Kissing My Student, It's Over if We're Caught-Chapter 4Volume 1 . - Trauma: Separation

She was dressed in a yukata. Her long hair was gathered at the back of her head with a decorative hairpiece, and she wore geta sandals on her feet.

“How is it? Did I change properly?”

“…I’m surprised.”

“Yay! It was worth the effort choosing it.”

It seemed she bought it off-the-rack.

“It’s a cheap one and the pattern is plain, but I thought the atmosphere was more important.”

Blushing slightly, Kirihara twisted her body to look down at herself.

“So, apart from being surprised, any other thoughts?”

It seemed she wouldn’t let me off until I properly praised her.

“…It suits you well. You look cute.”

She smiled happily, “Nnfufu.”

Kirihara grabbed my arm and hugged it tightly.

“Travelling really is fun, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it is.”

The sound of her geta echoed pleasantly from beside me.

Glancing sideways, I noticed her slightly reddened nape. It was incredibly attractive.

“What?”

“…Nothing.”

I tried to hide my true thoughts, but Kirihara seemed to see right through me, looking very pleased.

However, as the path became a gentle downhill slope, she stumbled with a yelp.

“…Sorry. I tripped a little.”

It might have been because she wasn’t used to the geta.

“You’re not wearing glasses. Are you using contacts?”

“No, I forgot them this morning… And I don’t have any spares.”

“It’s an unfamiliar path, wouldn’t it be better to wear them?”

“Umm… Yeah, you’re right. It’d be terrible to get injured, so let’s do that.”

She seemed a bit disappointed but reluctantly agreed.

“My glasses are in the suitcase. Can you wait a moment?”

While she was opening her luggage on a nearby bench to look for her glasses, I casually glanced down the street.

Among the passing crowd, I spotted a woman who exuded presence just by walking.

She wore white pants and a short blue design shirt, revealing a glimpse of her belly.

Large ring earrings adorned her ears, and sunglasses perched on her forehead. Her confident stride in high heels made her look like a model.

When she pulled out a handkerchief from her handbag, something fell out.

“Ah… Sorry, Kirihara. I’ll be right back.”

I ran to pick up the dropped item. It was some kind of amulet.

I then chased after the woman’s retreating figure.

“Excuse me! You dropped this!”

People around me turned to look in my direction.

She also turned around.

“Huh… Ah!?”

The moment she saw the amulet in my hand, she frantically checked her bag.

“This is yours, right?”

“Yes! Thank you so much!”

It must have been something very important to her. She thanked me repeatedly, bowing her head.

From a distance, she had seemed like an intimidating beauty, but up close, there was a softness in her manner that made her even more beautiful.

…Suddenly, I noticed a familiar scent wafting my way.

Perfume.

It was a scent I recognized.

“This is…”

“How can I thank you enough?”

Finally, she looked directly at me.

In an instant, I stiffened.

The usual ambiance was different due to her makeup and hairstyle. Her clothes and accessories too.

But, there was no mistake.

Even if her usual attire was different, at such close proximity, it was difficult to mistake her identity.

“Gin, sorry to keep you waiting. …What’s going on?”

At the worst possible timing, Kirihara caught up to us.

Half-reflexively, the woman standing in front of me also turned her gaze toward Kirihara, now wearing glasses.

In an instant, the woman’s eyes widened.

“…Kirihara-san?”

It was only natural she recognized her. Kirihara’s hairstyle was the only difference.

What protected me was only a blonde wig and lightly tinted sunglasses.

There were too many distinctive features. The shape of the eyes, the shape of the nose, the contour of the face.

Just as I realized it, she must have too.

The beautiful woman standing before us. The decisive words came from Kurei-san’s mouth.

“…Hajima-sensei?”

I was aware that everything was over.

…Kirihara and I could only remain silent.

Kurei-san covered her mouth with her hand, at a loss for words.

It felt like waiting for a verdict as a criminal.

In fact, it was just that.

Spending the Obon vacation with a student.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

Could there be any other meaning?

“──Kurei-sensei, this is……”

Kurei-san, pale-faced, staggered backward.

…After shaking her head lightly, she whispered in a subdued voice.

“…Let’s talk after the Obon vacation, at school.”

With those words, Kurei-san left the scene.

Kirihara’s and my trip effectively ended there.

We weren’t in the mood anymore.

Passing by the souvenir shop we had planned to visit without entering, without buying the fans, we headed back on the train.

During the return trip, we didn’t speak a word. Couldn’t speak. Didn’t know what to say.

But Kirihara gripped my hand so tightly it hurt. I gripped back just as hard.

Two more days were left of the Obon vacation, but Kirihara said, “Sensei, it’s better if you go back home.”

“I have student council work right after the vacation. Let’s talk in the evening, with Kurei-sensei.”

…After seeing Kirihara off to her home, I returned to my own for the first time in a while.

I couldn’t bring myself to do anything. Apart from eating, I spent most of my time trembling in bed. I ignored all messages from my ex-girlfriend.

Later on, I would think, “Kirihara might have felt the same,” but at that moment, I couldn’t feel anything but the fear that my life was over.