Chapter 081 Chabashira: Wanting to Combine with You and Support You After Graduation / The Primary Wife is Acknowledged
Chabashira Sae could never forget the events of that year. After steeling herself to tell Shimizu Akira everything today, her heart felt heavy.
Upon hearing Shimizu Akira's several incisive remarks, the beautiful sensei's first reaction wasn't to continue thinking deeply, but to subconsciously ask: "Then who exactly did wrong?"
Shimizu Akira felt a headache coming on. He had already made it clear; did he really need to explain it in detail again? "You don't even need to ask. You stubbornly wanted to protect your ex-boyfriend but couldn't give a proper reason. That leader was the same, proposing a mysterious self-sacrifice. As for the others, they lacked a sense of the big picture entirely. If you insist on saying who was right or wrong, then your entire class did wrong. Not a single person was innocent."
"The whole class was wrong?" Chabashira Sae murmured to herself.
For years, Hoshinomiya-sensei had held a grudge against her. Her old high school classmates blamed her, cutting off ties one after another. She was stubborn and felt she hadn't done anything wrong, but since so many people said it, she feared that if it wasn't for her, the class would have reached Class A.
Sometimes, she secretly wondered if she really had made a mistake.
However, after talking with Shimizu Akira today, she realized she wasn't the only one who had erred. Even if she had agreed to vote out the leader back then, their class wouldn't have actually reached Class A. And that ex-boyfriend she had only dated for a day had also made the wrong decision. The heavy stone that had been pressing on her chest felt as if it had been shattered by a straight punch from Shimizu Akira. Her whole being felt much lighter.
She looked up at Shimizu Akira. In her eyes, besides gratitude for his long-term contributions to the class, there was an indefinable something extra.
"Thank you for comforting me... Shimizu-kun."
That sentence reached Shimizu Akira's ears strangely mixed with shyness, embarrassment, gratitude, and a hint of affection.
He didn't know how he heard it that way—perhaps it was because she looked seventy to eighty percent like Horikita Suzune when she thanked him after they started dating?
No, wait—he hadn't actually done much! Wasn't he just complaining about their "brilliant" operations?
Shimizu Akira waved his hand: "Chabashira-sensei, I'm not comforting you. I'm just telling the truth."
Seeing him explain himself, the corner of Chabashira Sae's mouth tilted up in a tiny arc. It was so subtle that one wouldn't notice without looking closely, but Shimizu Akira saw it. He froze because, in his memory, Chabashira Sae had never smiled like that. It wasn't a sneer or a bitter smile, but a genuine, heartfelt smile carrying a trace of tenderness.
"I know," Chabashira said. "You aren't the type to lie just to comfort someone."
"Then why did you say..."
Chabashira stared at him: "Whether words are comforting or not isn't judged by the speaker, but by the listener. To me, every word you just said made me feel comforted. That's enough."
Confronted with this somewhat logic, even Shimizu Akira couldn't think of a rebuttal.
"Shimizu-kun, according to your logic, I should be the person who did the least wrong, right?"
"What do you mean?"
"My decision to protect the former leader was correct. Regardless of the motive, at least the direction was right. Whereas everyone else was wrong."
"That's... not without reason." Shimizu Akira thought for a bit and realized it was true. Protecting the core figure is basic common sense in any team. Whether the motive is emotion or the big picture, the action itself isn't wrong. Looking at it this way, isn't everyone else's burden heavier than Chabashira's?
"Alright, alright, Sensei, stop looking for excuses. This stuff is impossible to settle, and it happened years ago anyway!" Shimizu Akira really didn't want to discuss this topic anymore.
"Fine, I'll listen to you." Chabashira nodded obediently for once. She sat quietly on the bed, not touching her phone, just gently smoothing her hair with her fingers. She looked at him from time to time but didn't seem inclined to speak first.
Shimizu Akira felt something was off. That wasn't the gaze a sensei gives a student; it was more like... the look he'd seen on Suzune's face when she was embarrassed to say something and hoped the other person would speak first.
'But you're a homeroom sensei facing a high school student; what are you being shy about here?'
Shimizu Akira hurried to say: "Back to the main point. You didn't call me here just to talk about your past, right? Is there any advance intel on tomorrow's Unanimous Decision exam?"
Chabashira seemed to snap out of it. "If an expulsion is successful, the class gets an extra 100 class points. If it's rejected, there are no rewards."
Shimizu asked: "I already knew that from your past story. Anything else?"
Chabashira said awkwardly: "No."
Shimizu Akira looked at her hesitant expression. "So, did you really call me here just for that?"
Chabashira nodded gently. "...Yes."
"Then why did you say over the phone that it 'involved specific leaks and couldn't be discussed in public'? You made me think it was some massive secret." Shimizu Akira rubbed his forehead. "The result is just your personal history? That's it?"
"Personal history is also confidential," Chabashira defended.
"But for me, it's not exactly important intel." Shimizu Akira stood up. "Are you done? Can I leave now?"
Chabashira pursed her lips. She didn't blame him for wanting to leave. After all, she had summoned him with a phone call and then only talked about her own affairs; she was indeed in the wrong. However, sharing her history was only part of the reason she called him.
She called out without hesitation: "Wait, Shimizu, I have something else."
"Business this time?"
"Yes."
Seeing the serious look in her eyes, Shimizu Akira hesitated for a few seconds before sitting back down. Chabashira took out her phone and tapped it a few times. "Check the message I sent you."
Shimizu Akira took out his phone; Chabashira had actually sent him a transfer. This time, the amount wasn't like before—it was a full 3,000,000 private points.
"This much?"
"I promised you before that I'd reward you every time the class moved up. Since we've successfully entered Class A, three million points isn't too much."
"Weren't you out of money before? Where did you suddenly get this?"
"One million of it is a reward from the school for homeroom senseis. As for the remaining two million..." Chabashira hesitated.
"Where did it come from?" Shimizu asked suspiciously.
Chabashira finally spoke: "One million I borrowed through a loan. The other million I asked my parents for, exchanging Yen with other senseis for private points."
Shimizu Akira really didn't know what to say.
'Seriously? Borrowing money that desperately just to give me a reward?'
"Sensei, what are you doing? I'm not short on points."
"I know you aren't. But if I promise something, I will do it."
"Wait, I definitely can't take points you borrowed like that. Besides, I've told you several times: during the deserted island exam, it was Koenji who did the work."
"And I've told you several times. The reason he worked was because of your deal with Class 1-D, which got us five million points."
'She's so stubborn.'
Shimizu Akira looked at Chabashira's persistent eyes and felt a sense of familiarity—in this regard, she was exactly like his Suzune.
"How about this. I'll take one million points, and you keep the remaining two million. That way you won't be in debt and don't have to ask your parents for money to give to me. If I took it all, I wouldn't feel right spending it."
Chabashira Sae stared at Shimizu Akira for a long time, her lips pressed into a line. "I'll go sell the Toyota I bought a few years ago. I should get about 1 million Yen for it. If you take that money, you shouldn't have a psychological burden, right?"
'Hey, hey, hey, the psychological burden is even heavier now! Selling your car to give me points is going too far!'
Shimizu Akira was completely speechless: "Chabashira-sensei, can we change the reward? Don't give me private points."
As soon as those words came out, Chabashira Sae froze again. No private points? Then what did Shimizu Akira want? He had so many girlfriends; surely there was only that kind of reward left?
To be honest, Chabashira had actually prepared herself to "offer her body" today, but she had struggled to find the right moment to suggest it. Now was the perfect chance. She was nearly thirty; even though it was her first time, she didn't need to be as shy as a young girl.
"Then you must promise me that you will perform well in tomorrow's Unanimous Decision exam. At the very least, you must ensure one student is expelled and the five topics are successfully completed," Chabashira said, crossing her arms.
Shimizu Akira didn't know why she was suddenly making demands. "I can't guarantee that. Anyway, if you won't give the reward then forget it, I'll just take the one million."
Chabashira felt like Shimizu Akira was deliberately "pulling" her in.
'Does he want it or not?'
Having talked with him, she had developed a different kind of affection for him—she certainly didn't dislike him.
'Could he mistakenly think I'm not a pure maiden?'
A faint blush spread over the beautiful sensei's neck. "Just to be clear: back then, I only dated that leader for half a day. We broke up that same afternoon of the special exam. We did nothing—we didn't even hold hands. I did have some romantic feelings for him back then, but that's in the past. We haven't been in touch for over ten years. I heard from Hoshinomiya that he's married with kids now. As for me, I haven't dated any boyfriends in all these years. My body is still pure; you don't need to worry too much about that."
Shimizu Akira was stunned.
What was this sensei saying? He thought about it for a moment and realized she had misunderstood. "What are you talking about! Why are you explaining all that? Why do you immediately think of 'indecent' rewards as soon as I mention changing it? There are other normal rewards! For example, if I want to slack off and take a few days off this semester, you as the homeroom sensei could turn a blind eye, or if I have questions about history, I can ask you."
Chabashira Sae's face turned beet red. She realized how ridiculous her previous words were. He hadn't said anything, yet she had blurted out things about her "pure body."
Shimizu Akira let out a helpless sigh. This sensei was usually as cold as an iceberg in class; how was she like this in private? "Let's start over... forget about selling the car. As for the points... I'll take one million. And don't overthink those weird rewards. Let's just pretend this never happened, okay?"
Chabashira Sae was silent for a few seconds, seemingly considering the proposal seriously. "No."
"Huh?"
"I can't act like it never happened, because I really do want to combine with you."
"What?"
"I decided back on the luxury cruise ship. Only this way can you be guaranteed to go all out in the upcoming Unanimous Decision exam," Chabashira said word by word. "Besides, you spent eight million to buy that school rule. If we are together, it's not a violation."
Shimizu Akira didn't know which part to criticize first. "Wait, wait, wait. Say that again. What do you mean you decided on the cruise ship?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. That woman Hoshinomiya planned to seduce you, so I had to act first."
Shimizu's lip twitched: "Actually, Hoshinomiya already tried to seduce me, and I flatly rejected her. So, Chabashira-sensei, you can give up too."
Chabashira was startled. Rejected? Good. She continued solemnly: "That doesn't affect my decision. You aren't the kind of student who just plays petty tricks; you have your own judgment and execution, and you're good at comforting people. As a sensei, I think such a
student is worth cultivating and must remain in my class to be of great use. After my analysis, this is the best way to keep you."
"...You just said 'combine'."
Chabashira's face was finally completely red, but she grit her teeth and didn't look away. "In the process of focused cultivation, the possibility of developing other relationships is not excluded. To me, it is a necessary sacrifice."
Shimizu Akira was totally speechless. This sensei's way of speaking was harder to understand than legal code. "I only have one question now."
"What?"
Shimizu said bluntly, "Do you actually have feelings for me, or do you just think I'm a useful pawn?"
Chabashira was silent for over ten seconds before saying: "When I said those things earlier, I did intend to make you work hard in the exam. But if I just wanted you to exert yourself, I could have bought you off directly with a large amount of points; there was no need for extra words. I'm not a casual woman like Hoshinomiya. Since you fulfilled my dream and cleared my heart's burden, from now on, I will only do those intimate things with you."
Her gaze shifted slightly. "As long as you can ensure the class stays in Class A, if you simply want to have a relationship with me, I can agree anytime. However, I personally hope to go on a few dates with you first and establish a proper dating relationship. After you graduate high school, I will help you cover all your tuition fees, and I will also help you support your other girlfriends."
Ugh! This Chabashira-sensei intended to "combine" with him to make him work, but she even talked about supporting him after graduation? That was thinking way too far ahead!
She was truly the polar opposite of the "hundred-man slayer" sensei next door. Chabashira Sae had genuinely thought a lot. Given her serious personality, since she liked Shimizu Akira, she naturally wanted a serious relationship; that was a normal dynamic. And since there was an age gap and a status gap—and she had introduced some of the other girls herself—she naturally agreed to Shimizu Akira having a harem.
In truth, despite her cold exterior, Chabashira was surprisingly a "romantic brain."
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so stubborn about protecting that leader during the last Unanimous Decision exam. Of course, that romance had ended ten years ago. Now, she had significant feelings for Shimizu Akira, who had successfully enlightened her, so the object of her affection had switched to him.
"What do you think?" Chabashira asked.
After a while, Shimizu Akira said: "I refuse."
Chabashira might be an adult, but this was the first time in her life her confession had been rejected. With her personality, it was hard to accept.
"I admit I had some ideas about slacking off before. But from the start of school until now, I've taken good care of you, haven't I? Plus, my figure is good, I'm decent-looking, and it's my first time. Don't you like having a harem? Why refuse me?"
Shimizu waved his hands: "Chabashira-sensei, I truly understand your feelings. I also know you're the complete opposite of Hoshinomiya-sensei—you're very serious. But honestly, I've never had special thoughts about you before. You suddenly saying this to me... I really can't accept it right now."
Chabashira Sae's shoulders slumped slightly. "I see."
"Look, you're the sensei, I'm the student. Before this, our relationship was basically mutual utility: you wanted me to help the class move up, I wanted points. You suddenly talk about 'serious dating' and 'helping me support my girlfriends'—who wouldn't be overwhelmed?
Besides, you said you've looked after me since the start of school—wasn't that just because you felt I was useful? If you say you only started having feelings today, I'd believe that. If you say it started at the beginning of the year, you're lying to yourself."
"..." Chabashira turned her face away guiltily. It wasn't without merit.
"Then what must I do for you to agree?" Chabashira asked obstinately.
"At least for now, I have no such intention. Alright, I'm leaving. I've returned the two million to you. Listen to me: don't sell your car or borrow money to give me points ever again." Seeing it was nearly 7:30 PM, Shimizu Akira stood up.
This time, Chabashira didn't try to keep him. She sat there alone, thinking about who-knows-what.
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Kushida Kikyo picked up her phone and looked at the list of the bottom-ranking members of Class 2-A again.
The very last was Ike Kanji—he was her boyfriend's friend, so he was off-limits. The second to last was Sotomura Hideo—he had contributed to last year's event selection exam and was also one of Shimizu Akira's friends, so he was off-limits. The third to last was Inogashira Kokoro—her own best friend, off-limits. As for the fourth to last, Sato Maya—she was Karuizawa Kei's best friend from the next class over, so she was also off-limits.
She scanned further up; it felt like every single person in the bottom ten couldn't be touched.
"If only Yamauchi Haruki were still here." Then she could have led the class to vote out that annoying guy without hesitation.
However, there were other annoying people in class. For example, Hondo Ryotaro, Miyamoto Soshi, and Onizuka Takeo, who used to hang out with Yamauchi. The reason was simple: those three had spoken ill of Shimizu Akira. Though they had become much more behaved since Yamauchi was expelled and stopped badmouthing her boyfriend.
Among them, Miyamoto Soshi had helped during last year's event selection because he was good at video games. The other two had OAA rankings around the 30s. Onizuka Takeo had even been voted one of the most unpopular boys by the girls last year, tied with Yamauchi.
"It might be fine to just vote out this Onizuka Takeo," Kushida Kikyo decided. "I should be able to get the vast majority of the girls' votes, and some of the boys will probably follow me."
Since her relationship with Shimizu Akira became public, several of the large groups she created had lost many male members. But the boys in the class hadn't really left; now it was more like they respected her purely as Shimizu Akira's girlfriend.
But speaking of expulsion, one couldn't avoid Hirata Yousuke. With his "Mr. Nice Guy" personality, he likely wouldn't agree even if it was Onizuka Takeo being expelled. Hirata's popularity was on par with her own; if their opinions clashed, it would likely result in a tie. She didn't know if Horikita Suzune would choose to vote someone out or protect everyone, and she didn't yet know who her boyfriend would support.
"Why think so much? We're in the same building anyway, I'll just ask Akira directly!"
She had promised him last time that they would go to a love hotel together. Now seemed like a good time. However, since Kikyo was a girl, she obviously couldn't say it directly.
Kushida Kikyo: I'm hungry. Let's go out for some fried skewers.
Shimizu Akira: Okay. What time?
Kushida Kikyo: You can come out now.
Shimizu Akira: Got it.
Kushida Kikyo put her phone away and walked to her wardrobe. She searched around and finally picked a caramel-colored knit cardigan, wearing a black bra underneath, light blue jeans, and white sneakers. It was September, and the weather was a bit cold at night. She checked herself in the mirror, grabbed her small shoulder bag, and headed out.
Shimizu Akira was already waiting at the school gate. He was wearing a dark hoodie and black trousers, looking no different than usual.
"How is it?" Kikyo walked up to him. "Do I look good?"
"You look good," Shimizu said.
Kikyo's face reddened slightly. "Let's go, I'm hungry."
"Yeah."
The two walked down the street side by side. "Akira, have you lost weight lately?" Kikyo looked at him from the side.
"Have I?" Shimizu Akira looked down at himself. "I don't feel it."
"You have." Kikyo reached out and pinched his arm. "The muscle is still there, but you feel overall a bit thinner. Are you too tired?"
"I'm alright." Shimizu Akira smiled. "Maybe it's because I've been running more lately."
"You run every day; why didn't I see you getting thinner before?"
"Then maybe it's because you haven't pinched me in a long time."
Kikyo couldn't help but pinch him several more times. They reached the end of the commercial street and finally saw the fried skewer shop.
"Here it is." Kikyo lifted the curtain and walked in. Shimizu Akira followed.
The shop had a classic L-shaped counter design with only a few tables. The menu and hand-written recommendations were pasted on the wall. The owner was a middle-aged man busy at the fryer; seeing them enter, he greeted them with a smile. "Sit anywhere."
Kikyo chose a corner spot at the counter and pulled Shimizu Akira down to sit.
"What do you want to eat?" Kikyo picked up the menu and handed it to him.
"You order; I'll eat whatever you do."
"Then I won't be polite." Kikyo ordered from the menu. "Beef skewers, chicken skewers, shrimp skewers, asparagus, shiitake mushrooms, lotus root... plus an order of fried tofu and two portions of dipping sauce."
"Coming right up," the owner replied and began preparing.
Kikyo put down the menu and looked at him with a half-smile: "Don't you think we haven't eaten alone together in a long time?"
Shimizu Akira thought about it, and it was true. As he got more and more girlfriends, he had to consciously allocate his time. Especially when eating with Kikyo, it was usually with Haruka and Airi as a group of four. The last time it was just the two of them must have been a month ago.
"My fault. I apologize." Shimizu Akira lowered his head honestly.
Kikyo rested her chin on her hand and looked at him: "I didn't mean it as a reproach."
The owner was fast. Before long, the fried skewers were brought out plate by plate. They had golden-brown crusts, were steaming hot, and came with two flavors of dipping sauce—sweet and spicy—in small dishes.
"I know you aren't blaming me." Shimizu Akira picked up an asparagus skewer, took a bite, and chewed slowly. "But you're right, we really haven't been alone together for a long time."
Kikyo watched him eat. "Then... did you miss me?"
"Every day."
"Liar." Kikyo curled her lip. "You have so much to do every day, how would you have time to think of me?"
"I'd think of you no matter how busy I am." Shimizu Akira put down the bamboo skewer and looked at her seriously. "You're my first girlfriend, and you've done so much for me. You were the one who solved my harem problem. You're the person I like most right now; how could I not miss you?"
Kikyo took a large bite of a shiitake mushroom, her beautiful eyes slowly curving.
That was a passing grade. This was likely the first time Shimizu Akira had proactively admitted he liked her most. Among the eight girlfriends, she was number one; her position as the primary wife was as stable as a mountain. She usually cared a lot about rankings and status, but hearing Shimizu Akira say it himself felt very different.
'Oh dear, why didn't I have a voice recorder to record that sentence?'
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