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

Chapter 5: "Water Seeping Through The Cracks" Part 1 I didn't plan on ambushing her from the shadows. Instead, she leapt in front of me, dancing alongside my shadow. Destruction—a concept one might expect to come crashing down—approached me with such poise and gentleness. The warmth in my arms nearly distracted me from the summer sun's glow. “You want to stay over... at my place?” Held in my embrace, Togawa-san nodded, pressing her face into my chest. Her playful gesture, digging her nose into me, drew an exasperated but relieved sigh from me. She seemed energetic enough, which was comforting. “Something happened at home that made you want to stay over?” The fallout with her mother—was that what caused these tears brimming in her eyes? “Tell me.” I needed to understand the source of Togawa-san's tears. If someone hurt her, I'd refuse to stand by. I'd challenge any current and confront the reasons head-on. As her knees slowly gave out, I followed her descent to the ground. Inching towards the shade, I gently rubbed her back, encouraging her to speak. She began recounting her story in fragments: the outburst of anger at heartless words, the impulsive decision to storm out, and finally, her meeting with Hoshi Takasora, who brought her here. “..........................” It might have been the first time that an emotion transformed the very taste in my mouth. Bitter coated my tongue. Even swallowing did little, as once settled, bitterness surged back, threatening to melt and distort my face. I took a deep, slow breath, calming myself. Despite human eyes likely finding our embrace curious, I refused to let go. It felt like I was floating weightlessly, incapable of defying this tide. “It’s alright.” I offered nothing but an unfounded promise to Togawa-san, assuring her everything would be okay. However, I needed her to understand—I'm different from that mother of hers. Whether she grasped that or not remained unclear, but her tears, trickling warmly onto my shoulder, began to soak me. As I supported her, my thoughts wandered to the notion of letting her stay. I glanced up at the apartment building. “...You know that my husband is at home, right?” “I know. You have a husband, right?” Confirming the obvious, Togawa-san pressed her forehead into my shoulder, concealing her face further. “Let me stay. I don't want to leave...” From a social perspective, how far could a teacher go in aiding a student? Legally and ethically, housing a student without parental consent was undoubtedly questionable. And yet, as baseless as these societal judgments might feel, here I stood, ready to abandon conventional wisdom for something more personal. Her reliance on me, the slender thread binding us, could shatter with the slightest pressure. Tossing aside conservative views, holding nothing back, I refused to send her back to that household. "...Understood. Let me speak with my husband first, so wait here.” “Hm...” Reluctantly, she withdrew, her sunlit hair slipping away from me. Fighting the urge to pull her close once more, I urged myself to stand, resolute in my promise. “I’ll be back soon.” With that brief assurance, I turned towards the apartment, only to halt midway and double back to Togawa-san. Her startled gaze rose to meet me, and I gently cupped her cheek. “I’ll definitely come for you, so stay here.” Words exist to convey emotions rightly, born from the urgency to communicate. “Yes!” With a vigorous nod, Togawa-san huddled down, her sincerity shining through, evoking pride within me. I couldn't pinpoint the reason, but an exalted sense bloomed in my chest. Her simplicity moved me deeply. Feeling the urgency to not leave her alone overwhelming me, I hastened to the apartment. My bare footsteps echoed, reminding me that I'd neglected my sandals. As I snatched them from the stairs and entered the room, sweat already trickled down my forehead. “What's going on?” My husband met me at the entrance, still clutching a game controller, clearly caught off-guard. I needed to inform him about bringing Togawa-san here to stay. I prepared to reveal the arrival of my student—my lover. “One of my students is downstairs.” “What’s happening?” He asked, somewhat mixing his phrases, yet curious enough. Carefully, I divulged the basics without breaking into the pit of truth, exposing merely the façade of our situation. “Oh... that's quite something.” My husband twisted his neck in thought, naturally puzzled, yet I needed him to come around. “Having a young girl over sounds fun, but she's a student... yeah?” “Yes.” My lover. “Is it really okay to let her stay?” “It's not ideal.” It's unacceptable, yet I couldn't abandon her. To forsake her was akin to abandoning myself. “Still, it feels wrong to kick her out.” “Wouldn't staying with a friend be more comfortable?” He reflected logically given the details he had, and in most cases, he'd be right. But what we shared wasn't ordinary. That set the dilemma and the path forward. Friends wouldn’t suffice—unfortunately, because I simply couldn’t bear the thought of Rin Togawa staying with anyone else. “She chose to come to me over her friends.” Feigning the face of a teacher, I pleaded. What visage did I wear, convincing my husband to shelter my lover? My gaze shifted far, mind growing translucent, barely tethered to my husband's presence. “If the girl prefers, then maybe... I guess. High schoolers, huh…” My husband ruminated, casting uncertain glances about. “I wouldn’t know how to act.” “I’ve got it under control.” Because she’s my student. Because she’s my Togawa-san. “Taking in a runaway—unexpected yet plausible, I suppose...” Despite the catch in his throat, my husband made an effort to accept the situation. Guilt and anxiety trickled down my back in the form of sweat, a constant reminder I couldn’t face directly. My vision felt disconnected, as though I was losing myself. It was as if someone else was controlling me, much like when I stand at the podium—detached yet driven. "And our place isn't exactly spacious. We can't offer a private room." "I understand."