Was it because of her?
But what was wrong with Mom getting married?
Kazama Kiriori thought back to the first time she'd met Haihara. It was probably when she'd gone to Mom's company.
When she called out to Mom, Haihara's expression had seemed a little sad.
"Do you like Mom?"
Kazama Kiriori was in middle school then, and she quickly figured it out.
Haihara was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"I used to. Then I gave up."
For a moment, Kazama Kiriori couldn't put a name to what she was feeling.
It felt a little strange...
The Haihara she liked, liked her mom?
"Do Mom and I look alike?"
"Quite a bit."
"Oh."
Later, Haihara graduated without a hitch and found a job teaching at a high school near her hometown. After graduating from middle school, Kazama Kiriori also went to the high school where her mom taught.
All that time, Kazama Kiriori kept up her image of being excellent and perfect.
"Mom, I joined the student council today. And I'll be giving a speech as the host at the school festival!"
Kazama Kiriori was sixteen now, a high school girl.
But she wasn't wearing her uniform. Instead, she showed Haihara the formal outfit she'd wear at the school festival.
It was worth noting that the outfit was meant for a man.
Normally, the hosts were one boy and one girl, but she'd be standing in the boy's place.
Haihara just sat at her desk, took a sip of coffee, and said coolly,
"Oh."
As usual, Haihara didn't react in any special way.
Seeing her act the same as always, Kazama Kiriori smiled, walked over, and wrapped her arms around Haihara from behind.
She hugged the woman a little too affectionately, gently rubbing her cheek against her hair.
"Pay a little attention to me."
Kazama Kiriori was like a little dog wagging its tail.
"Hmm... What do you want?"
The embrace was making Haihara feel a little warm. She lifted her head, and their faces happened to press together.
"Let me kiss you."
The girl kissed Haihara's ear.
Of course, Haihara was very oblivious about this sort of thing. And since Kiriori had been clingy from a young age, she didn't suspect a thing.
"You're too old for that. I'm not doing it."
Haihara pushed her head away with a look of mild distaste.
"Hehe~"
Of course, the girl everyone saw as an honor student had a secret she couldn't let anyone else find out.
After learning that Haihara liked women, forbidden feelings took root in Kazama Kiriori's heart.
And as she grew up, those feelings didn't fade.
As she gradually grew older and became an adult, she gained the ability to live independently and decide her own future.
And Haihara remained single all that time.
In just a few more years, she'd officially be an adult.
Then...
"Hehe~"
It was the weekend. Kazama Kiriori had packed her bags and made it to the apartment building where Haihara lived.
It had been a long time since she'd lived with Haihara.
This time, she was definitely going to surprise Mommy!
If she were a little more shameless, she could even stay here for a long time. There was no way Haihara could bear to kick her out.
She couldn't wait to see Mom's face when she saw her.
Honestly, she almost didn't want to bring luggage at all. Mom was sure to have clothes for her at home.
She could just wear Mom's clothes.
She took the elevator up to Haihara's apartment and soon found the door.
She straightened her collar a little.
She'd even made a special effort to dress up before coming over.
Then she gently knocked.
A moment later, footsteps came from inside, and Kazama Kiriori was already smiling.
"—Click..."
The door soon opened, and Kazama Kiriori said with a smile—
"Mom, I'm ho—"
A petite, adorable girl, like a porcelain doll, opened the door from inside. Unable to hide her delight, she said,
"Welcome back, Teacher..."
"?"
"?"
Kazama Kiriori's smile froze.
Weekend
In the apartment hallway, two girls stared at each other in front of Haihara's door. The air fell frighteningly silent, filled with an indescribable tension and awkwardness.
Kazama Kiriori's clever little brain had gone completely blank.
The girl in front of her was undoubtedly Sakaki Chika, the idol of Kaedehara High School. They'd met just two days ago.
But... this was her mom's home.
Why was Sakaki Chika here?
And why was she wearing pajamas, as if she lived here?
"Student Council President... Why are you here?"
For some reason, Sakaki Chika found the way the Student Council President was looking at her a little scary.
Kazama Kiriori's expression was caught somewhere between holding it together and falling apart—
"Why? This is my home."
Sakaki Chika looked confused.
"B-but this is Teacher Haihara's home..."
Kazama Kiriori pulled out her phone and opened the lock screen.
The wallpaper was a photo of her and Mom together.
"The president is... Teacher's daughter?"
Sakaki Chika suddenly realized.
She'd heard Teacher Haihara mention before that she had an adopted daughter.
But that daughter was the Student Council President?
Kazama Kiriori gathered her composure and managed to put on a gentle smile.
"So, Sakaki, why are you at Mom's home?"
She'd never expected to find this little idol at her mom's place.
She needed an explanation.
Hearing the question, Sakaki Chika opened her mouth, seeming unsure how to explain. In the end, she could only put it as best she could with her limited vocabulary:
"It's... because I'm, um, living with Teacher. I've been... staying here for the past few days."
"?"
Kazama Kiriori's smile slowly disappeared.
The expression she'd barely been keeping together fell apart completely.
Living together?
How had she not known about this?
Why was this little idol living with Mom?
Where was she sleeping?
Kazama Kiriori's imagination quickly conjured up all sorts of strange ideas. And if she put herself in Sakaki Chika's shoes, it was hard not to imagine what might happen between a restless high school girl and a young female teacher.
She certainly wouldn't be able to resist that temptation!
"Where's Mom?"
Kazama Kiriori took a few steps forward, and Sakaki Chika backed away in fear.
After going inside, she still didn't see Haihara.
"Um... She went out. She probably won't be back until tonight," Sakaki Chika said quietly.
"..."
In Haihara's living room, the two of them sat across a table from each other and fell into awkward silence once again.
That meant they'd have to stay like this until Haihara came back, the two of them alone together in the apartment.
"So, you and Mom have been living together since the start of this week..."
At that moment, a lot of past scenes surfaced in Kazama Kiriori's mind—
"Sakaki, have you settled in at school?"
"Yes, the campus is great, and the teacher is great too... Um, the teacher is really great."
At the time, she hadn't understood what those words meant. Now it was too late.
If this had happened before, she might have pulled out her Fang Trump Card.
But for now, she managed to keep her cool.
She looked at Sakaki Chika.
"So, where are you sleeping now?"
Before you continue