“There’s no way you’re going out with Sakuramiya-sensei, right?”

Shinozuka-san gave me a wry smile and looked at me with dark eyes like a deep abyss of no return, the highlights in her beautiful eyes now faded. I felt a tingling sensation, like when someone breathes on your ear unexpectedly.

Sweat began to bead on my shirt as my blood ran cold.

What should I do now?

Should I be honest? That would be the most sincere thing to do and avoid leaving any doubts, but…

No… the risk is too great.

If word got out that I was dating a school teacher, and my homeroom teacher at that, it would be a disaster. Above all, it would be more difficult for Sakuramiya-sensei. If this became known, it could have a serious impact on her career as a teacher. That’s why it was hard for me to choose to be honest here.

Shinozuka-san looks a little scary right now…

“That’s impossible. Minato-nii is a lolicon who likes younger girls, there is no way he will date Yumi-nee.”

Just when I was struggling to come up with an answer, Shi-chan came to my rescue.

Even though she sometimes says things that sting, she’s a reliable young girl. As I feel relieved by Shi-chan’s words, Shinozuka-san puts her finger on her chin as if she was contemplating something.

“I see. By the way, why are you calling Sakuramiya-sensei by a nickname, Shi-chan?”

“Uh… um… that’s… please help me, onee-san…”

“What? You’re throwing this on me now!?”

Oops, it looks like Shi-chan just dug her own grave.

Normally, it would be strange for Shi-chan to know Sakuramiya-sensei. So, Shinozuka-san’s point is well taken.

If she had asked for my help earlier, there might have been room for explanation, but Shi-chan decided to rely on Kaede. But she was no good in this situation either as she also caught us and was having various suspicions of her own, so she awkwardly laughed out.

“Well, Yumi-nee and… umm…”

“Oh, Kaede-chan, you also know her beforehand. If that’s the case, then earlier… Why didn’t you tell me? What was the reason for hiding it?”

“Ah, no… Haha… Mii-kun, help me.”

Kaede’s face twitched as she laughed forcefully and directed her gaze at me. The conversation has completely turned in the wrong direction.

I take a deep breath and reset my thoughts. Once my thoughts became clear, I looked at Shinozuka-san and started explaining.

“It seems like there is a misunderstanding, but Sakuramiya-sensei and I are not in a relationship or anything like that.”

“But then, why were you holding hands earlier?”

‘Well, actually, Sakuramiya-sensei and I ran into each other by chance earlier. In the flow of things, we entered the haunted house. But Sakuramiya-sensei was really scared, so we ended up holding hands out of desperation. So, that’s why, we’re not in a relationship or anything like that.”

“Is that so?”

Shinozuka-san narrows her eyes at my explanation. She looks back and forth between me and Sakuramiya-sensei.

It goes without saying, such a fact doesn’t exist. It’s a blatant lie.

We have to hide the fact that we are dating from everyone, or it will be a big problem.

However, lying is also convenient. Although the setting is somewhat unreasonable, I couldn’t think of any other way to break this situation other than pushing through this lie.

I also considered pretending that we are engaged, but it would be difficult to connect that to the reason we were holding hands. Instead, by mixing in some lies and truth, we completely eliminate the possibility of being lovers.

“I see… so, that’s what it was. But if that’s the case, then why was Minato-kun kissing Sakuramiya-sensei on her forehead?”

“Bufu!?…”

Sakuramiya-sensei and I both choked on air at the same time.

We both coughed while our faces were bright red due to embarrassment.

It seems she had already witnessed that unbelievable scene where I was reassuring Sensei.

“What, Mii-kun did such a thing…”

“Shh… Onee-chan, let’s be quiet for now.”

“But… How can I? When such a thing happened?”

Shii-chan puts her finger on her lips and quietly urges Kaede to be quiet for sometime.

If Kaede also starts asking questions here, then the conversation will become chaotic. But, fortunately she is someone who can read the atmosphere and act accordingly.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I didn’t do such a thing.”

“That’s a lie. I clearly saw it.’

“Ah, that’s right, at that time I was blowing something that was stuck on her bangs. Maybe you misunderstood and thought I was kissing her?”

“That couldn’t be…”

Shinozuka-san’s voice gradually becomes dejected.

In reality, Shinozuka-san’s memory is correct. However, she seems to have lost confidence in her recollection after hearing my explanation. And that was when things started to turn in our favor.

“Sakuramiya-sensei, is it really true that there’s nothing going on between Minato-kun and you?”

“No, there’s nothing. Like Seigawa-kun said, we just met here coincidentally. I’m sorry for causing so many misunderstandings.”

“Is that so? Then, why did Minato-kun confess to you at the cultural festival?”

“Well, th-that’s…’

I didn’t expect this follow-up question.

At that time, I couldn’t think of any other way to do it.

While I’m wondering how I should answer, Shi-chan, who has been reading the atmosphere until now, changes the color of her eyes.

“Such an interesting event happened and Shiina didn’t know about it…!”

“No way, after I get home I will interrogate him… Yumi-nee, I took her too lightly. I will have to be on guard whenever she is around.”

They’re talking about something, but it’s not loud enough for me to properly follow it up. Let’s leave the two sisters alone in their fantasies for now.

“Ah, that was just Segawa-kun helping me out. In the end, everything worked out fine, right?”

Sakuramiya-sensei answered her question on my behalf.

“I see. So that’s what happened…?”

But, it seems that Sakuramiya-sensei’s answer did not satisfy Shinozuka-san, as her voice dropped a level. She was smiling, but her eyes looked really scary.

Shinozuka-san approached me and entwined my left hand with her right hand.

“I’m sorry for doubting you, Minato-kun. Are you angry?”

“No, I’m not angry. I’m glad that your doubts were cleared up.”

“I see. In that case, let’s go to the haunted house together next time. Okay?”

“Uhm… well…”

Shinozuka-san clinged to me even closer and she approached my hand and interlocked her fingers with mine.

Sakuramiya-sensei, who was watching this scene nearby, briefly looks complicated, but quickly puts on a friendly smile.

“I see. Have fun. I’m going home now, but don’t stay out too late, okay?”

“Yeah, bye-bye Sakuramiya-sensei.”

Shinozuka-sensei waves her hand lightly at Sakuramiya-sensei. Even though I tried to distance myself from Shinozuka-san, it isn’t that easy to do so, since she is pretty strong…

“Well, we are going home too. Let’s go, onee-san.”

“Why are you deciding that on your own? I’m not ready to go yet…”

“If Shiina says so, then you have to follow my words.”

“Argh… I understand already. Hey, stop pulling me!”

Kaede left the place while being dragged by Shi-chan.

“See you later.”

“See you later. Bye Shi-chan and Kaede-chan,”

Shinozuka-san waved her hand with a smile. This time it’s the same smile as always.

What was that feeling from before, where her eyes weren’t smiling? Hopefully it was just my imagination…

In any case, as a result, it’s just me and Shinozuka-san alone.

Shinozuka-san firmly grips my hand and, with a smile, brings up the subject of going to the haunted house.

“Well, let’s go to the haunted house. I’m bad with scary things, so I’m relying on you, Minato-kun~”

“If that’s the case, it would be better not to go—”

“Let’s go!”

“Ah, wait a minute.”

Shinozuka pulled my hand and led us towards the haunted house. Is it really true that she’s bad with scary things? If she was, she wouldn’t be this excited to go…

When we arrived at the reception, the employee looked at me with strange eyes. It’s unclear if it’s because of the fact that we are going around the haunted house together or because we were acting so clingy with each other, but either way, the gaze was painful. Hopefully the situation will resolve peacefully… that’s what I think.

☆☆☆☆☆☆