Can I Still Be Your Heroine Even Though I'm Your Teacher?-Chapter 2Volume 3 .5 - Interlude - Disqualified as a Teacher

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 blame myself, it can’t be helped. To think that I, of all people, involved Yuunagi-kun in such a decision surprises me.

Surprisingly, I had involved Yuunagi-kun and made such a decision because Kuhouin-san reminded me 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 home, I received a message from Yuunagi-kun.

【Yuunagi: Please make sure to have dinner with me today. I have something to discuss regarding Clause 6 of the Neighbor Agreement. 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 seemed like an excuse.

While I typed and deleted messages, I found myself back at the nearest station to my apartment.

【Reiyu: Yes.】

I ended up with a simple reply, thinking that it wouldn’t be conveyed properly unless we spoke directly.

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

Not feeling like going straight home, 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 apartment, I rang the doorbell of his room, number 102.

He greeted me at the entrance, arms crossed, wearing an apron.

The faint scent of dinner wafted through the air; he seemed to have prepared the meal as usual.

“Welcome back.”

“Ah, I’m back. Here, I brought some souvenirs, let’s eat them after dinner. Please put them in the fridge.”

My voice sounded weak and spiritless, unlike me. 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 excitement, but it came 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 blame for accepting it!!”

As soon as I apologized, he also vented the words he hadn’t been able to say at that moment.

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 me 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 something I started because I wanted to be of help to you, Tenjō-san. And please don’t bring up something 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 come full circle, bouncing back on me.

I’ve made my bed, now I have to lie in it.

Yet, the people around me are kind. They notice the unintentional signs of me 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 same words at that timing? That’s just unfair.” (v1c2)

“The only way to get the message 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 immediately understood my intentions and accepted the role, knowing full well what it entailed.

It made me 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 me feel downhearted.

“Why do you support Akira so much?”

Yuunagi-kun seemed puzzled.

From his perspective, my judgment 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 somehow 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.