Episode Three: You Reap What You Sow — October 2032 —

“Love changes people, don’t you think, Sensei?”

“That sounds like something straight out of a dime novel. I’d rather not believe it.”

But having witnessed that very moment when someone actually changed, I realise I can’t dismiss it entirely.

“Sensei, shall we go on a date this weekend? Can I come to your place?”

　The initiative and cunning of a girl in love… it never ceases to amaze me.

“No. Meeting students privately is forbidden.”

“Well, as long as no one finds out. You’re so serious. …Then…”

Uehara-san grinned and looked up at me with her eyes half-closed.

“Teacher, teach me something ♡”

“…If it’s within the school, then yes. Separate from our usual study sessions?”

　Uehara-san knows that as long as I’m a teacher, I can’t refuse when asked to “teach me something.” She even exploits the very reason I usually turn her down, “because you’re a student”, which is rather impressive.

After agreeing to study together after school on Tuesday, Uehara-san sighed discontentedly.

“I don’t get to see you much, so I keep looking for excuses to meet up.”

“I teach Language and Culture, so isn’t that enough?”

“That’s only fifty minutes three times a week, right? It’s not enough. I want you to be my form tutor!”

In my second year as a teacher, I hadn’t yet experienced being a form tutor.

I felt I lacked too much – a sense of responsibility, leadership skills – but being asked to be her form tutor made me happy.

“Thank you. But Uehara-san, you’ll be in Year 13 next year, so it’s unlikely that a junior like me would be your form tutor.”

“Eh? Really?　Oh dear, if only I were a year or two younger… Oh, sorry. Forget I said anything!”

Uehara-san, lamenting the age gap, hastily retracted her words.

“I used to worry about the age difference between us, but I’ve decided it doesn’t matter now. What you said before made me really happy.”

“Eh? What did I say?”

“You don’t remember? Well…”

As if retrieving a precious treasure chest from her heart, Uehara-san spoke slowly, savouring each word.

“When I said I wished we were classmates, you replied, ‘I think our current relationship is just fine.’ You said, ‘It’s precisely because I’m your teacher that I’ve been able to learn so much about you.’”

…I remembered. I definitely recall saying something like that to Uehara-san before.

The age gap between Uehara-san and me is seven years.

I consider it a significant divide, with different cultures and values we’ve been exposed to. Yet, even if we’d met at the same age, I doubt we’d have become this close, nor would she have opened up to me like this.

　Yet I never imagined that what was merely an everyday remark to me would become words she wanted to cherish.

“That’s right. I was surprised you ever worried about the age gap.”

Uehara-san completely disregarded the age difference, gender, or our positions, always expressing her feelings for me directly.

“Teacher, what do you take me for? Of course I agonised over it – it was my first love. I have my sensitive moments, you know.”

“I’m sorry, that was an insensitive thing to say.”

I apologised sincerely to Uehara-san, who was puffing out her cheeks.

“Always treat seventeen-year-old boys and girls as if they’re all sensitive,” was something Hisako Hishako-san often told us. Being a teacher is rewarding, but it really is a difficult job, I realise.

“You know what? I’m always being swayed by your words, you know?”

“…Is that so?”

“So, teacher. All this trouble you’re having with me pressing you like this? You’ve brought this on yourself, you know ♡”

She grinned as she said this, her face still childishly innocent for her age.

“…Using the phrase ‘you’ve brought this on yourself’ makes it sound like I’ve done something wrong.”

“Eh? So you think it’s a good thing, then?”

“No. It’s just… I don’t want to think of your feelings, Uehara-san, as something bad.”

“Somehow, even though it’s the same phrase, the nuance is completely different, isn’t it?”

“Japanese… no, the Japanese language is fascinating. I’d be delighted if you developed a greater interest in it too, Uehara-san.”

As a Japanese teacher, my greatest wish is for students to develop an interest in studying Japanese, classical Japanese, Chinese classics, and such subjects.

Perhaps my reply didn’t quite satisfy her, for Uehara-san propped her cheek on her hand and let out a small sigh.