Our conversation was all in a whisper and was even overwhelmed by the sound of the shower. Nonetheless, it’s truly not definite that no one could hear us when we’re basically all inside the same room.

In any case, Orimura-sensei’s voice was a bit louder and that was probably what they heard or what the Volleyball Girl heard. That’s why she got curious and decided to check on her.

However, for this teacher to cover my mouth and stop me from talking… Can I interpret this as her not wanting the Volleyball Girl to find out that I am here with her?

If that’s the case then the chance for her to let me off without the girls here knowing of this incident is high.

I just had to answer all her questions and… whatever she wanted me to do, I had to agree to it.

“What do you mean? Have you heard me talking, Sachi?”

While maintaining eye contact with me, Orimura-sensei calmly answered the Volleyball Girl.

“Eh? Did I hear it wrong?”

“Do you also believe there’s a ghost in here? Then that’s a lucky ghost. He has a chance to watch me shower. What do you think? Is it possible to strangle a ghost?”

While she was saying that, Orimura-sensei’s hand tightened its grip as her lips twitched into a forced smile.

She’s now lying to her student for me. I could naturally ignore the slight pain from her hand.

“... There’s no such thing as ghosts.”

“Ah. Then do you want to join me, Sachi? Want an extra training while we’re showering?”

“Stop joking like that, sensei. I see. It seems you’re fine…”

After hurriedly rejecting what Orimura-sensei teased, the Volleyball Girl began moving back to her stall.

However, before her presence completely disappeared back into her stall, the Volleyball Girl continued voicing out her doubt.

“It’s truly strange. How could it suddenly malfunction as soon as I pointed it out?”

Sachi or Volleyball Girl, will stop thinking about it?

Ah well. As if I could tell her that. She could keep her doubt as long as she put this matter of ghost to rest.

After hearing the opening and closing of another shower stall, Orimura-sensei slowly removed her hand covering my mouth.

“You’re not off the hook yet. Turn around. We’re going to talk after they leave.”

Moving her head closer to my ear, Orimura-sensei whispered in a very silent voice.

Perhaps to prevent the same thing from happening again.

Unfortunately, with her being this close to me, I couldn’t help but inhale her scent. Like she said, she was sweaty but instead of the sour scent of dried sweat, it was drowned by her lavender-scented cologne.

I hadn’t got the chance to savor her smell with our earlier entanglement earlier but now that she’s this close, calling this my perverted nature kicking was probably wrong. Anyone would be reeled in to take a sniff if she’s this fragrant. In fact, that sweet and calming lavender scent of hers settled down my slight uneasiness of this situation, leading me to truly reach the state of serene calmness.

If it was my perverted nature then I would probably push my nose closer to her neck to sniff her scent clearly.

In any case, thanks to the calmness brought about by her scent, my muddled mind cleared as I once again weighed my options.

“We can talk now, sensei. Keeping it to this volume is probably enough. Why do I still need to turn around?”

“I will be showering, of course! If I stay here without doing what I came here for, Sachi or even all of them will be suspicious why. Do you want to get found out?”

Eh? This woman… There’s a lot of possible solutions for that instead of taking a shower while I’m here.

For example, she could give the excuse of taking a long shower. They wouldn’t be able to see inside anyway.

True, I could turn around to not look at her. However, any guy would… Ah no. Not every guy. Those cowards or those calling themselves gentlemen would not dare to peek if they’re told not to look.

But for a pervert like me? Even if this teacher wasn’t my target, I would, no doubt, take a look to not miss this rare chance.

She might not be called to be an absolute beauty but she still had her own charms. For one… her bust size and her well-toned thighs. Even though her legs might not be as soft and supple as Satsuki’s, I was curious about what’s hiding beneath those somewhat baggy track pants of hers. Wait… that’s not one but two.

Ugh… Stop overthinking, Ruki! This isn’t the time for that!

In any case, should I suggest that? She could take her shower later. It’s not that I was trying to be a gentleman but… it would be thoroughly awkward not for me but for her.

I would rely on her help to get out of this room so… let’s not make her embarrassed.

“Sensei, you shouldn’t shower while I’m here… How should I say this…” Acting like I was having trouble saying it straight to her, I scratched my cheek.

”What? Why should I not? I’m telling you to turn around and not peek. Is that hard to do? If I catch you peeking, you know what will happen.”

Upon hearing her words, I noticed that… she sounded too innocent in asking that question. Too innocent that she was probably thinking of showering while facing towards me to watch out if I would peek or not.

That could work but… any normal girl would be embarrassed showering while there’s another person with them.

Besides, wasn’t she the same as Eguchi-sensei for having trouble interacting with a male student?

She seemed to not be having trouble on that part with me. Well, apart from that earlier glare which was something I deserved to receive.

Is it because of the times I interacted with her? I don’t know.

“I mean… I don’t want you to be embarrassed. Even if I don’t peek like you’re asking, think about it, can you calmly shower while having a man’s presence here?”

Why was I trying to change her mind? Well, it was to not make that extremely awkward situation. Even if I could call myself a shameless guy, I was extremely aware that… in one way or another, this woman would be embarrassed by the situation.

And that would lead her mind to be in turmoil on whether to let me off the hook or not.

“Huh?… You--you’re a kid. W-why will I be embarrassed?”

“You just stuttered, sensei. Did you just realize that point? That even if I’m a kid in your eyes, I’m already a man. I don’t want you to be embarrassed so… just tell them that you’ll be showering for a little longer if they ask later. I think it is better for us to talk about what I can do for you to help me get out of this room.”

Don’t shower or I will peek!

That’s what I was trying to stay. But if I told her that straight up, there’s a possibility for her to really become embarrassed enough to make her mind stop thinking.

“What if I kick you out instead and be done with this situation?”

“They’ll be suspicious of you. You already made an excuse that there’s no one here. Sensei, I think you already made yourself an accomplice when you sent that girl away. You now have no choice but to help me get out without letting them find out.”

No, even before that. As soon as she listened to my explanation of why I was here, she’s already tolerating my presence in this room. Those girls, especially the Volleyball Girl, would be suspicious of her because she covered up for me earlier if she chose to expose me now. True, I would be most likely be punished but she would also be subjected to rumors. Moreover, all the girls here were from her advisory club.

Of course, if she could create an excuse for why she covered for me, then she would be off the hook. But, I wouldn’t let her reach that line of thought. Call me despicable but… I couldn’t afford to be caught her.

Eh? Wait… What’s this? Before I knew it, instead of convincing her to let me off, I was now coercing her to continue helping me…