My Girlfriend Wanted an Open Relationship, So I Broke Up with Her and Found a Sweet Yandere - Chapter 36

[Yuuta’s POV.]

“Breakfast is ready.”

Her voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I blinked and looked up. Hayami-sensei set a tray down on the low table near the futon with a soft clink. Steam rose from several dishes.

Several.

I stared.

“…Sensei.”

“Yes?”

“…Did you rob a restaurant this morning?”

She paused, then looked down at the table like she’d only just noticed it herself.

Rice. Perfectly steamed. Miso soup with tofu and green onions. A rolled omelet—thick, golden, neatly sliced. Grilled salmon. Pickled vegetables. A small bowl of fruit.

And something else.

“…Are those matcha pancakes?”

She straightened slightly.

“…Maybe.”

“You made pancakes.”

“They were on sale.”

“With strawberries.”

“…Those were also on sale.”

I looked at the table again.

This wasn’t breakfast.

This was a full buffet.

“You said the convenience store was downstairs,” I said slowly.

“It is.”

“…Sensei.”

“Yes?”

“How long were you there?”

“…Not long.”

I glanced toward the fridge.

Or rather—

The open fridge.

Because now that I actually looked, it was full.

Milk. Eggs. Vegetables. Fruit. Yogurt. Juice. Everything stacked neatly across the shelves.

Yesterday that thing had been empty enough to echo.

I looked back at her.

“…Sensei.”

“Yes?”

“Did you stock my fridge?”

She hesitated.

“…Maybe.”

“Sensei.”

“You needed groceries.”

“That wasn’t the question.”

She folded her hands behind her back.

“I might have purchased a few things.”

“A few.”

“Yes.”

“That’s three days of food.”

“…Four, if you ration properly.”

I rubbed my forehead.

She quietly slid the bowl of rice closer to me.

“Eat before it gets cold.”

I sighed and picked up the chopsticks.

The first bite of the omelet made me pause.

“…Oh.”

I took another bite.

Then some salmon.

Then the soup.

I looked up.

She was watching me.

Not even pretending she wasn’t.

“…Sensei.”

“Yes?”

“This is really good.”

Her reaction was immediate.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Too salty?”

“No.”

“Not dry?”

“No.”

“The salmon isn’t overcooked?”

“It’s perfect.”

Her shoulders dropped slightly as the tension left them.

Then she smiled—bright, pleased in a way that was almost childish.

“I’m glad.”

She sat down across from me, resting her chin lightly in her palm while I kept eating.

“…You’re staring.”

“I cooked it.”

“You’re staring.”

“I want feedback.”

“You already got it.”

She hummed quietly, satisfied.

It was strange seeing Hayami-sensei like this. Relaxed. Warm. Almost… domestic.

I focused on finishing the rice.

By the time we were done, the table looked like a battlefield.

“…That was too much food.”

“You finished most of it.”

“That doesn’t mean it wasn’t too much.”

She gathered the dishes calmly.

“You need proper meals.”

“I eat.”

“You survive.”

“That counts.”

She gave me a look.

I looked away.

A little later I was by the door tying my shoes. My bag rested against the wall.

University.

For a moment the scholarship problem flickered through my mind—tuition, deadlines, numbers I didn’t want to deal with yet.

I pushed it aside.

Not now.

Behind me Sensei stepped into the hallway. She was still wearing the same clothes from last night.

I held out the jacket I’d grabbed earlier.

“You’ll freeze on the train,” I said.

She looked at the jacket, then at me.

“…Are you sure?”

“Take it.”

She slipped it on without arguing. It was a little big on her.

“You’re going today?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“You should.”

“And you?”

“I’m going home,” she said. “I’ll inform the university I’m taking the day off.”

“You should rest.”

“I will.”

She opened the door.

Cold air slid into the hallway.

We stepped outside.

Snow from last night still lingered along the edges of the street in thin white patches.

We walked down the stairs.

When we reached the ground floor, I stepped out first.

Then she followed.

Hayami-sensei pulled my jacket a little tighter around herself as we started walking toward the station.

For a while neither of us said anything.

The morning crowd was thinner than usual, probably because of the weather. A few commuters hurried past us, boots crunching softly over leftover ice.

The station entrance appeared ahead.

Warm air spilled out from the underground corridor as the automatic doors slid open.

We stepped inside.

The train arrived a few minutes later.

It wasn’t packed yet, but most of the seats were already taken.

We stepped into the compartment.

And then—

“Takahashi-kun.”

I froze.

I knew that voice.

Slowly, I turned my head.

Iroha Miyu stood a few steps away, one hand gripping the overhead strap.

Her expression was… calm.

Too calm.

Her eyes, however—

Were absolutely not calm.

They were locked on me like laser sights.

“…Morning,” I said weakly.

She didn’t reply.

She just walked over.

And sat beside me.

Like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Now I was seated between them.

Iroha-san to my left.

Hayami-sensei to my right.

Sensei had gone quiet.

Very quiet.

She was sitting closer than before—probably because of the limited space—but her posture had stiffened.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed she was staring straight ahead.

Not looking at either of us.

I frowned slightly.

Was she uncomfortable?

The situation did look… questionable.

A teacher.

Her student.

And another girl staring at him like she was deciding which organ to remove first.

The train began moving.

Silence filled the small space between us.

Iroha hadn’t asked a single question.

But her eyes—

Her eyes were absolutely interrogating me.

Then my phone vibrated.

I glanced down.

A message.

From Iroha.

Iroha Miyu:

[Care to explain?]

I sighed quietly and typed back.

You:

[Explain what?]

A few seconds later—

Another message.

Iroha Miyu:

[I followed you from your apartment till here… what is happening?]

I slowly turned my head and stared at her.

She was still looking forward.

Like she hadn’t moved.

Like she hadn’t just confessed to stalking me.

Instead of replying, I elbowed her lightly.

She shot me a sharp look.

I sighed.

And that was when I noticed something.

Hayami-sensei was looking at us.

Her eyes flicked briefly between our phones.

Then to our faces.

Her expression—

Wasn’t neutral.

It looked slightly irritated.

Almost… annoyed.

Before I could say anything—

The train slowed.

The announcement chimed overhead.

Next stop.

Sensei’s station.

She stood.

The movement was sudden enough that both Iroha and I looked up.

Hayami-sensei adjusted the sleeve of my jacket around her wrist.

Then—

Without warning—

She reached down and grabbed my face.

My brain completely stopped.

Her fingers pressed into my cheeks as she turned my head toward her.

“…Take care of yourself,” she said.

Her voice was calm.

But there was a faint edge to it.

Then she released me.

Turned.

And stepped off the train.

The doors slid shut behind her.

The train started moving again.

Silence.

Then—

“I knew it!”

Iroha slammed her hands onto her knees.

“You two are copulating together!”

Her voice was loud enough that half the compartment turned to stare at us.

I whipped my head toward her.

“Wait—wha! No and hat the heck is even COPULATING?”

My hands flew to my face.

“Oh my God…”

I facepalmed so hard my palm stung.