1.5 - A Story About a Married Teacher Who Becomes Obsessed With Her Female Student

Chapter 1: "The Scent of the Sea Doesn't Reach Me" - Part Five After placing the teaching materials on the desk like a voucher, I unwrapped the lunchbox. I left the staff room immediately and headed towards the classroom. Carrying a lunchbox through the school reminded me of my student days. In my second year of high school, most of my close friends moved to different classes. We used to visit each other. I had quite a few friends, if I may say so myself, but now there's no one I keep in touch with. Some must still live around here, but strangely, I never bump into them in town. Perhaps it's because neither of us has a strong will to find the other in the crowd. If you truly want to find someone or meet them, then the likelihood of noticing them when your eyes meet by chance increases. Even if meetings and partings are coincidences, perhaps human will isn't meaningless. With such thoughts in my mind, I peered into the classroom. The air inside was bursting with the lively chatter of students who had already opened their lunchboxes. The mixed aroma of various foods stimulated the senses. The girl I was looking for was at her desk, surrounded by friends and laughing. Compared to the girl seated next to her, she stood taller, commanding a strong presence. Togawa-san's seat was slightly behind the center of the classroom, not far from the entrance. "Togawa-saaan..." I beckoned timidly from the classroom entrance. Togawa-san immediately noticed me amid her conversation. She stood up, smiling at those around her, signaling a brief pause in her discussion. "Looks like I've been summoned." "Finally got caught, huh?" With a joke left to her friends, Togawa-san came out to the hallway. As she approached me cheerfully, it somewhat resembled the playful approach of a large, affectionate dog. And she was empty-handed. "Why did you call me so discreetly?" "It’s hard to interrupt students when they're enjoying their conversation." I remember that as a student, when a teacher interrupted a lively chat with friends, it felt like nothing but an annoyance. Teachers had no place in the classroom's youthful moments, at least not for me. "Are you going to buy lunch now?" "This is my lunch." Togawa-san showed me her hands turned palm up. There, hidden, was a small brown snack. "Apple dorayaki. It's delicious, highly recommended." "...That's it?" "I have two, you see." She showed off the one in her left hand as well, but the gesture fell a bit short. "Won't you get hungry?" "If I do, I'll just eat something casually.” Her indifferent reply towards her eating habits made me look up at her crown, noting how she's taller than me. Facing her made the height difference noticeable, even when standing side by side. Yet, her profile retained the radiant innocence of a teenager. This slightly unbalanced aspect only seemed to enhance her charm. What am I doing admiring the charm of a student's profile? "When they said you finally got caught, does that mean everyone knows about you, Togawa-san?" "Huh? Did I do something?" Her response was as if she was hearing about it for the first time herself. "That you wander around at night." "Ah... I haven't mentioned it, but I don't hide it either, so maybe everyone knows?" Even in front of a teacher, she was candid and straightforward, evading nothing. "That's not commendable." "Then you should scold me more, sensei." She smiled despite my exasperated look, making any urge to admonish her evaporate. Like how it's tough to scold someone while eating sweet treats, maybe the sweetness in Togawa-san's smile makes it hard to get mad. Also, her way of pronouncing "sensei~" when addressing me tickled my heart. "So, where is this date destination?" "It's not a date." This was, probably, part of student counseling. I led Togawa-san up the stairs and towards the hallway on the third floor. "The teaching prep room?" Togawa-san looked up at the label as if it was something new. For students, it was a place they had no connection with, certainly not for Togawa-san, as it was on the upperclassmen's floor. "It's where we keep teaching materials, but it's not used much at the moment." Which has been a relief for me. I often use this room for work after school. Taking advantage of the solitude, I've brought in a few personal items. A coffee maker, a teapot, and a kettle were mine. The small fridge and old-fashioned fan with its worn blades were already here, though, still carrying an air of readiness. The prep room had two desks; the one used for work was organized, but the other was cluttered with piles of papers and materials. Behind that desk, shelves and lockers stored outdated teaching materials. A simple partition in the corner separated a meeting space with a small whiteboard, no longer in use, almost covered with notes—a reminder of its past purpose. The window at the far end, which I occasionally cleaned, reflected the sky spotlessly. I prepared an unused chair for Togawa-san and invited her to sit. As she did, she looked around the room curiously before stretching her legs. I thought her legs were quite slender. Diverting my gaze to avoid any inappropriate staring, I took my usual seat. "Oh, sensei has a lunchbox." "It's just quickly packed staples. Anyways...tea." I stood up again to prepare tea. "That's very thoughtful of you, sensei~." "I invited you after all." As I spoke, I realized I didn’t have two cups. Of course, I hadn’t prepared for such an occasion. After some thought, I decided to pour only for Togawa-san. "Togawa-san, do you prefer hot or cold tea?" "Cold, please." "Sure," I said, crouching to open the fridge. With the weather warming up, I thought I could stock a bit more tea in there. I poured barley tea from a plastic bottle into the cup I usually used. "Hearing that I'll be having lunch with sensei~ might make some of the boys jealous." "You think so?" "You're quite popular among the students." She said with a smile. I wasn’t pretending to be unaware, but it's hard to react when told directly. However, Togawa-san didn’t hesitate to continue. "Compared to other teachers, you're young and beautiful, sensei~." "Don’t make comparisons. I can't take compliments well like this." I wasn't in a position to be openly happy about it. These were colleagues, after all. While the depth of that relationship might be questionable, politeness was necessary. "Well, sensei~ is beautiful regardless." "Thank you." As a reward for the tea, she complimented me. Togawa-san accepted the cup, then focused on my fingers.