Chapter 2331: Are you flirting with me?


    ?


    "Shameless brat, I haven''t asked for a massage yet, why are you already there?" Hayashi- sensei asked with raised eyebrows.


    She then lifted her chin, her sharp gaze seemingly piercing through me. No matter how much she tried to act upset, I could feel slight amusement flickering behind herposed demeanor.


    I just finished my short report regarding everything that happened around me yesterday. With nothing really special happening, Hayashi-sensei also had less to say about it.


    "I thought you''d need a massage after dealing with me all the time, sensei. Consider it preemptive care." I cheekily replied, shing her a grin that had her narrowing her eyes in return.


    "Hmph, what an incorrigible brat. At least take up from your father. He''s a witty guy who always has a way to exin everything. If he''s the one standing there, exining why he has to massage me, he will say something like, ''It''s to keep my sensei in tip-top shape for the uing cultural festival'' or something like that," Hayashi-sensei replied, though her stern expression was cracking into a smile.


    She''s fantasizing. This woman... She still hasn''t moved on from him, has she? Or maybe, she''s just using him again topare me with. Now that she''s bing more conscious of me after these repeated meetings, she needed something to keep her in check.


    "Mhm. I can imagine him saying that, but sensei, I think it''s only applicable if you''re my mother. Otherwise, it''s no good. He cannot bepared to a shameless brat like me."


    "You don''t have to rub that in my face. Ugh." Hayashi-sensei frowned as she waved a dismissive hand at me.


    She leaned back as the tension in her shoulders loosened slightly beneath my touch. Despite herint, I already started my usual massage, relieving her.


    "Enough about that. Since you won''t stop, just do it right. I hate to admit but you have a way of twisting the mood, Onoda-kun. It''s both frustrating and oddly... refreshing. But don''t get carried away. I''m not praising you!"


    Although she said that, Hayashi-sensei''s protest was clearly half-hearted. Soon, she closed her eyes, allowing me to continue massaging her shoulder.


    "Don''t worry, sensei. I''m only like this because I respect you."


    Her eyebrows twitched again, maybe finding it unbelievable how shameless I was. "Respect, you say? I''ll be enlivened if that''s really the case. Don''t think just because I''m inexperienced, I won''t know that you''re flirting with me. You''re really insatiable."


    "Flirting? Sensei, I''m not doing that yet. You''ll know I''m flirting if I start to be more... affectionate," I replied with a lowered voice, just enough to tickle her ear. My hands moved from the broadness of her shoulders to her neck, gently working the tension out of her muscles.


    Her eyes snapped open, and she shot me a re that could melt steel. But she didn''t stop me.


    "Who are you trying to fool, brat?" Hayashi-sensei huffed. "Your charm is as subtle as a ringing bell. In short, it''s too obvious. But fine, if you''re going to act like you''re not flirting, I''ll pretend not to notice it. Anyway, enough about your antics, you have a question, right?"


    Look at her, diverting the topic to escape my teasing. It was so endearingly predictable. But well, I''ll let her off with that.


    I straightened up, dropping my yful tone but leaving my hand working closely. "Right. About that. This unity workshop... Do you have any specific expectations from each ss? Or is it more of an open floor for ideas?"


    Although her head was now resting on the softness of the sofa''s backrest, Hayashi-sensei adjusted her sses while keeping her eyes closed as her expression returned to the serious educator she often portrayed.


    "The workshop is meant to encourage creativity and coboration. We want all sses toe up with proposals that represent their unique dynamics while still being feasible within the school''s resources. That said..." She paused for a moment then opened one of her eyes to stare at me from below, "I trust you''ll ensure your ss doesn''t submit something outrageous. You''re one of the representatives from your ss, am I right?"N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Outrageous? Us? Never," I replied with mock indignation, "Sensei, do you not trust me enough? I told you despite myplex rtionship, I''m still prioritizing my studies. This cultural festival might not be rted to it but since I''m going to do it with my girls, I''ll naturally give my best."


    "So, anything rted to your girls, you''re going to do your 100%?"


    "Yes, Sensei. After all, for me, their happiness is a reflection of my sess," I said with a genuine expression that made her click her tongue again.


    After that, she closed her eyes, focusing her senses back on the sensual experience my hands were giving her. Her breathing slowed down as she let out a gentle sigh of relief, enjoying the


    massage.


    "I mean it, Onoda. None of your schemes disguised as ''innovative ideas,"" She warned with her voiceced with a hint of her concern.


    "Understood, sensei. I''ll make sure it''s something that gets the stamp of approval from both the teachers and the students. And you."


    I said as my arms once again wrapped around her, holding her just like the previous days.


    "This brat..." She breathlessly murmured but the way she lifted her head and leaned it against my chest showed she didn''t really mind me doing this.


    After a while, I momentarily released her to move back and join her on the sofa, slipping myself behind her, letting her lean on me instead of the backrest before holding her intimately from behind, indulging myself in her wonderful fragrance. She didn''t protest, just leaning into my embrace, the tension in her body slowly dissipating.


    "Now, tell me if you''re not flirting with me." She smilingly said, her voice carrying a mix of exasperation and resignation. "You''re lucky I''m tolerating this, Onoda-kun. I should throw you out for this audacity, right?"


    I chuckled softly, tightening my embrace just a little, "I think you''re fond of me, Sensei. And I''m so lucky to have that privilege. And even if you can call this flirting, I also see this as my way of showing you my respect and appreciation. Also, to continue to provide youfort." "Respect? Appreciation? Comfort? You have a very warped way of showing those things. And don''t think I didn''t catch that smirk." She repeated with a skeptical tone. Nevertheless, she


    still didn''t push me away,


    "Then why aren''t you stopping me?" I teased, lowering my voice again as I rested my chin lightly on her shoulder. "Maybe you enjoy this too much to resist?"


    She scoffed but she couldn''t hide the faintest hint of pink tinging her cheeks. "Enjoy it? You must be delusional. I''m simply too tired to deal with your nonsense right now. I''m just using you forfort. Give and take, that''s how it is."


    "Right. Of course," I replied, my tone humoring her. "Whatever helps you sleep at night,


    Sensei."


    She let out a defeated sigh, leaning further into me as if surrendering to the moment. "You''re insufferable, Onoda. If I didn''t know better, I''d say you were a professional at this."


    "Rather than a professional, I''ll say I''m used to this. I''ve fallen for a lot of girls. If I can''t even make youfortable, shouldn''t I consider myself a failure?"


    She stiffened slightly at my words, her sharp intellect undoubtedly picking apart my statement for any underlying motives. "You sure know how to twist words to your


    advantage."


    "Well then, what if I acted more audacious like... kissing you?"


    "If you did that, I''ll throw you out of this room right away."


    "Alright. Forget that. But honestly, sensei..." I said softly as I slotted my head closer to her that our cheeks were now touching. "You do so much for everyone, Sensei. You deserve to feel


    appreciated too."


    Her lips parted as if to respond, but she hesitated, her expression softening. For a moment, the strict, no-nonsense teacher persona seemed to fade, reced by a woman who carried a quiet vulnerability beneath herposed exterior.


    "You''re too smooth for your own good," She finally muttered, turning her face slightly away, though she made no effort to break free from my embrace.


    We sat like that for a while, the atmosphere calm and intimate. It was a rare moment where words weren''t necessary and the silence felt moreforting rather than awkward.