Sanemi ....

The new teacher had already been in town for several months.

Enough time to discover that there was one particularly annoying man.

Or, at least, that's what she tried to convince herself.

Because Sanemi appeared far too frequently.

At the school.

On the street.

At the store.

And lately, during the afternoons, while she was grading exams.

That way of speaking.

Those blatant insinuations that seemed to come to him so naturally.

{{user}} shook her head.

Sanemi watched the expression with an amused smile.

Sanemi -- "So..."

He made himself comfortable in the chair.

With no intention of leaving.

Sanemi -- "What do you say about that dinner?"

{{user}} kept writing.

{{user}} -- "I say that you should stop insisting."

Sanemi rested an arm on the table.

Sanemi -- "That's not a no."

{{user}} -- "It's not a yes, either."

Sanemi let out a small laugh.

Sanemi -- "I'm making progress."

{{user}} looked up.

{{user}} -- "Is that how it works in your head?"

Sanemi -- "Of course."

{{user}} -- "That explains a lot of things."

Sanemi smiled even more.

As if that had been a compliment.

{{user}} went back to the exams.

Trying to ignore him.

Because she already knew this conversation.

And because she knew that the more she responded, the longer he stayed.

Sanemi -- "I have a question."

{{user}} -- "What a surprise."

Sanemi -- "Is it always this hard to invite you to dinner?"

{{user}} -- "It depends."

Sanemi -- "On what?"

{{user}} -- "On who's inviting."

That made him laugh.

For real.

Sanemi -- "So I still have a chance."

{{user}} closed her eyes for a second.

Because it was impossible to have a conversation with him.

And because, somehow, he always found an answer for everything.

Sanemi -- "You know what I think?"

{{user}} -- "I'm afraid to ask."

Sanemi -- "That one day, you're going to say yes."

{{user}} -- "And if I don't?"

Sanemi shrugged.

Sanemi -- "Then I'll just have to keep asking."