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He had classes until sixth period, followed by the end-of-day homeroom. Sakuta also put in an appearance at the Animal Club. By the time his first day of student teaching ended, it was past five, and the skies were dyed by the evening light.

He bid Shouko and the other club members adieu and wrote up a report on his day in the faculty room. It was after six by the time he actually left.

Since most students had left by then, he saw no uniforms on the road to Shichirigahama Station. Once again, he had the place to himself. Inside the station, he boarded the Enoden—just like he had every day in high school—and rode it back to Fujisawa Station.

He followed the other passengers off and passed through the bustling gates. At this hour, it wasn’t just locals—there were still plenty of tourists around.

Sakuta left the Enoden Fujisawa Station, heading for the north exit. On the way, the crowd he was with merged with the crowd exiting the JR Odakyu gates.

He was crossing the pedestrian overpass, one eye on the lights of the electronic store, when hands blocked his eyes.

“Guess who!” a familiar voice cried.

“Himeji.”

“Bzzt, wrong!” she lied cheerily, letting go of him.

Sara circled around in front of him, showing off her stylish outfit.

“It’s Sara Himeji, now a college girl!” she said, clapping her hands.

Tomoe was with her.

“Haven’t seen either of you lately.”

“Senpai, you quit the restaurant what, two months ago? Haven’t seen you since the farewell party. You look all old now.” Tomoe cackled, eyeing his suit.

“You’ll be job hunting next year, Koga. Be careful.”

“Of what?”

“Looking like you’re heading to Shichi-Go-San.”

“No risk ofthat,” she scoffed, as if the very idea was absurd.

An argument came from the last source she’d expected.

“I dunno, Tomoe-senpai. Today on campus you got mistaken for a freshman! They invited you to join a club and everything!”

There was a mean glint in Sara’s eye.

“Only because I was walking with you, Himeji!”

She was adamant that wasn’t her fault.

“Welp, we’ll find out next year!”

“I’m gonna make damn sure I never run into you with my suit on.”

“I’ll take a picture and send it to you!” Sara promised in a stage whisper.

“Still, Himeji, I didn’t expect you to pick the same girls’ college as Koga.”

“It’s a great school for future kindergarten teachers!”

“That’s also unexpected.”

“Sakuta-sensei, do you think I’m a total loser who only lives to have boys lining up for me?”

“Can’t say I haven’t wondered,” he admitted, wincing.

“I don’t evenneedboys on campus. There are plenty of mixers!”

She didn’t even sound remotely guilty.

“Oh, but Tomoe had me beat yesterday,” Sara said, sticking her tongue out.

“Did she now?”

“That wasnota mixer! It was a regular inter-college networking event!”

Tomoe sounded a mite desperate.

“And everyone wanted your number.”

“Did they now?”

“W-well, we’ll be helping out with each other’s culture festivals…”

Tomoe’s denial was losing steam.

“I’ve got a shift! Bye!”

“Ack, wait! I’m on the same schedule!”

Tomoe ran for it, and Sara went after her.

But a second later, she yelped and turned back.

“Did you hear from Rio-sensei yet?”

“About what?”

“Tora finally asked her out again.”

“Well, that’s good news. I’m on my way to the cram school now.”

“Later,” Sara said, smiling and waving. And turned to pursue Tomoe again.

Inside the cram school, Sakuta found several students chatting in the free space. A group of girls were getting worked up about someone’s new boyfriend.

“Oh, Azusagawa. Nice suit!” the cram school principal said. He was buying a can of coffee from the vending machine.

“Started student teaching today,” he explained.

“If you fail to get hired on, you can stay right here!”

“I’ll do my best to avoid that fate.”

The principal laughed and went back to the faculty room.

He was replaced by Rio, who emerged from a classroom wearing her white teacher’s jacket. She must have just finished a lesson.

“Futaba,” he said, and her gaze locked on him.

“Started today?” she said, seeing his suit. “Shouko texted me about it.”

“What’d she say?”

“Your introduction was a big success.”

“I’m off to a great start.”

“Shouko seemed delighted, so good for you.”

Rio headed for the vending machines. She held her phone up and bought a café au lait.

“By the way, Futaba.”

“What?”

She opened the cap and took a sip.

“No news to share?”

“Not really.”

Her gaze shifted away. She was clearly hiding something.

“A little bird told me Kasai asked you out again.”

“……”

She gave him such a glare. But her ferocity failed to hide the blush.

“I was worried when he had a fever and failed his first-choice exam, but he waited a year, tried again, and got where he wanted to be.”

It had nearly been the end of the world when he’d gotten those results back. Especially since the mock exam he took right before it had been a rock-solid A.

“What’d you tell him?”

“We ate together,” Rio said softly.

“Where?”

“The campus cafeteria.”

Even softer.

“Not the most romantic date spot…”

“And we agreed to go to Tsukuba together,” she admitted, not meeting Sakuta’s eye.

“What is there to see in Tsukuba?”

“I’m touring the space center. He’s tagging along.”

“Sounds fun. Maybe I should join you.”

“……”

That earned him a genuinely hostile look.

“I’m kidding.”

This earned him her most dramatic sigh.

“Tell me, Azusagawa.”

“Mm?”

“Should I give him a real answer on our third date?”

She wasn’t meeting his gaze, but her cheeks were bright red.

“I suppose that’s a solid rule of thumb.”

“Okay. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Toranosuke had been carrying a torch for Rio for two whole years, so he’d probably wait as long as she needed, but he didn’t tell her that.