"What do you mean by that, Sensei?"
While Mamiko was angrily facing me, I looked at Wada-Sensei out of the corner of my eye and asked her this.
"There's nothing else to it. On Sunday, accompany me somewhere."
"No, I mean, we have a student teacher relationship… meeting on a non-school day is a little…"
"T-that's right Sensei. It's weird!"
After my reply, Mamiko follows with her own.
"Ah, my bad. I put it in a bad way. I don't mean for you to go out with me somewhere."
The teacher answered in a blank tone. So, she when she says, "accompany", she doesn't mean to go on a date with her or something like that? Eh, did I misunderstand because I'm unused to this type of thing?
"Then, what do you mean!?"
As I was thinking it over, Mamiko raised her voice.
"It isn't anything big. It's just that Sunday, I would like Setsu to come with me to a school information session targeted towards middle school students."
"A school information session?"
"Ah, it was one organized jointly with some of the high schools in the area. The student that was supposed to represent our school there hurt their leg, so I was thinking of having Setsu go instead."
"Does that mean I will be speaking on a stage?"
"Yeah. Based off of previous years, there should be about two hundred students and their parents coming."
"No, I can't. I can't do that. I don't want to do it."
When I heard that there would be over 200 people, I got nervous and rejected it. There's no way I can do a speech in front of that many people. I would most likely be super nervous, and I definitely don't want to do it. Besides, I already didn't want to come today, how would I be able to stand doing that on Sunday. The teacher responded to my rejection with amazement.
"You… there's no need to reject it so forcefully."
"I hate it after all. Besides, it doesn't have to be me. I'm sure there are a lot of other people who could do it."
"No, asking another person would be pretty bothersome. Please, won't you do it?"
"I don't want to."
The teacher made a serious face as she asked me one more time. Unfortunately for her, my feelings did not change. I will not let my valuable Sunday be stolen for such a thing. Then, Mamiko interjected into the conversation between the teacher and me.
"Yoshiki-kun already says he doesn't want to do it so please stop it!"
"Yoshiki-kun… Aah, you mean Setsu."
The teacher muttered to herself as she thought for a bit, then focused on Mamiko and me.
"By the way, I've been curious for a while now, but what relationship do the two of you have? Perhaps you two are dating?"
"Eh… Nonono, we are not da—"
"We are dating!!"
"Eh."
Since I didn't like people knowing about it, I was about to reject the teacher's words, but in that moment, Mamiko cut in with a loud voice of her own.
"We are a couple that is completely in love with each other. Please do not get in between us!"
"…Kii, you're completely different from your usual character…"
The teacher was amazed again as she said that. Well, Mamiko is usually someone who is kind to everyone, and a smart model student after all. With Mamiko like this, I couldn't think of a teacher who wouldn't say anything.
"Still, Setsu and Kii… you guys really don't match up very well."
Yeah, I understand that. I already understand that Mamiko and I don't really match. I already understand, so please don't put it so directly, it really hurts. As I was wallowing in my own thoughts, for some reason, Mamiko glared at the teacher with a regretful expression.
"I get it already. The fact that Yoshikun-kun and I don't match. How could I match with such a cool person like him? However, both of us mutually like each other!"
No, that's wrong…
The teacher probably means the exact opposite. I retorted like that in my mind, but the fact that Mamiko would say that about me made me really happy.
"Aah, is that so. I get it I get it. Then, Setsu, is Sunday alright?"
The teacher was probably tired of speaking with Mamiko, so she once again faced me.
"No, as I was saying, I can't."
"Why can't you?"
"Going out to do this on a holiday, I don't like that."
"Well, that's what I'll also be doing so it's even right?"
"No, it isn't completely even. There aren't any benefits for me. Sensei will get paid, but I won't get anything for it."
When I said that, as expected, there was nothing the teacher could say. Then, after a little bit of thinking, she spoke up again.
"Then, as long as you get something in return, it will be fine?"
"Well, I guess so. However, if you can't satisfy me, it's still a no."
I say that, but I intend to reject it no matter what she says. Well, if it's something big I'll still think about it.
"I see. Let's see then, how about a kiss?"
"What?"
"Whaaat!?"
Mamiko reacted even more dramatically to the teacher's words. She was flustered with her face completely red.
"Ki-kikiki-kiss!? I-I can't do that, never!! B-besides, isn't that a crime!?"
"It's a joke, just a joke. Don't get so serious, Kii,"
"Please stop it, Sensei. Mamiko would never end up taking a joke like that."
"Fuun~, that just makes me want to play with you guys more."
"Please stop it? I'm pretty serious about this."
Someone is going to lose their temper she keeps joking some more. After all, I'm already being glared at from the side. She's probably frustrated that I'm talking to the teacher normally even after saying something like that. I'll most likely be scolded during lunch today. Before that, I need to somehow make her happier.
"Are we done now? We were going to have lunch together now."
"No, wait. The talk about this information hasn't ended."
"I'm not going to go."
"So stubborn…"
I change my attitude towards the teacher in order to show my impatience. Then, as if she had a flash of inspiration, the teacher opened her eyes wide.
"Setsu, if you get some sort of benefit, then you will accept it right?"
"I guess…"
However, there isn't anything that will convince me to do it.
"Then, I'll keep the relationship between the two of you quiet. So, do it."
"…"
So it came down to this…
"And, if I don't?"
"Once summer break is over, you'll probably be getting murderous gazes from all the students at school."
"…"
You might have forgotten, but Mamiko is probably the most popular girl at school.
People are super wary of things happening to her, and there are also a lot of people who like Mamiko. The fact that Mamiko has a boyfriend would probably make people jealous enough to kill him. This teacher holds on to whether or not that will happen to me or not.
Up until now, the interactions between Mamiko and me at school has only been eating lunch on top of the school roof, so there isn't too many rumors going around. However, if the teacher lets it out, it'll be the end of me.
"Well, what are you going to do?"
The teacher asked me that with a fearless smile. I didn't have a choice anymore.
───
"As such, I won't be able to work on Sunday. I'm really sorry about that."
"Ah, I see. It's fine, don't worry about it. It's an information session right? Good luck."
"Yes, I'll do my best. Thank you."
"No problem~"
As far as I can tell, Setsu-kun seemed very apologetic over the phone. It's just taking a break from one day of work, there's no need to worry about it that much. Still, Sunday…
Who else can I ask to come in? Echizen-chan… Ah, speaking of Echizen-chan, she also said she was going to a school information session that day.
Maybe the two of them, Echizen-chan and Setsu-kun, are going to the same one.