“… Should I cut as well?”

“Yeah. Shirasawa-san can do some cabbage.”

“I-it’s fine, but…”

Shirasawa-san seems reluctant for some reason. 

Maybe she doesn’t like cooking?

I cut the asparagus and see how Shirasawa-san is doing.

“HEY, THERE, Nijino-kun! You That’s wrong!”

Kohaku suddenly raised her voice.

While everyone’s gaze was focused on me, Kohaku raised her eyebrows annoyedly and said.

“Don’t look away when handling a kitchen knife! If you don’t handle it carefully, you can hurt yourself.”

I thought she was concentrating on responding to the students who came to ask him questions. Still, she was also observing those students who were cooking properly.

“I apologize. I will be more careful from now on.”

I never thought the day would come when I would get scolded by Kohaku. I was surprised, but moreover, I was impressed. Not only is she kind, but she also has a strict side like a teacher.

I concentrate on cooking. I cut the asparagus and cut the rapeseed.

When I looked back at Shirasawa-san, she was cutting cabbage with some dangerous hand movements. I watched her movements nervously as she finished cutting her cabbage.

When our eyes met, Shirasawa-san made an awkward face.

“I did it.”

“Thank you. The rest left is only bacon.”

“… you’re not going to say anything?”

“About what?”

“You do think that I am not as good as my Onee-chan… or something like that, right?”

“What do you mean?”

“You know. Even though my onee-chan is good at cooking, doesn’t it look strange when I, her little sister, is not? You must be making fun of me in your mind right now.”

Maybe before it was Kohaku’s class of practice teaching, someone must have compared her to Anee, which must have hurt her. Perhaps that’s why she borrowed cookbooks to study.

[TL notes: Anee means Big sister, same as Onee-chan.]

“An Anee is an Anee, an Imouto is an Imouto.”

[TL notes: Imouto means younger sister.]

When I encouraged her like that, Shirasawa-san’s cheeks loosened up. 

In a joking tone, she continued,

“If you had compared me with my onee-chan over there, I would have blown you away then and there.”

As she finished saying that, the boys came back.

“Sorry, I’m late! I’ll boil the pasta right away!”

“I’ll show you how to cut bacon cleanly with the technique I learned from Shirasawa-sensei!”

The boys moved briskly. Probably they were trying to show off their good sides in front of Kohaku. Without left hanging behind them, Shirasawa-san and I also continued with our cooking. All in all, a delicious pasta was ready to be served.

After-school the same day.

I was on my way to the infirmary.

During the fifth period break, I received a message from Akari, 

“After school, come to the infirmary.” When I asked why, the only reply that returned was, “I really want you to come and meet me here.”

I don’t know what’s happening, but I might feel sorry for ignoring it. 

If there are students in the infirmary, she will continue to act as a teacher. Well, even if there were none, she wouldn’t do something plain out dangerous.

While praying that students be there, I reach the infirmary.

“Excuse me.”

As I knocked and entered the nurse’s office, where she was sitting cross-legged in her chair. She’s wearing a tight mini skirt today, which makes her look racy.

“Here you are. Sit down.”

She urged us to take a seat without compromising her cool good looks. She seems to be the only one in the room, but she should be careful and treat her with honorifics.

For the time being, she sat down in front of Akari,

“What are you going to do now?”

“Counseling. I’ll make sure you don’t feel anxious about your school life. I’ll ask you a few questions, so answer honestly.”

When saying that with a serious face, Akari rearranged her legs. My eyes are drawn to her slender legs, her thighs peeking from her tight mini-skirt.

“Are you enjoying your school life?”

“Eh, yeah, well. It’s fun.”

“Is that so? That is more than good. Then next question, are you able to follow your class lessons?”

Akari again rearranges her legs. It really makes me really curious… but we’re in the middle of a serious exchange. I have to ensure my eyes keep intact on her, not letting it drop.

“Till now, I think I can keep well.”

“You didn’t fall asleep during class, did you?”

“I did not.”

“Is that so? That’s great.”

She rearranges her legs again, but I don’t look away from Akari’s face. Then Akari, when trying to get the pen from the table, somehow dropped it on the floor.

“Can you pick it up for me?”

When I went and picked up the pen that fell at her feet, she deliberately rearranged her legs just at the right moment. When I involuntarily lifted my face… from a low angle, I could see those plump thighs and panties from between her soft and plump thighs.

“Is something wrong?”

“N-no, there is absolutely nothing wrong. Please go ahead.”

I hand over the pen to Akari and sit back in her chair.

“Thank you. Now for the next question. Did you get your heart pounding when you saw my undies?”

That’s not a question a teacher can ask! 

I’ve been thinking that you’ve been proactively rearranging your legs for a while now. But were you trying to tempt me?!

“There’s no man who wouldn’t get his heart throbbing with this. MOREOVER, when we’re at school, don’t do such naughty things. If you plan to show me your panties, do it when we’re home.”

When I told her that clearly, Akari sounded relieved.

“I’m sorry for showing you a glimpse of my panties at school… but I really wanted you to see my panties at school.”

“Why are you so particular about school?

“That is…”

While making a face that seemed difficult to answer, she ultimately told around.

“I was aiming for a suspension bridge effect.”

The suspension bridge effect is the illusion making it seem that the pounding of the heart for anxiety is related to the pounding of the heart for love.

[TL notes: something similar to Stockholm syndrome as well, I guess]

To make me fall in love with her, she summoned me to the infirmary and showed me glimpses of her panties.

“Even if you don’t rely on such tactics now, I really love Akari a lot. Frankly, I want to have more glimpses of those panties.”

“Eh? Really? Do you want to see my pants more?”

“It’s my favorite girl’s panties. Of course, I would want to see it. But still, the school is a no-go. If I wanted to see it, it would be rather at a calmer place.”

“But… I can’t have a calm feeling at Touma’s house.”

“Is my house uncomfortable?”

“Uh, no… It’s not because of that. I can’t calm down because I don’t know when Shirasawa-sensei will come in.”

“Then how about Akari’s house?”

“My house… it’s a complete mess.”

Akari said that shyly.