Can I Still Be Your Heroine Even Though I'm Your Teacher? - Volume 1 Epilogue

Epilogue

In The Dazzling Morning Light

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of a different smartphone than usual.

I fumble for the smartphone ringing by my pillow and tap the screen without even looking, still groggy.

The sound of the smartphone stops.

“Yawn, it’s about time to get up.”

I stretch out in bed, but before I can fully extend my arms and legs, I bump into something next to me.

“Ouch…”

My hand makes contact, and a voice other than mine speaks up.

“Huh?”

I turn my head and look to the side.

In the same bed, there’s another person. They turn over, and their face turns towards me.

Nishiki Yuunagi’s sleeping face is right in front of me.

“—!? No way, why?”

I raise my voice and sit up.

Looking around the room, I realize that this is his room.

The indirect lighting by the pillow has been on since last night, and we are lying side by side on a single bed.

I’m also still in the same clothes as yesterday.

I immediately grasped the situation.

Last night, I intended to return to my room after making sure he was asleep next to the bed. But I fell asleep instead.

Then, when I woke up in the middle of the night, I sleepily crawled back into bed as usual.

And now, I’ve woken up again in his room.

I’ve really done it now!!!! Part 2.

Who would have thought I’d repeat the same mistake!?

To make matters worse, I ended up spending the night in the same bed with him.

I slept with a man…

Flashes of yesterday’s events flood my mind.

His vulnerable expression made my heart flutter, my careless actions in the bathroom and the words we exchanged—resulted in an overnight stay in his room.

I’m so mortified, I almost scream out loud, but then…

『Nishiki? Is there someone else there?』

The alarm had stopped, but a woman’s voice could be heard through the speaker.

“——!”

I quickly grabbed the smartphone and saw that it was in a call state with Akira Kuhouin’s name on the screen.

It seems I accidentally operated his phone.

『Who’s there with you?』

Kuhouin-san’s voice sounded suspicious and doubtful.

If my identity is revealed here, it’s social death. Oh no, what should I do!?

Meanwhile, Nishiki-kun wakes up.

“Hey, Sensei, what’s—mmpf!?”

I quickly covered his mouth.

“Hellooo, I’m Yuunagi’s mother. I’m here to take care of his cold.”

I desperately change my voice and explain my situation without being asked.

『Nishiki’s mother? I’m sorry. I’m his classmate, Kuhouin. Your voice sounds quite young. I was surprised.』

“I get that a lot.”

Sweating coldly, I continue to pretend to be his mother.

『Excuse me, but have we met before? Your voice sounds familiar…』

“Maybe you’re mistaken. So, what can I do for you?”

Nishiki-kun removes my hand and realizes who I’m talking to.

『I called because I was worried about his health.』

“He’s already feeling better, his fever’s down, and he’s got an appetite. Don’t worry, and thank you for calling him.”

Beside me, Nishiki-kun tries to suppress his laughter, looking much better compared to yesterday.

『Then that’s good, please give him my regards.』

After the call with Kuhouin-san ended, I feel a wave of relief wash over me.

“Don’t make me laugh right after waking up! You scared me.”

Nishiki-kun had recovered enough to laugh as usual.

“I thought my heart was going to stop.”

My heart is still racing, and I lean on the bed for support.

“Tenjō-san, you unconsciously crawled into bed again. What are you doing right after saying something like that last night? Really, it would’ve been bad if you caught my cold.”

He was worried and seemed to understand why I was in bed.

“Ugh, I have no excuse.”

I was too embarrassed to face him.

“I was sleeping so soundly that I didn’t notice at all.”

“That’s good. Looks like your fever is completely gone.”

“Thanks to you for staying by my side.”

“That’s not true.”

“But it’s true that Tenjō-san’s care helped me recover.”

He’s in a great mood, having recovered from his cold.

“Still, I missed a great opportunity.”

“What opportunity?”

“There’s a saying, ‘A man who doesn’t eat a meal laid out before him is a disgrace.’ It’s a pity we spent the night together but I missed out.”

“You promised you’d restrain yourself.”

“So, I’ve proven that it’s safe to sleep beside me, right?”

His smug expression made me angry.

“It doesn’t count because you were sick!”

“Then should we sleep together again when I’m healthy?”

“No way!?”

I try to back away in a hurry and nearly fall off the edge of the bed.

“——Safe! Can you forgive me for this hug as a sleepy accident?”

He quickly places his hand on my back and pulls me towards him.

As a result, I end up being fully embraced in his chest.

A moment of surprise, then a sense of security overwhelms me.

I never knew it could feel so good to be this close to someone.

“You don’t seem to mind it that much.”

He peeked at my face while smiling.

“It’s just your imagination!”

“How about staying like this for a while longer?”

I found myself thinking it might not be so bad.

“You hesitated just now, didn’t you?”

“I feel like I’m being toyed with by someone younger…”

“I’m serious about this, not just playing around.”

He says casually.

I couldn’t deny his words anymore.

“Who would have thought that a shared cold could lead to this?”

In a room filled with morning sunlight, the two of us laugh together on the bed.

I always thought it was okay not to force love, even if I felt lonely sometimes.

And I still don’t know if eternal love lies ahead.

But the mornings we welcomed while laughing together like this felt incredibly happy.

***

TL: Hiraeth