The night breeze of the starting summer was very pleasant.

The real summer is about to start. At night, the heat is pa.s.sable, but during the daytime, it’s getting tougher. For someone on the weak side like me, this time of the year is especially tough.

While I was thinking that, I walked down the night streets when—

“Ara, Saigi-kun?”

“Ah, Maksensei.”

In front of the entrance of the flat I live in, I saw Maksensei walking towards me. A beauty, with long, brownish hair, her facial features clearly visible even in this dim illumination, wearing a white blouse with a tight mini skirt. a red shopping bag hanging down from her shoulder. Working at the Seikadai high school division as an English teacher, she’s also responsible for the cla.s.s that I am in, Fujiki Maksensei.

“Saigi-kun, it’s 8pm already. I can’t appreciate you being out this late…Ah, were you going to greet me…?! N-No way, I’m so happy…I feel like crying…!”

“I’m sorry to damper your happiness, but as you should clearly be able to see, I just came home from a convenience store shopping tour.”

I was wearing a t-s.h.i.+rt + shorts combo, with a shopping bag from the convenience store across the street, Galaxy Markt.

“Really, Saigi-kun, it wouldn’t hurt you to play along a bit, right? Maksensei is pretty easy, so if you were a bit more nice, she might be willing to do something good for you?”

“Sensei is doing something good already…No, nevermind. I don’t need something like that.”

“Fufu…just a while ago, you were all over me, you know~”

“Ugh…T-That was…”

It’s true that I was about to fall into her hands that one time. Just a bit more, and I would’ve fondled her soft. spongy-looking b.r.e.a.s.t.s—

But, let’s not dwell in the past like that. Although I managed to get back to my senses quickly enough back then…No, I did, and that’s all that matters.

“By the way, why were you out shopping this late?”

“Ahh, Kuu is coming over today. We have the routine of giving her hot milk before she goes to bed, but we ran out of milk.”

“…That young girl, she’s coming over again? Recently, that happens around three times a week, right?”

“Kagome is the main reason, you know.”

A few days ago, we accepted her into our family. Her name, Saigi Kagome. It’s a white cat we picked up from the cat cafe ‘Nekoranya’, owned by Maksensei’s father. Before we picked her up, she was s.h.i.+nju Muku—Kuu’s favorite cat, and since her household didn’t agree to adopt her, we jumped in.

“Is that really the case…I really want to ask who’s the thieving cat now.”

“Normally Kuu is always kind to anyone, but she really is on antagonistic terms with you, Maksensei.”

“I’ll fight against both young and old if they try to approach Saigi-kun.”

“Very easy to understand…just what I’d expect from a teacher.”

“Occam’s razor. Everything has to be explained in simple terms.”

I don’t know about that razor, but as long as it’s easy to understand, I guess.

“Exactly, it’s the enemy…I have to make Amanas.h.i.+-san and Muku-san remember just who they picked up a fight with.”

He he he he he—Maksensei let out a suspicious laugh.

“That made you sound like a villain. Maybe you should go the other direction instead of being a nun—”

“Ah, Mako? Been a while!”

“……?!”

Suddenly, I felt a soft embrace from behind my back. No way, Maksensei did—Nah, that’s impossible. She’s standing right in front of me. The only person that would suddenly hug me from behind like that should only be Maksensei.

“W-Who?”

Shaking off the person behind me, I turned around, and—

“…Really, who?” I tilted my head.

Long, chestnut-colored hair, getting wavy towards the hair tips. Her make-up was on point, but not too much to strike a good balance. Bare shoulders, with a one piece that emphasized her respectably large chest. Though I wasn’t all to familiar with woman’s clothing, I knew that this was quite powerful in terms of charm.

“Now now, don’t say that you’ve all forgotten about me. It’s me, you know?”

“That voice…and way of speaking…”

And, that visible high canine…Ah!

“D-Don’t tell me…s.h.i.+chan?!”

“Chan…?”

Having kept quiet until now, this was the only word I could hear from Sensei behind my back…Somehow that sounded really scary.

“Ahh, thank G.o.d. I was wondering what I’d do if you really forgot about me. Onee-san was about to enter a two hour hibernation.”

“About the level if an afternoon nap.”

“But really, it’s been a while. Since when didn’t we have any contact anymore…more than a year?”

“About that, yeah…s.h.i.+chan, you really changed a lot.”

“I wonder? Well, I’m a university student now,” she said, pulling back her hack.

“University student…University student…”

“Mm? Mako, who is that person?”

Apparently, s.h.i.+chan realized the presence of the pouting person standing next to me.

“Ahhh…Uhm…this is my neighbour, Fujiki-san. She moved here during the spring of this year.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Fujiki.”

“Ah, h.e.l.lo. My name is Keimi s.h.i.+a. I’m a second year at Seikadai’s university division. I also live in this mansion, and have been acquainted with Mako—with him for a long time.”

The two of them gave a slight bow towards each other.

“…Hey, Mako, this person is pretty dangerous.”

“Eh? How did you know that Sensei is?”

“Saigi-kun?! What are you saying at our first meeting?!”

“No, I meant it in the sense of being beautiful…Is there any other meaning?”

“Ah, I see…”

Really, s.h.i.+chan is also so misleading.

“Mmm? Sensei? This person is a teacher?”

“Y-Yeah. She’s a teacher at Seikadai’s high school division. Didn’t expect a teacher to move in right next to me, though.”

Since s.h.i.+chan would find out sooner or later anyway, I decided to spill the beans immediately. And I really didn’t expect to have a teacher of all things move in next to me.

“Hmmm…strange things like that really happen, I guess. That’s good and all, but…hmm?”

Mid-sentence, s.h.i.+chan stopped to stare at Maksensei’s face.

“…Fujiki…sensei? I feel like I’ve seen you before…?”

“You live in the same mansion after all, so you maybe crossed paths a few times?”

“Yeah, that makes sense. Anyway, I’m tired, so I just wanna take a bath and go to bed!”

s.h.i.+chan started walking towards the mansion, but soon came to a sudden halt.

“Mako, since it’s been so long, how about we take a bath together?”

“No thank you!”

“Kyahaha, I just wanted to check your growth. Mm? Well, doesn’t look like you did grow all too much.”

“Leave me alone.”

“You better eat properly. Anyway, see you later, Mako. Fujiki-sensei as well!”

This time for sure, s.h.i.+chan walked away with short steps. She’s as energetic as ever…Even though I got enough of that with Nui already.

“…Hey, Saigi-kun.”

“………!”

With a deep voice calling out to me, I immediately straightened up my posture.

“…Saigi-kun, you didn’t only take baths with your little sister, but with her as well?”

“Please wait a moment. I really only took baths with her when I was really little!”

“Even though you won’t call me Makchan!”

“We’re suddenly switching the topic?!”

I really can’t keep up with her at times.

“You’re living in the same mansion, on top of being childhood friends…and those looks…Listen, Saigi-kun? Appearance is deceptive, you know? From my experience, many beauties can be a real pain to deal with when you’re alone with them, not to mention the dangerous ones! You better be careful.” (YA DONT SAY *coughs*)

“Is some sort of twisted self-introduction?”

“M-My…calling me a beauty like that. I should be used to it, but if it’s Saigi-kun, it still makes my heart skip a beat…”

“You really only hear the convenient stuff.”

I let down my guard and played along her scheme. Well, she is a beauty, so I can’t change that.

“Listen, Sensei. I haven’t had a proper talk with s.h.i.+chan for over a year now. I’ve only seen her a few times during all this time.”

“Hmmm…Seems like you lose common ground if you’re in different schools.”

“Exactly. Once s.h.i.+chan entered university last year, she got really busy, and we didn’t see each other anymore.”

“That ‘chan’ you add still bothers me though…”

“Again with that. T-Then, I’ll call Sensei ‘Makchan’…”

“N-No…that would make me lose my charm of being older. Also, Saigi-kun seems like the person that would call me Makchan during cla.s.s.”

“Then, Maksenpai?”

“Just forget about that already!”

You say it like you didn’t enjoy it, but you were the one that wore the JK uniform, right?

“No, don’t keep hiding it, Saigi-kun! I will have you spill all the beans about that girl! I won’t let you sleep tonight!”

“Y-You’re joking, right?! I have end of term tests pretty soon!”

“I’m the one making the questions, so of course I know! But, I have to decide between the exams and Saigi-kun’s cheating!”

“Y-You’ll chose the exams, right?!”

Ahhh, that’s a blunder. To have Maksensei find out about s.h.i.+chan. It’s because I forgot about her that I let down my guard…If only this doesn’t turn into some bothersome business again—Of course, reality wouldn’t be as kind to me.

That was something that I realized these past few months.