The involvement of a third person made the already delicate atmosphere even more awkward.
"K-Koharu!?" Hasumi hurriedly tried to explain. "It's not what you think.... th-that, sen-sensei!"
But halfway through, she let out another strange sound.
Taking advantage of the moment, I calmly withdrew my hands after giving a couple of squeezes, then turned to Koharu, who looked even more panicked than the person involved and didn't know where to look. I said sincerely,
"Koharu, it really is a misunderstanding. I was just touching Hasumi's wings."
"Eh? Wings?" Hasumi blinked, then reacted. "Ah, right, that's exactly it!"
Because her wings on one side were almost as large as a person, and she was too shy to keep them fully spread, they were tucked close to her body. From Koharu's angle, she could only see me reaching toward Hasumi, without seeing where my hands actually ended up.
With that, even Koharu should have nothing to say now.
"Eh? Wings?" Koharu was also confused. "There's even that kind of gameplay?!"
…It seems I underestimated her.
"Koharu, what are you talking about?"
"Ah, s-sorry, Hasumi-senpai! I shouldn't have misunderstood… hehe, how could the elegant and talented Hasumi-senpai possibly be doing something weird with sensei in a deserted corner?"
The moment Hasumi frowned slightly, Koharu immediately bowed her head in apology and nervously laughed, saying things that didn't quite sound like praise or insult.
Even though she hadn't actually misunderstood anything.
Hasumi coughed lightly to hide her embarrassment and straightened her slightly wrinkled clothes.
"Koharu, weren't you already heading back just now?"
"Ah, w-well, I just thought I said something a bit rude earlier, so I wanted to…"
The pink-haired girl glanced at me quickly, then lowered her head shyly while gripping her sniper rifle tightly.
Hasumi nodded in understanding.
"Sensei, I suddenly remembered I have something to do, so I'll take my leave. Koharu, good luck."
With that, she left quickly as if a wind had carried her away.
Then Koharu and I were once again left in silence.
But this time, it didn't last long.
"Koharu, do you have something you want to say to me?" I asked first.
Hearing that, the girl who had been hesitating finally made up her mind.
"Y-you and Hasumi-senpai…" Koharu stomped her foot hard and glared at me fiercely. "I-I still haven't acknowledged it!"
Whose lost kid is this? (TL/N: One punch man reference.)
I only smiled slightly, and she immediately trembled in embarrassment.
"Even if you used underhanded tricks to deceive Hasumi-senpai and everyone else, I won't let you get away with it until I fall! If you want to lay your hands on everyone, you'll have to get past me first!"
By that logic, her intentions were getting suspicious.
"Oh?" I stepped forward half a step and teased her. "Then can you take their place and let me touch your wings?"
"Eh?! Th-this…!"
Her momentum instantly collapsed.
After stammering for a while, Koharu's growing embarrassment finally hit its limit. She screamed, "No! I'm not ready yet!" and fled in a panic.
I watched her quickly disappearing figure, smiled, and shook my head before heading home in a good mood.
The next day.
After all this preparation, the Schale café finally opened.
Considering customer traffic, I didn't advertise much. I only informed the students I knew and carefully told them that I usually wouldn't be at the café, so they should just drop by when they were free.
At the same time, I also asked if anyone was interested in part-time work.
Karin was usually busy with school and C&C missions, and even these past few days she only had time off. I couldn't expect her to run the entire café alone.
So even though it had officially opened, it was still far from running properly.
Quite a few students expressed interest in applying. Some were financially strained, while others simply seemed to want to get closer to me. Thinking about it carefully, even the former group probably had the same ulterior motive. It was rather bittersweet.
However, most of that was fine. Only a very small number of responses were unusually… intense.
For example, Wakamo said regretfully that she couldn't openly help, so she would only eliminate business competitors for me from the shadows.
For example, Yuuka said she was too busy to help, but could install surveillance devices in the café and office as her way of contributing security.
For example, Serina kindly suggested opening a branch of Remedial Knights inside Schale to indirectly attract customers.
For example, Izuna asked if she could add a special secret ingredient to customers' coffee if she worked part-time.
And then there was…
"Isn't your initiative a bit too high?"
Inside the Schale office, I suspiciously looked at the girl who had arrived just minutes after receiving the message. She had long golden-pink hair, crimson eyes, and was also carrying a huge astronomical telescope. I couldn't help but ask again,
"And aren't you hot dressed like that?"
Even though it was the peak of summer, she was wearing thick fluffy clothing. In her own school district that might be one thing, but here in the DU outskirts where seasons actually existed, wasn't she going to sweat to death?
Was the next step going to be asking to use Schale's shower?
"N-no choice! Class 227 is already short on supplies, and that arrogant little student council president still hasn't lifted our suspension like she promised, so…"
Amami Nodoka, a second-year from Red Winter Federal Academy, blushed even deeper as she spoke. She began complaining to me.
She might have her difficulties, but since she was already here at Schale, she could at least take a break.
"You should at least put down the telescope and take off your coat, boots, and socks. You might get heatstroke."
I stood up while saying that.
"I'll get you something cold to drink and some slippers."
A moment later, Nodoka had taken off her outer layers, drinking cold juice with a satisfied gulp and letting out a relieved breath as if she had come back to life.
"Thank you, sensei! I feel saved!"
"Don't thank me yet," I said. "So why did you come here so quickly?"
"Ehehe~" Nodoka scratched her head shyly. "Because I was also secretly watching sensei today!"
Just as I thought.
I let out a long sigh.
So this is the kind of weight she carries, someone who triggered a "route unlocked" flag the very first time we officially met.