Chapter 27 Warm Gazes

Warm Gazes

The four of us decided to have lunch together and headed to the food court.

The sisters went to get food, leaving just Atsushi and me at the table.

Atsushi, who had been staring blankly as if his soul had left his body, seemed to have returned to normal.

However, he looked disgruntled, resting his chin on his hand and casting me a dissatisfied gaze.

“What’s up, Atsushi? Staring at me isn’t going to solve anything.”

“What’s up, you ask? Seriously, why does everything always go your way, Shintaro?”

“Well, they were both my students, so we naturally built a connection. I stuck it out and looked after them until the very end.”

“Still, I can’t imagine my classroom ever fostering such close relationships…”

Atsushi let out a deep sigh and slumped over the table.

He then turned his face toward me.

“…Shintaro, I’m doomed. Watching you casually chat with two gorgeous sisters, I feel like I’m going to die from the sheer brilliance of it all…”

“Haha, what are you even saying?”

“Come on! Being completely unfazed in front of two stunning girls…”

“You get used to it when you’ve taught them for a while. Spending time with someone makes everything feel natural.”

“Must be nice, huh? Shintaro, the lucky guy who gets it all. Life is so unfair.”

“You don’t have to put it like that. It’s not like I was always this comfortable talking to them. It took a lot of effort at times.”

“Huh… Really? I can’t imagine that.”

Atsushi gave me a skeptical look.

His gaze practically screamed disbelief.

…Even though I was being completely honest.

I took a sip of tea and let out a small sigh.

Talking to Atsushi brought back memories of the days I spent looking after those two. It felt like it was just yesterday.

The stubborn older sister and the overly capable younger one.

Though the sisters seem close now, it wasn’t always this way.

Well, as long as things are good now, the struggles of the past don’t matter anymore.

Atsushi frowned, seemingly about to say something, but—

“Oh my, Ariga-cchi, are you lost in thought again~?”

Before Atsushi could speak, the sisters returned with the food they had picked up.

As they sat down, they grinned mischievously at me.

“I wasn’t lost in thought. I was just reflecting a little. You know, those moments when you get absorbed in your own thoughts.”

“Ahaha! What’s that about~? Now I’m curious.”

“It’s nothing important. Don’t worry about it.”

“Aw, come on, tell me~!”

“What are you, a kid? Stop kicking my leg under the table…”

Kanade kept kicking my leg repeatedly under the table.

Her mature and elegant appearance contrasted so much with her childish antics that I couldn’t help feeling flustered.

To hide my embarrassment, I focused on eating my fries in silence.

Seeing my refusal to answer, Kanade pouted and muttered, “Ariga-cchi, you’re so stingy…” in a sulky tone.

“…It’s not nice to push him too hard.”

“But don’t you want to know?”

“…If a man won’t talk, it’s usually for one obvious reason.”

“Huh? What reason?”

“…Nine times out of ten, it’s something dirty.”

“Huh…? No way, that can’t be true. There are plenty of decent guys out there.”

“…Is that so? I think most of them are just putting on a show. After all, a man’s brain is fundamentally wired for worldly desires, pleasure, and ambition. They never stop thinking about it.”

Atsushi let out a strained laugh at Hibiki’s blunt analysis.

For someone like Atsushi, who’s practically a poster boy for worldly desires, her words must have hit close to home.

…This conversation was clearly heading in the wrong direction.

I cleared my throat loudly. “Ahem.”

“Hibiki-chan, your theories are a bit much. Kanade, don’t take her too seriously, okay?”

“I know that! I’m not stupid, you know!”

She puffed out her cheeks in protest.

Unable to resist, I poked her inflated cheek.

It made a small popping sound as the air escaped.

She must have been caught off guard by the suddenness of it.

Kanade gave me a sulky glare, clearly wanting to say something.

“Hey, Ariga-cchi~?”

“Haha, sorry, sorry. Your face was just too funny to ignore.”

“Hmm~?”

“What now?”

“Oh, nothing. I was just wondering… Do you do this kind of thing with other girls, too? Be careful, or you might end up with a harassment claim one day.”

Kanade teased me with a playful tone.

Her mischievous smile was surprisingly charming.

“I don’t do this with anyone else. ‘Don’t touch the students’ is my policy, after all.”

“Oh, really? But didn’t you pat my head to cheer me up before the entrance exams?”

“…There are exceptions.”

“Ohhh~? So much for your ‘no touching’ rule, huh?”

“…You’re just messing with me now.”

I sighed and looked away.

She clapped her hands against mine, demanding my attention.

“Ahaha! Don’t get mad, Ariga-cchi! I actually like it when you pat my head, so it’s totally fine.”

“Oh… Wait, why are you offering me your head?”

“Well, since we’re here, how about a quick pat? It’s been a while. It feels nostalgic, like high school days.”

“Now that you mention it, there aren’t many moments for that kind of comfort in college.”

“Right, right~? So, go ahead. One little pat won’t hurt.”

“If you insist…”

“Come on, Ariga-cchi, hurry. My head’s getting tired from waiting.”

…I guess I have no choice.

“Good job, as always. Thanks for everything.”

“…”

“Silent treatment makes this awkward, you know.”

“No, it’s just… This feels more embarrassing than I expected.”

“Then don’t ask me to do it…”

Her face turned red as she looked down shyly.

That bashful smile of hers was so disarming that I ended up feeling embarrassed, too.

“Uh, excuse me, you two? Did you forget we’re still here—ouch!?”

“…Let’s not ruin the mood. They seem to be having a good time.”

“Hah… You’re too kind, aren’t you?”

“…As a woman of the Amamiya family, ‘Supporting the happiness of our loved ones is a must’.”

Hearing their conversation nearby, Kanade and I spent the rest of lunch under their warm gazes.