After Fainting

“…Fuhah! I-I was so surprised! Thank goodness, you’re alive!”

“Oh my, are you awake, you pervert?”

The ceiling was brown and stained. The smell of moldy books. And the floor was cold despite it being summer.

I woke up lying on my back, facing the ceiling, and found myself in a dark room.

The sound of cicadas and the breathing of students told me it was daytime and that I was at school.

Where on earth am I?—I reflexively thought like in a suspense drama, but after carefully observing my surroundings, I quickly realized where I was.

The library preparation room. The literature club’s clubroom. It was definitely the room I had peeked into earlier. In the middle of the room, a girl sat on a folding chair.

She wore a gray, shiny synthetic fiber parka, and even in the darkness, her white legs stood out as she crossed them and cast a cold gaze toward me.

Her golden hair shimmered in the darkness, swaying with her movements.

It was Tendoji-san.

But—

“…Tendoji-san. Why are you here?”

“Oh, that’s my line,” she replied.

“Why is so much of your leg skin exposed from that parka? Are you not wearing a skirt underneath? Pervert? Are you a pervert?”

“Hey! I’m the one who decided on this outfit, so have some consideration for the atmosphere!”

Her outfit was incredibly erotic.

If she were an ordinary girl, I wouldn’t be so surprised. I’d just say, “Hey, hey, maybe you should change that outfit a bit,” and leave it at that.

But this was Tendoji-san.

The most beautiful girl in high school, Tendoji-san.

It’s no wonder I was speechless, and even though I have a wife, I was flustered.

Anyway.

When the most beautiful girl in high school, Tendoji-san, sat on the chair, her parka’s hem revealed her alluring bare legs as if to the fullest extent. Moreover, it seemed like she was naked under the parka, exposing only her legs.

There was a chance it was a naked parka. The destructive power was too high.

I felt like I might lose control.

“It can’t be helped! You’re the one who suddenly showed up! I wanted to change, but I couldn’t because I didn’t know when you’d wake up! Use your head, you dense idiot! That’s why you fail!”

She blushed deeply and groaned when I pointed that out, which was adorable. Also, a typical tsundere move.

That’s a high score. How nostalgic. Back then, in the 2000s, characters like this were very popular.

Like Shana, Louise, Rin-chan, Haruhi, and Kagamin. (T/N: Shana (Shakugan no Shana), Louise (Zero no Tsukaima), Rin-chan aka Rin Tohsaka (Fate/stay night), Haruhi (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya), and Kagamin aka Kagami Hiiragi (Lucky☆Star))

Including their slightly clumsy sides, that’s what tsundere is like.

“…I thought Tendoji-san was a cooler person. You are surprisingly a comedic relief.”

“Who are you calling comedic relief!”

“The fact that you haven’t backed down there is exactly why.”

“There’s no way I can do that! I rarely even talk to boys…! I can’t do that…!”

Oh, how cute.

I knew from my future friendships that she liked cute things and had a modest personality, but I didn’t expect her to be this cute.

Blushing just from talking to a boy, that’s the ultimate pure girl. She stimulates a boy’s protective instincts.

I see, so that’s it. Her girl power was high. Just as Chiho said.

“External appearance of an angel, internal nature of an angel. You truly are an angel, Tendoji-san.”

“I’m human, of course! Don’t say weird things, you idiot! What do you mean angel! Stop it, it’s embarrassing! But thanks!”

“The way you properly say thank you is truly angelic.”

If she weren’t married, any guy would fall for her.

The aloof blonde cool girl was actually an angel inside. It sounds like the title of a web novel, but that’s exactly the kind of girl Tendoji-san was.

If it weren’t for Chiho, I might have been in trouble. I could endure it because I have a wife. If I were single, I couldn’t.

Though I was completely captivated by high school Tendoji-san, this wasn’t the time for that. What was going on?

Why was I lying down in the library preparation room? At that moment, Tendoji-san’s angelic smile disappeared.

Instead, she gave me an evil smile and cast her gaze on me.

What was that evil face? Is Tendoji-san really the mastermind behind the time leap—?

“Hehe, it seems you have no idea what was done to you, right?”

“Wha-! Are you saying you erased my memories, Tendoji-san!?”

“Something like that, maybe…”

“No way! So it was true!”

“Oh my, what a nice expression. Did you remember bits and pieces?”

“Tendoji-san, if it comes to this, I’ll brace myself too.”

“I see. Then maybe I should brace myself too.”

I got up on the spot and steadied myself. Then I glared up at Tendoji-san sitting on the folding chair in front of me.

Maybe she had already been manipulating my body and consciousness. The moment I tried to resist, she might control my body. But for just a little while, I should be able to move as I wish.

In that moment, I bet my future on us.

Tendoji-san moved. Her body swayed as she stood up from the folding chair.

Before I could confirm the completion of that movement, I also moved my body. I bent my knees, lowered my hips, and bowed my head. I clenched my toes and pushed my hips up like a crouching start, then—

“Please! We beg you! Please send us back to the future!”

I prostrated myself to Tendoji-san. I swallowed my pride and prostrated myself.

A grown man—though looking like a high school student—prostrated himself before a high school girl. I bowed and begged to be returned to the original world.

Yes.

At this point, I was completely stuck. I couldn’t do anything else. And on top of that, the final boss was attacking. No way I could win.

If this were a battle-type time leap story, this would be the moment the protagonist uses his wits, but I was just a powerless old man. So, I had no choice but to prostrate myself before a high school girl.

Please, send me back to the original world. It’s pathetic. Truly pathetic behavior.

But! A man can become as humble as he wants to protect his family! So, I gave Tendoji-san my all in a grand prostration!

Begging her to stop this and send me back to the original world! With all my heart and sincerity, I gave my best prostration! And how did she respond to my once-in-a-lifetime grand prostration?

“I’m sorry! For hitting you with the dictionary! I was a bit flustered then! I’ll do anything, so please keep this a secret!”

“…Eh?”

Though not a prostration, she bowed her head toward me.

Yeah, well, yeah.

This is one of those moments where our conversations just don’t line up.

Um.

“Wait? Aren’t you the mastermind behind the time leap that caught me trying to investigate you and just manipulated my memories or something?”

“No, no, I hit you with the dictionary, you fainted in front of this room, and it seems your memory is gone, so I’m apologizing.”

“Huh?”

“Hmmm?”

What is this? What is this? What does it mean?

Um, we were both trying to apologize to each other?

Or rather, was my suspicion about the mastermind and memory manipulation just a misunderstanding?

I see. That makes sense.

I thought the same when it came to Chiho. If she manipulated memories, she wouldn’t show her face.

Hmm!

Yes, this is the second misunderstanding today. The kind of misunderstanding a protagonist in a time leap story would have. What the hell am I doing, you idiot? (White eyes)

“S-sorry, Tendoji-san. I said something weird.”

“U-uh, I’m the cause of this in the first place. I also said things that made you misunderstand, so it’s my fault.”

And it got awkward. Very awkward.

Tendoji-san and I quickly dispelled the fateful meeting atmosphere and became an embarrassing duo who avoided each other’s gaze. Hmm. This response was proof that Tendoji-san was innocent.

Thanks to that, I had two embarrassing moments in a row, but her innocence was proven.

Chiho, as you said, she wasn’t the type to do such things. And your husband was even more foolish than expected. He was foolish to a surprising degree.

I will never do the protagonist moves of a time leap story ever again. Because this is just too much.

“Um, by the way, what do you mean by memory manipulation? What kind of incident are you talking about when you say I’m the mastermind behind this series of events? What kind of setting do you have for me?”

“…Sorry, it’s really nothing. Please forget it.”

“No, no, that’s impossible. I’d be curious no matter what if you said that.”

“…Please forgive me, please. Just kill me already.”

Yes, and things got complicated again. This time leap of ours was really unpredictable. It’s definitely going to be a terrible development, and I’ll be embarrassed, but oh well.