Love is blind, or so some philosophers say.
And right now, Ryouko Mikado was starting to believe it.
She was twenty-seven years old, but her youthful looks made her easily pass for someone still in her early twenties. As an alien hiding on Earth, she'd been living under the radar, posing as a school health teacher while evading the watchful eyes of her superiors. She'd seen a lot during her time here—more than most humans could imagine. Compliments from students weren't unusual. Some were awkward, others oddly bold, but she always brushed them off with a calm, professional smile. After all, getting attached was never part of the plan.
But what Haruno said—so simple, so honest, and so innocent—hit her like a direct beam to the heart.
He wasn't trying to be charming. He wasn't acting with bravado. He wasn't even looking for a reaction. And maybe that was why it worked. Because when he looked at her with those wide, admiring eyes and said she was like something out of a manga, it wasn't a pickup line. It was genuine awe. Pure-hearted appreciation. And Ryouko… she didn't know how to handle that.
"What was that? Why did those words make my heart skip? I've been called beautiful before, but this... it felt different. Honest. Earnest. And those sparkling eyes… Is this what they call youthful sincerity? No, wait, why am I even thinking this way? I'm an adult. A teacher. An alien! Get a grip, Mikado Ryouko!"
On the outside, she kept her usual composed expression. But inwardly, she was scrambling.
She should've been thankful that her short hair still managed to cover her elf-like pointed ears—because if anyone had seen them, they would've spotted how brightly they were glowing red. Otherwise, everyone would've known just how flustered she really was.
"Ara… ara…" Ryouko repeated, a teasing lilt in her voice, but there was a flicker of something else behind her eyes— was a delight. Her smile curved slowly, that classic health-teacher grin she often used to defuse awkward moments… but this time, it wasn't just for show.
"My, what a bold thing to say so early in the school year. And to your health teacher, no less," she said, tapping her finger thoughtfully against her lips.
Haruno blinked, then straightened up a little, his face still red but his voice growing steadier.
"I'm sorry if it sounds bold, but… it's the truth. At this point, I'm actually excited to come to school. You're beautiful—not just in an easy-to-say way—and I really mean it."
He scratched his cheek awkwardly but held her gaze. "Ah… I just wanted to say that. Honestly."
"Oh, my… I'm happy to hear that. You're not secretly trying to raise my heart rate, are you? Because if so… I may have to turn the examination table around on you, Mr. Aizawa."
Her words were light, but even she could hear the slight tremble in her tone. She glanced away for a brief second, pretending to check a clipboard that didn't actually have anything written on it.
What's wrong with me…? Why is my heart actually racing like this? Ryouko glanced at Haruno from the corner of her eye, trying to keep her expression composed. Why does it feel like I'm a teenage girl all over again? And look at him—blushing, fidgeting, but still holding eye contact like he means every word… it's kind of adorable. So earnest, yet trying to act mature. She smiled softly to herself. Ehehe… I can't believe a student's compliment is making me feel this giddy.
Despite her efforts, the corner of her lips twitched upward again, and she shifted slightly in her seat, pretending to read over his check-up results to focus on something else—anything else—before her thoughts ran off the rails again.
"Ehem… I'm happy to hear that," Ryouko finally said, clearing her throat as she tried to calm the fluttering in her chest. "And if you really meant what you said, then… thank you. But remember, I'm still your teacher. You shouldn't go around teasing your elders like that, okay?" She gave a playful but gentle warning, tapping a finger to his forehead with a faint smile.
Then, composing herself, she added, "You should lie down for a bit and rest. Even if you're feeling fine now, overexerting yourself on the first day won't help anyone."
She knew he was perfectly healthy, but the soft, fluffy warmth that had bloomed inside her made her want to keep him close a little longer.
Huaaah… what am I even doing? she scolded herself inwardly. There's no taking it back now…
"Well… if you say so," Haruno replied, offering a small smile as he followed her suggestion without protest. Honestly, he didn't have any reason to refuse—especially not when it meant spending more time with someone like Ryouko Mikado.
Normally, he didn't like medical rooms. In his previous life, he'd spent more time than he wanted to remember lying in hospital beds, surrounded by sterile walls and cold silence. He had grown up disliking the scent of antiseptic and the clinical atmosphere. But somehow, being here—now—with her, all of that unease faded away. Just her presence seemed to soothe his nerves.
As Haruno lay back on the bed, Ryouko stood from her seat and quietly approached him. Then, without a word, she gently rested her palm on his forehead, softly patting it with warm care. Her expression had shifted—gentle, maternal, and strangely affectionate—as she looked down at him with eyes full of quiet emotion.
Haruno thought it was kind of nice—being treated gently, kindly, as if he really were just a normal teenage boy. There was a comforting warmth in the way Ryouko spoke to him, not unlike how a big sister or a young aunt might treat someone younger.
Still, he understood something important: in these kinds of stories, it was often the teenage boys who desperately tried to appear more mature to impress the older, beautiful women. But Haruno wasn't going to play that game. There was power in honesty. Sometimes, leaning into the role of the younger one made it even harder for the older person to say no.
'Maybe I can use a little of my past-life experience for this,' Haruno thought, casting a glance at Ryouko. In his previous life, whenever he wanted something from his parents—especially since he was already always sick—he had a way of asking that was impossible to refuse. A gentle tone, a bit of innocent pleading in the eyes, subtle body language… It worked like a charm back then. Why not try it now?
"Uhm… Ryouko-sensei," he began, voice soft and hesitant, like a polite child unsure of his place. "Is it okay if I… call you that?"
He looked up at her with sincere eyes, a faint blush on his cheeks. Everything—the tone, the gesture, the timing—was calculated, but natural. Not manipulative, just honest. It wasn't something an adult man could pull off. But a teenage boy with an open heart? That was another story.
For a moment, Ryouko blinked, caught off guard. Her heart did a little flutter again. Something about the way he said her name made it impossible to turn him down.
She looked away for a second, clearing her throat, then glanced back at him with a small, almost reluctant smile.
"…Fine," she said, crossing her arms but unable to hide the warmth in her voice. "But—only when it's just the two of us, okay?"
Then, with a playful glint in her eye, Ryouko raised one finger to her lips, tapping them gently in a classic shh gesture. "It'll be our little secret," she added, her voice dropping into a teasing whisper.
Haruno blinked, momentarily stunned by the sudden intimacy of the gesture. His heart skipped a beat.
Author Note
You can read 10 chapter at patr*on.com/Iam_HaremLover123