Hikigaya Hachiman is still in the dark

"Thank you."

I slapped my forehead with my hand because of the headache, trying to make myself more awake.

"Teacher Hikigaya, are you really okay?" Sagami looked at me worriedly: "Do you want to go to the health room?"

"No problem." I said weakly. I couldn't even convince myself, let alone Sagami.

"You should go to the health room and rest for a while. Hikigaya-sensei, you don't look like you're okay. If you think about it, your body has been a little shaky since you came in. Although work is important, it's even more important to take care of your body."

"No problem. Today is an early class. I will go to the health room after class."

"But I don't think you can attend class properly in your current physical condition. You should have a good rest. I will substitute for you in the future."

Hearing this, I shook my head and said, "You were the one who covered for me when I was busy before. Besides, you have classes this morning too, so I'd better go by myself."

Although I don't know Sagami's schedule, the people on duty that day are usually those who have early classes, so the work will be more convenient if arranged this way.

"But your body..."

"It's okay, don't worry. How could a teacher skip class over such a small matter?" I interrupted Sagami and stopped her from continuing.

"I, I understand." Sagami said and sat back in his seat, but still looked at me worriedly from time to time.

Mita and Yuexia also came to the office one after another. I forced myself to greet them. They also noticed that I didn't look very good, and asked me if I had a cold and whether I wanted to go to the health room to rest. I appreciated their kindness, but I still planned to go to the health room to rest for a while after I finished my class.

Seeing that I insisted, they didn't say anything more. Yuexia made me a cup of hot tea with concern, told me to have a good rest, and then went back to her seat to prepare for class.

When the bell rang, I picked up the lesson plan I had prepared and left the office.

Not sleeping really has a big impact on my body. The short journey I usually take now seems so long. My body is swaying as if I can't find my center of gravity. I also have a strong feeling of dizziness and nausea. It feels like death is just like this.

I pushed open the door of the classroom, and the originally noisy classroom suddenly became quiet. I forced myself to be energetic and not look so listless. As a teacher, I must convey my most energetic side to my students.

After the class, I felt even more dizzy than before, to the point where I could collapse at any time without getting up. I felt so uncomfortable that I couldn't help rubbing my temples with both hands, trying to wake myself up.

"Teacher, are you okay?"

Tamasaka seemed to have noticed something wrong with my body during class, and would cast worried glances at me from time to time. After class, she would quickly run to the podium to ask me.

"Nothing's wrong, probably..." His voice was so weak that he felt there was something wrong with it. He couldn't utter the words that he wanted to say to comfort Tamasaka, and could only add "probably" at the end.

"The teacher doesn't sound like everything is fine! No, teacher, you have to go to the health room immediately!"

Tamasaka spoke to me in an unquestionable voice, and at the same time quickly ran to the side of the podium, picked up my briefcase and ran to the health room.

"Teacher Hikigaya, what are you waiting for? Why don't you leave?" Seeing that I was standing there, Tamasaka complained to me in dissatisfaction.

"Okay... okay." Because I had never seen such a strong side of Tamasaka before, I was slightly dazed and was awakened by Tamasaka's call. I responded to Tamasaka intermittently, but my physical weakness made me not want to say a word.

Tamasaka frowned at me.

"It looks like the situation is much more serious." Saying this, Tamasaka came back to my side and supported me. After all, I am a teacher. Although I am very weak now, I don't want to be supported by my own students to go to the health room. And if I remember correctly, Tamasaka himself has a sickly constitution. It always feels a bit unreasonable to be supported by such a Tamasaka.

"Tamasaka...you don't really have to be like this."

"You are someone who speaks so weakly, you have no right to refuse help from others!"

"But...if possible, you can just ask the boys in your class to come. You don't have to help me like this. You will be very tired."

"It's okay, I can do it. My classmates have a test in the next class and can't leave!"

"What about you? Can you just leave?"

I asked Tamasaka in a tired voice, because Tamasaka is my student and I would never let my student fail to take the test because of me.

"Of course I can!" Tamasaka looked at me with a smug smile, "It's a test in art class, and the teacher told me that I don't have to do it."

Art class? Tamasaka is a special student of art, and her painting skills are so good that she can hold an art exhibition. It is understandable that she does not need to take the usual test.

"Don't worry, Mr. Hikigaya. I understand the pain of being sick, so no matter what, I will never let you feel that kind of pain!" Tamasaka's firm voice came, which was the strength that I had never felt in Tamasaka.

"Tamasaka, I can do it myself..." Before I could finish my words, I felt extremely tired and dizzy. I just felt a black screen in front of my eyes and I knew nothing. The last thing I saw was Tamasaka's dark green pupils, which looked like emeralds.

Chapter 126: Yuuki Tamasaka is always unexpected

I was confused for a long time.

Although I was unconscious, I could still feel the changes around me, although they were only vague, like something in a dream.

I realized that there was a small body next to me, trying hard to support me as I walked towards the health room. My blurred consciousness made it difficult for me to recognize who was helping me, and I just instinctively leaned my body on that small body.

It's like a small boat that has been drifting in the endless ocean for countless years and finally found land. All it wants is to get closer and closer to the land.

The brain was completely unable to think, only a strong feeling of dizziness kept echoing in the mind.

I felt like someone was putting me on the bed, and then that person gently covered me with a blanket. The warm blanket quickly made me sleepy, and I fell asleep again.

When I opened my eyes again, what I saw was an unfamiliar ceiling. The dizziness and fatigue in my head had not completely disappeared.

I wanted to straighten myself up, but my body felt so heavy that I couldn't move. My lips felt very dry, and I really wanted to drink a cup of iced MAX coffee to clear my head.

"Are you awake? Hikigaya-sensei."

Seeing that I opened my eyes, Tamasaka looked at me in surprise.

The sudden sound made me sober up a little. I struggled to get up and lean against the wall at the head of the bed. Although my brain kept giving instructions, my body didn't move at all. My body couldn't keep up with my thoughts at all. It was like an old robot. Although the instructions had been sent, it was still completely unable to move.

Noticing my movement, Tamasaka gently helped me up and leaned me against the headboard. Seeing that I was not very comfortable leaning against the headboard, she picked up a pillow from the bed next door and placed it under my back.

"Teacher, are you feeling better?" Tamasaka looked at me with concern, but her eyes were so eager that I felt a little embarrassed.

"Much better than before."

The dizziness is not as strong as before. Although my head still hurts, it is still within my acceptable range.

"That's great! Hikigaya-sensei suddenly fainted on the ground. I thought something terrible had happened. Hikigaya-sensei, I'm so glad you're okay!"

"I'm sorry for making you worry." I looked at Tamasaka guiltily. I let my students worry about my physical condition. Hikigaya Hachiman, you are so rotten.

"It's okay, Hikigaya-sensei, you're thirsty, right?"

"My mouth does feel a little dry..."

"Teacher, please wait a moment." Tamasaka stood up and got me a cup of warm water, and handed it to me carefully: "Teacher, please be careful, I don't know if it's hot." As he said this, Tamasaka slowly brought the cup of water closer to my lips.

"I can do it myself." It seemed that Tamasaka wanted to feed me water. Such an intimate behavior was very dangerous. If other students accidentally saw it and spread some bad rumors, it would have a great impact on Tamasaka's reputation.

Hearing my voice trying to stop her, Tamasaka looked at me unhappily.

"Teacher, do you think you can drink water by yourself in your current condition?" Tamasaka said as if complaining.

"This..." I tried to move my hands, but I had no feeling at all. My body still felt extremely heavy and it was very difficult to move.

"You see, that's it. Since the teacher is sick, he has a different identity. As a patient, you must be obedient!" Seeing that I didn't respond to her, Tamasaka warned me seriously.

Now that things have come to this, it seems I have no choice but to obey.

"Then please."

"Well, this is a good boy."

Something seems to be wrong somewhere.

"Come here, teacher." Being stared at by Tamasaka's eager gaze, I felt the temperature from my neck to cheeks rising rapidly.

"Ah... um." I made an ambiguous sound and opened my mouth obediently, while Tamasaka carefully placed the cup of water on my lips.

"Is the water temperature right? Is it hot?"

I nodded to indicate that the water temperature was acceptable. After I had almost finished drinking it, I signaled her with my eyes. Tamasaka wisely moved the cup away and placed it on the bedside table.

"Feeling better, Hikigaya-sensei?"

"I feel much better..."

Water is indeed the source of life. Although it doesn’t taste as delicious as MAX coffee, when you feel uncomfortable, drinking a glass of warm water like I do will instantly make you feel better. So, everyone should drink more hot water.

"That's great. When the teacher suddenly fainted before, I was really worried..."

"I feel much better now... I'm sorry for making you worry."

"Don't feel sorry..." Tamasaka shook her head at me and then sat down in her seat awkwardly.

"I have always been under the care of Mr. Hikigaya. It was Mr. Hikigaya who sent me to the health room when I fainted last time. If anyone should feel sorry, I should be the one..." Tamasaka looked at me embarrassedly: "I'm sorry, Mr. Hikigaya, I have troubled you with my troublesome physique all this time."

There was not a trace of joking in Tamasaka's expression. If you think about it carefully, Tamasaka has never been the kind of person who would lie to others. So what she said was so innocent, it must be what she really thought in her heart.

"Tamasaka, it's hard to apologize."

"Why? Actually, the teacher has been taking care of me all along. I fainted suddenly when I was doing the investigation before, and I fainted suddenly in the classroom last time. I am the one who is in trouble. With my physical condition, it is really...really...super troublesome..."

"Teacher Hikigaya, I will try my best not to bother you in the future. So please, never, ever leave me." Tamasaka bit her lower lip tightly, and her eyes gradually became moist, as if she was about to cry at any time.

She was like a wronged child, not knowing who to talk to, who to ask for help, or how to ease the huge and surging sadness in her heart.

Tamasaka's suppressed tears and hoarse voice kept hitting me, and I finally understood at this moment that Tamasaka was Tamasaka, but not Tamasaka. She was still the Tamasaka I remembered, with a pure heart, superb painting skills, and a weak body. However, she was not the Tamasaka I knew. She had always been suffering from her sickly physique, she had always felt that she was a nuisance to others, and she had always been desperately and clumsily suppressing her sadness.

She is very simple, but at the same time she bears a lot.

I was deceived by the cheerful mask of Tamasaka. I had always thought that Tamasaka was a cheerful girl who could smile at any time. But I had never carefully considered Tamasaka's psychology, nor had I carefully observed her. I only remembered the smile on Tamasaka's face when she was happy, and ignored her self-blame behind it.

She felt guilty about the people around her, so she trusted them unconditionally. She was very uneasy and afraid that people around her would stay away from her because of her physical condition.

Teacher Hiratsuka said at the beginning that Tamasaka's problem is much more serious than Umi no Hoshi's. I have always thought that Tamasaka's problem is just a lack of common sense, but in fact, Tamasaka's problem is much more serious than I thought. She blames herself very much. She feels that she is a big trouble to the people around her. At the same time, she cannot correctly understand her position in the hearts of the people around her.

She told me not to leave her, so it must have been a long time ago. Yuzaka was ostracized and criticized by others because of her physical condition. So she was afraid of losing. She... was very similar to me in the past.

In the past, I also felt that I was a nuisance to others, and the so-called half-baked handsome guy was just an excuse I made for myself.

After being stabbed countless times by others, I naturally concluded that no one wanted to get close to me, and my existence was meaningless to others and was just a nuisance.

We are like hedgehogs covered with thorns. After hurting others, we are disliked and not accepted by others.

The difference is that I don't let the thorns on my body cover my whole body. I put up my thorns when I meet others, so that others stay away from me. But Tamasaka hides her thorns deeply, hoping that others can accept her.

A thorn is a thorn. If you don't want to hurt others and hide it in your heart, the only one who will get hurt will be yourself.

Thinking of this, I felt deeply hurt. I had always thought that I knew this student, Tamasaka. But I had never discovered the other side of Tamasaka. I had not discovered the sadness behind her smile.

Tamasaka's shoulders kept shaking, like an animal frightened in the dark. She looked at me with moist eyes, and I knew she was waiting for my answer.

"No, Tamasaka, the teacher is a very lazy person. If you send Tamasaka to the health room, I can also regard it as a rest! There are not many opportunities to be lazy with such a convenient reason." I calmed myself down and tried to appear relaxed when I spoke to Tamasaka.

"Huh? What's that reason? What does Hikigaya-sensei mean? Do you still think I'm troublesome?" Tamasaka looked at me in confusion.

"No, if Tamasaka isn't here, I won't have any excuses to slack off, and if I get tired from trying too hard, no one will be willing to take care of a vicious teacher like me..."

"Vicious? Hikigaya-sensei? Hikigaya-sensei, you are so gentle, but some people still say that you are vicious? Is it because of me…"

Tamasaka kept talking, and seemed to take all the responsibility I mentioned on herself. How stupid! Tamasaka Yuuki-san.

I tried to raise my left hand, but my body still wouldn't listen to me. I felt a dull pain when I moved. I really couldn't stay up late anymore. This feeling of exhaustion and weakness was not good at all. My body couldn't keep up with my thoughts. This should be a situation that only occurs when people get old, right? Why am I like this now?

I gritted my teeth and raised my hands, then under Tamasaka's surprised gaze, I put my hands on her head and gently rubbed her hair.

"No, it's not what you think, Tamasaka. I've always been proud to have such an excellent student like you. I won't leave you. Even after you graduate from high school, if you still want to play with me, I'll always welcome you."

"After all, I like you, Tamasaka, the most..."

I spoke softly, as if stating a trivial matter.

"Oh, I like it!" After hearing that, Tamasaka was stunned as if he was struck by lightning.

She mumbled there for a long time, and no one knew what she was thinking about. At the same time, her cheeks began to turn red rapidly, like a ripened apple, which was very cute.

“Like…like or something, but it’s too, too…what should I do…the teacher suddenly said something like that…even though I, I…but it’s also okay for him to say it like that without any warning…”

Chapter 127 Unexpectedly, the Sea Star Yue Zou appears

You've been acting like a confused robot, saying a lot of words I don't understand! What did you misunderstand? Tamasaka-san, can you please use your few brain cells to understand what I just said...

"Tamasaka, what I mean is..." I tried to explain something in a panic, but the moment I opened my mouth, Tamasaka seemed to be unable to bear it anymore and fainted directly on my hospital bed.

Please don't faint at such a critical moment! Tamasaka-san, you must have misunderstood something, right?

Even if I wanted to say something more, the unconscious Tamasaka wouldn't listen. I could only sigh and begin to examine her seriously.

This guy is quite cute when he is not making a fuss. After all, the bun is a symbol of cuteness and stupidity.

Thinking of this, I reached out and rubbed Tamasaka's hair. The bun felt really good, soft and textured. Was it because of Tamasaka's hair quality? Or was it a special shampoo or something? Anyway, it was very comfortable to put it up.

"Teacher Hikigaya, you..."

Just as I was enjoying the pleasure of being patted on the head, a sudden voice came from the door of the health room.