Chapter 1

Chapter 1

My Changing Daily Life

A year had quickly passed since I entered high school, full of dreams and hopes. My high school life, which I had vaguely imagined to be filled with something, something exciting, turned out to be nothing but dull, gray days.

My grades were always below average. My athletic ability was disastrous, so I won’t even go there. My poor communication skills prevented me from making friends, not just with girls, but even with other guys. I was quietly spending my school days in a position that symbolized the bottom of the school caste.

I really thought I would graduate without anything happening.

However, recently, a change came to my everyday life.

“That’s not right, Asano-kun. This problem…”

“Eh? Y-yes…”

A hand gently rested on my shoulder, a soft swell pressed against my back, and my head felt like it was about to boil over with embarrassment and the normal reactions of an adolescent boy.

Besides, she had a sweet, mature scent that was incomparable to my older sister.

“Is something wrong?”

“N-no… It’s nothing.”

“I see…”

The adult woman moved away from me, leaving only a lingering fragrance floating in the air.

Even in that situation, my hands kept moving, desperately trying to take notes. It would be very bad if my grades dropped any further.

Then, the chime rang.

“Okay, that’s all for today. Everyone, don’t forget to prepare for tomorrow’s lesson.”

In response to her indifferent words, I could hear scattered replies of “Yeees.”

She gave a small smile in response, then left the classroom with light steps… but…

“…”

“!”

As she was leaving, just before closing the door, her straight eyes, magnified by her glasses, clearly caught mine.

Her name is Morihara Yui.

She is the Japanese language teacher and homeroom teacher of the class I belong to.

She has beautiful, glossy long black hair, and an intellectual beauty that suits her glasses. Her slender proportions are faintly visible through her suit. With her easy-to-understand lessons and her cool demeanor that turns gentle when you talk to her, she is a very popular teacher with both male and female students.

And for me, who doesn’t belong to any club and is losing interest in school life, she should have been someone I rarely interacted with outside of homeroom and class.

However, that wasn’t the case.

The recent change in my life… that is…

Morihara-sensei, who is usually cool, has started to get unusually close to me during class and other times.

***

“Man, Morihara-sensei’s classes are so nerve-wracking.”

“Yeah, I know, right? It’s like, absolute silence or you’ll get in trouble…”

“Well, her lessons are easy to understand, though.”

I eavesdropped on the chatter of Nagano-kun, Nagahashima-kun, and Nagatsuka-kun nearby, glancing out the window and breathing a sigh of relief.

Good. It seems no one has noticed today either.

That’s right, sensei’s excessive closeness has miraculously gone unnoticed by anyone. Or rather, it would be bad if anyone found out.

A pitch-black storm cloud, the likes of which I can’t even imagine, would hang over my school life, which is somehow still maintaining its peace.

Relieved, I pondered as usual.

…Why does sensei keep getting so close?

***

The first time she got close to me was the day of the new school year’s class announcement.

I let out a dark sigh of resignation, thinking that the days would continue with nothing changing except for my classmates. As I was about to head straight home as usual…

“Asano-kun, may I have a word with you?”

“Ah, yes…”

Suddenly called out by name by the teacher, who was popular and known for being cool, I was bathed in the gazes of those around me as I followed her.

She led me to the bulletin board where I had checked my class that morning.

“I want to take this down, but could you help me?”

“Ah, yes…”

“Asano-kun is quite tall. I think you’ll be fine.”

“Yes…”

‘I’m certainly over 170cm, but there are still taller people… Maybe it’s because I’m in the go-home club. I’m free after school.’

Sensei kept her expression neutral, tilting her head slightly. Her eyes, behind the lenses of her glasses, remained fixed on me.

“Is it no good?”

“Ah, no, it’s fine! I’ll do it.”

“Then, please start from the top.”

“Yes.”

The task was quickly finished. I took the collected items to the staff room, and as I was putting the equipment in the storage room, something strange happened.

Thinking I should go home quickly, I tried to put the magnets in a random cupboard when suddenly my hand was grabbed.

“Those go in this shelf.”

“Ah, yes, I’m sorry.”

Suddenly, a chilling sensation that stimulated the back of my head… or rather, I became nervous about the contact with a woman.

‘Ugh… This is why I’m not popular with girls… Please, calm down…!’

“Excuse me.”

This time, our shoulders touched. I looked to the side and was startled to find the sensei’s face so close, almost letting out a strange sound.

‘S-She’s… too beautiful… I can’t believe we’re the same species.’

When I focused on our touching shoulders, I could feel her surprisingly delicate and soft body…

‘What am I thinking?! Focus, focus…’

“…Is something the matter? Your hands have stopped moving.”

“N-no, it’s nothing. I’m sorry.”

“I see. Please continue.”

I hurriedly replied and returned to the task. Even after she moved away, the warmth remained clearly on my shoulder for a while.

Eventually, the work was finished, and a sense of relief at finally being able to go home, mixed with an unidentified feeling of regret, welled up in my chest.

‘What is this fidgety feeling…?’

Sensei, having locked the storage room, turned to me with a gentle smile.

“Asano-kun, thank you for your help. You saved me.”

“Y-yes…”

“And also… Suenaga… I look forward to working with you this year.”

“…Yes.”

‘Did she just say something wrong? I think she mentioned Suenaga-kun, my classmate… Well, whatever.’

I was aware of my lack of presence.

“Well then, be careful on your way home. See you tomorrow.”

“Yes. Goodbye…”

That soft smile remained vividly etched in my mind even after I returned home.

This was my first encounter with Morihara-sensei.

From this day on, my gray days gradually began to be tinged with faint colors.

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