Esper Harem in the Apocalypse

"I know you are going out with Alice."

"Who... told you that?" Rudy asked with a judging look on his face.

"I did."

"..."

"You two are always together. You come to school together, leave school together, and are together all the time. Even a stupid would realize what's going on," she stated.

"It's not nice to judge someone like that, miss," Rudy remarked quietly. "Alice and I are childhood friends, and it's normal for childhood friends to be that close."

Rise raised her brow and folded her arms below her bosom. She stared at him and asked, "You are also childhood friends with Eric. I don't see you coming with him to school, like ever."

"Okay. First of all, Eric's house is not on the way to school, and he comes in the car. Alice's house is on the way, so I pick her up. And obviously, if the school has ended and we are going home, we both go the same way, so it's completely natural for us to go home together.

And before you say anything, I usually eat lunch with Eric. But sometimes he doesn't eat, or he has to go out. That's not my fault."

He shrugged.

"So, are you saying that you are not going out with Alice?" she asked with a curious yet calm look on her face.

"I wouldn't say that."

"So you 'are' going out with her!"

"That's not exactly correct, but you are not entirely wrong. However, we are indeed in a relationship."

Rudy was purposely trying to make Rize confused to divert her anger to something else.

"Even though you kissed me that day..." she muttered.

Of course, Rudy heard it crisp and clear. He smiled from the corner of his lips and said, "By the way, Rize. I wanted your help?"

Rize glared at Rudy for a few seconds before letting out a long sigh. She sat on the couch beside him and asked, "What is it?"

Rudy opened his bag and took out the book. He flipped through the pages and pointed his finger at a question.

Rize read the question and raised her brow in confusion. She hadn't even taught that to anyone yet.

"You see, Alice and I are kind of going out, but I am still not confident about making a move on her," he said while looking at the book.

Rize's face twitched as she pulled Rudy's cheek and asked, "Why did you take out the book then?!"

"Otherwise, you wouldn't have listened to my question."

"And why are you asking my help for a relationship?!" she hissed.

"You are so beautiful and cute and sexy and hot! I am sure you have a ton of experience in this field," Rudy said with a resolute expression on his face.

Of course, he knew better than anyone that Rize had zero experience in relationships.

"I don't..." she muttered.

"You don't? Why not?"

"I can't have..." Rize shook her head and asked, "If you wanted relationship advice, then I am the last person you should ask."

"I see."

"Yes." Rize puffed her cheeks a little and muttered, "Even if I knew, I would never tell you. How dare you ask me that."

"Then..." Rudy held Rize's hand in his hands and said, "If you can't give me advice, at least help me out with the other thing!"

"What... another thing?" she asked reluctantly.

"Kiss and stuff."

"No!" She hissed with a flushed face.

"Why not?" he asked with an innocent face.

"I am your teacher! You can't ask such stuff to a teacher!"

"But you are an intern."

"That doesn't matter. I have to get a real job after my internship ends. And if someone finds out about my immoral affair with a student, I will never get a job." Rize pushed Rudy away and pulled her hand from his grasp.

'You won't get a chance to do an actual job anyway...'

"So as long as no one finds out, it's okay, right?"

"I didn't say that!" she retorted.

"Come on, Rize. Help me out. If I suck at kissing, Alice will dump me on the spot. You wouldn't want that to happen, right?"

"What's that has anything to do with me? I am your teacher. It's none of my business to care what happens in your personal life," Rize uttered while averting her gaze, seemingly lying to Rudy.

"It has everything to do with you." Rudy closed the book and said, "If Alice dumps me, I will be sad. Alice's seat is next to mine, so whenever I come to school, I wouldn't be able to pay attention to the classes. Even at home, I wouldn't be able to focus.

That would lead to me not studying anything. Hence, my grades will fall, and I will fail. If I fail, I will have to repeat the year, which would eventually lead to my doom. My entire future would be destroyed, just by one thing."

"..." Rize gulped down nervously and asked, "Really?"

"Yes. I love Alice so much that I can't live without her. She is the school's idol, and everyone admires her. If she dumps me, I will be no one. Not only that, once she dumped me, she will eventually get a new boyfriend, and I would rather die than see that happening." Rudy felt furious to say that, but he had to make it sound convincing in front of Rize.

"Do you understand how serious this is?" he asked in a calm voice. "As a teacher, you wouldn't want to see the future of your student getting destroyed like that, right? Especially when you can prevent it from happening?"

"Well..." Rize pondered for a few seconds with a troubled look on her face and said, "Is there any other way I can help?"

"There is," he nodded in response.

"Oh! Then let's do that!"

"That is to practice on another girl. But unfortunately, I am not good at talking with girls. And you are the only girl I talk with in this school."

"...!"

"And I want to practice with you."

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Thanks, @Dylan_Wray, for the gift!