1.15 - 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 15 "Yes." Togawa-san's response to my question was brief. She wasn't ignoring me—it seemed that her explanation had sufficed. It wasn't an age difference, but rather a difference in common sense. "When you say 'girlfriend'... you mean like a lover?" "Exactly. Mom's the kind of person who doesn't care if she falls for a man or a woman." That was wild. Bold. "I see, some people are like that." That's all I could say. "And she's also the type who doesn't care much about anything else once she has someone she likes." "..........................." I understand that love comes in different forms. Doesn't loving her daughter fulfill a mother? How could someone not love such an adorable daughter? "I guess I get it too, which is why I might not dislike my mom." Her way of expressing understanding felt like kicking a pebble. Understanding means knowing the form of affection. Togawa-san's affection. Just imagining it made my neck tense. "Is there someone you like?" I asked as if I were her peer. There was a distance between my voice and my consciousness. I was trying to maintain composure, pushing my anxious thoughts away. That disconnect made my voice sound like it belonged to someone else. Togawa-san's fingers moved further, intertwining with mine. "Of course, there's someone I like." A sharp, fleeting shock passed through me, like being hit from behind the ear. "Oh, I see." "Yeah." Someone she likes. The meaning of her words made my palms sweat. In the end, we walked hand in hand all the way to Togawa-san's house. The town I live in is often called an ancient city, with old structures shrouded under the guise of tradition scattered here and there. You can see buildings like storehouses and crisscrossed latticework as you walk. So, it wasn't unusual that Togawa-san's home was an aged wooden structure. Of course, there were no welcoming lights visible inside. It merged with the night. "Sensei, I'll make some tea. Stay a while." "It's okay, no need to trouble yourself." "It's not that. I just want to spend a little more time with you, Sensei." Her frankness made me blush slightly. At the entrance, Togawa-san let go of my hand to fetch her keys, and I finally felt at ease. Naturally, I didn't mind touching Togawa-san, but since she was a student, holding hands so easily made me uneasy. Inside the front wall, there was a bagged surfboard leaning against it. No surprise, given the town's proximity to the sea, but seeing it up close, especially owned by a student, was a first for me. "Togawa-san, do you surf?" "I did when I was in elementary school. I haven't been lately because there's no good surf spots nearby." She talked as she unlocked the door. "And I've started to worry about getting tanned." "I see." Thinking of Togawa-san's immaculate skin, I resisted the urge to dwell on it. "Well, come on in, Sensei." The house opened its doors into darkness, inviting, as if swallowing us whole. Her gentle voice, dissolving into the night, encouraged me. "I'll come in, then." Bending to leave my shoes neatly, I caught the scent of old wood permeating throughout the house. The interior, much like the exterior view, felt aged. Perhaps it was the mats or the wall decorations that conjured that impression. It reminded me of a grandparent's home in the countryside. Togawa-san turned on the lights and opened the sliding screen right in front of the entrance. The once light green screen showed signs of yellowing in spots due to the sunlight. We passed through a dim tatami room, then slid open the lattice door into what seemed like a living room. The scent of life grew stronger here. It was quite a spacious room, with a large sofa placed with plenty of room to spare. In front of the sofa sat a TV, and upon peeking into the shelf below, I spotted an old VCR—a rare find these days. Though there was no comforter now, the kotatsu table was topped with a pen holder, nail clippers, and a twisted bag of bread rolls. Apart from the table, nothing was out of place, suggesting a well-kept home. Beside the TV, there was a frosted glass door. It might have been the back entrance since I could see the dim nightscape beyond. The property seemed quite large. "Sensei, here you go." Togawa-san prepared a cushion near the kotatsu table. "Or feel free to use the sofa." "Thank you." Having been offered the cushion, I settled on it. As I sat down, the scent of the house filled my nostrils. It was reminiscent of Togawa-san's own fragrance. "I'm going to change." Togawa-san walked through a different sliding screen, the sound of her ascending the stairs informing me her room was on the second floor. Watching her leave, I pondered. Sitting here, visiting a student's home this late at night, was indeed peculiar. While waiting, the tatami room's scent lured me. I peeked inside and noticed a piano set against a darkened corner. A piano in a tatami room was quite a refined choice. There was also an old paraffin heater—a rare sight nowadays. Along with the VCR, relics of different eras silently remained throughout the house. Kneeling before the heater, memories of visits to my grandparents' rural home emerged. They had been kind, leaving me with fond memories. They often bought me manga, and I would lay on the second floor, engrossed in them. Occasionally reuniting with those no longer here through memories is one of humanity's beauties. Lost in thoughts, I spoke with my grandparents once again. Hearing footsteps, I turned to find Togawa-san returning in her lounge wear, wearing a shirt adorned with a cute elephant illustration. The lettering beneath 'elephant' was partially faded from wear. "Sensei, did you find anything interesting?" "Not so much interesting, but nostalgic. There are many things here that remind me of my grandparents' house." "This used to be my grandpa's house. After my grandparents passed away, Mom moved in." The front entrance faced a busy street, and the sound of passing cars occasionally reached us. Back in the living room with Togawa-san, she brought over a cookie tin from the table. "Sensei, would you like a cookie?" "It's really okay; don't trouble yourself." "Let's eat. I want some too." With a delighted expression, Togawa-san opened the tin. "Okay then," I joined her. The slightly hardened cookies' sweetness permeated my body tired from work. I hadn't had dinner yet, I realized as I soothed my hunger with the snack. "Here's some tea as well." "Thank you." Roaming around, smiling brightly. Perhaps it's an odd comparison, but like a large dog affectionately warming up to you, it was endearing. Thinking she didn't usually have company at home emphasized the sentiment. Even high school students can find that the solitude of being home alone creates a void in their hearts. Has that mother ever considered, even once, how difficult it is to correct the distortions born from that? "Your mom really doesn't come home?" "Nope. Not at all." "Since when?" "Since way back." Togawa-san's voice became slightly hurried, its tone hardening. She bit into a cookie, chewing and swallowing deliberately.