A number of days later, Monogaku went back to school, having suddenly taken a paid vacation. He didn't care that this was the first time he was chewed out by his superiors, he simply smiled through it. He didn't care that his chance at promotion could have been compromised, he simply smiled through it.

…

Monogaku entered the room, he was about to start class but he noticed someone who hadn't shown to school in a while. She was surrounded by other students at her desk.

"Nakano-chan! You're back!"

Rena:"I'm sorry for being away for so long, I had an emergency."

"I heard you had a surgery."

Rena:"Yeah. Apparently my disease is still with me and might never be fixed, but the doctors did everything they could. They really saved my life!"

Monogaku stood at the door, staring at Rena.

"Hey, the teacher's staring."

"I'm sure he was worried!"

Rena got up and went over to the motionless teacher.

Rena:"I'm back!"

Monogaku:"..."

A smile slowly crept up the sides of his face. He forced himself to tear up when he answered her.

Monogaku:"Great to have you back, I've been worried about you."

Rena blushed, then she straightened her back and tried a more monotone voice.

Rena:"I, uh, apologize for the inconvenience. I promise henceforth to apply my utmost into my studies to make you proud."

Monogaku:"...I'll be waiting."

Rena's eyes gleamed. She quickly went back to her circle of friends to squeal.

…

Throughout the final months of Rena's third year, Monogaku would slowly encourage her into becoming a teacher in order to impress him. He would begin personally teaching her to make her into the number 1 student. She would begin to ace every test. Any questions that she so happened to get wrong, Monogaku would change it so that she was right. At all costs, Rena had to be encouraged, her ego needed to be stroked. Monogaku may not be able to do anything now, but he was planting the seeds for the future. Monogaku was also able to afford more things due to not needing to spend every ounce of money on medical bills. This would cause him to stop needing to continue being a magician. He would spend this extra time planning how to make Rena into his perfect woman.

…

Monogaku:"I brought dinner."

A plate of food was set down on a shrine Monogaku had made in his house.

Monogaku:"Come on, eat up, Kei. I'll eat too...What's that? Don't worry about a thing, I have everything under control...You're worried for me…?"

Monogaku put down his plate and crawled to the shrine where he would begin to caress the picture of Kei.

Monogaku:"Now, now, don't feel sad. Just believe in me. I'll make it all better."

…

Rena:"Thank you for teaching me again!"

Monogaku:"Going home so soon?"

Rena:"Y-Yes, despite me enjoying our time, I understand that rumors may begin to circulate if I continue to stay for such long periods of time."

Monogaku:"...Rumors, huh?" [Who the hell cares about that anymore?]

Before Rena could leave, he gave her a hug from behind.

Monogaku:"Believe in me. I'll make sure everything goes according to plan."

Rena:"...Right!"

Monogaku gave her a hearty smile.

…

With time, Rena would eventually graduate top of her class. After all of the celebrations, she made sure to see her favorite teacher. She would enter the classroom and saw him looking out the window in deep thought.

Rena:"I did it!"

Monogaku:"Now that's wonderful! However...this is where we say goodbye for a while."

Rena:"Yeah...I'll be going to college soon."

Rena began to sulk.

Monogaku:"Now, now, don't be sad. This is a normal part of life."

Rena:"...Okay. But, as soon as I graduate, I'll apply to work here!"

Monogaku:"I'll be waiting, no matter how many years it takes."

Rena:"Haha."

Monogaku:"...Say, do you think we could get each other's contacts? We can keep in touch over your career and I can even help you with any homework! Now that you're an adult, it won't be so weird anymore."

Rena:"R-Really!? O-Of course!"

The two exchanged phone numbers.

Rena:"Say, would you like to visit my dad's hot spring?"

Monogaku:"Your family owns such a thing?"

Rena:"Correct, it's called Toraiwa."

Monogaku:"...Eh?"

Monogaku was confused by the name.

Rena:"P-Please don't look too much into it, my dad changed the name to that due to a rebellious phase I had."

Monogaku:"Ah, I see. How charming."

Rena:"R-Right…"

They said their goodbyes soon after. Once outside, Rena took out her phone behind the school. She sat down on the floor and hugged her knees trying to hide her blush.

Rena:"Hehe! I'm so happy."

Meanwhile, back at the classroom, Monogaku was also looking at his phone. With a sly smile, he began to dance.

Monogaku:"Isn't this great, Kei?"

He then went to his desk and pulled out a set of applications.

Monogaku:"Now this is where the fun begins."

...

During the time Rena had before her college life, she and Monogaku visited the hot springs, where he met her father. He made sure to stay on his best behavior. He did wonder about the missing mother, but he never bothered to bring it up. After all, he didn't really care. However, he did care about the amount of fancy things scattered around the hot springs. He had already known her family was wealthy for a while due to the money they paid to have Rena go first in her surgery, but perhaps they gave everything they had, similar to how he had tried that very day. However, his suspicions were cleared on that trip. They were simply better of than him

Monogaku:"Rena-chan."

Rena:"Y-Yes!?" [He said my first name!.]

Monogaku:"Thank you for bringing me here."

He shone a smile at her, which caused her heart to skip a beat.

Rena:"...Haha."

Rena smiled back.

Rena:"Let's come back here one day."

Monogaku:"That's a promise."

The two watched the moon as they relaxed in the springs.

End of Chapter 100