Daily Life
“Eileen! You remember the promise we made last time, right? Today you absolutely have to come out into the city with me!”
Nova grabbed my hand just as I was about to leave the classroom and started throwing a fit.
Feeling awkward, I gently pushed her away and said,
“When did I ever make a promise like that?”
“Last time! You said you’d let me know whenever you had a free moment to go out together! That counts as a promise!”
I had said something like that. When I’d turned down her invitation to hang out in the city, I’d told her I’d let her know if I ever found the time later.
But that wasn’t really a promise… was it?
What I’d told Nova back then—“Let’s go out next time”—had been a classic Korean-style soft rejection. In Korea, “next time” usually meant “next life.” Saying “Let’s grab a meal next time” was basically the same as saying “Let’s eat together in the next life.” In other words, it meant “Let’s not.”
It was a polite way of turning someone down, but since this wasn’t Korea, the meaning hadn’t gotten across properly.
Looks like I needed a clearer refusal this time instead of another soft no. I gave a small wave of my hand to signal my rejection.
“Sorry, I’ve got other plans… Today’s probably not going to work.”
“……Are you heading to the infirmary again today?”
“……!”
At Nova’s words, my body locked up for a second.
Even I found it a little strange that a simple question about going to the infirmary had startled me so badly. It was just that receiving counseling in the infirmary was something that absolutely could not be discovered. I didn’t fully understand why it couldn’t be discovered, but that was how it was. That was probably why I’d reacted so strongly.
I asked back in a careful, quiet voice.
“……How do you know about that?”
“How wouldn’t I? There are tons of little stories floating around. Honestly, even if no one says it out loud, pretty much everyone knows you head straight to the infirmary after class. There’s even a rumor going around that you’re dating the nurse.”
“W-What?”
Nova’s answer hit me like a shock.
A rumor that I was dating the teacher.
What kind of nonsense was this?
The teacher and I had nothing more than a perfectly wholesome student-teacher relationship…!
An improper relationship between opposite sexes? That was clearly something that would damage both my image and the teacher’s!
“W-Who on earth started such a ridiculous rumor?!”
“So you’re saying you’re not dating him?”
“Of course not…! The teacher would never look at a student that way!”
And of course I didn’t look at him that way either.
I was a man on the inside—how could I possibly feel romantic attraction toward the teacher? Lately the female hormones had been making things feel weird and unsettled, but still, no meant no.
Maybe because I’d raised my voice a little, the students who hadn’t left the classroom yet started gathering around us one by one.
Mostly the girls who were a bit more free-spirited in our class.
“So Eileen and Teacher Yohan aren’t dating? Even though she goes to see him every single day…?”
“Then why does she keep going to the infirmary so often? It’s not like she’s hurt or anything.”
Three or four of them had clustered around, and their interrogating tone was starting to feel a little overwhelming.
What was this?
Was this a press conference or something?
I took a small step back and answered,
“I-I just had some business with the teacher, that’s all. There are some personal things I wanted to talk about too…”
“What kind of personal things? Be specific.”
“Just… random little things, nothing important…”
“So what kind of ‘random little things’?”
“D-Don’t keep digging into it like that! I can’t tell you!”
I snapped a little and raised my voice.
The contents of the counseling sessions in the infirmary were a secret that absolutely could not be spoken, so no matter how much they pried, I had nothing I could say.
Besides, why were they so determined to dig into someone else’s private life in the first place?
Was it just because they were at that age when gossip was everything…?
I shot Nova a slightly resentful look. The real culprit behind this whole situation had taken a step back and was watching us with open interest. When our eyes met, she just shrugged and pretended not to know anything.
Right, because it’s not her problem, is that it? Ha… I sure picked a great friend.
My strong reaction only made the girls’ eyes shine even brighter. By now their gazes were almost certain.
“They say a strong denial is a strong affirmation…”
No, if you really think about it, that’s just pure sophistry.
Ah, whatever. Let them think whatever they want. No matter what they said, the fact that the teacher and I had no relationship at all wasn’t going to change. Responding to every little thing would only make it more annoying.
“…….”
So I simply closed my mouth and said nothing.
Once I exercised my right to remain silent, the gossip-loving girls quickly started looking bored. Yeah, this isn’t fun at all, is it? So just go already. Classes are over—what’s so entertaining that you’re still hanging around making a scene?
Then, out of nowhere, one of the girls tossed out a probing remark as if it were nothing.
“Then it’s fine if I try to hit on Teacher Yohan, right?”
“W-What?”
That single flustered line shattered the poker face I’d been maintaining while staying silent.
The girl looked pleased with my reaction and continued casually,
“I’ve actually thought he was pretty decent for a while now. He’s kind, and if he’s a teacher at the Academy his abilities must be top-notch! I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who thinks so.”
“Yeah! Last time I accidentally saw him without his glasses and he was seriously handsome.”
“I was ready to give up when I heard he was dating Eileen, but if that was all just a rumor then I got scared for nothing. I should’ve been more proactive and talked to him! It really is okay, right?”
“Huh?”
The others immediately chimed in. Amid the flood of confusing comments, I answered a little dazedly.
“……O-Of course it’s fine. We’re not actually dating anyway, so whether you get close to him or not isn’t something I have any right to comment on…”
What right did I have to meddle if they wanted to go after the teacher? So yes, this really had nothing to do with me.
It has nothing to do with me… but.
Still, somehow…
Hearing those words made a strange, uncomfortable feeling settle in one corner of my chest.
Feeling oddly restless for no reason, I avoided the girls’ grinning gazes.
In an atmosphere like this, going to the infirmary felt a little too conspicuous. As a last resort, I told Nova I would go into the city with her after all, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her out of the classroom.
“Ow, that hurts! Let go already!”
I must have squeezed a little too hard without thinking, because Nova complained of the pain.
I hurriedly released her hand and apologized.
“S-Sorry. I guess I didn’t control my strength well.”
“……Be more careful next time. Physical-enhancement types like you only need to use a little force and it’s hard for the rest of us to handle. Look at this—my wrist is all red…”
Nova sighed and grumbled. Just as she said, her originally pale wrist now bore a bright red handprint. It looked painful even at a glance, and I couldn’t help feeling sorry.
Maybe because I looked so apologetic, Nova waved it off as if telling me not to worry too much and changed the subject.
“Anyway, we’re going into the city together today, right? No changing your mind again?”
Tch… Fine. One day should be okay. Skipping counseling for a single day wasn’t going to cause some huge disaster.
I’d already said I would go into the city when we left the classroom, so I had no intention of doing anything as awkward as backing out now.
I nodded and answered,
“Yeah, let’s go together. But is it okay if I stop by somewhere else first? It’ll really only take ten minutes.”
“Do whatever you want. I’ll wait for you at the school gate.”
Nova nodded readily. The way she smiled as if she already knew exactly where I was headed was somehow irritating.
Leaving Nova behind, I headed straight for the infirmary.
When I arrived and knocked, a reply came from inside before long.
“Come in.”
I opened the door and stepped inside. The same calm fragrance as always greeted me. Teacher Yohan smiled faintly as he welcomed me.
“Welcome. I have a few documents to finish, so sit there and wait a—”
“W-Wait a moment!”
“Hm?”
“It’s just… something came up today. I came to ask permission to skip counseling for just one day.”
“……Skip counseling?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm…”
Yohan stroked his chin with a slightly displeased expression. Then he nodded as if he had no choice.
“Missing one day shouldn’t cause any major problems. Go ahead.”
“Th-Thank you!”
“There’s no need to thank me… You said you had something urgent, didn’t you? Hurry along.”
I bowed my head and left the infirmary. The moment that distinctive scent disappeared, the calm that had started to settle over my heart turned restless again. I quickened my pace toward the next destination. As I neared the school gate, Nova spotted me and waved.