Episode Three: Blackmail ― September 2032 ―

Perhaps it was because I’d been on guard, sensing something was amiss. Though the shock left my mind blank, I retained enough composure to instantly assess the situation ahead.

My first concern was her position as a teacher.

Even if we were of the same sex, meeting privately during the summer holidays, at night, would surely be frowned upon.

　Anxious whether her voice would hold steady, she gathered her strength in her lower abdomen.

“You’ve got the wrong person, haven’t you? Actually, I’ve been meaning to say this for a while. I absolutely detest men who call women ‘you’.”

“There’s no way I’d mistake Meisa. If you’re going to play dumb, I’ll get my friends to confirm. Right. Better show it to a crowd, just to be sure, eh?”

　I felt an urge to dump the drink in front of me over his head. I wanted to avoid more people seeing this photo. It was infuriating that Kō was getting his way, but I had no choice but to listen.

“You were following me?”

“I just checked your location on the app. I’m not in Meisa’s group anymore, but Manami and Meisa are still connected, right? That day, I was hanging out with five people, including Manami. We were talking about inviting Meisa along… and I saw on the app that it was your shift day. I was running late, walking around the nearest convenience store area… when I happened to see you getting into Kakei’s car.”

Bloody hell. I’d been far too naive. I’d been using that location-sharing app just because all my friends were on it, but I’m deleting it today. Absolutely.

“Wait, so after we split up, you thought I might still be around and tried to come to my part-time job? Stop it. Creepy.”

“The Meisa I know is smart. You’re rattling off all these complaints about me like this because you want to divert my attention away from Kakei, right? Am I wrong?”

I bite my lip in frustration. Why does this guy always see through my words and actions?

“It’s nothing. She just happened to come to the part-time job for a meal, and Kakei-sensei gave me a lift home in her car.”

“How many people do you reckon will believe that? Rumours tend to get embellished and spread in all sorts of amusing ways, don’t they?”

“They won’t spread unless you say anything.”

“In this situation, do you really think I’d just take your word for it?”

“…You’re the worst. You voyeuristic bastard.”

Kō took a deep breath. His expression seemed resolved.

“If you don’t want our relationship with Kakei exposed, get back together with me.”

I understood what he meant by “a fair fight” earlier. If this didn’t work, he was prepared to resort to underhanded tactics.

My already low regard for Wataru plummeted to rock bottom, reaching the realm of utter disillusionment. Simultaneously, the teacher’s face flashed through my mind.

　It would be easy to hurl abuse and vent my fury at Wataru. If I could, I’d slap him right now, letting him know instinctively just how despicable he was being.

But I couldn’t risk throwing away this chance to negotiate and jeopardising the teacher’s position.

“…What are you on about? Was Wataru ever that sort of person?”

　I tried to sound calm as I attempted to reason with him, but the thorns of my anger remained impossible to hide. Even so, Kō showed no sign of anger towards me, nor did he make any sarcastic remarks. He was strangely composed.

“Meisa, you’ve never truly liked anyone, have you?”

I flinched, my words catching in my throat. How had he noticed this secret I’d tried so hard to hide?

　Was it because I never once said “I like you” when we were dating? Because I often made excuses to avoid holding hands? Because I unconsciously made a face like I disliked it when we kissed?

Kō was looking at me with eyes that seemed almost sad. Those eyes made me feel guilty. …I was made to realise I had done something terribly cruel.

“…Everyone has their own definition of ‘liking’ someone, don’t they? Me and Wataru just express our affection differently, that’s all.”

Wataru snorted at me, dodging the question without denying or confirming anything.

“That’s why you wouldn’t understand, Meisa. That feeling of wanting to make the person you like your own, even if it means being despised or losing something.”

“…That’s just you trying to justify your own cowardly behaviour, isn’t it?”

“Say what you like. So? What are you going to do? Get back together with me? Or…”

I faltered before Kō, who showed absolutely no sign of backing down. Faced with someone who possessed the resolve to expose their own ugly parts to others, yet made no effort to hide their ruthless cunning, I found myself utterly powerless.

　The frustration of being given choices while she held all the power.

I don’t want to. I absolutely refuse to be in a relationship with Wataru again.

Just imagining a future spent sharing time with this sort, our bodies entwined, weaving lies with words I don’t mean, makes me feel sick.

　—But… I hate the idea of putting the teacher in a bad position even more.

The teacher and I haven’t done anything improper, nothing to feel guilty about.

The teacher probably sees me as just another student, and has never once done anything to hurt my dignity with words or actions.

Even so, rumours can’t be stopped by anyone.

　Just as people who judge by appearances refuse to see what lies beneath, it’s easy to imagine how rumours, steeped in curiosity and malice, will spread. Rumours that dismiss both my teacher’s and my character outright, finding amusement in the mere fact that we’re an adult and a child, a teacher and a student, two women.

　The teacher who aspired to be like Hisako-san, who became a teacher despite being told she wasn’t suited for it, the teacher who always worked so hard to make her lessons easy to understand – she might be forced to leave the school because of these groundless rumours about me.

That, at least, I must prevent at all costs.

“…Kō. Did you… tell anyone about me and the teacher?”

“Not yet… I haven’t told anyone.”

It seemed I never had a choice in the first place. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

It’s alright. I don’t feel like I’m sacrificing anything. We’re just going back to how things were before the extra lessons. That’s all.

“…Alright. Shall we get back together?”

The words I forced out, having made up my mind, sounded painful even to my own ears.

“I’m glad. I believed you’d say that, Meisa. …Give me your hand.”

Reluctantly, I held out the right hand resting on my lap towards Wataru. His large hand, wearing that gentle boyfriend expression, took it.

And yet, his eyes burned with jealousy as she uttered the words I’d expected.

“You know I’m pretty jealous, right? So promise me one thing?　Don’t meet Kakei alone. Don’t talk more than necessary. …You can do that, can’t you, Meisa?”

“…Yeah, I understand.”

It didn’t matter anymore. Feeling utterly resigned, I looked away, uncomfortable under Wataru’s gaze as she desperately tried to read my expression.

“I won’t let this chance slip away. I’ll make you show your feelings for me.”

　Even though he knew I was feeling awful, that I was so miserable I could burst into tears, the reason Kō was doing this was because he was in love with me.

Falling for someone really is frightening.

It possesses an unimaginable power that disregards morality, capable of transforming even the kindest person into this.

—Hey, Sensei. I really can’t… fall for someone.