The next morning. I went to school for the first time in a day.

Because I skipped yesterday, I felt a bit guilty when entering the classroom. It looked like there was a thick membrane at the boundary between the entrance door and the hallway.

However, I was the only one who cared, and the classroom continued on without any changes. I wasn't scolded for skipping, nor was I worried about it. I could quickly make up for the classes I missed. Skipping just once didn't set me back much.

Lunch break. After buying a katsu sandwich at the school store, I head to the back of the special building. It's a narrow, secluded place overgrown with weeds.

Indeed, there was a previous customer there. It was Koharu-sensei.

"Haa~~..."

Leaning against the school building wall, sitting with her butt lifted, she let out a sigh.

"Oh, Enoki-kun. You came."

"Because I have nowhere else to go."

And I sit a little distance away from Koharu-sensei.

"You were sighing quite heavily."

"Yeah, well, you know. I'm a working adult now. It's only natural to let out a sigh or two."

I don't want to enter society, I thought.

I wasn't planning to get any more involved than that.

However, Koharu-sensei kept glancing over here with a look of longing.

Those eyes were pleading. She wanted to be heard. Even someone without the ability to read minds could easily understand, as it was clear enough for anyone to sense.

Since there was no other choice, I decided to ask.

"...Did another teacher give you some troublesome task again?"

"Hey, can you listen to me?"

"Well, if it's just listening."

"Actually, I'm currently getting some advice from a classmate."

"Yes."

"So, I'm kind of in a bit of a bind, or rather, it's basically a love consultation."

"Is this a love consultation?"

"Yeah. There's a guy I like, and he said he wants my advice on how to get closer to someone. Since he went out of his way to ask for my help, I definitely want to lend a hand. I gave him all sorts of advice."

"Isn't it great?"

"The problem is that I have no experience in love."

"Huh."

I gave a vague response. Not knowing how to react, I ended up saying the same words as if I hadn't said anything at all.

"Is that so?"

"None. Absolutely none. Zero. Absolutely zero."

"Isn't it fine?"

"Even if Enoki-kun is good, it won't be good from the perspective of the person seeking advice. Advice from someone without any romantic experience is just theoretical nonsense."

"Do you know the student's advisor?"

"What?"

"That means Koharu-sensei has no romantic experience."

"They don't know."

Koharu-sensei said.

"Rather, I'm thought to be experienced."

Koharu-sensei is a bright and popular teacher among students when she is in the classroom. It is natural to assume that she must have had a fulfilling student life as well. It is only natural to think that she has had as much, if not more, romantic experience than the average person.

"Well then, why not just say it honestly?"

"No, no. If they find out that I, at twenty-four, have no romantic experience, the popular kids in class will look down on me."

"Would they really?"

"They totally would. Definitely."

"Surprisingly, you might be well-received as being innocent and cute."

"They only call other girls 'cute' if they consider them inferior."

She asserts while reinforcing her biased opinion.

"Being a teacher means that if you're looked down upon by your students, it's all over. To run a smooth class, it's better to be seen as an outgoing person."

She had mentioned it before.

It seems that Koharu-sensei is quite certain about it.

"But pretending to be experienced in love and giving advice when I have no experience myself makes me feel guilty, like I'm deceiving that person."

"Is that why you were sighing with worry?"

I said.

"Or rather, you're not just pretending, you're actually deceiving me, aren't you?"

"Uh... Just so you know, even if I feel guilty, my advice is still useful. The last person who consulted me ended up dating the person they liked properly."

"Then that's fine, isn't it?"

"But when I got the report, I felt a bit unsettled. Oh, this person is already moving ahead of me. So, this time they asked me when the right moment to kiss is. Like, I've never even done it once. We're not even at that stage yet!"

Koharu-sensei looked disheveled. I wonder what the students would think if they saw this scene. Just as I was pondering this, the focus suddenly shifted.

"Have you ever kissed someone, Enoki-kun?"

"...Is it necessary to answer that?"

"That's fine. I bared my soul, so tell me."

"Like I just took it off on my own."

"Oh, just so you know, I don't count the time spent with my parents during childhood. It starts from when I became aware of things and entered middle school."

"...Haa."

"So, what's the deal? Is there something? No, right? Enoki-kun, you'll say there's nothing and put my mind at ease, right?"

She was trying to extort words from me.

A stone is thrown into the fountain of memories. It comes to mind. That night, when a drunk Rui-san put her tongue in my mouth.

"Well, yeah, I guess so."

"Huh, what's with that reaction? No way. Could it be true?"

Koharu-sensei caught my subtle reaction.

"Woah. Really? I mean, when? With who? Where? At your part-time job or something?"

She bombards me with questions in rapid succession.

"I won't talk about it, such things. I never said it existed in the first place."

When I try to escape like that,

"Are you kidding me~? High school students these days are way too advanced. Even with the declining birthrate, they're all doing their jobs perfectly, right~?"

She spat it out as if she had given up. She wasn't listening at all.

"Koharu-sensei, are you drinking alcohol?"

"I'm not drinking. I'm sober. I decided not to drink until 3 PM even on my days off."

"You start drinking pretty early, don't you?"

I thought it would be better to wait until the evening.

I can't help but feel the immense stress of being a teacher.

"By the way, Enoki-kun, why were you absent yesterday?"

"...That's sudden."

"I thought you might not like being asked first."

"I'm not feeling very well."

"I see. Even so, at least let me know if you're going to be absent."

"Excuse me."

"Are you living alone?"

"Yes."

"Then even more so. When you skip without notice, I worry about all sorts of things. Like, what if you've collapsed or something."

"I will be more careful from now on."

"Mm. As long as you understand."

Koharu-sensei says, easing her stance.

"What about the classes? Have you been left behind because of the days you missed?"

"It's okay. For now."

"Well, Enoki-kun, your grades are pretty good, aren't they?"

Koharu-sensei said that, and then her eyes fell on the paperback book peeking out from my pants pocket.

"Then, what about that book?"

"If it weren't for Koharu-sensei, I would be thinking of reading here."

"You were reading the whole time, even during breaks?"

"Well, yes. But you're really observant."

"Because I'm the homeroom teacher."

Koharu-sensei says playfully.

"It looks like you've put a lot of time into it, or rather, it shows signs of being read a lot. Have you gone through it multiple times?"

"It's something I received from someone."

"Hmm. Interesting?"

"Is it interesting, I wonder?"

"What kind of vague reaction is that? Is it boring?"

"It's not exactly like that."

I said.

"I didn't really think about whether it was interesting or boring while reading it."

"But, it is important."

"Huh?"

"When I saw your face while you were reading that book, I somehow thought so."

Caught off guard, I involuntarily glance at Koharu-sensei.

When Koharu-sensei, who was supposed to be staring into space, turned her gaze towards me, she propped her chin on her hand and waited for my answer, asking, "Was I wrong?"

She's really watching closely. To the point of being annoying.

"...Well, I suppose so."

It felt like something I couldn't articulate had been articulated.

For me, this book isn't something that can be measured by whether it's interesting or boring. Even if it's boring, its value doesn't waver.

This book is important, just as Koharu-sensei said.

Because this is Rui-san's favorite, she has read it over and over again.

Chapter 15: Have You Ever Kissed Someone?