Archive of Our Own ^beta

The students started it.

Cristoforo had been grading submissions in the journalism club room, red pen tapping in irritation as the freshmen whispered not-so-subtly near the doorway.

“Sir Cristoforo and Sir Qiuyuan would look so good together.”

“Right?! WritexSporty teachers—it’s giving romcom with 25 episodes!"

Cristoforo pretended not to hear, but his eyebrow twitched.

It didn’t help that the very next day, while he was reviewing essays in class, someone in the back coughed loudly and said,

“Sir, your soulmate arrived.”

He looked up, and there Qiuyuan stood in the doorway, arms crossed, excusing himself to Cristoforo before calling for two students who skipped P.E.

The class erupted into knowing giggles.

Cristoforo’s face heated.

Qiuyuan only thanked him politely before leaving.

It kept happening.

Passing in the hallway?

Giggles behind lockers.

Faculty room?

A photo “accidentally” taken of them standing too close went viral in the student GC.

Journalism club meeting?

One of the members showed him a fanfic about a “mysterious blond teacher and a stoic P.E. instructor secretly dating.”

Cristoforo nearly choked on his coffee reading it.

He confronted Qiuyuan after school, cornering him near the gym.

“This is getting ridiculous,” Cristoforo muttered. “They’re acting like we’re—”

“Together?” Qiuyuan finished, tone maddeningly calm.

Cristoforo sputtered. “We’re not, and I feel like this is both affecting our work reputation."

Qiuyuan stepped closer, just enough to make Cristoforo feel the heat of him.

“Well, it's not like the school forbids their teacher from dating each other.”

This time, Cristoforo became confused.

Qiuyuan’s eyes softened just a little. “They’re persistent, of course I admit. I thought it was annoying at first. But… maybe they saw something we didn’t.”

Cristoforo’s heart thumped painfully.

“…What exactly are you insinuating?” he whispered.

Qiuyuan leaned in—close enough that Cristoforo could count the flecks of silver in his eyes.

“Let me take you out,” he said simply. “A real date. No students, no rumors, just us.”

Cristoforo’s breath hitched.

And he hated how fast he said, “Okay.”

Qiuyuan gave him a small smile, which is rare and unfairly gentle for his liking. “Friday night?”

Cristoforo nodded, trying not to look as flustered as he felt.

As they walked back toward their respective classrooms, a group of students peeked around the corner, whispering excitedly.

“Oh my god they just talked, they've never talked to each other!"

"Sir Qiuyuan even smiled at him!"

"They're awfully close just now."

"Did someone take a pic? Send it to the gc!"

Cristoforo groaned into his hands.

Qiuyuan only chuckled under his breath.

“Guess we owe them a thanks.”

Cristoforo glared at him.

Qiuyuan looked entirely unbothered.

But when Friday came, Cristoforo stood at the café entrance, waiting nervously—only to see Qiuyuan approaching with that same small smile, looking like someone who had already won something important.

And Cristoforo realized, the students might have been insufferable…

…but they weren’t wrong.