"Ahem, Hiratsuka Sensei?"
Haruto cleared his throat lightly.
The complaints coming from the other end of the phone were truly overwhelming.
Moreover, from the way she was speaking—her pronunciation a little slurred—it was obvious that she had been drinking.
After all, while Hiratsuka was usually blunt and outspoken, she never threw small tantrums at her students like this.
"What? You still... have complaints?!"
Hiratsuka snapped in frustration, though her words were starting to slur.
Haruto rubbed his temples.
"Sensei, may I ask where you are right now? I feel guilty and would like to apologize in person."
Hearing this, Hiratsuka gave the name of an izakaya.
After hanging up, Haruto searched for it.
It turned out to be a rather niche izakaya in Chiba, located in the Shimokitazawa area.
Grabbing a jacket, he headed straight there.
By now, summer was coming to an end. Though the daytime heat still made people reluctant to move, the occasional cool night breeze had started making people instinctively hug their arms for warmth.
Before long, Haruto arrived outside the izakaya in Shimokitazawa.
This area was full of small alleys, people unfamiliar with the place could easily get lost.
The izakaya was tucked away in one of those winding alleyways.
Fortunately, Haruto could rely on his sensory abilities to get a god's-eye view of the surroundings; otherwise, he might have had to wander through the alleys for a while.
Lifting the noren curtain at the entrance, Haruto took a look inside and immediately spotted Shizuka.
The usually professional-looking teacher, always dressed in work attire with a white lab coat draped over her shoulders, was now in casual clothes.
She was sitting in a corner of the izakaya, her table already littered with empty bottles.
Half-leaning against the table, her long, waterfall-like black hair cascaded down her back, with a few playful strands sticking out.
Her normally stern and dignified face was now flushed, wearing an expression of deep frustration.
Shizuka was muttering to herself, her words filled with complaints about Haruto. Even though he hadn't approached yet, he could still hear her grievances.
As she grumbled, she casually grabbed a beer mug beside her and took large gulps of the cold beer.
A bit of foam clung to the corners of her lips, making her look unexpectedly adorable.
Just as Haruto was about to step forward—
Two men from a nearby table stood up, drinks in hand, and walked toward Shizuka.
Their appearance left much to be desired, classic small-time thugs.
Come to think of it, the security around Shimokitazawa did seem rather lax.
"Someone's about to have a bad time."
The izakaya owner chuckled with a hint of schadenfreude.
Clearly, Shizuka was a regular here, the owner seemed to know this long-haired beauty well.
After all, her combat prowess was no joke.
But Haruto wasn't in the mood to watch a spectacle and quickly walked over.
The two thugs tried to hit on Shizuka, and seeing how drunk she was, they got even bolder, preparing to get handsy.
"Hey there, gorgeous. Drinking all alone? How about we keep you company?"
One of them sneered.
"No need. Stay away from me, or I won't be responsible for what happens next."
Shizuka didn't even lift her head as she coldly rejected them.
She had been hit on like this countless times. Honestly, what kind of decent person would try to pick up women in a dive bar like this?
"Oh, come on, don't be like that."
The thug reached out toward Shizuka, oblivious to the fact that her body had already tensed slightly.
Her hand had subtly risen, hovering between her chest and neck.
But before his hand could reach her—
A firm grip caught it in mid-air.
"Didn't you hear her, you trash? She told you to scram."
Haruto smiled calmly.
The two thugs turned red with anger.
Seeing that their interrupter was just a young student, their arrogance surged. But before they could say anything—
The one whose arm was caught let out a scream.
It felt as though his limb had been caught in a steel vise, his bones were on the verge of snapping.
He tried to break free but quickly realized he was utterly powerless.
Now he understood, he had messed with the wrong person.
"W-Wait, bro! No—Boss! Please, let me go!"
Unable to endure the pain, the thug instantly begged for mercy.
Haruto casually flung him aside.
Stumbling backward, the thug was caught by his companion.
The two looked utterly pathetic.
Despite knowing they were no match for Haruto, they still tried to salvage whatever pride they have.
"You're finished, kid! We're from the Yaken-gumi(gang)! Just you wait!"
After spouting their threat, they turned and bolted before they could get beaten again. Haruto smirked and pulled out his phone, sending a message to Inspector Megure.
Shimokitazawa really needed a crackdown on crime.
These bottom-feeders even dared to claim gang affiliations?
After that, Haruto turned his attention to Shizuka, who was still half-conscious, slumped over the table.
He reached out to support her—
But the moment his hand touched her shoulder—
Shizuka instantly sprang upright, grabbing Haruto's wrist and twisting it forcefully.
Haruto: !?
Had he been an ordinary person, he'd have been instantly subdued, his arm locked in place, his face slammed into the table.
However, for Haruto, Shizuka's strength was far too weak.
To avoid her injuring herself by using excessive force, Haruto simply twisted his arm slightly, effortlessly breaking free.
"Hiratsuka Sensei?"
Haruto called out, trying to wake her up.
But before he could get a response—
Shizuka lost her balance and collapsed straight into Haruto's arms. Haruto froze for a moment before sighing helplessly.
Scooping her up in his arms, he walked over to the counter.
The izakaya owner, having witnessed everything, was somewhat surprised by Haruto's skill but still asked,
"And you are?"
Haruto handed over his student ID with a wry smile.
"I'm her student. Sorry for the trouble, I'll settle the bill for her."
The owner glanced at the ID, recognizing the emblem of Sōbu High. He no longer had any doubts about Haruto's identity.
Hearing Haruto's words, he waved dismissively.
"She's a regular here. Since the shop opened, she's been supporting us, how is that causing trouble? The table and chairs over there? I'll clean them up later. As for the bill, she has a tab here. Regulars like her don't need to worry."
Haruto shook his head and still paid for Shizuka's drinks. Then, carrying her in his arms, he left the izakaya.
"Hiratsuka Sensei, where do you live? I'll take you home."
Haruto spoke while gently shaking her.
Shizuka groggily opened her hazy eyes.
Seeing Haruto's face up close, she suddenly giggled foolishly.
Her already flushed face from the alcohol became even more adorable as she smiled.
Considering how she was usually so stern and serious, the contrast made her irresistibly charming.
Even Haruto felt his heartbeat quicken.
"Oh, it's you, genius boy! Hehe!"
Shizuka mumbled.
Haruto sighed.
"Where does Shizuka live?"
He tried again.
"Home? Are you asking me to start a home with you?"
Shizuka latched onto the only word she understood and started spouting nonsense.
As she spoke, she snuggled closer to him.
Haruto staggered slightly under her sudden movement. In the end, he dug through her wallet and found her ID.
Only then did he get her address.
Hailing a taxi, he gave the driver the destination.
There was no helping it, leaving her alone in this state was out of the question.
Inside the cab, Haruto gently set her down.
But Shizuka immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, refusing to let go.
Her breath carried a strong scent of alcohol.
Just how much did she drink!?
Haruto felt a headache coming on.
Meanwhile, the taxi driver turned out to be quite talkative.
"Young man, just finished a date with your girlfriend, huh? Ah, youth is wonderful!"
He sighed nostalgically.
Even though Shizuka was much older than Haruto, her youthful appearance and well-maintained looks made them seem like a couple.
Haruto didn't bother explaining.
The more you explained in situations like this, the worse it got. However, Shizuka seemed to catch onto a certain word.
Still groggy, she blinked herself awake.
"Boyfriend? Cheers!"
With that, she leaned in even closer.
Haruto: !