Chapter 222: Sensei, you wouldn’t want that kind of thing to be known, would you?
Chapter 222: Sensei, you wouldn’t want that kind of thing to be known, would you?
The next day, the first thing Ren did after waking up was to ask for leave for Adashino Benio.
"What are you up to again so early in the morning?" Hiratsuka Shizuka might be nervous and awkward in person, but she could act normally on the phone.
Ren: "Asking for leave."
"You’re asking for leave again?"
"Is that a problem, my Shizuka-sensei?"
My Shizuka-sensei... Hiratsuka Shizuka’s head spun. What was this scoundrel saying?! Her old face flushed, and she feigned authority, scolding, "Brat! Don’t think you can be so presumptuous just because you found out about Sensei’s weakness!"
Ren muttered to himself, "This is presumptuous?" He still had things he hadn’t said, like, "Sensei, you wouldn’t want..." He cleared his throat. "Ahem, Sensei, you did take my business card, you know."
Hiratsuka Shizuka subconsciously glanced at her bedside table drawer. She had kept that business card.
"Ahem, let’s get to the point! Anyway, your grades are good, so taking leave is fine. Is the Psychic going to be busy saving the world again?"
Ren said casually, "It’s already saved."
"Ah? Another monster?"
"Yes, it was indeed a monster. A Ghoul, you should be very familiar with them."
Ghoul! She truly remembered that vividly. "Tsk, those man-eating monsters still exist."
"But there was also an unexpected gain: a type of man-eating creature that can Parasite and take over human bodies."
"Hey, hey, hey! Wouldn’t that be very dangerous? Can they also blend into crowds?" Hiratsuka Shizuka was quite nervous. A man-eating Ghoul in human form was scary enough. Now there were also monsters that could Parasite and seize human bodies. Just thinking about it sent shivers down her spine.
Fortunately, Ren’s next words reassured her. "Don’t worry, I’ve already solved the Parasite problem."
"That’s good... Whatever you’re going to do, your leave is approved. Is there anything else?"
"Shizuka-sensei, you’re mistaken. It’s not me asking for leave. I’m asking for leave on behalf of Adashino Benio."
"Huh? Adashino Benio?" Hiratsuka Shizuka suspected she had misheard. "What does Adashino Benio asking for leave have to do with you?"
"I’m at her house. She’s feeling unwell, so I’m asking for leave for her."
"Ah?" This confused Hiratsuka Shizuka even more. Ren was at Adashino Benio’s house?
"She’s my girlfriend, understand?"
So she’s his girlfriend, then there’s no... problem?What the hell!
"Isn’t your girlfriend Eriri?"
"Both. Don’t dig any deeper, Shizuka-sensei. Is the leave okay?"
"Oh... Oh, alright..."
"Then I’m hanging up."
The call ended. Hiratsuka Shizuka, who had just sat up from bed with her mind in a jumble, was full of questions.
"Two girlfriends? Isn’t that a total scumbag?" She never would have imagined that her student, who was excellent in all aspects, was actually a scumbag playing two women.
After a while, she remembered Ren’s mysterious Psychic identity, and a bitter smile appeared on her lips. "Perhaps Psychics have different concepts than ordinary people." Hiratsuka Shizuka herself didn’t realize that she was subconsciously excusing Ren’s behavior.
Soon, her thoughts shifted. She began to ponder Ren’s request for leave. He was at Adashino Benio’s house, she was his girlfriend, and Adashino Benio was asking for leave due to feeling unwell.
Hiratsuka Shizuka’s mind clicked. Goodness, isn’t that that? But would a normal person be unable to go to school because of that? Suddenly, she remembered the perfectly proportioned weapon Ren had drawn in his notebook.
"Hiss!" She instantly took a sharp breath. If it was that, then it really was possible. It seemed Ren had also asked for leave for Eriri before. So, was Eriri in the same situation back then?
Subconsciously, her mind began to fill in the blanks. By the time she noticed something was off, she shifted her body and her lips twitched. She needed to take a shower.
Perhaps sensitive girls are more emotional. Like Yui, Yukino, and Eriri, Benio also wanted to remember the feeling. Helplessly, Ren had to give up the idea of helping her recover and transform into a Redemption Angel.
The sound of his phone call naturally woke Benio. "Ugh!" Through her hazy eyes, she saw Ren’s face, and everything that had happened came back to her. Adashino Benio instantly turned into a steam engine. She curled up in the quilt, hugging Ren’s firm arm, and hid her face with the blanket. Only her two large, moist eyes were visible.
Ren chuckled and gently patted her head. However, Benio’s next words made him even more exasperated.
Her shy eyes held a hint of determination, and she asked Ren in a soft, sweet voice, "Ren-kun, did I do a good job?"
He still thought of her even in this state, which couldn’t help but make him feel pity. He leaned over to brush aside the sweat-dampened strands of hair from her forehead, then gently kissed her, smiling as he said, "What do you mean by ’work’? This was consensual, and I’m very satisfied. Benio has already worked very hard."
"That’s good..." Benio’s eyes crinkled with a smile when she heard the answer.
Ren then asked, "Are you hungry? I’ll go make you breakfast..." This was a genuinely heartwarming question, but it made Benio’s face even redder, and she looked extremely flustered.
"No... not hungry." Not only was she not hungry, but she felt quite full.
"Okay, then you should rest well today. Do you need me to stay with you? I can take a leave of absence anytime." Ren was willing to be meticulously caring towards his woman.
"No need. I’ll just rest by myself. Ren-kun should go to school. I am an Onmyoji, after all."
"Alright." Ren nodded. Benio was an Onmyoji, so normally there was no need to worry about her safety.
After another kiss on her smooth forehead, Ren got out of bed and, under Benio’s wide, watery eyes, unhurriedly put on his clothes. Benio, seeing a certain something, shrank back again.
He finished dressing. "Then I’m off. Contact me directly if anything happens."
"Okay." Ren walked out of the bedroom, through the entrance, and opened the door.
His gaze met Kasumigaoka Utaha’s. She had also just left her home, preparing to go to school.
He really did spend the night at Benio’s house! Kasumigaoka Utaha’s expression was stiff and unnatural as she greeted him, "Good... good morning."
"Hmm, good morning. Want to walk together?" Ren responded naturally and invited her to walk with him.
"Okay..." Both were going to school now, and Kasumigaoka Utaha agreed without much thought.
However, seeing Ren close the door, she was puzzled. "Where’s Benio?" Since they were neighbors, she knew Benio lived there. Ren wasn’t surprised and simply replied, "She’s not feeling well, so she took the day off."
Kasumigaoka Utaha’s eyes widened slightly. "Not feeling well..." What a coincidence in timing. Ren had only stayed one night, and she was already unwell. What had happened was now self-evident.
Kasumigaoka Utaha didn’t know what to say. She had been thinking about this all night and hadn’t slept well. Who would have thought it actually happened? As someone with no experience, she felt very awkward. It was hard to imagine what exactly transpired that made Benio unable to go to school.
In the silent atmosphere, the two went downstairs. Ren simply didn’t want to make small talk, while Kasumigaoka Utaha was too embarrassed to speak. It wasn’t until they had walked a distance from the apartment that she pushed aside her physiological concerns and boldly opened the topic. "Ren-kun, you can teleport, do you still need to walk to school?" What a convenient ability that was! Having it meant she could always sleep in and never worry about being late. It truly made her very envious.