Chapter 5
This chapter was translated by yuugs and shizuumi, and proofed by kuririn, yuugs, and dei-hime!
One day...
The moment I opened the classroom door that morning, the students inside stopped talking all at once and turned to look in my direction. Even when I just stood up from my seat and started walking, I could feel everyone's gazes following me.
...Now that I thought about it… The atmosphere at Hakuo Academy had been sort of weird since this morning.
We were well into the new semester. The unforgiving chill of winter was finally beginning to let up. Since the start of February, I'd grown used to rubbing my shaking hands together while walking to and from school.
After completing the most arduous class of the week― Monday first period―I frowned, thinking about the odd feeling that had been growing since that morning.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Classmate A: "......"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Um... Do you have a minute?"
Classmate A: ‘!! W-What is it, Yukimura? Oh, do you wanna tell me something? Whatever it is, you can tell me!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...No. Sorry. It's nothing, actually."
Seeing the jumpy, nervous state my classmates were in made me frown even more deeply. And it wasn't just my classmates, either. Everyone I passed by in the hallways, all the senior students...absolutely everyone had been acting downright strange since that morning.
Classmate B: "......"
I'd lock eyes with people, and they'd quickly look away.
Classmate C: "......"
The opposite happened, too. People would shoot me an earnest look whenever I said something inconsequential. Honestly, just what in the world was going on with everyone...?
And then, during the lunch break after morning classes, I just couldn't stand how everyone was staring at me anymore. I rushed out into the hallway as soon as the bell rang. When I first enrolled, I got a lot of stares as the only female student, but even so...
Chizuru Yukimura: "I feel like people are staring at me even more than they did back then..."
In the courtyard. In the corridor outdoors. I grabbed my bento and walked off, hoping to get away from all the stares. I looked for anywhere I could go where no one else would be around. The place I finally settled on was the quietest room in the school.
Chizuru Yukimura: "―Excuse me."
Keisuke Sannan: "Oh? What an unexpected guest to have."
Susumu Yamazaki: "Yukimura-kun? What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "No, I feel fine, thank you. Actually..."
[time skip as she explains]
Keisuke Sannan: "...I see. You feel as though you're drawing even more attention than usual."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes. I may just be being overly self-conscious, but I feel like there's always someone who's looking at me. Is there anything...strange about me today? Like my appearance, or..."
Maybe I had bed-head, for example. Or maybe my jacket was buttoned wrong. As I spun once in place to show them how I looked, Yamazaki-senpai quickly averted his eyes.
Susumu Yamazaki: "......"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Oh, something must be out of place then, huh? Is it my clothes? Or my face...?"
Susumu Yamazaki: "No, there's nothing wrong with your face. You look as good as you alw― um, you look like you always do!" Yamazaki-senpai hurriedly shook his head for some reason.
Sannan-sensei smiled wryly and said:
Keisuke Sannan: "I haven't seen the situation firsthand, so this may be mere conjecture, but… could it be that all the students in your vicinity look restless and agitated?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah, yes. Now that you put it that way, I think that's right. Someone nearly jumped out of their skin earlier when I called out to them. I wonder if I did something wrong without noticing, somehow...?"
Keisuke Sannan: "I suppose. You may be correct, in a certain sense."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh...?"
Keisuke Sannan: "Hehe, in short, you are at fault for being too attractive."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Whaaat...!?"
Keisuke Sannan: "I think you will come to understand what I mean soon enough. Isn't that right, Yamazaki-kun?"
Susumu Yamazaki: "...I do not understand why you're trying to drag me into this."
Sensei had called me 'attractive'... Could it be that he was teasing me...? I reflexively shot him a reproachful glare, but he showed no signs of noticing. He gave me a sweet smile and spoke again.
Keisuke Sannan: "Ah, more importantly, it seems as though you have yet to eat your lunch."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes. I couldn't stand to stay in the classroom any longer, so I didn't eat there."
Keisuke Sannan: "Well, then, why don't you eat here? It seems you brought along your bento."
I felt that he had deftly dodged my questions somehow, but… I decided that I'd take him up on his offer for now and gave a little nod. I ended up staying much longer than I'd intended to. By the time I left the infirmary, I had very little of my lunch break remaining.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I'm pretty sure that my first afternoon class is math with Nagakura-sensei..." Maybe it was because I had had a good meal, or because I had talked with those two, but I felt a little less anxious. "...But, for the time being, I need to find somewhere to kill a little more time."
Then, as I walked off, away from where math would take place, a huge obstacle blocked my path and my vision.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Whoops! Where are you off to, Yukimura-kun? Don't you have math in just a bit? If you wanna skip my class, then I don't wanna hear about it!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "No, I wasn't intending to do that..."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hm? Well, where are you going then? Toilet?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "......" Nagakura-sensei sometimes was a little...lacking in tact. "No, that's not it. Actually..."
[time skip as she explains]
Shinpachi Nagakura: "So your classmates are acting kinda weird, huh? I see."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Do you know something about it?"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, that's, you know… It's just that time of year." He folded his arms, nodding sagely to himself as he replied. "The day that men both dream of and dread… Valentine's Day!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Oh..."
I hadn't been consciously aware of it because there were still a couple of days left before the 14th, but now that I thought about it, it was already February. Valentine's ads usually flooded the city around now. That would more or less explain all the attention I had been getting since that morning. It was actually a bigger mystery that I hadn't noticed sooner...
Shinpachi Nagakura: "You're the only one in the whole school who can do something for Valentine's Day, Yukimura-kun. Who does the school idol's heart belong to? Anyone would be interested in finding that out."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Please stop. This is so embarrassing… Incidentally, how about you, Nagakura-sensei? You sound like you're excited for Valentine's Day."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Of course. This year, I'm definitely going to get chocolate from some beautiful ladies for once!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "'For once,' huh..." I was sort of wondering if he'd ever gotten any before, but I decided not to ask for the moment.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, I think that there are tons of guys who are hoping to get chocolate from you, but… If you feel obligated to go around and give some to every one of 'em...no matter how much you have, it'll never be enough. It'll at least be peaceful around here until the 14th, so just forget about it for now! C'mon, let's head to class!"
After he had explained what was going on, Nagakura-sensei started walking, leading the way to the classroom.
Would it be easier for me to go back in if he was there with me...? I decided to follow after him.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Valentine's Day, hmm..."
Now that he’d mentioned it, I realized I really did need to start thinking about it. The holiday was inching closer and closer.
‘What should I make this year...?’
My afternoon classes felt like they'd lasted longer than usual, but they were finally over. A feeling of freedom came over me as the final bell rang. School had finished for today. The moment homeroom ended, I left the classroom.
Thanks to the chats I had during lunch break, I knew the reason why everyone was acting like that, but that didn't change how uncomfortable it made me. On the contrary, now that I knew what everyone was expecting from me, I felt more and more like I couldn't stand to stay there a second longer.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Phew..."
As the sun began to set, the shadow of all those chocolatey expectations caused my face to fall. Soon enough, the day that gave women the courage to confess their love would roll around. A day where girls gave both chocolate and their hearts to the object of their desires, hoping to start something.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Who in the world should I give―" I was shaken from my thoughts by some sort of commotion going on right in front of me. "What's with this crowd...?"
There was a throng of people, all crowded around some sort of notice board affixed to the hallway wall. I spotted some people I recognized amidst the crowd and called out to them.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Amagiri-senpai, Shiranui-senpai!"
Kyuuju Amagiri: "Oh, it's Yukimura-kun. Are you on your way home?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I was, but… What's going on over here?"
Kyou Shiranui: "Don'tcha think it'd be faster just to see it? Hey, you―move it or lose it!"
I stepped into the space Shiranui-senpai had made for me and began to read the bulletin aloud.
Chizuru Yukimura: "'Announcement― Beginning tomorrow, students will undergo random personal effects inspections for a week. Entertainment and gaming systems, as well as unnecessary food and drink, will be confiscated’...!?"
Kyuuju Amagiri: "Starting tomorrow and lasting for one week. In other words, until Valentine's day. The perfect plan to eliminate any potential chocolate-giving."
Kyou Shiranui: "And the only person nasty enough to think this up… Well, you can take a guess, yeah?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Don't tell me...it's Kazama-senpai?"
Kyou Shiranui: "Naw, it ain't our boss. He's aiming for the opposite, actually."
Kyuuju Amagiri: "Yes. Contrary to this announcement, Kazama-sama is impatiently awaiting his chocolates."
Chizuru Yukimura: "So, if it's not him, then it's..."
???: "It hurts to be called ‘nasty,’ you know?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Kaoru...!"
Pushing his way through the crowd, Kaoru strode swiftly up to where we were standing.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Kaoru, what does this mean? Is this notice from the disciplinary committee?"
Kaoru Nagumo "Of course. It's our job to correct any disruptions to order within the school."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Why are you doing such a thing...?"
Kaoru Nagumo: "Why? Isn't it obvious? If we take no preventative measures, the riffraff won't have a shred of shame coming to pester you for obligation chocolates. But if it's banned from the school grounds entirely, everyone will have to give up, right? You should be grateful to have such a kind older brother."
Chizuru Yukimura: "But, if things are like this now, if I happen to bring romantic chocolates, won't they end up being confiscated, too...?"
Kaoru Nagumo: “! ...R-...Romantic chocolate, you say? Hmph, well, say whatever you like. If I recall… You don't have anyone you want confess to in the first place, right?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Well..."
Kaoru Nagumo: "Or...don't tell me you intend to confess to someone like Toudou or Okita, or even Saitou...!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I-I didn't say anything like that...!"
Kaoru continued to rattle off a rapid-fire stream of questions while completely ignoring my objections. How should I put this...? I had had no idea he was even capable of looking as frustrated as he did now.
Kaoru Nagumo: "Anyway, you're still too young! You absolutely can't bring any chocolate! Got it? You absolutely cannot!" Kaoru went to the trouble of reminding me twice before he briskly marched away. I was left dumbfounded in his wake and turned around to face Amagiri-senpai and Shiranui-senpai.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Amagiri-senpai, Shiranui-senpai. I'm sorry you had to see such a shameful display."
Kyou Shiranui: "I mean, I don't mind, but… What even was that?"
Kyuuju Amagiri: "It seems that the inner workings of an older brother's mind are just as mysterious as those of a woman's..."
After that, I parted ways with Amagiri-senpai and Shiranui-senpai and passed through the front gate on my way home. Even if I set aside the random inspections for now, I couldn't escape the fact that Valentine's Day was fast approaching.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I really don't have a choice. I need to start thinking about what chocolates to make… And the person I want to give chocolates to, huh?" My mumbled words turned to white fog as they left my mouth, floating up out of anyone’s reach in the pink sky.
Just one week left until Valentine's Day.
I wondered whether anyone would accept these sweet, aching feelings in my heart…
The bell for lunch break rang. Hijikata-sensei closed his classical literature textbook, and looked over the class.
Toshizou Hijikata: "Right, we'll stop here for today. We'll have a quiz at the beginning of next week's class, which will be out of twenty points."
Classmates A & B: "Whaaaaaaat?!"
Toshizou Hijikata: "Zip it, you over there. It'll only cover the vocabulary I've taught you in class, so you better review your textbooks real well."
...After that announcement, he left our classroom. Even though he said that the topics covered would be ones covered in class, he only said 'vocabulary' in the end. There was no guarantee that the questions would cover the exact same content as the textbook, so I had to make sure I reviewed thoroughly.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Let's do this, then," I let out a sigh as I closed my classical literature dictionary. I slotted it into my desk tray with my textbook and stood from my seat.
Ryuunosuke Ibuki: "Yukimura, you going to the cafeteria? That’s a rare sight."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah... I didn't have time to make a bento today."
Ryuunosuke Ibuki: "You don't say..."
Today was Friday, and Valentine's was coming up right at the start of next week... Time had flown by in a blink as I thought about Harada-sensei and Valentine's stuff. I had almost realized it too late. I was so distracted that I had to cut my breakfast short and rush to school.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
February 14th―Valentine's Day― was already fast approaching. I wanted to properly convey to Harada-sensei how I felt about him this time. I hardened my resolve, which almost felt like making a prayer as I left my classroom behind.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Isn't that...?"
I turned the corner down the hallway and suddenly spotted two teachers talking. Harada-sensei was there, looking like he'd just finished giving a lesson for another class. Sannan-sensei was there as well, even though he usually just stayed in the infirmary...
Keisuke Sannan: "That is correct. If you understand the details, then please call for me when such a situation arises again."
Sanosuke Harada: "......"
Sannan-sensei spoke in a hushed tone, and Harada-sensei nodded silently at him.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...? Hello, sir."
Keisuke Sannan: !
Sanosuke Harada: "...! Yukimura..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Eh? Um... Is something the matter?" When they suddenly looked at me, their expressions were so strangely serious that I found myself asking them about it on reflex.
Sanosuke Harada: "Ahh, no, actually, this is just about Souji's attitude in class..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Okita-senpai's...?"
Sanosuke Harada: "That, and about Shinpachi's wages, too. There's a lot going on that we can't really tell students about, you know?"
Keisuke Sannan: "Too true," Sannan-sensei agreed with a grin. "A varied assortment of headaches, to be sure. That is why I'm discussing them with Harada-sensei privately."
Chizuru Yukimura: "You seem to really have your work cut out for you..." It seemed to be a very problematic topic they were discussing, or topics, rather. I worried that they might've been mentally exhausted...
Sanosuke Harada: "Well, that's all silly bits of gossip anyhow. Actually, what're you up to around here?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I thought I'd go to the cafeteria today, and I was just passing by."
Sanosuke Harada: "You better hurry, then. All the seats'll be taken, y'know?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Oh. You're right! Excuse me, Harada-sensei, Sannan-sensei," after I quickly said my goodbyes to them, I jogged down the staircase.
In the cafeteria, I took my place in line to buy some food.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Meal set C, please."
Inoue-san looked somewhat relieved as he took my order with a kind smile.
Genzaburou Inoue: "I'll make a little less for you, as usual. ...You seem to be going through something right now, but I do hope you don't push yourself too much. Take good care of yourself."
Chizuru Yukimura: "I will. Thank you very much, Inoue-san!"
His concern made me happy, and I thanked him with a smile as I took my tray. But, I had to say… Even then in the cafeteria, I felt people's gazes coming at me from every which way, and it made me uncomfortable. Every movement put me on edge. Where could I sit...?
Heisuke Toudou: "Chizuru, over here!" My ever-reliable childhood friend caught my eye just as I was worrying, and beckoned me over with huge waves of his hand.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Thanks, Heisuke-kun," I went to sit down near him as a wave of relief washed over me.
Heisuke Toudou: "Man, I can't believe we're already halfway through February... Where'd the year go? Soon it'll be March, and then spring break will come right after..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah. We move up a year in April, and then you'll be in your final year here."
Heisuke Toudou: "So I'll be graduating next year, huh..." He suddenly stopped eating his meal, his chopsticks going still before he muttered a few words. "That means I'll only have about another year attending Hakuo Academy with you."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Come to think of it, have you decided what you want to do in the future yet?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Nah, it's still a ways off, so I don't really know… I'm kinda lost."
Chizuru Yukimura: "That makes sense. Two years in the future seems so far away. I can't imagine it either."
I wondered what everyone, and even I, would be doing one, or two years from now. It didn't seem like much would change at all with the teachers there, but the people in Kazama-senpai's grade would be graduating this year. Heisuke-kun, Okita-senpai, and Saitou-senpai would be graduating next year as well. Then, Ibuki-kun and I would be in our last year of Hakuo Academy around that time, too...
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Then Harada-sensei's face came to mind. I had about two years of his classes left...
Heisuke Toudou: "...Well, putting that aside for now, what're you gonna be doing for Valentine's Day?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh?"
The cafeteria fell into silence. You could hear a pin drop. The moment Valentine's Day was mentioned, the students around us all shut up at once and listened in on our conversation.
Heisuke Toudou: "Oh, uh, I'm not tryna force an answer from you or anything though!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "R-Right..."
I nodded while feeling grateful for the prompt follow-up he delivered right after. Then...
There was Nagakura-sensei, and the moment he found me, he bounded up to me, hot soba in hand and all.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Yukimura-kun! While we're on the subject, I personally wouldn't mind any friend chocolates, just so you know...!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Whaaat!?"
2nd Year Boy A: "It's not fair that only Nagakura-sensei gets any!"
3rd Year Boy B: "I'm fine with friend ones, too!"
Heisuke Toudou: "Don't you guys have a lick of shame!? I'm talkin' to you too, Shinpatsan!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "W-Whaaa...!?"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hey now, Heisuke! I told you to call me 'Sensei' when we're in school!"
Heisuke Toudou: "Wai― That's not the point right now!"
That was pretty much how lunchtime in the cafeteria turned into a huge commotion that got out of hand… I quickly finished up my food, and literally ran away, leaving the cafeteria behind.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Phew..."
Valentine's Day was going to be hard to deal with…
Homeroom at the end of the day ended without a hitch, and everyone in class either rushed off to club activities or started packing up to go home. I did neither of those things. It was my turn to sweep the classroom that day.
Sanosuke Harada: "Yukimura," Harada-sensei called out to me as I tidied up the desks and the chairs.
Sanosuke Harada: "I've got something I wanna talk to you about… Could you come to the staff room later?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "? Of course." I took up my mop with renewed vigor, hurrying up with my cleaning.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Excuse me."
When I'd gotten to the staff room, the teachers in charge of committee meetings or club activities were out. The only one in the room was Harada-sensei. Silence enveloped the deserted staff room. I went up to Harada-sensei, and he got straight to the point.
Sanosuke Harada: "We need a class representative for the graduation committee... You wanna take a shot at it?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I'd love to!"
Harada-sensei's eyes slightly widened in shock from my immediate reply.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Being able to send off my seniors who've helped me out so much would make me really happy...!" I told him how I really felt, and Harada-sensei's tone almost sounded like he was testing the waters as he spoke next:
Sanosuke Harada: "It'll take a lot of time and effort to make sure this is done to completion, you know? There's a lot to do, after all. The time for preparations will run out and the graduation ceremony will be here before you know it."
Chizuru Yukimura: "I'm prepared for that."
Sanosuke Harada: "......" He smiled fondly at me when I said that. The profound trust in me that I could see hiding in his eyes made me happy.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Still, this year’s third-years won't be around next year, huh... A new school term will start in April, and I'll already be a second-year student then. It doesn't feel real yet."
It was a strange, yet lonely thing. I lifted my head up, trying to force myself back into high spirits from the funk I'd started feeling.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Well, I’ll move up together with my classmates until now, and you’ll still be there too, since that’s generally how it works at Hakuo Academy. So I look forward to your guidance next year, too. Knowing you’ll still be my homeroom teacher is the most reassuring of all."
Sanosuke Harada: "...Yeah. If that ends up being the case, I hope next year will be a good one as well."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah!"
Sanosuke Harada: "But I can't say that will be the case for sure. If it weren’t me, but a different homeroom teacher you had next year instead, what would you do?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh...?"
Now that he mentioned it, it was true that there was no real guarantee that he'd stay with our class next year as well. In response to Harada-sensei's question, I said…
[I'd miss you…]
[I'll be fine!]
Chizuru Yukimura: "I’ll be fine!" I grinned at him, not wanting to cause him any worry. "Even if you aren’t my homeroom teacher, we’ll still be at the same school, so I think we’ll have plenty of chances to meet."
I would still have classes with Harada-sensei every week, and if I wanted to see him, I could always come to the staff room and find him right away.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......So, uhm. I’ll be fine."
Sanosuke Harada: "......" He watched me silently, his expression somehow troubled, or maybe anxious.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Uh, uhmm… I mean…" I panicked a bit, thinking he might have seen through me. "If you aren’t my homeroom teacher again when I’m a second year...then, if that happens, I would still go consult with you about my future career plan, I think."
More than anyone else, the future was something I wanted to think about together with Harada-sensei.
After I confessed that with a smile, Harada-sensei’s eyes seemed to mist up a little.
Sanosuke Harada: "......Yeah, that’d be nice…...Sorry to keep you late. Make sure you head home before it gets dark. And I’m counting on you, with the graduation committee."
Chizuru Yukimura: "I won’t let you down!"
I bowed deeply to him and turned to make my exit. I turned back to look at the sunset-soaked staffroom. Maybe it was just a trick of the light, of the lengthening shadows at sunset, but just for a moment, Harada-sensei looked incredibly weary.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
‘What should I do for Valentine's Day?’ I asked myself. I wondered if I really, truly understood my feelings for Harada-sensei. I wanted to try and think about them a little more. There was also the matter of the annoying rules that year that purposely targeted Valentine's Day to boot, and I felt conflicted about giving him chocolates the day after. Or… I could wait until next year and confess to him anew, maybe...? While I worried about that, I heard loud footsteps beating against the ground as I walked.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Was that Nagakura-sensei...?"
He sprinted single-mindedly past me as fast as he could, without so much as glancing at me. He made a show of opening the door with a bang before he stormed into the staff room. His angry bellow echoed from within the room soon after:
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Sano! Is it true you're transferring schools this year!?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "What―"
I heard the words I'd never even dreamed I would, and I froze in shock. Harada-sensei was transferring...? I staggered on my feet, headed for my classroom… back to my class, 1-1, where I’d spent nearly a year with Harada-sensei. Everyone had already left for home, or gone off club activities. The room was empty.
Chizuru Yukimura: "He won't be at this school anymore...?"
I only had a month left to tell him how I felt. There'd be no meaning to Valentine's Day next year if Harada-sensei wasn't here.
Chizuru Yukimura: "If I'm going to give him chocolates, I have to do it this year..."
I quietly hardened my resolve in the empty classroom bathed in sunset. I'd prepare chocolates for him and tell him how I felt this Valentine's Day. Even with all the obstacles I was expecting on the day of, I'd overcome them all, come what may...!
As I quickly finished getting ready to go home, I left my classroom with a newfound resolve...
I wanted just a little more time.
But time still marched on regardless, and the days couldn’t very well get longer just because I wanted them to…
Before I even knew it, the calendar already read mid-February.
I spent my Saturday afternoon preparing for Valentine's Day, which was fast approaching…
I visited the Hakuo Academy cafeteria with Osen-chan and Kosuzu-chan over the weekend.
Sen Suzuka: "This is Hakuo Academy's cafeteria? I saw a little bit of it during the cultural festival, but it really is spacious."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Ours is a little bit smaller. Lots of people bring bento lunches anyway."
Usually, I was the only girl here, so it felt really strange seeing other girls in school like this. The two of them looked at the unfamiliar menu and grinned.
Sen Suzuka: "Look, Kosuzu! Doesn't this pudding sound delicious?"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Osen-san, we're not here to eat or anything..."
Well, Kosuzu-chan was right. We didn't come here today to eat...
Genzaburou Inoue: "I hope you three weren't waiting long. Everything's ready now."
Chizuru Yukimura: "That must have been a lot of work, Inoue-san. Thank you so much."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "But is it really alright? For people who aren't students here to borrow your kitchen like this?"
Genzaburou Inoue: "You've already gotten permission, haven't you? Besides, you're from Shimabara Girls' High School. There's no need to be shy."
Sen Suzuka: "Well, we'll take you up on your offer, then… So? How about we get started? Time to make chocolates!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah!"
Genzaburou Inoue: "Now, I don't want to get in the way of you girls, so I'll stay in the back and leave you to it. You're free to use whatever equipment you need in the kitchen. Just be careful with the stove."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Sure thing! Thank you so much!" After thanking him, we first lined up all the ingredients we had brought in a row.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Fresh cream. Unsalted butter. Cocoa powder..."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Wheat flour, eggs, baking powder..."
Sen Suzuka: "Chocolate to use, more chocolate to use. Oh, and some chocolate to use."
......
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Um, Osen-chan? Are you making a life-sized chocolate statue?"
Sen Suzuka: "Huh? What, Chizuru-chan, would you be the model for it?"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "It's surreal to imagine that being eaten..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Absolutely not!"
Sen Suzuka: "Oh, boo... Well, we're not even making one big chocolate in the first place anyway. We'll be making lots of smaller ones."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Osen-san has a large circle of friends. She also needs to prepare some for her relatives."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Ohh, I see..."
Sen Suzuka: "It must be nice for you two. You look like you're making chocolates to give to your special someone."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh!?"
Sen Suzuka: "Well, I don't know if you have anyone like that to give chocolates to, Chizuru-chan… But lately, Kosuzu's gotten close with that Ibuki-kun guy we met at the pool, see."
Chizuru Yukimura: "S-Since when...!?"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "I-It's not really like that… These chocolates are just friendly ones..." With her ingredients cradled in hand, Kosuzu-chan's expression softened tenderly, her muttered protests weak. I felt a bit jealous seeing that, but I also found myself making a similarly fond face.
Sen Suzuka: "Now, then, how about we make those chocolates?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah! Let's do this!"
I wondered if I'd ever make such a tender face as I put my heart into what I made. But either way, I had to do my best making them...!
Before anything else, our first step was to warm things up. The chocolate we heated inside the bowl slowly started to melt.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Now, next is..."
With the chocolate's sweet-smelling fragrance, it was only natural that I was reminded of someone.
(CG get!°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°)
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
The moment I thought back to Harada-sensei's face, my hands froze. This was my first and last chance for me to give him chocolates at school. And, maybe… it'd be my first and last chance to tell him how I felt, too.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...These have to be perfect."
Before the first midterm at the start of school, Harada-sensei had fed me a sweet chocolate to lift my spirits. When I remembered its taste at the time, my chest would steadily grow warmer. I wanted to make those same sweet chocolates, and have my feelings reach him at the same time…
While I thought about that, at the end of the day… Even with the tasty chocolates prepared, I wasn't even sure that I could bring them to school in the first place...
Chizuru Yukimura: "Hmmm..." Maybe I could trick the Disciplinary Committee one way or the other during the inspections...
Osen-chan and Kosuzu-chan cocked their heads a little at me. Maybe because they realized that I'd stopped working at some point.
Sen Suzuka: "What's wrong, Chizuru-chan?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Nothing, I just don't know if I can bring these to school, even though I've made them."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "...What do you mean?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "The truth is..."
[Transition while she explains]
Sen Suzuka: "That's what the inspections are for...? What the heck!? That's so mean of them!"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "The fact they're doing it now means they're totally targeting Valentine's Day."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah..."
Hearing the situation, the two were infuriated. They stopped making their chocolates and looked ready to run over and give the Disciplinary Committee a beating right this second. I shook my head in a hurry at them.
Chizuru Yukimura: "C-Calm down, you two. It's already been decided anyway..."
Sen Suzuka: "But, isn't that just totally tyrannical!? Maybe if I go and give them a complaint or two..."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Osen-san. You'd be sure to cause havoc if you did that, so try and bear with it. ...Although, even though it's definitely unfair, I feel like there is some point to it. Speaking practically, you have fewer boys to worry about wanting chocolates from you thanks to that notice."
Chizuru Yukimura: "You...have a point, but..."
Sen Suzuka: "Mm..."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "You can't really do much seeing as it's already been decided, and if there's someone you want to give chocolates to, you could just do it on your way home, right?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah..." Honestly, Kosuzu-chan might've been right. Even if I wanted to give chocolates to someone, there wasn't any reason I had to bring them to school...
Sen Suzuka: "...I think that’d be a waste. I mean, Valentine's Day alone is a whole page in this chapter of our lives as high schoolers, right? There's meaning in giving chocolates to the person who you want at school, plus you'll make memories that way, too."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Y-Yeah... I guess that’s true too..."
Sen Suzuka: "If there's someone you wanna give them to no matter what, then this is the one chance you get this year! You can't give in to the rules!!"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "But I think it'd be really sad if you got your chocolates confiscated as a result."
Sen Suzuka: "...Well, whatever you end up doing, it’s all up to you, Chizuru-chan."
What was the right thing to do? I thought about that in the back of my mind as I finished preparing my chocolate dessert.
Between the cracks of the cold, leaden winter clouds, the occasional glimpse of the vivid blue sky broke through. The refreshing and perfectly vivid blueness of it somehow reminded me about how close spring was. The sky on Valentine's Day was just a little bit brighter than usual.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Now then..."
Just a little more until I got to school. Since I'd been walking to school by myself up until this point, I snuck a glance at my bag.
―In it were my feelings given shape.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Will I be able to give them to him at all...?"
If I just wanted to give him some chocolate, there were plenty of other ways I could do it. I could go home and bring them after school like Kosuzu-chan said, and that would work. Or I could bring them tomorrow. But…
"There's meaning in giving them to the person who you want to at school,
plus you'll make memories that way, too."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Osen-chan's right." If I was going to express how I felt with my chocolates, I wanted to do it this Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day was a magical occasion that gifted bravery to girls.
Chizuru Yukimura: "But to do that, I have to get through the personal effects inspections first."
I’d thought up all sorts of schemes to hide my chocolates, but I wondered if it would really fool them… I worried over that as I set foot onto the school grounds.
Isami Kondou: "Ohh, morning! I'm happy you're looking well today, as ever."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Good morning, Kondou-sensei. Are you greeting people this morning? That must be hard work."
Isami Kondou: "Not at all. I feel energized just by seeing all of my students doing well!" After he said that with a hearty laugh, Kondou-sensei suddenly lowered his voice and fixed his gaze on me.
Isami Kondou: "Incidentally, Yukimura-kun… You didn't do anything like bring chocolates with you today, did you?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh...!? N-No, I, uh..."
Isami Kondou: "Oh, no, please don't get the wrong idea! I don’t suspect you or anything. I just wanted to check if the rumor I heard was true. That the inspections are just a pretext to stop people from pestering you for chocolate. Setting aside whether you actually brought any chocolates with you… You'll likely have your belongings inspected many times over today. Be careful."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...I-I will."
Everywhere I went, I could see students from the disciplinary committee around me. It made me nervous as I walked down the hallways. I was more keyed in to my surroundings than I needed to be, and the way I gripped my bag probably looked really suspicious.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Male Student A: "Yukimura."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Y-Yes!"
Male Student A: "Morning... Hey, what're you so jumpy for?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "N-Nothing―it's nothing."
I kept glancing at my bag that had my chocolates in it and walked down the corridor.
Prefect A: "Yukimura, I'm from the disciplinary committee. Please open your bag for inspecti―"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I-I don't know about any chocolates!"
Prefect A: "Huh? Um, no one said anything about chocolates..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "I don't know anything!" I walked off in a hurry. Even if people started talking to me, I had to pretend I never heard them...!
[Minigame Victory]
I purposely ignored the disciplinary committee members. I wouldn't look behind me, and I'd keep running as fast as I could―! It didn't even matter to me if my skirt was flying up as I raced up the stairs towards my classroom. My plan was to go through attendance this morning without a fuss while holding onto my chocolates, but I still ended up running into obstacles every step of the way.
But it'd be time for homeroom soon. So… the one I had my eye on should've already been there!
Classmate A: "It can't be― The fact that she's rushing in here so quickly must mean...!"
I burst into my classroom without missing a beat, and everyone who had been waiting in class ran up to me, vibrating with excitement. The people who’d been chasing me couldn't enter my classroom now that homeroom had started, so they were stuck. It was tense in the class― The air in the room grew more strained, before Harada-sensei stood up for me, standing at his lectern.
Sanosuke Harada: "Everybody calm down. There's no way she would go as far as breaking the rules by bringing chocolates with her."
Classmate B: "Huh...? But..."
What he said shut everyone up. But there was still an air of dissatisfaction lingering in the room.
Sanosuke Harada: "The point is, if these turn out to be false accusations, how'll you be taking responsibility?"
Classmate A: "Ugh..."
Sanosuke Harada: "There's not a shred of decency in forcibly searching a woman's belongings, so don't you dare stoop so low!"
Classmate A: "...W-Well, he does have a point, honestly..."
Classmate B: "Yeah. If Harada-sensei's saying that, then we'd better not, actually..."
Sanosuke Harada: "I'm starting homeroom now. Everyone, take your seats. Same goes for you guys ogling from the hallway. Hurry up and get back to your own classrooms."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Harada-sensei..."
Though I called his name in a quiet voice, he didn't say anything, though he did show me a smile.
Sanosuke Harada: "First up, an announcement about your classes today. Itou-sensei is out sick today with a cold. You'll be doing independent study during your music classes today. After that, we need to check who can help out with the graduation ceremony prep committee―"
Harada-sensei didn't touch the subject of his transfer at all. He simply started off morning homeroom just like he always did.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
I couldn't give Harada-sensei any chocolates while he acted as a teacher. So I'd wait until after school to tell him my feelings as well…
Classes went on the same as ever, even though it was Valentine's Day. Not a single one of my classmates asked me about chocolates. In the end, even though the entire student body was engulfed in a strange sort of tension.
Class 1-1 had become my only safe zone thanks to Harada-sensei's persuasion from earlier. Everyone in class loved him, and they were friends with me as well, so they showed a lot of understanding about my situation. People from other classes and grades did come to peek in on our class on occasion… But they couldn’t bring themselves to come in, so none of them asked me any questions either. I wouldn't leave this classroom until school ended today...
Chizuru Yukimura: "Harada-sensei!"
When homeroom at the end of the day had finished, I called out to Harada-sensei, feeling ready. There were still a few students left in the class, which made sense given the time, so I still couldn't give him chocolates now, but...
Chizuru Yukimura: "There's something I'd like to talk to you about here in 30 minutes. Would you be able to spare me some of your time then?"
Sanosuke Harada: "...Sure. In 30 minutes," Harada-sensei lightly waved at me, and left the classroom.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
The reason I'd chosen this classroom for us to be in when we talked― Of course, there was the fact that if I set foot outside of this classroom, that'd be risky in and of itself. However, an even bigger reason than that was that, out of all the places where he and I had seen each other, this one just felt right. Because this classroom was special to us, as the place where we’d spent a year together…
He came, just like he'd promised. The classroom was already empty, and it was just us two...
Chizuru Yukimura: "Harada-sensei." I looked straight at him, holding my chocolates behind my back as I boldly asked: "Is it true that you'll be transferring?"
Sanosuke Harada: "...I've been found out, huh?" Harada-sensei looked a little uncomfortable as he scratched at his cheek. So the rumor that he was transferring jobs was true. Just seeing the way he acted confirmed it.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Is the new school you're going to… close to Hakuo Academy?"
My heart ached with sadness, but even so… I stuffed down my loneliness deep inside me, and asked about his transfer.
Sanosuke Harada: "It'll be a little ways away. Considering the commute, I'll have to move as well."
Chizuru Yukimura: "What kind of school is it?"
Sanosuke Harada: "Well, it’s kinda like here, to be honest. It's an all-boys school, not a co-ed one."
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
I really wanted to tell him not to go. But I couldn't. Words that had nothing to do with that spilled from my lips, one by one.
Chizuru Yukimura: "How did the subject of you transferring even come about in the first place? I didn't think that private academy teachers could even be transferred..."
Sanosuke Harada: "Yeah. Seems like another private school that Chairman Serizawa-san is also connected to didn't have enough teachers. It was pretty sudden, but they asked me if I could 'lend them a hand'..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Sanosuke Harada: "Kondou-san and the others told me I was a talented and necessary part of Hakuo Academy and tried to stop the transfer from going forward. Both sides had a point, but this is just how things turned out. But hey, I'll be coming back in a few years."
Chizuru Yukimura: "A few years..."
By the time he came back to Hakuo Academy, I would have already left.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......" I felt so, so miserable. So much so that I couldn't say another word, in the end.
Sanosuke Harada: "...Chizuru."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Sir...? You used my first name..."
Out of nowhere, he placed his hands on my shoulders and drew my body close to his in a gentle embrace.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...!! U-Uh...?"
It was really much too sudden and I completely lost my composure. But he still held me tenderly as he started speaking.
Sanosuke Harada: "...There's something else you wanna say, right?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "! I-I―"
Sanosuke Harada: "I'm your homeroom teacher, aren't I? I've been by your side this whole year. I can tell right away when you're holding back or when you're putting on a brave face."
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Sanosuke Harada: "You're always so concerned for others around you, always so serious and hard on yourself. But at least be honest around me."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...But, I can't tell you. I couldn't possibly tell you such a thing..." I didn't want to trouble Harada-sensei. I didn't want to be a nuisance to him. I went on, "I… want to be a good girl while I'm with you, to the very end."
He'd been the perfect teacher, guiding me all this time, and I wanted him to always think well of me, no matter what...
Sanosuke Harada: "......"
When he saw me stubbornly shake my head, his expression turned so serious, it was almost a little scary.
Chizuru Yukimura: ―!?
(CG get!°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°)
Somehow, Harada-sensei's face was so close that it was a little blurry in my vision. Suddenly, with a strong tug he pulled me wordlessly into his arms.
I couldn't support my own weight, and it felt like I was about to fall over. But the arms holding me captive wouldn't allow that to happen. I couldn't run any longer. Not even my heart could. My mind went totally blank. I couldn't even think. But I felt the message he wanted to convey to me clearer than anything else.
Just then, there was just one certainty in my life: the scalding heat of his lips touching mine, like he couldn't get enough of them, was all that mattered―
While I stood there in a daze, dumbfounded, he spoke.
Sanosuke Harada: "I'm really not so great a teacher as you say I am. ...Hell, a kiss like that alone marks me a total failure as one. That's why you can be a bad girl for now, too."
Harada-sensei smiled wryly, as if to ask, ‘Was that unfair of me?’
Chizuru Yukimura: "The truth is..." His smile cut through me and I found my voice again as the words spilled past my lips. "The truth is, I'll miss you a lot. I want to stay by your side, always..."
I couldn't even think of a Homeroom without Harada-sensei in it, and now I'd never be able to see him.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I really hate it...! I want you to stay...!"
He smiled kindly at me as I threw a tantrum like a little child. He stroked my hair to soothe me.
Sanosuke Harada: "I'm sorry that it turned out like this… But, it's not all bad that I'm transferring out of Hakuo Academy."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...What do you mean?"
Sanosuke Harada: "As a student and teacher at the same school, everyone’s eyes will always be on us, right? If we're in different schools, though, on weekends we ought to be able to blend in."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Blend in..."
Sanosuke Harada: "Yeah. Don’t you feel like, that way, we can follow our hearts freely and do as we like? It’s only when you’re out of your uniform that we can really act as lovers, instead of teacher and student."
Chizuru Yukimura: "As...lovers..."
My brain still struggled to catch up, and I found myself unable to do more than echo his words. Harada-sensei went on:
Sanosuke Harada: "Just don't forget this one thing."
Chizuru Yukimura: ?
Sanosuke Harada: "I may not be at this academy anymore, and I may not be your homeroom teacher anymore, either... But I am yours all the same."
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
His words finally clicked in my head. I vividly recalled what he just said to me, and what he’d just done, and only now did my face turn bright red…
Chizuru Yukimura: ".................."
I plopped down on my bed. I couldn't calm down at all. Maybe today was all just a dream...?
Chizuru Yukimura: !
My phone abruptly started ringing. When I checked to see who it was, I gasped. It was a call from Harada-sensei...!
Chizuru Yukimura: "H-Hello...!"
Sanosuke Harada: "Sorry for calling you so late. I ate the chocolates you gave me. They were delicious."
Chizuru Yukimura: "! That's great to hear..."
Sanosuke Harada "Also, are you okay with keeping on pretending we're just a teacher and a student to each other until March, like the way we've been up till now?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I-I am!" I knew it wasn't necessary since it was a phone call, but I gave a great big nod out of instinct all the same.
Sanosuke Harada: "Well, I might not be able to make it through all of March, though."
Chizuru Yukimura: "That's not..."
Harada-sensei was so mature, and he seemed like he would have no trouble keeping up the pretense… But then he laughed at my muttered protest.
Sanosuke Harada: "Does that mean you've already forgotten about today?"
Chizuru Yukimura: !
I was so glad we were speaking over the phone...! When I remembered what happened in the classroom, I was pretty sure I burned red right up to the tips of my ears. My cheeks were burning...!
Sanosuke Harada: "I mean, I've been trying so hard, enduring it as a teacher the whole time. Well, if you hadn't caught on until now, I might not be that bad an actor, though. Probably fooled the people around us as well… But when they say that 'patience is bitter but its fruits are sweet...' Know that the bitterness bit is a huge understatement."
Chizuru Yukimura: "O―kay..."
Hearing the passion in Harada-sensei's voice coming from my speaker sent my heartbeat thundering again.
Sanosuke Harada: "Even now, even though I’d meant to wait until tomorrow to tell you how I liked the chocolates, I ended up calling you anyway. I'm happy I got to hear your voice. Goodnight, Chizuru."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Good night, Sensei......"
Even after our call had ended, I couldn't move for a while. My heart was full of a happiness that I couldn't quite grasp all that well, and yet shyness was there too. My relationship with Harada-sensei wasn't just that of a teacher and a student anymore. How would it change from now on...?
My thumping heart wouldn't settle down, but I was really looking forward to tomorrow. And, with him leaving, I didn't really want April to come, but another part of me did, too.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...I should sleep."
As my thoughts raced on to what the future held, tonight, I settled down and went to bed.
Since the winter day when I told Harada-sensei how I felt, the days slipped past in a flurry.
Before I realized it, a year had passed. The spring where I'd start my final, third year at Hakuo Academy came. That spring...
Harada-sensei and I met up in a town where we wouldn’t run into anyone we knew. Just the two of us. We'd head to a different location every time we met up and enjoy our short little trysts together. Obviously, I still couldn't see him like when he was in Hakuo Academy… But that was why the days where we were able to see each other made me happier than ever before. I thought that, someday, we'd be able to spend every day like this...
This particular day, we’d met in a remote city and were making our way back to our own before the sun set.
Sanosuke Harada: "We already have to part ways, huh… Time really does fly when you're having fun."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...It does."
Sanosuke Harada: "I'd like to walk you back to your place properly, but..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "No, it's fine."
Hakuo Academy students came to this train station a lot, even on weekends. There was a chance that we'd bump into someone here. Not to mention that my house was right next to Heisuke-kun's.
Heisuke-kun might've figured it out already, but I didn't want to cause him any needless worry.
Right.
This was the final stop, the last place I could stall for time and speak with Harada-sensei. Here, I could make an excuse that we’d run into each other by chance and started chatting. As long as I wasn’t in my school uniform, we could even be seen as lovers―
I thought of it that way, but the world around us wouldn't accept that so easily. That was why we put a lot of effort into being cautious. But, today was the day that...
Sanosuke Harada "It's already been a year since we first met like this. Chizuru... Can you bear it for another year?" Harada-sensei's words warmed my heart.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...I'll be fine. This year went by in a flash. That's why time will go by quickly this year as well... I'm sure it will."
Sanosuke Harada: "You'll be a third-year. The days ahead will be tough for you. It's frustrating that I can't be by your side then..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Sanosuke-san..."
Sanosuke Harada: "Chizuru..."
Our hands moved like we were searching for something. In moments, our fingers touched, hidden between our bodies as we faced each other. We felt the warmth of each other's fingertips, before our fingers entwined, like we were seeking something more. I gripped his hand tightly, tightly...feeling that it'd be sad if we left things here. Harada-sensei gripped my hand back, telling me he felt the same, without saying a word.
Sanosuke Harada: "Let's...stop here. Any more than this… and I won't want to let you go."
I gave a small nod at what he said. Then, with a trace of reluctance, I slowly let go of his hand.
Sanosuke Harada: "See you, Chizuru... I'll call you later."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Sure... See you."
We wrapped up our final conversation of the day, and Harada-sensei turned around to go home. At that moment… there stood before us someone we both knew well. Serizawa-san―!
Sanosuke Harada: "...!" In that instant, Harada-sensei's body stiffened, and he gasped loud enough that I could hear it as well.
Kamo Serizawa: "......"
Sanosuke Harada: "...Chizuru. Keep your lips sealed. Okay?"
He whispered in a volume that only I could hear, and I listened, unable to reply or nod. Serizawa-san looked at him, then at me. Then, he spoke to Harada-sensei.
Kamo Serizawa: "If you've got something to say, I'll listen. However, I have no intention of listening to lies or excuses."
Sanosuke Harada: "......" Harada-sensei didn't say a word as he stood up for me. I thought he was probably gauging what Serizawa-san was thinking from his reaction.
A corner of Serizawa-san's lip lifted in a sneering grin as Harada-sensei stayed silent.
Kamo Serizawa: "What's wrong, Harada? You bumped into each other and were having a chat... You were discussing something… Anything would be fine. If you intended to try to fool me, that is."
From his words and attitude just now, we understood.
There was no way...
Serizawa-san had seen, and seen through, everything. What could we do? He'd found us out. What would happen to me... No. What would happen to Harada-sensei?
So many thoughts rushed through my head, and I still didn't know what to do right here and now. My hands and legs were shaking, and even now my knees were just waiting to hit the ground.
It was at that moment.
Like he sought to soothe my fraught nerves.
Sanosuke Harada: [exhales in a sigh]
Watching his broad back from behind, I heard him take a deep breath. It was like he was telling me to leave everything to him.
Sanosuke Harada: "We didn't just happen to bump into each other here."
No, that wasn't―
If you say anymore, then―
Sanosuke Harada: "We promised to meet up, and I came this far to see her off. We were just about to part ways so she could go home before dusk."
Serizawa-san listened to his answer, looking intrigued as Harada-sensei stared straight at him.
Kamo Serizawa: "...So you wanted to accompany her home before nightfall, taking her being a student into account. Without her uniform, you're not really a teacher and a student... Simply a man and a woman. Was that not what you were trying to accomplish?"
Sanosuke Harada: "It isn't like that. She's still a high school student. It's obvious I should make sure she gets home before dark."
Serizawa-san smiled thinly at what Harada-sensei said, like he found something interesting about it. That smile immediately vanished from his expression, and his eyes flashed sharply as he looked at us. Then, he spat out some sarcastically:
Kamo Serizawa: "Well, well... don't you sound like such a good teacher, Harada. In that case, what did you come here to do today? Something that a teacher would do with a student?"
Sanosuke Harada: "I...came as a man to meet the woman I fell in love with." Harada-sensei answered him directly without wavering in the slightest. But the way he said it like that placed all the responsibility onto him.
At this rate...
If the onus was only on him, then...
I gritted my chattering teeth, and stepped out from behind Harada-sensei.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I--I also came here―"
But Harada-sensei shot an arm out in front of me to stop me from talking, before telling me peremptorily.
Sanosuke Harada: "Not a word. ...Understand?"
Then, he took one step forward towards Serizawa-san and spoke.
Sanosuke Harada: "Serizawa-san. I understand my position as a teacher. However, as the man that she came to love, I've no intention of doing anything that would invite shame on her. I don't care what happens to me. But…I do want you to let Chizuru stay in school and graduate normally--just that. I will take responsibility for this."
After saying that, Harada-sensei slowly bowed his head. He was about to throw away everything for my sake, in front of my very eyes. Which was when my body moved on its own.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Serizawa-san! I will accept any punishment there is for this! So, please, don't make Sanosuke-san resign!" I stood in front of Harada-sensei as I shouted at Serizawa-san.
Sanosuke Harada: "...Chizuru. You're..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "It's alright. My year will just have gone by a little faster..."
As I answered Harada-sensei standing behind me, I confronted Serizawa-san standing before me. His angry glare bore down on me, but I wasn't going to lose to him… I had to protect Harada-sensei. That was all I cared about.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Harada-sensei is a wonderful teacher who guided me well as a student. Even now, there are many people at school who need him, too! ...So, please... please don't make him resign. Instead, I'll..."
The moment I was about to say a final few words, Harada-sensei spoke up from beside me.
Sanosuke Harada: "...Thank you, Chizuru. Your feelings make me happy. But I have to take responsibility here as a man in the end. Please understand..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Harada-sensei..."
His tone brooked no argument. I could only stare at him in silence. Seeing me staring, Harada-sensei nodded back at me with a slight smile. Then, he addressed Serizawa-san head-on.
Sanosuke Harada: "Serizawa-san. Please. Let her stay in school with my resignation. That's my last request as a man and a teacher. Dropping out of school after these three years will upend her life on such a large scale… Whatever else happens... just don’t let that..."
Saying that, Harada-sensei lowered his head to Serizawa-san. Without making even the slightest of movement, Serizawa-san spoke to him.
Kamo Serizawa: "Your last wish is the wish of a teacher, eh? In this one year, until Yukimura graduates… Would you be able to defend her until then, I wonder?"
Harada-sensei lifted his head in response to his words.
Sanosuke Harada: "Yeah. I'll stake my life on it."
Kamo Serizawa: "...Hah. You may be a man, but you're a teacher…And though you may be a teacher, you're still just a man, huh?" Serizawa-san murmured as if it were only meant for his own ears. And then: "Today, I was drunk and didn't see a thing… That works, doesn't it? Show me, then. What kind of man you really are."
Sanosuke Harada: "Yeah... I'll make sure of it."
Kamo Serizawa: "I'll be very much looking forward to it, Harada. Heheheh... Ahahahaha!!" Serizawa-san turned on his heel, cackling, and left.
When we couldn't see him any longer, we cuddled up to each other for support.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Harada-sensei.... Now, we're..."
Sanosuke Harada: "Yeah... Seems like he let this one slide. He didn't say anything about us, but I guess I owe him big time now, huh? I'll show him and pay back that debt by protecting you."
Chizuru Yukimura: "I have to make sure I don't become a nuisance to you, Harada-sensei... Sanosuke-san. I'll work hard so that I'll be able to stand by your side without reservation after this year!"
Sanosuke Harada: "Yeah, you and me both."
Then we gazed into each other's eyes, unafraid of what anyone else may think, and clasped our hands together. It was a vow that we’d always find a way to stay together.