#05: A Summons from a Beautiful Teacher

“Hey, Mizumoto! Stop taking off your mask and walking around the hallway!”

Oops.

Sakura again.

Though it’s the usual, I didn’t expect her to come all the way here during lunch break to hassle me. Man, what a pain.

“Sakura, you came all the way to the second-year building just to see me? So you really do like me after all, huh?”

“Is your brain rotting, Mizumoto!? I’m on Conduct Committee patrol! I’m cracking down on troublemakers like you who wander around without wearing a mask!”

“Sure, sure. No need to act tough and hide that embarrassment. I’ll keep you company next time, okay? But I’m heading to the library today, so sorry about that.”

With that, I put on my mask and head toward the library.

Yeah.

I’m a troublemaker—Norio Mizumoto.

“Why does it feel like I’m the one being turned down for a date!?”

When I get to the library, I grab today’s newspaper and settle into my usual window seat.

I lean back against the chair, cross my legs, and spread out the paper.

It’s like I’m doing one of those “I’m a successful businessman” bits you see at coffee shops in the morning.

Acting out that whole scene by myself, soaking in the glances from the female students—

Ping-pong, pang-pong~♪

“Norio Mizumoto from Class 2-2! Report to the staff room immediately! I repeat! Norio Mizumoto! You’ve got some nerve keeping a teacher waiting!”

Ping-pong, pang-pong~♪

Oh right, Kyouko was calling me.

I put the newspaper back and hurry to the staff room where Kyouko’s waiting.

“Pardon me. Kyouko, sorry for keeping you waiting. But like I said this morning, I can’t accept your confession. I think there’s someone much better out there for you, sensei.”

“About time you showed up. Do you even know why I called you here?”

She completely blew past what I said.

Kyouko sure has a strong mentality, doesn’t she?

“Yes, I’ve been saying this, but this is a confession event, right? And you’re doing it in the staff room with all these people around? You’re quite the troublesome kitten.”

“Mizumoto—! That’s enough! Damn it!”

With that, Kyouko wrapped her arm around my neck and locked in a chokehold, squeezing tight.

“Why do you keep treating me like some thirty-something spinster every single time!? I’m not desperate to get married or anything! If I really wanted to, I could find a husband or two without any trouble!”

With the chokehold locked in, I desperately tried to protest.

“Sensei! Lying is the first step toward stealing! Even if you’re frustrated, you shouldn’t make up excuses to impress your students!”

“That’s why I’m not lying!”

Since I couldn’t break free from the chokehold, I grabbed her side and started pinching until she finally let me go.

I’m the student and Kyouko is the teacher.

Normally, I should be the one learning from her.

But here, I had to harden my heart.

If I didn’t say it, the sensei would never face reality.

I pressed Kyouko against the wall, planted my hand on the wall beside her head, and stared into her face.

“Kyouko, you don’t have to act tough anymore. There are plenty of people in this world who enjoy life without ever getting married. Marriage isn’t the only path to happiness. Besides, there are plenty of people who get married and aren’t happy either.”

Speaking in a gentle voice, Kyouko let out a deep sigh, then—

“Fine… being around you is exhausting…”

With that, she pushed me away and sat back down at her desk, burying her face in her arms.

Looks like I’ve broken another woman’s heart.

Man, I’m really something. What a pain.

Yeah.

I’m a troublemaker—Norio Mizumoto.

#06: The Childhood Friend and the Gal Gang

After school, Megucchi comes to my desk.

“Norio, let’s go!”

“Geez, I had plans for a lovey-dovey date with Fujiko, and you’re getting in the way. You really are a troublesome childhood friend.”

“No, Norio got totally turned down anyway! Fujiko said she had club activities!”

“Yeah, yeah, so you wanted to hang out with me that badly, huh? I got it. Don’t say another word. We’re tight like that, aren’t we?”

“That’s not what I’m saying, and you still don’t get it!”

Even as she said that, Megucchi grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the classroom.

Her nails dug into my arm as she pulled, and it hurt.

“Megucchi, your nails are digging in. If you keep growing them out like that, I’m gonna cut ’em while you’re sleeping, you know?”

“Huh!? Norio, you’re seriously a demon! Cutting off my precious nails is totally cruel!”

Even as she said that, she let go of my arm and linked hers through mine like we were a couple.

Heh.
Acting like lovers now?
Well, she’s a handful of a childhood friend.

Megucchi seems to be in a good mood despite all her complaining.
She pressed her ample chest against my arm—

bounce, bounce.

The way the two of us look so lovey-dovey draws stares from the other students.

Seriously, for a harem protagonist like me to be getting this kind of PDA from a childhood friend—what a troublesome situation.

Yeah.
I’m a troublemaker—Norio Mizumoto.

As we leave the school building, the athletic club members are practicing in the courtyard.

Brass melodies drift from the music room’s open window.

With my arm linked by Megucchi, looking just like a couple, I head toward the school gates.

As we walk, we run into a gal gang.

“Megucchi’s totally got it bad! That’s crazy, right? Hahahaha!”

“Mizunori is hilarious!”

“Mizunori, you better take real good care of Megucchi, or we’re not gonna stay quiet about it, got it?”

“W-wait! That’s not… we’re not totally in love or anything! Norio’s more like my little brother! If I don’t hold onto him, he just wanders off and gets seriously lost!”

This gal gang is Megucchi’s friends, but their slang is even worse than hers, and I can barely understand what they’re saying.

At times like this, this is the best move:

“Hey, everyone, you shouldn’t fight over me, okay? No matter how attractive I am and how much you want me all to yourselves, I’m just one guy. Let’s all get along, yeah?”

“Mizunori for real is insane! That’s so funny! Gahahaha!”

“Norio, stop, that’s embarrassing. Your brain’s gonna break or something.”

See? My one comment and everyone’s getting along.

Yeah.
I’m a troublemaker—Norio Mizumoto.