To this day, I still clearly remember my first encounter with Nodoka.
That was after I finally gathered the courage to make contact with the Red Winter Office, the student council, only to get dragged into an everyday coup, and then forced to follow the self-centered Cherino on a nearly one-hour mountain trek.
In the old Red Winter school building, there was a temporary facility called "Class 227 Special Class," where students under suspension were living.
When she saw me, she first rubbed her eyes in disbelief, then rushed over like she had met an idol she had long admired, saying all kinds of strange things I didn't know how to respond to. Then, suddenly, a burning sensation struck my chest, leaving me even more confused.
And then I heard Cherino's voice, reminded by her secretary Tomoe:
"Oh, I remember now! Isn't this the perverted stalker who got suspended for spying after being caught peeping at people?"
By the way, the official document Red Winter Office sent about this incident had been casually thrown into the trash by the negligent Arona at the time.
In short, the present moment was just like that past moment.
Looking at Nodoka, who seemed completely unashamed and even proud of it, I gathered my thoughts.
"While I can understand that my charm might be quite tempting to students, and I can roughly guess why you're hanging around the outskirts of SCHALE, I'm genuinely curious how you can so openly admit that you're spying on me."
"Th-that can't be helped!" Nodoka tried to defend herself with a fact everyone already knew. "Sensei's face is just too good-looking. No matter how many times I look, I never get tired of it. Before I know it, I get addicted! If I can't observe you, I lose all motivation!"
…Is it really that dangerously seductive?
I tilted my head. "So that's your reason for spying?"
Nodoka shouted back, "It's Sensei's fault for being so rarely seen normally!"
After a brief silence, I nodded expressionlessly.
"Fair point. I'll remember to close the curtains next time."
"W-Wait, I'm sorry, that one, please don't!"
Nodoka immediately pressed her hands together in apology, then put on a flattering smile.
"Um, Sensei, aren't you hiring cheap labor here? I can work without pay, as long as you give me meals."
Even I, who had gradually become quite aware of my own appearance thanks to relentless encouragement from various students, felt a little uneasy.
I sighed. "You don't need to go that far. And I did say I usually won't be around anyway."
"Ah, I-I know that," Nodoka said shyly, scratching her cheek. "So I mainly just want to get a free meal…"
Thinking about it, the students from Class 227 Special Class really were living in quite poor conditions due to their punishment.
With that thought, I sighed again.
"If you really come to work, you'll be paid properly. And if you want to see my face, you don't need to spy. You can just come and meet me directly like this."
"Ehehe… that wouldn't work," she said, looking away. "Talking to Sensei face-to-face makes me a little shy…"
Hearing that, I felt reassured. It seemed Nodoka was just another socially awkward student underneath her strange behavior, like Tsubaki.
As for Serina… Serina was just slightly unusual in how she expressed concern for me.
"And also," Nodoka continued.
Just as I was thinking that, the girl with blonde waist-length hair suddenly broke into a dazed smile, drool slipping from the corner of her mouth.
"After all, compared to seeing you directly, spying on Sensei through a telescope is way more dazzling! Sensei's unguarded profile… ahh… ahh…"
…This is just a pervert, isn't it!?
"Ah…!"
She snapped out of it and wiped her mouth hard with her sleeve.
"P-please forget what I just said!"
"That's impossible," I said coldly.
"The sight of me through a lens can't possibly be better than seeing me in person. You just don't have the courage to face me directly, Nodoka."
After a long struggle, she finally let out a frustrated groan.
"Gghh… I don't want to admit it, but I can't refute that…"
I nodded in satisfaction.
Even if Nodoka is a pervert, at least she's an honest, cute, Sensei-loving, slightly terrifying pervert with good taste.
Thinking about it that way, she's almost all positives except for the spying.
Come to think of it, she's basically perfect.
With that realization, my gaze toward her softened slightly.
"You're not entirely wrong," I said. "It's my fault for being too busy to notice every student. Nodoka, I apologize for not noticing your needs properly."
"Eh? S-Sensei doesn't need to apologize…" she said, flustered.
As an apology, I opened a drawer and took out a few photos originally meant as rewards for the remedial class, then handed them to the girl openly admiring my looks.
"Here. Take this. Make sure to share them with Class 227 Special Class, especially with Shigure."
"Ehh!? R-really!? I can have these!?"
Seeing her delighted reaction, I continued.
"If you want to spy on me, you can do it as you like, but I have a few conditions."
"P-please tell me!"
"First, not when I'm with other students. Second, don't record it. Third, make sure Red Winter Office doesn't catch you again."
After a pause, I added, "If you can do that, I'll turn a blind eye to your spying."
"No problem!"
She agreed immediately, looking like she had somehow come out ahead.
After a while, Nodoka suddenly widened her eyes.
"Wait… does that mean… Sensei and I are actually mutually in love…!?"
"Let's not jump to conclusions. Take it slow."
Even I was getting a little overwhelmed by her today.
"Y-yes! Understood!"
Though I had no idea what exactly she had understood.
But until she left SCHALE, the girl's face remained bright with a blissful smile.
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