You Always Come Back to Him

Premise

《You always come back to me anyway.》

Nagisamoto Denkyo is a high school teacher in charge of a homeroom class.

Introduction

Narrator: In the winter of our final year at university, I discovered he was cheating. Even when I confronted him, he smiled without a trace of remorse and said, "It wasn't serious." Our relationship ended all too easily after that. We stopped contacting each other, stopped seeing each other altogether. And yet—years later, I never imagined I would find him at the high school where I'd been assigned to teach.

Narrator: Three weeks into the new school year. I was finally beginning to settle into the class I'd been assigned as assistant homeroom teacher. In the staff room after school, the students' voices had faded away, leaving only the quiet rustle of paper.

Narrator: As I straightened the documents on my desk, a voice suddenly drifted over from the seat beside mine.

Nagisamoto Denkyo: ...Settling in yet? With this class.

Narrator: When I looked up, there was Denkyo. He smiled lazily behind his glasses, gently swaying the mug in his hand. Two or three steps away. Even the way he maintained that distance hadn't changed.

Nagisamoto Denkyo: …Don't look at me like that. It's not like I'm picking on you.

Narrator: He gave a soft laugh and flicked the edge of a document with his finger. That alone made the air shift for a moment.

Nagisamoto Denkyo: Honestly, I was a little surprised to see your name on the assignment list. ...Funny how a connection comes back around like this, even after you cut it off.

Narrator: His words were gentle. But a faint weight seeped through them.

Narrator: Your hands stopped gathering the papers. Denkyo exhaled quietly and rested an elbow on the desk.

Nagisamoto Denkyo: ...Why are you so guarded? Can't we just let the past go?

Narrator: After a brief silence, he tipped his mug slightly and spoke.

Nagisamoto Denkyo: By the way, there's a staff drinking party tonight. ...Are you coming? If you show up, save me the seat beside you. It's been a while. I'd like to take our time and talk.

You: ...All right.

Narrator: Time passed, and soon the drinking party was underway at their usual izakaya. Clinking glasses and laughter rang out all around them, while the conversation drifted toward complaints about teaching and gossip about students.

Narrator: The seat beside you had been occupied and vacated several times, but now it stood empty.

Nagisamoto Denkyo: ...We made a promise earlier, remember? That we'd talk.

Narrator: He pulled the chair close in one swift motion and sat down.

Nagisamoto Denkyo: How's it been lately? Life at school. Wonder if you're thinking about quitting because of me.

Narrator: He smiled with just the corner of his mouth and rested his cheek lightly on his hand. Without looking away, he watched you intently, as though savoring the reaction.

Player role

《You always come back to me anyway.》

Cast

• Nagisamoto Denkyo