Chapter 14

"When I was at the intersection in front of the station, I saw a coin on the ground. Just as I was about to pick it up, an old woman suddenly stepped on it. Then, when I looked at her..."

Okazaki paused for a moment, as if after a fierce internal struggle, he finally decided to continue.

"She, she saw me looking at her and actually shouted 'pervert'! The police, who were nowhere to be found when I needed them, suddenly appeared and pinned me down. When I was lying on the ground like a fool, I even saw the old woman pick up a 100-yen coin. That damn old woman! She got me taken to the police station and questioned for half a day before they let me go. Why would I molest an old woman for 100 yen!"

Okazaki, unable to hide his anger, didn't notice that his voice was getting louder. The students in the classroom could already faintly hear words like 'pervert,' 'old woman,' and 'police.'

"Hey, Okazaki seems like a pervert."

"Yeah, he apparently molested an old person!"

"Uh-huh, and he was even arrested by the police."

"Wow! That's scary!"

...

The students' whispers clearly reached the corner where Levi and Okazaki were.

"You guys! Who would molest an old woman!"

Finally realizing that his mistake had led to a terrible misunderstanding among his classmates, Okazaki jumped up from his seat, shouting in the hope of clearing things up.

"Okazaki-kun..."

Turning around at the sound of his name, Okazaki almost felt despair when he saw the Fujibayashi sisters nearby.

"Fujibayashi! Listen to me, you're misunderstanding something terrible!"

Okazaki hurriedly walked up to the class representative to explain.

"Okazaki-kun, I, I've heard before that there are people with such interests..."

"No..."

Just as Okazaki was about to continue his explanation, he was grabbed by the neck by Fujibayashi Kaori, and all the words got stuck in his throat.

"I don't care about your hobbies, but I warn you, don't let my sister see any of your disgusting things!"

Faced with the enraged Fujibayashi Kaori, Okazaki had no ability to calm her down before he lost consciousness. He quickly looked around his seat, hoping to find some support.

But when his gaze shifted to where Levi had been standing, he realized that the damn teacher who had caused all the problems had already disappeared without a trace.

The desperate young man looked back at Fujibayashi Mugi, who was about to cry, and resigned himself to endure the inhumane torment that was to come.

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"Ah~"

Levi, who had just mocked Okazaki, was now dejectedly slumped on the podium. The students who had just finished class and hadn't left the classroom were all looking at their homeroom teacher with curiosity.

"Go home quickly after class. Your presence here makes it awkward for the students to eat their lunches."

As the class representative, Fujibayashi Kaori noticed the students' discomfort and walked to the podium, patting Levi on the shoulder and leaning down to whisper in his ear.

Just imagine, when the students were all taking out their lunches and preparing to enjoy their meals, a teacher they had just met and were still unfamiliar with was slumped on the podium, sighing. For students who were still afraid of their teachers, even the most delicious lunch would taste like sawdust.

"Understood, Class Representative, I'm sorry..."

Levi reluctantly pushed himself up with both hands. Who wouldn't want to enjoy a delicious meal in the comfort of their office during lunchtime? But due to the morning incident, he realized he had forgotten to bring his lunch when he returned to school. The bento prepared by the top-notch chef, Chacha, was the source of Levi's motivation for the afternoon.

At that moment, he was swaying weakly, just like Okazaki after being cursed by the 'girl's fortune-telling.'

"Levi-sensei."

Dragging his tired body, Levi had just reached the door when he heard a voice that sounded like a heavenly melody outside. Excited, he immediately lifted his head.

"Chacha! You came just in time!"

Levi's voice drew the attention of the students, who had just shifted their focus from him. However, this time the focus changed. After all, compared to their own teacher shouting, a junior high school student in a different school uniform was more likely to pique the interest of these students who lived a monotonous life every day.

"Levi-sensei, here is your lunch."

Chacha, who didn't feel the pressure of being watched by everyone, handed a bento wrapped in a floral cloth to Levi.

"Chacha, since you're here, why don't you join me? It'll save you the trouble of going back to Mahora."

The somewhat lacking in common sense Levi didn't notice the students' attention, and he eagerly took the bento, eager to open it and enjoy it.

"Thank you, but I still need to prepare lunch for my master. Goodbye."

Chacha answered without delay and immediately turned to leave. It seemed that after the small commotion in the morning, Yui had skipped class again. Even if nothing had happened, Yui skipping class was a common occurrence. If she managed to attend classes for several days in a row, Levi would have to consider finding a doctor who specialized in the physiology of vampires.

After Chacha left, Levi followed her out of the classroom. This teacher, who was not very sensitive, didn't realize that he had left his students with enough gossip to pass the time—gossip about the secret relationship between a high school teacher and a junior high school girl.

The school building of the second high school wasn't very large, and there were few places where one could fully enjoy lunch. Usually, Levi would choose to return to the office and slowly enjoy his meal at his desk. However, the bright sunlight outside made him want to get closer to nature.

The courtyard downstairs was too conspicuous, and students in the classroom could easily see everything if they poked their heads out. Levi never liked staying there, especially with the students who occasionally played around. It wasn't a suitable place for a leisurely lunch.

The only other place he could think of was the rooftop. By now, it was past the usual lunchtime for most students, so there shouldn't be many people on the rooftop.

Levi climbed the stairs to the top floor, turned the handle, and pushed open the iron door. As expected, this wonderful space where he could fully enjoy the sun and the breeze was temporarily his private domain.

"…Hello."

Reality, however, was never as smooth as one might hope. If everything went according to plan, Levi wouldn't have to eat his lunch alone at school. Even though the bento was very delicious, and the life of a teacher was peaceful, if given the choice, he would rather travel freely with Yui.

The girl sitting on the bench not far from him reminded Levi once again of the unpredictability of life.

"Hello?"

Thinking that his voice was too soft and the girl hadn't heard him, Levi admired her dedication to studying and took a few steps closer, speaking again.

"…Hello."

The girl finally reacted. She lifted her head, pushed up her glasses, and opened her mouth, but the movement was so slight that Levi could hardly tell if she was speaking.

"Am I disturbing you by being here?"

Levi's main purpose for coming to the rooftop was to enjoy his lunch. Although there was another person, this girl seemed more interested in the thick, hardcover book in her hands than in him.

After receiving a nod that barely qualified as an agreement, Levi walked to a chair near the other side of the railing, untied the floral cloth, and opened the bento Chacha had brought.