Episode Two: Views on Love ―February 2033―
Uehara-san took out her smartphone.
“It’s Palm calling. I’ll step outside for a moment.”
“Phone calls within the school grounds are prohibited unless in designated areas, you know.”
Before I could finish my warning, Uehara-san had already left the classroom and pressed the call button. …Palm was where Uehara-san worked part-time, so I decided to turn a blind eye.
I inevitably found myself alone with Sasaki-san. She probably thought I was a dull, uninteresting teacher, so she wouldn’t approach me.
“Hey, do you have any bittersweet Valentine’s memories, Kakei-san?”
I’d expected that, but contrary to my prediction, she brought up a rather frank topic.
“No, I don’t.”
“You’re lying. Or rather, you wouldn’t tell a student, would you?”
I meant my answer to be truthful, but Sasaki-san seemed to think I was evading her. …Is it really that unbelievable for a twenty-four-year-old to have lived a life completely untouched by Valentine’s Day?
There was something I’d wanted to ask Sasaki-san for a long time – someone whose way of life was probably the polar opposite of mine, even more so than Uehara-san’s. Perhaps now was my best chance.
I moistened my dry, tense lips and took a breath.
“…Um, Sasaki-san… what do you think about Uehara-san liking me?”
From what I’d heard, Sasaki-san, whom Uehara-san confided in, was completely attracted to men. So what did she really think about her best friend liking someone of the same sex?
If she just couldn’t tell Uehara-san, but secretly thought it was better to stop, I wanted her to be honest. For Uehara-san, who trusted Sasaki-san, being distanced afterwards would surely leave a deep wound in her heart.
“Eh? It’s fine, isn’t it? I mean, it’s the Reiwa era now. Isn’t it old-fashioned to think you can only fall in love with someone of the opposite sex?”
I’d expected the atmosphere to become a bit more tense, so I was taken aback by Sasaki-san’s utterly matter-of-fact reply.
“Old-fashioned, is it…”
It seemed Sasaki-san’s sensibilities were utterly different from mine.
“I find that concept rather difficult to grasp…”
“Kakei-sensei, you’re so rigid! When you fall for someone, do you start a relationship only after thinking it through with your head?”
This child’s view of romance was eye-opening to me.
I feared delving deeper might lead to her probing my own romantic life, yet my curiosity compelled me to ask.
“That’s a remarkably open perspective. Was there a particular catalyst that led you to this way of thinking, Sasaki-san?”
“Yeah. Well, you see, my uncle is gay. My dad really dislikes it, but my uncle just casually talks about his boyfriend in front of the family.”
Even though it wasn’t about me, my heart gave a loud thump.
Recognising the existence of someone in a relationship with someone of the same sex suddenly made my own romance feel real, and my pulse quickened.
“…I see. From the sound of it, do you feel anything particularly special towards your uncle, Sasaki-san…?”
“Not at all. We just talk about each other’s boyfriends normally. Well, this is just my opinion, but I think love is the same whether the person is a man or a woman. I mean, the things Uncle talks about – what he likes about his boyfriend, the arguments they have – it’s exactly the same as what Sōma-kun and I talk about.”
Recalling the conversation, Sasaki chuckled softly.
To fall for someone of the opposite sex ‘normally’, to date someone her own age, from my perspective, Sasaki-san was someone I could barely look at directly, depending on my state of mind, such was the envy and dazzling brilliance she radiated.
And yet, she had just said my love was ‘no different from normal’. For a woman as troubled as me, that was reason enough to panic, and feel just a little bit elated.
“…Nothing different, you say…”
“Yeah. So, personally, I kind of wish Kakei-san would reciprocate Meisa’s feelings, you know? Ah, but I’m not forcing you or anything, alright? If she thinks she just can’t do it because she’s a woman, that’s her choice! Meisa and I both understand that’s just how it is.”
—Ah, right. Both Sasaki-san and Uehara-san assume my romantic interest is male.
Unlike Uehara-san, I haven’t been completely open about my romantic life.
Compared to them, who speak so candidly about their feelings, I haven’t shared anything. …It feels like I’m deceiving them, and guilt wells up inside me.
“I often talk to Uehara-san about this, but the reason I can’t reciprocate her feelings is because we’re teacher and student. Being the same sex isn’t the reason.”
“Eh? So you mean it’ll be fine once Meisa graduates?”
Sasaki-san tilted her head slightly. …Damn. My fears were confirmed. Had I let my guilt slip too much?
“P-Please don’t jump to conclusions so easily. But, well, as a teacher, I do want to be an adult without prejudice towards LGBTQ+ people.”
“As a teacher? Isn’t that unrelated to your profession and being free of prejudice?”
Faced with Sasaki-san’s perfectly reasonable question, I couldn’t find a good reply. Was it an unconscious remark, or a deliberate probe? What did Sasaki-san think of me trying to dodge it?
Just as Sasaki-san, grinning, opened her mouth to speak,
“I’m home! Hey, listen! One of my part-time mates’s got the flu, so I’ve got to cover for them on Sunday.”
Uehara-san returned to the classroom, making no effort to hide her displeasure. I silently thanked her from the bottom of my heart for arriving at such a perfect moment.
Then, the three of us chatted about trivial things, and just as we were about to leave the classroom… the bombshell dropped.
“Hey, Meisa. I think I might be starting to fancy Kakei-san too ♡”
“Huh⁉” “Eh?”
Uehara-san and I voiced our surprise simultaneously.
With a mischievous grin revealing her white teeth, as if her prank had succeeded, and a knowing glance in her eyes, Sasaki-san said, “Right then, see you both later,” and vanished lightly.
“…I was worried when she looked so down at first, but it seems Sasaki-san has perked up again. That’s good news.”
I couldn’t tell exactly when Sasaki-san had cheered up.
I could guess she’d interpreted my lack of prejudice towards her uncle or Uehara-san as meaning I was someone she liked as a person, or perhaps as an adult… but I sensed teasing in her choice of words.
Teasing intended to deliberately confuse Uehara-san.
…Look, Uehara-san is eyeing me suspiciously.
“Sensei, what were you doing with Suzuka while I was out answering that call⁉”
“I see. So that’s what they mean by ‘unwarranted misunderstanding’.”
“Didn’t you just dodge that? The usual Sensei would deny it instantly!”
“You’re just being overly suspicious, Uehara-san. Come now, let’s head back. The heating in the school building will be turning off soon.”
Whether it was performance or because Uehara-san genuinely didn’t believe Sasaki-san and I had done anything, the matter was quickly dropped.
Still, even though we were still on school grounds, the distance between us as we walked side by side felt closer than usual, forcing me to feel tense in more ways than one.