Kirisu Mafuyu gently set down her teacup and shook her head.
"No, no…"
She couldn't let herself be swayed by this sly troublemaker of a student, no matter how clever his bribery attempts were.
"Yukima-kun, when will your family be back? I need to speak with them regarding your behavior."
Leaning her elbows on the table, Kirisu laced her fingers together, adopting a serious tone.
"I don't have one," Yukima Azuma replied calmly.
"Eh?"
"I said, I don't have a family."
Hearing his indifferent tone, Kirisu's expression changed immediately. She stared at the young man in front of her, momentarily speechless. The information struck her like a cold gust of wind.
Two seconds passed before she regained her composure and quickly apologized.
"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to bring up something painful, I just—"
"Just worried about me," Azuma interrupted with a soft smile. "Don't worry, Kirisu-sensei. It's not a sensitive topic for me."
Kirisu widened her eyes.
He was… comforting her?
This student—this troublemaker she was always nagging—had been shouldering such a heavy burden all along?
How could anyone smile and say, "It's not a sensitive topic," so easily?
Kirisu tried to speak, but no words came. In the quiet living room, only the soft sound of Azuma sipping tea remained. The silence stretched long.
Eventually, Kirisu took a breath and asked, "Can you tell me about your situation?"
If she didn't understand his past, any comfort she offered would be hollow. Guidance without context was just self-righteousness. She needed to know.
Azuma gave a half-smile.
"Not to a teacher, no."
Kirisu blinked in surprise.
This student was always so polite—cheeky, yes, but respectful. Was his past truly so painful that he wouldn't even share it with her?
Just as that thought crossed her mind—
"But," Azuma continued, "three years from now, I'll graduate. You won't be my teacher anymore. Japan doesn't have a 'once a teacher, always a parent' rule, right?"
"So asking questions like this as a teacher might be crossing the line. But…"
He raised a finger with a teasing grin.
"If Kirisu Mafuyu wants to know, then I won't hide anything."
Kirisu really wanted to grab this boy by the ear.
No respect at all! Was this how a student should talk to a teacher?
But in the end, she sighed. This was Yukima Azuma, after all.
"…Alright then," she muttered. "As Kirisu Mafuyu, tell me your story."
Azuma nodded.
"It starts with a child who wasn't especially bright. The Yukima family wasn't a normal household—not a traditional one, at least."
He began slowly, carefully omitting the fact that he was a reincarnator. Everything else, though, was true.
The Yukima clan was small, but it was a clan—and clung to the idea that only the gifted were worthy.
That policy helped the clan thrive.
But for those deemed "incompetent," it was cruel.
Azuma hadn't been born slow. As a reincarnator, his soul took time to merge with this body. During that integration period, his memories were absent, and his responses dulled.
To his biological parents, he seemed like a failure.
So he was neglected.
As soon as he was old enough to survive on his own, they sent him to Tokyo—likely thinking, out of sight, out of mind.
And with that, the Yukima family missed his first major turning point.
Later, when his ability blossomed and he quickly rose through the shogi world, the clan tried to reel him back in.
He refused.
The tension between them exploded.
Thankfully, during that time, he met Kasumigaoka Utaha.
Then, three years ago, tragedy struck the Yukima clan. An accident wiped out everyone—except for Azuma, the one they had cast aside.
"I lost all blood relatives," Azuma concluded. "The only ones left were people calling themselves family, when all they really wanted was the inheritance."
"I used some tricks, paid a price, escaped from Chiba… and now I live alone in Tokyo."
Kirisu's gaze turned vacant.
Even though Azuma had spoken calmly, what he described was a series of tragedies that would have shattered most people.
To go through all of that—and not become bitter, hateful, or detached?
It was a miracle.
Kirisu Mafuyu had always regretted her past. She had once been a promising figure skater. But because of a moment of emotional weakness, she had quit. And ever since, her personality had grown increasingly rigid and defensive.
Yet, compared to what Yukima Azuma had endured—
Her regret seemed utterly trivial.
She had intended to comfort him after hearing his story.
But now? What could she possibly say?
Even as a listener, she felt on the verge of a breakdown.
Clink clink clink—
The clatter of metal interrupted her spiraling thoughts.
Kirisu turned her head toward the hallway and saw a small white cat—no bigger than two palms—dragging a large metal bowl, nearly its own size, across the floor.
The sight made her wounded heart heal a little.
"What's this?" she asked softly.
Azuma stood up. "That's Shiratamaru. I found her on my way back from school a few days ago. She was abandoned, so I brought her home."
He gently picked up the cat.
Odd… hadn't he fed her at noon?
He had even locked her in her cage before Kirisu came.
A glance toward the cage revealed that the latch had been undone.
Azuma looked back at Shiratamaru and locked eyes with her mismatched blue and yellow gaze.
Did… did she break out on her own?
"Meow?"
The fluffy creature tilted its head innocently.
Azuma narrowed his eyes.
This cat might be smarter than expected…
Meanwhile, Kirisu stepped closer to watch the scene.
Seeing the boy who had endured so much, now quietly living with a clever cat—
Kirisu was so moved she nearly cried.
Thank goodness.
At least this child didn't go down the wrong path.
Azuma took the metal bowl, added some food and freeze-dried treats, and placed it down.
Shiratamaru leapt down and dove into her meal, the sound of her enthusiastic eating echoing loudly.
Azuma made a mental note: I really need to finish building that automatic feeder. If this keeps up, she's going to destroy that bowl.
To Kirisu Mafuyu, the scene became a vivid image in her mind: Cats are medicine for the soul.
She wholeheartedly agreed.
She even began wondering if she should get a cat.
Just as they were watching Shiratamaru eat—
The front door opened.
"I'm back."
Kasumigaoka Utaha stepped in, immediately spotting an unfamiliar pair of women's shoes by the entrance.
These weren't school shoes.
Not Eriri. Not Kato Megumi.
Which meant—
A sneaky cat has slipped into our house again!
Her face darkened.
We just made up yesterday… and you're already cheating on me?!
"Welcome home," Azuma greeted her casually, stepping out of the room.
Kirisu followed him out, curious.
Didn't he just say he had no family?
Then who was this?
Utaha's face froze. Her sharp eyes moved between Azuma and the unknown woman.
"Lonely-kun," she asked coldly, "who is this?"
"And why did you bring a strange woman into our house?"
She put heavy emphasis on our house, grinding her teeth.
Behind that calm mask, Utaha's battle mode had activated: Jealous Girlfriend Combo: Black Stockings Senpai Edition, loaded and ready.
Kirisu, though single and past her romantic prime, could smell the danger in the air.
She had no experience with this sort of thing and was momentarily paralyzed.
Utaha's aura grew more intense as she narrowed her eyes at Azuma.
Azuma, unbothered, smiled and introduced, "Senpai, this is Kirisu Mafuyu-sensei. My homeroom teacher from Toyogasaki. She came over to check on my health."
He turned to look at Kirisu, blinking.
Wait a second. Sensei, why are you the one panicking now!?
As soon as he said that, Utaha also froze.
A teacher? From Toyogasaki?
Then… I just embarrassed myself for nothing!?
But then—why was she panicking?
Both of them turned to look at Kirisu.
And at that moment, Kirisu finally realized—
Wait… I'm a teacher. I'm here for a home visit. Why am I so panicked!?
The atmosphere froze.
Awkwardness filled the room like fog.