“Alright, alright—everyone, good morning! Let’s begin homeroom!!”

With a tone more energetic than the students, the homeroom teacher—Miko Sakura, a new female teacher in her mid-20s who started this year—burst into the classroom. She was filled with more energy than most newcomers and always wore a smile, but she often made clumsy mistakes that got her scolded by the senior teachers.

Her appearance was so youthful that it could be mistaken for a high schooler rather than a university student, but she was oddly well-developed in certain areas, giving off a sense of imbalance that created an aura of forbidden allure. As a result, she was popular, though in a different way than Shinomiya-san. By the way, the source of this information was my lovable idiot (best friend).

“But before that, there’s a student I need to speak to!”

With a huff, Miko-sensei puffed up her cheeks. Who was the fool that had made such a mistake to get scolded first thing in the morning?

“Anno-kun, the student monitor for today! Why didn’t you come to pick up the diary?”

“…Ah.”

Hearing my name, everyone’s gaze turned to me. I had completely forgotten because I was too busy checking Yuzuha-san’s picture.

“Ah, that’s not good! Seriously… it’s not like you to mess up like this! As punishment, you’ll write the diary thoroughly today! No shortcuts allowed!”

“That’s so unreasonable…”

“No excuses! It’s been decided, so you’ll rewrite it until I’m satisfied!”

“This tyrant of a teacher! Don’t abuse your power!”

Just for not picking up the diary, this punishment felt way too harsh. Shinomiya-san, who was sitting next to me, was giggling, and it made me even more annoyed.

“What’s this? Are you trying to pick a fight with me? If that’s the case, I’ll just double your homework, Anno-kun.”

“…Tch. Fine.”

Faced with Miko-sensei’s grin, I had no choice but to reluctantly accept the demand. Looks like I’m staying after school today.

“My condolences. You’re being punished for looking at those intense pictures in class. Good luck, Anno-kun.”

“…You knew I was the student monitor, didn’t you?”

“Oh? What do you mean?”

I shot a suspicious glance at her, but she avoided my gaze with an angelic smile. Could it be that Shinomiya Rinoa enjoyed teasing people? Was everyone fooled by her appearance, and her true nature was that of a mischievous child rather than a saint?

“By the way, I’m the student monitor tomorrow, so I’m looking forward to seeing what you write, Anno-kun.”

“What? You were planning this from the start!? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Well, I thought it would be more fun this way… Was that wrong?”

“Ugh…”

Her words, said with tears in her eyes, were frustrating, and I had nothing to say in return. If she started crying, the fan club would probably rip me apart, and I wouldn’t be able to see the morning sun tomorrow.

“I really enjoy talking to you, Anno-kun. Please, let’s continue to be friends, not as ‘toys’ but as seatmates.”

“…Please go easy on me.”

Saying that coldly, I turned my face away, forcibly ending the conversation. If the fans knew that Shinomiya Rinoa liked to tease others, they’d be in for a surprise. Actually, it might make her more popular since she’d seem more human. It’s an annoying situation.

While thinking about such trivial things, I absentmindedly listened to Miko-sensei’s amusing yet seemingly pointless chatter.

“Anno-kun, you’ve already started writing the diary, right?”

“What?”

At the end, Miko-sensei dropped a bombshell with a wide smile, and I screamed internally. Was I really going to make it home today? As the chime signaling the start of class rang, I felt a growing sense of unease.

Later

“Hmm… there are still some things I’m not satisfied with, but for today, I’ll let it slide!”

Unfortunately, my prediction came true, and Miko-sensei only approved my work after the sun had set and it was a beautiful evening. After multiple revisions, I had lost track of what I had written, so her approval was a huge relief.

“Anno-kun, have you been sleeping properly lately? You look like you’re losing weight. Are you alright?”

“…Well, it’s nothing new, so I’m fine.”

Honestly, if you asked whether I was getting enough sleep, the answer would be no. I had editing work to do for the photos I took of Yuzuha-san, and more than that, I couldn’t settle down alone in a large room. However, this lifestyle had already been going on for almost a year, so I’d gotten used to it.

“That’s good to hear. By the way, how are you finding the classes now that you’re in your second year? Are you keeping up with everything?”

“Uh, yeah… I’m managing. It’s hard to say since it’s still early in the second year.”

Since it had only been a month since I advanced to the second year, I couldn’t tell if I was falling behind. Thankfully, I hadn’t yet found a question mark floating over my head during class.

“I heard that you used to nap a lot in the first year, but it doesn’t seem like that’s the case now. As your homeroom teacher, I’m relieved!”

She laughed cheerfully after saying that. There were still other teachers in the staff room, so I wished she’d lower her voice.

For the record, I wasn’t being lazy. The reason I fell asleep in class was always because I had editing work for the photoshoots, especially when I had to work all night.

In other words, I’d appreciate it if they’d understand that it was an unavoidable circumstance. Even though I’m a student, deadlines still need to be met.

“Looks like you’ve become serious because of the girl sitting next to you, huh?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb! If a beautiful girl like Rinoa-chan was sitting next to you, you wouldn’t be able to sleep even if you wanted to, right? You’re a boy after all!”

Miko-sensei nodded to herself, clearly satisfied. Why was Shinomiya Rinoa brought up when I explained why I wasn’t sleeping? I glared at her suspiciously.

“Huh? If there’s a super cute girl sitting next to you, wouldn’t you be full of energy? You wouldn’t be able to sleep, right? Something like that?”

I sighed heavily, though I was secretly annoyed at how she phrased it.

“It’s not like that. I just decided to focus after becoming a second-year student. Even if Shinomiya-san wasn’t sitting next to me, I wouldn’t be napping.”

Actually, last winter, when Yuzuha-san had asked me about how fast I completed the editing and delivery for the photos, I reluctantly explained it to her.

‘Your main job is being a student, okay? I’m glad you’re delivering quickly, but if it’s at the cost of neglecting your studies, that defeats the purpose. Don’t do that anymore, understood?’

She’d scolded me seriously, but also said she was worried I’d collapse if I overworked. If that happened, I’d feel bad, and she’d stop asking me to do photoshoots. Since then, I’ve been mindful of pacing myself.

“Well, I’d like to dig a little deeper, but for now, I’ll leave it at that. Be grateful for my generosity!”

“It might be better for you to stop prying into your students’ personal lives.”

“Can’t help it! Listening to the stories of youth that have long since passed is one of my few pleasures. Why not share your teenage troubles with me?”

“No, I’m not in love, nor do I have any issues. Please don’t use me for your entertainment.”

“Don’t say such cruel things!” Miko-sensei grabbed my shoulder and shook me. It felt more like she was the student than me.

Unfortunately, her childish side made her very popular among the students, both male and female. It was a bit annoying and loud, but she was liked nonetheless.