Chapter 17: Do You Believe in Love at First Sight?

Inside the infirmary.

“Hm, good, all set. Teacher Shiina, you’re busy, I’ll hang up. Let’s grab a meal sometime. Bye~”

After ending the call, Kojima Megumi, draped in her white coat, hums an unreleased tune she composed herself, strolling leisurely. At her desk, she takes her time brewing a pot of coffee. The sound of water dripping fills the air as ground coffee meets scalding water, sending ripples through the brew. In moments, a rich aroma floods the room.

She glances at her watch: 11:30 AM. The opening placement exam’s almost over…

Calculating the time in her head, Megumi sits in her office chair, her legs, clad in black pantyhose, crossing naturally. Unlike students, she’s a teacher—and the infirmary’s teacher at that. Her schedule differs significantly from the rest of the faculty and students. For instance, while most take a break at noon, students often come to her with various issues. For Megumi, “noon” is “work time,” so she needs to eat lunch early.

She pulls a lunchbox from her bag—nothing fancy: four homemade sandwiches, a banana, and a boiled egg. Carbs, protein, fats, vitamins… As long as her body’s nutritional needs are met, she’s not picky about flavor, color, or aroma. Having just turned 28, she can’t eat carelessly like in her youth.

As the saying goes: “When you start caring about the link between diet and health, you’ve entered the second half of life.”

The banana and boiled egg are straightforward. But the sandwiches? She put real effort into those. During spring break, as a working adult, she still had to show up at school. Chatting with Teacher Shiina about health and beauty, Shiina mentioned cutting out heavy foods for her body’s sake and gifted her a magazine: The White-Collar Woman’s Light Meal Guide—Home Cooking You Can Do! Try It Out! Issue 147. Following its recipes, she tried a few dishes with surprisingly good results. Her years-long stomach issues even eased up.

Today’s sandwiches come from that magazine. They’re called “Tuna Cranberry Sandwiches.” The method: open a can of tuna, mix in Greek yogurt, sprinkle in some onion powder and ground black pepper, boldly add a pinch of white sugar, drizzle in white rice vinegar while tasting, then toss in chopped dried cranberries. Sandwich it between toast and chill in the fridge.

Eager for the sandwiches since morning, Megumi unwraps one and takes a bite. “Mmm, delicious.” The unique tang of Greek yogurt pairs perfectly with the tuna’s savory freshness. The occasional cranberry adds a stunning layer of flavor.

After two sandwiches, she’s half-full. She steps to the coffee maker, retrieves the freshly dripped coffee, blows on it gently, and takes a sip. “Ugh—! Half my life’s for this cup!” She lets out a sigh like an old drunk savoring an ice-cold beer on a scorching day after years of sobriety.

Checking her watch again: 11:45 AM. Gotta hurry. She returns to her seat with the coffee. The main course is mostly gone, washed down with coffee. The tuna sandwiches were more filling than expected, so she skips the boiled egg, saving it for a mid-afternoon snack. The banana, though, she’ll eat—it’s dessert. Dessert goes in a separate stomach!

Peeling the banana halfway and holding the unpeeled part keeps her hands clean. Good thing the infirmary’s empty, and no family’s around. She’d never eat so “rudely” otherwise. Half the banana down, she casually flips through the reports signed by the two students. “Shangguan He… Suzuki Hikaru…”

Hikaru’s report gets a quick glance before being set aside. Shangguan He’s, however, she studies closely. Why? According to Yingcheng High’s Infirmary Case Report Regulations, patients must provide their name, emergency contact, and home address. Looking at his address, she suppresses a smile. About to bite the banana, she pauses, lost in thought, then extends her tongue, licking it with practiced ease.

Megumi’s tongue is about a third longer than average. As a kid, it earned her the nickname “Snake Girl,” which made her self-conscious for years. But now she knows: everyone’s strengths have purpose. “Mmm… slurp slurp…” Each flick of her tongue scrapes off bits of banana. In minutes, the remaining half is gone, consumed in her peculiar way.

Food isn’t a toy, of course. But some foods can be tools—for direct use or practice. “Thanks for the meal. I’m full.” Clapping her hands, Megumi tidies up, satisfied.

In high school, she read a foreign philosophy book in her school’s library. One line stuck with her: “When basic needs are met, thoughts turn to lust.” It meant that only after survival needs are fulfilled do creatures desire reproduction. This aligned with another philosopher’s view that humans have three core desires: food, sleep, and s*x. This perspective—that humans aren’t above other animals—shocked her teenage self and shaped her life’s path.

After washing her lunchbox, she sets it to dry in its usual spot. It’s 11:55 AM. Students will arrive soon. Since long hours in air-conditioned rooms aren’t great, she turns off the AC and opens the windows for ventilation. Feeling the cool breeze, she spots green buds on the branches outside. “Hm, nice.”

Spring’s almost here. This year’s cherry blossoms will surely be as beautiful as last year’s. In this season of renewal, countless romances will likely bloom in every corner. And she’s already full. “I really want to see that boy again… Will he call me…?”