Chapter 37: Fantasy in the middle of the night

You can’t just stay cooped up in the classroom because it’s hot! Come on, let’s start stretching!”

“Aww, teacher~ It’s too hot~“
“Stop whining! Once we’re done stretching, it’s three laps around the field!”
“Ugh, seriously?!“

Had the blazing sun ever felt this unbearable before? With the recent heatwave refusing to let up, sweat streamed down her forehead—wiped away lazily with the back of her hand.

Her whole body felt like it had been soaked and marinated in sticky humidity.

It was a day under a heat advisory. Any teacher who thought it wise to hold class outside on a day like this clearly wasn’t in their right mind. Either they’d lost their mind—or they’d let the heat melt it away. Too much enthusiasm can be toxic too.

“Who the hell thinks outdoor PE in this weather is a good idea?“
“For real… Our PE class is nuts. I’m dying.“

Izana silently agreed with the grumbling voices behind her.

And yet, if she had to find one thing to appreciate about this miserable sun, it was that the clingy leech who followed her around everywhere—she looked like she might just melt into a puddle and finally perish.

“Hngh…“
“Tsk.“

Watching her wobble around like a jellyfish pretending to stretch made Izana’s usual dread fade just a bit.

If only the sun would scorch her to death—she quietly prayed for the rays to turn lethal. Whether she ended up steamed like squid or boiled like octopus—if it meant not having to look at that face again, it’d be worth it.

Had she ever wanted someone dead this badly before? Maybe in a past life, but in this one? Probably the first time.

That just showed how blissful her life had been—at least until that damn girl appeared.

“Hup, two, three, four…“

After living through two wildly different lives, Izana had realized something: most lives are crap.

Some start off that way, and others rot along the way. The difference was just in timing.

She tried to block out the annoying voice of the red-haired parasite buzzing around her ear.

This weird stalemate between them—who knew how long it would last? But the outcome was clear either way: ruin.

“Today, boys will play kickball, girls will play dodgeball. PE leader! Go grab the balls from the equipm—”

“Can I go instead, teacher!!”

As soon as the dreaded running in hellish heat ended, Izana shot her hand up faster than anyone.

Her sudden outburst earned stares from the entire class, but the bold, smug smile on her face didn’t twitch an inch.

“Uh… sure, go ahead.”
“But… I’m not sure where the storage room is, so could I go with the class rep?”
“Ah, right—you’re the transfer student, huh? Then Rep, you guide her. Here’s the key.”

“…Yes.”

Out of all the students, why did it have to be her? Sia’s face twisted like she’d swallowed a whole lemon.

But, of course, Izana didn’t care one bit. Whether the boys sent her weird glances, or the gossip-hungry girls whispered behind her back—none of it fazed her.

If anything, the moment she met Sia’s disgusted glare, a thrill surged up from her lower stomach—and Izana nearly climaxed right then and there.

Her underwear, soaked in something far stickier than sweat.

Pervert? Maybe. But no—this was different.

She was a girl drowned in the swamp of love.

Even hatred, when it came from the one she loved, was sweet ambrosia.

Right now, Sia’s death-stare was just one more flavor of pleasure.

She’d change out of her soaked underwear as soon as she got home, Izana noted casually.

And she smiled with that always-gentle, always-fake smile. Of course, the part about not knowing the way to the storage room was a lie.

“Whew, it’s hot in here.“

The PE storage building was tucked behind the sunniest part of the school. Being completely sealed, it radiated heat like an oven. Izana pushed the rusted door open without hesitation and stepped inside, fanning her flushed face

. Beads of sweat slid down her neck like sticky syrup.

“…Let’s just find the ball and get out of here.”

Sia had followed her in and muttered curtly, her whole expression laced with discomfort—and maybe a teaspoon of guilt.

No way it was just the heat. Most likely, she still felt bad about what happened the other day.

Izana didn’t care in the slightest, but Sia… well, Sia would. She was too kind for her own good. That’s just the kind of person she was.

Even if Sia’s softness didn’t match well with Izana’s sharper nature, Izana still liked that about her.

Not that there was anything about Sia she didn’t like.

As Sia quietly moved through the storage room, Izana slowly slipped a walkie-talkie out of her pocket.

‘Black Bear, it’s time. Lock the door!’

“…Hm? What did you just say?”

“N-nothing at all!”

Clack.

“…Was that…”

As Izana frantically shook her head, a distinct click echoed from behind. Her ever-loyal Black Bear had locked the door from the outside.

If he’d misunderstood her cue, she would’ve ordered him to disembowel himself on the spot. Pity, really.

“Totally locked… It’s weird. This never happens when anyone else comes here—but it always happens when I’m around.”

Clink, clink.

The latch scraped unpleasantly against the door frame.

Sia tried the door a few more times, sighed, and muttered in resignation.

This probably wasn’t her first time getting stuck in here.

“Oh no, is it completely locked?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I guess we just have to wait until someone comes to find us.”

They wouldn’t start class without the balls, so eventually someone would notice. They could ask to be let out then.

As Izana explained this, she plopped down on a dusty box of basketballs.

Sia also found a spot nearby to sit. Izana’s eyes immediately scanned up and down the girl seated across from her.

Sia, your legs are seriously gorgeous…

No, no—she couldn’t think like that. She was supposed to be a graceful young lady, not some gross old perv.

But she couldn’t help it. Her eyes were glued to those sun-kissed legs, bare under her short gym shorts.

She wanted to lick the single drop of sweat slowly trailing down Sia’s thigh. Instead, she licked her own dry lips.

“Well, since we’re stuck here for a while, why not have a little chat? There was something I’ve been wanting to say to you anyway.”

“…A chat?”

No! Not yet!

Yeah, I’ll eat her up someday, but today’s not the day, alright?!

This was like jumping into calculus before learning basic algebra. Teacher, the pace is too fast.

Inside her mind, a love-crazed chihuahua rattled the bars of its cage.

Izana forced a calm, polite smile onto her face, trying her best to restrain it.