I Became a Kindergarten Teacher for Monster Babies!
Chapter 78 Careful

Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Careful

After Alina’s warm language lesson, she let her babies have a short break. The classroom door burst open with tiny squeaks and giggles as they all ran outside to stretch their legs. Boo floated after them, spinning like a little ghost kite in the breeze. Drake shouted about racing Luna, and she growled at him in return.

Alina stayed behind, letting the peaceful silence settle in the room. She tidied up the chalkboard, stacked the picture cards, and placed the leftover star stickers back in her desk drawer. She poured herself a small glass of cool water and leaned against her desk, sipping slowly.

They did so well today, she thought fondly, a soft smile on her lips. Little stars, every one of them.

She was just about to peek outside when she heard the faintest squelch of wet footsteps. She looked up and saw Kelpie standing in the doorway alone — his soft blue hair dripping tiny droplets onto the floor, his shirt damp around the collar.

"Kelpie!" Alina called out, her voice warm but surprised. She put down her glass and stepped closer. "Sweetheart, why are you back so early? Break’s not over yet."

Kelpie blinked at her, eyes wide like a startled baby fish. He hugged his tiny hands together in front of his damp shirt, shifting his feet shyly on the floor.

Alina tilted her head and gave him her softest smile. "What did you do on your break, sweetheart?"

Kelpie’s cheeks turned a bit pink, but his eyes lit up like the sun sparkling on water. He rocked on his toes and whispered, "I... I turned on the water in the sink... and I played around..."

Alina let out a tiny giggle, her shoulders shaking. "Did you make a whole puddle again?" she teased gently, brushing a stray droplet off his hair.

Kelpie’s lips curved into the shyest smile. "M-Maybe," he squeaked. "It was fun..."

Alina cupped his cold little hands in hers, feeling the dampness cling to her fingers. "My little water sprite," she said sweetly. "Next time, will you invite Teacher too? Teacher wants to play with your magic water someday."

Kelpie’s eyes went round with wonder, like she’d just offered him a piece of the moon. He nodded so quickly his wet hair flopped onto his forehead again. "O-Okay!"

She laughed softly, patting his soft hair back into place. "Good boy. Now, go sit on your chair before you drip all over floor."

Kelpie hurried over to his favorite corner, leaving tiny wet footprints behind him like a shy little fish trail. Alina chuckled to herself, wiping the drops with a Handkerchief.

After all the classes ended, the classroom was finally quiet. Alina gathered her things, pressed a hand to her tired eyes, and walked down the long, echoing hallway to the principal’s office. Her footsteps felt so small in the deep silence. She stopped at the heavy door and knocked twice, her knuckles making a soft tap tap that still made her heart jump.

"Come in," Dante’s low, cool voice called from the other side.

Alina slowly pushed open the door. She stepped inside, careful not to let her shoes squeak on the polished floor. The room smelled faintly of old books, ink, and something darker...something that was just him.

Behind the grand oak desk, Dante sat with his head bent over a stack of papers. His sharp eyes flicked from one page to another, his brows drawn in a dark, thoughtful frown. For a second, he didn’t look up but then he stilled. He must have felt her presence in the room, because his eyes lifted, and that iron-cold expression softened, just barely, when they landed on her.

His voice dropped, smoother now. "Sit." He nodded to the chair in front of his desk. "Why are you here?"

Alina felt her palms sweat a little as she sat down, her skirt brushing against the edges of the polished wood. His eyes never left hers.

"I..." She hesitated, curling her fingers into her lap. "I wanted to ask for all the students’ parents’ phone numbers. For emergencies, and... and updates."

He hummed low in his throat. He leaned back slightly, the light catching the edge of his sharp jaw and the faintest ghost of a tired smile at the corner of his mouth. "Mm. Good idea. It should be in the green file."

He tilted his head toward the tall, dark shelf behind her. "Top shelf."

Alina turned and looked and nearly sighed. The shelf was huge, stacked with leather-bound ledgers and folders that looked older than her. The green file peeked out near the very top. She rose to her feet and tiptoed, her fingers stretching up, brushing the dusty spine. It was just out of reach. f .r e\ewebnov(e)(l).c om

Behind her, his chair scraped softly as he stood up and slowly walked over to her side.

She could almost feel the heat of him at her back, like a shadow that breathed.

Her fingers grazed the edge of the file, but she wobbled on her toes. She let out a small gasp as she lost balance and before she could even blink, Dante’s hand wrapped firmly around her waist, steadying her.

"Careful," he murmured, his voice so close it brushed the shell of her ear.

Alina froze, her breath caught in her throat. She could feel the warmth of his palm through the thin fabric of her dress, his fingertips pressing just enough to remind her how small she was under his touch. His chest was inches from her back. fre\e(w)ebn ov.e l\. co.m

She swallowed, her eyes fluttering half-closed. "I... I can reach it—"

"Obviously not." His tone was dry but low, the faintest amusement there. Slowly, he reached around her, his arm brushing her shoulder as his long fingers closed around the green file. She felt his breath near her neck, warm and unhurried, like he wasn’t in any rush to step back.

For a heartbeat, they stayed like that her back pressed gently to his chest, his hand still on her waist, the file held just above her head. The office seemed smaller, darker. Her heartbeat thudded so loudly she was sure he could hear it.

When he finally let go. He set the file in her hands but didn’t step away immediately. Instead, he let his eyes linger on hers, studying every tiny twitch of her lips, the faint flush rising on her neck.