Shiori Shinohara, Miss Shinohara...... How long has it been since he and she have seen each other?

It's been a long time, hasn't it? It should be about a month.

Since her resignation, Tetsufumi Hirakawa hasn't seen her again in the past month.

Even the torrent of memories of the past in his mind, under deliberate control, is trying to avoid her existence.

Moriya's teaching career is gone, he has a new job, and Kuda has a new beginning, and the figure of this eldest lady named Shiori Shinohara is gradually disappearing.

Gone from his life, from his memory, it seems that there is no longer any possibility of relevance.

Then, at this time, one day when he came home from ordinary overtime, the girl who thought he had been out of his field of vision suddenly appeared.

She suddenly appeared in front of him, in his field of vision.

Really...... Caught with one's pants down.

“……”

Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked at Shiori Shinohara's figure not far away, and he was indeed stunned in place.

His gaze cut through the darkness of the night and fell on the girl.

The face is so perfect that there is no flaw, the long hair that flutters lightly with the evening breeze, and the straight posture that is soaked in the moonlight......

The noble and elegant eldest lady, dressed in a neat Western-style uniform, stood quietly in front.

Even the canopy has become her background, and the lonely moon is also setting off her beauty...... There is no doubt that Shiori Shinohara is such a girl who can give people such a look.

And now, the figure that has been deliberately swept away after a month in Hirakawa Tetsufumi's mind also overlaps with the picture in front of her at this moment, adding a bit of hazy to her appearance, with the amazement of walking in a dream and glimpsing.

Until she came out of the night, her straight and slender legs under the pleated skirt, stepping on the frost-white ground soaked in the moonlight.

"Mr. Hirakawa, what's wrong with you?"

She came to him, a standard honorific, a dignified tone, and a clear voice.

Sound wafted through the night.

It's really been a long time since I've heard her voice...... It's sudden.

It wasn't until he waited for a while, under Shiori Shinohara's gaze, that Tetsufumi Hirakawa's somewhat stiff body reacted because it was too unexpected.

He blinked, came back to his senses, and asked hesitantly.

"That...... Shinohara-san? ”

"Well, of course it's me."

Shiori Shinohara nodded slightly, and then, she reached out and pulled her long hair behind her ears, and the corners of her mouth raised a little curvature.

"Hirakawa-sensei won't forget Shiori, right?"

The tone is like a joke, and it seems to be serious, and I can't tell the difference.

"Ah...... This one...... Of course, no. Tetsufumi Hirakawa's words paused a little, and he smiled a little reluctantly.

It wasn't until after finishing speaking, after a moment of staring at each other, that Tetsufumi Hirakawa took a breath and took a deep breath, and the cold air of the night poured into his lungs, that he calmed down his overly complicated emotions a little.

The smile was a little natural.

"Shinohara-san, long time no see."

"Well, long time no see."

“……”

“……”

After saying hello, he froze and looked embarrassed...... Maybe it was just that Tetsufumi Hirakawa felt embarrassed, but Shiori Shinohara stood in front of him with a calm face, looking at him quietly.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa was about to say something, and he spoke.

"I didn't expect to meet Shinohara-san here."

Shiori Shinohara quickly replied, "Because Shiori came to Hirakawa-sensei on purpose." ”

“…… Is that so? ”

"Well, yes."

"Uh...... Why? Tetsufumi Hirakawa didn't quite understand.

"There shouldn't be anything wrong with a former student coming to visit a former teacher, right?" Shiori Shinohara asked softly.

"That's ......"

Tetsufumi Hirakawa echoed...... It was only after echoing that the brain reacted that the former students visited their former teachers, and this reason was certainly reasonable.

However, between him and Shiori Shinohara...... is only summarized as "former teachers and students", which can only be said to be covering up and stealing the bell.

And even if it were, there shouldn't be a visit at this point in time, right......?

It's going to be ten o'clock in the evening.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa didn't know what to say.

However, the quiet atmosphere only lasted for a short time before it was broken by Shiori Shinohara.

"Mr. Hirakawa should have been out of office for a month, right?" She asked suddenly.

“…… Well, yes, it's been a month. Tetsufumi Hirakawa responded.

"How are you doing?"

"......" Tetsufumi Hirakawa replied in a hesitant tone, "yes, it's okay...... How's Shinohara-san doing? ”

"I'm not used to it."

"Not used to it?"

"Hmm." Shiori Shinohara said, her long hair swaying up and down slightly, "Although Tamaki-sensei is also very responsible, I am still used to Hiragawa Sensei." ”

“……”

"And if the wind club is without Mr. Hiragakawa, I'm not used to it."

"......" Tetsufumi Hirakawa was silent for a moment, Shiori Shinohara said this, what was she trying to do?

He didn't know, so he could only smile as much as he could, "That's ......"

"Hmm."

“……”

“……”

"Speaking of which."

Maintaining a slight smile on the corner of her mouth, Shiori Shinohara spoke again.

"Actually, until now, Shiori still doesn't know what the reason for Mr. Hirakawa's resignation is...... You only left a sentence on the board. ”

"I guess I told Shinohara-san about this...... "Tetsufumi Hirakawa said, "I don't think I'm suitable to be a teacher, like this." ”

"It's too general."

"It's okay."

"What exactly is the reason?"

“……”

Tetsufumi Hirakawa didn't answer, and Shiori Shinohara answered for him.

"Is it because of Shiori me?" Shiori Shinohara looked him in the eye.

“……”

"Because of Shiori, do you think you're not suitable?"

“……”

Tetsufumi Hirakawa looked away.

If it's because of Shiori Shinohara, it's obviously true. But why did the girl ask?

Now, a month after he left his job, he suddenly found him and asked him this question?

Tetsufumi Hirakawa couldn't figure it out.

"Can you answer Shiori, Hirakawa-sensei?" Shiori Shinohara's gaze never left him.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa dodged the question: "Why do you ask this, Shinohara-san, it's been more than a month. ”

"Can't you ask?"

"It doesn't make much sense anymore."

Having said that, ......

"Really?" Shiori Shinohara, looking through him, "Hirakawa-sensei is avoiding this question, right?" No, it should be said that what happened between Hirakawa-sensei and Shiori in avoidance, right? ”

"......" Tetsufumi Hirakawa said.

Shiori Shinohara, continued, "Couldn't Hirakawa-sensei let go of that matter yet? After all, if you really let it go, why do you deliberately avoid it and dare not answer? ”

“……”

In Shiori Shinohara's questioning, Tetsufumi Hirakawa, who has nowhere to hide, has to face her eyes and face her questions.

"There is no evasion."

Tetsufumi Hirakawa said, finally nodding.

"If you want to say it's because of Shinohara-san's words...... There is a reason for this. ”

"Sure enough." Hearing the ideal answer, Shiori Shinohara immediately showed a look of understanding.

I really don't know what she thinks.

"Then may I ask Mr. Hirakawa......" Shiori Shinohara has another question to ask.

"What's wrong?"

"Have you ever thought about going back to Moriya?"

"......" Tetsufumi Hirakawa did not answer.

"Actually, Mr. Hirakawa also wants to continue to be a teacher, right?" Shiori Shinohara continued to ask.

During her questioning, Tetsufumi Hirakawa leaned back a little, paused for a moment, and then replied.

"If you do something wrong, you have to take it, and if some mistakes have already happened, you can't continue to do so as if you don't know anything...... The job of a teacher is no longer for me. ”

"Hmm...... It's still not suitable, so I don't deny that I want to continue to be a teacher. ”

“……”

“……”

Tetsufumi Hirakawa really couldn't figure out what Shiori Shinohara meant tonight, and what was the intention of asking these questions.

But......

"Shinohara-san, I think I'm going back at this point in time...... Shinohara-san shouldn't stay outside here, right? ”

"Okay."

Shiori Shinohara easily agreed, but with another twist, "But I have one last question I want to ask Hirakawa-sensei." ”

“…… Excuse me. ”

Shiori Shinohara took a step closer to Tetsufumi Hirakawa and tilted her face slightly.

"Mr. Hirakawa, how do you feel about leaving Shiori without saying goodbye?"

“……”

“……”

Silence shrouded in the night, and in the face of Shiori Shinohara, the unexpected question asked by this girl in the moonlight, Tetsufumi Hirakawa was silent for a moment.

What is Shiori Shinohara's coming here for today?

Just to figure out what he had in mind?

After a long time, Tetsufumi Hirakawa took a breath.

"Why...... Ask this? ”

Shiori Shinohara smiled dignifiedly: "I wonder what the current Hirakawa-sensei will think when he looks back at that matter." ”

“……”

“……”

The quiet air continued to permeate the two of them, and Tetsufumi Hirakawa gradually looked a little bad in the girl's eyes.

The two of them stood on the side of the street and looked at each other for a long time, and the air on the skin at night seemed to be getting colder with the passage of time.

Until......

After all, if you really let it go, why do you deliberately avoid it and dare not answer...... Tetsufumi Hirakawa suddenly remembered what Shiori Shinohara had said to him just now.

So, pondering, he began to answer the question.

"Shinohara-san......"

"Hmm." Shiori Shinohara listened very carefully.

"I didn't say goodbye...... First of all, sorry. ”

"Okay." Shiori Shinohara didn't show much of an attitude.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa squeezed out a slight smile.

"If I had to ask what I think now......

"I'll admit, anyway, it was really my problem."

"For this reason, it is reasonable for Shinohara-san to blame me and blame me...... If this is the purpose of Shinohara-san's visit today. ”

"I'm sorry."

"But, in fact, I have always believed that some things must be decided immediately, and procrastination will only cause more damage."

"So, although I also thought that my approach was inappropriate, I couldn't think of a better solution for the sake of more important principles that need to be followed."

"I'm sorry for the hurt you did, but I think if I had to go back and do it all over again, I'd probably choose the same option."

"That's what I thought, I'm sorry."

……

The wind continued to blow the long hair, dancing the strands.

Shiori Shinohara stood still, watching the teacher's back walk away.

After the last question was asked, the brief meeting ended, and at the same time, Tetsufumi Hirakawa answered a phone call.

The sound of words was carried along the cold air of the night.

"Well, Jasmine."

"It's off work, on the way home."

"Did you put the incubator for me? Okay, love you. ”

"Where is the flesh numb, this is only the expression of my love for you through words, in fact, because the power of words is limited, it cannot express one-thousandth of the true emotions in my heart."

"This sentence is also numb?"

"Good, good."

"Yes, yes, yes."

"Well, alright."

"Also, seriously, Jasmine, why don't you stay, it's too much trouble to go back all the time."

"After all, I gave you the key......"

“……”

Shiori Shinohara stood silently looking at Hirakawa's figure and listening to his voice until it gradually disappeared without a trace.

It was only then that she turned and walked in the other direction.

……

The purpose of her coming here today is actually very simple.

Need to know one thing: What Reya Hazuki said is obviously not 100% sure that it must be true.

I can't forget it, I can't let it go...... These statements are certainly good, but she only wants to believe them if she confirms them herself.

As for the results confirmed tonight......

Walking on the side of the street at night, under the illumination of the street lights, Shiori Shinohara's mouth maintained a little smile.

She didn't know what other people were like, but she knew that the teacher, because he knew enough, must be—yes, it must be like this:

Only by facing the past calmly can we truly let go of the past.

In other words, Reya Hazuki is right.

He was ashamed of her, he avoided her, he didn't dare to look at her.

He couldn't let her go.

You can see it just now.

Don't dare to face the past, don't dare to look directly into her gaze.

And......

Before leaving, at her home, what he said to her was also strong evidence, right?

"If there's anything you can't do in the future, please feel free to come to me. I will do my best to help you out, this is my promise to you. ”

It's a promise, it's a guilt, it's a concern.

It is compensation for not being able to respond because of the identity of the teacher and student...... Shiori Shinohara understands it this way.

And after today's meeting, she also believes that this is the case.

Aside from that dream, the choices he had made so far had been based on reason, whether it was separating from her or leaving her job.

This can also be seen from his statement.

"Not suitable", and "even though I know it's inappropriate, I will make that choice again".

Only choices made on the basis of reason are constant, and choices made on the basis of emotions change according to the emotions of the time.

To put it simply, he made the breakup according to the teacher's principle and according to the "can't", not "disliked".

also confirms from another angle that I can't let go of her...... Although it is still impossible to prove that Reya Hazuki's statement is 100% correct, it doesn't matter, Shiori Shinohara thinks it is correct, and she is willing to believe it.

Of course, nothing can be changed by this alone.

After all, under normal circumstances, the teacher's principles and sanity were enough to cut off the possibility between the two of them, just like the last time.

However, if the dream can be opened a second time, it will be different.

There will be a second chance...... There will be.

Not now, though.

It's the end of the second semester, and there is less than half a month left before the winter break, so we need to wait a little longer.

And......

Shiori Shinohara remembered the phone call she had just heard.

Ms. Kuda can't be allowed to get in her way.

She came first.