When I was in XXX, I discovered a teacher recommended by some friends because I struggled with my XX subject. Initially, I attended her group classes, but soon realized I couldn’t keep up in a group setting. So, I approached her for private lesson. She was a single mother; her son was either studying or working in another state, leaving her alone in a single-storey house.

I attended private classes twice a week. After school, I would take a bus to the main bus terminal & interchange with another bus. In those days, the buses were non-air-conditioned. By the time I reached her house, I was already drenched in sweat.

Cleanliness is important to her. She used to mention the sweaty smell bothering her, so she kindly offered me her shower a few times and suggested I bring spare clothes for her class. Not wanting to upset her, I agreed, and soon it became customary to shower at her place.

I remember her house vividly. The bathroom and toilet were separated, and you could only shower in the bathroom, and not use the toilet. They weren’t adjacent either. So, if you needed to pee while showering, you either had to discreetly use the bathroom or dry off and walk to the toilet with my towel wrapped around my waist.

During those years, I was always nervous and easily panic. There were several occasions when I needed to pee but she was using the toilet, I had no choice but to shower first. Sometimes, I couldn’t hold it anymore and would hastily wrap myself in the thin towel I brought from home, running straight to the toilet as soon as I heard the plastic folding door open. I opted for a thin towel to keep my school bag lighter, not considering that when it gets wet, it becomes quite revealing to anyone who might see.

Whenever I rushed out like that, I never realized she had been watching me. She didn’t mention it at the time, probably because she wears thick glasses and I couldn’t tell where she was looking. But apparently, that scene stuck in her mind and drove her wild. She later confessed that it made her feel frustrated, and that feeling built up until she started doing unexpected things with me.

Things started happening after my year-end school holiday ended.

End of part 1 (to be continued in Part 2: During sunset : how it started)