Nanako has regained the ability to move, so we head off to Sapporo, where the university is located.

We traveled by train along the way, but...

"Wow! Look, Teacher! It's a rice paddy! How amazing! So vast!"

Nanako sat with perfect grace, her eyes lighting up at the scenery streaming past the window.

Watching the green fields roll by and the blue sky stretch endlessly on the horizon, she behaved like a child lost in delight. "Is it rare for you?"

"Yes! I've lived in the city my entire life, so seeing this much green is quite a novelty! Ah...!" "I see. That's nice."

Nanako looked up at me with a fixed gaze.

"Teacher seems pretty accustomed to it, doesn't he?"

"Mm. Well, I'm from Nagano."

"Nagano...! That's what it is!"

"Exactly. I moved to the city, but my dad and little brother are still living back in Nagano." "Whoo—... How impressive."

I wonder if there was anything particularly impressive about it.

From her perspective, growing up in a city, it must be rare to meet someone who hails from the countryside.

There was no particular reason to deny it, so I let the comment slide.

"Sensei's hometown... I'd really like to visit. With Akari, Lusia, Ichika, Midoriko, and everyone else!"

"Yeah, we should. Someday, all of us together..."

But before that, I needed to put a period on my current messy situation.

As things stood, I was seeing five young girls at once.

I was fully aware, even now, how absurd such a state of affairs was. And yet, I found myself unable to extricate myself from this dynamic.

There was the side of me that tried to act like a rational adult... and then there was the other part, surrounded by so many girls, feeling some kind of inexplicable fulfillment.

...No good. This wasn't good at all. Where would this path lead?
"Sensei?"

"Ah, sorry. Anyway, we're heading to Sapporo soon."

"Huh! But... we're just doing country stuff right now..."

But as the greenery vanished in an instant, replaced by the gray of the metropolis, Nanae was left stunned.

"It was still so rural just a moment ago..."

"Not everything out here is rice paddies. This is what it looks like where people actually live." Nagano felt the same way.

We disembarked at Sapporo Station and headed toward our hotel.

"Nanako. I'm going to confirm this one more time... are you sure a single room was okay?"

When we booked the flight, the hotel had already been arranged as well.

I had initially reserved two rooms, but then Nanako strongly insisted on her own that she preferred a single room.

Nanako's cheeks flushed red as she nodded vigorously, up and down.

"Yes! I-I mean... otherwise it wouldn't be any different!"

Honestly, being alone in the same hotel room with a high school girl was not a good situation.

Maybe I could sneakily book another hotel later on... "Sensei..."

As if she had read my mind, Nanako’s face crumpled into a tearful expression.

"You don't want... to be together with me, do you?"

It’s a pain when Nanako cries. I didn’t want this poor girl to have to cry like that.

"It's not like that at all. Let's stay together." "Yes! Hooray!"