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

Chapter 4: Quiet As The Depths of The Earth - Part Fourteen "Can't you just go away already, Mom?" Such a wish, almost like a soliloquy, echoed as if it were a divine revelation in my head. Togawa-san too felt her mother was a hindrance. Just confirming this made a heavy weight lift from my chest; it's the lowest form of relief. "That's not right," I said, aligning with Togawa-san's thoughts. "No matter what form they take, a mother is still a mother." I truly wished she would disappear. But, I kept my true feelings hidden, maintaining appearances. The environment of the staff room forced the guise of a teacher upon me. For now, at least. After a moment's pause, Togawa-san asked, "What do you think about Maekawa Itsuki?" This inquiry into my real name hinted at how much she saw through me. Yes, of course, at this point, only Togawa-san would discern my true feelings so easily. "It's painful not being able to see her." Even then, I still hid the majority of my true feelings. Casually visiting Togawa-san's house after work was never an option, but even stopping by was impossible as long as her mother was there. If we formed a healthy relationship, it would confirm that I was exploiting familial issues and making advances on a student. The public's judgment would be entirely accurate. Yet, despite knowing this, I still wanted to push forward. I wanted to reach out more and more. I couldn't let our connection end due to that woman, simply because of the excuse of being a biological mother. Understanding Togawa-san's jealousy and resentment towards my husband came easy to me. "Ah..." I leaned back in my chair, gazing at the ceiling as if admitting defeat. Thinking 'that woman is a hindrance,' I was clutching a sharp emotion I previously never possessed. My palms tore apart, spilling vivid red blood from jealousy and frustration. Being conscious of Togawa-san staying with her mother constantly brought an unhealthy irritation. While trying to suppress this externally, I carried out household chores—a typical weekend. My stomach was always clenched, painfully persistent like sleep deprivation. If a curse could alter reality, perhaps the news would report a mysterious death this morning. Just imagining her mother touching Togawa-san was enough to drive me insane. No, I've definitely already lost it. To even be jealous of her parents... Meanwhile, my husband was engrossed in his building game again. Perhaps influenced by a previous experience, today he was constructing a giant rickshaw. A size so large no single person could pull it, yet he meticulously worked on it. While absentmindedly watching him, I washed the lunch plates. "I wonder if there's an exam to become a rickshaw driver," he mused as he set blocks and adjusted the wheels. "Thinking of changing careers?" I asked. "No, no," he replied, then reconsidered, murmuring, "Hmm, I wonder..." "Was it that fun?" I asked after finishing the dishes and drying my hands. "Well, maybe," he replied. "If that's what you want to do," I said. I'm living freely too, after all. "I think you should aim for it if you wish." I no longer had any right to scold my husband's actions unless they harmed Togawa-san. Anything else, and I couldn't forgive something that infringed this world. There were no exceptions; everything would lose its title and become just an enemy. "You're kind, you know," my husband added with a casual nod. "Eh?" I reacted just as he was about to say more. "Wa-ra-bi-eeeeee mochi!" Suddenly, a shout from outside startled me, and my husband paused his game. The voice came from the road outside our apartment, and it sounded familiar. The noisy 'warabi warabi' quickly followed by "Ichi-gooooooo!" approached directly. Before my husband could rise from the sofa, I was already attached to the window, identifying the caller. "Oh." A rickshaw, a blonde pulling it, and Togawa-san sitting in the back. It was the source of the commotion outside our apartment. Hoshi-san, looking up, spotted me and waved with a mischievous grin. Her blond hair, brilliant as a mass of light swallowing the sun, was dazzling. I removed my apron, informed my husband quickly, "I'll be back soon," and dashed out of the room. The sandals I put on mistakenly were too loose and threatened to trip me, so I kicked them off, choosing to go barefoot. I felt the warmth of the summer-drenched outer corridor and stairs under my feet. Why this location? But then it clicked—they caused a ruckus to have me come out and see for myself. Considering the level of chaos that could easily prompt our neighbors to call the cops, I was on edge. Moreover, Togawa-san. Togawa Rin. Now, she was incredibly close to my husband. A premonition stirred within my heartbeats. As if I were witnessing the luminous end of a star. Once downstairs, Hoshi-san and the rickshaw were gone, leaving only Togawa-san behind. As soon as she saw me, tears welled in her eyes. The tears glinting in the strong daylight were beautiful but shouldn't have existed. Seeing Togawa-san crying alone meant I had to run. She too dashed to me, colliding without hesitation. In the open street, there were no barriers. The neighbors' eyes were on us. But, Togawa-san was in my arms. I embraced her, enduring the scorching heat beneath my feet. At last, Togawa Rin stood beneath my apartment. Like a large wave finally soaking the edge of the sandy shore. "I didn't want to go back, so I thought I’d come to your place," Rin's shaky confession spilled like tears, desperately trying to express something. In those short words, I could infer related ideas like home and return. The one making Togawa-san cry was that woman. That woman... "What happened? At home, did something—" Mid-sentence, Togawa-san pressed her lips to mine, silencing me. Confusion, fear of being seen, and love pooled upon our joined lips. With my husband potentially glancing from a window above, exposed to his view, Togawa-san and I formed a perfect connection. Seamlessly, from the kiss, she burrowed into my chest, pleading earnestly, clinging onto me. "Hey sensei... can I stay over?"