The Love of My Childhood Friend, Who Has Overcome a Terminally Ill Diagnosis, Is Overwhelming
Just as Kanade and Takagaki became friends, the bell signaling the start of class rang out through the school building.
โUgh, I ended up not being able to talk to you after all.โ
โSorry, Ayaka chan.โ
โโฆโฆWell, whatever.โ
Our homeroom teacher entered the classroom.
We returned to our seats and began our morning homeroom session.
โCome on, everyone, be quiet!โ
Perhaps because today was the last morning homeroom of the first semester, my classmates just wouldnโt settle down.
โBe quiet!โ
โฆIt felt like everyone was already in summer vacation mode.
โI said be quiet!โ
The classroom fell silent.
โS-Shibuya sensei just lost her temperโฆโ
โSheโs so beautiful and demure, I never imagined her getting angry.โ
โI feel like Iโm about to have an epiphanyโฆโ
My classmates had quieted down, but they looked a little disappointed.
โฆThis really is an academic high school, isnโt it?
โEveryone, summer vacation starts in three hours, so please hang in there a little longer.โ
Shibuya semsei admonished the class.
โI know youโre getting excited because itโs just three hours awayโฆ but please try to hold it in.โ
As expected of a teacher, she seems to truly respect our feelings.
โโฆReally, when you think about the long span of life, three hours is just a blink of an eye. Itโs nice, isnโt it, to be so absorbed in a mere three hours?โ
โฆHuh?
โโฆAnd I was even considering marriageโฆโ
โฆWhatโs wrong with the teacher?
โWhat did I do wrongโฆโ
The classmates, who had finally quieted down, began to murmur again.
โCould it be Shibuya sensei?โ
โShe got dumped, didnโt she?โ
โฆโฆHmm. I see. So thatโs how it is.
Anyway, you should stop bringing your personal life to work.
The atmosphere almost turned awkward for a moment, but once the classmates sensed the teacherโs dejection, they fell completely silent.
Is this what people call โconsiderationโ?
By the time Iโd finished pondering that, the opening ceremony was over, and it was time for the short homeroom session before heading home.
โฆโฆMy classmates were still as quiet as ever.
โWell then, everyone, please enjoy your summer vacation to the fullest.โ
Perhaps because nearly three hours had passed, the teacher seemed to have recovered.
โThatโs nice. A whole month off.โ
โฆโฆHuh?
โHehe, well, even if I had a month off right now, I wouldnโt have anything to do anyway.โ
โฆโฆShe hadnโt recovered at all.
โStand up, bow.โ
โWell then, everyone, goodbye. Enjoy summer vacation. โฆFor me too.โ
My classmates rushed out of the classroom.
โWe probably shouldnโt talk to the teacher today.โ
โWeโd just end up making her hate us for no reason.โ
The reaction from my usually rowdy classmates was quite unusual.
โโฆโฆUgh.โ
At the front of the classroom, Shibuya sensei was on the verge of tears.
As my classmates quickened their pace upon seeing herโฆ
โTeacher, umโฆโ
I called out to Shibuya sensei.
โโฆWhat is it, Hagiwara? Itโs rare for you to come talk to me.โ
โฆAmong my classmates, I consider myself a lone wolf.
As a solitary figure, the only time I ever speak to Shibuya sensei is when Iโm on duty.
But today, I just had to speak to her.
โโฆWell, I understand exactly how you feel, Sensei.โ
After all, I, tooโฆ once parted ways with someone special and spent over a decade agonizing over it.
โโฆHahaha. What could a kid like you possibly know about me?โ
โI know. Because I, tooโฆ have been separated from someone important to me.โ
Even if I, whoโm not very good with words, tried to empathize with herโฆ
โโฆโฆHuh?โ
โSo, you might want to laugh off the words of a kid like meโฆ but please hang in there.โ
Even if Iโd encouraged her.
โโฆโฆHagiwara, you?โ
โTeacherโฆโฆโ
There was no guarantee it would resonate with her.
But I couldnโt rest until I said something.
โฆโฆBut perhaps it was because I acted on a sudden impulse.
Right now, the teacher and I definitely felt a connection.
โAkkun.โ
โWhoa!โ
Startled by Kanade calling out to me from behind, I jumped.
โUgh. Akkun, you forgot our promise. What were you talking to the teacher about?โ
โW-what promiseโฆ?โ
โWe did, didnโt we? A promise with me. We made a very, very important promise, didnโt we? We made a secret promise when it was just the two of us, didnโt we?โ
โฆโฆW-why is she emphasizing โwith meโ so much?
โKa-Kanade. Hold on a second.โ
โWhat?โ
โI wasโฆ having an important conversation with the teacher just now. Right, Teacher?โ
โโฆMee.โ
โHuh?โ
โHagiwara, you bastard. Youโre taking the piss, you piece of shitโฆโ
โTe, Teacherโฆ!?โ
N-no wayโฆ
Sure enough, just a moment ago, the teacher and Iโboth having recently broken up with someone importantโwere hitting it off.
Why did the whole vibe change the moment Kanade showed up!?
โOhโฆ Teacher, did you break up with your boyfriend?โ
โGuh.โ
โโฆThatโs too bad. But any guy whoโd dump a wonderful teacher like you isnโt worth your time. I think breaking up was the right choice.โ
โDo you think soโฆ?โ
โYes. I think you should move on quickly.โ
โโฆY-yeah, youโre right, arenโt you?โ
“Yes! โฆAh, but Teacher. Akkun is out of the question, okay?”
โโฆI don’t have the nerve to date a student, but why on earth?โ
โWell, because Akkun isโฆ hehe. I’m too embarrassed to say any more than that.โ
โฆSo, what does that mean?
โI’ll never forgive him. That Hagiwaraโฆ!โ
W-waitโฆ did I do something terrible?
โCome on, A-kun, letโs go. Ayaka-chan is waiting for us.โ
โโฆYouโre two-timing? You good-for-nothing.โ
โIโm not seeing anyone. That sounds bad.โ
Teacherโs gaze was cold.
โโฆHagiwara, just remember this when summer break is over.โ
With that, the teacher stormed out of the classroom.ใ
Maiasa