After returning from the meeting room, Hirakawa Tetsuya collapsed onto his desk, looking completely drained.
With the end of term approaching, teachers had become increasingly busy. On top of that, there was Tsutsuhara Shiori's situation—it was simply exhausting, both mentally and physically.
"Hirakawa-sensei, are you okay?"
Kuda Mayuki asked with concern from beside him.
"I'm not okay… not okay at all."
Hirakawa replied weakly.
A sigh came from nearby as the young teacher tried to comfort him.
"Hirakawa-sensei, this must be really tough for you."
"Yeah… it really is."
He didn't deny it.
Because Tsutsuhara's situation was truly difficult, especially her mother's attitude. It honestly made him want to flip the table.
Earlier, he had confidently told Tsutsuhara that while communication might not solve everything, without communication nothing could be solved.
And yet, the very first step had already failed.
Her mother had no intention of communicating at all. At the end of the day, she was just a dictator wrapped in a façade of "democracy."
She looked like she was "willing to respect opinions," but in reality, she didn't even allow the chance for dialogue.
What could he even do in that situation?
Her stance was already crystal clear. Even if he managed to meet her face-to-face now, would she really listen?
Probably not at all.
And on top of that, she had actually said to him
"Hirakawa-sensei, please focus on your duties."
Just thinking about that line made him angry enough to sit upright.
"Hah… my duties."
If "doing his duty" meant aiding tyranny—helping a so-called "dictator" enforce her will, ignoring all communication, and suppressing Tsutsuhara Shiori's freedom
Then could that still be called a teacher's duty?
Would he still be worthy of being called "sensei" by his students?
If that was the case, then what was the meaning of being reborn and once again choosing the path of a teacher?
"Kuda-sensei, guiding students properly—that's a teacher's duty, right?"
"Eh… yes. Didn't you say that yourself, Hirakawa-sensei?"
"Yeah."
That was what a teacher's job truly was—a belief even someone as simple and sincere as Kuda agreed with.
Following orders from above to suppress a student's free will?
That was absolutely not it.
Hirakawa had his own bottom line. Even if it meant losing his job, he would never do something like that.
Never.
But the problem was, whether he acted or not wouldn't stop things from happening.
The principal was merely an extension of Tsutsuhara's mother's will. In this school, even the rules on paper could no longer protect Tsutsuhara.
And that reality was quickly proven.
"Hirakawa-sensei… um…"
After school, Hirakawa made a rare visit to the wind ensemble club room, where a girl stood before him, speaking hesitantly.
She was petite, barely reaching his chest. A small nose carried oversized gold-rimmed glasses that seemed to take up half her face. She looked like a timid student who had just been bullied.
"Suzuki-sensei, what's wrong?"
Yes, despite appearances, this girl was actually a teacher: the wind ensemble's music advisor, Suzuki Suzune.
"Um… well"
She stood on tiptoe, tilting her head up toward him. Her voice was so soft it felt like it might be carried away by the wind.
Hirakawa thoughtfully bent down, finally able to hear her as she leaned close to his ear.
"Hirakawa-sensei… let's talk in the hallway."
After saying that, she lowered herself, her large eyes behind the glasses staring at him.
With that kind of pleading look, who could refuse?
Hirakawa glanced at the curious students in the club room, then followed Suzuki Suzune out and closed the door.
In the hallway
"Suzuki-sensei, what did you want to say?"
"Hirakawa-sensei… come a little closer"
"Alright."
He leaned in again. She brought her mouth close to his ear.
"Hirakawa-sensei… um… how should I say this…"
She looked troubled, her breath lightly brushing against his ear, making it itch.
"Suzuki-sensei, please just say it."
At this rate, his ears might go numb.
Encouraged, she finally gathered her courage and whispered firmly:
"It's about Tsutsuhara."
"I figured."
At times like this, what else could it be?
"The teacher in charge of club activities Toda-sensei told me"
"What did she say?"
Suzuki Suzune hesitated, carefully choosing her words.
"She said… Tsutsuhara might not be suitable to stay in the wind ensemble"
So Tsutsuhara's mother had made her move after all.
Hirakawa was just an ordinary teacher. The reason he had been put in charge before was simply because he was Tsutsuhara's homeroom teacher and club advisor.
Even if he refused, her mother had other ways to interfere.
Just like now.
"Not suitable… huh?"
"That's what Toda-sensei said."
"And what do you think, Suzuki-sensei?"
"Tsutsuhara is an exceptionally talented member of the wind ensemble."
For once, Suzuki Suzune spoke with clear conviction.
"Yeah."
"Then… what should we do?"
What could they do?
At the end of the day, he was just an ordinary teacher. How could he possibly stand against the principal or the chairwoman of the board?
But…
Was he really supposed to just stand by and watch his student be trapped, forced to give up her own dreams?
No.
That wasn't acceptable.
After all, he was the one who had said:
"If your wishes can't be conveyed, then as your teacher, I'll convey them for you."
And now, after saying that, was he supposed to ignore everything that followed?
Absolutely not.
That wasn't why he became a teacher.
Hirakawa Tetsuya decided he would do something.
Even if it meant losing his job.
"Hirakawa-sensei… Hirakawa-sensei"
Snapping back to reality, he saw Suzuki Suzune standing on tiptoe, waving her hand in front of him.
"Suzuki-sensei, what is it?"
"Um… about Toda-sensei"
"Tell her this—that Hirakawa Tetsuya does not agree with her proposal."
After hesitating for a moment,
Suzuki Suzune nodded firmly.
"Okay! Hirakawa-sensei and I both do not agree with her proposal!"