Kanase Kanon hadn't come to campus for a week.
Shichen originally thought something might have happened to her, but when he finally saw her again, she seemed normal.
"Kanon, come with me."
After announcing the free period, Shichen called Kanase Kanon aside.
"Shichen-sensei?" Kanon followed, puzzled.
"What's up with him?" Avrora asked, not following.
"No idea," Kaguya shook her head.
"He probably just wants to ask how Kanon's been. She's been gone a week," Akatsuki Nagisa said.
"Does Kanon have some special relationship with Shichen?" Avrora couldn't help asking.
"I don't know. But I think she knew Sensei before I did."
"Is that so…"
Shichen took Kanase Kanon to the faculty office. At this hour, no other instructors were around.
"Sit there—that's my seat. I'll get you a drink. Or… ice cream?"
"No need…"
"Why so formal with me? Haven't seen you in a week and we're strangers now?" He glanced back at her gentle face.
"It's not that… Okay. Strawberry ice cream," she said softly.
"Much better."
He soon came back with two ice creams, handed one to Kanon, and sat across from her.
He kept the office stocked—unlike a classroom, he could plug in small appliances here—and mainly because Avrora and the others liked treats but couldn't always go buy them.
"Go on, try it."
"Mm…"
Kanon pulled her gaze off him and started unwrapping the bar. The cool scent—tinged with strawberry—hit her; she swallowed without thinking and gave it a small lick.
Cold shot from the tip of her tongue straight to her heart, washing away the heat that lingered.
"Good, right?" Shichen smiled.
"Mm…" Her eyes curved; a faint smile touched her lips.
"Take your time. There's more if you want."
"No, this is enough. Sensei… you called me here to—?"
"What did you call me?"
"O-Onii-chan." She corrected herself.
"Don't worry about what others think. Call me whatever you like. Otherwise I'll think you're trying to distance yourself."
"No, never! I'm not trying to pull away, Onii-chan—it just felt odd not calling you 'Sensei'…"
"What's odd about it? I like the way it sounds."
"Mm. Got it." She nodded, smiling.
"Finish the ice cream. Then I'll ask—it's nothing major."
"Okay."
Shichen finished quickly, but Kanon kept nibbling, taking her time. Cream dotted her lips. When she finally licked them clean, he asked, "Why haven't you been on campus? Something up? Were you sick?"
"Thank you for worrying, Onii-chan. It was just some family business," she said lightly. Her gentle face showed no sign of trouble.
"Family business?"
"Mm. Don't worry—it's nothing."
"Really? It wasn't your foster father trying something… was it?" Shichen pressed.
"Father? No," Kanon said with a smile and a shake of her head.
"Kanon, you're not lying to me, are you? You can tell me."
"Really not. Father treats me very well."
"I see…"
Kanon wasn't the type to lie. Either her foster father truly hadn't done anything yet, or she genuinely believed he had her best interests at heart. For now, her condition seemed fine.
"Don't worry about me, Onii-chan. I'll take care of myself," she said, reaching out to squeeze his hand in reassurance. Her hand was small and soft, still a little cool from the ice cream.
"If you say so, I'll trust you. But if you ever run into anything coercive, anything you don't want, you tell me. I'll help," he said, ruffling her soft silver hair with his other hand.
"Mm. I'll definitely come to you," she replied, eyes smiling.
"Good."
"But… why do you think Father would do something bad to me?"
"Because I know him."
"Eh? You do?"
"Mm. He's a bit extreme—gets stuck in his head. That's why I worry."
"Don't, Onii-chan. Father's very good to me."
"Mm…"
Shichen didn't believe it, but knowing Kanon's personality, unless something clearly harmful happened, she'd keep trusting her foster father. No rushing it.
Life was calm for a while after that. Kanon came to school every day; Shichen often went with her to visit Whitey and the others. Veldiana stayed up on the back hill looking after them—Shichen had almost forgotten about her.
The brutal August heat passed; September arrived.
Saikai Academy was kicking off its intramural ball games—badminton, tennis, table tennis, basketball—keeping students busy. Thankfully, faculty didn't have to participate. In this weather, any sport was a recipe for melting.
"Things on Itogami Island are getting a little unsettled again."
At dinner, before Shichen could take a bite, Minamiya Natsuki spoke up.
"What's up?" he asked, looking over after a spoonful of rice.
"Seems connected to the Black Death Emperor Front. Some remnants showed up on the island to make trouble," Natsuki said, unconcerned.
"Black Death Emperor Front? What are they trying to do?" Himeragi Yukina asked.
She'd completely adopted Shichen's place as her own—joining them for every meal. He'd invited her, and it made tailing him convenient.
"How would I know? They're tight-lipped."
"No wonder you've been so busy lately," Shichen nodded. Recently, Natsuki had been getting home late. Kaguya was already itching to pounce the moment he had free time.
"What, my being busy doesn't make you happy?" Natsuki shot him a look.
"Of course not. I want to be with you every day."
"Do you? Looks to me like you want to take advantage of my absence to have your way with Avrora and the rest."
"No, that's not—"
"Is that true?" Avrora looked over, fired up.
"Eh—Sensei? You…?" Yukina stared at him, equal parts shocked and mortified.
"Yukina, come over often and help keep an eye on him," Natsuki said.
That was also why she allowed Yukina to drop by daily.
"Yes!" Yukina agreed at once.
"…" Shichen's mouth twitched.
Kaguya lowered her head and bit her lip. That Yukina really was a pest.
"Oh right—you might not get the chance anyway. A snake charmer's coming; odds are he'll look for you," Natsuki added.
"A snake charmer?"
The next day, on the way to campus, Shichen understood who she meant.
A luxury ship he'd never seen before had pulled into Itogami Port at some point.
"What's that?" Aiba Asagi followed his gaze and noticed it too.
Since last week she'd been stopping by Shichen's place to walk to school with him—and she'd learned that Yukina lived right across the hall. It hardened her resolve even more; she was even considering moving nearby.
"Never seen that ship. Looks like it belongs to a noble."
"Yeah…" Shichen's expression went complicated.
"Sensei?" Yukina looked at him, confused.
"It's nothing. Let's go," he said, shaking his head and heading for campus.
Yukina and Asagi exchanged a look, both puzzled.
"Shichen, what's wrong?" Avrora hurried to his side.
"Just remembered something… creepy."
"Creepy? There's something that creeps you out?"
"Of course. Gives me goosebumps just thinking about it."
"Is it that serious?"
"Don't worry—I'll protect you," Kaguya said earnestly.
"…"
The ship's owner was the "snake charmer" Natsuki had mentioned. Shichen didn't actually dislike the guy—but remembering that the man preferred men gave him a headache.
He didn't care about anyone's orientation in general. But if the target was him, that was a no.
Akatsuki Koujou wasn't the Fourth Primogenitor anymore, so the snake charmer's sights would land on Shichen. The problem was, the guy was polite—hard to hate.
But the thought that he might be interested in him—romantically—was something Shichen couldn't accept.
Maybe he should just kill him outright.