Epilogue
This chapter was translated by the wonderful jokertrap-ran, and proofread by kuririn, yuugs, and dei-hime!
Two years had passed since that first February.
The first Valentine's I ever celebrated, where I managed to muster the courage
to give Sannan-sensei chocolates―
It was my fourth spring since enrolling here. The last spring I'd spend here at Hakuo Academy… I headed out of the gymnasium and into the corridors as my last morning class ended.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Oh no! I've got to hurry, before lunch ends...!" Having P.E. before lunch break had really cut down on my actual lunch time. I had to change out of my gym clothes first, and seeing as how the classroom was quite a ways away, it took time to get there.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Eek...!" A gust of wind blew from the side, messing up my hair. The spring breeze was warm and carried the faint scent of flowers.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Oh..."
Pale pink petals fluttered in the air, dancing on the wind. There was a cherry blossom tree growing behind Hakuo Academy, so I supposed that's where those petals had come from.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Oh no, I've got to go!" Realizing I’d stopped walking to admire the sight, I hurried away once more.
I changed out of my gym clothes and returned to the classroom. Grabbing the bento I had packed, I headed out to my next destination.
...How many times now had I opened this door? Opening the same door, entering the same room, and seeing that same person inside it countless times. Coming here became part of my daily routine long ago, and yet, even as time passed… I just couldn't seem to shake the nervousness that came with entering this place.
I placed my hand on the door and unconsciously stood up straighter.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Sorry for being late!"
Keisuke Sannan: "Good work today, Yukimura-kun. I've made tea, so how about you go on and take a seat over there?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "No, I should be the one making the tea..."
Keisuke Sannan: "You don't have much time until lunch break ends, no? So just leave it to me and have your lunch; go on."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Thank you, Sannan-sensei..." I gave in and sat down, then opened my bento.
Sannan-sensei smiled as he watched me do so, looking satisfied as he poured us each a cup of tea.
Keisuke Sannan: "Your role as a health committee member is also coming to an end soon. All that's left is the evacuation drill and the school clean-up, is that right?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I'm thinking of writing up a summary for the measuring equipment in here as well, while I'm at it."
Keisuke Sannan: "You've worked hard, Chairwoman."
My responding smile was a little sad.
Chizuru Yukimura: "My time as chairwoman's coming to an end before I've even gotten used to the title."
I took over the position of health committee chairperson last spring, after Yamazaki-senpai graduated. Normally, I'd have already given it up to an underclassman myself, now that I was in my third year... But all my juniors whined about how it was too big of a responsibility for them, and I ended up remaining the head of the committee up ‘til now.
However, that would end this March: this month.
Now, I was working hard every day to keep things organised and settle the committee handover to the future members.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yamazaki-senpai gave me really detailed notes and materials before he graduated...So, I want to help my successor every way I can too, at the very least."
Keisuke Sannan: "That sounds just like him. There aren't many students as gifted as he was."
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Among the materials he’d given me was a single file entitled 'Precautions and How to Handle Sannan-sensei'... But I wouldn't tell him about that. I had to protect Yamazaki-senpai's name, after all.
Keisuke Sannan: "Still, you must have it hard."
Chizuru Yukimura: ?
Keisuke Sannan: "I mean, you were already working plenty hard under Yamazaki-kun as his vice-chairwoman, no? Thanks to that, you've had to put up with someone like me for such a long period of time..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "E-Eh!?" I put a hand over my chest defensively; it was almost as if he’d read my thoughts. But, now that I thought it through… maybe one of the reasons my juniors were so reluctant to take this role could be…
...Sannan-sensei appeared kind and modest on the outside, and he even acted that way towards most people, but he did have an unexpectedly dark side to him.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I've never thought of you like that..."
Keisuke Sannan: "You haven't?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "......" After a pause, I cleared my throat. I decided to pretend I hadn't heard what he had just said. "You're always there whenever I need advice..."
I'd worked closely with him during my short time as a member of the health committee. There were also a lot of things that had to get his approval before we could proceed with them.
Chizuru Yukimura: "You’ve really taken me under your wing. I can't possibly thank you enough for it."
Keisuke Sannan: "Please don't; all this has actually been a help to me, too."
Chizuru Yukimura: "How?"
Keisuke Sannan: "We've recently been able to spend time together during your lunch breaks and after school, thanks to that… It feels as if I've become a student here myself, just like you." His eyes sparkled with mischievousness, but still, within those depths hid a small, unspoken longing.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Well... I certainly feel like I eat lunch with you way more than I do with anyone else."
Keisuke Sannan: "Yes; so how about you eat your lunch first, and leave the health committee work for later?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Okay..."
Sannan-sensei…
He was an adult who was always watching over me. His kindness felt like it came with no strings attached at all. But… sometimes, I could sense that there was something more behind his actions. Something I was slowly learning to see.
Keisuke Sannan: "Hehe..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...?" Come to think of it, he had been chuckling quite a lot today. I asked, "Did something good happen?"
Keisuke Sannan: "Yes. I never thought that I'd encounter anything at all of spring this year… Since I'm always cooped up here in the infirmary."
Chizuru Yukimura: "‘Of spring’...?"
Keisuke Sannan: "You've got cherry blossoms in your hair."
Chizuru Yukimura: ...!!
As he said that, I remembered the gust that blew through the corridor earlier. I hurriedly reached for my hair, trying to brush out the stray cherry blossoms, but…
(CG get!°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°)
Sannan-sensei suddenly grabbed my hand, smiling as he held it away.
Keisuke Sannan: "It would be such a waste. You’re adorable with them in your hair, so how about leaving them be?" His smile was calm and serene…
No, no it wasn't. It was playful. A little teasing, even.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......" I’d caught sight of this mischievous side of his quite a lot, lately. That might also have been because I was getting closer to him; closer to the real him.
But...
I didn’t feel any ill intent in that teasing smirk―it made me want to grin back. And today was no different. As I opened my mouth to pretend to complain, he cut me off:
Keisuke Sannan: "Speaking of which, Yukimura-kun."
I looked up and met his eyes. That was all I did, but it made my heart flutter wildly. The feeling could have been fear… because something lurked in Sannan-sensei’s eyes now, and it wasn't paternal. It was much more… Intense. Neither cold nor hot, but intense pierce through my heart to my very core.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...What is it?"
Keisuke Sannan: "You're graduating this year, aren't you?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes...?" I nodded warily.
Keisuke Sannan: "All your classes in the spring of your third year are shortened, no? So, once the second years take over the health committee, you won’t need to come to school until the day of your graduation ceremony. Today might well be the last day we can sit together like this over lunch."
Chizuru Yukimura: "R-Right..."
He blinked slowly, and I could see the glossy colour of his light eyes. When someone as beautiful as him made an expression like he was now… It was enough to take my breath away. His allure as an adult swallowed me whole.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...But..."
Keisuke Sannan: "But?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "If you're alright with me intruding, I don't mind coming in once in a while until I officially graduate from this school. I'll be free all day anyway, since I won't have any lessons."
Keisuke Sannan: "Yukimura-kun."
Chizuru Yukimura: "What?"
Keisuke Sannan: "There's something of utmost importance that I wanted to tell you, since you will be graduating soon."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Something important...?" My heart skipped a beat. I felt a rush of anticipation at his words.
Keisuke Sannan: "What do you think it is?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I... I don't know." I answered hesitantly.
(CG get!°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°)
And he...He only smiled brightly.
Keisuke Sannan: "...It seems that it is still too early for us to be having this conversation. Will you hear me out once you're a little more grown up...?" He spoke with his usual gentle smile, and it made me even more curious as to what he was going to tell me.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Please don't treat me like a child. I'm already―"
Keisuke Sannan: "Even if you're going to graduate soon, you're still 18. You are still effectively a child," he cut me off without a second's hesitation. With that, he finally released his hold on my hand, and I hurriedly reached for the petals in my hair.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Honestly..." I lowered my head with a sigh. I was weak to that smile of his.
It was always like this, lately, although I was pretty certain that I was much closer to Sannan-sensei than before.
Just how deep down did his true self hide...? It seemed I had a long way to go yet to find it.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......" I raised my head, doubtful.
But he was still smiling. Smiling as he always did.
Keisuke Sannan: "Chizuru-san?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...!" My mind went blank.
Chizuru Yukimura: "S-Sens-- ...You just..."
Keisuke Sannan: "Do you feel better now?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I didn't really hear you, so… Could you say it again?"
Keisuke Sannan: "Hmm, I wonder? Did I say something? I most certainly do not recall."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Honestly...!" I doubted I would ever beat him at this game.
But, even if I could never win against him, I wanted to become his equal. I wouldn't stop working to create my vision of the future a reality. I was sure that I'd never give up on this one thing. Never. No matter how much time passed. Because...
...There was a small part of me, in the deepest corners of my heart, that enjoyed all of his little tricks. I still wanted to learn more about Sannan-sensei from here on out.
There was no need to hide it any longer, and I was sure that these feelings would last a lifetime.
Really, so much had happened since I enrolled into Hakuo Academy. My third year that saw off my academy life really did go by in the blink of an eye. And it had been a great time. So much so that I wished I could remain there even after graduating.
And the one person who left a bigger impression on me than anyone else in this school during my time here... It could only be Sannan-sensei.
The man whose mind turned more quickly than anyone else’s. A sly, cunning adult who was mature to a near-frustrating degree. And… a man ever so mysterious that no one had ever seen him for who he truly was: his true self. It had been pretty hard getting him to open up at all to me, and he seemed reluctant to do so, but...
I supposed I'd eventually find out, as long as I always stayed by his side, right?
I'd even started thinking about working in the medical field someday. And I'd decided to enter a local junior college under his recommendation to study nursing. I was told that my application went through, so I was currently preparing for my new life come April.
'What do I want to be?'
I still hadn’t envisioned my future with many specifics yet… But I did have a rough plan in mind for once I graduated. I was thinking of visiting that school infirmary again one day. Someday, when I was free. To hear the rest of what Sannan-sensei had wanted to tell me.
Someday...
The End