After that incident, Hiratsuka-sensei was a little more discreet and cautious. We spent the barest of bare minimum amounts of time with each other. She also stopped wearing her black skirt and returned to wearing her default trousers. It was kind of saddening.

Her enthusiasm when we actually spent time together was also faint and was missing that fire she always had burning within. She would just ask generic questions like, "How was school?" or, "Have anything you didn't understand?" or even just, "Don't forget to study for the upcoming tests."

It was depressing and I wanted what we had back. Recently I even asked if she would like to spend time at a peaceful park, which no one really went to, on the outskirts of the outskirts of town. After looking around to make sure no one was around, she whispered into my ear, "Hachiman, I would love to, but..I can't risk getting caught again..I don't want you to get into any trouble."

I was getting tired with this. I wanted to be with her, but the stupid policies and regulations are just getting in the way. Besides, who even was it that reported? If I ever found out who, I'd-

My thought was interrupted with the chiming of the bell for class to begin.

All throughout class, Sensei didn't even once shoot me a glance, not even to do the thing that all teachers do when they stare at every student in the class for the longest brief amount of time. No, her eyes passed effortlessly over meas if I didn't even exist. The whole class, and not a single acknowledgement of my existence.

For the rest of my day, I couldn't focus on anything. Before I knew it, it was the end of class and the lunch bell rang.

"That's the homework class, no late work, no exceptions!"

Hiratsuka-sensei was quick to gather her papers and rush out the door. As the rest of the class slowly gathered their belongings, I quickly rushed out the door after her. She was on her way down the stairs and had just reached the bottom level the moment I reached the stairs.

I'd never considered myself particularly athletic, and was feeling a shortness of breath, but I needed to catch her. We needed to talk. Leaping at great lengths down the stairs, I took off after her. There was an alternative route to the one she took which lined up a perfect intercept course. I jumped at this opportunity and hung a sharp right down a darkened hallway. At the corner of the end of this hall was an ajar cleaning supply room. I got to the end of the hall just in time to intercept Hiratsuka-sensei, grabbing her by her hand and pulling her into the closet, shutting the door behind. She dropped her papers and they scattered all over the tile floor, cluttering around her feet. Most of them were just collected assignments and some quizzes, but one of them just had the words "restraint, control, and discipline" scrawled across one side. Closer examination revealed the phase,"I mustn't fall any deeper with Hikigaya-kun," written multiple times across the backside in red correcting pen.

Instead of an angered outburst, the usual norm, Sensei remained quiet. Pushing up against the wall like a cornered predator with no more options remaining. Her eye brows were raised high up, her features concerned. Her breath had increased noticeably as her chest rose and fell rapidly. She didn't say anything, only staring right at me, as if wondering what I would do next.

"What is wrong? Why are you avoiding me?"

No response from Hiratsuka.

"What is it?! I don't want you to just ignore me! Not after everything we've been through! You can't just toss me aside like this!"

Her hands balled up in a tight fist, and her eyes began to fill with tears.

"It's not like I want to ignore you! I have no choice!"

She collapsed to her knees, surrounded by her graded and ungraded papers as well as her notes about me, by all her work scattered about in a wreck.

I crouched beside her and she latched onto me in a tight hug and wouldn't let go. Her coat was unbuttoned so I wrapped my arms around her back on the inside of her lab coat. I could feel the accumulated heat build up. She was really warm and vulnerable. Our balance shifted and we fell over just as the light lost power for an instant. The light came back on with her on top of me. She feared up, flowing onto my chest.

Her tears were really soaking up my uniform. I really don't know how I'd explain this if I were to run into a peer.

I stood her back up on her feet. Brushing her hair to the side of her face and wiping tears from her cheeks.

"Look, yes we are sailing in some rough water, but every ship, if they play their course out right, they all eventually make it. Look, I'll be with you as much as I possibly can! We always have done a lot of things together outside of school even before all this! You'd even drive me home every now and then, and we'd attend various outings together over the summer, such as that grade school camo that one summer. The only difference is that this time it was just you and I, nothing wrong with that! When the time comes, we'll play our cards right and ride out the waves!"

I grabbed her hands tightly. "I know you've felt very lonely, and frankly so have I. What we have between us is...special to me...I like you sensei, I really do. We both knew this may come up, and now it's time to act. We'll make it through. So please, don't toss me aside. We'll make it out of this fine. Trust me."

She sniffled one more time as she stopped tearing out. "Okay, Hikigaya-kun...okay."

"Graduation is coming soon, so either way, we won't have to be lonely much anymore. We have each other."

"Okay... You are right. I just gotta...keep my hopes up."

"Yeah! We'll make it fine. Now I have to get out first so no one will suspect. I'll see you around later," I reaffirmed.

"Okay."

I opened the door and headed out into the hall. Sensei left the room a short pause later and headed of in the opposite direction. Her footsteps fading away into the distance. I turned the corner to see Yukinoshita standing there with her arms crossed.

"Well, Hachiman, what was sensei up to this time?"

"Nothing, nothing at all why?"

"You were both in that closet and she was crying on you. Hikigaya, I'm pretty sure the guy is supposed to be loyal to-"

"Stop. Just, stop," I interrupted,"Look, Hiratsuka-sensei has been under a lot of stress after someone accused her of having a familiar relationship with a student, me, of all people. Now, I'm not entirely sure who spread this rumor, or why. Now, yes, she was a little teary and yes I did comfort her. She is only human, Yukinoshita-san, her teaching career, the thing she's worked so hard on, the main piece of her life, is at risk. She could lose her one remaining happiness in life!"

"What she's doing is wrong. Why are you defending-"

"No, she's a victim. Now, Yukinoshita, you need to know one thing about me. I really can't stand- No, I hate people who crush another's happiness, just because they may have easier sailing than others. I can't stand people that target others just because they interfere in their own interests."

Yukinoshita's eyes shot open and she startled back a little.

She finally closed with, "Well..I hope she makes it out fine, and that this really is all just nothing."

With that she turned and walked away.

Something about that girl.