I am a teacher at a girls' school in Tokyo

Amamiya Ye beside him confirmed what he said.

"So, Amamiya-san has been late these past few days because of coming here?"

"Ah."

"Is your absence this morning also because of the birth of the kitten?"

Amemiya Ye placed her hands on the edge of the box, staring at the kitten, revealing an emotion called love.

"When I came this morning, I thought I would just take a look because I had promised Mr. Hirakawa. But when I was about to leave, the mother cat started giving birth to kittens, so..."

So you stayed because you were worried?

I really don't know what to say. Hirakawa Tetsufumi looked at the girl who was watching the cat seriously. Her attention was completely attracted by the kitten's small paws waving in the air, and a satisfied smile appeared on the corners of her mouth.

I wanted to say, “Even if it’s the case, I can’t just skip class without saying a word,” but after thinking about it carefully, it’s really not easy to tell the teacher such a ridiculous reason as “I’m taking the day off because my cat gave birth.”

As for her mother...she had a reason for hiding this from her, right? Why?

"You didn't tell your mother because she doesn't allow you to keep a cat...or something like that?"

Asked.

"Not."

Unexpectedly, the girl shook her head slightly.

After a pause, he asked again:

"What is the reason?"

There was no immediate response to this question. The girl, who was staring at the cat, suddenly made a cute "meow~" sound imitating a cat.

The cat is already cute, but the girl imitating the cat is even more so.

From the corner of his eye, Tetsufumi Hirakawa saw the mother cat yawning loudly - that's why Amemiya Ye suddenly imitated a cat's meow.

"Because--" After imitating the cat, Amamiya Ye turned her head and looked at him in a serious tone and said, "My mother will definitely agree."

"..."

I have to say, I don't understand this reason at all. She likes cats, right? So it's a good thing that her mother agreed, right?

"Why do you say that?" Ask if you don't understand.

Amemiya Ye looked straight into his eyes and smiled. It was not a troubled smile, but a caring smile that belonged to a daughter.

"Because my mother is allergic to cats. But as long as I say it, my mother will definitely agree to it. She always does this."

"So if she knew that I didn't dare to keep a cat because of her, she would blame herself."

"I don't want to embarrass her."

Her smile was pure, well-behaved and without any complaints. There was also an angelic glow in her eyes.

This caring look, definitely an angel, right?

Looking at Amemiya Ye's eyes, Hirakawa Tetsufumi was indeed stunned for a long time.

I thought it would be a sad answer, but it turned out to be so heartwarming.

"Is this so..."

I am so warmed by this harmonious and beautiful mother-daughter relationship that I don’t know what to say.

"That's right."

Amamiya Ye nodded and looked at the cat in the box again.

"That's why I asked Mr. Hirakawa to keep my mother a secret for me."

"It's conditional...but Amamiya-san's reason really convinced me."

"really?"

"Sign a contract... No, I promised you that I won't go back on my word."

I almost got led astray again.

"Uh-huh."

After nodding like that, he quieted down.

In this deserted shrine, shaded by the trees and in the dim light, the only sound was the rustling of the kitten's paws waving around and hitting the inner wall of the box.

The mother cat would lick the kitten's body with her tongue from time to time.

Tetsufumi Hirakawa and Yo Amamiya, who were standing next to the box, just quietly watched this heartwarming scene.

I really can't bear to break this tranquility, and I can't bear to let the girl next to me, with her pure eyes that hide all the beauty, disappear just like that.

But we can't continue to look at it this way.

So, when a gust of wind blew and the leaves rustled, Hirakawa Tetsufumi finally spoke.

"Amamiya-san."

"Yes."

"So what should we do with the cats?"

Tetsufumi Hirakawa finally asked the most crucial question, but all he got was silence.

No matter how heartwarming the answer is, it cannot cover up the dilemma that Amamiya Ye is in now.

The cat should not be kept here any longer. Firstly, the environment here is not good for cats.

Second, if Amamiya Ye always comes here, she will waste time and be late all the time, which will make her mother and herself as a teacher worry.

Normally, the best way would be for the cat-loving Amamiya Yoru to adopt them...but the reasons why this is not allowed have been mentioned above, so it's not possible.

So the best way to deal with it...

"Let's find someone to adopt them?"

"..."

Amamiya Ye did not answer him. She turned her head and stared at him with pitiful eyes that made people feel sorry for him.

I'm worried that I won't be able to see them every day after I adopt them.

Faced with this look, Tetsufumi Hirakawa could only smile bitterly.

"There's nothing we can do, Amamiya-san. But if you ask your friends to adopt them, you should still be able to see them all the time."

result--

"No." Amamiya's voice was filled with a sense of loneliness. She shook her head slightly and repeated, "No."

"..."

Nothing? No friends? I really want to confirm this. But there is no need to confirm it, right?

This girl definitely meant that.

But why? Looking at the girl who was revealing a little sadness, Hirakawa Tetsufumi really couldn't understand.

Although it's not politically correct to say this...but it's obvious that Amamiya Yoru looks very childish, or in other words, cute.

She is a high school student, but she looks like a junior high school student. She has a slightly chubby face, and her eyes are bright. In short, with her appearance, she is definitely a cute type that is popular among girls.

In terms of personality, being so considerate to his mother shouldn't be considered bad, right?

——If we don’t mention the inexplicable threats before.

"..."

Tetsufumi Hirakawa seemed to have barely guessed where the problem lay.

Chapter 19: Amemiya-san, you don’t want to embarrass your mother, do you?

Why does Amemiya, who is cute and considerate, have no friends? If you think about it carefully, the problem is really serious.

Think about what Amemiya-san said to him in the office before, "Teacher, please don't meddle in other people's business if you don't want to lose your job."

Look again at the cute girl playing with the cat and the caring daughter who said “I don’t want to embarrass my mother”.

Tsk, the contrast is really big.

So the answer to the question should be hidden here, right? Who is the true face of Amamiya Yoru?

Hirakawa Tetsufumi really didn't know. No matter how you looked at it, her attitude when she threatened him didn't seem like a joke or anything.

And in her subsequent apology and the conversation just now, apart from being extremely cute and caring, there was nothing special about her. She was just an ordinary, naive high school girl.

Is he hiding his true identity? If so, he's hiding it really well.

I don’t understand.

Hirakawa Tetsu, who was worried about this matter, kept staring at Amamiya Yo, as if he wanted to see through her true face behind her cute mask.

However, this kind of look seemed too rude, and Amemiya Ye, who was being stared at, looked a little worried.

"Teacher, what's wrong?"

"…Sorry, nothing."

Forget it, let’s discuss this matter later.

The question now is - what to do with these four cats?

Unable to keep a cat at home, unable to even tell his mother, and unable to talk to his friends, it was difficult for Amamiya Ye to find a way to let the cat live well and to see it often.

Stray animal resettlement center? Pet store foster care? No matter how you look at it, it doesn't meet the second condition, right?

This is really a difficult problem.

But after thinking for a long time, I really came up with a solution for Tetsufumi Hirakawa.

"Amamiya-san, how about...giving the cat to a classmate who is willing to adopt it, and then taking this opportunity to make friends with her?"

After thinking about it, this method is really good. It perfectly meets Amamiya Yo's requirements and can also help her make friends. It is really the best of both worlds. Even Hirakawa Tetsufumi was amazed by his perfect method.

However... after proposing this idea, Tetsufumi Hirakawa only received a pitiful look from Yami Amamiya, saying "Teacher, I can't do it."

“…Is it impossible?”

The girl nodded pitifully.

Hirakawa Tetsufumi patted his head with a headache, and then explained:

"Amamiya-san, you know what? Making friends isn't that difficult."

"As long as you find a classmate who is willing to adopt a cat, you will establish a certain relationship with her because of the cat. This relationship may be very weak at the beginning, but later on, you can find some reasons... such as visiting the cat... and communicate with her more. After a few times, the relationship between you and her will become closer and closer as you interact, and eventually you will become good friends."

"Interpersonal relationships are built through constant interaction. It won't be difficult as long as you take the first step bravely."

Hirakawa Tetsufumi tried hard to persuade the girl who refused to make friends, because he thought this was the best way. And... as a high school student, friends are also an indispensable part of youth.

Although it is not to the point of "youth without friends is a failure", but youth without friends is a bit too lonely. Even from the perspective of a teacher, this is not conducive to the growth of students.

However, such persuasion obviously did not work, as the power of words is often minimal.

What's more, for some people who have social difficulties, it is better to ask them to do math problems than to ask them to make friends actively... The similarity between the two is that they both make things difficult for people.

Ok……

Amemiya Ye looked like she was escaping from reality, "I can't do it, I can't do it no matter what", completely ignoring his words, and stared at the cute kitten that was meowing.

Maybe you are still thinking in your heart, "It's so good to be a cat, you don't have to worry about these things."

"..."

It's really frustrating.

In his previous life, he was a Chinese teacher. In this life, he is a Chinese teacher. Because of this, Tetsuwen Hirakawa has a deep understanding of the "power of language". He often marvels at the greatness and shock of the power of language, and often regrets the smallness and powerlessness of the power of language.

The great power that can inspire people's hearts can often be defeated by stubborn people. This sentence applies to Shinohara's mother, and also to the girl in front of her who has closed her heart.

Yes, she has closed her heart. Hirakawa Tetsufumi is sure that underneath her cute and considerate personality, Amamiya Yo must have some real side that has not yet been fully revealed.

Just like the threat before. Although the reason is still unknown, it is definitely not created out of thin air. It must be the closed heart of Amamiya Ye.

Is that why she is so resistant to making friends now? People who close their hearts refuse to communicate.

"Amamiya-san, are you really not going to take this opportunity to consider making some friends?"