I Time-Leaped Back to High School with My Childhood Friend–Turned–Wife, But I Don’t Know Why We Returned to the Past. Also, My Wife as a High Schooler Is Kinda Sexy.

“You know, I suddenly realized I wasn’t at Karasuma, but on my way to school in my uniform. Since I hadn’t had breakfast yet, I stopped by a convenience store, and on the way, I ran into Fumi-chan. We chatted and came to school together.”

The school rooftop entrance. The landing. The time was 8:20.

Whether it was the sunlight or the wind and rain that had blown in through the door, the mat stuck to the concrete was slightly lifted there, where Chiho, Aizawa, and I had gathered.

Chiho was cornered in front of the rooftop door by Aizawa and me. Unusually flustered, she blinked her eyes.

From what Chiho told us about her transfer to this second loop, it seemed certain that she was the same person who had gone to the Gion Festival with us.

However, even if she was the Chiho we knew, there were things we wanted to ask.

“…Did Tendoji-san do anything strange to you?”

“Yes, Chiho-san. Did she do anything suspicious to you?”

“Nothing? Why would you ask that?”

Why, you ask?

Because if the two of us stay like this, we’ll just be a pair of foolish husband and junior.

Dafunda.

This is Oizumi from the world. (White eyes) (T/N: Oizumi is a comedian in Japan)

Tendoji-san was definitely the mastermind.

But if the target was casually going to school with her friends, that’s a problem. That can’t be right. Unless Chiho was brainwashed and acting according to Tendoji-san’s convenience, but still—

“Geez~, are you trying to do something weird~, A-chan~?”

“That kind of lewd breath is definitely from the real one.”

“Calling someone to the deserted rooftop landing~, what are you planning to do~?”

“If you can do that while being brainwashed, Senpai, that’s actually godlike.”

“Brainwashed~? No way~! That’s so nice!~”

“”No, it’s not nice at all. Not in any way.””

Aizawa and I shouted in sync.

And as soon as Chiho fell silent, we both held our heads.

What was that passionate time leap reset mood just a moment ago? The feeling of returning to the start time after a loop, despairing but believing in hope and starting over. What was that overly passionate mood?

Normally, wouldn’t that kind of development go straight to serious?

Yet, the friend we thought was gone returned with a completely innocent face, and didn’t even notice our worries, happily eating bread.

That’s too much of a flip-flop.

We were glad Chiho safely returned to this world, but we couldn’t honestly rejoice. After going through a serious development and getting fired up, if that serious development was nullified in the next story, our emotions and mental balance were completely messed up.

The foolish words I said a little while ago flashed through my mind.

Like subtitles from Evangelion, they came one after another. Really, how could I say such words so easily?

What an embarrassing guy, really.

Well, that’s me though.

“Nnn, this is a splendid red embarrassment! This will become a new black history!”

“What’s up with that voice, A-chan? Sounding all like ‘Mukkkuuu~’ or something?” (T/N: “Mukku” refers to a character from the Japanese children’s show Ponkickies, known for his slow, groaning voice. The speaker is teasingly comparing A-chan’s voice to Mukku’s, implying it sounds exaggerated or goofy.)

“Stop it, Chiho, with that drawn-out tone, it sounds like their conversation.”

“Senpai, it’s better for you. I said I’d take Chiho-san’s place, but Chiho-san came back. What was that determination for…”

“Aizawa, let’s stop. This will be our secret.”

“Yes, let’s take it to the grave.”

“Hey! Secret talk! Hey! You can’t keep secrets from your wife!”

“Sorry, please let this be a secret!”

Aizawa and I bowed our heads and begged Chiho. We couldn’t talk about the details, but we asked her. If we dug deeper, it would be a matter of life and death for us, so we desperately asked.

Before we knew it, the time for class to start was approaching. With Chiho’s return, the situation didn’t become clearer but only more confusing.

What was right and what was wrong?

It felt like a bad dream. But Chiho came back. She came back to us.

“Anyway, I’m glad to see Chiho again like this.”

“Geez~, you worry too much~, A-chan. Well, I’m happy though~.”

“So, why did you suddenly start wiping your face there?”

“To celebrate our reunion~, I thought I’d give a passionate hug!~”

“Why?!”

“Because you want it, right~? A-chan? I understand, we’re married after all~

“Senpai! After all that happened, what are you thinking! Please be considerate of Chiho’s body! You bottomless pervert!”

“I won’t! There’s no time! Disperse! Anyway, see you at lunch!”

“Ehh! Postponed~?!”

It’s not postponed.

Until we escape this time leap, we won’t do that kind of thing.

You should have realized by now that this isn’t the time for that. Well, Chiho might not feel it, but I got a little creeped out.

If we enjoy this time leap so casually, we’ll get hurt someday.

I approached the sulking Chiho.

I told her I couldn’t give her a passionate one, but I wrapped my arms around her stomach and gently hugged her from the front.

The scent of my wife tickled my nostrils, and I could feel her body heat.

After about ten seconds, I let go and said, “This should be enough,” trying to hide my embarrassment.

Chiho and Aizawa exchanged glances.

They’d probably say I’m not straightforward.

Well, whatever.

Compared to the joy of Chiho’s return, I don’t care what they say—

“Geez~, do you like my boobs that much~? Really, you’re so lewd, A-chan~!”

“Bottomless pervert was inappropriate. You’re a total pervert monster, Senpai. Go away, enemy of women.”

“I can’t help it! With this height difference, when we reunite, my face naturally ends up near the chest! Don’t be unreasonable!”

If I could stretch by willing it, I’d be the size of the Skytree in the future. Don’t be unreasonable, you two.

I wanted to retort, but time was really running out.

Chiho waved her hand and said, “See you later.”

Aizawa gave me a sidelong glance and turned on her heel. I watched the two precious friends disappear up the stairs, then sighed and followed them down the stairs a little later.

I distanced myself a bit from them to think about various things.

Probably, Chiho was definitely the same Chiho from the previous loop.

I realized that from talking with her. It was a gut feeling, but it was a sense cultivated over nearly ten years of living together, including our cohabitation days. It was more trustworthy than poor reasoning.

I decided to believe in the bond of marriage.

If it was a fake Chiho swapped in, she wouldn’t let me perceive the swap.

Even if she hypnotized Chiho, there would be no need to temporarily erase her.

So then—

“Could it be that Chiho’s disappearance was someone’s doing?”

The woman in the bunny suit and white parka was probably the mastermind of this time leap.

She must be involved in rewinding time for Aizawa and me.

Calling us with a cell phone, the way things proceeded as if in sync with her gestures, the cause and effect between actions and results, all pointed to that being true.

However, when it came to Chiho, there was no involvement on her part. Neither we saw her when Chiho disappeared, nor did Chiho seem to have seen her, judging by her attitude toward Tendoji-san.

This felt like a thread that might lead to solving the problem.

That is—

“Could it be that Chiho is an exception to the time leap and the key to breaking this situation?”

That’s what I thought.

Yeah.

I had just etched another black history into my life.

If this turned out to be wrong, I’d be embarrassed again. If you lack confidence, don’t think such things.

As for our future plans, we would decide after gathering with Chiho and the others.

Time was really pressing now. I decided to return to the classroom.

From the rooftop to the third floor, and from the third floor to the second floor.

Our second-year classroom was on the second floor of the school building. The third floor was for first-years, and the first floor for third-years. Other special classrooms for chemistry experiments, English listening, and such were scattered across each floor.

So, as I descended the stairs and turned into the corridor—

“Kya!”

“Uwah!”

I bumped into a girl coming out of a special classroom next to the stairs. It was the printing room.

The copy papers she had been holding in her arms spilled out and scattered across the corridor.

Each sheet was slightly different in content, spreading out in a misshapen fan pattern. Fortunately, the girl I bumped into didn’t seem injured—but I had really messed up.

I immediately turned to her and spoke to the stunned girl.

“I’m sorry! I was lost in thought! Are you okay? Does anything hurt?”

“…Eh, ah, yes.”

“I’ll pick up the prints. Really sorry. Are these handouts for some committee?”

“N-no. Um, it’s not like that.”

If not that, then what kind of content could these prints have? There was no time, but without stopping my search, I glanced briefly at the content.

It was all text, no pictures. And there was a decent margin at the bottom.

I couldn’t comprehend the content, but I saw words like lion, tin, scarecrow, and magical shoes.

What was this—?

“Um, excuse me. These are personal. That’s enough.”

“Eh? Personal? But you were printing them at school?”

“…Well, I belong to the literature club. The advisor said we could use the printer freely.”

The literature club, huh.

Hmm. Honestly, I had led a school life completely unrelated to literature. The only literature I encountered in high school was the consumer game AIR. Well, I had sampled various entertainment works, picking only the tasty bits.

So, the literature club printed things like this for personal use.

“Say, would you like me to help carry these?”

“Eh? No, that would be too much trouble…”

“No, no, I bumped into you and made this mess. Besides, if you’re going to distribute these, you’ll have to reprint any that got dirty or folded, right?”

“Ah, well, that’s…yes.”

“Then I should be the one apologizing.”

With that, she accepted my proposal. I really couldn’t leave things like this; it would weigh on my conscience.

Though I might be late for class.

“Um, the literature club room is in the library preparation room on the third floor.”

“Oh, that’s where the club room is.”

“It’s convenient for research with the library next door. Also, we simply have too few members to get a proper club room.”

“I see.”

“If a famous writer had emerged from our literature club, perhaps we’d be treated better. But that’s difficult.”

Well, in a few years, a novelist who would shake Japan would be born from our school alumni.

As I thought that, I felt her gaze.

Looking up, the girl I had bumped into was staring at me with intense eyes.

Wait, this girl, I’ve definitely seen her somewhere—

“Um, are you perhaps interested in the literature club?”

“Eh? No, that’s…”

“If you don’t mind, would you consider joining? We’re actually short on members.”

“Ah, no. That’s a bit… I don’t have any literary talent.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. Yes, you do have that kind of face.”

“…Eh, wait, that was a joke, right? Literary talent doesn’t show on your face, does it?”

She hurriedly added that she was joking, of course. Stop it—nothing feels less like a joke than when a serious girl jokes.

The literature girl gave a wry smile. Her long, unkempt black hair swayed, hiding her freckles on the other side. There was a slightly feminine, bewitching scent, like when I held Chiho in bed.

Probably just my imagination due to being sexually frustrated these past few days from my self-imposed abstinence.

But regardless, I had seen her somewhere before.

As I stared intently at her face—

“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Yuri Shino. I’m the president of the literature club, believe it or not.”

She said something surprising again and smiled apologetically.

And with that expression, I finally realized.

Why I felt familiar with her.

Why I knew her name.