As soon as afternoon homeroom ended, my classmates began preparing as if they had been waiting for the bell all day. Everyone gathered their necessary things and, the moment they were ready, started racing toward the Home Economics room.
Normally, I would have wanted to be the first one there too, but I had the duty of picking up the key, so I had to head off on my own.
I was supposed to meet Sara-san in front of the staff room anyway, so it wasn't a problem.
I didn't want to keep Sara-san waiting, so I quickly packed my bag and stood up.
I figured I should let Hanako-san, who was getting ready at the desk next to mine, know I was leaving.
"Hanako-san, I’m heading out to borrow the key."
"Got it. I’ll go on ahead. Don’t be late just because you were flirting with your wife."
Hanako-san smirked with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
I knew she was joking, of course, but there was no way I would do something like flirting in front of the staff room. If you were to ask me if I’d do it somewhere else... well, I wasn't that shameless. Her concerns were entirely unnecessary.
I decided to stop overthinking it and just get moving.
As I approached the staff room, I spotted Sara-san waiting for me in the hallway.
She was gazing out of the window, her figure so radiant and poised that she looked like a masterpiece in a painting. I honestly could have stood there and admired the view all day.
The students passing by, both boys and girls alike, seemed to have their eyes stolen away, many of them stopping for a brief moment just to look at her.
I really did want to watch her a bit longer, but unfortunately, our schedule was packed. I didn't have time to leisurely enjoy the sight, and if I were too late, I’d never hear the end of it from Hanako-san.
Just as I was about to call out to her, Sara-san noticed me.
"Kazunari-san, good work today."
Her aura shifted instantly, and she greeted me with a soft, gentle smile. It was the usual Sara-san I loved.
"Sara-san, good work. Sorry to keep you waiting."
"No, I only just arrived myself, so please don’t worry about it."
This felt like a classic exchange from a date. Usually, the boy and girl had their roles reversed in this scenario, but considering I was always the one being led by Sara-san... Wait, what was I even thinking?
"A-Anyway, time is precious, so let’s go borrow the key."
"Yes."
I didn't get many chances to go into the staff room, so I felt a bit of a nervous edge.
I gave myself a silent pep talk in front of the door, then knocked and pulled it open.
Knock, knock...
Slide...
"Excuse me."
"Excuse me."
Sara-san followed me inside, offering her own greeting.
Now that I thought about it, I probably should have had her wait in the hallway since I only needed to grab a key. Well, it didn't really matter.
"Yes, yes, what can I—oh, what a rare combination... actually, maybe not. What are the President and Vice President doing here together?"
The teacher sitting in the desk closest to the door addressed us immediately.
I had never spoken to this teacher before, but it seemed they recognized us by our Student Council titles.
"Um, we’re here for the Home Economics room key..."
"Excuse me, Kuramochi-sensei. Takanashi, over here."
My homeroom teacher noticed me and beckoned me over with a wave of his hand.
Good, that saved me the trouble of explaining everything from scratch.
As I walked toward my teacher's desk, I noticed a key already sitting there. It looked like he had prepared it in advance.
However, the teacher seemed more interested in Sara-san behind me than in anything I was doing, his gaze remaining fixed on her.
"What, did Satsukawa come along too?"
"Yes. Thank you for always taking care of Kazunari-san."
Pfft!
Are you really going to do that even with my homeroom teacher?!
Sara-san had a habit of giving that "Thank you for taking care of him" greeting the first time she met anyone who had a connection to me. I knew she had no ulterior motive, but I didn't think she’d pull that on my homeroom teacher.
From the perspective of a teacher who didn't know the situation, this exchange should have been nothing but baffling... wait, why was he grinning like that?
"Haha, I never thought the day would come when a student would greet me like that. Ah, Takanashi, don't look so surprised. I know about you two."
What?!
How did my homeroom teacher know?!
Did someone in the class leak it?
No, I couldn't panic yet. Even if someone had, we weren't doing anything wrong. Besides, only our closest friends knew about the cohabitation, so we should be fine.
"...You knew?"
This was clearly unexpected for Sara-san as well, as her eyes went wide with shock.
I felt exactly the same. How did he find out?
"Only a few teachers, myself included, know. I don’t know the full details, but the Principal told me directly. I was told that if anything happened to Takanashi... well, never mind. The point is, I’m aware of your situation."
The Principal?
Why would the Principal suddenly say something like that?
Naturally, I had no personal connection to the Principal and had never even spoken to him. And yet, for him to know something so personal... wait a second. I felt like I had heard the word "Principal" very recently.
When I looked at Sara-san, our eyes met perfectly. She gave a small, knowing nod. What was going on?
"I see... so it was Mother’s doing."
"Mayumi-san? ...Ah!"
Right, I remembered!
During the Parental Observation Day, Mayumi-san had mentioned she asked the Principal for a favor. I had assumed she was just asking for permission to sneak into the class, but it made sense that there was more to the conversation.
In fact, it would have been stranger if she hadn't explained my relationship with Sara-san to justify her being there.
So, it was safe to assume the word had been passed down.
Still, since I didn't know exactly how much had been said, I decided to keep my mouth shut and not offer any extra info.
"Hm? Is Satsukawa's parent involved?"
"Most likely... yes."
"I see, that makes sense. That explains why I was told what I was..."
Wait, there was even more?
My homeroom teacher nodded as if he had just solved a puzzle. Noticing my intense stare, he gave another wry smile.
"That’s internal business, so you don’t need to worry about it. It’s nothing bad."
"I see."
If he put it that way, I couldn't really press him. I could tell by his tone that he wasn't going to say another word about it.
"If you ever have any trouble, feel free to come to me. Especially don't hesitate to consult me regarding your future path."
"Y-Yes. Understood."
He was being unusually kind. It felt rude to think it, but considering his usual personality, it was almost unsettling. He was my teacher, so it wasn't like he was being inappropriate, but it felt like there was a catch—or some other reason—which made it hard to just accept his kindness at face value.
Well, it wasn't a bad thing, so I decided to just roll with it. I could always ask Mayumi-san later if I had the chance.
"Takanashi, are you close with Satsukawa's parents?"
"Yes, well..."
"Both Father and Mother think of Kazunari-san as their own son. My mother is especially extreme about it."
"Extreme?"
"Yes. You could say she dotes on him to a point that borders on abnormal."
Sara-san explained for me, though she sounded slightly annoyed—likely because of Mayumi-san’s usual antics.
Personally, I was incredibly happy that Sara-san's mother accepted me so completely. However, she did have a tendency to go overboard. Mayumi-san loved mischief, and her favorite hobby was making my life difficult.
"I-Is that so?"
"It is truly abnormal."
Man, to call it abnormal... Sara-san must really be reaching her limit.
I thought about maybe talking to Mayumi-san myself, but if I did that...
"Sniff... Does Kazunari-kun hate getting along with his mother-in-law? I think I'm going to cry..."
I could practically hear her saying it already.
Wait, I felt like I actually heard her voice even though she wasn't here. How terrifying.
Of course, Sara-san was my top priority in everything, but I was just weak against Mayumi-san. I simply couldn't win against her.
"I-Is it really that much? Well... that means your future is secure, then. Anyway, if anything is bothering you, just say the word."
"Yes, thank you very much."
What did he mean by "secure"?
The way he said it felt like there was some deep meaning behind it, but looking at his face, I didn't think he’d answer even if I asked. He was offering help, so I figured it was best to just thank him.
"Kazunari-san, it’s about time..."
"Ah, right."
The rest of the class was waiting, and if we were late, Hanako-san would definitely suspect us of flirting. We had to move.
"Sorry for keeping you with all the talk. Here, take the key."
"Thank you."
I took the key from the teacher and bowed.
We had come here just for a key, but we’d ended up losing quite a bit of time.
There were a lot of things on my mind, but for now, we had to get to the Home Economics room.
The space in front of the Home Economics room was already a chaotic swarm of classmates.
Even though we’d lost time at the staff room, we weren't so late that it caused a problem.
As we approached, the class noticed us, and all eyes turned our way.
Predictably, the attention wasn't on me, but on Sara-san walking behind me.
I guess that was to be expected.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Sorry for the delay."
"We weren't waiting at all!!"
"S-Satsukawa-senpai, hello!!"
"Thank you for today!"
As soon as we spoke, the girls swarmed around Sara-san. It was a perfect demonstration of the fact that her popularity knew no bounds.
"...Hah... I can't even be mad anymore, all I can do is sigh."
"...She’s a Goddess... a total Goddess, isn't she?"
"...I’m happy just being in her presence."
"...A cooking class taught by the Goddess? We hit the jackpot."
Since things had already turned out like this, the best I could do was keep a watchful eye to make sure no one actually bothered her. I just had to accept that this level of chatter was part of the deal.
"Kazunari, good work. You were a bit slow. Were you flirting with your wife?"
I knew she was going to say it.
But since Hanako-san was wearing a smug grin, she was clearly just trying to get a rise out of me.
"No, I was just talking to the teacher."
"Hanako-san, we’ll save those things for later when we’re alone and can take our time. Right, Kazunari-san?"
"Eh?! Y-Yeah, right..."
"Kyaaaaaah!!"
"Uwah, she went there already!!"
"Satsukawa-senpai really becomes a different person when Takanashi-kun is involved, doesn't she?"
"Which one is the real Satsukawa-senpai?"
"Guuuuh..."
"I knew it was coming, but the reality still hurts..."
"Envy... envy... so much envy..."
"I see, so this is what Hanasaki-san was talking about."
Watching the boys descend into despair, Kawamura muttered to himself.
Man, that was a depressing realization for him to have.
I mean, I might not be one to talk, but Sara-san had a habit of dropping these "bombs" without even realizing it.
Wait. Does that mean the chances of us causing a scene are doubled?
If so, I really couldn't argue with Hanako-san's logic.
Anyway, we were going to run out of time, so we needed to get inside.
This definitely wasn't because I was trying to dodge the subject or hide my embarrassment. Definitely not.
Once inside the Home Economics room, we split into our pre-arranged groups and took our seats.
Since each group was responsible for a specific dish, the goal for today was simple: learn it and go home. That was the entire point of this cooking class.
Since it was impossible for beginners to learn a full course in one go, the plan was for each group to master one item and then teach the others later. That was the most efficient way to handle it.
The only downside was the increased burden on Sara-san. That was the part that worried me, and I felt genuinely bad about it.
I hoped I could do something for her as a thank-you once we got home today.
She’d probably refuse, but maybe I should be a little more insistent...
Then again, I generally hated being forceful with her. If I pushed, Sara-san would almost never say no, which was exactly why I didn't want to use that power unless it was absolutely necessary.
"Alright, let’s begin immediately."
Having finished her preparations, Sara-san stood before the teacher’s station.
Her look for today involved her hair tied up so it wouldn't interfere with the cooking, and she was wearing her favorite Cat Apron—the one I had given her as a present.
She must have brought it from the annex.
"Since we don't have much time, I will explain the key points for each group. But first, as a general lesson, I will demonstrate proper knife skills, so please gather around."
At Sara-san's instruction, everyone crowded around the main table.
A knife, a cutting board, and a daikon radish were ready. Sara-san carefully explained how to hold the knife and the ingredients as she began to slice the radish with practiced, steady motions.
I was sure I had seen this in Home Economics class before, but watching her, it felt like I was seeing it for the first time.
"At first, please cut carefully and slowly like this. Trying to speed up before you’re ready is how accidents happen, so please, do not be reckless."
While her words were polite, there was a certain sharp discipline in her tone. Because she cared so deeply about cooking, her true feelings were probably leaking out unconsciously.
I had asked her to treat me like any other student today, so I had to take this seriously to match her sincerity.
"Excuse me, I’m just curious, but how fast does Satsukawa-senpai usually cut?"
It was a predictable question, but a fair one.
Sara-san’s legendary cooking skills were well-known, so it made sense that people would be curious.
I knew the truth, and in my opinion, her speed and precision were on par with the professional chefs you see on TV.
"Let’s see. Usually..."
Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap!
Yeah, same as always—it wasn't just fast, it was a blur.
The daikon on the board was shrinking at an incredible rate. Even more impressive, every slice was perfectly uniform in thickness.
Even as someone who couldn't cook to save my life, the sheer skill was breathtaking. To anyone who actually knew their way around a kitchen, this must have been...
"S-So fast!?"
"Whoa, that’s insane!?"
"Hieee, my mom looks like she’s moving in slow motion compared to that..."
"H-Hey, she’s even better than the Home Economics teacher..."
"Man, that is amazing..."
"The rumors about her being a 'Home Economics All-rounder' were definitely true..."
"It’s incredible... she’s the perfect wife."
Well, I knew they’d react like that.
The level of shock seemed to correlate with how much experience each person had in the kitchen. Naturally, the boys' comments were entirely focused on the "wife" aspect.
"No way... damn, she’s really on another level..."
The one letting out a slightly exaggerated gasp of surprise was Hanako-san, who was watching from right next to me.
I knew she’d been practicing at home, so she seemed genuinely shaken by the gap between her and Sara-san.
Since she had talked about her "Big Sister’s Pride" this morning, all I could do was silently root for her.
"Satsukawa-senpai, how long have you been studying cooking?"
"I wonder... for as long as I can remember, I suppose. By the time I was old enough to realize it, I was already helping in the kitchen."
I had never asked for the specific details, but it sounded like she had been training since she was a toddler. Mayumi-san had mentioned she’d started her training early, so it really was a form of elite education.
"That long ago...?"
"My mother told me it was part of my bridal training. At the time, though, I just laughed at her."
"Eh? Why?"
"Because back then, I detested men. I thought there would never be a reason for me to use 'bridal training.'"
Sara-san’s disdain for men hadn't changed all that much in general, but before she met me, it had been much worse. I had heard that directly from both her and Natsumi-senpai. In that state of mind, it was no wonder she thought bridal training was a waste of time.
As soon as they heard her say that, the girls in the class started giggling with mischievous smirks.
That was a very specific kind of laughter... what was up with them?
"Satsukawa-senpai!"
"You said you 'thought' that back then, right!?"
"Which means you don't think that way anymore, right!?"
The girls pounced on her with questions. At the same time, all eyes turned toward me. Ugh, I had a very bad feeling about this.
"That is correct. Looking back now, I am deeply grateful to my mother."
"T-That means, it really is..."
"Is it because you have Takanashi-kun now!?"
"It’s because you’ve promised to marry him, right!?"
I knew the conversation would go this way.
Those smirks were a dead giveaway that they were fishing for this exact development. Girls really do love this kind of romance talk. Their excitement was reaching a fever pitch.
"Yes. Because now, I can do everything I have learned for Kazunari-san."
Being asked about me, Sara-san beamed with a radiant, blissful smile.
Seeing her look that happy made me feel good, too... but right now, this was bad.
"""Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"""
"The lovey-dovey talk is hereeeeeeee!!"
"Thanks for the feast!!!!"
"""Guoooooo............"""
Yeah, I figured.
The girls were in a state of total hysteria, while the boys looked like they were attending a mass funeral.
Something was wrong here. This was supposed to be a cooking class. Why had it turned into a giant gossip session about our relationship?
"B-By the way, do you still do things for Takanashi-kun now?"
Wait, wait, wait! This is getting way too dangerous!
At this rate, she’s going to mention that she does all the housework at the annex... and that will lead straight to the fact that we’re living together!
"If by 'things' you mean housework, then yes. I have him leave everything to me."
"...Eh?"
"...Wait, what?"
"...Huh?"
"S-Sara-san!! I think it’s about time we—"
"Wife! We’re going to run out of time, so you’d better get a move on. Kazunari is in a bind here!"
Hanako-san’s voice cut through the air, unusually loud. Sara-san stopped talking immediately and looked toward us, looking flustered.
"M-My apologies, Kazunari-san."
"...She really did call her 'Wife'!?"
"...The dynamic between these three is so mysterious!"
"...I mean, to talk to Satsukawa-senpai like that... Hanasaki-san is such an enigma."
Phew... saved.
Since they latched onto Hanako-san’s "Wife" comment instead, the conversation steered off in a different direction.
That was a near-disaster. I was seriously panicking for a second there.
I owe Hanako-san one.
"No, it’s fine. But it’s true we’re short on time..."
"Yes. Then, let’s get back to the lesson."
Seeing my face, Sara-san looked relieved.
She straightened her posture, focused her expression, and turned her attention back to the table.
I think we’re in the clear for now.
"Honestly, my wife has a bad habit of doing that."
Hanako-san whispered just loud enough for me to hear.
She had definitely saved my skin, so I had to thank her.
"Hanako-san, thanks."
"It’s my job as your Big Sister."
It was her signature line.
With a quick, sideways glance at me, Hanako-san offered a tiny smile.
To be honest, I wanted to point out that she had a habit of dropping her own bombs, too, but I couldn't deny that she had my back when it counted.
In that sense, she really was a reliable big sister... I guess?