Chapter 1
Currently, I am standing on stage in front of the podium.
I take a moment to adjust the microphone height as a support, breathing deeply to ease the tension in my body. Then, I repeat the words I just thought of in my head.
I feel hundreds of pairs of eyes focused on one point, and although nervous, I lift my head high and direct my voice toward the microphone.
"Nice to meet you all, students of Amagamine High School. My name is Ichinose Arata, and today I’m here as a temporary teacher. I’ll be teaching mathematics until Iitoyo-sensei returns, so I ask for your cooperation."
A stiff and uninteresting introduction, but this is not the time to show my personality. What matters is my attitude, tone of voice, and paying attention to the whole room while speaking.
In this way, I can create a positive impression.
This is based on Mehrabian’s law, which states that people are more influenced by visual and auditory information than verbal information when communicating.
After bowing, I hear applause from the students and teachers. It seems everything is going well.
I shift my gaze to familiar faces I spot while walking a few meters from the side of the stage to the podium.
Among the many students, there is one girl who radiates a striking aura, as if illuminated by spotlight. She stares at me without moving, even though the people around her are clapping and talking to other students.
She is Nene-chan.
I wonder if she’s staring at me, or maybe she’s so surprised that she can’t look away.
It seems Nene-chan realizes our gazes meet and opens her eyes wide. I find it a little funny and smile.
A change in expression directed at an individual might be seen as suspicious in this situation, but at this moment, it can be accepted as part of the completed introduction.
◇◇◇◇
The new job I will be taking on is as a temporary teacher at my own school, Amagamine High School, where Nene-chan is currently attending.
"I’m surprised that the teacher replacing the mathematics class is Ichinose-sensei...!"
"Haha, I didn’t expect to be working at the same place as Kohinata-sensei, whom I taught during my teaching practice."
After the morning ceremony at the school, I walk down the corridor with Kohinata-sensei, the mathematics teacher.
"I’m glad that someone I know came here. However, it feels strange being called 'Sensei' by Ichinose-sensei..."
"Since you have more experience than I do, Kohinata-sensei should indeed be called 'Sensei.'"
"Is that so?"
Fuhehe, Kohinata-san scratches her head with a shy smile on her face.
Having just graduated from university, her youthful appearance makes her look like an innocent girl, but despite that, Kohinata-sensei passed the teacher entrance exam, which has a passing rate of only around thirty percent, and she was already given the responsibility of being a homeroom teacher in her first year.
Her abilities can be proven, and she has high expectations for the future.
On the other hand, comparing myself to Kohinata-sensei feels very presumptuous. I only have two weeks of teaching experience from my teaching practice.
Those two weeks were more of a period where I struggled to grow rather than leading students.
Even so, Kohinata-sensei respects me as a teacher. It makes me happy but also feels pressuring. I need to get used to this environment quickly.
"Today, I will be observing Kohinata-sensei’s class, so I ask for your cooperation."
"Oh right, that's true. Hmm... I’m starting to feel nervous with someone observing me, but I’ll do my best."
As a temporary teacher, I’m usually not involved in school management, such as being a homeroom teacher or administrative duties, and I’m paid per lesson, like a part-time job, meaning I only need to come on teaching days.
On this first day, I happened to have no classes, so I could go home, but I asked for permission to observe Kohinata-sensei's lesson since she teaches the same subject.
◇◇◇◇
"Alright, everyone, please take your seats."
I follow Kohinata-san as she enters the classroom when the bell rings, signaling the start of school.
Her voice, which can be heard throughout the classroom as she walks, shows that she looks quite capable as a teacher.
By the way, Kohinata-san will be teaching the class she’s in charge of. This means that this class is the one where Nene-chan is.
"Before the lesson begins, I have an announcement for all of you. Today, Ichinose-sensei, who has just been assigned as a temporary teacher at our school, will be observing the class. However, you should continue with the lesson as usual."
After receiving a signal from Kohinata-san, I step forward.
"I introduced myself during the morning ceremony, but allow me to introduce myself once more. My name is Ichinose Arata. Today, I will be observing Kohinata-sensei’s lesson. I’ll be at the back during the lesson, so please continue with your studies without worrying about me. Thank you for your cooperation."
In reality, there shouldn’t be any such thing as lesson observation, and normally I would start teaching from the first day, but this time, there happens to be this opportunity. I must make sure not to disturb the lesson.
"Wow, he’s tall!"
"His face is small, he’s so stylish!"
"Isn’t he a bit too handsome?"
"The guy with glasses, he could be an attacker or a defender."
The students show various reactions. They’re probably just curious like they would be about a transfer student, but I decide to take it in a positive light.
However, I think that attacker and defender are opposites, so what does that mean? Maybe I’ll ask Nene-chan later.
"Hey, hey, everyone, calm down. Let’s start the lesson."
After that, when the lesson begins, the students change and seriously follow along without chatting. It seems to be a characteristic of a high-achieving school.
Sometimes, there are glances directed at me, but it doesn’t seem to disturb the lesson.
No, there is one exception. I can feel Nene-chan’s gaze continuously fixed on me from the corner of my view. It seems she can’t concentrate on the lesson because of my presence.
I also need to focus on observing Kohinata-san’s lesson, but I can’t help feeling like I’m attending a lesson observation event, which makes me restless.
"Well then, Fujisaki-san, can you answer this?"
"Eh? Umm..."
"Oh? This is unusual. Fujisaki-san can’t answer it. Let’s ask Ichinose-sensei to answer it."
Kohinata-san calls on me with a cheerful voice as if she has come up with a brilliant idea.
"Yes. In this case, regardless of the value of a, b > 0, so the value of a can be any real number."
"Yes, that’s right. Great job, Ichinose-sensei. Thank you for answering even though I called on you suddenly."
Huff, I’m glad I was able to answer.
Because I had time to think about the problem after Nene-chan was called. If I had been called on suddenly, I might have reacted the same way as Nene-chan.
As I sighed in relief, Nene-chan looked in my direction and puckered her lips. She should have been able to answer it without difficulty.
With a small nod, I silently apologized in my heart.
Although there was a small unexpected event, the lesson went smoothly afterward.
Kohinata-san’s teaching was very neat in writing on the board, and her explanations were easy to understand, showing clear effort. The atmosphere in the class was also good, and it was evident that she was liked by her students.
After the lesson ended and break time began, a student approached me.
"Nice to meet you, Ichinose-sensei. My name is Fujisaki Nene. Thank you for answering for me earlier."
Although we already knew each other, she greeted me to acknowledge my presence. I didn’t want to trouble Nene-chan, so I followed her lead.
"Nice to meet you too, Fujisaki-san. You don’t need to thank me, it wasn’t a big deal."
"No, I really do appreciate it."
“Hehe” Nene-chan covered her mouth while smiling, but why didn’t her eyes smile too? Maybe it’s just my imagination...
As I pondered this, perhaps because one student spoke to me, other students began to gather around and speak at the same time.
I was confused by the shift in atmosphere from the seriousness of the lesson to this. It seemed like they could really switch gears well.
"Everyone, if you all speak at once, Ichinose-sensei will also have trouble. Let’s talk about this later during another time."
"Or maybe, Kohinata-sensei just wants to have Ichinose-sensei all to herself!"
"Hey, hey, Ichinose-sensei, if you don’t have a girlfriend, what about Kohinata-sensei!?"
"With Kohinata-sensei, I feel like she’d be more like a little sister than a girlfriend~"
"Hah! What are you talking about! Don’t tease adults~!"
With one voice from Kohinata-san, the students began to scatter and leave the class while laughing.
We also returned to the teacher’s lounge to prepare for the next lesson. On the way, I called out to Kohinata-san.
"That was a really great lesson. I learned a lot, thank you."
"Really? Hearing that from Ichinose-sensei makes me really happy!"
Kohinata-san looked very pleased, holding the teaching materials tightly.
"Still, it seems like you’re really liked by the students, huh?"
"Because our ages are so close, they just take me lightly..."
"I don’t think that’s true. The students follow the lesson well. I feel envious because you’re so close with your students."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
I feel like all of this is thanks to Kohinata-san’s kindness. I don’t think I could be like that.
After that, I continued to observe the lesson and asked questions about things that caught my attention, so I was able to spend my time meaningfully.
Thus, my first day as a temporary teacher came to an end.
◇◇◇◇
"Arata-san, you should have told me first that you were coming as a temporary teacher at my school."
The next morning, Nene-chan, who brought my lunch, opened the front door and said this immediately.
It’s very rare for Nene-chan to show displeasure. As proof of this, her eyebrows were furrowed, and her cheeks puffed up cutely.
Although her mood seemed upset, I didn’t find her angry face too frightening, so I just gave a wry smile and replied.
"I thought if I told you in advance, you might get nervous."
"Maybe, you’re right...?"
Nene-chan placed her index finger on her temple and murmured.
"If you had told me earlier, I probably wouldn’t have been able to stay calm since that day. I probably wouldn’t have been able to follow the lessons, do my part-time job, and maybe even sleep at night."
"Eh, that much?"
I was surprised because it seemed like the impact was bigger than I had expected.
"Of course! I’ll be going to the same school as Arata-san! I’m so happy I can’t wait!"
Nene-chan leaned her face toward mine. She was so close that our noses almost touched.
I felt happy that she was glad I came to the school, but the right words here were:
"Nene-chan, you’re so close..."
"Ah, sorry!"
Nene-chan immediately pulled away, and her cheeks turned red as she covered her face with both hands, apologizing.
To hide my own flushed face, I placed the back of my hand on my forehead and said,
"It feels impolite to keep talking at the entrance. Let’s go inside and talk."
Nene-chan nodded slightly in agreement.
◇◇◇◇
Then we both sat at the table. I started eating my lunch while talking to Nene-chan, who was sitting beside me.
"Do you remember the first time you visited my house, Nene-chan?"
"Of course, I still remember. Nene brought lunch, then got caught in a heavy rain, so she borrowed the shower, and when you were eating your lunch, Arata-san cried and then fainted, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
For some reason, when I remember it, only the embarrassing parts come to mind.
"It’s not that, but when Nene-chan left my house."
"Nene said 'Good luck' before leaving, right? You must’ve felt uncomfortable hearing that from someone younger..."
Nene-chan lowered her head, looking small and anxious. I quickly denied this unexpected flow of conversation.
"It’s not like that, I remember feeling relieved because Nene-chan was concerned about me."
Thankfully, Nene-chan smiled as if feeling relieved. After that, she looked at me with confusion.
"So, after those words, you said 'See you tomorrow,' Nene-chan."
"...Ah!"
It seemed like she finally realized. Although it was far from the point, I continued explaining.
"When you said 'See you tomorrow' and really brought lunch the next day, I was really surprised. So, when I decided to become a temporary teacher at Amagamine High School, I thought I’d do something small to return the favor."
"So that’s why you said 'See you later' yesterday, Arata-san. I thought it was kind of strange..."
Nene-chan closed her eyes and nodded, as if she had just understood.
So, yesterday was my way of returning the favor.
"Well, that’s it. I did feel like it was a childish gesture."
"It was surprising to see Arata-san do something like that."
Nene-chan laughed while covering her mouth.
"What’s wrong, Nene-chan?"
"The disappointment of being tricked is there, but more than that, I’m happy."
"Hm, what do you mean?"
Her answer made me a little confused.
"Because such a childish response can only be done if there’s enough of a good relationship or mutual trust, so if you did that, I thought maybe Nene could become someone like that for Arata-san."
"Now that you mention it, that’s probably true..."
It’s true, just as Nene-chan said, doing something like that can only happen because of mutual trust. If it were done when we just met or when the relationship hadn’t developed, it would definitely cause resentment and distance.
In fact, the only person I could casually do something like that with is Kyouhei, a friend from high school and also a colleague at my previous company.
As I thought about doing something like this, I realized that my worry about Nene-chan hating me was smaller than my curiosity about her surprised expression.
It was a feeling that only arises in a relationship built on trust. Perhaps without realizing it, I had already started to see my relationship with Nene-chan that way.
"But, because Arata-san came to observe the lesson, Nene felt like she couldn’t answer, and that was a bit troubling."
"Is that so? But didn’t you already thank me in class?"
"I did say that at the time. But actually, I wanted to answer confidently in front of Arata-san."
Mumbling, Nene-chan gave me a sharp look. Lately, seeing various expressions from Nene-chan warms my heart.
"Even though you couldn’t perform well, Nene-chan looking nervous in class yesterday was really cute, and I’m glad I could see that."
"Cu-Cute...!?"
"Also, I couldn’t help but smile when I saw how stunned Nene-chan looked when I greeted you at the morning ceremony."
I smiled slightly again as I recalled the moment from yesterday.
"So that was also noticeable... Arata-san, you thought by saying things like that, Nene would cheer up again, right?"
"No, I was just expressing what I thought yesterday."
"...Ugh."
For some reason, if that helped Nene-chan cheer up, then that was a good thing. With a serious attitude that was different from before, Nene-chan began speaking.
"By the way, at school, we should treat each other like it’s the first time meeting, right?"
"Ah, yes. I wanted to avoid you being questioned by other students or causing trouble because I know you. That’s why I’m really grateful that you acted like it was our first meeting at that time."
"Nene is fine, but it seems like Arata-san is the one who will face many problems."
Nene-chan seemed to act with my well-being in mind at that time. She truly is a kind girl.
"Thank you. Oh, I’ve already asked Kohinata-sensei not to tell anyone else, so you can relax."
Kohinata-san knew that Nene-chan and I knew each other because we happened to run into each other while shopping at the mall. So, I had asked her to keep it a secret. Kohinata-san nodded in agreement, wanting to avoid any unnecessary worries in school life.
"Nene also showed a photo of cooking with Arata-san to two of my friends, and they noticed it, so I asked them not to tell anyone else."
"Thank you, that really helps."
"Those two might get excited and approach Arata-san, so Nene apologizes in advance, okay?"
I was curious about Nene-chan’s friends. From the way she spoke, they seemed like cheerful kids, very different from Nene-chan.
However, since they’re good friends, they must also be kind kids.
More than that, there’s one thing I want to ask.
"So, you showed my photo to those two friends of yours?"
"Whoa...! For-Forget about that!"
Nene-chan let out the loudest sound she had made today and waved both of her hands in front of her face as if trying to divert attention.
It’s probably normal for high school students to show photos when talking about something from their holidays. However, she looked so panicked, and since I had already made Nene-chan uncomfortable yesterday, I decided not to ask any further.
"Ah, by the way! It really feels strange to call Arata-san as Ichinose-sensei."
I used to be called that when I was teaching Nene-chan, but since then, it hasn’t happened again.
"Yeah, I feel the same way calling you Fujisaki-san. We have to be careful not to mix up names at school."
"Yes, that’s true."
I steeled myself as I started thinking about what’s ahead.
One mistake could affect both of our school lives.
"I think it’s time for me to leave, Arata-san. May I have a sip of your coffee?"
"Yes, of course."
I handed the cup of coffee I was drinking to Nene-chan.
Nene-chan always asks for one sip of coffee.
She doesn’t really like the bitter taste, so one sip is enough to wake her up.
After discussing our upcoming school life, we decided to leave at slightly different times so we wouldn’t be seen by the other students.
◇◇◇◇
"Alright, that’s all for today’s lesson."
The bell signaling the end of the class rang, and I announced the conclusion of the first class.
This first class made me nervous, but I managed to get through it well.
Although this was my first time teaching at a high school after my teaching practice, I had teaching experience at a tutoring center during college, so I wasn’t entirely inexperienced. Also, observing the class yesterday was very helpful.
Furthermore, the students at Amagamine High School were very well-behaved, as no student disrupted the learning process, making the teaching atmosphere more comfortable and conducive.
However, that’s just from the teacher's perspective, separate from whether the students found my lesson easy to understand or not. I have to keep searching for ways to improve my teaching.
"If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask afterward. I’ll be in the teacher’s lounge after class."
Although I’m a temporary teacher, I don’t go straight home after class ends. I stay in the teacher’s lounge to read substitute documents and do some lesson material research.
The salary for temporary teachers is based on the number of teaching hours, so the pay isn’t very high. As a result, temporary teachers are allowed to have side jobs, and many work at several schools or take on other part-time jobs.
However, at the moment, I’m focusing solely on my work as a temporary teacher to improve myself and evaluate my abilities. Even so, I don’t feel financially worried thanks to the savings and investments I’ve made.
"Sensei! May I ask a question?"
"Sensei, Miu can ask too, right?"
Two female students approached—one with striking curly blonde hair and the other with pink hair tied in two. Although the school has a relaxed policy on student clothing and hairstyles, they both still stood out. If I’m not mistaken, they are Nakamura-san and Yokoyama-san. I had checked the seating arrangement list before class started, so I’m confident my guess is correct.
I was impressed that they came up to ask right after the lesson. Perhaps there was something they didn’t understand from today’s class. Or maybe they had a question about something else for the exam.
Although I’m still new, from the students' perspective, I’m their teacher, so I prepared to answer any questions.
"Is there something you want to ask?"
"If you don’t mind, how old are you, Sensei?"
I was taken aback by this unexpected question.
"My age? Hmm..."
"Oh, Miu also wanted to ask that!"
It seems like this wasn’t a question about the lesson. Even though this is a school focused on academics, they still looked like typical high school students.
Yesterday, I immediately moved to another class because of Kohinata-san, and there was no next class, so I decided to socialize a little with the students.
"This year, I’m turning 27."
"Wow~~, it’s only a four-year difference with Kohinata-sensei, but Ichinose-sensei seems so much more mature!"
"....I see, so we have a nine-year age difference."
Nakamura-san mumbled something, but her voice was drowned out by Yokoyama-san speaking loudly.
Seeing this, the students who were interested started gathering around.
"Sensei, you’re really tall! How tall are you?"
"I’m 186 cm tall."
As soon as I answered, the female students around me cheered. High school students really are full of energy.
"Before becoming a teacher, did you work somewhere else, Sensei?"
"My previous job was as a programmer."
"They said he was a programmer!" "That’s perfect!" "So cool!"
From then on, a variety of questions kept coming my way, as if their curiosity never ended.
"What’s your favorite food, Sensei?"
"Oh, let’s guess!"
Before I realized it, the question turned into a guessing game.
"Is it hamburgers?" "No, it’s got to be stylish roasted venison!" "Or maybe Thai food?"
"Hmm, all wrong."
Seeing the cheerful students talking, I joined in the banter. At that moment, in the middle of the lively classroom, a clear and melodious voice was heard.
"Ichinose-sensei seems to like nikujaga."
Everyone immediately turned toward the sound, and it was Nene-chan. The wind coming through the window ruffled her black and red hair.
After that, the students’ gazes returned to me, as if they were trying to confirm whether Nene-chan’s answer was correct.
"It-It’s true."
"Nikujaga, huh, that’s classic!" "So cool, Fujisaki-san!" "You guessed it right!"
Whether it was right or not, Nene-chan already knew the answer, so it wasn’t fair.
"Alright, next question! What’s your hobby, Sensei?"
"Going to art museums!" "Seems like he likes going to classical concerts!" "Must be rakugo!"
The students gave their answers, but they were all wrong.
In the middle of it all, Nene-chan answered with a confident smile.
"Anime, right?"
"That’s right..."
I held back a grimace as I spoke. Until now, I didn’t have any particular hobbies, but now I watch anime and read manga recommended by Nene-chan.
"Wow, unexpected!" "A handsome, kind guy for the otaku, thank you!"
"Fujisaki-san guessed it again!"
If she keeps guessing correctly, it’ll look unnatural. So, Nene-chan, I hope you don’t stand out too much.
Is she still holding a grudge from my response yesterday? I thought everything was settled.
The barrage of questions from the students continued until the bell rang, and the teacher for the next class entered.
Meanwhile, Nene-chan kept giving the correct answers, and I felt nervous inside.
Will my life as a teacher be okay moving forward?
I hope everything ends smoothly...
——.