Interlude 2
Disqualified as a Teacher 2
“Yeah.”
Yuunagi-kun let out a grand sigh.
“Sensei, you really do care about your student. To make such a painful decision again, even though you can’t co to terms with it. Still, If you push yourself too hard, Tenjō-san will be the one to break.”
“And on top of that, I’ve dragged you into this ss. It’s the worst, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. If it were any other guy, they would either be furious or blatantly taking advantage of the situation.”
“Taking advantage?”
“Isn’t it like giving permission to openly cheat?”
“That’s not it at all!”
I stood up, vehently trying to deny it, and lost my balance with too much force.
My legs were numb from sitting in seiza.
I fell to the floor, collapsing into his arms.
“Um, let’s just say this was an accidental fall.”
Yuunagi-kun tried to pull away imdiately, attempting to remove his arm from around my back.
“…I swam too much today.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll probably have muscle soreness tomorrow, and I haven’t eaten dinner, so I’m too famished to move.”
“That ans…”
“I can’t move.”
“————I’m also tired from preparing the al, so I’ll take a little break.”
He understood my roundabout wish and relaxed his strength.
Feeling his body warmth and touch, I almost felt like crying.
“You didn’t understand what you were agreeing to, allowing infidelity like that.”
“——Ugh.”
The idea of granting permission for cheating had never crossed my mind due to my imnse trust in him.
My own words added insult to injury.
“…I trust you, Yuunagi-kun.”
“Your face doesn’t look like you trust . It’s full of anxiety.”
“But, you know…”
He gently wiped away my tears with his hand.
“If you’re going to pretend to be strong, do it more convincingly. I’m about to die of guilt here.”
“I can’t have Yuunagi-kun die on . I don’t want to be a widow〜”
I threw a childish tantrum.
Even the premature worry of not being married yet made sad just imagining such a future.
I want to be together as long as possible, forever.
That is the eternal love I yearn for.
“With this, it’s hard to tell who’s the older one.”
“If only you were the adult, I wouldn’t have to worry like this.”
“I think that every day.”
His agreent made my cheeks loosen.
“But if we weren’t teacher and student, we wouldn’t have t.”
“If my family situation hadn’t been problematic, I wouldn’t be living alone, and I couldn’t have beco Tenjō-san’s neighbor.”
“If I hadn’t shared food with you, we wouldn’t have noticed each other’s existence.”
Life is strange.
Even if there are unpleasant or painful things, they can lead to new happiness and joy.
A current failure doesn’t an everything is over.
“If I catch a cold, you take care of , and when I was troubled with my relationship with my stepsister, you took to the sea and pushed forward, suppressing your own feelings. And now, you’ve made lie about being a classmate’s boyfriend—sothing you hate the most.”
“————Ughh.”
His kindness, understanding everything, tightened around my heart.
That he supports , full of flaws, without abandoning , makes this younger man too good of a person.
“That’s why I worry and can’t leave you alone. It’s because Tenjō Reiyu is so straightforward and uncalculating that Nishiki Yuunagi fell for you.”
“…You won’t change your mind for another girl, will you?”
A lingering insecurity made ask such a trivial question.
It was probably because of the conversation with my best friend the other day.
『Honestly, he might drift towards a classmate with potential rather than an older woman who won’t let him do anything.』
So if we have a physical relationship, will that keep the feelings tied down?
That’s probably not the case.
My parents gave birth to and then went to be with other partners without looking back at each other.
Is eternal love just an illusion in this world?
An unattainable dream?
A convenient lie?
Will the feelings in my heart one day change like my parents’ did?
I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, so I’m scared because I don’t know what will happen.
——While seeking eternal love, it’s actually who’s doubting it.
“Tenjō-san?”
“I’m sorry. I asked sothing stupid.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll just keep lying as hard as I can.”
“Making a student lie… what a failure as a teacher.”
“Teachers are human too, so it’s impossible for them to be perfect.”
“That kind of kindness might lead others to misunderstand…”
Sotis, his charm becos frightening.
“It hurts to hear that.”
“It’s only natural for Kaguya-chan to fall for Yuunagi-kun.”
“It’s thanks to Tenjō-san that the broken family relationship I couldn’t fix on my own was nded. I can’t imagine anyone else but you.”
“How can you say such things so casually!”
I sit up from his chest to plead my case.
My face is hot. Surely, my ears must be bright red by now.
“On the contrary, Tenjō-san, you don’t express yourself enough. This is a good opportunity, so please tell . What do you think of ?”
He looks up at with a full-faced smile, seeking an answer.
“Um, well, that’s, you see…”
I beco flustered.
“Huh, what’s that? Sensei, I can’t hear you very well. Please speak up clearly!”
“Don’t talk like we’re in class! Stop teasing an adult!”
“I don’t want to be told that by soone who plays with the innocence of students.”
“What!? I’m not doing anything like that!”
“It’s happening right now as we speak.”
“Ah?”
At that mont, I realize I’m straddling him on the floor.
A close friend had pointed out sothing similar to .
The words echo in my head.
『You’re not seriously enjoying toying with the innocence of young people, are you?』
Is this what it was all about!?
I had again unknowingly done sothing shaless.
“It’s like I’m being attacked.”
“That’s not itー!”
I jump back, quickly putting distance between us until I reach the edge of the bed.
“Are we continuing this on the bed?”
“Just eat dinner! Let’s have dinner!”
I put on a brave front, trying to gloss over what just happened.
He forgives with a laugh, as he always does.
We exchange honest words and share a delicious al.
Just that is enough for to regain my true self.
For now, this is fine.
It’s okay, it’s only until the cultural festival is over.
Surely, everything will work out.
But reality isn’t so simple that it goes as one wishes just by praying.
The next day, when I go to school, shocking news hits .
***
“Hey-hey, Tenjō-sensei, did you hear? Kuhouin-san and Nishiki-kun have started dating!”
The lie we had crafted yesterday had spread as if it were the truth.
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