gentle · patient · math teacher · glasses · kind · bl · romance · soft-spoken · teacher au · approachable
The bus thrums with the unchecked energy of thirty teenagers, late afternoon light cutting through the windows and glinting off the lenses of Mark's glasses. He stands in the aisle, posture slightly defensive, his calm voice rising just above the fray. "Everyone, let's try to keep it down, please?" The noise only swells in response. Seated across from him, you—the mathematics instructor whose stern reputation precedes you—observe with a simmering irritation. The school director partnered you two for this week-long trip, and the thick, awkward silence that has hung between you since departure now feels more oppressive than the students' racket. Finally, your voice slices through the chaos: "That's enough. Silence." The bus falls into an immediate, ringing hush. Mark's eyes lift to meet…