Interlude 2
Disqualified as a Teacher 1
Even after the three of them left the pool, I couldn’t get Kuhouin-san’s romance consultation out of my head.
It’s too late to regret it now.
No matter how much I bla myself, it can’t be helped. To think that I, of all people, involved Yuunagi-kun in such a decision surprises .
Surprisingly, I had involved Yuunagi-kun and made such a decision because Kuhouin-san reminded of myself when I was younger, and her pretend boyfriend was none other than Yuunagi-kun.
I was convinced that he could handle it well.
As a teacher, I couldn’t just ignore it, but deep down, I was reluctant.
There’s a limit to separating professional and personal life.
As a human being, can one really switch so easily between the two?
As I was caught in this cycle of emotions, riding the train ho, I received a ssage from Yuunagi-kun.
【Yuunagi: Please make sure to have dinner with today. I have sothing to discuss regarding Clause 6 of the Neighbor Agreent. I won’t forgive you if you run away.】
“Thoroughly nailed,” I thought to myself.
He had seen right through my feelings.
I was at a loss for how to respond, as everything I thought of seed like an excuse.
While I typed and deleted ssages, I found myself back at the nearest station to my apartnt.
【Reiyu: Yes.】
I ended up with a simple reply, thinking that it wouldn’t be conveyed properly unless we spoke directly.
Not feeling like going straight ho, I stopped by a convenience store on the way back and bought a bunch of sweets as an apology and for binge eating.
When I arrived at the apartnt, I rang the doorbell of his room, number 102.
He greeted at the entrance, arms crossed, wearing an apron.
The faint scent of dinner wafted through the air; he seed to have prepared the al as usual.
“Welco back.”
“Ah, I’m back. Here, I brought so souvenirs, let’s eat them after dinner. Please put them in the fridge.”
My voice sounded weak and spiritless, unlike . I was nervously unable to look him in the eye.
“Thank you. Tonight’s dinner is takikomi gohan, as requested.”
“Wow, I’m looking forward to it.”
I tried to show my excitent, but it ca out awkwardly.
“Please wash your hands and gargle first. Let’s have dinner after our talk, at our leisure.”
He took the sweets and went inside first.
When I went from the washroom to the room, two cups of green tea were steaming on the table.
***
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
He was sitting in his usual spot, so I naturally took my usual place and found myself sitting in seiza.
“You’re angry, aren’t you?”
“Of course.”
“I’m sorry!”
“Why did you agree to it?! No, I’m also to bla for accepting it!!”
As soon as I apologized, he also vented the words he hadn’t been able to say at that mont.
In this room, we’re not teacher and student, age doesn’t matter, we’re just neighbors.
Equals.
“If I had outright denied it in that situation, wouldn’t it have looked suspicious?”
“I wanted you to deny it with all your might until the end.”
“I wanted to do that too!”
“Honestly, I was hurt.”
“――It was really hard for too.”
Both of us felt dejected all over again.
“Tenjō-san. Was there really no other way?”
“If there had been, I would have said it right there.”
“But you accepted it.”
He couldn’t hide his dissatisfaction. Naturally, he would feel that way.
“Still, you have a history of helping Kuhouin-san, Yuunagi-kun.”
I pouted and let out my true feelings in a sulky manner.
“That was sothing I started because I wanted to be of help to you, Tenjō-san. And please don’t bring up sothing from half a year ago now.”
“I can’t help it! I still have lingering frustrations deep down.”
He was right; the initial impetus was my own words
And now it’s co full circle, bouncing back on .
I’ve made my bed, now I have to lie in it.
Yet, the people around are kind. They notice the unintentional signs of asking for help and lend their support.
I should be grateful, not resentful.
I’m the one who’s always taking advantage of their kindness.
“And yet, would you use the sa words at that timing? That’s just unfair.” (v1c2)
“The only way to get the ssage across to you is to use that kind of code. It’s like a secret language!”
Of course, it was too much of a killer phrase and it worked perfectly.
Yuunagi-kun imdiately understood my intentions and accepted the role, knowing full well what it entailed.
It made happy, yet also a little sad.
“If we’re going to have a secret conversation, I would have preferred a more enjoyable topic.”
“I agree.”
We naturally looked into each other’s eyes.
“…”
“…”
“Let’s stop this. It’s just too futile.”
“I agree. It’s so painful it feels like my heart is dying…”
Just thinking about what lies ahead makes feel downhearted.
“Why do you support Akira so much?”
Yuunagi-kun seed puzzled.
From his perspective, my judgnt must be utterly incomprehensible.
“I understand Kuhouin-san’s feelings all too well. Struggling while keeping up a brave front, disguising the hurt self, hiding it from others.”
“Tenjō Reiyu and Kuhouin Akira are different people.”
“Even so, now that I’ve realized it, I want to sohow be of help.”
“You can’t leave it alone because it feels like you’re looking at your past self.”
Yuunagi-kun’s face turned unusually grim.
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