Chapter 552: Hurry Up and Have Another One

Chapter 552: Hurry Up and Have Another One

After seeing off the overjoyed Mama Shizuka, Himekoji was lost in thought and silent for a long while. Finally, he managed to squeeze out a sentence—

“Is the child really there?”

“Of course it’s fake!” The Female Teacher rolled her eyes at him with a “what are you talking about?” look. “To get Mom to go back, it was the only way, wasn’t it?”

“Ah, yes, yes, that’s what I thought!”

After hearing this, Himekoji’s heart, which had been hanging in the air, finally settled down. He let out a sigh of relief. After all, Yukinoshita’s case of an unexpected pregnancy was still fresh in his mind, so it was natural for him to be jumpy now.

“‘But, after all, it’s better to hurry up and have one.'”

“Eh?!”

“‘We can’t keep hiding it forever.'”

“‘Um, that’s… that’s true, you’re right…'”

“‘It’s too tiring like this, worrying every day about if I messed up somewhere, if something gave me away, or if I’d be found out soon.'”

The Female Teacher threw her whole body onto the sofa and sighed sincerely.

Over the past few days, under her mom’s watch, she had lived under a lot of stress.

“‘Actually… couldn’t we tell Aunt the truth and ask her to help hide it from Father for now?'”

Himekoji tentatively offered his weak, tiny idea.

“No, no!” The Female Teacher crossed her hands like an X and flatly turned down Himekoji’s suggestion without a second thought. “That would just pass our stress onto Mom, wouldn’t it? Think about it: in the future, in front of our sick father, Mom would have to worry about messing up, giving things away, or being found out, just like we did before. It’s too hard!”

“‘But—'”

But now, he was feeling a bit troubled too…

Himekoji was about to complain like this, but before he could even say it, the Female Teacher lunged forward and grabbed his hands lovingly.

“‘Akito, it’s fine, we don’t need stress now! We can take it slow! After telling them about me being pregnant, if we hide it well, Mom won’t doubt us for a while. We just need to keep at it day by day, step by step, and we can fill in for the child!'”

“Eh? Fill… fill in?!”

Sensei, what are you saying? I don’t understand at all!

Himekoji blinked blankly, at a loss.

“‘The confession in the elevator? I was really happy!'”

The Female Teacher looked at Himekoji with pure sincerity. She had waited so long that all the sadness and joy inside her rushed up at once. She couldn’t help but get a bit teary-eyed.

“‘Con… confession?!”

Ah…

Himekoji seemed to grasp the key point—

It was a misunderstanding!

They must have caused some big mix-up somewhere!

“‘Yes, with such a confession from you, if Sensei says no, I’d be too heartless.'”

Hiratsuka Shizuka said this, then snuggled into Himekoji’s arms. She bumped her head lightly against his chin, acting like she was flirting.

After Mama Shizuka left, Shizuka seemed to have opened up a lot…

“Ha, haha…”

Himekoji chuckled dryly.

He felt like, if he told the truth now, the one who would seem too heartless was him.

“‘Anyway, let’s eat first!'”

Himekoji changed the subject, cleverly slipping out from the Female Teacher’s arms and escaping to the kitchen.

“‘Yes, yes.'”

Hiratsuka Shizuka clapped her hands in agreement and stuck to Himekoji, following him closely.

Wait a minute!

Why did she seem like a different person?

Please, act more like a Sensei!

Pressing her cheeks with her hands and staring at him with a silly smile—it might make people think she was in some crush!

Mama Shizuka was in a hurry to go to the hospital and share the good news with Father Shizuka, so she didn’t stay for dinner. As a result, only Himekoji and Hiratsuka Shizuka were at the table that evening.

Himekoji came out of the kitchen carrying some spaghetti.

“‘Here you go.'”

The Female Teacher leaned her nose close and sniffed lightly, looking very impressed. “Wow, it smells nice! I’ll dig in!”

“‘Wait a second.'” Himekoji took off his own apron and went behind the Female Teacher to tie it on her. “Because Sensei’s clothes are so pretty, we need to be careful.”

The spaghetti sauce was thick and could easily get on clothes.

“‘Akito, you’re so gentle~~'”

“‘No, not really…'”

Even though it was an automatic thing, being praised like that to his face made him feel really sheepish.

Himekoji turned red in the face and sat down awkwardly across from the Female Teacher.

Hiratsuka Shizuka tilted her head and looked steadily at Himekoji for a moment, then said with a grin, “This way, we really look like a married couple, don’t we!”

“Pfft!”

Himekoji nearly spat out the noodles he had just put in his mouth because of what the Female Teacher said.

“‘Eat slowly.'”

Hiratsuka Shizuka smiled at Himekoji like she was doting on him, then seemed to remember something and spoke softly—

“‘Actually, I thought it over carefully, and I feel like I finally understand. In the past, I kept worrying about age and all that stuff, being indecisive. But now I see things clear. Even if I’m older than you, so what? Isn’t it nice? I’ve walked all the paths before you, I can share all the joys with you, I’ve tasted all the pains before you do… Ah, no, Akito, your pains and mine aren’t at the same level. That much I know…'”

“‘N-no! Sensei, I’m happy!'” Himekoji didn’t know what had come over him, but he felt a sudden burst of emotion. He cut off the Female Teacher’s words. His face gradually lowered, filled with a satisfied smile and tears he was too shy to let others see. “‘To have met Sensei and to have met everyone—I’m just so happy.'”

Because he was happy, even if pains had really existed before, they were now far behind him, letting him try to move forward.

“‘Huh? Is that so… well, that’s really good.'”

If someone she liked felt meeting her was truly good, then that really was good.

…

After finishing dinner, Himekoji helped clean up the dishes. After washing them, he tidied a bit more before saying goodbye and leaving.

He had been away overnight yesterday, so if he didn’t get home tonight, there would be no way to explain it to the little ones at his place.

“‘Sensei, I won’t come over tomorrow night.'”

Hiratsuka Shizuka drove Himekoji home and dropped him off downstairs. As they parted, Himekoji at least mentioned it out of courtesy.

The Female Teacher looked quite surprised. “Eh? Why?”

No, wait, something seemed mixed up here…

Normally, not going to your place was the thing to do. It didn’t need a reason. If anything, suddenly showing up was what should have a “why?” attached to it.

These thoughts flashed through Himekoji’s mind.

“‘Well… some things to do.'”

The Female Teacher nodded with quite some understanding, then smiled gently. “‘Hmm, it’s okay. After all, we can do our thing during the day anyway. Sensei isn’t one of those old-fashioned types who only get at night.'”

“‘Hmm?'”

Himekoji’s eyes went wide.

“‘Hmm?'”

What was it? Hiratsuka Shizuka seemed to be asking back.

“‘Ah, ah, nothing. I’ll go upstairs now.'”

Himekoji waved goodbye with an awkward but polite smile.

“‘Okay, see you tomorrow, and… don’t slack off on your squats tonight!'”

Himekoji was going upstairs when he heard this. He nearly tripped from surprise, almost falling.

…

…