After what felt like an eternity, Sensei finally managed to calm Wakamo down.
Wakamo sighed softly, her ears twitching as she lowered her gaze. "Is that so?" she muttered, seemingly deep in thought.
Sensei, feeling the tension ease slightly, took a deep breath, relieved to finally steer the conversation in a more grounded direction. "Well, Wakamo," he began cautiously, his voice calm yet firm, "I'm glad we can finally talk properly. Let's focus. Why did you follow me after you left earlier? Is there something you need? Or something I can help you with?"
Wakamo placed a hand over her chest, pressing down on her uniform slightly. Her expression was uncharacteristically soft, and for a moment, Sensei thought she might actually provide a rational answer.
But then—
"It's just…" Wakamo began, her voice laced with hesitation, "…when I thought of you, Sensei, my heart started racing, my chest felt tight, my brain went foggy, and before I knew it, my feet just… moved on their own. When I came to my senses, I was already following you!"
"…Ah." Sensei blinked, taken aback by her unexpected honesty. "Is… that so?"
"Yes! That's exactly it!" Wakamo nodded enthusiastically, her ears perking up.
Sensei scratched the back of his head, trying to process her words. "Well, I suppose if that's the case, then… there's not much we can do about it, is there?"
"Exactly! There's nothing we can do about it!" Wakamo agreed, her voice brimming with confidence as if her feelings were an undeniable truth.
The air between them grew still.
Sensei closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, feeling a familiar headache returning with full force. Meanwhile, Wakamo stood there, silent yet beaming, as if she'd just received validation from the heavens themselves.
For a moment, Sensei wondered if this entire situation was some elaborate prank....
Was this girl… overly dramatic? Maybe she's been watching too many romance dramas or reading too many novels? Whatever it was, her words bordered on something out of a fantasy story or a chuunibyou phase.
"Wakamo."
The fox-eared girl's ears twitched slightly at the sound of Sensei calling her name.
"Yes, Sensei?" she responded, her voice carrying an unusual softness.
Sensei took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I—"
But before he could finish, a familiar voice cut him off.
"I'm here! Am I not late?!"
Yuuka hurriedly arrived, slightly out of breath from running over. She had come straight from Lina's side, ready to assist in dealing with the Fox of Calamity. But as she took in the scene before her, confusion flickered across her face.
Wait… Where was everyone else?
Just as that thought crossed her mind, a voice called from behind a nearby building.
"Yuuka."
Yuuka turned sharply, spotting Chinatsu and the others waving her over. They had taken cover, watching the situation carefully.
Yuuka hesitated for a second, her gaze shifting between them and the pair in front of her—Sensei and Wakamo.
"Oh..." she muttered, immediately realizing she had interrupted something.
At that moment, Wakamo's fox ears drooped slightly, a dark shadow passing over her face.
"Why… Why does it always have to be like this?" she whispered, her voice trembling with frustration. "Why do these annoying little flies keep appearing, ruining my time with Sensei…?"
Then, she suddenly laughed.
A chilling, almost unhinged laughter that sent a shiver down Yuuka's spine.
"Hahahahaha…!"
Sensei's brows furrowed. "Wakamo—"
Wakamo turned back to face him, her expression twisted between amusement and irritation.
"It's fine, Sensei." Her voice was unnervingly sweet, but her grip on her rifle tightened. "Let me handle these 'flies' so that they never— ever— interrupt us again."
Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Hasumi immediately took charge.
"Plan change! Get ready for battle!" she ordered.
Suzumi raised her rifle, aiming carefully.
Chinatsu positioned herself further back, ready to provide the support.
Yuuka, standing at the front, activated her shield, a protective barrier enveloping her and other.
"Wait! Don't fight!"
Sensei stepped forward, positioning himself between both sides. His voice carried urgency, but also a sense of authority that made everyone pause—if only for a second.
Hasumi, however, frowned, gripping her weapon tightly.
"Sensei, you should evacuate from here." Her voice was firm, laced with concern. "I can't promise that we'll be able to protect you once the battle starts."
To her, this adult was reckless—always throwing himself into danger despite having no protection like the students did.
But before Sensei could respond, Wakamo's ears twitched in irritation.
"Shut up, chicken wings!" she snapped, glaring at Hasumi. "Don't talk to Sir like that!"
The way Hasumi implied that Sensei needed protection from her—from anyone but herself—clearly offended her.
"I'm the only one who can protect him!"
Chinatsu adjusted her glasses slightly, stepping in with a calm yet sharp tone.
"In the first place, Wakamo, you don't 'own' Sensei." She narrowed her eyes. "And let's not forget—you are a criminal. Sensei is the Advisor of SCHALE. That means he won't associate himself with criminals."
Wakamo froze.
Sensei blinked.
"I did?" he muttered, clearly caught off guard by Chinatsu's statement.
Chinatsu turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow.
Sensei scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Yeah... what she said."
The words landed like a heavy weight on Wakamo.
Her fox ears drooped slightly, her expression dimming under the mask.
"Is that so…?" she murmured. "Do adult… hate me?"
The sadness in her voice hit Sensei like a dagger to the chest.
"I—"
Before he could respond, Wakamo suddenly turned and ran.
"Wakamo!"
Sensei reached out instinctively, but she was already gone—her figure disappearing into the distance before his words could reach her.
"I don't hate you…" he whispered, his hand still outstretched.
But there was no one left to hear him.
-------------------------------------------
Lina was sitting against the wall, her legs swinging lazily as she waited for Yuuka and her team to finish whatever it was they were doing.
"Sigh… it's almost an hour, and they're still not back." She muttered to herself, her patience wearing thin. "Wait… why am I even staying here?"
She shook her head, standing up and stretching before jumping down from the ledge.
"After all, it's not like it's my problem now," she mumbled, yawning as if to emphasize how little she cared. "I'm so tired… imma just go now."
Just as she turned to leave, a familiar voice rang out behind her.
"Go where, Lina?"
Lina froze mid-step, her body stiffening like a statue. Slowly, she turned around, her stomach sinking as she saw Yuuka standing there with a smile that screamed you're not getting away that easily.
But it wasn't just Yuuka.
Behind her was Sensei, looking slightly awkward as usual, and three other students Lina had never seen before.
"Uh… did I say that?" Lina stammered, her face blank as she tried to think of an excuse. "I never said that. Nope. You must have misheard."
Yuuka's smile widened slightly, making Lina's heart race.
"Oh, really? Because it sounded to me like you were about to escape," Yuuka said with an overly sweet tone, crossing her arms as she leaned closer.
Lina chuckled nervously, taking a small step back. "Haha, no way, Yuuka! I was just… stretching my legs! Yeah, totally not leaving or anything!"
The piercing stares from Yuuka and the others made her feel like she'd just been caught red-handed, and there was no digging herself out of it this time.
A few minutes later, Lina edged closer to Sensei, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Psst... Sensei, what's going to happen to me?"
Sensei blinked, slightly startled by her sudden proximity. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Uh... I don't know for sure, but I'll try my best to defend you."
Before Lina could respond, Hasumi stepped forward, her tone firm and professional.
"Lina Astra, second-year student of Millennium Academy. You have been found guilty of destroying several public properties and buildings during your fight and wakamo earlier."
Lina's face turned pale as Hasumi continued.
Chinatsu adjusted her glasses, her sharp gaze fixed on Lina. "Based on the case and the evidence, Lina Astra, you will face punishment for your actions. However... we cannot ignore the fact that you were there protecting Sensei from the Fox of Calamity. Because of this, your punishment will be considerably lighter."
Chinatsu then gave a subtle signal to Yuuka, silently prompting her to take over.
Yuuka stepped forward, clearing her throat. "As the Treasurer of the Millennium Academy Student Council 'Seminar,' I assure you that the punishment will be fair and in accordance with our rules." She glanced at Lina. "Lina Astra, your punishment will be carried out by the council, and you're expected to comply."
Lina hesitated, glancing nervously between Yuuka and Sensei.
"Uh… can I get a reward instead?" she asked sheepishly, trying to inject some humor into the situation.
Fell silent, the weight of their gaze making her wish she could shrink into the ground.
"Okay, no reward," Lina muttered, sighing in defeat as she resigned herself to her fate.
(A/n: Today chapter is a bit shorter than usual. I caught a fever, and it's hard to write on my laptop bacause of it...maybe there some error or other because it hard to thinking T-T)