After one more round with Shio, she fell back on the bed, exhausted but with a satisfied smile on her face. She then turned her body towards me and used my chest as her pillow while her legs were clinging onto me.
For her to show me this adorable side of hers, this is probably the one that she would only show to those she was really comfortable to.
“Ruru…”
Shio called out softly. She’s still catching her breath while resting comfortably on my chest
“What is it?”
I answered her. My arms already circled around her and pulled her closer. I will leave later, so this much is fine.
“…About your future.”
Shio answered.
Ah. I know. She’s still worried about that. That impossible future.
I reached for her hair and caressed it as I corrected her.
“Our future. I want my Shio in it.”
Though I want them all to be in it, I know that’s a tall order. Maybe halfway through, some will drop out and I have no right to stop them.
“… I want to, but will you really be fine? As an adult I…”
The worry in her voice couldn’t be hidden. As an adult, she has already seen how hard it is so, she wanted to remind me again.
“I know. In your eyes, it will be impossible to realize what I want.”
I accepted that fact way before but that’s not a reason to give up
Shio looked up to me and hurriedly shook her head.
“That’s not…”
“It’s fine to think like that. You’ve already seen the world as an adult. You might think I’m naively working towards a goal that will never be realized. But Shio. My mind wouldn’t change.”
Right. She kept advising me about how hard it is to be an adult, that we will face hardships when that time comes.
“You’re stubborn like that.”
Shio released a soft sigh.
“Yes, I am… Even if it’s hard, I’ll strive for it. Ah no. We will strive for it. The girls will all help, well, those who will stay at least. I told them that they can ask to leave and there will be no problem. It’s their future so even if they’re mine right now, I don’t have any right to decide it for them.”
Well except for the others who I don’t really want to lose. Akane, Haruko, Yae.
Others will still have that choice. Maybe somewhere down the road, some will wake up to notice that my goal is unrealistic. They will have that choice if they really decide to. I won’t hold them back if they really choose to leave.
Shio nodded as she tried to understand what I’m trying to say.
“I see. The decision still lies with us.”
I lifted her head to have her look at me.
“Shio also has that choice. As much as I want you to be in it, I will respect your decision. Just tell me and…”
She put a finger on my lips to stop me from talking.
“Stop that. I didn’t say I don’t want to.”
“… Right. Well, that’s that. I might not have a solid plan for now, I’m still naive and there’s a lot of things I don’t know yet, so I’m learning.”
Am I really learning though? Haa. With all these issues I want to meddle in, it might look like I’m not learning anything. But ever since the change in me, I’m already taking in whatever it is that I see in my surroundings.
I’m not that guy who has a narrow view anymore. At each step, I now look from left to right and back before continuing.
“… Then if there’s something you want to know. Ask me.”
After a minute of silence, Shio opened her mouth. She’s probably thinking about what she could do for me.
“That I will.”
I smiled at her and even if we’ve already done it a lot of times, I kissed her to convey what I’m feeling for her.
When Shio fell asleep, I put the blanket on her and quietly moved back to our room.
Akane turned around as soon as she felt me beside her. Like always she didn’t say anything and just made herself comfortable in my arms.
Just like that, I also soon fall asleep to wait for tomorrow.
When the morning comes and we’re already prepared for the new day, Shio tries to give me a ride. I rejected her since it will definitely look suspicious if I arrive at school in her car.
Sending her off, Akane and I bid her farewell before we go on our way to the station.
“What are your plans for today, husband?”
Akane asked to break the silence as we walked towards the station.
“Ah. There’s no particular plan but I might confront Shio’s husband somewhere.”
Right. He will show up soon so…
I have to check on Nao. Shio will be at school, I can go to her easily if that guy does something reckless.
“Then you better take care. You know how many will worry if something happened to you.”
Akane reminded me as she reached for my hand.
I turned to her and gave her a reassuring smile.
“I know. Nothing will happen, we still have that dinner with your parents, right?”
“Yes. Mom even reminded me to take you with me.”
Aunt Akemi, even if she’s a former-delinquent, she’s always a worrywart.
“She’s worrying over nothing. Ah. Right. I will once again ask them for your hand.”
That’s something that should be done once more. Maybe I will go to Haruko and Yae too.
“Eh? They’ve already given it.”
“Over the phone? That’s not enough. I want to do it properly. To show them how I really want you to stay with me.”
Of course, Aunt Akemi will have complaints again. With how many girls I brought home, she probably accurately counted it from their window.
Err… I couldn’t blame her for that. She’s just concerned for her daughter after all.
Akane and I separated again from the station. Even if it’s now a habit, she was still full of reluctance whenever we parted. That part of her will never change. Just like how her love for me never changed since we’re young.
When I arrived at the classroom Nami was the first one to greet me as she came over from her seat. This girl turned back to that confident observer girl now. Even if someone will notice how close we are now, she wouldn’t be bothered by it anymore.
Err… maybe as long as it’s not Ogawa who was looking. That’s who she liked for so long, just like Satsuki but unlike her, Nami didn’t really feel love towards Ogawa. Only like.
That’s why when she started spending her time with me, she started seeing the flaws in him.
Ah. Why am I worrying over him? Nami’s already mine. And he’s not here yet anyway.
After that greeting, Nami went back to her seat, satisfied. Aya also greeted me and commented on how I look refreshed.
Err. Am I really refreshed? I stayed up late with Shio last night.
“Un. It seems some of your burdens were lifted.” ．𝚌ｏ𝚖
Aya added before she went back to her book.
Ah. She must be talking about how I let myself be relaxed last night. It might have really lifted the sense of urgency I was feeling. I keep walking around these days but after that and realizing how much they were worried about me, I already unconsciously lifted that up.
“It’s thanks to your reminder, Aya. Thank you.”
“Uhm it’s not only me who reminded you, right?”
“But still, you’re part of it.”
“Uhh. Then treat me later.”
Ah. This is probably her way to say she wanted to spend time with me.
“Alright.”
I smiled at her before bringing out Kana’s novel. Two chapters left before I finished it so I devoted the remaining time to read it properly before discussing it again with Aya.
When Shio arrived at the classroom after the bell rang, I saw her look at me and smiled bashfully before she was bombarded by questions about ‘How is she feeling now?’ or ‘What happened to her?’ by the other students.
If they knew she was with me at my bed last night, what would their reaction be?
Though it probably went unnoticed by most of them, her smile was picked up by the girls beside me. Satsuki alternatively looked between me and Shio while Aya also looked at me as if she’s trying to see what’s my reaction from that.
There’s no use hiding it from them so I nodded as confirmation to their wordless question.
Nami already noticed my connection with Shio way before so it didn’t really come as a surprise for her.
Since Shio was here, that meant her husband still hasn’t shown up. It’s too early and what I wrote there will not immediately lure him out. Maybe tomorrow? Or later? Either way, I already prepared myself for it
Finishing her class like normal, the 1st period with Shio ended without any problems on her part. It’s as if the problem she was having was left behind somewhere. Seeing her teaching like that, it also put me at ease.
The next periods after that also went by uneventfully.
And so the lunch break arrived again.
When the bell rang, I immediately went out of the room to call and check on Nao. After hearing her voice and her confirmation that Shio’s husband was not there, I went out of the School Building to see his car arriving.
“Ah. He’s here.”
Shio was probably at her room back in the Administration Building, resting. If he confronts her there, they will surely make a commotion so I have to stop him.
After messaging Nami about how I might not be able to come for our lunch, my feet took me to where he parked his car.
He’s still inside so I waited for him to get off.
Upon seeing me, his calm mood was immediately replaced with anger.
“To have the guts to show up like this. Kid. Doyou think you can threaten me with that?”
Though he hadn’t shouted, his voice couldn’t contain all his anger.
“Oh? You’ve read my letter. Then what are you still doing here?”
What I wrote there was simple. I told him to stop going here and leave Shio alone or else, his career as a teacher will be over.
I deliberately left out Nao since he still has no idea as to what’s my relationship with her. I wanted him to think like this.
That I don’t really have any evidence to support my claim.
Also, I asked Nao that if he contacted her, she has to act normal, to make him believe that she’s still his. But she should refuse if he asked to see her.
“I wouldn’t be scared of that. You don’t have any evidence.”
“Really? Do you want to try it now?”
I smiled mysteriously and that immediately irked him.
He then laughed like a crazy maniac. Fully confident that I don’t have it in me.
“Go on. Let’s see if you can still hold onto your bluff.”
I took out my phone and acted like I’m dialing someone. But then I stopped and sighed.
“Haa… Do you really want us to talk here? For him to hear what I’m about to report?”
I pointed to the person coming out of the Administration Building.
Well, I also need to get him out of this place to deal with him somewhere.
Seeing the approaching person, he clicked his tongue and went back to his car. No matter how brave he is, if someone hears what we’re talking about, it will really spell trouble for him.
That’s why after seeing I’m still standing from where I am, he lowered his car window and shouted at me.
“Get in!”
Alright. Even if I became late for the next period. I have to deal with this guy now. It won’t be simple I know. But… if he can be reasoned with to quietly move away from Shio and Nao then all is good. If not… I might not really report him, however, there are other ways to make someone be scared for their life.
Before getting in his car, I messaged Nao to be ready and told her the situation.