"You're amazing, Sakai. What you said yesterday morning really surprised even me. And, um... you're so handsome, too. If only I were ten years younger..."
"Gyakukai, you were amazing. Your speech yesterday morning really surprised me, and, hmm... you're so handsome, too. If only I were ten years younger..."
In the infirmary, Chie Hoshinomiya started chattering away to herself as soon as she saw the two of them.
In the infirmary, Chie Hoshinomiya launched into a nonstop monologue as soon as she saw the two of them.
She completely ignored Yuki Sakai's legitimate fiancée, Tomie, who stood to one side looking exhausted, her face growing darker by the second.
She completely ignored Yusoku Gyakukai's real fiancée, who stood nearby looking exhausted, her expression growing darker by the second.
If Tomie hadn't been so well brought up, she would have probably already cursed out the bitch in front of her, who was harboring improper thoughts about her fiancé.
If Tomie hadn't been so well-brought-up, she would probably have already started cursing out the bitch in front of her for having designs on her fiancé.
Old woman! You shameless, nasty old hag!
Old hag! Wretched woman! Bitch!
"All right, Ms. Hoshinomiya. I'm not really interested in middle-aged women in their thirties, so could you..."
"All right, Teacher Hoshinomiya, I'm not really interested in middle-aged women in their thirties. Could you please..."
As he soothed Tomie, he looked at the woman across from him, who was clearly enjoying herself, and cut her off.
As he calmed Tomie down, he looked at the fun-loving woman across from him and cut her off.
After all, he'd come to the infirmary so early for a reason. He wasn't here to chat with Hoshinomiya.
After all, he'd come to the infirmary so early for a reason. He hadn't come to chat with Hoshinomiya.
In her thirties... Middle-aged woman... Not really interested.
In her thirties... Middle-aged woman... Not really interested.
As those words registered, the face that had been smiling as she sat in her chair, chattering away, instantly froze.
The face that had been smiling as she chattered away in her chair instantly froze at those words.
Hoshinomiya's mind was filled with those three phrases. The hands hidden beneath her white coat clenched into fists.
Those words filled Hoshinomiya's mind. Her hands, hidden beneath her white coat, clenched into fists.
The veins at her temples began to throb. She still looked gentle, but every so often the sound of her grinding teeth could be heard.
A vein began to throb at her temple. She still looked gentle, but every so often, the sound of her teeth grinding filled the air.
"Oh, dear. It's not polite to criticize a lady's age to her face. Besides..."
"My, criticizing a lady's age in front of her isn't very nice, you know. Besides..."
Hoshinomiya paused and turned to rummage through the cabinet beside her.
Hoshinomiya paused and turned to rummage around in the cabinet beside her.
A moment later, Hoshinomiya turned back. Her eyes were smiling, but for some reason, the air around them seemed to turn cold.
A moment later, Hoshinomiya turned back around. There was a smile at the corners of her eyes, but why had the air suddenly turned chilly?
"Look! My teacher's ID says I'm twenty-nine. I'm not in my thirties yet, so don't lump me in with those old, washed-up hags. D~o~ y~o~u~ u~n~d~e~r~s~t~a~n~d~?"
"Look here. My ID badge says I'm twenty-nine. I'm not in my thirties yet, so don't lump me in with old hags who've lost their looks. Do~you~un~der~stand?"
Anyone could tell that this troublemaker was angry now. Under normal circumstances, he definitely wouldn't have humored her.
Anyone could tell that the fun-loving woman was angry now. Under ordinary circumstances, he wouldn't have humored her.
He'd probably have said, "Wow, what a pain. What's the difference between twenty-nine and thirty?"
He probably would've said something like, "Wow, what a pain. What's the difference between twenty-nine and thirty?"
But this time, he'd come to ask Hoshinomiya for a favor. When you needed help, you had to act like it.
But he was here to ask Hoshinomiya for a favor. If you wanted something from someone, you had to show the proper attitude.
Yuki Sakai accepted the ID card with both hands and a solemn expression, then theatrically glanced at the photo on it and back at Hoshinomiya.
Yuki Gyakukai accepted the ID badge with both hands and a solemn expression. He theatrically studied the portrait on it, then glanced at Hoshinomiya.
Under his gaze, Hoshinomiya consciously puffed out her chest and smoothed her slightly mussed hair, trying to make it look less messy.
Under his gaze, Hoshinomiya consciously puffed out her chest and adjusted her slightly tousled hair, trying to make it look less messy.
"Wow! No matter how you look at her, Ms. Hoshinomiya radiates the unique charm of a mature woman. By the way, how do you keep your skin so smooth and youthful?"
"Wow! No matter how you look at it, Teacher Hoshinomiya has the unique charm of a grown woman. By the way, how do you keep your skin so smooth and delicate, like a young girl's?"
"You're laying it on a little thick, but I like it. Keep the compliments coming."
"You're laying it on a bit thick, but I do like hearing it. If you're good at compliments, then give me a few more."
After that brief bout of flattery, and with class starting in half an hour, Yuki Sakai finally got to the real reason he'd come.
After that simple bit of mutual flattery, Yuki Gyakukai finally got down to the real reason for his visit, since class would start in half an hour.
He looked straight at Hoshinomiya, who was sitting nearby, and took Tomie's hand in his right:
He looked straight at Hoshinomiya, who was sitting nearby, while taking Tomie's little hand in his right:
"Ms. Hoshinomiya, if my guess yesterday was right, the school probably won't let students skip class, right? After all, that's not something a good student would do."
"Teacher Hoshinomiya, if my guess yesterday was right, the school probably won't let students skip class, right? After all, that's not what good students do."
"That's a tough one. I can't answer that."
"That's a tricky question. I can't answer that."
Hoshinomiya pretended to be troubled as she rubbed her temple, but then she pursed her lips meaningfully, drawing their attention to the security camera in the infirmary.
Hoshinomiya pretended to be troubled as she rubbed her temple, then pursed her lips meaningfully, drawing their attention to the security camera in the infirmary.
"Understood. Tomie's sick right now, so I'd like you to write her a sick note and let her go back and rest for the morning. That shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"Understood. Tomie's sick right now, so I'd like you to write her a note excusing her from class for the morning so she can go back and rest. That shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"When a student is sick, taking time off is only natural. So I approve."
"When a student is sick, taking time off is only natural. So, I'll approve it."
That was a pretty obvious hint from the teacher... But with Hoshinomiya covering for them, they'd have a lot more freedom at school from now on.
Teacher... That hint was a little too obvious. Still, with Hoshinomiya, the school nurse, covering for them, they'd have a lot more freedom at school from now on.
So, setting aside the fact that Chie Hoshinomiya was a drunk and a troublemaker, she was still pretty useful.
So, setting aside Chie Hoshinomiya's image as a drunk and a fun-loving troublemaker, she was pretty useful.
Once they'd settled everything, Hoshinomiya immediately started filling out the permission slip. The reason, of course, was illness.
Once they'd settled things, Hoshinomiya immediately started filling out the leave form. The reason, of course, was illness.
After leaving the infirmary, Yuki Sakai and Tomie were the only two walking quietly back toward the dorms.
After leaving the infirmary, only Yuki Gyakukai and Tomie remained, quietly walking back to the dorm.
Tomie's gait was a little strange, though.
Tomie's gait was just a little strange, though.
"Why did you have to talk so much to that old woman?" Tomie glared at him.
"Why did you have to talk so much with that old woman?" Tomie glared at him.
"Because I need you, Tomie."
"Because I need you, Tomie."
"What does that have to do with me? Am I just a tool you use to flirt with other women?!"
"What's that got to do with me? Am I just a tool for you to flirt with other people?!"
Feeling the small hand at his waist squeeze harder and harder, Yuki Sakai helplessly patted Tomie's head.
Feeling the little hand at his waist squeeze tighter and tighter, Yuki Gyakukai helplessly ruffled Tomie's hair.
"Of course not. It's because you were so stubborn last night. If you don't get better, I'll be really sad without you by my side."
"Of course not. It's because you were so reckless last night. If you don't take care of yourself, I'll be really sad if you're not by my side."
The sudden sweet talk caught Tomie completely off guard.
The sudden sweet talk caught Tomie completely off guard.
Her hand, which had been squeezing his waist, sprang away as if shocked. She fidgeted with both hands in front of her, over and over.
The hand that had been squeezing his waist let go as if shocked by electricity. Tomie fidgeted with both hands in front of her, over and over.
But her head was lowered and her hair hid her face, so he couldn't see her cute little expression.
But she had her head lowered, her hair hiding her face, so he couldn't see her cute little expression.
At last, the two of them reached the entrance to the dorm.
At last, they reached the dormitory entrance.
"I'll leave you here. I've got other things to do, so make sure you rest, okay?"
"I'll leave you here. I've got other things to do, so make sure you rest, okay?"
"I... I'm not a child. But... I understand. Have a safe trip."
"I... I'm not a kid, but... I understand... Have a good day."
She watched his tall figure walk away. At last, Tomie lifted her head, no longer feeling shy. Her face was flushed red all the way to her ears.
Watching his tall figure walk away, Tomie finally lifted her head, no longer shy. Her cheeks were flushed all the way to her ears.
"Good morning, Sakai."
"Good morning, Gyakukai."
"Ah, Himeno. So you're the one sitting next to Tomie. Good morning."
"Ah, Himeno. So you're the one who sits beside Tomie. Well, good morning."
With Tomie's seat empty, Yukari Himeno sat on the right in her school uniform, quiet and composed. Her long purple hair was tied into twin tails, with streaks of blue woven through it.
Tomie's seat was empty. To the right, Himeno Yuki sat quietly at her desk in her school uniform. Her long purple hair was tied into twin tails, with streaks of blue running through it.
A gentle breeze stirred the pages of her book and brushed the hair across her forehead.
A gentle breeze stirred the pages of a book and softly ruffled the strands of hair across her forehead.
She looked every bit the well-behaved girl, except that her eyes seemed a little lifeless.
She looked every bit the well-behaved girl, though her eyes seemed a little lifeless.
"Good morning, Sakai! By the way, why isn't Tomie here? Class is about to start."
"Good morning, Gyakukai! By the way, why isn't Tomie here? Class is about to start."
Ichinose, sitting in front of Tomie's seat, greeted him with energy. But when she mentioned Tomie, a flicker of confusion crossed her eyes.
Ichinose, sitting in front of Tomie's seat, greeted him cheerfully, but a hint of confusion flashed through her eyes when she mentioned Tomie.
Beside her, Asako Amekura, the purple-haired girl sitting in front of Yuki Sakai and Tomie's number-one follower, couldn't help asking the same question.
Amikura Asako, the purple-haired girl sitting in front of Yuki Gyakukai and Tomie's number-one lackey, couldn't help asking, either.
"She's not feeling well, so I got her excused. Since we still have a little time, I'll mention that you won't lose points for reporting it to a teacher or getting permission to be absent."
"She's not feeling well, so I got her excused. Since we still have a little time, let me tell you all something: at this school, informing a teacher or taking leave means you won't lose any points."
"Even though the special exam is important, I still want to ask if Tomie's okay."
"Though the Special Exam is important, I still want to ask if Tomie's all right."
"Right. Tomie's health comes first."
"Yeah, Tomie's health comes first."
"So, what's the matter with Hanyu? It's nothing serious, is it?"
"So what's going on with Hanyu? It can't be too serious, can it?"
"..."
"..."
They were all such good kids. What a harmonious class.
They were all such good kids. What a harmonious class.
"Don't worry. She just didn't sleep well last night. She'll be back in class this afternoon."
"Don't worry. She just didn't sleep well last night. She'll be back for class this afternoon."
Hearing that Hanyu Tomie was fine, everyone, who had been tense just moments before, breathed a sigh of relief.
When they heard that Hanyu Tomie wasn't seriously ill, the others, who had been looking tense, finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"That's good. But why didn't you get her the whole day off, Sakai? If she didn't sleep well, she should get more rest."
"Good, as long as she's all right. But why didn't you get her excused for the whole day? If she didn't sleep well, she should get more rest."
"Exactly. You're a pretty lousy fiancé."
"Exactly. You're doing a terrible job as her fiancé."
"Yeah, exactly."
"Yeah, exactly."
"..."
"..."
This was bad. The whole class had completely become Tomie's fan club.
This was bad. The whole class had completely become Tomie's devoted followers.
Before long, the first class of the morning was over. From what he could tell, everyone had been paying attention. No one was secretly playing on their phone or spacing out.
Before long, the first class of the morning was over. From what he could see, everyone had paid attention. No one had secretly played on their phones or zoned out.
So it was time to find some fun.
Time to find some fun.
Before you continue