The chime for the start of class had already rung; the teacher would be here any second. There was nothing more I could do. I just had to accept the situation and let Mayumi-san observe the class as my mother.
I couldn't help but feel she was overdoing it a little, but the fact that she was acting out of genuine care for me outweighed my embarrassment. Honestly, the happiness I felt was stronger than anything else.
"Kazunari-kun! I'll be watching you from right here!" Mayumi-san cheered, sounding delighted and full of support as I turned to head back to my seat.
This was bound to draw even more attention from my classmates, yet that strange warmth persisted. It seemed I was more "poisoned" by her—or rather, I’d accepted her—more than I realized. And the fact that it didn't feel bad at all was... well, Mayumi-san was truly unfair.
"Do your best, Riko," Kayo-san added in a more reserved tone, offering her own encouragement to Hanako-san. Hanako-san's face flushed a deep crimson at being addressed in front of the class, but she gave a small, happy nod in response.
The classroom door slid open just as Hanako-san and I reached our desks. The teacher entered, wearing an uncharacteristically forced, sycophantic smile. It was almost a little unsettling to look at—though perhaps I should have felt sorry for him.
As he stood behind the lectern, he scanned the room with a grin so broad it looked painful. Then, his gaze snagged on something. His eyes widened in shock, and he froze as if struck by lightning. He was definitely looking at the guardians... Don't tell me he recognized Mayumi-san? He quickly regained his composure, cleared his throat, and signaled for class to begin.
Even with the observation underway, my routine didn't change. Part of me wanted to show off for Mayumi-san, but focusing on the lesson remained my priority. I’d made a promise to Sara-san never to slack off or skip, and I intended to keep it. Since my future path was set, my immediate goal was securing a university recommendation. That meant being a model student. If my position as Student Council Vice President added a little extra weight to my evaluation, so much the better.
"Takanashi-kun, please solve this problem."
I’d seen the nomination coming based on the seating order. In the past, I might have fumbled, but now I had plenty of confidence. Between paying attention and the intensive review sessions I did with Sara-san, I was well-prepared. I stepped up to the blackboard and wrote out the answer, taking care to make my handwriting as legible as possible.
"Correct. It was a trick question, but you handled it perfectly. Excellent work."
His overly polite tone felt almost jarring compared to his usual self, but I decided to ignore it. As I headed back to my seat, Mayumi-san beamed at me and gave me a silent "air" round of applause. Being praised for my hard work felt good—and having a mother figure praise my studies was a feeling I hadn't experienced in a very long time.
"All right, we'll stop here for today," the teacher announced, ending the third period a bit early at his own discretion. I breathed a sigh of relief. We’d made it through without any major disasters. Mayumi-san had behaved herself, and the lesson had gone smoothly.
Now, I just needed to get her over to Sara-san’s classroom before my actual Mom arrived...
Wait. I suddenly realized a glaring flaw in the plan. My classmates currently believed Mayumi-san was my mother. How was I supposed to swap her out for my real Mom? They weren't twins; there was no way to do it secretly. The moment the switch happened, everyone would notice. A scene was inevitable. At the very least, I had to get Mayumi-san out of here before the two of them ran into each other. If the classmates asked questions, I'd just say she was a relative.
"Stand... Bow!"
"Thank you very much!"
The moment the Class Representative finished the dismissal, I prepared to move. I had to get Mayumi-san out of the classroom before Mom arrived.
"Kazunari-kun, good job! Your mother-in-law was so impressed!" Mayumi-san's voice rang out before I could even stand up. Her radiant smile was so dazzling it stopped me in my tracks. Why was she so happy? I’d just been sitting through a normal class.
"Hehe, you have that 'I don't get it' look on your face," she teased, lightly poking my forehead. "I'm happy because I can see you're working hard for your future. I was worried we were putting too much on your shoulders. I knew you were okay at the house, but I couldn't be sure about school... so I moved a bit forcefully to see for myself."
"Whoa, wh-what is that? A mother that sexy is just unfair..."
"Man, if I had a mom like that, I wouldn't even need a girlfriend..."
"Guhhh!! He has a cute girlfriend and his mother is a stunning older woman? That guy is too much of a winner!?"
"Besides," Mayumi-san added with a proud, smug expression, "as your Mother-in-law, I couldn't miss such a big event for my cute son!"
My heartfelt moment evaporated instantly. She'd ruined the mood.
The chime rang. I’d wasted the head start the teacher gave us. I had to move now.
"Mayu—"
The moment I started, a sudden, terrifying pressure from Mayumi-san stopped my tongue. It's 'Mother-in-law,' isn't it? she seemed to say without speaking.
"M-Mother-in-law..."
"Hehe, that's more like it!"
Before I could lead her out, she misinterpreted my movement and spread her arms wide. I tried to stop, but I was already in range. She pulled me into a soft hug. Her sweet scent filled my nose, and the sensation of her proportions—even larger than Sara-san's—sent me into a panic.
"Oh, Kazunari-kun. If you wanted a hug, you should have just asked!"
Behind us, the sounds of my classmates' souls withering filled the room. Then, the door was thrown open with such force it nearly bounced off the wall.
"EXCUSE ME!"
A sharp, urgent voice cut through the air. A voice I knew all too well.
"S-Satsukawa-senpai!?"
"It's the Goddess!"
"She's so beautiful up close!"
"Exactly... what are you doing?" Sara-san's voice was low and icy. She never spoke to me like that. This was pure fury.
Mayumi-san, usually so poised, was suddenly trembling. "S-Sara-chan... calm down, okay?"
"I will absolutely not forgive you today," Sara declared. Mayumi-san spun me around and used me as a human shield.
"Kazunari-kun, save Mother-in-law!"
I ended up face-to-face with a terrifyingly angry Sara-san. We collided lightly as she tried to stop. Then, her expression softened into one of concern, and she wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a tight embrace.
The classroom erupted.
"Kazunari-san... I am so sorry. My mother has caused you such trouble," she whispered, stroking my hair.
"Wait, did she call her 'Sara-chan'? Are they related?"
"Is Satsukawa-senpai scolding Takanashi's mom?"
"It’s the famous Goddess's Lecture Time!"
"Shut up, normie..."
"Kazunari-san is just too kind," Sara-san continued, ignoring the chaos. "My mother wasn't being nearly as noble as you think."
"Sara-chan, that's so mean!"
"Be quiet. I won't overlook you bothering Kazunari-san like this."
"Bride, you should stop before they riot," Hanako-san interjected, coming to my rescue.
Sara-san let go reluctantly, then reached up to adjust my tie with a gentle smile. A collective, gut-wrenching scream rose from the boys in the class—a sound of pure, unadulterated despair.
And then, a new voice drifted into the room.
"My, my. I certainly walked in on something good."
The one person I’d been dreading had finally arrived.