The Students I Once Tutored As Part-Time Home Tutors During My Student Days Had Suddenly Achieved Excessive Success In Their Careers. - Chapter 22: Sora’s Home Part 5

Sora’s Home Part 5

After leaving the convenience store and returning home…

“Really… I can’t believe it…”

“Haha, you’re still grumbling. You’re cute, Sensei.”

“It’s because you pretended not to know so well, right? I didn’t know what to do. Really…”

Sora and Nanase, who had started drinking at home, were having a conversation with contrasting expressions.

A homeowner with no leeway and a visitor with too much leeway. What a composition.

“Sensei is too innocent. There’s no one who doesn’t know about condoms at the age of 20.”

“I didn’t expect you to bring it up in that situation!?”

“No, no, it’s a classic.”

“Classic!? …Huh? Are young people these days that advanced?”

“Well, who knows~”

Nanase, who let out a drawn-out voice as if implying something, took a sip of beer.

“By the way, Sensei, your drinking pace is obviously fast. Are you okay?”

“It’s because someone keeps disturbing me…”

“Hehe, you drank again.”

Nanase, who was thoroughly enjoying this drinking party, had noticed a certain rule for a little while now.

It was a rule where the more you tease Sora, the faster he drinks.

Perhaps Sora didn’t want his student to see his ‘nervousness’, but he seemed to have forgotten that he was weak with alcohol.

As Nanase watched his mentor pick up a can to drink…

“Hey, Sensei, you’ve already drunk half of it.”

Checking the contents, he replied with a “yes” and handed it back.

“By the way, how’s that alcohol? Is it easy to drink?”

“Honestly, it’s strong… but it’s delicious so I’m glad I bought it.”

“That’s good then.”

It’s only natural that the answer would be filled with emotion.

Nanase had used the principle of contrast to guide him into buying 9% alcohol.

If she couldn’t hear the comment “delicious”, she would feel guilty.

“Oh! By the way, I haven’t asked this yet, but when you buy alcohol at a convenience store, how much % do you usually go for, Sensei?”

“I usually go for 3%, and when I’m tired from work or something unpleasant happens, I go for 5%.”

“Do you drink one can at a time?”

“Yeah. One small can.”

“Oh really? That’s interesting.”

Nanase naturally grasped this information and was convinced.

All she had to do was leave it to time and she would be able to see Sora drunk.

When she looked at the wall clock, it was 20:30. There was still plenty of time until 23:00.

“Hey Sensei. This salmon jerky is really delicious as a snack. I’ve never had it before but I might repeat this.”

“It’s delicious isn’t it? I like it too.”

“Hmm hmm. It also has low carbohydrates so it seems like a product suitable for restrictive diets.”

Nanase looked at the nutritional information on the back of the salmon jerky and said what she thought.

“Haha, that’s impressive. It’s like professional consciousness. I just noticed that you also chose zero-carb beer.”

“I’m still young so I’m not being super careful about it but apparently being slightly conscious makes it easier to maintain my style.”

“Certainly just being conscious changes the amount of intake.”

Sora nods in agreement, but then directs a concerned look towards Nanase.

“However, personally, I think adding a bit more meat wouldn’t hurt… Your stomach looks quite firm.”

“Don’t look at me like that! That’s naughty!”

“Huh!?”

“You’re naughty Sensei!”

“No…”

As she narrowed her eyes and crossed her long legs in jeans with a grin on her face while letting out a drawn-out voice as if implying something and sipping beer…

“Wait! Hold on! It’s a misunderstanding! It’s not like that!”

“Hehe, I know, I know. It was just a joke.”

“Geez! You tease like an adult way too much, seriously…”

“I’m, I’m sorry! I won’t do it again, okay?”

“You’re a bit too casual with your words.”

Sora pleaded with a pout, holding alcohol in both hands. The blush on his face was probably due to the alcohol.

“Then, as an apology for earlier, I’ll tell you something that will put Sensei’s mind at ease.”

“Mind at ease?”

“Despite appearances, I’m not dangerously skinny. It’s a bit embarrassing to say this, but my weight is not something to worry about.”

“R-really…?”

“Yeah. Well, I have a bit of a complex about it, so I wear skinny jeans. I’m trying to tone up at the gym, but it’s not having much effect.”

Standing up with a beer in her right hand, Nanase gently pats her thigh with her left hand.

“Hmm. I don’t see it that way.”

“Heh… You’re being honest, aren’t you? Not just saying it to be nice?”

“I’m saying it because it’s what I really think.”

Nanase had expected agreement. At least, she had thought that she would be told something just to be nice. Hearing that the person she had a lot of affection for didn’t see the area she was concerned about that way, made her feel both happy and embarrassed. This person, who answered that he didn’t see it that way, is someone she cares deeply about.

“S-Somehow… when I get a reaction that goes against my expectations, I feel like saying ‘I’ve got some nice thighs,’ or something like that. It seems my sense of judgment might be off. Come on, Sensei, if you touch, you’ll understand.”

“H-Hey… Don’t tempt me like that. It’s not like that, especially when we’re not sober…”

“Ahaha… Y-yeah, you’re right about that. In the end, I didn’t buy that after all, so it’s a good thing, right?”

“… That’s not really the issue here, is it?”

“W-Well, yeah!”

Nanase took a step back because the mature Sora had become somewhat fragile. It was as if she was conveying, “I’m really not good at this…” in a passive way.

Perhaps she was aware that the alcohol was affecting her more and was exercising even more self-restraint than usual.

“The gap…dangerous…”

Unconsciously muttering under her breath, Nanase looked away despite her dominant position.

“Um, um… changing the topic…”

In this awkward silence, the more they stayed silent, the more self-conscious they became.

Desperately trying to think, they moved their mouths to keep the conversation going.

“Ah. So, um! I want you to listen to this with a pure heart, but don’t you think those rubber things are really expensive? Like, a box costs 1000 yen, so it means it’s 1000 yen for just one use, right? And it’s disposable too.”

“No, I think they usually come in packs of three or more.”

“Oh… Well, I knew that, but, you know, I’m 20 years old.”

It was at this point that she started gulping down her beer.

“Really, Nanase-san got me good. It was two boxes, so I was really surprised.”

“W-Well, it’s not that surprising. I mean, if you’re determined, you can do it like six or even ten times, right? That’s what my friend’s friend…? was saying.”

“I wonder if that’s really true…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

The back-and-forth in the conversation stalled.

With the topic being what it was, an awkward atmosphere began to hang in the air.

“…Uhm, so, can we change the topic soon? This is embarrassing…”

“Sorry. Okay, then… Let’s change the topic, but how about you tell me about your college life, Nanase-san? Your friends, your studies, and how things have changed since winning the grand price.”

“Alright. Let’s start with my friends from college, then—”

As they continued to talk about such topics, they spent a relaxed hour and thirty minutes together. It was past 10 p.m.

“Oh, Sensei. You’re starting to doze off.”

“Haha… Yeah, that 9% is pretty strong… The more time passes, the more the alcohol hits…”

Sora rubbed his drooping eyes and spoke as if he were struggling to stay awake.

“I’m not trying to provoke you, but Sensei, you really can’t handle alcohol, huh?”

“Maybe I paced myself wrong… I need to be more careful next time…”

Relaxing on the couch, Sora seemed so drained that he would probably fall over if nudged from the side. And he couldn’t seem to stop himself from dozing off.

“…Sensei, you really need to be careful with alcohol. The combination of being full and drinking carbonated alcohol is a seriously potent combo, and there are people who might try to take advantage of you when you’re drunk.”

“Yeah… Thanks. But even if you tell me, I…”

“Hmm?”

Looking at the drowsy Sora, Nanase smiled with a hint of satisfaction and checked the time.

“Alright, I’m going to borrow the restroom for a moment. Sensei, you should lie down and sober up a bit while I’m gone.”

“Yeah, that’s a good idea. I’ll lie down and sober up.”

“Yeah.”

In her current state of inebriation, rational thinking was hard to come by. After confirming that Sora had lain down on the couch, Nanase silently opened the door leading to the hallway and headed to the restroom.