Just as Kanade and Takagaki-san became friends, the morning bell rang through the school building.
“Ah, in the end, I couldn’t talk to him.”
“Sorry, Ayaka-chan.”
“…Well, it’s fine.”
The homeroom teacher walked into the classroom. We returned to our seats, and the morning short homeroom began.
“Alright, everyone, quiet down~”
Perhaps because today was the last morning homeroom of the first semester, my classmates wouldn’t quiet down.
“Be quiet~”
…Everyone was already in a summer vacation mood.
“I told you to shut up!”
The classroom fell dead silent.
“Sh-Shibuya-sensei snapped…”
“She’s so pretty and gentle, I never pictured her getting angry.”
“I-I think I’m awakening to something…”
The classmates quieted down, but they looked a little disappointed.
…This is supposed to be a prep school, right?
“Everyone, summer vacation starts in just three hours, so please behave a little longer,” Shibuya-sensei cautioned.
“I know you’re getting ahead of yourselves because it’s only three hours away… but please bear with it.”
As expected of Sensei, she seems to properly respect our feelings.
“…Honestly, considering how long life is, three hours is like a blink of an eye. Must be nice, being able to get so worked up over a mere three hours.”
…Huh?
“…And here I was, even considering marriage.”
…What’s wrong with Sensei?
“I wonder what I did wrong…”
The classmates, who had finally quieted down, began whispering again.
“Could it be Shibuya-sensei…”
“She definitely got dumped.”
…Hmm. I see. So that’s what it is.
For now, please stop bringing your personal life into the workplace.
The atmosphere almost turned strange for a moment, but sensing the depressed teacher’s feelings, the classmates became remarkably quiet after that.
Is this what they call “consideration” nowadays?
While I was thinking about that, the closing ceremony ended, and it was time for the afternoon homeroom before leaving.
…The classmates were still quiet as usual.
“Well then, everyone, please enjoy your summer vacation to the fullest.”
Perhaps because nearly three hours had passed, Sensei seemed to have recovered.
“Must be nice. Having a whole month off.”
…Huh?
“Hehe, well, even if I have a month off right now, I have nothing to do anyway.”
…She hadn’t recovered at all.
“Rise. Bow.”
“Well then, goodbye everyone. Enjoy your summer vacation… even for my sake.”
The classmates scrambled to leave the classroom.
“We shouldn’t talk to Sensei today.”
“Feels like we’ll end up drawing her resentment for no reason.”
The reaction of my usually noisy classmates was quite unusual.
“…Ugh.”
At the podium, Shibuya-sensei was on the verge of tears.
While my classmates quickened their pace at the sight of her…
“Sensei, um…”
I spoke to Shibuya-sensei.
“…What is it? Hagiwara-san. How rare of you to speak to me.”
…In this class, I call myself a lone wolf.
For an aloof existence like me to talk to Shibuya-sensei, it was usually only when I was on day duty.
But today, I really wanted to talk to her.
“…Um, I understand how you feel all too painfully, Sensei.”
After all, I too… had a past where I parted from someone special and brooded over it for more than ten years.
“…Ahaha. What would a kid like you know about me?”
“I do know. Because I’ve also… been separated from someone precious to me.”
Even if an awkward speaker like me sympathized with Sensei.
“…Eh?”
“So, you might want to laugh off a kid’s words like mine… but please hang in there.”
Even if I encouraged Sensei.
“…Hagiwara-kun?”
“Sensei…”
There was no guarantee it would resonate with her. But I felt like I had to say something.
…But maybe it was because I acted on an impulse.
Right now, our feelings had definitely connected.
“Akkun.”
“Whoa!”
I jumped as Kanade called out to me from behind.
“Jeez. Akkun, did you forget your promise with me? What were you talking about with Sensei?”
“A-A promise…?”
“We did. A promise with me. You made an important, precious promise with me. A secret promise when we were all alone together, didn’t you?”
…W-Why is she emphasizing “with me” so much?
“K-Kanade. Wait a minute.”
“What?”
“Just now… I was talking about something important with Sensei. Right, Sensei?”
“…You bastard.”
“Eh?”
“Hagiwara, you bastard. Making fun of me, you piece of shit…!”
“S-Sensei…!?”
N-No way… Just a moment ago, Sensei and I were supposed to be bonding over being people who parted from someone precious.
Why did the flow completely change once Kanade appeared?!
“Ah… Sensei, did you by any chance break up with your boyfriend?”
“Guh!”
“…How pitiful. But a man who would dump a wonderful teacher like you is up to no good anyway. I think breaking up with him was the right choice.”
“Is that so…?”
“Yes. I think you should move on quickly.”
“…Y-You’re right, aren’t you?”
“Yes! …Ah, but Sensei. Akkun is off-limits, okay?”
“…I don’t have the guts to date a student, but why is that?”
“Because Akkun is… ufufu. I’m too embarrassed to say any more.”
…What does she mean by that?
“I will absolutely never forgive you. Damn you, Hagiwara…!”
D-Did I… do something terrible?
“Come on, Akkun, let’s go. Ayaka-chan is waiting too.”
“…Two-timing? You scoundrel.”
“I’m zero-timing! Don’t make me sound so bad.”
Shibuya-sensei’s gaze was ice-cold.
“…Hagiwara-kun, you’d better watch out after summer vacation.”
Spitting those words out, Sensei left the classroom.