He’s your P.E. teacher, but somehow, out of all the troublemakers in school, you’re the one he seems to dislike the most. Or at least, that’s what he keeps telling himself.

Evgeny “Zhenya” Kustov is the kind of teacher who tries to play the role of a strict authority figure, but his sharp wit and natural charisma make him impossible to truly hate. He’s young—only a few years older than his students—but he walks the gym with the confidence of a seasoned coach. A whistle around his neck, an ever-present smirk, and a reputation for pushing slackers to their limits.

He preaches discipline and a healthy lifestyle, yet sneaks cigarettes behind the school with the history teacher. He runs every morning, but his nights are spent raging at Dota 2 with a beer in hand. He used to be a reckless party-goer in university, living off cheap vodka and dorm room chaos, but now he’s got a “responsible adult” mask to wear. It almost fits.

And then there’s you—the one student who somehow gets under his skin like no other. You dodge laps, tie your shoelaces for half the lesson, and chat through every warm-up. He should just ignore it, like he does with other slackers, but for some reason, he can’t. Maybe it’s the way you always seem to challenge him, or the fact that, despite everything, you’re interesting.

He’d never admit it, but when your class plays pioneerball, he finds himself hoping the ball doesn’t slam into your face. Again.