Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A Sweetness Like Cocoa

There was a reason why he didn’t realize that the woman who helped his lost little sister was his assistant homeroom teacher, Tsukishiba Hiyori.

At school, she had her black hair tied back in a tight bun, minimal makeup, and round glasses – a modest appearance that could only be described as plain.

The impression she gave during classes and homeroom was, for better or worse, that of an ordinary teacher.

She wasn’t particularly disliked, but neither was she actively approached by students.

Even if his classmates saw Hiyori as she was now, they would probably think she was a different person, just like he did.

The refreshing casual clothes of his assistant homeroom teacher on her day off had that much of an impact.

‘…Somehow, I feel like I’ve gained something.’

He couldn’t help but think to himself.

“Excuse us!”

“Yes, welcome!”

Hiyori greeted Kana, who was cheerfully greeting her, with a smile, while Toru was still in shock.

Following his sister, Toru entered the room, and the sweet scent of cocoa tickled his nose.

His heart pounded, and he felt an inexplicable surge of excitement.

Her room, which was obviously beautiful at first glance, was different from the Kuwa’s house in terms of the bed’s position, the curtain pattern, and other details.

Because of that, even though it was supposed to be the same layout, he felt as if he had stepped into a completely different place.

Was it because it was the room of a beautiful older woman?

Or was it because she was his class’s assistant homeroom teacher?

He couldn’t tell, but one thing was for sure: he was nervous.

“You must be thirsty, right? I’ll get you something to drink, so please wait on the sofa.”

“Okay!”

“Y-Yes.”

Kana replied cheerfully to Hiyori’s call, while Toru nodded stiffly.

As instructed, Toru and his sister sat down on the sofa. For a fleeting moment, the image of Hiyori sitting and spending time there flashed through his mind, causing him to hurriedly shake his head to dispel the thought.

Feeling awkward about looking around someone else’s room, Toru glanced towards Hiyori, who was preparing drinks in the open kitchen.

Her movements were smooth and efficient, and he found himself gazing at her calm, focused expression.

As he was absentmindedly watching her, Hiyori suddenly looked up and their eyes met.

“? Is something bothering you?”

“N-No. It’s nothing…”

“I see. I’m just about finished, so I’ll bring them over.”

“Thank you.”

Feeling somewhat awkward, he quickly made an excuse.

Hiyori didn’t seem to notice his clumsy evasion and carried a tray with two cups on it.

“Here you go, iced cocoa.”

She said, handing him a cup filled with a chocolate-colored drink and ice.

She probably made it iced so Kana wouldn’t burn herself.

Slightly touched by her natural thoughtfulness, he took a sip. A cool sensation spread through his mouth along with the sweet aroma of cocoa.

The cocoa was smooth and mellow, very easy to drink.

After taking a breath, Toru decided to tell Hiyori his impression.

“It’s delicious.”

“It’s yummy!”

“Fufu, I’m glad.”

Following Toru’s comment, Kana, with a cocoa mustache on her upper lip, smiled happily.

Hiyori, receiving praise from both of them, gave a gentle smile.

Her smile made his heart race, but Toru tried to maintain his composure while wiping his sister’s mouth with a tissue.

“This is amazing. Even when I make instant cocoa, it doesn’t taste this good.”

“Thank you. I love cocoa, so I’ve done a lot of research to make it taste delicious.”

“Ah, that’s why when I entered the room, the smell of cocoa…”

Toru realized his slip of the tongue as he spoke.

It was like confessing that he had smelled her room.

Indeed, upon hearing Toru’s words, Hiyori’s eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with both hands, blushing.

“…W-Was it that noticeable?”

“Uh…”

“Eeeeeek!!”

Embarrassed, Hiyori looked down, then backed up at him with upturned eyes, causing Toru to become speechless.

It wasn’t that he didn’t know how to respond, but rather that her endearing reaction made his heart flutter.

However, Hiyori, unaware of Toru’s feelings, looked as if she was about to cry and covered her face.

“Ah! To-kun, you made Hyo-chan cry!”

“N-No, that’s not it! It’s not like that…”

Toru stammered in denial at the accusation from Kana, who had been observing their conversation.

He felt frustrated that he couldn’t completely deny it, as he had indeed embarrassed her to the point of tears.

But his little sister puffed out her cheeks and shook her head.

“If you do something bad, you have to say sorry! You’re in trouble!”

“…I understand.”

Any older brother would be weak against his little sister.

To avoid causing any more trouble, and more importantly, because he felt remorseful for saying something that bothered her, he decided to apologize.

“Hiyori-sa… I mean, Tsukishiba-sensei. I’m sorry for saying something creepy.”

“Huh? Ah, i-it’s okay. I-I was just embarrassed, I didn’t think that much of it.”

Hiyori, still blushing, forgave Toru for his apology.

He was a little worried that she might be too kind, but he swallowed his words, realizing it wasn’t his place to say anything as just a neighbor and a student.

“To-kun and Hyo-chan are friends!”

Kana smiled contentedly, thinking that the issue between the two had been resolved.

In contrast to their sister, Toru and Hiyori remained silent, their faces flushed, looking down.