Chapter 2198: Comfortable Presence

Chapter 2198: Comfortable Presence



The moment I stepped into the Director's Office, it was clear that Hayashi-sensei was in a bad mood.

She was sitting at her desk, gripping a stack of papers, most likely a report of sorts. The stress lines on her forehead were deeper than usual and her hair looked slightly disheveled, as if she had been running her fingers through it in frustration.

As soon as she noticed me, I noticed Hayashi-sensei letting out a sigh of relief. Her expression softened slightly.

It seemed that my presence was a welcome distraction to whatever was bothering her. I might not be able to offer her a solution but my presence was slowly becoming a source of her comfort.

My massages are that effective, huh?

I approached her with my usual smile, hoping to ease the tension.

"Bad news?" I asked without breaking eye contact with her.

She exhaled and gave a faint smile. "You're intrigued, huh? It's nothing for you to worry about. It's related to the First."

Seeing her force a smile like that, I couldn't help but feel the urge to just go behind her and provide relief to her ease through my massage.

However, that's not going to work here. It may even irritate her more.

Anyway, the First, huh? So a problem from another affiliate school under the same umbrella as ours. Although Hayashi-sensei wasn't directly responsible for managing it, as the overall director of both institutions, she still received regular updates from them. And most likely, the final decision on whatever policy or resolution they cook up still rests upon her.

I visited that school with Ryouko-san when we were sent to investigate but we didn't find anything too suspicious when it comes to forbidden relationships. However, there was a clear difference between that school and our school.

The First High School had more students but in terms of achievements, our school was superior, both academically and athletically. The recent success of the Girls' Basketball Team, which had just claimed 1st Place in the City-level Inter High School Tournament, was a perfect example of that.

"Anything I can do to help?" I offered. However, I knew she wouldn't just involve me in something outside of my jurisdiction. All she needed from me was my presence. Other than that, nothing.

I mean, I'm still a student in her eyes. I may have my father's appearance, but I am not as capable as him.

Hayashi-sensei waved her hand dismissively. "No, no. This is administrative nonsense. Nothing that should concern you. But thank you for offering, shameless brat. Sit down there and wait for me. I'll hear your report shortly."

I could tell she appreciated the gesture but that's it. She immediately switched back to her usual self, pushing me back to a distance as she set aside her problem to deal with me. What else can I do but follow her?

I turned around and took my usual seat on the sofa.

Following the rustling of papers and the soft thud of something to keep it in place on the table, Hayashi-sensei stood up and started walking to my location.

As she settled next to me on the couch, the weight of her responsibilities was evident in her demeanor. Even though she tried to shake off the tension, it was clear that the situation with the First High School was eating away at her.

For a moment, the room was filled with an awkward silence, the kind that felt almost heavy. I was waiting for her to give me a sign, to either start with my report or for her to let me off the hook for today. However, she seemed so lost in thought, staring ahead, her arms crossed as if trying to shield herself from the stress.

This was rare. She always seemed mysterious, enigmatic even. And despite the vulnerabilities that I witnessed lately, she remained this stoic woman who would never be beaten down into this state.

Hayashi-sensei's eyes flickered with a mix of surprise and self-consciousness as she realized

the proximity between us

I could see the wheels turning in her head, her internal struggle at keeping herself cool. Somehow, her usual demeanor around me had started to falter against the comfort and

intimacy of this moment.

She began to pull away slightly, her shoulders tensing under my touch.

"I think that's enough for today," She said, her voice a bit more rigid than before. She gently extracted her shoulder from my grasp and sat up straighter as she attempted to put some distance between us. "Thank you, that was... quite relaxing."

Naturally, I didn't stop her.

I could sense the internal battle in her eyes. She was trying hard not to let her guard down too much, not to blur the lines between her role as the Director and the personal connection we

had formed. I guess she's trying to maintain this line between us.

My presence was a comfort for her but she didn't want to go past that.

"Sensei, it's okay to relax," I said softly, trying to reassure her without overstepping any boundaries. "You don't always have to be so guarded. Not with me. I may be a shameless brat in your eyes but sensei... Aren't I also the one who you can relax with the most?" "What are you implying?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Nothing much. I just want you to not be this stiff. If you think it's too much, you can always

tell me to stop. But you don't have to be this restrained. If you need comfort and I can help with that then by all means... ask for it when I'm here."

Hayashi-sensei went silent. Her eyes lingered on me for a little bit longer as her expression softened slightly. She didn't say anything at all, but her eyes conveyed a lot of what was in her

head.

Slowly, I closed in on her again, but instead of resuming the massage, I tapped on my

shoulder, gesturing for her to use it.

After a few seconds of internal struggle, her long hair draped over my shoulder, falling

alongside her head as she sought comfort.

"... D-don't misunderstand." She whispered.

I simply smiled and let her rest, providing the comfort she needed without pushing any further. This moment was enough. There's no need to put any meaning behind this. It was nothing but offering her the comfort that she needed.

Eventually, I placed my hand on top of her head and gently combed her hair. She looked up at me as though she was about to scold me for treating her like this. However, upon meeting my gaze, she immediately averted her gaze, not daring to look up again.

For the next few minutes, no more words were exchanged between us but our moment continued. By the time I walked out of the door, Hayashi-sensei remained in her seat,

watching me.