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

Chapter Two: "Looking Up At The Fallen Star" Part Seven Togawa-san left school without returning to class or the homeroom session after school. Her usual seat, which was occupied in the morning, was now empty, catching the notice of nearby students. When they asked if she left early, I had no choice but to say that I hadn't received any such notification. From the uneasy looks of her friends, it seemed Togawa-san hadn't contacted anyone. Aware of this, I continually questioned myself. Did I really have any right in this situation? As her homeroom teacher, I'm responsible for my students while they're at school. But extending my concern beyond school grounds, focusing on a specific student, may cross a line. Taking such missteps can lead to irreversible consequences. Perhaps, as a mere teacher, I have no such right. Nonetheless, I was genuinely worried about Togawa-san. I didn't want her to be alone in her anger. And above all, I didn’t want her to dislike me. Grabbing my phone, I tried to get in touch. Standing alone in the corridor near the faculty room, I sought our connection. 'Where are you?' 'I'm not upset about you skipping class.' 'I'm worried about you.' I hesitated, my mouth half open, wondering whether to continue typing or not. 'I want to see you.' After sending the message, I instinctively covered my eyes. A warm liquid gathered between them, unlike tears. It resembled the quiet exaltation one feels while praying. 'I really want to see you.' After sending it twice in desperation, a reply came shortly after. 'At the café by the station.' "Ah," I let out a loud, short cry. The taste of happiness slowly seeped out from the back of my mouth, spreading to the depths of my being. 'Understood. I’m coming now.' 'But I might leave before you get here.' 'Why? Please wait for me.' 'I'll stay until I finish my drink.' 'I'll buy you as many as you want, so keep drinking.' Though it seemed unlikely I could catch up to Togawa-san, I sprinted as fast as I could—through the corridor, past the faculty room, and out to the shoe lockers. I ignored the curious stares from others, focusing instead on preventing any gap from forming between us. Without distinguishing which items belonged with me, I carried a heap of documents and my bag to run toward the station. It might have been since gym classes in school that I last ran such a long distance. A faint trace of my yet-unailed adulthood propelled me. As my breath became short and my jaw began to droop, students heading home glanced over at me. I thought I heard someone call out, but I casually brushed it off with a vague response. How I wished to abandon my shoes so unsuited for running, but the more my stamina waned, the more apparent my clumsiness became. Nonetheless, as I gasped for air, inhaling deeply and exhaling, I felt something slowly being restored within me. Maybe it was a sensation of euphoria born from oxygen deprivation, but it urged me straight towards Togawa-san. Finally, slowing to a brisk walk, I arrived before the same café as yesterday. Last time, Hoshi-san had been covered in sweat, and now it was my turn. Before entering, I placed my hands on my knees to catch my breath. Sweating felt bothersome, likely ruining both my makeup and hair. Though tempted to fix myself up, I couldn't afford to get sidetracked after coming directly to see Togawa-san. The purpose behind my running must not be forgotten. With a resolve in mind, I wiped the sweat with a sleeve and entered the café. Still breathing heavily, I ordered a coffee and made my way toward the back of the shop. Alone, Togawa-san sat on a sofa seat, incidentally the same seat where Hoshi-san had sat yesterday. Looking at her reaction upon seeing me, she immediately turned her face away, but the slight pout looked endearing, making me smile a bit. "To—ga—wa—san," I called, circling around to look into her averted face. Her eyes widened as we made eye contact. Any surprise I felt was overshadowed by relief at seeing her non-angry expression. "What do you need, sensei?" "Can I sit with you?" Noticing my sweat and heavy breathing, Togawa-san looked down before answering. "I ran here." "In case you tried to run away." As I set up my chair, I spotted an almost empty glass with melting ice and some colored liquid, possibly juice, in front of her. Taking a seat, I finally caught my breath. My arms resting on the armrests felt heavy. "Would you like another drink?" Her head softly shook side to side. "Don’t worry about it. I’m going to have something too, and it would be lonely if you didn’t join me." Her head continued to move slightly, most likely out of discomfort. For some reason, this awkwardness from her gave me a sense of assurance. It felt like, for the first time in a while, I could maintain my composure as her teacher. There had been too many instances before where I was thrown off balance by her antics to act my age. "Are you feeling a bit better?" "It's not like I was..." When I laughed at the impossibility of this, Togawa-san gave up and looked at me. "Aren't you supposed to scold me, sensei?" "I should, but..." I can't bring myself to get angry at Togawa-san because she's so cute when she gets jealous. I wonder what kind of look Togawa-san would show if I say that. "I skipped class." "Yeah, that’s not good." "For the first time. I've never done it before now." "I know. You're a good kid, Togawa-san." "I'm only a good kid because you say so…" Her face showed a slight shadow, as if those words had never been uttered by her parents. Sympathizing with what she must have felt, a pang of heartache welled within me. As this feeling lingered, my coffee arrived. Taking a sip of iced coffee slightly dulled the image of her mother. "Sensei, you've never skipped class, have you?" "Actually, I have." Doubt painted Togawa-san’s perplexed expression, her eyes going wide. "Really?" "Yes, a few times. I never left the school grounds, though." Not out of disdain for anything in particular, but simply to try it, I’d sometimes skip class. Stealthily finding hideouts to avoid teachers, I eventually concluded that the infirmary was both the easiest and safest spot, before the novelty wore off and I graduated without doing so again. "What a surprise." "I was a teenager once too." That's why it was difficult to chastise Togawa-san while pushing aside my own past. However, there was definitely something I needed to caution her about. "Togawa-san, don’t go down the stairs in such a dangerous manner anymore. It was really frightening..." Just watching made me fear she’d hurt herself, causing my vision to spin from worry. "I’m sorry." Togawa-san looked away as she apologized. With coffee in one hand, I nodded affirmatively with a simple "It’s okay." "It was my fault. I reacted foolishly." Her hands rubbed her eyes as if wiping away invisible tears. "Sensei was alone with another student... and we made a promise... and then......" Her whispered words were laced with shame as she tried to hide her emotions, but I could sense all of it. Her quiet passion peeled back layers within me I hadn’t fully explored. "Was it really work-related with that other student?" She looked up at me, trying to confirm, a hint of fear in her expression. The doubt pricking at her was not lost on me, sending shivers across the skin hidden beneath my suit. Even when I knew it wasn’t right. The way her eyes sought me left me trembling.