This story takes place during an intense tutoring session.
Akari, a student who tends to slack off a bit in her studies, enters Ms. Hayami's class with a sense of unease. She knows well that Ms. Hayami is a strict teacher who demands thorough preparation and does not tolerate mistakes from her students. Today is no exception, and Akari sighs quietly, hoping to get through the homework check.
When Ms. Hayami opens Akari’s notebook, her gaze turns cold. She speaks slowly but with sternness:
"Akari, you know the rules, don’t you? Not completing homework means 10 strikes per missed assignment, and each mistake will cost you 5 strikes. Can you explain why you’ve left one undone and made two mistakes on others?"
Akari looks down, her voice barely audible as she tries to vanish into the air:
"I… I’m sorry, ma’am, I didn’t prepare well enough. These assignments are quite difficult for me."
"That’s not a good enough reason. The truth is that you are lazy and too negligent. You’ll have to take a total of 20 strikes. Put your hands out." Ms. Hayami didn’t allow Akari any more time to explain.
Akari felt a shiver down her spine as she slowly extended both her palms forward. Her hands were trembling slightly, a clear sign of her fear. Ms. Hayami picked up a heavy wooden ruler from her desk, stepping closer, her gaze as sharp and unforgiving as a judge about to execute a sentence.
Ms. Hayami raised the ruler high, and Akari held her breath, closing her eyes. But the first strike landed immediately, forcing her eyes open in shock from the pain.
Smack!
The first strike crashed down onto Akari’s palms, the sound echoing through the room. A sharp pain shot up her hands and traveled along her arms, causing her face to scrunch up as she took a deep breath to hold back a cry. She tried to keep her hands steady, but the instinct to pull away made her hands shake. Ms. Hayami noticed and immediately reminded her in a cold tone:
"Akari, do not pull your hands back. If you do it again, I’ll add more strikes. Keep your hands straight!"
Akari bit her lip, trying to steady herself, and extended her hands forward once again. Without hesitation, Ms. Hayami raised the ruler and struck again.
Smack! Smack!
Each strike of the heavy wooden ruler felt like fire burning into her skin. She could feel the muscles in her hands contracting painfully with each blow. Her hands were turning red, and the pain was becoming more intense, like flames scorching her flesh. She clenched her teeth and tried to endure, but her arms began to tremble, her whole body struggling to stay upright.
Each hit seemed to chip away at her endurance, bit by bit, yet Akari forced herself to stand still, knowing that any mistake would result in even more punishment.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
The strikes that followed were even harsher, and Akari couldn’t stop the tears welling up in her eyes. Despite her best efforts to appear composed, the pain was relentless, and her body desperately wanted to cry out.
After finishing the 20 strikes, Ms. Hayami paused, looking at Akari’s swollen, red hands. She didn’t show a hint of sympathy, merely saying calmly:
As Akari stood there, still reeling from the pain in her hands, Ms. Hayami’s stern voice cut through the silence once more.
"The lesson isn’t over yet. Sit down. You’ll be taking a mock test today as preparation for your final exam."
Akari’s heart sank. She had barely managed to endure the strikes; now she had to write? Her hands, already swollen and throbbing, trembled at the thought of holding a pen. But there was no room for protest—Ms. Hayami’s gaze was as cold as ever, and Akari knew better than to ask for mercy.
She forced herself to sit down, carefully picking up her pen with her trembling hands. The mere act of grasping the pen sent fresh stabs of pain through her fingers. She winced, but she knew she had to push through. Every word she wrote felt like torture, each stroke intensifying the searing ache in her hands.
As she struggled, Akari’s mind drifted to a memory from not too long ago—of the day she witnessed Ms. Hayami disciplining another student in a way that left her shaken. Akari had been passing by the classroom when she saw her classmate Yui, standing nervously in front of Ms. Hayami. The teacher had looked at Yui with a steely expression before ordering her to turn around. Without hesitation, Ms. Hayami had lifted the girl’s skirt, revealing her trembling bare bottom.
Akari had watched in horror as Ms. Hayami delivered harsh, stinging strikes to Yui’s exposed skin, each smack echoing loudly in the classroom. Yui’s face had contorted in pain, her eyes welling with tears as Ms. Hayami continued the punishment until her bottom was red and swollen. The image was etched into Akari’s mind: Yui limping out of the classroom afterward, unable to sit down comfortably for days.
Compared to that, Akari felt fortunate that her punishment had been confined to her hands. Yet, her relief was mixed with a dread that one day, she too might find herself in Yui’s place.
She bit her lip and focused on her mock test, even as the pain in her hands made it nearly impossible to write legibly. Each stroke of the pen was a fresh reminder of the punishment she had just endured, her fingers stiffening as if trying to resist each movement. By the time she finished, her hands were shaking uncontrollably, her fingers barely able to grip the pen.
Ms. Hayami picked up the paper, examining it with her usual cold scrutiny. Her eyes narrowed as she looked over Akari’s shaky handwriting and messy answers. The lingering pain in Akari’s hands had made it nearly impossible to write neatly, and some answers were barely legible.
Ms. Hayami’s expression turned stern, and she walked over to stand directly in front of Akari.
"It seems you didn’t put enough effort into this test, Akari. Sloppy answers, and more mistakes than I’d expect from you.
Perhaps due to her earlier pain and tension, Akari made three mistakes in a row. Ms. Hayami sighed and looked at her with clear disappointment:
"Three mistakes mean 15 more strikes. You know what you have to do, Akari."
Akari slowly rose, her hands still swollen and red, trembling slightly. She extended her hands once more, but this time it was harder because they were already so sore from the previous punishment. Ms. Hayami resumed striking, each hit echoing in the silent room.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
After five strikes, Ms. Hayami suddenly paused and looked at Akari:
"Now, turn your hands over."
Akari looked up at her teacher, eyes wide with surprise. Striking the backs of her hands would amplify the pain because of the delicate bones there. She forced herself to hold back her tears and slowly turned her hands over, dreading the pain that was to come.
Smack!
The first strike on the backs of her hands made her feel as though her bones were shattering. The pain wasn’t just burning; it was sharp and cold, piercing through every joint. She couldn’t hold back anymore; her vision blurred as tears welled up. Each strike that followed felt like a dagger cutting into her delicate bones. Akari bit down on her lips, her arms giving out as her body shook from the overwhelming pain.
When the final strike landed, Akari could only stand there, her hands swollen and red, covered in bruises and searing with pain. Every time she tried to move her fingers, a fresh wave of agony shot up her arms as if she had no control over her hands anymore.
"You may go. Remember to complete your homework and focus next time," Ms. Hayami said without a trace of sympathy.
Akari bowed, her voice trembling:
"Yes… I understand, Ms. Hayami…"
She walked out slowly, her hands burning and swollen. The pain made her want to get home quickly to ice them, but deep down, Akari knew this lesson would be unforgettable, a reminder to try harder and never slack off again.