Can I Still Be Your Heroine Even Though I'm Your Teacher?-Chapter 0Volume 1 .1 - Prologue
Prologue: Sharing
“I’m home.”
Living alone, there’s no one to reply when I return to my apartment.
My name is Reiyu Tenjō, 23 years old, single, and no boyfriend. I work as a Japanese history teacher at the private Kiyō High School in Tokyo.
This year is my second year, and I’ve become a homeroom teacher for the first time; every day is so busy.
After school, I guide the students as the advisor of the swimming club.
Even after dismissal time, I return to the staff room to finish grading quizzes and other administrative work.
By the time I finish overtime and head home, I’m exhausted.
“Good job today, ‘me’.”
When I turn on the light, there’s a garbage bag rolled up in the narrow corridor leading to my room.
I overslept again this morning, rushed out of the house, and forgot to throw it out.
I dodge the annoying garbage bag blocking my way and head to the washbasin.
After washing my hands and gargling, I look up and see my tired face in the mirror. Taking off my contacts brings a sense of freedom along with a slight blur in my vision.
I throw the clothes I wore today and the swimsuit I used for club activities into the washing machine.
I change into a camisole, shorts, and an oversized hoodie and finally take a deep breath.
Then I collapse onto the bed as if my strings were cut.
──There are nights when I want to throw everything away.
That’s exactly how I feel right now.
The students in my second-year class C are all good kids, but there are some I’m worried about.
One girl has always been very late even though it’s only April.
I’ve warned her several times, but unfortunately, there’s no sign of improvement.
I wonder how I can help her…
I feel frustrated by my own lack of ability to be a teacher who can support her students.
On top of that, work takes up so much time that I have no room for a private life.
“Ah, it’s so hard. I wish I could take a day off tomorrow.”
A monologue named ‘true feelings’ slips out of me unintentionally.
I ate out on my way home for dinner, so I felt like I could just go to sleep with this full stomach.
“…I need to eat the strawberries.”
My grandmother from the countryside sent me a lot of high-quality strawberries.
They’ve been my favorite since I was a child, but I’m getting a little tired of them after eating them day after day.
They’ll spoil if I don’t eat them soon, but finishing them all by myself seems difficult.
After pondering what to do, I decided to call someone who has been my best friend since high school.
“Why don’t you come over this weekend to eat some delicious strawberries?”
『I can’t, I have a mixer to go to.』
She declined so casually with her usual carefree manner, without even a bit of small talk.
“Such a heartless best friend. Let’s have a girls’ night out after such a long time~”
『Spring is the season for new encounters. My schedule is packed with invitations from many men.』
“Aren’t you mistaking spring for all year round?”
『Reiyu-chan too, you should be a teenage boys’ heart thief in moderation. Aren’t you afraid of being hated or feared by the girls?』
Her sweet voice, laced with a hint of poison and always polite, is always interesting to hear.
“How rude, I am well admired, you know.”
『Eh, really? Back in high school, the beauty Reiyu-chan was so prickly that everyone was scared of her. Aren’t your students just being considerate, but in fact, actually frightened by you?』
“Don’t cast unpleasant suspicions on me when I’m already tired.”
I can’t help but feel worried.
『It’s good to care for your students, but you should get a boyfriend already.』
“I’m a homeroom teacher from this year, I don’t have time for that.”
『You have time to talk on the phone with me, though?』
“Your fault for picking up my call.”
The time had already passed ten o’clock at night.
『I’m currently on my way to the next place with a high-spec gentleman.』
“You’re lively even on a Thursday night…”
I’m too exhausted from work to have the energy to go out.
『You never know who your destined partner might be. You should increase the number of encounters just in case.』
“I can’t do that.”
『Reiyu-chan, you’ve always had zero interest in romance, it’s such a waste for a beauty like you. You won’t be able to get married.』
I received a massive sigh on the other end of the phone.
“It can’t be helped. I grew up in an environment where my parents were constantly fighting, so I don’t believe in eternal love.”
On top of not being interested, I’m busy with work, so romance is quite low on my list of priorities.
If I have the time, I’d rather relax or catch up on household chores that I’ve neglected.
Besides, I don’t feel the slightest urge to rush into marriage, so there’s no way I could find a boyfriend.
At least within my current lifestyle, I can’t imagine there being someone who I’d enjoy spending time with.
『What a lonely woman you are.』
“Shut up. I simply don’t dream about romance. I’m realistic.”
『Isn’t it rather that your standards are too high? For someone like Reiyu-chan, you could have your pick of handsome or wealthy men, yet you’re being too picky.』
“If happiness could be achieved just by specifications, life wouldn’t be so hard. First of all, someone who’s perfect from the moment you meet them can only get worse later on.”
『…says the one with zero dating experience.』
“Hmph, romance is all about compatibility and timing. Oh, if I met the right person, I’d date him right away.”
I hold back my loud voice and brag just a little.
『Really~? Well then, why don’t you try contacting the guys from your university seminars? Now that they’re all working adults, maybe some have improved.』
“That’s impossible.”
『Why?』
“…After graduation, I rejected confessions from each of them. So I’m already out of touch with all of them.”
I reluctantly confess.
『Even though there have been countless confessions you’ve turned down since high school, the legend of the unsinkable Reiyu Tenjō is still being updated even after becoming a working adult.』
This conversation is practically a gag now, my best friend seemed to struggle to hold back her laughter.
“I’d fall in love too if I met someone I click with, you know.”
There’s no lie there.
At the very least, in my private life, I want a relationship where I can interact comfortably with someone whose feelings and values align with mine.
More than how highly others regard me objectively, I wanted to cherish a sense of comfort for myself.
『Reiyu-chan, there’s no guarantee that a prince on a white horse will fall in love with you.』
My best friend, who diligently attends mixer parties night after night, was quite cynical.
It sounded almost like a sermon, saying that chasing ideals as an adult over twenty is vain.
“I know that much. I simply don’t want my life to depend on someone else. I’m going to make myself happy, and I might as well make my partner happy too.”
『So manly. I’d definitely propose to you if you were a man, Reiyu-chan.』
“I want to stay friends, so I’ll pass.”
『I’ve been rejected again. You’re about the only one who would turn me down, Reiyu-chan.』
I can’t help but give a wry smile at our unchanged exchanges over the years.
Chatting with a close friend who knows me well is a good pastime.
『Listen, Reiyu-chan. It’s fine to work hard, but it’s a different issue to use busyness as an excuse. I want you to learn to take a break and spoil yourself sometimes.』
She touches a sore spot with a voice as gentle as a feather’s stroke.
“That’s why I’m on the phone with you now.”
『I really want to see Reiyu-chan falling head over heels in love soon…』
“If I can meet such a special person, I’ll gladly come to you for love advice.”
Even I would like to meet someone special as soon as possible.
『Maybe someone suitable is closer than you expect? Isn’t there someone nice at school?』
She asked with the casualness of asking about tomorrow’s weather.
“Workplace romance is absolutely impossible~. Bringing love into the workplace is seriously out of the question.”
『Really? Having someone you like nearby might add excitement to your work.』
“It would distract me and I wouldn’t be able to concentrate.”
『You’re talking like a teenager. That’s why you’re a virgin——』
“That’s got nothing to do with it!”
I end up raising my voice.
Then, with a thud, I heard something fall in the next room.
I wonder if everything is okay?
In a housing complex, even a small thing can lead to complicated troubles.
Living alone in Tokyo, I’ve had absolutely no interaction with the neighbors.
I don’t even know the faces or names of the people next door.
『Reiyu-chan. The partner doesn’t have to be a Sensei, why not a student? Why don’t you captivate a handsome one who looks promising with your nice body?』
“I absolutely can’t have a romance with a student.”
I can’t help but be astounded.
I understand because I see the students every day in class.
No matter how much their height and size resemble adults, they’re still children inside.
『You might be thrilled by the passionate and earnest feelings of a younger guy. There are no absolutes in this world.』
“I’d be fired from the school before that.”
『You look glamorous, Reiyu-chan, but at the core, you’re super serious. Women need to be a bit more aggressive too. Otherwise, it won’t lead to anything even if there’s a chance.』
With a final piece of advice and ‘I have arrived at my destination’, the call ended.
The phone call with my best friend chased away my sleepiness.
So I took out a pack of strawberries from the fridge and ate it.
“It’s delicious, but there’s no way I can finish all of these.”
Luckily, there’s plenty of space in the fridge since I haven’t been cooking much lately.
Looking at the remaining packs of strawberries crammed in there, I made up my mind.
“Yeah, sharing is the only way. It would be better if someone else could enjoy them.”
With a feeling of reluctance,
I packed several packs into a department store paper bag and left room 103, my own room.
“Well, I’m not in love right now, but maybe I should be a bit more proactive.”
While having such resolve, I pressed the intercom of the next room, 102.
***
The voice I heard from the next room woke me up, and I fell off the bed.
“Ouch… What?”
After dinner, I finished the Japanese history worksheet for homework and lay down on the edge of the bed, but it seemed that I had fallen asleep.
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Rubbing my backside, I couldn’t help but look at the wall adjoining the next room.
I didn’t know her face or name, but judging from the voice I had just heard, she seemed to be a young woman.
The neighbor must be a working adult or college student.
Their morning is early, and they come home late, so their rhythm of life is different from mine as a high school student.
As a result, I’ve never once met her outside the apartment.
However, the walls here are relatively thin, so I can often hear the sound of her alarm clock set loudly in the early morning.
Plus, it goes off several times, so I’ve naturally become an early riser.
As a result, I’ve never been late once despite living alone as a high school student.
Before going back to sleep, I finished preparing for tomorrow and had just finished washing the dishes in the kitchen when the room’s bell rang.
“Coming! I’ll be right there.”
I opened the door without even checking the door peephole.
“Good evening, I’m sorry for the late hour. I’m Tenjō from room 103 next door, and I’m here to share something with you.”
“───!?”
Suddenly, it felt as bright as midday, and my field of vision lit up.
Was there a halo shining?
A stunningly beautiful woman stood at my doorway, and I was frozen.
The woman who visited my room who calls herself Tenjō stated her purpose with a clear voice, all the while wearing a pleasant smile.
The long-haired woman claiming to be my neighbor was beautiful.
Her age appeared to be in her late teens to early twenties.
She had a small, well-defined face, and despite wearing an oversized parka that covered down to her hips, her arms and legs were long and slender.
My eyes were involuntarily drawn to her thighs.
On her feet were fur-trimmed sandals, an odd choice that didn’t quite fit the season.
Despite the casual outfit, she had an overwhelming charm that could not be hidden.
Like a doll, her beauty clearly transcended that of an average person.
I definitely won’t be surprised if she was a model or an actress.
“Um, are you listening?”
Seeing me in a daze, she asked with a concerned look.
“Ah? Um, are you my next-door neighbor?”
“Yes, that’s right. I have some delicious strawberries, do you want them?”
She opened a department store paper bag and showed the strawberries inside.
The strawberries, packed and glistening, were a juicy red, gleaming like jewels.
“They do look very tasty.”
“Don’t worry, it’s not a sales pitch or solicitation. I know you might be surprised, but I received so many strawberries that I can’t finish them all by myself. Do you dislike strawberries?”
“No, I like them, so it’s not a problem.”
“That’s great, I can vouch for the taste! They’re sweet and juicy, and once you start eating, you can’t stop! I’d appreciate it if you could accept it. What do you think?”
She seemed to be the type whose actions were as spontaneous as her feelings.
As she asked, she stepped closer and offered the paper bag to me. And as she moved, her hair swayed, and a pleasant scent wafted towards me.
“Then, I’ll accept it.”
I take it, pretending to be calm so as not to show her that I’m shaken.
“Please put them in the fridge and try to eat them as soon as possible.”
“Alrigh──hm?”
As I continued the conversation nervously, I suddenly realized something.
I recognized this scent coming from her.
Perfume… no, maybe shampoo.
I felt like I had smelled it very recently. In fact, I sensed the same scent earlier today.
Where was it from?
“Oh?”
Curiosity overcame my nervousness, and I took a good look at her face again.
Then, I realized who she was.
The person I see almost every day in the classroom at school came to mind, but I immediately dismissed the possibility.
It couldn’t be her in a place like this.
Thinking this, I blinked several times. But the woman in front of me did not disappear.
To me, she was too beautiful to be considered just someone who looked like a person I know.
I didn’t recognize her immediately because she was out of her usual adult-looking image. Dressed in casual clothes and with makeup removed gives her a younger appearance.
“What’s wrong?”
“Why are you here!?”
Startled, I almost dropped the paper bag. She reacted at the same time, and her slender hand overlapped mine.
As a result, we ended up both holding the handles of the bag filled with strawberries.
“I’m so sorry!? It’s because I didn’t grip it properly.”
“I’m sorry too! I think I put too many strawberries in the bag, and it was too heavy.”
She hastily drew her hands to her chest.
Then, an awkward silence ensued.
“Please don’t worry about it. Anyway, sorry to disturb you this late at night.”
She seemed to feel uncomfortable and started to escape back to her own room.
At that moment, I called out her name.
“You’re Tenjō-sensei, aren’t you!? Reiyu Tenjō.”
Suddenly hearing her name called, she stopped in her tracks.
“What, I thought I only introduced myself by my last name?”
Her voice had turned tense at once.
“Did I mishear you? And it seemed like you were also called me Sensei...?”
She turned around slowly with stiff movements like a robot that had missed an oiling, staring at me cautiously.
“Good evening. I’m Yuunagi Nishiki from Sensei’s class…”
I hurriedly introduced myself by my full name to clear up any misunderstanding.
“yuunaginishiki?”
She repeated my name in a broken speech.
“I’m the boy currently sitting in front of your desk in class. Sensei, don’t you recognize me?”
I added a self-introduction with an apologetic tone.
Then she leaned in close to my face as if she couldn’t see very well.
“Um, Tenjō-sensei. Aren’t you, like, too close?”
I was bewildered by her face being close enough that I could almost feel her breath.
I guess a beautiful woman is still a beautiful woman even if she has removed her makeup.
Being stared at so intently by those large eyes from such a close distance made me hesitate even to breathe.
“───! Yuunagi Nishiki!? What, Nishiki-kun!?”
Sensei, recognizing who I was, staggered back as if jumping away.
Then one of her sandals came off with that momentum.
“Ah, Sensei, your sandal...”
“Y-you’ve got the wrong person!!”
Ignoring her rolled sandal, Tenjō-sensei fled into her own room.
Wherever she is, her radiance never dims.
That dazzling smile that captivated people, her breathtaking beauty, the cheerful aura that uplifted spirits.
There was no mistaking such a sun-like beauty.
The neighbor who came to share something with me──was my homeroom teacher, Reiyu Tenjō.
***
TL: Hiraeth
