsuko said tipping her head to the side. "When and where exactly Hiroshi-kun?" she added with a smile. Nube blushed slightly. She still had that effect on him without her knowing it.
"We have a rest house in a certain mountain. We can use it. Let's say let's go…"Hiroshi looked at his teacher and Nube just blinked his eyes. "Tomorrow! Yeah that's right tomorrow! It's Saturday anyway. What do you say Ritusko-sensei?"
Ritsuko gathered her things with a smile. Lunch time is almost over and she wanted to go to her class before the bell rings. "Tomorrow is fine with me. You'll be going neh Tamamo-sensei?" Ritsuko said as she passed the group.
"Uh hai Ritsuko-sensei. Will definitely do", Tamamo said as he looked at Nube. Nube just shrugged.
"Then I'll see you all later. Classes are about to start", she added as she exited the door. Everyone sighed.
"Nueno-sensei just what the hell is going on", Tamamo said after Ritsuko was out of sight.
"I don't know Tamamo. She hasn't talked to me for a week now. If we talk it's just casual conversations or if it's school related", Nube sighed as he added, "She isn't scared of my ghost stories even. It's so unlike her".
"Nube-sensei, Ritsuko-sensei might be hurting you know. After all she did have feelings for you", Miki began. They all looked at her.
"Oi Miki don't say that", Kyoko said astonished.
"I think Miki is right Kyoko", Hiroshi added. "Ritsuko-sensei was just strong enough to accept rejection". He looked at his teacher with a guilty smile on his face. "Nuubbbeeee you better do something about it tomorrow. You only have one chance to make things right again".
"You know Yukime is gonna kill me and I don't want things to get complicated", Nube said sighing. Tamamo smiled and said, "I'll handle that". He touched Nube's left chest and enchanted something, a small light enveloping Nube's chest.
"T-Tamamo what the hell are you doing?" Nube said, scared on what his friend is doing to him without his consent.
"There. It's done", Tamamo released his hand that is on Nube's chest and crossed his arms. "I put a spell on you so that Yukime can't track you but that won't last long. Two days Nueno-sensei. You have two days to fix this mess".
"Hontou ni? Arigatou gozaimasu!" Nube exclaimed as he hugged the fox. His students laughed.
"O-Oi chotto people might have the wrong impression", said a flustered Tamamo. Nube looked at his students and nodded.
"Everyone thank you for the support I will definitely fix this problem between Ritsuko-sensei and me".
"That's right! That's our Nube! Go get her sensei!" Miki said as everyone laughed. Outside the door of the faculty office the green haired lady was listening to their conversation very well. Her mind was elsewhere as she decided to go to her students' classroom.
/
Nube sighed as he was tired from today's activities. Thank God it's Friday anyway. It was already passed 5p. knowing that he'll be the only one in the faculty room he thought he could spend time alone there. But when he opened the sliding door of the faculty room his heart almost stopped beating when he saw Ritsuko. "Hello Ritsuko-sensei". Ritsuko glanced at him and smiled. A fake smile again. How long are we going to pretend Ritsuko? "I thought you'd be gone home by now. You usually go home early before 5:30p.m."
"I had so many things to do but I am quite tired", Ritsuko replied simply without looking at him. Nube placed his stuffs on his table as she added. "I'm preparing my stuffs to leave actually. We do have an outing tomorrow".
"Then I'll walk you home".
"E-Ehh?" said the green haired teacher as her eyes finally look at him. "You'll walk me home?"
"Hai. I won't let you go home by yourself. Who knows what mystery stuffs are out there", he added as he too gathered his things. Pretending she didn't know about the spell that Tamamo had placed on him in order Yukime can't track him she said, "Yukime will be looking for you". He stiffened as he continued to arrange his things.
"She won't. Tamamo placed a spell on me for the meantime so she couldn't track me down".
"I see", was her simple reply. Smiling at her he said, "Let's go". She only nodded to what he said as they walked out of the faculty room. He hoped he'll kill the awkward silence along the way.
/
He knew it. He knew there would be an awkward silence along the way. He doesn't like this at all. He cleared his throat, trying to converse with her. "Lately you are not scared of my ghost stories".
"People change. They had to get over of stuffs that make them weak", was her reply. Nube's forehead creased.
"I don't think being afraid of ghost and supernatural stuffs makes a person weak Ritsuko-sensei. Everyone is afraid of something".
"Well I do and it's better that way". Relieved that they are near to her house she turned to him and bowed. "Arigatou for walking me home". Without looking at him again she turned away when he suddenly grabbed her hand. Her heart had skipped a beat.
"Ritsuko", he said softly slightly wrapping his arm around her waist. "Whatever I did that made you stop talking to me for the past week I'm sorry. I'm sorry". His other hand was wrapping around her waist now and it was wrong it was so wrong but she loved him. She always had and it was one thing she wanted to get rid of: her feelings.
"This is nothing it'll past", was all she could say.
So cold. Her words are so cold towards me. "I missed you", he whispered in her ear. "I really do".
"I'm sorry", she broke off from his embrace and started running. "I need to go". She quickly went inside the gate of her house, opened the door and closes it. Leaning her back on the door she didn't notice the tears running down her face. She hugged herself and started to break down crying hard like she never did before. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Nube".
To be continued…
Author's Notes: Rated M or not on the next chapter? Confused much.