What was truly thought-provoking wasn't that Hina was wearing her elementary school swimsuit, but that she could still fit into it.
Has she really grown over the years? Is it due to staying up too late? Will she still have a chance to grow taller?
Even though small is still cute, I couldn't help but feel a little sympathetic.
But it didn't really matter with Hoshino next door, Neru, Seia, and even the Kisaki from the Shanhaijing whom I'd long been on friendly terms with, were all in similar situations.
"…Sensei, your gaze has been weird since a moment ago," Hina said in a low tone. "You think someone like me isn't suited to wearing a swimsuit, right? Even if it's the standard one."
I quickly denied it. "That's not true at all! It's just that swimsuit-Hina is too cute, and I'm trying very hard not to stare rudely!"
Hina immediately blushed, her voice teasingly indignant. "Sensei, you're talking nonsense again. I hope you won't tease me too much."
Was that really teasing?
She was shy enough already while secretly liking me.
After saying a few sweet words to calm her, I asked, "By the way, why did you ask me to come here? What exactly is this for?"
"I wanted to ask you to accompany me to inspect the beach," Hina replied. "Because of my work with the Prefect Team, I've hardly ever been to the beach for fun. If I don't conduct a proper preliminary survey, any accidents during the training camp could catch us unprepared."
Ah, so it's a date.
"Ah, a rehearsal then."
As usual, I kept my internal thoughts and external words separate, so as not to upset Hina.
Hina thought for a moment, then nodded. "A rehearsal… you could say that. In any case, this is also a secret meeting. No one can find out we're here… Even if it's only for a few hours, it should be enough for me to roughly understand the beach conditions."
"Alright. Where should we start?" I suggested. "By the way, if we have time for dinner, should we reserve a high-end restaurant with a night view?"
"…Wait, wouldn't that turn it into a date!? We're only here for work! What are you thinking, sensei!?"
Hina's reaction exceeded my expectations. At least in terms of innocence, she truly rivaled Aru.
Fortunately, I had a legitimate excuse.
"Actually, before I came, there was another commotion in the student cafeteria. It should have settled down by now, but it's possible dinner won't be served on time."
"Again, the Gourmet Research Club?" Hina immediately guessed the culprit, her expression cold. "Food is just to replenish energy, it doesn't need to be amazing. Big pot meals are bound to be mediocre anyway. Why do students at our school ruin order for selfish reasons?"
Honestly, compared to Gehenna, other schools are pretty much the same.
"It is certainly bad behavior," I said, then shifted tone, speaking seriously, "But tasting delicious food can bring more pleasure, which helps us perform better at work, don't you think?"
"That's true…" Hina furrowed her brow, casting me an inquiring glance. "Sensei, are you suddenly saying this to persuade me to have dinner with you?"
I thought for a moment. "Regarding that… perhaps it can be viewed from a deeper perspective."
The silver-haired girl stared at me, confused. "What do you mean?"
"I mean… to persuade you to go on a date with me."
When the words left my mouth, the world seemed to fall silent.
Hina's eyes went wide in shock. Only when a seagull called in the distance did she snap out of the frozen moment.
Her voice lowered. "…I already said, teasing me… should be kept moderate…"
I spoke lightly. "But I'm serious about wanting to go on a date with you…"
"Stop joking around!"
The Prefect Team President interrupted sharply. Even though her ears were red, her gaze remained ice-cold.
"I asked you here for work. That means this is still working hours. If you continue saying these strange, rule-breaking things… I will ignore you."
This punishment seemed a bit extreme ya know!
However, the implication was fairly obvious.
"Sorry, I was wrong. Please don't…," I apologized instantly. Seeing her expression soften slightly, I cautiously asked, "Then what about dinner, should we decide based on the situation later?"
"…Hmm." Hina's voice was as soft as a mosquito's, hesitant. "But please, don't expect too much from the outcome."
A little analysis of her mindset.
First, she clearly wasn't truly angry, and she was somewhat moved by my invitation.
Most likely, she was just too shy and worried that she might get caught up with work and be unable to follow through, so she couldn't answer immediately.
Understanding that, I said joyfully. "Of course. I understand."
"Ah…"
Sighing, Hina said helplessly, "Sensei, you really are… a strange adult."
I replied, "That's why it's good to be a little strange."
Hearing this, Hina blinked in confusion, then finally smiled brightly.
"Hehe~ That's just right~ Yes. Sensei, it's good that you're a little strange. No, I mean, strange in just the right way."
As if savoring this compliment, Hina paused, then said. "Well… enough small talk, let's get back to the main topic. So, where should we start—"
At that moment, an untimely notification sound went off.
Hina frowned and picked up her phone. "Sorry, sensei. There's a sudden message from the school… uh."
I asked with concern. "Is it something urgent?"
"It's about the student cafeteria incident you mentioned earlier…"
The commotion wasn't over yet? It had even escalated to the point that Hina had to be contacted? I was surprised.
But the next moment, everything became clear.
Rarely did the Prefect Team Pres show such an expression of disbelief as she murmured.
"How on earth did they think to have Izumi and Juri have a cooking duel in the student cafeteria… And what do they mean by a 'food fight'?"
A cooking duel?
Izumi?
Juri?
Do these three words even remotely connect?
I couldn't hold back either. "Let's just go back to Gehenna immediately."
"No, it hasn't escalated that far yet… Sensei, please wait a moment. I need to call the school and will be right back."
"Alright. Be careful on the way."
So I stayed in place, watching Hina walk away.
About an hour later, just as I wondered if she had rushed back to the school to handle the situation without telling me,
I received a Momotalk message.