Outside the infirmary of Millennium Science School.
I gently closed the door to avoid disturbing the patients who were still resting, then let out a long breath.
With Toki leading the way, I rushed the unconscious Sumire here as fast as possible. After examination, it turned out to be nothing more than dehydration caused by excessive exercise. She only needed to replenish sugar, electrolytes, and water, then rest for a while. There was nothing serious.
During that time, Sumire woke up once and expressed her apologies and gratitude to me, who was sitting by her hospital bed, and to Toki, who was standing behind me.
I also got this athletic beauty added as a Momotalk friend, although I felt absolutely no joy at achieving it in this manner.
This incident delayed us quite a bit, but fortunately, the family restaurant should still be open.
Thinking of this, I could not help but cast a somewhat complicated glance at the girl quietly standing beside me, dressed plainly yet unable to conceal her natural beauty.
"Sensei, did I do something wrong?"
Toki seemed a little confused.
"No, it is nothing. It is my problem."
I tugged at the corner of my mouth and gave her the gentlest smile I could manage, while inwardly lamenting...
Although I had suspected it for a while, had my charm really grown so strong that it could make a girl care more about a promise with me than about what was universally acknowledged as the right thing?
Toki's feelings toward me were truly a bit heavy.
Thankfully, I could handle it. Even if there were a few more 'unique' stuff like this, I could still handle it.
"Sorry for keeping you with me for so long. Next, shall we continue as we agreed before and go to the family restaurant? As an apology, I will treat."
"Okay, I understand."
Walking side by side with Toki toward the station, we did not speak a word.
I secretly glanced at her refined profile, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, like a doll.
This must be what people call kuudere, right?
Among the students I was familiar with, the one most similar to Toki was probably Shiroko.
However, although both were expressionless, taciturn, and cool in demeanor, Shiroko's inner self was passionate, something she had already proven to me through her actions.
I wondered whether Toki might also have such a contrast.
Suddenly, the girl's deep blue eyes shifted, casting a puzzled glance at me. Then her entire face turned toward me, and those plain, thick, round-framed glasses once again covered Toki's sky-clear, beautiful eyes.
"Sensei, what is it?"
With genuine feeling, I said, "I just think your eyes are very beautiful, Toki. It is such a shame to cover them with those glasses."
"Is that so? Sorry, I do not really understand these things," Toki said calmly. "Since Sensei says so, perhaps I should change them. But since this is to satisfy Sensei's preferences, could I ask you to take the appropriate responsibility and accompany me to the mall to choose them together?"
The truth was already obvious. Toki had to be secretly in love with me, otherwise how could she use such ambiguous wording when speaking to me?
I was more than happy with such a development. Let alone accompanying her to the mall, even if I had to shoulder more responsibility, it would not be a problem.
So I readily agreed. "Sure, no problem."
"Then please exchange schedules with me first."
Very quickly, Toki and I roughly settled the timing of the date… no, the commission.
From this point on, it seemed as if Toki had opened the floodgates, starting to chat with me about everyday trivialities.
Complaints about heavy coursework, amusing stories between close classmates, and difficulties encountered in daily life.
Unlike her cold impression, Toki's narration was gripping, logically sound, and steadily layered. It could truly be called brilliant.
And among all that, the part Toki described most vividly and interestingly was—
"Your roommate is really a troublesome person."
Listening to Toki's account, I sighed sincerely.
After boarding the bus, Toki became even more animated, even taking the initiative to introduce new topics.
About one of her roommates.
At first, she only mentioned that the roommate was difficult to get along with. Now she had started listing all sorts of the other person's bad habits.
Although it was gossiping behind someone's back, perhaps because Toki was such a good storyteller, and because it was merely venting without malice, I listened with great interest.
Toki gave me an approving look and shook her head with a sigh. "That is exactly it. Clearly a girl, yet she knows nothing about housework at all, her ability to take care of herself is basically zero. If I did not persistently help her clean every day, like taking care of an immature younger sister, her room would turn into an abandoned demolition site after a rainstorm in less than three days."
I imagined the scene Toki described for a moment. Even allowing for some exaggeration, it still conveyed just how tragic her roommate's femininity truly was.
Toki continued complaining. "Sometimes, even I wonder what kind of miserable environment she lived in before meeting me."
I nodded in agreement. "Being able to meet you can be said to be the luck of her entire life."
Hearing this, Toki proudly lifted her slender neck and said as a matter of course, "That is right, because I am the perfect… roommate."
I lightly applauded. "Impressive, impressive."
"Thank you for the praise. It is also fine to praise me more."
I went along with it, increasing the intensity. "So tolerant, so kind-hearted, with such high femininity, even able to take good care of your roommate along with yourself. Toki, you are really amazing!"
Perhaps Toki truly felt very pleased inside, to the point that the corners of her mouth lifted by an extremely subtle arc. That alone was already great encouragement for me.
I really wanted to make this beautiful girl show more beautiful expressions.
Before I realized it, the unmanned bus had already arrived at the stop closest to the family restaurant. Toki and I got off, continuing our cheerful conversation, and before long, we were enjoying a satisfying, affordable meal inside the family restaurant.
Truly worthy of being a restaurant recommended by the cold calculating envoy. I felt that Yuuka had quite a sense of presence in this meal.
Because it was already rather late, by the time we finished dinner, it was nearly curfew for the Millennium dormitories.
So Toki and I said goodbye at the entrance of the restaurant, and I returned to Schale alone.
Ending a busy day and successfully returning home, I lay in a bathtub filled with hot water, feeling the fatigue throughout my body ease away.
Wrapped entirely in warmth, my mind also seemed to relax completely. At times like this, I should do something even more pleasing.
Then, I picked up the phone placed beside me and tapped on the avatar of a new friend added these past two days.
Me: "Rio, are you busy?"
About a minute later, I received a reply.
Rio: "I am handling school administrative matters. Sensei, is something the matter?"
Me: "It is nothing important, just about what happened this evening. Since you are busy, let us talk about it in detail later."
Rio: "...Please do not worry. I would not care about the harsh words of an immature junior. I have long been used to being disliked by others, probably because I am a strange person. But I will not be shaken by such things."
Before I could even finish typing, she had already realized what I was referring to, put down her work, and sent such a long message, and still claimed she did not care?
And Rio, you really were eavesdropping?!
Rio: "So please rest assured. I will not bear a grudge against the Game Development Department over such trivial matters."
Rio: "What I care about is only the final result."
Rio: "As long as you urge them to complete the conditions I have given, I will rescind the disbandment order."
To be fair, she really seemed to care about being disliked, to the point that it seemed she had not even listened to the rest of our earlier conversation.
Me: "You misunderstood, Rio."
Me: "I just wanted to say that the children of the Game Development Department have already made up their minds and will give it their all."
Rio: "Oh, that is for the best."
Rio: "If there is nothing else, please excuse me for returning to work."
Me: "There is indeed one more thing."
Me: "I will not hate Rio."
Rio: "...What?"
Me: "I do not know what others think, but from my own perspective, I can feel that Rio is a gentle, good child."
Rio: "Please do not joke like that."
Rio: "I have a fairly accurate understanding of how my way of doing things is evaluated in the eyes of others."
Me: "How should I put it."
Me: "Rio, could it be that you think I am lying?"
Me: "Haha, when facing Millennium's BIG SISTER, I would not be foolish enough to lie, after all, the risk of being exposed is very high."
Me: "So I am serious."
Rio: "..."
Rio: "Why?"
Me: "Back then, Rio did not lie either, right?"
Me: "Toward the Game Development Department, you already showed the maximum degree of leniency. I believe this is a reflection of your kindness."
Me: "Even if many people cannot understand it, I am probably one of the very few who can, right?"
Rio: "..."
Rio: "There is no… such thing..."
What is with this person, why is she suddenly acting tsundere?
Me: "Then let us put this aside for now."
Me: "Even if it is my misunderstanding, and Rio really is the cold, unapproachable person described in rumors."
Me: "You are still my important student."
After that, there was a long silence.
Only several minutes later did Rio send another message.
Rio: "Do not joke around."
Rio: "You can say such pretty words now only because this time, the one being targeted was not you."
Rio: "If one day, I truly stand directly opposed to you, you would definitely hate me."
Me: "If that day really comes, it would only be because Rio is following the justice in her heart, right?"
Me: "Hmm… indeed, I cannot rule out that such a possibility might occur."
Rio: "It is good that you understand."
Me: "Then when that time comes, I will do my best."
Rio: "What?"
Me: "Do my best to understand you, or do my best to be understood by you."
Me: "If I cannot do either, I will only hate my own dereliction of duty."
Me: "This is my promise."
Me: "Of course, this will not be a lie either."
Rio: "..."
Rio: "Back to work."
Me: "Mm, go ahead."
Very good, that was a pleasant conversation.
As I was about to put down my phone after casually raising Rio's affection level, the phone vibrated again.
Switching windows, the corner of my mouth twitched.
Hanae: "Sensei? Are you busy?"
Me: "I am bathing, it is not convenient to chat right now."
Hanae: "Ah, sorry for disturbing you."
Perhaps Hanae would still need a long time to understand that bathing has never constituted a reason for not wanting to chat.
I put the phone aside and closed my eyes in contentment.