Though it was only late May and not yet noon, the blazing sun had already begun to unleash its full intensity.
Waves of heat permeated the air, sweeping across the entire campus.
Even the shaded corridors became unbearably stuffy due to the occasional gusts of hot wind blowing in through the windows.
Thanks to his constitution, Sasaki appeared completely unfazed.
But the guy, standing next to him, Nemoto Kyousuke, was suffering terribly.
Panting like a pug that had just fallen into a pool of water, he kept wiping sweat from his forehead as he struck up a conversation:
"Aren't you hot, Sasaki?"
Sasaki wasn't a racist guy, who judged people by their appearance.
He made friends without caring about their appearance, whether tall, short, fat, or thin.
So… even if he wasn't enthusiastic about a classmate speaking to him for the first time, he shouldn't have disliked them.
Yet, for some reason, the moment he saw this guy, he felt an inexplicable aversion toward him.
It was the same feeling he had when facing Kitou Masami… and that made Sasaki pay attention.
When he was hospitalized, he didn't liked Kamisaka Kyousuke, who came to visit him.
At the time, he didn't know why… but after the incident with Kitou Masami, Sasaki began to take his intuition more seriously.
After the Kitou incident, he had even contacted Himemiya Akane to ask about Kamisaka Kyousuke, only to learn that he had left the hospital and gone abroad for work, never to be heard from again.
Now, another person had appeared who gave him that same sense of aversion.
Of course, Sasaki would be wary of him.
Suppressing the urge to ignore him, he forced a smile and replied cheerfully:
"It's alright… The weather is just too hot. Want to walk closer to the wall, Nemoto?"
It wouldn't help.
They were heading to the Student Guidance Office—it wasn't like they could hug the wall the whole way…
Shaking his head, Nemoto responded:
"Nah, I'll just tough it out for a bit."
Glancing at Hyoudou Tomoe, who was walking ahead of them, the man swallowed hard and asked Sasaki:
"Do you know why Hyoudou-sensei called you, Sasaki?"
Blinking, Sasaki replied uncertainly:
"Probably about grades? I did pretty well on the last English test, so she might say something like 'keep it up'? Since midterms are coming up in a few days."
If it was just that, it shouldn't take too long.
Feeling somewhat reassured, Nemoto chatted casually with him for a bit before suddenly saying:
"I can't take it anymore—I'm gonna go wash my face downstairs to cool off. Can you let Hyoudou-sensei know for me, Sasaki?"
:Is he trying to get rid of me? Or is he really feeling too hot?'
His smile was so narrow-eyed that Sasaki couldn't read his intentions through his expression.
But knowing he was no good and that he had his sights set on Hyoudou Tomoe, he decided to keep a close eye on him.
However, his internal thoughts didn't affect his outwardly friendly demeanor as Sasaki nodded and agreed.
"No problem. I'll let her know when she asks. But don't take too long, after all, Hyoudou-sensei isn't as easygoing as other teachers."
"Got it, got it~ Thanks, Sasaki."
Waving his hand, Nemoto quickly walked down the stairs.
Not long after he left, Hyoudou Tomoe, who had been walking far ahead of them, suddenly turned around.
No wonder that disgusting gaze had vanished—Nemoto had slipped away.
The click-clack of her low heels echoed as she walked back toward Sasaki, arms crossed over her teaching materials.
"..."
Just as she was about to speak, the act of having to tilt her head back to see his face made Hyoudou Tomoe unconsciously sigh inwardly.
So tall.
She wasn't exactly petite, but neither could she be considered tall.
Of average female height, Hyoudou Tomoe had to look up at Sasaki, who stood just a finger's breadth shorter than the doorframe.
Enveloped by his towering figure—whether due to the sweltering weather or something else, she found her legs inexplicably weak and her chest strangely tight... Compounded by the fact that she'd been dreaming about him every night recently...
As inappropriate fantasies began creeping into her mind as Hyoudou inwardly scolded herself while subtly taking a step back.
After that, she raised her head with forced composure, and asked:
"Ahem~ Where's Nemoto?"
Well..looking at the flushed beauty in front of him, Sasaki really wanted to say, "Sensei, your face is so red~"
But their relationship wasn't close enough for such remarks, so he replied dutifully.
"He said it was too hot and went to wash his face."
A perfectly normal explanation.
Hyoudou nodded in acknowledgment before turning away to continue toward the Student Guidance Office at the end of the hallway.
This time, she didn't walk as far ahead, leaving only a short distance between them.
With no other students passing by, Sasaki's gaze naturally settled on her retreating figure.
Her hair was pinned up, and from behind, his sharp eyes could clearly make out a few rebellious strands curling against her pale nape where they escaped her collar.
The way she hugged the teaching materials to her chest as she walked made her shoulders appear especially delicate from behind, while the smooth curves framing her spine accentuated the slenderness of her waist.
The flared cut of her blazer and pencil skirt emphasized the sway of her hips with each step, the supple curve of her black-stockinged legs moving like a hook that could ensnare any admiring gaze.
Though he had no intention of wasting time on her, given her aversion to men, if Nemoto Kyousuke were willing to play wingman... well, he wouldn't say no.
Like a collector with an insatiable appetite... who could ever have too many wives?
Well...his thoughts must have shown in his eyes, because Hyoudou, who had been walking perfectly properly, suddenly stiffened as if scalded.
Then, with a mix of flustered irritation, she whirled around to glare daggers at Sasaki.
"..."
Realizing his less-than-innocent stare had been noticed, the boy could only feign nonchalance and avert his gaze.
Seeing him no longer fixated on her skirt, Hyoudou frowned, arched her brows, and bit her lower lip, trying her best to project disgust.
But her damp, alluring eyes, flushed cheeks, and the way she pressed her thighs together while subtly smoothing her skirt betrayed anything but aversion...
If anything, her expression combined with her movements more closely resembled a lovestruck girl discovering that the boy she liked was actually a pervert who'd stolen her underwear, feeling flustered yet helpless.
Normally, when faced with such lingering gazes, Hyoudou Tomoe would mentally label the boy as someone to avoid and never interact with him again.
But... after nights of dreaming about intimate moments with Sasaki, she found herself utterly incapable of disliking him.
Instead, her heart only grew more restless...
This unfamiliar feeling left her bewildered.
Did she... really fall for him?
But why? Just because her impression of him had improved lately?
Unable to make sense of it, Hyoudou turned away with conflicted emotions, hugging her teaching materials as she continued toward the Student Guidance Office.
Click—
Taking out her keys, she unlocked the door and stepped into the sparsely furnished room.
Since the room faced away from the sun, had its windows often open, and contained little furniture, it was noticeably cooler than the hallway.
As Sasaki entered, he clearly heard Hyoudou exhale in relief.
Glancing over, he saw her undo the top button of her white blouse, revealing a glimpse of delicate, porcelain collarbone, causing him to avert his gaze.
Once she set down her materials and took a seat, Sasaki approached and sat across from her. "You wanted to see me, sensei?"
To be honest, there was no real reason.
She had called him mainly to avoid being alone with Nemoto.
Now that guy wasn't here, she had to improvise.
So, crossing her shapely, nylon-clad legs beneath the table, Hyoudou rested her elbows on the desk and asked casually. "You showed significant improvement in last week's quiz.
While we agreed I wouldn't interfere in your personal matters, I also said major exams are recorded. For this week's midterms, you can't afford to be careless."
He'd expected this.
So, Sasaki nodded obediently:
"Understood."
To stall until Nemoto arrived, Hyoudou began asking about his performance in other subjects.
Eventually, with no more questions left, silence fell between them.
Hyoudou, who disliked men, had no experience chatting with them.
Even if she wanted to ask about his personal life, she didn't know how to start.
Sasaki remained quiet, after all, prolonging the conversation would leave no room for Nemoto Kyousuke to act.
If that guy missed this opportunity, his next moves would become unpredictable.
So when the silence stretched, Sasaki spoke up. "If there's nothing else, sensei, I'll head back now."
Hyoudou didn't want him to leave but had no excuse to make him stay.
So, in the end, all she could do was nod.
"Mm."
Exiting the Student Guidance Office, Sasaki walked slowly toward the distant classroom.
Watching him leave from the corner downstairs, Nemoto Kyousuke sneaked upstairs.
After confirming Sasaki was gone, he knocked on the office door.
Knock knock~
"Come in."
Pushing the door open, Nemoto sat down with a grin: "Hyoudou-sensei."
At this time, unlike her casual demeanor with Sasaki, Hyoudou had buttoned her collar and straightened her posture to perfection after he left.
Now facing Nemoto, who filled her with revulsion, she frowned and spoke with an impatient expression on her face.
"You needed something?"
Completely unfazed by her look, the boy grinned. "Yeah, actually. I want to confess—I want to date you, sensei."
"Ha?" Hearing his words, her slender eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "Date me?"
While their school had no explicit rule against teacher-student relationships, it was rare for teachers to develop feelings for students, and even rarer for students to be bold enough to confess to one.
Yet here this guy was...
Under Hyoudou's stunned gaze, Nemoto shamelessly scanned her from head to toe, and grinned. "That's right. I love you as a woman. So, will you go out with me?"
Suddenly goosebumps prickled her skin.
Wrapping her arms around herself, she leaned back slightly as if to distance herself. "If that's all, you can leave now."
"Eh? Sensei's not interested? But I really like you."
"Hmph." Crossing her arms, she looked at the man opposite her with a scornful laugh.
"'Like' me? Do you even believe that? You're just looking for an outlet for your filthy thoughts."
Ignoring her mockery, Nemoto pulled a small, ornate box from his pocket—the kind meant for jewelry.
Before she could get a closer look, he flipped it open.
Snap.
A blinding crimson light flooded Hyoudou's vision.
Though the glare was piercing, she didn't shut her eyes.
Instead, she froze like a statue, staring blankly at the box's contents.
Reflected in her glassy eyes was a necklace, but instead of a gemstone, the pendant was a blood-red, vertical pupil the size of a marble.
Seeing her motionless, exactly as the ancient parchment described under hypnosis, Nemoto excitedly snapped the box shut.
But just as he moved to act, Hyoudou's brow slowly furrowed.
!!!
Panicking that the hypnosis had failed, he hastily reopened the box.
The red eye's glow washed over her again, and her frown smoothed away.
"..."
After testing the box's open-close effect a few times, Nemoto confirmed one thing,
The hypnosis worked, however, he also found out a problem.
It only for about five seconds.
If he got too close, the duration shortened further.
In other words... he could look, but not touch.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Frustrated, he slammed the desk, glaring at the necklace.
When he first found this thing in his family's basement, he was really happy, thinking his wildest dreams were within reach.
But now? It was just a broken, near-useless relic.
Five seconds, he couldn't even undo his pants in that time, let alone do anything else.
Damn it!
As he scratched his head for solutions, Nemoto noticed something strange, Teacher Hyoudou hadn't snapped out of it during his outburst...
So, he pulled out the crumbling parchment, and reread the fragmented text. "...For those within the necklace's line of sight... speak their name to enthrall and command..."
"Line of sight... So if I make her wear it, will she stay under forever?"
Muttering, he ordered the entranced Hyoudou. "Put on the necklace!"
Like a puppet on strings, she obeyed without hesitation, fastening it around her neck.
.
.
.