Episode Four: Change and Worry ―June 2033―

“Kakei-sensei, goodbye!”

“Yes, goodbye.”

Lately, it feels like more students are greeting me. Perhaps it’s because I’ve become a form tutor, or because more students are attending study sessions. Could it be that the pupils have finally accepted me as a teacher?

“Kakei-san, your glasses are cute today too!”

“I wear the same pair every day.”

“Meaning you’re cute every day! See ya!”

It might just be them teasing me, but I’ve started noticing students, both boys and girls, approaching me more casually.

I doubt my replies are particularly clever, but I’ve never felt annoyed when students strike up conversations like this.

　If I time-travelled back and told my past self about this situation, I doubt they’d believe me. That’s how drastically my teaching life has changed over the past year.

“Ah, Kakei-san!”

The one who just called out to me was Toyama-san from Class 1-2, the class I’m homeroom teacher for. She’s also the central figure in the very relationship troubles Ogata-san is consulting me about.

“Ms Toyama, you mustn’t run in the corridor.”

“Yes, sensei! Hey, did you know two couples have already formed in our class? It’s only June – isn’t that a bit early? It feels so high school, it’s exciting!”

Talking like this, she seemed like any ordinary first-year high school student. But everyone has multiple sides. The face she shows me is surely completely different from the one she shows Ogata-san.

　If it were outright bullying, I could intervene as a teacher without hesitation. But just because Ogata-san said “being together might be tiring because we don’t click” doesn’t feel like sufficient grounds to reprimand Toyama-san.

“Um… Toyama-san, is there something troubling you?”

It was a completely out-of-the-blue question, ignoring any context. Why am I so hopeless at communicating?

“Eh? Was it obvious I’m getting anxious about not having a boyfriend?”

“…Eh? No, that’s not what I meant…”

Somehow the conversation had taken a completely unexpected turn. As I stood there flustered, unsure how to respond,

“You’re an adult, Sensei, so you must have loads of dating experience, right?! Next time, please tell me all about it~! Bye-bye~!”

　After seeing off Toyama-san, who waved and left with a smile, I let out a small sigh.

She’s bright, cheerful, and a lovely girl, I suppose… But indeed, compared to Ogata-san, it’s hard to put into words, but their vibe? Seems different, and it’s a different kind of brightness from Uehara-san’s too. Well, Uehara-san would probably manage to converse smoothly with anyone without struggling like I did just now.

　…Once again, I found myself thinking about Uehara-san without realising it. Her presence, quietly seeping into my brain without my knowing, filled me not so much with fear as with admiration. I was probably, in the truest sense, being outmanoeuvred by her.

This won’t do. There’s still a mountain of work to do. I must get back to the staff room quickly.

Walking briskly down the corridor, I was stopped again by several students calling out to me. Though mindful of the time, I also thought it a happy problem to have.

Finally back in the staff room, I began tackling the paperwork.

Lately, I’ve been working overtime constantly, all because my work is so slow. I must become more efficient, more swift.

“Sensei.”

Caught up in my work, I jumped at the voice.

　Looking up, I saw Uehara-san standing beside me, having entered the staff room unnoticed.

…Had something else happened? My memory of the previous day’s events still fresh, I found myself tensing involuntarily.

“Uehara-san, what is it?”

“Is this week’s study session still going ahead?”

Her tone and expression were entirely her usual self. I breathed a silent sigh of relief.

“Yes, of course. …Ah, is this a request to change the date because it’s difficult for you to attend?”

“Of course not. Unlike the early ones, loads of people come to the study sessions now, so I can’t be the only one being difficult. It’s not that. I was just wondering if you’re alright, sensei. You seem incredibly busy lately, and if you’re doing study sessions on top of that, I worry you might collapse.”

It seemed Uehara-san was concerned about my health.

“Thank you for your concern. But I’m fine. It would be unprofessional for a teacher to reduce study opportunities for motivated students.”

Considering the students who voluntarily attend, driven by their desire to improve their Japanese grades, I couldn’t possibly cancel this week’s study session just because of my own circumstances.

Uehara-san looked as if she wanted to say something else, but she probably judged my resolve to be firm. She let out a small sigh.

“…If you say so, Sensei. But don’t push yourself too hard, alright?”

“Yes. Understood.”

It had become an exchange where it was unclear who was the teacher. Right up until the moment she left the staff room, Uehara-san watched me with a look of concern.

“Hmm… I never would have imagined Uehara-san changing that much when she first enrolled, right?”

　Masuda-san, who had been as still as a statue beside me, remarked with evident feeling.

“Is that so? In what ways has she changed?”

My question stemmed not from the usual teacher banter about pupils, but from the simple desire to understand Uehara-san better.

Masuda-san turned towards me and began speaking slowly.

“Uehara-san, well, she’s quite a striking pupil, isn’t she? Partly because of her appearance. Yet she’s clever, so she doesn’t get into trouble, and she gets on well with her friends. At first glance, she seems the type who’s enjoying high school life… but there was always this sense of detachment about her. She kept her distance, not just from teachers, but even from her friends. …But now, her whole atmosphere has changed considerably. She’s become more… serene, I suppose.”

I couldn’t help but admire how keenly veteran teachers observe their pupils. Though perhaps it’s simply that Masuda-san is remarkable.

“That’s surprising. I only started interacting with Uehara-san when she was in her second year, but I’d always thought she was like that from the start.”

I silently apologised for lying to Masuda-san.

I had an idea what might have triggered her change. But I certainly couldn’t say something like, “Uehara-san changed after she fell for me,” in front of Masuda-san.