Chapter 51 - A Certain Saturday – Hiiragi-chan’s Side (1/2)

A Certain Saturday – Hiiragi-chan’s Side

◆Hiiragi Haruka◆

“Hiiragi-sensei, please!”

With this, it was the 8th time Matsunaka-sensei had asked me.

Due to me normally being in her care, even if it’s just a small drinking party, it’s hard to refuse… It seemed like she was saying, I normally help you out with various things, it should be fine for you to accompany me in a drinking party, or something like that. I don’t really like that. This and that, aren’t they completely unrelated? Or at least, that’s how I feel, but it’s true that he does help me out…

The subject that she taught was modern literature, which was different from mine, but she was a fellow female teacher that I also respected.

“You don’t have any particular plans on Saturday, right? If that’s the case, then shouldn’t it be okay?”

I was going to refuse her by saying that I had plans, but it seems she heard from somewhere that I didn’t have any, and then it became like this.

“B-by the way, who is coming?”

When I asked that, Matsunaka-sensei seemed to misunderstand and think that I had an interest in it, and so she began to talk a lot.

“The teachers from Nishi High and Fuzoku High are going to be coming. They’re all quite young teachers, so I think they’ll be quite easy to talk with. There should also be teachers teaching world history I believe.”

Hmm, I see. If that’s the case, I might have a little bit of interest.

“Since it’s just a social gathering with teachers from a nearby school, there’s no need to be so on guard. They were just a bunch of teachers that I met while training after all.”

“It’s just girls, right…?”

“Nope, there are a few guy teachers. Hiiragi-sensei, if you don’t have a boyfriend right now, maybe there’ll be a nice encounter…!”

Ummm. That doesn’t matter at all. Rather, doesn’t that seem like what Matsunaka-sensei’s goal is… She’s currently single, and if I remember correctly, she was going to be 32 or 33 this year. I was going to ask what she meant by young, but if I did, it’ll probably breakout into a fight, so I didn’t say it.

There were two other teacher’s around the same age group, but both of them had other plans and weren’t participating. In the end, I was overwhelmed and forced to participate.

That night, I immediately let Seiji-kun know about it.

“Seiji-kun, you know… This Saturday, I was invited to a drinking party…”

“Aaah, is that so?”

It was a vague reply like usual.

“Simply speaking, it’s drinking with teachers from another school. There are some other male teachers there that I happen to know personally.”

“He—heeh…”

There are other males, you know, Seiji-kun? If he ended up saying absolutely not. If he were to say that he wanted to spend Saturday with me, then I would do anything possible to be with him. And yet, all he said was “Heeh…” Doesn’t he not like it. Having his girlfriend go to a drinking party with other guys.

“A teacher that I’m always indebted to told me, ‘If you have no plans on Saturday, then please!’ They had asked me about this last week…”

I’m not going because I want to go, okay? I’ll make sure to explain that. If it seems like I’m excited to go, then he might hold back in trying to stop me.

However, it just couldn’t be helped, for the sake of work, as a friend, I must reluctantly participate. If you don’t like it, then why don’t we just be together on Saturday, or maybe, if you don’t want to then don’t go, if he were to say anything like that to stop—

“Yeah. I got it. It’s fine if you just go enjoy yourself.”

Muuu.

“…Really? The people coming are just all the other teachers, so you don’t have to worry.”

There would be males working the same occupation as me, you know? Aren’t you worried?

“… I’m not worried or anything so it’s okay.”

Muuu.

“I’ll be late going home, maybe getting back around 10, okay?”

“Don’t mind me and go enjoy yourself.”

For him to tell me that he’s not worried, to not worry about him, and enjoy myself, even if I might be called out to by some guy… The fact that he trusts me is nice, but it makes me a little sad…

Seiji-kun. Do you not get jealous? If that’s the case, I’ll make you jealous.

On the day of, I spent a lot of time with Seiji-kun preparing for the party. In the bedroom, I changed into my favorite set of clothes. During that time, the door was opened secretly as Seiji-kun peeked at my makeup.

When I put a little bit more effort into my makeup, he said,

“Your makeup, you’re really doing it more carefully this time.”

Ah. He noticed! That makes me a little happy.

“Eh? Isn’t it always like this?”

But it’s still no good. It wasn’t him being jealous at all, it felt more like he was backing off. The clothes that I’m wearing are the ones that Seiji-kun had told me were cute too. I’m going to be wearing this in front of other males, you know? But he didn’t touch on this at all. Maybe he didn’t notice.

“If you get bored, it’s fine if you just go home.”

“Yeah. If that’s the case, I’ll make sure to lock the door.”

With a bye, I left Seiji-kun at my house and went to the venue.

I might end up drinking, so I bike to the nearest station, and from there I went four stations over into the downtown area. It was just before the meeting time, and half the people had already arrived as I exchanged a light greeting. Certainly, I didn’t talk that much with them, but from how I see it, they were all teachers, so I was slightly relieved.