Chapter 3: A Request from My Ex-Girlfriend's Niece

A few days had passed since my encounter with the clever Kamijō-san. While the situation with Misuzu-chan continued to linger in the back of my mind, a much more pressing issue had arisen.

It was a problem I simply couldn't afford to ignore.

"Murakumo-san is absent again today..."

There was a student in my class whom I hadn't seen since the opening ceremony. Her name was Murakumo Rumi. She had missed the very first day of school without any prior notification, and she hadn't shown up once since.

On the first day, when I had expressed my concern about her unexcused absence, the Vice Principal had simply waved it off. "Ah, don't worry about it. You should focus on keeping that class of yours in line instead." Following his advice, I had tried to put it out of my mind, but...

Leaving things like this felt incredibly wrong.

But the fact that the Vice Principal already knew about it suggested there might be some complicated family circumstances involved. I didn't even know what kind of person Murakumo-san was.

Surely she hadn't stopped coming to school just because she disliked Class E, which was practically a breeding ground for trouble... right?

After all, the class placements were only announced on the morning of the opening ceremony, so she wouldn't have known which class she was in unless she actually came to school.

...Or did she take one look at the class list posted on the board that morning and immediately turn around and go home...?

I had no way of knowing.

At the very least, I needed more information about Murakumo-san.

With that goal in mind, I called Kamijō-san out to the back of the school during lunch break.

"Excuse me... but I would highly appreciate it if you didn't make people think we've become close because of her affair. No matter what kind of relationship you have with her, Sensei, I don't feel anything for you whatsoever."

The moment she arrived, Kamijō-san delivered a chillingly cold complaint. I simply laughed it off.

"Don't worry, this has absolutely nothing to do with Misuzu-chan. I just wanted to ask you a few questions."

"Calling a student out to a secluded place like this... isn't that incredibly suspicious?"

The moment she heard my response, Kamijō-san narrowed her eyes and wrapped her arms defensively around her body.

She looked as if she were facing a dangerous threat to her physical safety.

"You were the one who brought me here the first time! I only chose this spot because I thought it would be better if other students didn't overhear us...!"

"So, is this a confession, then? How troublesome. Should I call the police?"

"Nobody is confessing to you! I literally just said I wanted to ask you something!"

I frantically stopped her as she smoothly slipped her smartphone out of her skirt pocket.

This girl acted like a quiet, cool, and detached student in the classroom, but the moment we were alone, she seemed to take immense pleasure in teasing me like a completely different person.

"...So, what is it you wanted to ask me?"

Satisfied with my panicked reaction, she instantly reverted back to her cool, professional persona.

Seriously, is she really related to Misuzu-chan? She is so incredibly difficult to read.

...Well, she wasn't her biological daughter, after all.

"You know Murakumo-san from our class, right?"

The moment I mentioned the name, Kamijō-san’s brow furrowed in annoyance.

She looked as if I had just dumped a giant, troublesome chore onto her lap.

"She hasn't shown up once since the start of our sophomore year. Do you happen to know the reason?"

Since I was new to this school this year, Kamijō-san, who had been here since last year, was bound to be much more familiar with the student dynamics.

She seemed incredibly observant, so I hoped she might have some kind of lead. That was my hope, at least.

"Sigh... She stopped coming to school halfway through the third term last year. She hasn't been back since—basically, she's a textbook truant."

Kamijō-san let out a heavy sigh and explained the situation in a flat, matter-of-fact tone.

I had considered that possibility, but to hear it confirmed was still discouraging.

Kamijō-san shot me a look that practically said, "You could have easily checked the attendance records from last year to figure that out." Yes, sorry. I knew that.

But I figured asking her directly would be much faster.

Because rather than just knowing that she was absent, I wanted to know why.

"Why did she stop coming?"

"How should I know? I have no connection to her. In fact, I'm pretty sure nobody in the school knows."

Kamijō-san shook her head with clear indifference.

But her response struck a strange chord with me.

"How can you be so sure that nobody knows?"

It made sense that Kamijō-san didn't know. After all, why would a classmate necessarily know the intimate details of another student's truancy?

But to claim that nobody knew was a completely different story.

Unless she possessed some kind of specific knowledge, she wouldn't have phrased it that way.

Sensing a thread, I decided to pull on it.

"She was always a very quiet girl with a very small social circle. After she stopped coming, the teachers at the time asked the few friends she did have, but every single one of them said they had no idea."

As expected, despite her aloof exterior, she paid incredibly close attention to her surroundings.

If even her close friends didn't know, then her assertion that "nobody knows" was perfectly logical. After all, if the people closest to her were in the dark, a classmate who barely interacted with her certainly wouldn't have a clue.

So, what should my next move be...?

Even if I approached the friends she used to hang out with, they'd probably just give me the same "we don't know" response.

Should I visit her home?

No, showing up unannounced without knowing the full story was a terrible idea.

It might put unnecessary pressure on Murakumo-san, and there was always the possibility that the root of her problem lay within her own family.

If that were the case, her guardians would immediately go on the defensive. It was much safer to gather more information before making a move.

There had to be other avenues to explore. I needed to stay calm and—

As I stood there, lost in thought, Kamijō-san, who had been watching me intently, slowly opened her mouth.

"However... there was this rumor. That she stopped coming to school because she was being bullied..."

"...Bullying..."

My brow furrowed at the heavy word.

Bullying—an insidious plague that should never exist, yet remains an inseparable shadow of school life.

Even now, decades after it first became a major societal issue, tragic stories continue to dominate the news.

And those news reports represent only the absolute worst-case scenarios that couldn't be covered up. There were countless cases where victims were unable to speak out, or where schools successfully swept the truth under the rug.

Moreover, even when teachers kept a vigilant eye out, students were incredibly adept at hiding their cruelty in the shadows, making it nearly impossible to detect.

If this really was a case of bullying, I absolutely had to take action.

"If there are rumors, does that mean she was the target of teasing in the class before she stopped coming?"

"No, not at all."

Kamijō-san shook her head, cutting my assumption short.

"Like I said, it's just a rumor. No one actually witnessed her being bullied, and the others only started whispering about it after she stopped showing up. More importantly, one of the girls she always hung out with is incredibly popular—the undisputed idol of our year, and her childhood friend. If anyone had tried to bully Murakumo-san, they would have instantly earned the hatred of the most popular girl in school. It's highly unlikely anyone would take that risk."

The undisputed idol of our year, huh...

In other words, someone like Misuzu-chan.

Back in high school, Misuzu-chan was always surrounded by a massive crowd of people, with everyone desperately trying to earn her favor.

Boys and girls alike would go out of their way to be nice to anyone Misuzu-chan was close with, just to stay in her good graces.

It was a classic case of social hierarchy.

If Murakumo-san’s childhood friend possessed that level of social influence, then Kamijō-san was right; it was hard to imagine anyone daring to target her openly.

—But that was only on the surface.

Because she was so close to the popular girl, she could have easily become a target of intense, hidden jealousy, subjected to cruel torment far away from anyone’s eyes. The possibility was highly plausible.

"In that case, could you tell me the name of this childhood friend? I'd like to start by talking to her."

"Sure, but—"

Having secured the name from Kamijō-san, I immediately set off to find her.

　◆

"—Whoa, seriously...?"

Peering into Class 2-A, I was instantly overwhelmed by the sight of the girls having lunch together, their desks pushed companionably close.

There had to be at least ten of them huddled together, and every single one of their eyes was locked onto a single, breathtakingly beautiful girl.

As she spoke, the others nodded along with warm, supportive smiles, occasionally breaking into soft laughter.

From the looks of it, they had all finished eating their lunches.

I knew who she was because I occasionally taught mathematics to her class. The girl holding the absolute center of attention was Murakumo Rumi’s childhood friend—Bidō Sayaka.

Man, trying to break into that circle to talk to her is going to take a serious amount of courage...

If I were still a high school student myself, I would have avoided that crowd like the plague.

The moment I called out to her, I could already picture the cold, dismissive glares from her protective entourage, practically screaming, "Ugh, what does this guy want?"

To be completely honest, Bidō Sayaka was intimidating in a completely different way than Kamijō-san.

Should I just wait until after school...?

No, girls of her social standing were usually surrounded by friends even after the final bell rang, and they almost always went straight out to hang out together afterward.

Actually, even during the short breaks between classes, she was probably swarmed the second the teacher left the room.

If that was the case, it wouldn't make a difference when I approached her. Steeling my resolve, I decided to take the plunge.

"Excuse me, is Bidō-san here for a second?"

The moment my voice cut through the classroom from the doorway, the girls’ heads snapped toward me in perfect unison, like a troop of highly disciplined soldiers.

Okay, that is genuinely terrifying.

The atmosphere turned awkward in an instant. Seriously, why did this school have so many teenage girls who possessed the innate ability to dominate a room and command absolute obedience from their peers?

"Ah, Shirasaki-sensei! Yes, I’m right here."

In the midst of that intimidating army, Sayaka-san stood up with a lovely, radiant smile, looking for all the world like a solitary flower blooming on a brutal battlefield.

Gently waving off her friends who looked ready to rise and accompany her, she walked over to me with incredibly graceful, elegant steps.

"I’m really sorry for interrupting your lunch."

"Oh, please don't worry about it. We’ve already finished eating, and we were just chatting. What can I do for you, Sensei?"

She offered a sweet, considerate follow-up to put me at ease before tilting her head in polite curiosity.

She really was a remarkably mature, well-mannered girl—just like Misuzu-chan used to be.

"Bidō-san, you’re Murakumo-san’s childhood friend, right?"

"...!"

The moment Rumi's name left my mouth, Bidō-san's face stiffened for a fraction of a second.

At least, that's what it looked like to me, but she immediately cast her eyes downward, a look of profound sorrow washing over her features.

"Is this about Rumi-chan...? Come to think of it, Rumi-chan was assigned to Class E, which is the class you’re in charge of, isn't it, Shirasaki-sensei...?"

Even though she wasn't in Class E herself, and despite the fact that Rumi hadn't shown up to school even once, Bidō-san had still kept track of exactly which class her friend belonged to.

It seemed they really had been exceptionally close.

When a friend like that suddenly becomes a truant, it's only natural to look incredibly sad the moment their name is brought up.

"Yes, that's right. I was hoping you might know something about her situation..."

"I’m so sorry... I honestly don't know either... She suddenly stopped coming to school, and even when I try to message her, she never replies... Even when I go to her house to see her, she won't come to the door..."

Just as I had anticipated, her answer was a helpless "I don't know."

I had prepared myself for that response, but hearing it directly was still a blow.

"I’ve heard the rumors about her being bullied, but I simply can't bring myself to believe them. We were together almost all the time, even during our commutes to and from school, and I’ve never once seen Rumi-chan go through anything like that..."

Bidō-san brought up the bullying rumors herself before I even had the chance to ask.

If they were childhood friends who shared the same route to school and spent most of their school hours together, then what she was saying was highly credible.

Could it be that because everyone is so quick to assume it's bullying, Rumi-chan has found it even harder to speak up about the real reason...?

But if she refused to see even Bidō-san when she visited, was it possible that some kind of domestic issues—like family neglect or abuse—were keeping her trapped inside?

Or, to take a darker turn, was there someone else staying in that house, threatening Rumi-chan to keep her from saying anything to Bidō-san...?

...No, okay, I'm definitely overthinking things.

Still, what on earth could possibly cause her to shut out her own childhood friend?

Instead of resolving the mystery, talking to Bidō-san had only piled on even more questions.

"I understand. Thank you so much, Bidō-san. I’ll try to think of another way."

Recognizing that keeping Bidō-san any longer would only invite more death glares from the girls watching us from a distance, I excused myself and let her return to her friends.

Though I hadn't solved a single mystery, there was clearly nothing more I could glean from her, so it couldn't be helped.

I decided I would have to sit down over the weekend, sort through the facts, and try to organize the situation from scratch.

◆

The following Saturday.

I was sitting on a bench in the park near my apartment building, deeply lost in thought.

"At the end of the day, I still don't have a single solid lead..."

During my breaks at school, I had tried to quietly fish for information, casually bringing up the topic with the Vice Principal and the teachers who had handled the first-years last year. But every single attempt had turned up absolutely nothing.

Because Murakumo-san was naturally a quiet, unassuming girl who faded into the background when Bidō-san wasn't around, there simply wasn't any information available beyond what Sayaka-san had already told me.

"Man, this is a real head-scratcher..."

"—What's got you so worried, Onii-chan?"

"—?!"

I was staring up at the sky, letting out a heavy sigh, when a voice suddenly piped up from right below me.

Startled, I looked down to find a silver-haired little girl tilting her head, peering up into my face.

In fact, she had crawled right into the space between my knees.

"Sana-chan... Why are you here...?"

"I should be the one asking you that, shouldn't I, Shirasaki-san?"

"..."

I had directed my question at Sana-chan, but the response came from slightly above and to the side.

Looking up, I saw Misuzu-chan gazing down at me with a pouty, highly suspicious squint.

Oh boy...

"Sana always plays in this park!"

Completely oblivious to Misuzu-chan’s icy glare, Sana-chan raised her right hand and piped up energetically, as if proudly declaring her territory.

I immediately made a mental note to avoid this park like the plague starting tomorrow.

"I-I see. That's neat."

"What are you doing, Onii-chan? Did you wait here 'cause you wanted to play with Sana?"

Sana-chan let out a happy giggle, swaying her body from side to side as she looked up at me with eyes full of pure, hopeful expectation.

There was absolutely no logical reason why I would be waiting here to play with her, but it seemed this little girl was the master of her own reality.

Actually, did she just invite me to play with her?

"Well, actually, I was just thinking—"

"Sniff..."

"—A-Ah! That's right! I was waiting here hoping I could play with you, Sana-chan!"

The moment I tried to gently decline, Sana-chan’s eyes immediately welled up with tears, forcing me to make a frantic, mid-air course correction.

The second I did, her face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"I knew it! Sana wants to play with Onii-chan too!"

With a beaming smile, Sana-chan plopped herself down on the bench right next to me.

She really is a free spirit, isn't she...?

Though I suppose that wild, untamed innocence was exactly what made her so incredibly charming.

Even so, I had been doing everything in my power to avoid Misuzu-chan because of how incredibly awkward things were between us. I never could have anticipated that I’d end up playing babysitter to her kid...

Well, when a sweet little girl looks at you with tears in her eyes, you simply don't have the strength to resist. It couldn't be helped.

Besides, making Sana-chan cry was bad enough on its own, but if Kamijō-san ever found out that I had made her precious little sister cry... Just the thought of her wrath sent a shiver down my spine.

She would probably mobilize her entire classroom army to make my life a living hell.

"Onii-chan, what do you wanna play? Sana's fine with anything!"

As I stood there staring blankly at the sky, Sana-chan gave my sleeve a persistent series of tugs.

Unlike her older sister, Sana-chan clearly didn't have a single self-conscious bone in her body.

I wondered what Misuzu-chan thought about me playing with Sana-chan.

Stealing a glance at her face, I saw that she had quietly sat down on the other side of Sana-chan, her eyes cast downward as if pretending she couldn't see a single thing we were doing.

Does this mean she's willing to turn a blind eye to me playing with her daughter...?

"I'm fine with anything too. What do you usually like to play, Sana-chan?"

"Hmm... slide, swings, and the sandpit...!"

Sana-chan tapped a finger against her lip in deep thought before pointing out the various play structures scattered across the park.

She certainly had a wide range of interests.

Unlike her icy older sister, she was practically bursting with boundless energy.

"In that case, how about we start with the swings?"

"Okay!"

The sandpit was out of the question; it would get her clothes and hands filthy, and I was terrified that Misuzu-chan would glare at me and complain about how "laundry is such a pain...!" if I brought her daughter back covered in mud. Thus, I opted for the safest possible choice: the swings.

The moment I stood up from the bench, Sana-chan reached up and slipped her tiny hand into mine.

As I froze in surprise at the sudden, trusting warmth, Sana-chan looked up at me and let out an adorable, heart-melting "Ehehe~" giggle.

Is she a literal angel...?!

She was so incredibly cute, and remarkably affectionate for a child who had only just met me.

Misuzu-chan must be showering her with an immense amount of love and affection as she raised her.

Wait... if Sana-chan’s father ever saw me holding hands with his daughter like this, wouldn't I be completely finished...?

A sudden wave of absolute terror washed over me, but I was utterly powerless against the sheer, overwhelming cuteness of the little girl before me.

"I’ll give you a push, okay?"

"Mm...!"

Once Sana-chan was securely seated on the swing, I stepped behind her and began to gently push her forward.

Sana-chan didn't bother trying to pump her legs herself; instead, she relaxed her entire body, leaning back and completely trusting me to keep her moving.

"Ehehe... this is so much fun, Onii-chan!"

Keeping a careful eye on her to make sure the swing didn't go too high, I gently pushed Sana-chan’s back. As the swing reached its apex, she turned around to look at me with a brilliant, gap-toothed smile.

Oh god, what am I supposed to do? This kid is way too cute...

As expected of someone carrying Misuzu-chan’s genes, her facial features were exceptionally refined and beautiful, but her personality was what truly set her apart.

It made me want to absolutely spoil her rotten. I couldn't help but wonder to myself... if I ever had a child of my own, would it feel something like this?

Currently, I didn't even have a girlfriend, and the only girl I was remotely close to was my childhood friend. At this rate, I was highly likely to end up a lifelong bachelor, meaning a day like this might never come again.

"Yeah, I’m having a blast too."

"Mm...!"

When I smiled back, Sana-chan nodded happily and turned her focus back to the front.

I continued to push her on the swing until she had thoroughly played to her heart's content.

"—Onii-chan, slide next...!"

Having had her fill of the swings, I thought Sana-chan would want to take a break on the bench, but she immediately declared her desire to tackle the slide.

Man, kids really have an unbelievable amount of stamina... I was swiftly being reminded of that universal truth.

Naturally, when requested with an angelic, melting smile, there was absolutely no way I could say no.

"Sure thing."

With a smile of my own, I let Sana-chan drag me by the hand toward the slide.

Once she climbed to the top of the platform, she looked down at me and tilted her head.

"Onii-chan, aren't you coming?"

"Eh...?"

I had planned to stand at the bottom of the slide to catch her when she came down, so her question caught me off guard.

The slide in this park was exceptionally wide, meaning an adult could easily fit on it.

Even so, the thought of playing on a slide at my age felt incredibly embarrassing.

"I wanna slide with Onii-chan..."

Sana-chan looked down at me, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

This kid is dangerous...

Whenever things didn't go her way, she would immediately look on the verge of tears and plead with her eyes. I realized then and there that it was physically impossible for me to refuse any request she made.

More than anything, I desperately didn't want Sana-chan to dislike me, so I scrambled up the steps of the slide.

"Alright, we’ll slide down together—"

"Yay, huggy!"

The moment I reached the top behind her, Sana-chan turned around and demanded to be held.

However, she didn't turn to face me; instead, she wanted me to hold her from behind so we could slide down as a unit.

Wait, if my hands slip while we're going down, that could actually be pretty dangerous...

"No...?"

As I hesitated, Sana-chan turned her head back to look at me, her face falling into another pleading, tearful pout.

This girl is going to grow up to be an absolute little devil... I thought, amazed by how effortlessly she stimulated my protective instincts.

Of course, she was doing all of this completely unconsciously and without a single shred of malice, but that was exactly why I could easily picture her growing up into a natural-born siren who would spin men around her little finger.

Her older sister, Kamijō-san, was highly calculated in her manipulations, but both of them were terrifyingly adept at handling people.

"No, of course we can. But it’s dangerous, so you have to sit still and promise not to wriggle around, okay?"

"Mm...!"

When I gently scooped her up from behind, Sana-chan completely relaxed, letting her entire weight slump into my arms.

For some reason, she felt much heavier when she went completely limp like that, but I ignored it and sat down on the slide, settling her securely onto my lap.

And when we slid down together—

"Waaaaah!"

—Sana-chan let out a delighted, high-pitched squeal of pure joy.

Needless to say, she wasn't about to be satisfied with just one trip. We ended up climbing the steps and sliding down together over and over again.

It had been decades since I had last been on a slide, but holding the ecstatic, laughing Sana-chan in my arms made me feel incredibly warm and happy inside.

...Still, isn't she being a bit too clingy with someone she just met? Is she just naturally this affectionate with everyone?

I couldn't help but wonder, though I kept the thought strictly to myself.

"Onii-chan, did you have fun?"

The sun had begun to dip below the horizon.

After running around until she was completely exhausted, Sana-chan sat beside me on the bench, tilting her head to peer up into my face.

She had a massive, contented grin, and it was obvious that she had thoroughly enjoyed her day.

"Of course I did. What about you, Sana-chan?"

"Sana had so, so much fun!"

The moment I asked, she threw her arms around me in a tight hug.

We had only just met, and we had only been playing for half a day, yet she had become incredibly attached to me.

...I hope her father doesn't get angry at me for this...

Given my history with Misuzu-chan, the thought of her husband kept nagging at the back of my mind.

Speaking of Misuzu-chan, she had remained seated on the bench the entire time, quietly watching us play.

Sitting on a hard park bench for half a day without doing anything must have been incredibly exhausting, but her patience was truly remarkable.

Right now, she was staring at the two of us with a completely blank, unreadable expression. Because I couldn't tell what she was thinking, it was actually pretty terrifying.

While I was busy worrying—

"Onii-chan, play with Sana on your days off...!"

Sana-chan, still clinging to my chest, gave my shirt a gentle tug and made her request with that same, heart-meltingly adorable smile.

"Eh...?"

"Sana had so much fun playing with Onii-chan! I wanna play lots and lots more! Let's play tomorrow! And next week too!"

Oh boy. It looks like she's gotten significantly more attached to me than I thought.

To be completely honest, committing to playing with her every single weekend was a massive hurdle for me.

If it were just Sana-chan, I wouldn't mind at all.

But Misuzu-chan would inevitably have to tag along, and there was no way she would allow something like that.

"I’m sorry, Sana-chan. That’s a bit—"

"Ugh... sniff..."

"—?!"

The moment I tried to gently decline, her face instantly crumpled, and she looked ready to burst into tears.

An overwhelming wave of pure, concentrated guilt slammed into me. I felt like the worst human being alive.

I was on the verge of nodding and agreeing to whatever she wanted.

But agreeing to something like this was incredibly complicated, so I turned to Misuzu-chan for help.

Surely she wouldn't want to see me every single weekend either...

Or so I thought—

But the look Misuzu-chan shot me practically screamed: "Are you really planning on making her cry?"

Wait, is she actually telling me to say yes?!

I stared at her in shock, but even during that brief hesitation, Sana-chan’s eyes began to fill with tears. She was letting out tiny, trembling sniffs, just seconds away from a full-blown meltdown.

"O-Okay! I get it! I’ll play with you on my days off! It’s a promise!"

If I didn't say yes right now, she was going to cry—and more importantly, as Sana-chan’s tears welled up, Misuzu-chan’s silent, crushing pressure had intensified tenfold. I nodded frantically.

"Sniff... Really...?"

Since she had been right on the edge of crying, Sana-chan didn't immediately bounce back into a radiant smile like she had on the slide. Instead, she looked up at me with a pleading, fragile expression.

She seemed to be genuinely seeking reassurance.

"Yeah, I’m always free on my days off anyway, and my apartment is right over there, so it’s totally fine."

"Yay...!"

When I gave her a reassuring smile, Sana-chan’s face finally lit up, radiant as the morning sun.

Thank goodness.

...But seriously, from a different perspective, is this really okay?!

Even if it was just to play with Sana-chan, Misuzu-chan would be meeting up with another man every single weekend despite having a husband.

And that man was her high school ex-boyfriend!

It was bound to spark some highly unwanted misunderstandings, and if her husband ever found out, he would be absolutely furious, wouldn't he?!

Terrified of the implications, I shot Misuzu-chan a look that silently asked, "Is this really okay?"

But Misuzu-chan simply responded with an enigmatic, teasing smile that seemed to say, "Is there a problem?"

It was a smile I had never once seen her make back in high school.

In the ten years we've been apart, she really has become a completely different person...

I wondered what could have possibly triggered such a massive change in her.

"Well, I should probably head home now."

Now that the sun was setting, it wasn't a good idea to keep a young child outdoors, and I knew that if I hung around, Sana-chan would never want to leave. I stood up from the bench.

However—

"No...!"

—I was immediately captured.

Sana-chan wrapped her arms around me, refusing to let go of my leg as I tried to stand.

"But we have to go home now..."

"Eat dinner at Sana's house...! Sana wants to eat dinner with Onii-chan...!"

I thought she was just trying to stop me from leaving, but she had actually just invited me over to her house.

The risks associated with that were astronomically high. Between her father and Kamijō-san, I was bound to feel incredibly uncomfortable and out of place. I was completely at a loss.

Surely Misuzu-chan would step in and stop her—or so I hoped.

"Oh dear... What a predicament, isn't it?"

Though her mouth uttered words of concern, her face wore a slightly mischievous, highly amused smirk as she watched me struggle under Sana-chan’s assault.

Wait, is this really happening...? Am I actually being dragged straight to my ex-girlfriend's house?!

Thanks to a single, innocent little girl, I felt like I was being marched directly into a terrifying, inescapable minefield.

◆

"We’re home!"

Holding hands with Sana-chan as she dragged me along, we finally arrived at Misuzu-chan’s house.

Instead of a modest apartment like mine, she lived in a fairly spacious, beautiful detached house.

Misuzu-chan unlocked the front door, and the moment Sana-chan shouted her energetic greeting—

"Welcome back~!"

—Kamijō-san came pattering down the stairs, her face completely melted into a doting, relaxed smile.

Yep... she really is a completely different person at home.

However—

"Eh?!"

The moment my student realized there was someone else standing in the entryway, her doting expression instantly froze solid.

Whether it was because an impossible guest had just walked through her front door, or because I had just witnessed the one face she never wanted me to see... it was probably a healthy mix of both.

"Onee-chan, we’re home!"

Sana-chan greeted her older sister with a bright smile. After letting go of my hand, she proudly wrapped both of her arms around my right arm, clinging to me as if displaying a prize.

"W-W-What are you doing here?!"

"Well... if you look at her, I think you can probably piece it together..."

Blushing furiously and visibly shaken, Kamijō-san demanded to know why on earth I was in her house. In response, I simply gestured toward the little girl currently attached to my right arm.

Sana-chan, having successfully brought me home, was in an incredibly good mood. She was happily rubbing her cheek against my arm, completely content.

Even without knowing the exact sequence of events, anyone could easily deduce what had happened.

"But why were you even meeting her in the first place...?!"

Since Sana-chan wouldn't have been able to drag me here unless we had crossed paths, Kamijō-san refused to let the matter drop.

Her suspicion was entirely logical.

"I was sitting in the park trying to think, and Sana-chan came over to talk to me..."

"Apparently, we live in the same neighborhood."

As Kamijō-san continued to interrogate me, Misuzu-chan slipped off her shoes and casually walked inside, completely indifferent to the tension.

Just as she said, her house was practically a stone's throw away from my apartment building.

No wonder I kept running into them at the supermarket and the park...

Also, Misuzu-chan.

When you're talking to your family, you use that same gentle, sweet tone from back in the day, don't you?

So why is it that whenever you talk to me, your words are so incredibly sharp and thorny?

I desperately wanted to ask, but knowing it would only make her angry, I kept my mouth shut.

"You... aren't stalking her because you still have lingering feelings from high school, are you...?"

"I know I don't have much credit with you, but I would never do something like that. Like I said, Sana-chan was the one who approached me in the first place."

I hadn't seen Misuzu-chan in ten years.

This house was completely different from the place she used to live in back during our high school days, and it wasn't even in the same neighborhood we had grown up in.

Granted, my childhood friend was her best friend, so if I had really wanted to find her, I probably could have. But I wasn't nearly pathetic enough to stalk an ex-girlfriend.

"...Well, she's the one who still can't seem to let go of her lingering feelings anyway..."

Hearing my explanation, Kamijō-san cast her eyes downward and muttered something under her breath.

But because she was standing a bit away and her voice was barely a whisper, I couldn't quite catch it.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"Nothing. Just talking to myself. I was just wondering what would be the cleanest way to dispose of a teacher who keeps witnessing my most embarrassing moments."

"Isn't that a little too morbid?!"

Why does my own student want to murder me...?!

The moment I agreed to come to my ex's house, I had accepted that things were going to be awkward, but I never expected to face a literal life-or-death crisis from her niece.

"Onee-chan, don't be mean to Onii-chan!"

As I stood there under Kamijō-san’s terrifying gaze, Sana-chan, who had been quietly listening to our exchange, suddenly puffed out her cheeks and scolded her older sister.

Apparently, the little angel was firmly on my side.

"Sana... dislikes me...?!"

The psychological blow to Kamijō-san’s emotional state was absolutely devastating.

Man, this girl... compared to how she acts at school, she's actually pretty hilarious in her private life, isn't she?

Even when it was just the two of us, she had a habit of throwing some pretty sharp banter my way.

...They were jokes, right?

She wasn't actually planning on murdering me, right...?

Still unable to fully read Kamijō-san, a sliver of genuine worry crept into my mind.

"Sana has taken quite a liking to Shirasaki-san. If you aren't careful, you might actually end up making an enemy of her, Marin."

Misuzu-chan walked back into the entryway, carrying her tote bag and a small purse.

"Corrupting an innocent child like that... and you call yourself a teacher...?!"

Hearing Misuzu-chan’s warning, Kamijō-san’s anger flared up even higher.

Instead of backing down, she was glaring at me with even more intensity.

"Could you please not make it sound so sinister?! I didn't corrupt anyone!"

She had just randomly gotten incredibly attached to me!

As I frantically defended myself, Misuzu-chan began to slip her shoes back on.

"Are you going out?"

"We don't have anything for dinner, after all."

"Ah... in that case, I can come along and help carry the groceries..."

"And what if people see us walking together and misunderstand? You should stay here and keep an eye on Sana, Shirasaki-san."

She was right. If we were seen together, people might suspect us of having an affair.

Moreover, the relationship between a teacher and a student's guardian was highly sensitive on its own.

So while I understood the logic behind Misuzu-chan’s words—she really was incredibly harsh with me.

And since I had witnessed her embarrassing behavior and stolen Sana-chan’s affection, Kamijō-san was clearly holding a massive grudge against me. Being left alone in the house with her was the absolute last thing I wanted.

—Of course, Kamijō-san had no intention of going grocery shopping either. With Sana-chan still glued to my side, I was promptly dragged into the living room by my glaring student.

◆

"Ehehe."

The moment I sat down on the sofa in the living room as instructed by Kamijō-san, Sana-chan immediately climbed up and claimed her spot right on my lap.

This little girl truly did whatever she pleased.

Though she was so cute I couldn't bring myself to mind.

"............"

Actually, I minded. I minded a lot.

Because Sana-chan had completely abandoned her, Kamijō-san was staring at me with a terrifyingly resentful glare from across the room.

She really, truly loved her little sister.

Well, considering Sana-chan was an absolute angel, I could completely sympathize with her feelings.

"Mm..."

"Oh?"

As I offered a strained, nervous smile to Kamijō-san to appease her, Sana-chan suddenly shifted her weight. She turned sideways, leaning her entire body against my chest and resting her face against me.

Instantly, her movements ceased. Her eyes closed, and her breathing slowed to a gentle, steady rhythm.

She had gone completely still, like a toy whose batteries had suddenly run out.

"Ah... she stole my spot..."

Watching Sana-chan fall asleep, Kamijō-san’s shoulders slumped in utter defeat.

Apparently, this role—serving as Sana-chan’s human mattress—usually belonged to her.

"Does she always fall asleep so suddenly?"

"Yes. She’s still young, so she throws every ounce of her energy into playing, and the moment her battery runs dry, she falls asleep instantly. Usually, there are more warning signs, but after running around that much, she always knocks out without warning."

So she had pushed herself to the absolute limit playing outdoors and finally collapsed from sheer exhaustion.

She really had been running around with boundless energy...

Since an adult like me was feeling tired, there was no way a young child like her wouldn't be completely wiped out.

Gazing down at her peaceful, adorable sleeping face, I gently and softly patted Sana-chan’s head.

"—So, coming to your ex-girlfriend’s house—who also happens to be your student’s house—and even staying for dinner... Do you happen to possess a spine of actual steel under that plain, ordinary exterior, Sensei?"

Now that her beloved sister was asleep and Misuzu-chan was out of the house, Kamijō-san rested her chin on her hand and began to lay into me with a highly accusatory, teasing glare.

"I tried to say no, but she looked like she was about to cry, and I just couldn't bring myself to resist..."

"Sigh... She might be young, but she’s incredibly clever. Now that you’ve given in to her once, she is never going to let you escape."

"Please don't say things like that. It's terrifying."

Did I just get caught by some kind of high-pressure sales pitch? The warning sounded genuinely ominous.

Though it felt a bit wrong to describe a sweet little girl’s actions that way.

"Do you honestly think this is a one-time thing? By the time dinner is over, she’s going to demand that you come back tomorrow, and the day after that. Just watch."

"Haha, there’s no way—"

I laughed it off, but I had absolutely no idea that her prediction would turn out to be terrifyingly accurate.

"Putting that aside... is this really okay?"

With Sana-chan fast asleep and Misuzu-chan away, I decided to ask Kamijō-san the question that had been burning a hole in my chest ever since I set foot in this house.

"What do you mean, 'okay'?"

"I mean... won't it be bad if her husband comes home? If he finds a guy my age hanging out in his house, he’s going to misunderstand, and we’ll be staring down a massive domestic disaster, won't we?"

Even if it was for the sake of his young daughter, any ordinary husband would be incredibly uncomfortable finding a man around his own age lounging in his living room.

And if Kamijō-san ever let slip that Misuzu-chan and I had dated in high school, it would undoubtedly trigger a catastrophic misunderstanding.

At the very least, I needed to make sure Kamijō-san was on my side.

But—

"Sigh..."

—Kamijō-san shot me a look of absolute, soul-crushing disappointment.

"W-What...?"

"I’m honestly speechless. Or rather, I’m utterly amazed that you walked in here without even understanding the situation... Sensei, you’re the exact type of person who’s going to get himself ruined one of these days."

"What is that supposed to mean?!"

I couldn't help but snap back at her harsh words.

But the sudden volume of my voice made Sana-chan stir uncomfortably in her sleep, forcing me to instantly clamp both hands over my mouth.

"I told you the other day, didn't I? I’m not her daughter."

"Eh? Yeah, I heard you... but that was about you, right? Isn't Sana-chan Misuzu-chan’s child...?"

Since she had brought it up, I figured there was some kind of misunderstanding on my part, so I decided to ask about Sana-chan directly.

That turned out to be a mistake, as Kamijō-san’s eyes instantly turned razor-sharp.

"Who on earth told you that? Sana is my actual, biological younger sister. There’s just a significant age gap between us. That woman is not Sana’s mother either. In fact, she has never been married in her entire life."

"............"

The sheer shock of the revelation left me completely speechless.

The only reason I didn't shout out loud was because I was hyper-aware of the sleeping child in my arms.

"Our parents died in an accident, and she took us in. She’s our aunt and our legal guardian."

"I... had no idea..."

That was all I could manage to squeeze out of my throat.

Losing both parents in an accident must have left incredibly deep emotional scars, yet she had shared it with me so calmly...

And now, it made perfect sense why Misuzu-chan had been so nonchalant about bringing me into her home.

With no husband around, there was absolutely nothing to fear.

I had been agonizing and trembling in fear all by myself like a complete idiot.

"Wait, you actually believed she had a husband, and you still agreed to come into her house? Is your mental fortitude made of vibranium or something?"

Sensing that I was struggling to process the information, Kamijō-san mercifully shifted the angle of her attack.

"I told you! I couldn't say no to Sana-chan’s pleading face! She looked like she was about to cry...!"

"Even so, any normal person would have refused. You literally jumped headfirst into what you believed was a highly explosive minefield of adultery."

Kamijō-san’s flawless logic delivered a devastating counter-punch, leaving me completely speechless in a different way.

I was the living, breathing definition of an idiot...

My head was starting to throb.

"Besides, if you had just looked at the emergency contact forms at school, you would have realized there was no husband in an instant."

"I can't just browse through a student's personal files for my own private curiosity...!"

"Hmph. What a coward."

"Could you at least call me professional or serious...?!"

I instantly fired back at her smug grin.

Outside of school hours, this girl genuinely took immense pleasure in teasing the absolute life out of me.

Though considering how many pathetic displays I had put on in front of her, I suppose I couldn't exactly blame her for making fun of me...!!

I made a mental note to remain highly vigilant around her.

Still... I see.

Misuzu-chan is single...

Well, even so... she was still my student’s guardian, so it wasn't like we could just rekindle our past relationship anyway…

　◆

"Mmm-gh..."

Some time had passed since then. Misuzu-chan had returned from her shopping trip and was already hard at work in the kitchen.

Since dinner was almost ready, I tried to wake Sana-chan up. In response, she gave me a deeply displeased look and buried her face right back into my chest, rubbing her face against me.

I took it as her silent protest that she wanted to keep sleeping.

Well, waking up is always tough when you're still half-asleep, so I couldn't really blame her.

"No fair..."

Meanwhile, right in front of me, Kamijo-san was still staring daggers at my face, looking utterly resentful.

Man, she really doesn't change, does she?

"How do you think we can get Sana-chan to wake up?"

Partly to escape her accusing gaze, I decided to redirect Kamijo-san's train of thought in a different direction.

"Since she's already that awake, the aroma of the food will lure her out. She'll wake up on her own."

"You're kidding, right...?"

I couldn't help but feel bewildered by Kamijo-san's unexpected response.

What on earth does she take her own little sister for? I wondered. But then...

"Foood!"

The moment Misuzu-chan placed a dish on the table, Sana-chan, who had been burying her face in my chest, suddenly spun around with a burst of energy.

Apparently, she really had been lured awake by the scent of home cooking.

As I stared at Sana-chan in disbelief, Kamijo-san shot me a look that practically screamed, "See? Told you so."

She really did know her sister best...

"Sana-chan, could you hop off my lap for a second? I need to help bring the food over."

"Nuh-uh! No way!"

If the food was ready, I felt obligated to help set the table. But the moment I scooped Sana-chan up from behind to set her down, she clung to me before I could even stand up.

Then she immediately began climbing right back up.

Are you kidding me?

"She's certainly taken a liking to you..."

"Yeah, but... could you please stop looking at me with such absolute jealousy? I am technically your homeroom teacher, you know..."

"Indeed. And yet, despite being my homeroom teacher, you still laid your hands on my precious little sister, didn't you?"

"I told you, stop framing it in such a misleading way! Don't you dare say that in the classroom!"

If she ever let something like that slip at school, I would end up falsely accused of the worst possible crimes.

Besides, if the boys in Class E found out I had actually been inside the Kamijo residence, they would probably be green with envy.

From what I'd seen, Kamijo-san was treated like an unattainable flower on a high peak—completely out of their league.

And if the school ever found out I was hanging around a student's house without any official business, the vice principal would absolutely skin me alive.

At the very least, I'd be subjected to an endless, nagging lecture.

"Once Sana gets like this, she won't listen to a word anyone says. Why don't you just sit there quietly? Marin and I will carry everything over."

As I struggled with Sana-chan, who had resettled onto my lap and was hugging me tightly, Misuzu-chan let out a soft, helpless chuckle and urged me to relax.

Not only that, the look she cast our way was incredibly warm and gentle. Watching her expression, I found myself completely captivated.

But the moment Misuzu-chan noticed my gaze, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she pouted in annoyance as if to say, "Hmph!" My heart did a nervous little flip.

...Actually, that childish pout was kind of adorable. Once again, I was forced to realize that I still hadn't fully sorted out my feelings for her.

◆

"Aaa-hn."

Right after we all said our itadakimasu and dug in.

Sana-chan refused to budge from my lap. Instead, she opened her mouth wide, practically demanding, "Feed me."

This kid is seriously spoiled...

"Sana, do you want Onee-chan to feed you?"

"Nuh-uh, I'm good."

Kamijō-san immediately tried to reclaim her sister, but Sana-chan shook her head without a second thought.

With that single rejection, Kamijo-san froze, looking as though she had been struck by lightning. "No way...!" She really is completely defenseless against her little sister...

If I actually went ahead and fed her, Kamijo-san would definitely glare at me with pure resentment. But...

"Aaa-hn...!"

I stood absolutely no chance against the beaming, expectant smile Sana-chan was throwing my way.

"Fufu..."

As I fed Sana-chan some of Misuzu-chan's home-cooked food, Misuzu-chan let out a soft, happy chuckle.

For some reason, just seeing her smile made me feel incredibly relieved.

She really was a woman who looked best when she was smiling.

But the moment she noticed me staring, her eyes instantly narrowed into a cold, sideways glare.

Wait, why?! What did I do?!

"Seriously, what did you even do to her..."

Meanwhile, Kamijo-san had composed herself and started eating, but she muttered a quiet complaint meant only for my ears.

Well, technically, Sana-chan was sitting right on my lap, so she definitely should have heard it. But she was too busy stuffing her face to pay any attention.

Watching her eat so happily was incredibly heartwarming.

"Onii-chan, you eat too. Aaa-hn!"

After chewing and swallowing, Sana-chan picked up her little plastic fork, cut off a piece of the Salisbury steak, and held it up to my mouth.

Being fed by a toddler was a bit embarrassing, and as I hesitated...

"Aaa-hn?"

She tilted her head, staring at me as if ordering me to eat.

This kid is playing dirty. She's literally weaponizing her own cuteness!

Naturally, Kamijo-san was glaring daggers at me from behind, but getting mad at me wasn't going to help.

If anything, please stop your sister!

Of course, she did no such thing, and I was forced to meekly accept the bite from Sana-chan's fork.

The moment I swallowed, Sana-chan waited a beat, then opened her mouth again.

Apparently, we were taking turns feeding each other now.

She had really taken a massive liking to me, but I still had absolutely no idea why.

Is she looking at me as some kind of surrogate father...?

If that was the case, it made me feel incredibly guilty, because I wouldn't be able to live up to those expectations.

Once we finally finished the meal...

"Mmm... sweepy-sleep..."

Sana-chan immediately began nesting against me.

It seemed her full stomach had made her incredibly drowsy.

"Sana, sleeping right after eating is bad for you. Do you want to turn into a cow?"

"Sweepy-sleep..."

"Good grief..."

Misuzu-chan gave her a gentle warning, but Sana-chan completely ignored it and drifted off to sleep right on my lap.

She needed a much firmer hand to listen, but I suppose Misuzu-chan's sheer gentleness made that impossible.

"Well... I should clean up the dishes."

"Oh, let me help."

"Please sit down and stay quiet."

As I laid Sana-chan down in another spot and tried to stand up, Misuzu-chan immediately shut me down.

Yeah, she definitely goes a bit harder on me.

"...Now that I think about it, we didn't have that rice bowl Sensei is using, did we? Did you buy it specifically for him?"

While I was standing there wearing a strained smile, Kamijo-san, who had been staring at us, suddenly questioned Misuzu-chan.

"Wait, does that mean you bought this for me...?! I'm so sorry, let me pay you back...!"

I had assumed they were just letting me use a spare bowl. Panicking, I quickly pulled out my wallet.

Getting treated to a free meal was one thing, but making them cover the cost of my tableware was way too much.

At the very least, I need to pay for the ingredients!

"That won't be necessary! Sana is the one who forced you to stay here in the first place...!"

When I tried to hand her the cash, Misuzu-chan frantically shook her head, grabbed a stack of plates, and fled to the kitchen sink.

I thought she might come back for the rest of the dishes if I waited, but she immediately started washing the few things she had carried over.

Apparently, she intended to have Kamijo-san bring the rest.

"She didn't have to reject it that aggressively... Sorry, Kamijo-san. Could you give this to her later?"

Unsure of how much the bowl and food actually cost, I tried to hand Kamijo-san a five-thousand-yen bill.

"Sensei, you're supposed to be highly intelligent, but you are incredibly slow on the uptake, aren't you?"

She shot me a look reserved for utterly hopeless men.

"S-Sorry, was that not enough? Then—"

I pulled out a ten-thousand-yen bill instead.

"Please put your money away...! Good grief, after I went through the trouble of—"

"Marin~? I'd really appreciate it if you brought the rest of the dishes over quickly, you know~?"

"——?!"

While I was talking to Kamijo-san, Misuzu-chan suddenly turned around, wearing a bright smile wrapped in a pitch-black, menacing aura.

With that single look, Kamijo-san shot me a glare that clearly asked, Why am I the one getting scolded here?

Yeah, sorry. I don't really get it either... I offered her a silent apology in my mind.

◆

"Well then, I'm going to help Sana brush her teeth, put her to bed, and then study in my room."

Once the table was cleared, Kamijo-san scooped Sana-chan off my lap.

That was weirdly explanatory. Did she really need to lay out her entire schedule in such painstaking detail? I wondered.

Regardless, the main reason I had ended up inside their home—Sana-chan—was now asleep. Overstaying my welcome would be highly inappropriate. More than anything, being left alone with Misuzu-chan would be incredibly awkward. I decided it was time to make my exit.

"Alright, I should probably—"

Before I could finish the sentence, a metallic clunk echoed as a can of beer was placed on the table right in front of me.

"Huh...?"

Ignoring my confusion, Misuzu-chan set down another can of beer for herself and gracefully took a seat.

Then, still radiating that same dark, threatening aura, she flashed me a sweet smile.

"You're not planning to just eat and run after being treated to dinner, are you?"

She was radiating massive pressure, practically asking, Did you really think I'd let you off that easily?

Honestly, I couldn't comprehend why she was keeping me here.

She of all people shouldn't have wanted to spend any extra time with me...

"...Well, now that she's lured him in, there's no way she's letting him escape so easily... But is she really okay drinking alcohol when she usually doesn't touch the stuff?"

As she left the living room, Kamijo-san muttered a string of complaints under her breath. But she offered absolutely no assistance, leaving me behind as she carried Sana-chan out of the room.

Wow, how heartless... Well, I shouldn't have expected anything else.

"Uh, well..."

"Tomorrow is Sunday, and your apartment is quite close to here, so there shouldn't be any issue, right?"

With a pleasant smile, she continued to apply pressure, silently telling me to shut up and drink.

What on earth is she trying to accomplish here? She was being aggressive enough to make me highly suspicious.

Besides, I'd never heard from my childhood friend, Akari, that Misuzu-chan even drank alcohol...

"I don't really drink..."

"Fufu, lying is a terrible habit, you know? I heard from Akari-chan that you used to drink with her quite often back in college."

Hey...! Wait a damn minute, Akari!

My entire personal life is a complete open book to her! Why the hell would you tell Misuzu-chan about our drinking sessions?!

You know damn well she's my ex-girlfriend!

I cursed my childhood friend in my mind, but since my pathetic attempt at an excuse had been completely blown, the atmosphere instantly became suffocating.

Now that she knew I was desperately trying to flee, no excuse would save me.

Ugh... if things get out of hand, I'll have no choice but to call Akari... She's the one who put me in this corner by spilling my secrets, so I'm absolutely dragging her down with me if this ship sinks.

"You have a high tolerance, don't you?"

Misuzu-chan narrowed her eyes teasingly, pressing the cold can of beer into my hands.

How did my life turn into this? I desperately wanted to ask.

Seriously, being inside the house of an ex-girlfriend who supposedly had her own family was bad enough. But she was also my student's guardian. If anyone found out we were drinking alone together, it would blow up into a massive scandal.

"Do I really have to drink...?"

"Doesn't everyone have those days where they just want to share a drink with someone? Or were you planning to just eat our food and abandon us? My, you've certainly become a cold-hearted man, haven't you?"

"I-I'll have some..."

Succumbing to the sheer force of her refusal to take no for an answer, I finally gave up and cracked open the beer.

Wait... maybe she obstinately refused my money for the ingredients and the bowl specifically so I wouldn't be able to turn down this drink.

If this were any regular female friend, I'd suspect she was backing me into a corner to establish some kind of fait accompli. But the person sitting across from me was my ex-girlfriend, and Misuzu-chan didn't even like me anymore.

What on earth is she playing at...?

I agonized over the question, but I would soon come to deeply regret not stopping her from drinking at all costs.

◆

"Whew..."

"Um, Misuzu-chan... are you okay...?"

Not even ten minutes had passed, and I was staring in absolute horror as Misuzu-chan finished her third can of beer.

She wasn't even chugging them. She maintained her prim, elegant posture, taking smooth, continuous sips until the cans were completely empty.

And yet, her hands were already wrapped around a fourth.

"Fufu, I'm perfectly fine~ See? It looks like I'm quite strong with alcohol~"

Ever since she finished her first can, Misuzu-chan had been in an incredibly good mood. Or rather, she had gone completely floppy.

She claims she's strong, but she is absolutely a lightweight! She was completely wasted after the very first can!

And yet, her drinking pace was so fast that I couldn't help but worry.

"Ah~ but~ it's a bit hot in here, isn't it~?"

"——?!"

Without warning, Misuzu-chan pulled off her long-sleeved outer shirt, revealing a thin tank top that left her pale, fair skin completely exposed.

The neckline was dangerously low—and something that definitely should not have been visible was practically peeking out.

"Why are you looking away~?"

"I-I mean, because..."

As I averted my gaze, Misuzu-chan puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction, leveling a half-lidded, pouty glare at me.

How the hell am I supposed to look directly at something that highly stimulating?!

Even back when we were actually dating, we kept our relationship completely pure and innocent!

"Muuu..."

"Um, aren't you acting a bit childish right now...?"

When Misuzu-chan puffed her cheeks out even further, I couldn't help but point it out.

In response, Misuzu-chan suddenly stood up—and sat right back down close enough for our arms to press tightly against each other.

"Does my body look childish to you~?"

With those words, she squeezed herself against my arm—pressing something I will leave nameless firmly against me.

Thanks to that, my body temperature instantly skyrocketed to the boiling point.

More importantly, if Kamijo-san catches us like this, my entire life is over!

"N-Nobody was talking about your body!"

I quickly denied it and tried to back away.

Instead of letting me escape, Misuzu-chan placed both hands on the floor and leaned forward, closing the distance between us.

Which only caused that forbidden cleavage to reveal itself even more.

"Why are you running away~?"

"Hey, seriously, this is bad...!"

She probably didn't realize it due to the alcohol, but there was no way a guy who had only ever dated one woman in his entire life could remain calm when subjected to this.

I should have rejected her offer to drink at all costs!

Before I knew it, I was backed completely against the wall.

As my back hit the wall with a soft thud, Misuzu-chan let out a soft, sultry chuckle.

Wait, am I about to... get eaten alive...?

"No escape for you now~"

As if her past self—the prim, proper girl who used to be incredibly innocent about romance—was nothing but a lie, Misuzu-chan hugged me head-on.

Back then, she would turn bright red just from holding hands!

"U-Um, this really isn't a good idea...!"

"So... what were you worrying about~?"

"Huh...?"

"Staring blankly at the sky from a park bench... You're troubled by something, aren't you~? Tell me about it~"

Wait... did she notice my distress and try to get me drunk just to get me to open up?

Even though she got completely hammered herself, was that her original plan all along? As the thought crossed my mind...

"Wow... yikes..."

The living room door opened, revealing Kamijo-san staring at us with a look of absolute, unadulterated disgust.

"K-Kamijo-san...?!"

"My apologies~"

The moment I called her name, Kamijo-san promptly snapped the door shut with a quiet click.

I felt my entire teaching career—no, my entire life—grind to a sudden, tragic halt.

"W-Wait...!"

I frantically pushed Misuzu-chan off me and dashed out to chase after Kamijo-san.

"Well, just in case, I was worried about you, Sensei, and came to check... but it seems my concern was entirely misplaced~"

The moment I caught up to her in the hallway, before I could even open my mouth, she turned to me with an incredibly distant, polite smile.

She is absolutely misunderstanding this!

"We didn't do anything inappropriate, I swear...!"

"With things looking like that, what exactly do you expect me to think?"

Yeah, you're absolutely right!

Your own guardian was half-naked, with her cleavage fully exposed, hugging her teacher—and that teacher looked like he was totally accepting it!

But I'm so sorry, that was a complete misunderstanding!

I desperately wanted to explain, but my vocal cords refused to cooperate.

Staring at my pathetic display, Kamijo-san didn't look at me with further contempt. Instead, she just let out a heavy, exhausted sigh.

"Haa... Sensei, women are much scarier than you think, you know? Especially when someone who doesn't usually show attachment suddenly focuses on something—they will do whatever it takes to get it. You really should be a bit more careful."

"Huh? What is that supposed to mean...?"

"...As expected, you're dense. Just go home already. I'll handle the rest."

She looked like she wanted to click her tongue in annoyance. She walked back into the living room, grabbed my wallet, and pushed me toward the door.

Well, even if they weren't blood-related, seeing your guardian and your teacher in that kind of position would make anyone want to kick them out.

My shoulders slumped as I realized my reputation in my student's eyes had hit rock bottom. I began my lonely walk home.

Seriously... next time Misuzu-chan even looks like she might drink, I am stopping her at all costs.

◆

The next day, Sunday.

Having made a promise to play with Sana-chan, I sat waiting on a park bench after finishing my lunch.

"Onii-chan, I found youuu!"

Before long, Sana-chan spotted me and rushed over with a beaming smile, her little feet pitter-pattering on the pavement.

She was as energetic and adorable as always.

"Hello, Sana-chan."

"Hellooo!"

When I greeted her, she gave me a brilliant, face-stretching smile.

Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she climbed right up and plonked herself down on my lap.

"Ehehe~"

Sana-chan swayed happily on my lap, humming to herself.

This kid is such a free spirit. Well, she's cute, so I don't really mind.

"...Hello."

"Oh, hello—wait."

Misuzu-chan greeted me right after Sana-chan. I returned the greeting, but for some reason, she was looking down.

She sat down beside me in silence. Catching a glimpse of her profile, I noticed her face was incredibly red.

Why is she blushing so much? I wondered. But then...

"Um... about last night... please forget about it..."

Misuzu-chan practically pleaded.

That immediately explained her scarlet face. Apparently, despite being utterly wasted, she remembered exactly what she had done.

Well, she had behaved in an incredibly shocking way... For someone as prim and proper as her, the memory must have been excruciatingly embarrassing.

But even if she begged me to forget, it wasn't exactly something I could just erase from my memory...

"I'll do my best..."

That was the only response I could muster.

"What does 'do my best' mean?"

Sana-chan, who had been fast asleep last night and had no idea what had transpired, tilted her head curiously.

Asking when you don't understand is very commendable. I wanted to praise her, but she was probably just intrigued by our conversation.

"It basically means trying as hard as you can."

"I see! Sana will do her best too!"

Having understood the phrase, Sana-chan turned to Misuzu-chan with a smug, proud expression, mimicking my tone.

Why the smug face? I wondered, though there probably wasn't any deep meaning behind it.

"Fufu."

Clearly charmed by Sana-chan's adorable expression, Misuzu-chan let out a soft, sweet laugh despite my presence.

Watching this sight warmed my heart. I'm glad Misuzu-chan is happy...

"Onii-chan, what should we play today?"

"Whatever you want, Sana-chan."

"Let's play hide-and-seek!"

After being thoroughly healed by the heartwarming interaction between Misuzu-chan and Sana-chan, I spent the afternoon playing with Sana-chan to her heart's content.

And of course, I wasn't allowed to just go home afterward. Begged by Sana-chan, I was dragged back to their place once again and treated to dinner.

During the meal, Misuzu-chan lectured me, saying, "Eating instant food all the time is bad for your health, you know?" It seemed she had thoroughly inspected my shopping basket when we ran into each other at the supermarket…

◆

After a fun weekend with Sana-chan, the weekdays arrived, and I had to put my teacher hat back on. In between teaching my classes, I spent my days searching for any clues regarding Murakumo-san's situation.

However, it was as if an information clampdown was in effect; not a single scrap of evidence surfaced.

I was entirely at a dead end, seriously considering just barging into Murakumo-san's house, when...

"Sensei."

During lunch break, as I was walking toward the staff room after finishing a class, Kamijo-san stopped me in my tracks.

Since the day after tomorrow was Saturday, I wondered for a moment if she was here to warn me about my upcoming playdate with Sana-chan. But Kamijo-san wore an unusually solemn expression.

If it were about Sana-chan, she would have complained with her usual cold attitude. Realizing this must be serious, I braced myself.

She turned on her heel, indicating we should move to a different spot. I followed her to the back of the school building—which had practically become our designated area for secret conversations.

Once there, she opened her mouth and spoke with a heavy tone.

"I didn't really get along with her, and I figured you'd give up on her soon anyway, so I had no intention of saying anything... But last year, I witnessed Murakumo-san being told by her homeroom teacher: 'You know, Murakumo-san. When it comes to bullying, the victim is also at fault, aren't they?' with a heavy, exasperated sigh. She stopped coming to school the very next day, so there's almost no doubt..."

She had just delivered the exact piece of information I had been desperately searching for.

"Why...?"

Before I knew it, the word slipped out of my mouth.

It held multiple meanings: Why did you hide this? Why would her homeroom teacher say something like that?

And—why are you finally telling me now?

"I'm sure you have plenty of questions, but that is genuinely everything I know. I didn't want to spread rumors without any proof, and if you had turned out to be untrustworthy—the risk to myself would have been too great. That's why I had no intention of speaking up until now."

No matter how much I had investigated over the past few days, no information regarding any bullying had surfaced.

Usually, bullying is hard to notice if a teacher isn't actively looking for it. But once you pay attention, signs and potential culprits usually come to mind.

The absolute lack of clues made sense now. If a student went to a teacher who wouldn't believe them, or a teacher who found such issues troublesome and tried to sweep them under the rug, the student would only end up in a worse position.

More importantly, if Kamijo-san's information caused a teacher to make a clumsy move, she risked drawing the attention of the bullies—who had kept their actions completely hidden from everyone else. It was entirely natural for her to fear becoming their next target.

In reality, Kamijo-san only suspected Murakumo-san was being bullied based on that single conversation she had overheard. She didn't know who the culprit was, nor did she have any physical evidence.

But based on the previous homeroom teacher's response, there was no doubt that Murakumo-san had approached her for help regarding the bullying.

And having been abandoned by the very teacher she had trusted and relied on, Murakumo-san must have fallen into absolute despair, making it impossible for her to return to school.

"Thank you for finding the courage to tell me. Now, I can finally take action."

Without bringing up the fact that she had kept this hidden, I smiled and thanked Kamijo-san.

People often say that bystanders are accomplices to bullying, but that is nothing but the idle talk of those who remain safe in their comfortable bubbles.

When your own safety is on the line, very few people actually have the strength to act.

That was why I felt genuinely grateful to Kamijo-san for her honesty, even if it had taken some time.

Furthermore, it wasn't rare for schools to try and cover up bullying scandals. Kamijo-san's decision to evaluate my character first was entirely logical.

Above all, the fact that she was sharing this with me now meant she had decided I was trustworthy. I wanted to live up to that trust.

"——! Thanking me for this? You really are a strange person..."

Kamijō-san gripped her own arm with her other hand, looking down in embarrassment.

She probably expected me to scold her.

"Was that previous homeroom teacher... a cold person who didn't really care about her students?"

Curious about one detail, I asked Kamijo-san.

"No... actually, she was a kind, student-oriented teacher who was loved by many. She was a female teacher..."

I see... That's why Murakumo-san found the courage to consult her. Receiving such a cruel response after reaching out would crush anyone.

But something felt off. If she truly was a kind, caring teacher, she wouldn't have just ignored a bullying problem. She would have listened with genuine empathy... Maybe she was the type of person who wore a mask at school.

"By the way, since she was last year's homeroom teacher, she must be my predecessor who resigned. Is there any chance she was targeted by the bullies and forced to quit?"

"I highly doubt it. She left because she got married."

That makes sense. And the culprit is undoubtedly someone within this school. Normally, if no one at school witnessed anything, you'd suspect an acquaintance from junior high who went to a different high school... But if that were the case, there would have been no reason for her to consult her homeroom teacher here, nor would it explain why she refused to attend this school.

I began to organize my thoughts. With so many unknowns, rushing in blindly would get me nowhere. I needed to remain calm and narrow down the possibilities logically.

"Well, even if they aren't on campus, you could argue she's shutting herself away just to avoid running into the bullies... But since the person she relied on wasn't her parents, but her homeroom teacher, I agree the culprit is likely within the school. Still, why did she tell her teacher but hide it from her childhood friend and close companion, Bidō-san?"

Kamijō-san seemed to share my line of thinking as she helped analyze the situation. Her question was incredibly sharp. Normally, a student would confide in a close childhood friend like Bidō-san rather than a teacher. And yet, Murakumo-san hadn't said a word to her.

"Maybe she didn't want to drag her into it..."

"Confiding in her might have made Bidō-san the next target. Given Bidō-san's immense popularity, that seems unlikely, but we can't rule it out. Beside, Murakumo-san is a gentle, sweet girl. It's only natural she'd want to protect her childhood friend. When you're pushed to the brink, it's hard to make rational decisions anyway."

"Yeah, I agree. In any case, since nobody else knows anything, the only option is to meet her in person and talk..."

As we dug deeper, we inevitably arrived at the same conclusion. Since the victim herself knew the details best, there was no way around it.

"Actually, why didn't you try to visit her in person from the very beginning? Normally, you'd start by talking directly to the student."

Kamijō-san asked with genuine curiosity. Of course, I had considered it. But...

"If a homeroom teacher she's never met suddenly showed up, she'd probably be terrified. That's why I wanted to gather the facts first before having a proper conversation. I could have contacted her guardian directly, but that would definitely get back to Murakumo-san, and my sudden movement might place undue pressure on her from her parents' side..."

"...You actually think about the people around you quite a lot, don't you, Sensei?"

When I explained my reasoning, Kamijo-san's eyes widened in surprise. Uh, well...

"What exactly did you take me for?!"

"Well, you managed to make our incredibly gentle guardian angry. That takes a very special kind of person."

"Urgh..."

Struck where it hurt, I couldn't argue back. Misuzu-chan really was an exceptionally kind, considerate person who never got angry at anyone. And yet, I was constantly getting on her bad side... Seriously, what am I doing with my life?

But letting my student have the last word wouldn't do for my dignity as a teacher. Shaking off the depression, I managed a smile and said—

"You know, Kamijo-san... you act cold on the outside, but you're actually incredibly kind, aren't you? After all, you're helping me so much with Murakumo-san's case, even though you said you weren't close."

The moment I voiced my thoughts, her entire face flushed bright red.

"Wh-Wh-Wh-What...!"

Her body actually began to tremble. My words had hit much closer to home than I'd anticipated. In her panic, she—

"T-That is absolutely not true...! I'm only doing this on a complete whim...!"

—desperately tried to cover up her embarrassment. She actually makes some pretty cute reactions…