Seishun Shiteru Kai!
by Azuki Ryou
Ran in Ribon from November 1998-August 1999
Vol. 1 released June 15, 1999
Vol. 2 released October 15, 1999


RikaUsami Rika is a 16-year-old who just returned to Japan after graduating from university in Australia.  She has started teaching English at Shishimaru High School to students her own age, and she is very idealistic and outgoing, and often seems to be more naive than her students.  This story is about her trying to make her students enjoy their youth and help everybody be good friends.  Her nemesis is the top student, named Sahara(he also happens to be the nephew of the principal) who, though he is very smart, also is very manipulative and enjoys playing with people.  He can't understand Rika because she is so genuinely concerned with other people and their feelings, and so tries to make her bend to his will, using the students under his control(which include Ookami, his ?friend?) and Jimiko, another top student who's very shy and always looks worried.  When Rika tries to be his friend instead of resenting him, Sahara doesn't know how to deal with her.  Rika also brings back two kangaroo kids, Girl-ko(the aggressive female) and Kantarou(the very submissive male) which help her against Sahara, who has a phobia about them.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3  Part 4 Part 5 Part 6  Part 7  Part 8  Part 9

Karen Duffy, the same wonderful person who translated the first chapter of Jeanne, has also translated and posted all 10 chapters of Seishun Shiteru Kai! on the Web-yeah!  It is at:
http://www.ncn.com/~excel/KDs/Enjoy%20Your%20Youth/Online-EnjoyYourYouth.html

Seishun Shiteru Kai Gallery
Seishun Shiteru Kai Omake Page
SaharaRight: Sahara
Part 1 (November 1998): Usami Rika is a 16-year-old who just returned to Japan after graduating from university in Australia.  She has started teaching English at Shishimaru High School to students her own age, and she is very idealistic and outgoing, and often seems to be more naive than her students.  Her first day, she meets Sahara, who's in her class and seems to be the model student, and Ookami, who causes trouble in her class.  Ookami is actually 17, but was held back.  In the first chapter, we see Sahara giving money to Ookami, and though Rika thinks it's for a good purpose, it seems very suspicious.  Sahara seems to have some kind of control over Ookami and the class co-president, a girl with glasses called Watanuki.  Watanuki tries to steal(I don't know if she does or not) answers to one of Rika's English quizzes, and Rika sees her being shouted at by Ookami.  She 'saves' her, but both Ookami and Watanuki run away when Sahara shows up.  Rika asks him if he knows anything about those two, and tells him that she saw the money change hands earlier, at which point, Sahara kisses her and then says: If you don't tell anyone about the money, I won't tell about a teacher kissing a student.  Sahara is also the president of the school's nephew.
 OokamiLeft: Ookami
Part 2(December 1998): The students still have a hard time treating Rika as their teacher instead of their classmate, and Rika is distracted by worries about Sahara & Co.  While alone with Sahara once, she asks why he's doing underhanded things like that, and does he really want to waste his youth like that?  He says it's a game, and he doesn't want to end it yet.  Rika says youth is for laughing and crying with good friends, etc. but Sahara says he doesn't care about that stuff.  He also tells her that it will do no good to go to the principal.  Unbeknownst to both, their conversation was observed(I don't think it was heard) by the principal from his office.  He goes to see Rika in the animal cage, and tells her some interesting things...Later, still in the animal cage, Rika meets Watanuki, who reveals why she has to do what Sahara tells her.  Okay, I think it goes like this:  A while ago, Watanuki was having problems with a test, even though she studied hard, so once(just once!) she cheated.  Sahara found out and blackmailed her with it.  After Watanuki steals test answers, she gives them to Sahara, who then sells them to other students.  Ookami is his Enforcer(anybody watch hockey?).  Ookami appears after she's explained and tells her that they're having a meeting, and tells her to come.  After he leaves, Rika has a good idea...
    In the shed, Watanuki shows up and Sahara has announced the price for the latest test.  The students are talking about it, when Watanuki, who is really Rika-chan, hits Sahara with an eraser(I can't remember what).  Rika identifies several of the cheating students(she memorized all the students' names and faces before she started the job!) and says they're now in her blacklist, but if they promise never to do it again, she won't tell.  Of course, they agree, and leave Rika and Sahara alone for a 'talk'.  Sahara is acting tough, until Rika reveals her secret weapon-her pet kangaroos!  Turns out Sahara developed a fear of kangaroos when he was a kid and one kidnapped him for a few days.  By the time Ookami gets in(Watanuki had been guarding the door), Sahara is lying unconscious on the floor.  And so begins Rika's battle...
JimikoRight: Jimiko
Part 3(January 1999): From now on, I'll call Watanuki Jimiko, since everyone calls her that.  In Part 3, Sahara starts another game: can Rika escape having her hair cut off within three days by his underlings?  Rika retaliates by starting a contest between the school's female students as to who can catch Sahara and give him a kiss within three days(Sahara is popular with the girls, since they only see his refined, intellectual side).  Rika escapes for most of the time by wearing a decorative hat all the time, but at the end of the chapter, she is caught in a room by Sahara et al and her hat is forcibly removed.  It's only 15 minutes until the deadline, will Rika get a haircut?

Part 4 (February 1999): Just in time, Jimiko appears with all the bunnies and both kangaroos from the animal cage, and just as Rika-chan and Sahara are squaring off, the PA comes on with a message from the principal announcing Sahara's location to all the school's girls(who are frantically searching for him).  Several groups of girls burst in, but then start fighting about who gets to kiss Sahara.  Just before the 5 o'clock bell rings(the dealine) Rika-chan picks up Girl-ko(her kangaroo)and Girl-ko "kisses" Sahara.  Then, during the mass confusion after, Rika-chan picks up the comatose Sahara and runs outside.
    Sahara is dreaming of when he was a child and the other kids used to make him do everything because he was a 'good' kid.  Once they were going to cut his hair all funny, and when he asked a teacher for help he was ignored.  Since then, he never trusted teachers.  Sahara wakes up to find his head on Rika-chan's lap, and jumps up, embarrassed and angry.  Rika-chan says, I wonder what I should do to you since I won the bet? Then she says I want to be friends with you, but Sahara just says get real and stomps off, flustered.  Tmi and Jimiko pop up and Rika thanks them both for their help, saying to Ookami that he didn't make a move when he had the chance.  Ookami says he just doesn't like bullying girls, and is of course all embarrassed and cute :p
Rika-chan thinks she's glad because now she understands Jimiko and Ookami better, and she wants to understand Sahara as well.
    After school, Rika-chan has just bought some books on understanding teenagers(she doesn't understand them because she's so mature^_^)  she sees Sahara with some tough looking friends.  They go into a bar, and Rika-chan thinks she'd better follow just in case.  Sahara is inside with a blonde woman trying to pick him up(and apparently not for the first time)  Sahara resists her, and she leaves.  Rika-chan is thinking that her drink is very tasty(I bet it is^_^)Sahara keeps thinking of Rika-chan's offer of friendship, and is annoyed because he thought he would win the game and make her cry, and he can't understand her.  A fight breaks out, and Sahara tells the people they should take it outside.  Then they start harrassing him, until Rika sets off the fire alarm.  Sahara is stunned to see her there, but Rika just tells him to get out before the police get there.  Sahara leaves, and the police come, but Rika is strangely unconcerned as they grab and demand her name...
 

Part 5 (March 1999): The police don't believe that Rika is a teacher, and the vice principal has to come and get her.  Rika is very grateful, but she tells her to be ready to ber fired.  The next day, there is a staff meeting and all the teachers seem to want Rika's dismissal, but the principal says what's one false alarm? and lets her stay on.  She is suspended from duty for a while though, and she's sitting in her room in the teacher's quarters a bit depressed, when she looks out the window and sees Sahara.  She runs down to talk to him, and says she's glad he was okay.  He says she shouldn't be so happy since she got in trouble, and asks why she didn't tell the teachers the truth, especially after all that's happened.  Rika says because she's a teacher so of course she didn't.  She says anytime he's in trouble, to come and ask her for help.  She actually makes him smile, and is very happy at getting one step closer to her ideal class and a 'bravo' campus life.
  The next day at school, Rika unknowingly saves two female students fr om trouble because of their 'unsuitable' appearance-one has earrings and the other has a perm.  The teacher that was bothering them is a flashy looking teacher, wearing a mini skirt, open jacket showing her bustier, makeup and paint ed nails.  She was one of the teachers who wanted to fire Rika, and swears that Rika will be crying when she's done with her.
    In class, Rika is in a good mood, and when Ookami comes in late for the tenth time, she cheerily sets him up in the hall with two buckets and a sign saying Late Gang Leader.  The other students are surprised at how easily Rika handles him, and one says maybe he's not as scary as he looks.
    The campus principal comes on the PA system, and says there hasn't been any events lately, so he's announcing a mixed volleyball tournament to take place the next week.  He says there'll be a wonderful prize, which int erests the students.  Rika thinks that this is just what she wanted, and declares that her class will take on the challenge.
    In the principal's office, Miketani asks the principal if he made the event volleyball on purpose to cause a commotion in Rika's class.  The principal doesn't answer yes or no...
    Rika is already training her class.  Ookami tries to sneak away but Rika aims a volleyball at him.  He instinctively smashes it right back, and Rika is delighted to find such a good player.  She says he's on the team, and Sahara looks inscrutable(?maybe he's jealous of the attention?)  She thinks that they're a shoe-in for the championship now, when Jakkou(the rather slutty looking teacher from before) says don't celebrate yet.  She says it looks like Ookami's arm is still good(I think) and says that she'll pay him back for something that happened last year-I'm not exactly sure what.

Part 6(April 1999):
Rika is trying to get Ookami to join her volleyball team for the school tournament. He tries to refuse, and Rika says she knows why he was kicked off the team when he was in first year. The volleyball sempais were abusing their position, and though he went to Jakou Sensei about it, she wouldn’t do anything(there’s a really cute picture of him with short hair here ^_^). She told him that he wasn’t an important member of the team(or something like that). Then the sempais were going to rough him up even worse, and there was a big fight and he sent all the sempais to the hospital. Rika romanticises it and tells the rest of the class, embarrassing Ookami. The class is impressed and a bit scared knowing that he beat up all those upperclassmen at the same time, but Rika tells them it’s okay, because he never picks on the weak and is a “Gang Leader of Justice”. She pulls the corners of his mouth up in a smile, embarrassing him again. Rika says the whole class will s h ow Jakou the error of her ways together. She then leads the whole class in a cheer while Sahara looks on and comments that like a good teacher, she takes care of her students.
Later, at a staff meeting, Rika thinks that with Ookami on the team, they have a chance at the championship. She asks what the prize is, but it’s a secret. Rika’s pen falls under a desk, and when she reaches down to pick it up, she notices a small device taped to the underside of the desk. She remembers seeing things like it in movies and stuff and picks it up, hiding it from the other teachers. She runs out
with it quickly, thinking there’s only one person she knows who would know how to do something like this, and yells as loud as she can right into the device. Sahara appears from around the corner with earplugs looking a bit pained. She demands to know why he’s doing this, and he tells her not to worry. It was more habit than anything, and he won’t steal test answers or anything like that anymore. Rika takes anyways. Rika asks him if he’s bored with school again, and Sahara, after pausing a second, says there hasn’t been time for boredom lately with all the practices and other bothersome things going on. Rika says she’s really looking forward to it, because it’s the first time she’s done something with Sahara helping, which seems to surprise Sahara a little. She says that’s why she really wants to win, and goes off a bit about yesterday’s enemy being today’s ally, yada yada, to which Sahara reluctantly agrees. Rika runs off to practice, and Jakou appears in front of Sahara, asking to talk to him for a bit. At practice, Rika has gotten her class shirts, and is happy, thinking that if they really do win the championship, she and Sahara(or maybe the whole class, it’s not clear) will become even better friends.
Jakou is showing some photos to Sahara, saying that she got a boy from her class to take them. They’re all pictures showing Sahara selling test answers! Jakou knew the whole time but didn’t say anything until now. She says if he helps her during the tournament, she won’t show the pictures to anyone, and his ‘perfect student’ reputation will be safe. He asks calmly if she’s threatening him, and she says not to worry, she only wants to win this tournament. Sahara thinks that he’s thought about this happening before, but (I think) he didn’t expect it to come from a teacher. He thinks that if he’s going to be used by a teacher, he’d rather drop out of school, and wonders how his parents will react. He thinks that he doesn’t care about school. But when he goes to the class practice, and Rika calls to him cheerfully, he looks very sad, and she doesn’t understand. Then he puts his glasses on and recovers at least outwardly, insulting the class uniform and teasing Rika. The rest of the class watches and comments that it’s strange for Sahara to joke around, but when he does he seems like an ordinary student. Ookami listens quietly. At the tournament, Jakou tries to keep Rika from playing on her team but the princiapl says it’s okay, and Ookami tells Jakou to be quiet. Rika says if she has a problem they can settle it on the court, and Jakou looks very annoyed. Rika’s class plays against a 2nd year class and wins. Looking on, the principal and vice principal say that this year it looks like the final might be Jakou’s class against Rika’s class, and the principal says he’s done all he can(mysterious, ne?)and it’s up to Rika’s class now to resolve the problem from last year. Walking past Sahara, Jakou tells him it’s time. She thinks that she’ll show Rika for disrespecting her as a coach and advisor. Rika’s class has already beat the girl’s team, and Jakou thinks that she won’t let those stupid kids beat her twice.
Rika is celebrating, and the rest of the class are talking to each other. One boy is actually having a conversation with Ookami, which makes Rika happy. She goes into rapture mode, and some of her students watch with resignation. Then Ookami calls her, saying Sahara said they should go get another ball. They go out to the old shed where the test incident happened. They can’t find any balls, though Sahara said there should be one there, and suddenly the door slams shut! Jakou has closed and locked the door from the outside, and tells them to wait quietly until the tournament is over. They protest, and Rika says she’ll tell the principal. Jakou tells her to shut up, saying that they can if they want, but her partner in crime is Sahara. Rika calls out to him apprehensively, and he pauses before apologizing, and says that he’ll come
back and let them out as soon as it’s over. He walks away, and Rika shouts at him to open the door, and asks why silently...
 
   Part 7(May 1999):  On the volleyball court, Rika’s class is wondering where she and Ookami are.  Jakou looks smug and Sahara looks guilty.  In the shed, Rika tries to kick the door down, with no success.  Ookami tells her they should just wait until after the match and Sahara comes to pick them up.  Rika says he has to be there for the rest of the game, and wonders why Sahara was helping Jakou.  Ookami says there’s no way Sahara would be ordered around by a teacher ordinarily, and says Jakou must have something on him.  Rika remembers when Jakou said the shed was the place from before, and realizes that Jakou must know about the test thing.
     In the gym, Sahara has earphones on when a classmate calls him to the court, saying they had to make some substitutions.  They’ve chosen Girl-ko and Kantarou, the two kangaroos!  Jakou protests, but the principal says it’s okay.  Jakou thinks that without Ookami and ‘the moodmaker’(Rika), Class 1-B is no match for her team.  However, with Jimiko’s excellent receiving, Kantarou’s setting, and Girl-ko’s spikes, the class does pretty well.
      In the shed, Ookami is saying that after he was thrown off the volleyball team a year ago, he got depressed.  He got into another fight with guys from another school, and thought he would be kicked out of school.  But Sahara stood up for him, telling the principal that the other guys started it.  Ookami says no one would have taken his word for it, and if it hadn’t been for Sahara, he would have been expelled for sure.  Then Ookami wonders aloud why he’s telling Rika this, and is a bit embarrassed.  Rika tells him to go on, but he’s done.  She thinks that Sahara is always careful, so she thought that he must have placed ‘that’ somewhere so he could check on them, but she can’t find it.  Rika says that that must be why Ookami acted as Sahara’s right-hand man(actually, she uses the words ‘faithful dog’^_^) and Ookami replies that actually, he just didn’t want to have Sahara as an enemy.  Rika says he does believe in Sahara though, thinking of how he said he would never go along with Jakou, and continues that it’s a wonderful friendship between them.  Ookami is embarrassed, and says he feels grateful to Sahara as well, but he thinks that the one who’s making school kind of fun lately is Rika(he’s blushing now).  He says even if they can’t win the championship today, he’s satisfied.  Rika suddenly notices something past Ookami, and abruptly leans past him to get it.  She smiles, and whispers that he shouldn’t give up hope yet!
     In the gym, there’s a time out with the score at 14-14.  Jimiko, Girl-ko, and Kantarou are all dead from doing everything, and boy from Rika’s class says without Rika and Ookami they can’t pull away in points.  Sahara is still thinking about Rika when she said she was happy to be working on this together with Sahara, when the principal comes up and asks the class what’s wrong, where’s Rika and Ookami?  The class says they haven’t come back yet, and the principal asks if they’re together.  Sahara reluctantly agrees, and the principal smirks, commenting on how suspicious it is.  The rest of the class start talking excitedly about a forbidden love between a teacher and her student, and someone mentions that their ages are perfect as well.  Sahara is upset, but the principal says everyone is perking up.  Sahara glances at his bag, and thinks that though Ookami isn’t the type, they are all alone together in that small, dark place(with Rika wearing bloomers as well!), so he picks up his headphones, which are connected to his listening device.  This is what he hears:
     Rika: Wha...What are you doing, Ookami-kun?!
     Ookami: Come on, while we still can, don’t struggle!
     Rika: Stop-Someone-(Bang) NOOOOOOOOO!!!(Bang Bang)
      Sahara drops everything and races out of the gym, watched curiously by his classmates.  He speeds over to the shed and slams the door open, yelling at Ookami.  Before his eyes, Ookami and Rika are sitting on the floor, Rika smiling and holding the bug. She says she knew he must be checking on them, and says her plan worked perfectly.  Sahara is totally flustered, and Rika and Ookami go past him while he collapses to the floor.  Rika calls for him to come with him, saying they have to go beat Jakou.  Sahara sheepishly smiles and they get back to the gym just in time.  Jakou is angry, and Sahara wonders what she’ll do after the game.  After Rika thanks Jimiko and the kangaroos for holding the class up during her absence, she takes to the court.  Jakou also decides to play, and the real battle begins!  The other students cheer, and if you look, you’ll see that Fujita Maguro-sensei has drawn the crowd, and in it are several of her characters-Rupika, Aoi, asd, and Fujita-sensei herself.  Back to the game-Jakou plays rough, and deliberately smashes one of Rika’s students in the face, knocking him down.  Jakou stands and gloats, but the ball is still active, and Sahara tips it over to get a point.  The students cheer, and Jakou winds up for a maximum killer strike aimed right at Rika.  Rika readies herself for it but it’s too fast, and she’s about to get hit when Sahara steps in front and takes the hit for her!  His glasses are knocked off and he’s bleeding, but Sahara tells Rika to get the point(the ball is still active).  Rika and Ookami, both really mad, team up to spike it at Jakou, and she stares at the oncoming bullet.  She falls back to avoid it and it grinds into the floor, giving Class 1-B the game and the championship.  Rika stands before her, and as Jakou stares up at her, Rika says she’ll forgive her this time, but next time she messes with one of her students she’ll have her to answer to-she’ll stake her name as a teacher on it.  She then takes Sahara to the nurse’s office, asking that someone receive the prize for the class.  The principal comes up to Ookami, saying he did well today.  Ookami thanks him, wondering what’s going on, and the principal says that school’s not so bad after all.  He tells him not to keep sulking about being held back, because in a lifetime on or two years doesn’t make too much difference.  He walks away, Ookami looking after him, wondering if he knows what really happened as well.
 In the nurse’s room, Rika is taking care of Sahara’s injury.  He asks if she’s mad, and Rika says she knows that Jakou was blackmailing him.  If tha t had been revealed, she, Ookami, and Jimiko would be in trouble as well, so she understood why he did it.  She goes on, saying that she said that if anyone tries to harm Sahara, she would be on his side.  Sahara catches her hand and pulls her towards him, but before anything happens, the door opens with the Vice Principal carrying Masaru(the student who was smashed in the face by Jakou).  Rika falls off her stool, and Sahara looks expressionless.  Rika wonders what Sahara was doing, thinking it couldn’t be...?  The PA comes on, with the Principal congratulating Class 1-B on the championship.  He will now announce the grand prize-a class trip to Australia!

Part 8 (June 1999): Rika and her class are on the plane on the way to Australia.  Rika gives many instructions to the class, telling them to listen to the class president, not to spend too much on snacks, etc., but after a while no one listens.  The vice-principal(maybe she's the nurse) says that for a first trip, they could have gone somewhere in Japan just as well.  Rika thinks that this might be a bit complicated, but since it's her first field trip with her class, they should have fun.  There's a couple pictures of students snorkelling and a koala on Ookami, and Sahara makes an announcement, saying that tomorrow they're going to the beach at 8am, and until then it's breakfast.  Watching him, Rika thinks that he's acting the same as usual.  Turning around, she thinks that the time in the nurse's room must have been an overactive imagination after all.  Sahara looks at her...
    On her rounds that night, Rika finds one room of girls still up and playing cards.  She tells them that it's time to turn the lights out because tomorrow's an early day. Far from doing that, the girls invite her to join them and chat for a bit. Rika asks hopefully if they're going to have a pillow fight, but the girls say no, not that.  They ask her if she's going to see any friends or family on this trip, but Rika says no, both her family and her school were in Sydney(I guess they're not going there).  By the map shown it looks like they're in Brisbane.  Then the girls ask her if she likes anyone, and Rika blushes, surprised.  She says no, and tells them she doesn't have a boyfriend in Australia either.  The girls say is there anyone at Shishimaru(the school) that she thinks is cute, for example Ookami?  Rika asks why they said Ookami, and the girls say rumours are going around about them from the volleyball tournament and stuff.  Rika can't tell them what really happened, so she says they're wrong, and anyways, (going into idealistic mode) all the students are her beloved.  The girls decide to sleep, exasperated.
    The next day at the beach, a game of beach volleyball starts up, with Rika and Ookami on one team.  Rika says they're the Golden Pair, and on the sidelines, a boy comments to Sahara that they're really good friends, and asks if they're going out.  Rika, climbing up a tree to get a ball, loses her balance(I think because she heard this) and starts to fall.  Sahara starts to go but is forestalled by Ookami, who catches Rika.  The other boys make comments and Ookami tells them to be quiet.  Rika coolly thanks Ookami, and suggests that they continue.  Sahara tells Rika that she's too calm about stuff like this, and asks if it's because she doesn't see the students as boys(or men).  Rika doesn't know what to make of this, and wonders if Sahara feels sick or something.
    Talking with the principal, he says something about how Australia is different from Japan in its views or something, and says since they only have two more days left, tomorrow night they should have a campfire, after the kangaroo ranch, which makes Sahara look a bit sick.  Then he asks out of the blue if Rika and Ookami are getting it on!  Both Ookami and Rika spit out their drinks in surprise and Sahara doesn't look too happy either.  Ookami angrily(blushing as well) says of course not, and Rika laughingly scolds him for thinking like the students.  The principal mischievously asks Sahara if it's true, and he says it has nothing to do with him, which makes the principal chuckle.  He says actually, there's a special prize for the winning homeroom teacher, and kisses Rika on the cheek!  Sahara loses it and throws the contents of the water pitcher in the principal's face, saying he's taking his bad jokes too far.  He also calls him uncle, which means he's not as in control as usual.
    The dripping principal says there's nothing to stand in the way of him and Rika being together-they're both teachers at least, and Rika's 16.  In the background, the nurse says there's lots of other problems though-Lolita complexes, etc.  Then the principal says that his motto is free love, and Sahara, the 'perfect student', has nothing to say about it.  Sahara looks upset and leaves.
    The nurse comes with a towel to dry off the Principal and scolds him, saying he really did take the joke too far.  The principal laughs and says seeing Sahara so cool all the time makes him want to bother him.  Left alone, Rika holds her cheek and wonders what was going on, and what the principal was trying to do.
    The next day at the kangaroo farm, Sahara tells everyone it's free time until 5:00.  Rika is trying to stop her pets from bothering the other animals, Girl-ko from fighting with them, and Kanta from jumping into female pouches and sleeping.  The principal suggests that Sahara join the others in the pens, but Sahara declines.  Rika catches up with him and asks if he's feeling okay.  He says yes, and Rika tells him not to worry about last night, because the principal was a bit drunk.  Sahara says he's not worrying, and Rika thinks he must be feeling bad.  She says even if he doesn't want to touch the kangaroos, why doesn't he go and take pictures with the others?  Sahara gets angry and tells Rika not to bother trying to help him, if she wants to be a 'nice teacher' there's lots of other students to do it with.  Rika pauses for a moment, and as Sahara walks away, runs after and jump-kicks him in the back, knocking him over.  He looks up at her in surprise, and she asks why he has to be so difficult, and tells him he can just sulk by himself then.  Sticking out her tongue at him, she angrily enters a kangaroo pen.  She thinks that she thought they had become friends at least a little, and she doesn't understand him.  One of the ranch workers shouts out not to open that pen, and all the kangaroos suddenly come bounding out.  The worker says those ones aren't used to humans yet, and they have to catch them all.  Rika has a baby one, but the very rough-looking mother faces her and starts to attack her.  It's driven back by Sahara, who appears in front of Rika with his kangaroo repellent, but the kangaroo knocks it out of his hand.  Sahara is still standing in front of Rika, and it looks bad, but the principal gets the kangaroo with a tranquilizer shot out of a pea-shooter.  He's proud of himself, and the students are all wondering why he has a pea-shooter.   Sahara sinks to the ground(he controlled his fear pretty well up to now) and Rika asks if he's alright, apologizing for getting him into that.  Sahara looks up smiling, and comments that she's a really troublesome teacher, and Rika stares at him in silence, blushing and wondering why it's always Sahara who makes her angry, who worries her, and who can make tears come to her eyes just by smiling(Gee, I wonder too^_^).
    That night at the campfire, Rika and Sahara  are talking.  She says a long time ago, she hated school.  When her parents were transferred to Australia and she changed schools, she couldn't communicate with the other students so she couldn't make friends.  But when she was alone one day in the corner, a Japanese teacher came and brought her to the other students, asking them to play with her.  Rika says even though she didn't say anything, that teacher heard her heart crying out for help, and thanks to that one teacher, school became fun for her and she loved it.  She tells Sahara that she'd like to be that kind of teacher for him.  Sahara pauses and says he doesn't want that kind of teacher.  He leans in, and asks if a teacher is totally forbidden.  Rika thinks that she can't see his face well in the dark, and asks what he means.  Sahara touches her cheek, and then...kisses Rika!    The principal announces that it's time to return, and Sahara says to Rika that that's what he means.  Rika, blushing, starts to shake, and says that even being told that way, it's not that easy, and shouts because she's a teacher!  and runs off.  The others look, attracted by Rika's yell, and Sahara looks a cool as ever.  Rika, running, thinks this can't be true, and asks herself what to do...

Part 9 (July 1999):
After the trip, Rika has a lot of trouble concentrating on her teaching, and can't treat Sahara normally anymore.  She makes several mistakes like writing Swahili on the board instead of Japanese(or English), and hitting the wrong student with chalk.  Sahara watches but has the same expression as always. After class, some of the girls invite Rika out with them to go karaokeing.  They're meeting some guys from Koumori High, and one of the girls couldn't make it.  Rika agrees, and the girls ask her not to say she's a teacher. Rika doesn't really understand but says okay.
    Leo is called to the principal's office, and is annoyed when his uncle just wanted to show him photos from the recent trip.  He asks mischievously if Leo wants one of Rika in a bathingsuit, and Leo shouts at him not to call him out of class for no reason(but he does grab it^_^).  The principal asks Leo, as the class president, how Rika is doing, and Leo says she's got problems but is getting along well with her students.  Leo asks if something happened, and the principal evades, saying not really, and turning the subject by asking if something happened between him and Rika in Australia.  Since then the two of them have been strange.  Leo gets red and denies this, storming out saying he'll never go to Australia again.  Snickering, the principal observes to the nurse that since Rika came, Leo has become cute, and the nurse says he's stopped hiding his emotions so much.  She says it would be nice if that was assessed as well.  The principal asks her what she thinks about tomorrow, because 'they' are coming, and comments that if Rika can keep out of trouble she'll be okay.
    At karaoke, Rika is having a great time singing stuff noone can understand, and one of the guys says she's interesting.  The girl who invited Rika whispers to her friend that these guys that she got picked up by seem a bit wild(something like that I think!).  The other girl says it's okay.
    Rika watches them and thinks that this is what a normal high school student's life is like.  She wonders how she would have answered Leo if she wasn't a teacher, and then cuts herself off blushing.  One of the guys asks her if she's drinking juice, which she is, and says he likes interesting girls.  His friend laughingly says he's already started sweet-talking, and Rika's student says they should be going now.  The guys don't want to let them go, suggesting that they all walk to their friend's store.  They're outside discussing it when Leo, walking home, sees them.  The guy's leader(the one who liked Rika) points out a pulling up car and says they can go in that.  He calls them naive for thinking they could get away with nothing after being treated,  and things are looking bad when Rika and her pair of battle kangaroos(well, Girl-ko makes up for Kantarou) attack.  Rika, readying some chalk and erasers, declares that she won't stand by and watch while a 1-B student gets taken advantage of.  She attacks and yells to the two girls to escape, which they do, but the guy recovers and grabs Rika.  Suddenly, a trash can is dumped on his head and Rika is pulled away by Leo.  She starts to ask why he's there, when Leo says they should hide and pulls her into an alley, holding her close to conceal her.  The guys run by while Rika and Leo keep silent, both blushing.  Leo lets Rika go once they're gone, and Rika starts to thank him but then stops and asks him what he's doing in a place like this at this hour.  Leo responds with the same question, and Rika self-consciously starts to walk away, saying this time they're both to blame but next time she'll tell the principal.  Leo catches her hand and reminds her that she never really answered his question in Australia-
What comes after 'Because I'm a teacher'?  Rika turns around and exclaims that even if she's made to see Leo romantically, she doesn't know what to do now.  They pause, and Leo says he understands, and they should just forget what happened in Australia.  He tells Rika that starting tomorrow he'll be the star student again, so she can rest easy.  Leo leaves, and Rika finds herself unable to stop crying.  She wonders why, when it was her that stopped Leo.  Close by, Youji says though Rika got away, he won't let it go yet.
    The next day, the two girls apologize to Rika, who plays it down, adding that she won't tell the other teachers.  The girls are still a little worried about the guys seeking retribution, but Rika assures them she's there as well as Ookami.  The girls say lately Ookami has been acting just like another good person...Leo calls Rika, presenting her with her copies(or some other gofer thing).  Rika thanks him distractedly, reflecting how strange it was, she was so happy the first time she was called Sensei, and now...

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