If I Become a Meijin, Will you Marry me, Master? - Chapter 4

(Ding-dong!)

I, a guy with no house key, pressed the intercom button at the front gate of Momoka’s middle school.

These days, schools keep their gates locked outside of arrival and dismissal times.

“Um, hello. I’m someone acting as the guardian for a second-year student, Momoka Hiryuu.”

‘Yes… may I ask what this is regarding?’

The voice on the intercom was probably from an office staff member or maybe a teacher not currently in class.

The response was rather curt… or maybe just on high alert.

“I was wondering if you could call Momoka Hiryuu for me? I forgot my house key, and she has the spare…”

(Click!)

Wait, what? The intercom just cut off.

Did they hang up by mistake?

Feeling suspicious, I pressed the intercom again.

But no matter how many times I pressed it, no response came.

Maybe it’s broken? Or maybe they’ve gone to call Momoka?

I decided to quietly wait by the gate.

The school grounds were deserted and peaceful.

Must be class time.

That would explain why they can’t just call Momoka out. Maybe I could catch her during a break to get the spare key…

As I stood idly by the gate thinking this…

“Hello there. What’s the matter?”

Before I realized it, a woman—who looked to be a teacher—was standing on the other side of the gate.

“Oh, sorry to trouble you. I’m always grateful for your…”

I was about to say “your continued care” but stopped mid-sentence, struck speechless.

The person who approached me was a young female teacher, probably not much older than me.

She was the type who’d likely be popular with students.

In her hands was a massive sasumata (a pole weapon used to restrain intruders).

Wait, what? Did a bear show up around the school or something?

“Uh, I’m the guardian substitute for a student here, Momoka Hiryuu. You see…”

“Please leave.”

The young female teacher, smiling with her mouth but not at all with her eyes, flatly cut me off.

“E-Excuse me?”

I was dumbfounded for a moment. She barely heard my explanation before just outright turning me away?

“We’ve had quite a few people like you come by today already. Honestly…”

The look she gave me was downright icy—like I was something vile.

Wait… she thinks I’m one of Momoka’s weirdo fans or a stalker!?

“No, no, you’ve got it all wrong! My name is Inada. I really am her guardian substitute—”

“Your last name isn’t Hiryuu at all. Are you even a relative? Do you have proof?”

“Uh, no ID on me right now…”

I only meant to go out for a run, so I didn’t bring my wallet with my license.

“Hmm…”

My vague answer only made her more suspicious, and she glared at me like a mother bear guarding her cub.

“Well, I’m not a relative, per se… I’m her shogi (Japanese chess) mentor.”

“Oh, I see. So, you’re just some neighborhood guy who played shogi with her when she was little? And now that she’s famous, you’re trying to leech off of her?”

What the hell is this woman talking about!?

And did she just call me—uncle!?

I’m probably the same age as her, if not younger!

“Just call Momoka! If she comes, this whole thing will be cleared up!”

Getting a bit annoyed, I grabbed the gate and tried to explain to this rude teacher.

“Hello there, what seems to be the trouble?”

Suddenly, a deep but friendly voice spoke from behind me.

Finally! Someone sensible must’ve shown up!

Relieved, I turned around—

“We’re with the police. Sir, can we have a word?”

Two uniformed police officers stood before me.

That damn woman…!

She called the cops on me!?

I looked back at the teacher at the gate—standing there smugly with her sasumata, clearly proud of herself.

“It’s not what you think! I’m—!”

“Okay, okay. Let’s not talk here, it might worry the students. Let’s head down to the station.”

Trying to explain, I paled, but the two officers smiled as they casually flanked me and boxed me in.

Behind me, the school gate slammed shut, that smug woman still standing there triumphant.

Both sides cut off.

There’s a famous shogi saying: “Surround the king like wrapping it up.”

And right now, it felt like the only move left was to get escorted to the station.

Just as I began to despair—

“What are you doing, Sensei…?”

I turned around. There stood Momoka in front of the gate, wearing a half-exasperated smile.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

“We sincerely apologize for what happened earlier!!”

I now sat on the principal’s office sofa, receiving deep apologies from both the principal and that same teacher.

After Momoka explained that I really was her shogi mentor, the police saw no issue and left.

I was finally invited inside the school.

“It’s okay. You understand now, and honestly, I probably did look pretty suspicious.”

Feeling awkward getting bowed to by full-grown adults, I gave a brusque acceptance of their apologies.

“Truly, we’re sorry. Ms. Iwasa is a young, energetic teacher popular with the students, but she can be a bit… hasty at times.”

“My sincerest apologies… I failed to notice the note on Hiryuu’s student file listing a guardian other than her parents. As her homeroom teacher, that was my oversight.”

So this rude woman was actually Momoka’s homeroom teacher?

“Yes. My name is Suzuka Iwasa.”

“I see…”

So this was the teacher who always looked after Momoka… and I’d been calling her “rude woman” in my head.

“I know I probably seem unfit to be her homeroom teacher after what happened…”

“No, it’s fine. Honestly, it just showed how seriously you take protecting your students, so please don’t worry about it.”

I didn’t want a strained relationship with Momoka’s teacher.

She’d sincerely apologized, and I had to admit—I showed up in running gear and gave a pretty half-baked explanation.

“Thank you for accepting our apologies. Still, I’m surprised—Mr. Inada, you’re quite young to already be a shogi mentor.”

The principal, clearly relieved the matter was settled, shifted to small talk.

It’s true. People probably expect shogi mentors to be older men in kimonos, not guys in running clothes.

“In the shogi world, it’s rare for someone my age to have disciples.”

“So you must be quite a talented professional then. May I ask how old you are?”

“I’m 25.”

“Oh, my! And already a mentor to someone as promising as Miss Hiryuu? That’s impressive.”

“I only became her mentor because we’re from the same hometown. It’s nothing special.”

The principal was clearly trying to smooth things over, even if the flattery was a bit much. I played along politely.

“Wait… younger than me…?”

Miss Iwasa murmured in shock. Sorry, but while I forgave the stalker mix-up, I haven’t forgiven the “uncle” comment.

(Ding-dong, ding-dong)

The school bell rang.

Not long after, loud footsteps echoed down the hallway.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Sensei!”

“Don’t run in the hallways, Momoka.”

She barged into the principal’s office without knocking. I found myself sounding more like a teacher than a mentor.

“Sorry, Sensei.”

“Wait—why do you have your bag and coat? Where are you going?”

“Today was just a half day because of graduation prep.”

“Seriously!? So if I’d just waited until the afternoon, you’d have been home anyway…?”

I went through all that—suspected as a pervert, nearly arrested—for nothing.

“Sorry, Miss Iwasa. I got my mentor into trouble…”

“No, dear, it’s not your fault. It’s my fault for mistaking your mentor for a suspicious—”

“It’s really my mentor’s fault for forgetting his key and showing up dressed like that.”

She cut right to the heart of the matter with no mercy.

Yeah, okay. Fair.

“Hey, don’t say that in front of the teachers!”

“I saw the whole thing from the classroom window, you know.”

“Seriously!?”

The classrooms had a clear view of the front gate across the field.

Seeing a teacher with a sasumata face off against a sketchy guy, only for the police to show up—there’s no way class continued normally.

And Momoka still came to help me anyway. Must’ve been embarrassing for her.

I really am lucky to have her as a student.

“Oh, by the way, Miss Iwasa—during homeroom, I told everyone that the suspicious man was my boyfriend, so they don’t need to worry.”

““BOYFRIEND!?””

I take it back.

This student is hopeless.

As I caught Miss Iwasa giving me a fresh “you filth” glare, I looked to the ceiling and sighed.