Can I Still Be Your Heroine Even Though I'm Your Teacher? - Volume 3 Chapter 5.6

Because You’re the Best 6

“Thank you for visiting us!”

The last customer leaves the classroom, and with that, today’s business is concluded.

Our second-year class C’s Animal Maid Cafe has closed with great success.

“Everyone, good work! It was incredibly busy, but thank you so much for sticking it out to the end!”

Mayuzumi-san steps forward and loudly expresses her gratitude.

“Okay, since the festival itself is still going on, let’s do a minimal cleanup and then take a break. Enjoy the remaining time! And please come back later to help clean up.”

As the leader, she gives instructions for what comes next.

“Also, thank you to Tenjō-sensei and Nikki’s little sister for helping out! Let’s give them a round of applause!”

Tenjō-sensei and Kaguya stayed with us until the end.

“You two go ahead and change.”

“Ririka-chan, since we’re here, I want to take a commemorative photo.”

At Kaguya’s suggestion, the girls agree.

The classmates who had been out on other errands managed to return, so we were able to gather everyone together nicely.

We gather at the front of the classroom, and I try to head to the edge.

“Nikki, why are you going to the edge?”

“Nikki is today’s MVP, so naturally, you should be in the center!”

“I want to be next to Yuu-kun! Rei-chan, come over here too!”

“Eh, I should be on the edge. The main characters are everyone from second-year class C, right?”

To Sensei, who is being modest, I say one thing.

“It’s fine. Tenjō-sensei became a maid too, so you’re the same as us.”

‘That’s right, that’s right,’ pushed by the voices of the other classmates, Sensei also takes her place in the center.

We took a good photo.

Everyone looked happy and had great smiles.

Thus, the second-year class C’s Animal Maid Cafe came to a close.

As a token of appreciation for our hard work, Akira and I were allowed to leave early.

Stepping out into the hallway, I breathe in the fresh air.

I’ve been standing in the classroom the whole time, so I’m completely exhausted.

I end up sitting down at the end of the hallway.

I take a break with some leftover coffee.

Finally, I can take off my apron.

“Nikki, good work.”

“Akira, you too.”

Akira sits down next to me when she finds me. She’s still in his maid outfit, but she’s taken off the tiger ears.

“Thank you for going along with my whims.”

“Are you talking about playing the boyfriend role? Or about the last hour?”

We talk, leaning in so that only the two of us can hear.

“Both. When I think it’s over, I start to miss this hectic feeling a little.”

“I’m too tired to feel sentimental yet.”

A mix of relief, fatigue, satisfaction, and hunger swirls inside me, making it hard to settle down.

“You’re not very sentimental, are you? You’re the manager.”

“It’s just a title.”

“But we pulled through.”

“We’re in this together.”

Looking out the window, I see the day is waning, and the darkness begins to stain the sky.

Only a little time is left until the end of the cultural festival.

“…I know the answer without asking, Nishiki.”

Akira suddenly starts the conversation.

“Sorry.”

“I was pretty confident, you know.”

“It’s not your fault, Akira.”

“Even after that direct temptation, you didn’t waver?”

“Normally, nine out of ten people would say yes.”

“And of all people, Nishiki is that one. Ah, this is the worst. I was so embarrassed.”

“Akira’s short-term strategy was quite powerful.”

“I thought I could win if I appealed to basic instincts.”

“If a tiger bites you, there’s no chance of winning.”

“I can’t become that beastly.”

“Ah, I want you to take care of yourself, so don’t recklessly do things like that.”

“——Still, I was serious, you know, in my own way.”

“I know. And I was genuinely happy just to know you felt that way.”

“I did something out of character too, but these past few weeks turned out to be surprisingly fun. That’s why I wanted to continue.”

“It was enlightening for me too. I understood what it’s like to date a classmate, something I’d never experienced before.”

“We were both first-timers, it would have been perfect.”

“Kuhouin Akira is a great girl. It was just a matter of timing, that’s all. Simply that.”

“Would it have worked out at a different time?”

Akira turned to me with a clear and bright expression.

“I think, after all, love and running are different. It’s not like a ‘ready, set, go’ where everyone starts at the same time. The timing of the start is different for everyone, and it’s not about being the fastest on the track to win. After all, everyone’s goal in love is different.”

Love that culminates in a physical relationship, happy unrequited love, mutual feelings that end without confession, love that continues for years but ends in loss, love that wins instantly upon meeting—there are as many ways to love as there are people.

That’s all there is to it.

“Yeah, love is definitely more complicated.”

“If it weren’t, there’s no way Akira would lose.”

“Which mouth is saying that?”

Akira playfully nudged my shoulder.

“Can I ask one last thing? Answer honestly. No more lies.”

“Okay.”

Akira asked as if reporting tomorrow’s weather.

“——Nishiki’s crush is Tenjō-sensei, right?”

“…yes.”

“…I see. Can’t be helped. The opponent was just too strong.”

Akira had a look of relief on her face.

“How did you know?”

“I saw the face you made while talking to Sensei earlier, and it clicked.”

“Was it that different?”

“Different. You never showed me that face until the end.”

“I’m really bad at lying, huh.”

“I’ve been watching all this time. Nishiki always sits in the front row, so I can only see your back, but I realized you always looked at Tenjō-sensei with that kind of gaze. That explained a lot of your reactions.”

Ah, if a woman in love tells lies, then a man does the exact opposite.

In front of the person they truly love, they become unable to lie.

“Nishiki, sorry for dumping such a troublesome thing on you.”

“I’m the one who accepted it.”

“I’ll tell everyone that Nishiki broke up because he’s too much of a siscon.”

“At least wait until Kaguya goes back to tell them.”

“You’re not even complaining to the end.”

“It’s the cultural festival. Let’s enjoy it to the last.”

“Alright… I understand.”

I took off my apron and gently placed it over Akira’s head to cover her face.

She hugged her knees, curled up, and desperately tried to suppress her almost crying voice.

“Akiaki, Nikki!”

Mayuzumi-san was watching us from a distance.

“I’m going to take a little break. Mayuzumi-san, please cover for me.”

I left the scene, blending into the festival’s hustle and bustle.