Can I Still Be Your Heroine Even Though I'm Your Teacher?-Chapter 4Volume 1 . - Interlude - Without You

Interlude 4

Without You 1

『To summarize, ‘It turns out that my next-door neighbor is my student, and after living for nearly a month with meals being prepared for me, I was starting to not mind being with him. But then I freaked out and rejected him after seeing a new side of him I didn’t expect!’ Are you a demon? That’s too cruel! Poor guy.』

The night Yuunagi-kun left, I couldn’t keep it to myself and ended up spilling everything to my best friend over the phone.

“Don’t summarize it so bluntly.”

『Don’t whine! The one who’s probably about to cry is that neighbor boy!』

“Ugh…”

Her harsh words made me involuntarily glance at the wall that borders the room next door.

『Ah~ There’s so much to critique here, I don’t even know where to start. Give me back the excitement I felt when Reiyu-chan first came to me for love advice.』

I heard a deep sigh over the phone.

“It’s not like it’s a love advice! It’s just a neighborhood issue.”

『You know, when a man and a woman meet, there’s always the potential for romance! Those insignificant days can turn into the beginning of a relationship when you look back later. In other words, everything is love advice!』

She argued more strongly than usual.

“Love advice…”

I wonder if this feeling of mine can be classified as love.

『What I want to hear are happy stories from Reiyu-chan, not such a serious and heavy tale of failure!』

“Well, romantic advice is usually heavy, isn’t it? And what do you mean by failure…”

Having it labeled as a failure hurt.

『You had a once-in-a-lifetime chance with someone you were interested in, and you blew it yourself. It’s nothing but a failure! Why didn’t you consult me earlier!?』

My best friend who has been watching over me since my teens was angry as if it were her own matter.

Her words were unusually stern.

“But I only asked for his help because of the sudden rain. And I was just worried about him collapsing.”

『And in the end, it was you who tempted him, Reiyu-chan.』

“Temptation? No way, that’s not it…”

That’s not my intention.

But I was aware that I had been bolder than usual.

『If we count all your misdemeanors just for today, there’d be no end. You ran into him at the supermarket, had him carry your bags, and walked home together. You bought snacks on the way and fed him croquettes since his hands were full. You made him help bring in your laundry because it started raining. And then there’s the knee pillow—oh, how naughty.』

“It’s not naughty! It was just taking care of him!”

『By doing all those things, Reiyu-chan, it’s only natural for a man to make a move. If you really did all of that without any intention, I’d label you a terrible person and cut ties with you right now.』

It’s tough to have all my actions from today scrutinized, even though I explained everything openly.

“Just stop it, I’m devastated.”

『The one who’s really devastated is him! This could traumatize him for life.』

I’m left speechless by the assertive statement that leaves no room for a reply.

『Listen, men are fundamentally timid creatures. Unless they’re overly confident or unreasonable, they’ll look for a chance but struggle to muster the courage. Reiyu-chan, at times like this, goes along with the mood and pretending a little is where women shine.』

Coming from someone who had captured and let go of many men’s hearts, her words carried weight.

Honestly, it was a technique beyond my realm.

“Is romance something that can be thought out like that…?”

『Or maybe he’s just very mature. Considering that a certain duck who is new to love comes to a man’s room every night carrying a leek on her back, it’s amazing that he hasn’t pounced on you, driven by his youthful desires.』(TN: Duck here means naive/ unaware.)

“No way!”

I was so surprised my voice cracked.

『He takes care of you diligently without expecting anything in return. Such a promising and excellent prospect, I’d like to date him myself.』

“He’s a high school student! What are you saying!?”

『Why act so high and mighty after avoiding him yourself? Poor neighbor boy, I want to comfort him…』

My best friend consistently sided with Yuunagi-kun.

“I haven’t rejected him yet. And he hasn’t clearly confessed his feelings either…”

I was desperately trying to justify myself.

『It’s almost as if he’s already said he likes you! Reiyu-chan, you’re clearly interested in him since you’ve spent so much time together. The fact that you’re coming to me like this is proof enough!』

“Is that really the case? I guess it would turn out like that huh… Probably, yeah…”

『Wow, liking someone but avoiding them, you’re a real pain in a real-life romance. Tsundere is only acceptable in two dimensions.』

My best friend was totally put off.

“I just can’t handle the games of love.”

『In this world, there are people who date just to try it out if they don’t dislike each other.』

“How can I be so insincere to him!”

『It’s all well and good to pretend to be a sensible adult, but you’re not really putting it into practice at all.』

My best friend was harshly honest.

『By the way, women around him definitely notice a caring, straightforward guy like your neighbor. You think you’re keeping him on hold, but before you know it, he might start dating someone else.』

I was dismissed with a cold, cutting remark.

“He’s not that kind of frivolous guy.”

『That’s all wishful thinking on Reiyu-chan’s part.』

“Don’t scare me like that.”

『It’s just the truth.』

I couldn’t say anything in response.

『——I know Reiyu-chan wouldn’t give a knee pillow to someone she doesn’t like. That’s why I wanted you to be prepared, at least mentally. I genuinely want to support and help achieve the slightly delayed first love of my best friend.』

My best friend confessed her deep regret.

“My…my first love?”

This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēnovelkiss.com.

『Moreover, it’s a romance of exceptionally high difficulty for a beginner like you. Rushing in driven by desire, you risk losing too much if you get exposed.』

My best friend knows I grew up in a loveless family environment.

She also understands how much I’ve invested in becoming a teacher.

That’s why she empathizes deeply and encourages me firmly, but she doesn’t recklessly push me forward.

“Yeah. It’s scary…it’s like I’m not myself anymore.”

When I’m with him, I lose control of my emotions.

My excitement grows, calmness fades, reason slackens, common sense numbs, optimism strengthens, and actions become bolder.

It’s embarrassing but not unpleasant.

I feel tense yet reassured.

I want to touch him but also don’t want to be touched.

Contradictory feelings and desires emerge.

I’ve never dated a man before, so everything feels new.

Experiencing countless firsts has been enjoyable.

With his support, my feelings have become positive, and there’s more enthusiasm in my life.

Ordinary days pass by as something special when we’re together.