Kissing My Student, It's Over if We're Caught-Chapter 5Volume 1 .1 - Painful thing: Love

During the summer vacation at Morikawara Academy, there are school attendance days.

Once at the beginning of August. Once more between the end of Obon vacation and the beginning of the second semester on September 1st. A total of two times.

Having completed the second term’s lesson plans without a hitch, I am preparing for the school attendance day that is fast approaching tomorrow.

There are no other teachers in the staff room. Kurei-san has been called away for training, and the other teachers are participating in club activities.

Tapping away at the keyboard of my laptop, I let my thoughts drift to recent events.

It’s been a week since that day… when I went along with Kirihara’s lie in front of Kurei-san.

Kirihara and I have returned to being just gaming buddies.

Since then, I haven’t gone to Kirihara’s house even once.

I haven’t even seen Kirihara directly, nor have we communicated via smartphone. If I happen to see her online in the game, we casually invite each other to play. That’s the extent of our relationship now.

The content of our conversations has also changed.

We no longer talk about school, let alone real-life matters.

Even though no one is listening, those topics have completely disappeared. Now, we only talk about the game.

Since I started going straight home after work, I’ve had more time for myself. But I am conscious of feeling somewhat unsatisfied.

Right after being bound by Kirihara, I even despised her and my own irresponsible actions… but now it’s totally different.

I haven’t thrown away the disguise gear, and every time I cook dinner, I worry if Kirihara is eating properly.

I was full of lingering attachments. I wasn’t this dejected even when I broke up with my long-term college girlfriend.

I wonder how Kirihara is feeling?

Though I can’t come up with an answer, I’m sure I’ll learn something tomorrow.

If Kirihara doesn’t take the day off, we will have to face each other.

To be honest, I’m a little scared.

***

When I head to the classroom at the start of the workday, the class is very lively.

Everyone seems to be happily sharing their recent updates. It looks like they’re enjoying the silly conversations after a long time.

I enter the classroom and stand at the podium. The noise doesn’t settle.

“Alright, quiet down. The chime is ringing.”

While saying that, I look around the classroom.

I save looking in Kirihara’s direction for last.

For just a moment, our eyes meet.

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There was nothing in Kirihara’s eyes.

Before, when our eyes met for a moment, she would give me a knowing smile to a degree that wouldn’t give us away.

Now, she just has a serious expression.

I realized.

The Kirihara who enjoyed our secret and smiled at me affectionately will never appear before me again.

From now on, it will always be the same as with the other teachers.

I will only ever meet the perfect student who smiles at me out of courtesy, nothing more. The Kirihara who troubled me is no more. Like a dream or an illusion, she has vanished.

I felt lonely, but I had no right to say anything. No right to speak.

This is the natural retribution.

“Sensei? Hajima-sensei?”

A girl in the front row brings me back to reality.

“Everyone’s quiet now. …Are you seriously angry?”

“No, no. As long as you’re listening, that’s fine.”

I forcefully push away thoughts of Kirihara and proceed to relay the necessary information.

I wasn’t constantly watching, but Kirihara was expressionless the whole time.

***

Once homeroom is over, there’s nothing left to do with the class.

Everyone disperses.

Silent, Kirihara picks up her bag, says goodbye to her classmates with a reserved smile, and heads to the student council room.

Suddenly, I think.

It’s only natural that I have to face the consequences. I have no right to complain about losing Kirihara.

But… what about Kirihara?

What will happen to Kirihara’s feelings, who defended me?

How will Kirihara, who had to rely on someone like me out of desperation, face that loneliness from now on? How is she reconciling with her own heart?

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I was just involuntarily bound by Kirihara. Kirihara is also to blame.”

“I’ve done nothing wrong.”

I wasn’t thick-skinned enough to think that way.

Kirihara had protected me.

That left a lump in my heart.

***

Still, there’s nothing I can do.

…But once I make up my mind, that’s not necessarily true.

An incident that would change my mind would occur in the following days.

It happened several days after the school attendance day. That day, I had scheduled parent-teacher conferences.

I was to meet with Kirihara’s mother.

The parents of the other students had already finished their meetings by early August.

Only Kirihara’s mother had been put off with the reason “I absolutely can’t find the time due to work.”

She finally had an opening, and she contacted me two days ago.

…Who could she be? I wondered as I waited nervously in the classroom.

The door was closed to keep the air conditioning effective.

At the appointed time, the classroom door quietly opened.

“Are you Hajima-sensei? I apologize for keeping you waiting. I am the mother of Touka Kirihara.”

The woman who appeared was dressed in a sharp suit, giving off an impressive aura. She had a well-kept appearance.

A stylish and beautiful woman, she wore slightly high heels. Maybe it was the mole under her lip, but she seemed strangely sensual. Her demeanor was courteous, but it wouldn’t be exaggerating to call her a femme fatale.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Hajima. Please, have a seat here.”

We sat facing each other across a desk.

…Naturally, she had a resemblance to Kirihara. She looked just like her when she took off her glasses.

Somehow, even her leisurely smile seemed similar.

…This beauty has been unfaithful?

Such a vulgar thought crossed my mind, and I hastily dismissed it.

“I suppose all the other parents have already finished their interviews? I’m sorry for the late timing due to my circumstances… I truly apologize.”

Kirihara’s mother bowed her head, looking genuinely sorry.

She had an elegant gesture that made the one being apologized to feel shrunken.

“No… I understand you were busy. Please don’t worry about it. You’re the president of a talent agency, correct?”

“Yes. It’s a small office, but fortunately, we’re on the right track. In August, one of our actresses had a major play where she was the lead, and just yesterday was the final performance. I’ve finally reached a milestone.”

“I see… That must be tough.”

“There’s no such thing as an easy job. I’m sure it’s difficult for teachers too, right?”

While engaging in such small talk, I began discussing the same topics as with the other parents.

Her grades.

Her behavior in the classroom.

In Kirihara’s case, it included student council activities.

All of them were praiseworthy. She was well-liked by both students and teachers.