Shuichi was left speechless as he looked at Nagase. "Didn't I tell you already? Just be casual. The more solemn you act, the more uncomfortable Ichika-san is going to feel."
"No, no, this is just the standard tea service for guests," Nagase waved her hands hurriedly. "As for Naomi-chan..."
She shot Shuichi a look as she spoke; the meaning was self-evident. Naomi had heard he was coming, which was why she was so meticulously preparing dinner.
Shuichi nodded knowingly. "True. In that case, this really doesn't have anything to do with you, Nagase-sensei. Naomi-sensei just moved here, so celebrating her housewarming is a perfectly good reason."
"Right, right, exactly," Nagase nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Ichika didn't say anything more upon hearing this, though privately she wasn't too optimistic about how today would go. Nagase was still just as excessively admiring of her as ever.
If she discovered her terrible side, she would probably have a breakdown, wouldn't she?
Although she thought this, she had no intention of stopping Shuichi from proceeding. Some things had to be faced eventually if they dragged on too long.
Maintaining her usual calm and composed demeanor, she opened the canvas bag she had brought along. She placed a vase, a bouquet of flowers, and some simple trimming tools onto the coffee table.
"This is the gift Shuichi-kun and I brought. I originally wanted to bring a completed flower arrangement as a decoration, but it wasn't very convenient to carry. So, we brought the bouquet and vase instead to arrange it here. I hope you and Naomi-sensei will like it."
"Like it? We definitely like it!" Nagase nodded furiously in pleasant surprise. This was the first formal gift Ichika had ever given her!
The last time she received something from her was back in university—a pen she had borrowed, which she still kept preserved in a generic small box with a combination lock.
Shuichi couldn't bear to watch her spineless behavior anymore; he felt that today's plan was likely doomed.
He had underestimated her reverence and admiration for Ichika.
"I'll go say hello to Naomi-sensei. Ichika-san, you go ahead with the flowers," Shuichi said, casually plucking a cosmos flower from Ichika's hand.
This attitude made Nagase green with envy. Why could that guy interact with Ichika so naturally and casually?
"Shuichi-kun, please thank her for her hospitality on my behalf as well," Ichika requested with a smile.
This sentence sparked another wave of envy in Nagase. She wanted Ichika to ask her for a favor too, even if it was just passing along a word of thanks...
"Nagase-sensei, this is my gift. It's for you specifically. I hope you like it."
Tsuki produced a small, exquisite gift box from somewhere and handed it over.
Nagase took it subconsciously, but immediately felt that the item was a bit like a hot potato—she feared the contents were nothing decent.
Fortunately, one didn't have to open gifts immediately upon receiving them, so she wouldn't embarrass herself in front of Ichika.
Meanwhile, holding the cosmos flower, Shuichi leaned against the kitchen island and handed the flower over.
"To think Sensei is also skilled at cooking... just how many surprising secrets are you hiding from me?"
Naomi didn't take the flower. She simply leaned forward to sniff the blossom gently, then retrieved a slender glass and signaled for him to place it inside.
She then replied with a beaming smile, "It's not that easy if Shuichi-kun wants to know everything about Sensei~"
"Maybe it's better if I don't know too much. I'm afraid the more I know about you, the more unable I'll be to extricate myself. Does Sensei know just how charming she is right now?"
Shuichi spoke with a sighing tone. "A cool, beautiful older woman putting on an apron and transforming into a virtuous housewife just to host me... this is the kind of thing I wouldn't dare dream of."
"Although I love hearing Shuichi-kun's praise, the Ichika-san you brought is far more charming than a teacher like me. No wonder Sumire-chan always says she's perfect; now I think so too."
As Naomi spoke, she looked toward Ichika, who was arranging flowers. Her elegant posture, exquisite features, flawless skin, and that unique, otherworldly temperament were truly impossible to ignore.
Even as a fellow woman, she had to admire her charm.
As if sensing the gaze, Ichika looked up and locked eyes with Naomi. The two nodded to each other in acknowledgement.
"Really? I don't think anyone is truly perfect," Shuichi said with sincere eyes after glancing back at Ichika.
Naomi was slightly surprised. "Shuichi-kun really seems to think that."
"Is that so strange?" As Shuichi spoke, he walked behind the kitchen island. He checked the three people in the living room once more, then quietly squatted down.
Naomi's heart skipped a beat. She also kept an eye on the living room while she worked, whispering, "Does Shuichi-kun really have no thoughts about someone as perfect as that? She must be more attractive than an ordinary teacher like me, right?"
Shuichi lifted her apron and discovered she was wearing the suspender stockings he liked. He couldn't resist pressing his face against her absolute territory—the exposed skin of her thighs—feeling the smoothness of her flesh.
"Isn't Sensei overestimating me? I have plenty of self-awareness. Being able to win Sensei's favor has probably used up all the luck for my next life."
He gently kissed the soft, white flesh of her thigh.
"Besides, to be honest, sometimes I feel I'm being too cunning, even shameless. Strictly speaking, comforting Sensei back then was taking advantage of a vulnerable moment. Otherwise, with my status, how would I have been qualified to get close to you?"
Hearing this, Naomi set down the ingredients in her hands. She crouched down, wrapped her arms gently around his neck, and kissed him on the lips.
"Don't talk about yourself like that. Shuichi-kun is clearly so outstanding. And your comfort meant the world to me. I'm so fortunate that when I was at my saddest, Shuichi-kun appeared in front of me."
Naomi rested her arms on his shoulders, looking at the man in front of her, feeling an increasing desire to be close to him.
"In the end, it was Sensei who behaved poorly. As the older one, if I had controlled my emotions better, I wouldn't have caused you such distress."
"I have never regretted it. I don't want to forget a single moment of my time with Sensei," Shuichi said with utmost sincerity.
This was absolutely not a lie. After all, everything is relative; compared to the failures of his past life, every minute and second of this cheat-like life was worth remembering.
Naomi looked at the fiery brilliance in his eyes, and her heart trembled. She bit her lip lightly, no longer suppressing the desire in her heart.
She stood up slightly, turning her back to the living room. She quietly lifted her apron and whispered softly, "Dinner will take a while longer. If Shuichi-kun is hungry, it doesn't matter if you steal a little bite first."
Shuichi couldn't help but swallow hard. It had been a while since lunch, and he really did want to eat something now.
Fruit before the meal was a very good choice.
"Then I want Sensei to feed me," Shuichi said with a smile.
"You really know how to spoil yourself..." Naomi hugged his head with an amused smile, actively guiding him to her lips.
...
Tsuki felt very bored. The high art of flower arranging didn't suit her at all; she hadn't come here to watch this.
Nagase was different. Like a little fangirl, she watched with a face full of worship regardless of what Ichika did.
Sighing, Tsuki turned to look for Shuichi. Strangely, he wasn't visible, but he shouldn't have gone to the bathroom.
Scanning the side of the living room and glancing at Naomi behind the kitchen island, the experienced, lustful Student Council President immediately noticed the clues. She stood up from the sofa with excitement and walked over silently.
"Naomi-sensei, have you seen Shuichi-kun? He should have been over here just a moment ago, right?"
Although Naomi had been keeping an eye on the living room behind her, being intimate with him in her arms had inevitably caused her attention to drift, her eyes growing misty.
Hearing the voice suddenly sound from behind her, she was startled.
"Shuichi-kun? I didn't notice. Did he go to the bathroom? Or maybe the balcony for some fresh air?"
As she spoke, Naomi hurriedly patted the top of Shuichi's head lightly.
Immediately, she realized she shouldn't have said that. Sumire-chan's rented apartment was small; if they looked around and didn't find him, it would be easy to discover she was lying.
It would have been better to say Shuichi-kun was crouching behind the island helping to find tableware.
But it was too late to change her story now.
"Is that so..."
Tsuki didn't go looking as Naomi feared, since that wasn't her goal.
Not only did she not leave, but she also lingered, chatting with Naomi and asking questions about psychology with great studiousness.
"I've always had a question. From your professional perspective, Sensei, can hypnosis really make people obey orders?"
Naomi felt her heart pounding wildly, blood rushing to her head.
She really couldn't do anything about Shuichi, but talking with her back turned like this was also strange. Fortunately, the kitchen island was higher than a dining table. If she leaned forward slightly, she shouldn't be exposed.
So, Naomi turned carefully while lowering her body.
She placed one arm horizontally across the countertop to better block the view of what was happening underneath, while her other arm naturally propped up her chin.
Looking at Tsuki's serious expression, Naomi pretended to think and replied, "Hypnosis... um, well, of course, it can't control people. On the contrary, it's actually meant to help people regain control over themselves."
Shuichi naturally wasn't too worried; both the people inside and outside the island were his people.
Tsuki suppressed the excitement in her heart, pretending to notice nothing. She nodded solemnly and continued to ask, "Then can hypnosis erase a person's memory?"
"Why is Akiyama-san... ngh, suddenly asking about this?"
Naomi was confused, and inevitably, she began to tense up.
"It's about a small personal matter. It's not convenient to tell Sensei right now. Could you allow me to keep it a secret for the time being?" Tsuki equivocated casually.
"Of course." Naomi frowned slightly, covertly covering her mouth with her hand as she let out a very faint, muffled moan.
"Although I don't know why Akiyama-san is asking this, hypnosis cannot erase existing memories. At most... it can change one's perspective on certain memories. Similarly, hypnosis cannot make people reveal secrets unless... unless the person already has the will to express them. Hypnosis can, however, help people recall certain things. So, ah... don't think of hypnosis as something too magical. Things like what you see in movies don't exist in reality. At least... mm, from my perspective as a health teacher, that is the case."
"I see. Thank you for clearing that up, Sensei."
Tsuki showed a polite smile, nodded, and then asked with concern:
"Sensei, your face is quite red. Are you tired? Let me help prepare the food. My family runs a ramen shop, so while I'm not as good as my mother, my skills are decent."
"No need!" Naomi stopped her hurriedly, but immediately realized her reaction was excessive.
She smoothed her hair slightly and tried to speak in a calm tone. "Akiyama-san is a guest; how could I let you help? Besides, it's still early before dinner. I have plenty of time to rest a bit before continuing."
"Alright then. If you need help, Sensei, just call me anytime." Tsuki didn't continue to tease her and turned back to the living room.
Naomi breathed a sigh of relief. She turned around, leaning her back against the island, and looked down at Shuichi with mock annoyance. "What if we were discovered?"
"Are you angry, Sensei? Sorry, I thought since you didn't stop me clearly, you were allowing it." Shuichi withdrew his mouth from her pussy.
"You need to think more about the consequences of being discovered, Shuichi-kun," Naomi sighed, then bent down and took his hand. "But... I'll let it pass this time."
"Shall we continue?" Shuichi looked up and asked curiously as she guided his mouth back to where it had been.
Naomi didn't answer explicitly but responded with action. "By the way... mm... why did Akiyama-san come with Shuichi-kun?"
"Who knows? She heard I was coming to Nagase-sensei's house and said she had business here too. I didn't have a reason to refuse on Nagase-sensei's behalf." Shuichi replied.
Looking at him, Naomi suddenly said, "Is it possible that she likes you?"
Shuichi paused. "Is that really possible?"
He wasn't playing dumb. Tsuki, that perverted president, liked thrills more than anything; she didn't seem like the romantic type at all.
Whether she liked him or liked getting off on him, he leaned toward the latter.
"Why isn't it possible? Many students who are naive about relationships use all sorts of awkward methods to get the attention of the person they like."
As a health teacher, Naomi had quite a say in this regard.
"Is that so? But when we first met, she was especially wary of me. Even though I kindly gave the Class Rep a discount on rent, she felt I had bad intentions toward her sister and wanted to use the rent to threaten her or something."
Shuichi sighed, his fingers moving restlessly.
Naomi glanced back at the living room again, covering her mouth and humming softly. "Hearing you say that, I think my guess just now is even more reliable. Maybe she really is interested in Shuichi-kun."
Shuichi shook his head. "I still prefer mature women like Sensei. Mature body, mature personality—much better than little girls."
Naomi ruffled his fluffy, clean hair, her eyes full of affection. "Sensei is very happy to hear Shuichi-kun say that, but don't miss out on a romance that can truly blossom because of me. Akiyama-san's excellence is obvious to everyone. If Shuichi-kun could become lovers with her, Sensei would be relieved."
Although she said this, and had said it before, Naomi's eyes now held a few traces of reluctance.
Unknowingly, she had truly become somewhat unable to leave him. The romantic feelings her former fiancé failed to bring her, she had experienced them all with Shuichi.
That feeling of longing to see him again the moment they parted...
That mood of dressing up carefully, anticipating his reaction when he saw her...
That expectation of giving him gifts and seeing his smile...
That desire to hug him tightly, feel his warmth, absorb his scent, and watch him become obsessed with her body...
The unease she originally felt about a student-teacher relationship was coming to an end, yet she suddenly realized that this very unease had become the most vibrant color in her life.
Naomi suddenly felt a sense of melancholy. It has been less than two weeks, right? had she fallen this deep already?
"Sensei? Sensei? Are you okay? Do you want to rest a bit?"
Shuichi's calls brought Naomi back to her senses. Only then did she realize that at some point, she had accidentally squirted all over the floor.
"Hmm? Sensei is fine. I'll clean this up. Shuichi-kun, go keep them company for a bit."
Naomi pulled out a disposable kitchen cloth from the island and began to wipe the floor.
Shuichi watched her busy herself, reaching out to touch her cheek, which was flushed red and burning hot.
"What was Sensei thinking about just now? We already agreed—Sensei won't leave until you help me find a girlfriend..."
Naomi looked at his attached expression. She kissed him lovingly, pulled him into her arms, her eyes drifting slightly.
"Don't worry, Sensei won't leave. Before you find a girlfriend, I won't leave."
"That's good. Sensei said it—if I can't find a girlfriend for the rest of my life, you can't leave for the rest of your life either, right?" Shuichi buried his face in her bosom, greedily inhaling her scent.
Naomi revealed a gentle smile. "Wanting to depend on Sensei for a lifetime again? Such childish words... you're just saying them now. In a few years, when Sensei starts to get old, Shuichi-kun probably won't even bother to spare me a glance. Actually, it won't even take that long; you might get tired of Sensei in just a few months."
"That is absolutely impossible," Shuichi denied decisively.
Is she kidding? As long as any outstanding shop owner in the shopping district needed them, skincare products and medicine to maintain youth were easily obtainable.
The tea from before had already proven that this was feasible.
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