Chapter 74

Miss Liang suddenly asked.

After drinking, her face flushed slightly, adding a touch of mature womanly charm.

"Hmm... she's staying at my friend's house, and she's a little worried about me."

Upon hearing this, Miss Liang opened her mouth, seemingly unsure of what to say.

But Haihara sensed that the other person seemed a little disappointed.

Why?

Perhaps she misread it; Haihara didn't understand.

Taking another sip of wine, Miss Liang seemed to have mustered her courage, and asked in a slightly sad and hoarse voice:

Are you... married now?

"Marry?"

Haihara paused for a moment, then shook her head:

I'm not married yet.

She looks quite young now, not at all like someone who's already married, otherwise she wouldn't be struggling to find a job.

Although the two are not really related.

"... No?"

Liang subconsciously tightened his grip on the wine glass, his expression shifting from initial calm to a hint of losing his composure.

"You weren't even married, and you already had his child? And he just abandoned you?"

The thought of the girl in front of her, wandering the city alone with her child, searching for work, even she couldn't stay calm, and she went crazy with anger.

Haihara was a little startled, but still asked, puzzled:

"... What about him?"

She couldn't understand why Miss Liang was angry.

Miss Liang seemed a little drunk; her fair face was flushed, and her eyes were red-rimmed. She covered her face with one hand and murmured to herself with a sob in her voice:

"No, it's my fault... I only found you so late, otherwise you wouldn't have been deceived by the men of this world..."

Haihara recognized each word he said, but she couldn't understand them when they were put together.

But she seemed to have realized something.

"I have never been married, nor have I ever been deceived."

Haihara clarified the situation.

Miss Liang, who had been angry, blinked, realizing that something seemed off:

"Then... who is the daughter?"

"I adopted him."

Just by looking at her, it's obvious that the daughter couldn't have been her own child.

Her daughter is a middle school student, while she has just graduated from university. They are actually only a few years apart in age. If she is her biological daughter, then it's not a matter of feelings, but involves criminal law.

Miss Liang's expression froze for a moment.

Then the atmosphere became awkward.

Fortunately, the topic changed after that. Miss Liang was probably a little drunk, which is why she said some strange things.

But after a while, Haihara herself got drunk.

She felt a little dizzy and wanted to rest her head on the table for a while, but it was someone else's house, and it would be too impolite to do so.

Before they knew it, they were talking about work.

"So, you've applied for many jobs, but they all rejected you in the end?"

Ms. Ryo is a mature working professional, and it seems she also works at a school, so Haihara naturally confided some of her experiences to her.

Perhaps we can gain some experience from Miss Liang.

But more than anything, Haihara wanted to confide in this older woman and vent her emotions.

After all, she usually only has Kiriori by her side.

She couldn't possibly tell her daughter about these negative and discouraging thoughts.

"Um..."

Haihara lowered her head, already slightly tipsy.

It looks like that little dog that got soaked in the rain earlier.

"I'm somewhat aware of how other schools recruit teachers. Your academic qualifications should be fine... and your internship experience is also satisfactory. It's a bit strange that you haven't been rejected so many times."

Haihara's university is actually quite good, and education is her strongest subject; she's more than qualified to be a teacher at any of those schools.

Moreover, just now, the school teacher sent her Haihara's interview lecture. Haihara's lecture was excellent; in fact, it could be said to be very mature.

Other schools should have no reason to refuse a young female teacher like Haihara.

"It was probably during the final interview... I probably performed poorly; I'm not very good at these kinds of situations."

What did they all ask?

"It's nothing much, just work experience, insights... and things like family and why I became a teacher."

Haihara

Liang seemed to suddenly understand.

"Did you bring your daughter with you on all the previous trips?"

"Um."

It's not safe for my daughter to be home alone.

"..."

Ryo quickly understood why Haihara had been rejected time and time again.

In fact, Ai Haihara was probably rejected by Kaedehara High School for similar reasons.

Is it youth... or naivety?

Haihara struck her as clumsy.

"Is Miss Liang also a teacher?"

Liang seems to understand these things very well.

Liang's gaze shifted slightly:

"... Let's just say I guess so."

After that, once the clothes were dry, Haihara changed into her own clothes and went to pick up her daughter.

It's worth mentioning that Haihara and Ryo exchanged contact information.

She said she wanted to invite me to her house again later.

Haihara doesn't quite understand.

She could understand it, but because the subject was herself, Haihara didn't get it.

Miss Liang... could it be... that she likes me?

Or is it just a polite remark, and the two of them actually won't have any contact in the future?

The latter is more likely.

Although meeting a kind and considerate older sister is wonderful, once she gets home, Haihara will have to face her daughter's concern.

Kiriori is a smart and sensible child.

So when she couldn't find a job, I could only try my best to comfort her and not want her to get hurt.

Haihara promised Kiriori that she would take good care of her.

Therefore, Haihara was feeling a little down.

Two days later, unsurprisingly, she received a rejection notice. This time she was unsuccessful, which meant she could basically give up on finding a high school teacher job.

Haihara, who had always appeared calm and emotionless on the surface, was now feeling utterly devastated.

I don't want to be honest with Kiriori.

Kougami would occasionally tell her that he was very busy with work, but would come to visit her later.

This made Haihara even sadder.

Just then, Miss Liang contacted her.

While Haihara surprised, her mood seemed to improve a little.

However, the text message Miss Liang sent her was... inviting her to come to her house again.

She had initially thought that Miss Liang had simply come to chat with her.

So... at this point, Haihara, though unable to figure out what was so good about herself, roughly sensed that Ryo-san might like her.

Miss Liang also said that she had something she wanted to tell me.

Could it be... a confession of love?

Despite finding it unlikely, Haihara couldn't help but think that way.

Chapter Six: The Young Mother

Following the address and memories given by Ms. Ryo, Haihara found Ms. Ryo's house, but this time she was alone, so she was a little nervous.

As soon as she reached the door, Miss Liang opened it.

Today, Ms. Liang tied her hair up, letting it fall over her shoulders. She wore a light-sleeved casual top that exposed her shoulders, paired with a very elegant long skirt. Even at home, she looked very charming.

Upon seeing Haihara, Ryo reached out and touched her face gently, like a Haihara sister lovingly caring for her younger sister, and said softly:

Are you in a bad mood? What happened that made you unhappy?

That's probably the charm of someone more mature than yourself.

Haihara felt her face getting hot.

Upon entering Miss Liang's home, an indescribable, ambiguous atmosphere filled the air. For adults, these things might seem natural and easily noticeable.

After changing into slippers, the two adult women sat on the sofa, very close together. There was no one else in the spacious living room, and drinks and glasses were placed on the table.

"... Actually, it's nothing, I just failed the interview again."

Ryo listened patiently, pouring wine into a glass and handing it to Haihara. This time, Haihara recognized the wine; it was red wine, and a sweet aroma filled the air.

Haihara picked up the glass, held it in her hands, and looked at the beautiful red wine inside.

They naturally started chatting like this, drinking as Haihara poured out some of her bad feelings.

When drinking, people seem to be more likely to speak their minds and become bolder.

She's starting to like the feeling of being drunk.

Liang listened patiently as always, then looked at the blushing girl beside her, and unconsciously found herself somewhat unable to contain herself.

Suddenly, Haihara felt herself being hugged by Ryo-san.

"Are you... feeling better now?"

Haihara looked up and saw that the woman's face was also slightly flushed with the color of alcohol, and she was embracing him in a mature yet gentle way.

The woman would breathe alcohol into Haihara's ear as she spoke, turning it pink, but she didn't resist. Instead, she leaned forward slightly, thus resting against Ms. Ryo.

"... Um."

Haihara hadn't been hugged like this in a long time.