Kissing My Student, It's Over if We're Caught - Volume 3 Chapter 2.2

“Sometimes, a harmless lie is necessary to achieve a goal.”

“I see. Gin, you’re too serious sometimes, so I think that’s a great mindset. I use that kind of approach in the student council occasionally!”

“That’s interesting. You’ll have to teach me more about it sometime.”

“Okay! I’ll tell you the next time I get lonely and call you!”

After wrapping up my casual chat with Kirihara, I returned to work.

***

Just then, Ms. Kurei returned to the staff room.

“Good work today.”

“You too, Mr. Hashima. Judging by your face, the group assignments and warnings went smoothly?”

“Thanks to you. How’d you guess?”

“We see each other every day. You pick up on these things. Let’s keep that momentum going for the actual trip.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Although my time with Kirihara has decreased, ironically, the extra time spent on work has given me more options and helped me stay on track.

Still, I owe a lot to Kirihara. I wouldn’t have become the teacher I am now without her help—whether it was her support or the way she secretly updated me on the class’s dynamics.

At some point, I need to properly thank her.

But with the rumors circulating, it’s not something I can act on immediately. Maybe after graduation, I could invite her on a long trip to show my gratitude.

As I browsed travel sites during a break, checking destinations and costs, Ms. Kurei leaned over.

“Oh, Mr. Hashima. Planning a trip? If you’re staying in Japan, Hokkaido and Okinawa are must-visits. They’re pricier, but I’ve never had a bad experience there.”

We chatted quietly while continuing our work. It was my first time working like this in the staff room, and to my surprise, it was enjoyable.

“Excuse me, Ms. Kurei, Mr. Hashima. Could I have a moment?”

We were interrupted by a voice from the front desk.

“Oh, yes. Were we being too loud? I’m sorry, Mr. Mizoguchi,” Ms. Kurei apologized before I could.

Mr. Mizoguchi, a veteran teacher with a strict demeanor, is the head of the second-year grade. While he’s intimidating at work, I remember him turning bright red after just one beer at the welcome party, laughing cheerfully. But in the staff room, his presence naturally makes people tense.

“Oh, no, not at all. I wanted to discuss some details about the school trip.”

Ms. Kurei nodded, and I followed suit.

“Thank you. I’d greatly appreciate that. This is my first time handling something like this…”

When I admitted my inexperience, Mr. Mizoguchi’s stern expression softened slightly.

“That’s the right attitude to have. It’s a lot of work, but as the principal always says, let’s do everything we can to ensure there are no accidents or incidents.”

Despite his strictness, Mr. Mizoguchi, like Ms. Kurei, is a reliable mentor.

We went over emergency protocols, communication plans, and countless other details.

The stories of past school trip mishaps were particularly interesting.

“Wait, a student got into a fight with another school and was suspended…?”

“That was about three years ago, wasn’t it?”

“I was still a rookie back then, so it was a bit earlier than that, Mr. Mizoguchi.”

“Ah, that’s right. That student was one of yours, wasn’t it, Ms. Kurei?”

…She dealt with something that heavy as a rookie?

I glanced at Ms. Kurei in awe, and she laughed lightly.

“It was the first time I seriously scolded a student. Before that, they didn’t take me seriously, but after that incident, they stopped goofing off around me.”

“Even the parents’ complaints became a fond memory,” Mr. Mizoguchi added with a chuckle.

“…I’m sorry for the trouble I caused back then.”

“It’s fine.”

Mr. Mizoguchi laughed heartily, and seeing Ms. Kurei look sheepish for the first time made me laugh too. Though it extended our work hours, it was a meaningful and enjoyable discussion.

***

One Week Later: The Day of the School Trip

The meeting point was Tokyo Station.

The students were to gather directly there, and once everyone arrived, we’d board the Shinkansen to Kyoto.

To avoid forgetting it, I had put my ticket, marked “Tokyo → Kyoto,” in my wallet the night before.

The meeting time was set for 7:00 AM, earlier than usual to avoid the general crowd.

At around 5:30 AM, I called Kirihara. She picked up after the second ring.

“Good morning~! I was about to call you, but wow, Gin, you’re up on time!”

“I’ve always been a morning person. How about you? Did Yuzu wake up?”

“She was sleepy, but she made breakfast for me.”

They really are getting along well.

“Alright, see you at the station.”

“Yep! Be careful!”

After getting ready, I headed to Tokyo Station. Teachers were to gather by 6:00 AM. The weather was fine, but the early winter morning was cold. A coat, scarf, and gloves were essential.

When I arrived, Mr. Mizoguchi and Ms. Kurei were already there.

Kirihara was the first student to arrive among the group leaders. True to form, she was thirty minutes early.

Like the teachers, the students wore their uniforms but paired them with their favorite coats. Kirihara’s duffle coat suited her perfectly.

As Kirihara arrived, other students began trickling in.

Five Minutes Before the Meeting Time

We were starting to panic.

“Is there still one missing?” Ms. Kurei asked.

“…It’s Higashi from our class. I’ve been trying to contact both him and his parents, but neither is answering…”

Higashi’s popularity made his tardiness a hot topic among the students, who were starting to buzz with concern.

While we had built-in buffer time before the Shinkansen’s departure, it was still worrying.

With just minutes left before departure, the other students moved to the platform. Still, there was no sign of Higashi.

Had something happened to him? Just as we began to worry about accidents, we spotted a boy sprinting toward us from afar.

“Sensei, I’m so sorry! Really sorry!!”

“Are you okay!? We were worried!”

“Man, I was panicking!”

“Save the relief for later! Just get on the train!”

Dragging Higashi along, we rushed to the platform and managed to board just before the train departed.

Both of us were out of breath as we found our seats, where Mr. Mizoguchi and Ms. Kurei were waiting.