Author's note: I'm 90 percent sure I can write a hentai with an actual story. Probably. Well, no way to know unless I try.

Chapter 3:

Hikigaya closed the door behind him.

"I'm home," he whispered, to no one in particular. Half in a trance, he took off his shoes, and walked up the stairs. The living and dining rooms remained dark; it appeared Komachi wasn't back yet. That wasn't unusual. She was a member of the Service Club now, so it made sense that she would return later. Being back this early was an unfamiliar feeling to him now: for a year, he'd been coming back in the early evening, and often even at night. Club activities had kept him out. Well, all that was over and done with. Those days wouldn't be coming back. Silently, he entered his room, and allowed himself to fall back on his bed. Looking up at his ceiling, he thought back to what he had just experienced.

An exquisitely soft pair of thighs. Bright violet eyes, glistening lips.

Even as he lay in bed, he could feel his heartbeat speed up.

It would be a lie to say he had never thought of Hiratsuka Shizuka that way before. She was a beautiful woman, and much more. In the past, that was all there had been to it: she was a fantasy, and an unattainable one at that. He had been perfectly happy keeping it that way. After all, thinking any other way was illogical. But sometimes, life breaks down the doors of logic. For Hikigaya, those doors had shattered, and he had stumbled across. What he would never have acknowledged before, he now allowed himself to think of. And it wasn't just thoughts either. There was no denying the warmth of Sensei's body, or her gentle touch. He allowed his mind to wander, going back to his second year. It hurt to look back, but sometimes, just sometimes, he let himself do it anyway. And on this occasion, he wasn't looking at the painful memories.

That's right, from the start, that's the one thing that hasn't changed, isn't it?

Hikigaya had started his second year at Soubu, thinking it would be no different from his first. He could still vividly remember that first day of term, sitting in 2F.

The door slid open loudly, almost shaking the wall, so forcefully was it pushed aside. Hikigaya started with surprise. A figure entered the class, all her movements as energetic as the way she had opened the door.

"Shit, I'm late," she muttered. The woman had long hair that hung all the way down to her hips. She was rather tall, and under her suit was a slender and athletic figure. To match with this, her face was youthful too. Indeed, looking at her, it was hard to think of her the same way as most of the teachers. Absolutely nothing about her was like anyone Hikigaya had seen before, right down to the lab coat she was wearing for some reason, though this was supposed to be a homeroom class, not a science practical.

Standing in front of the teacher's desk, she faced the class.

"I'm Hiratsuka Shizuka. I'll be your Modern Japanese and homeroom teacher for the year. Nice to meet you all."

Something about the way she said those words was both open and stern. Open enough that it made one want to approach her, but stern enough to not try and take advantage of it.

"Uhm, Sensei?"

"Yes."

"You broke the door."

"Sh- I mean, hahaha! It was entirely planned. This was to demonstrate what happens to students who misbehave in my class."

Of course, there was the fact that she had Saiyan blood in her. Absolutely no one wanted to test her strength, or have their backs broken.

Hikigaya shook his head.

That was quite a first impression.

That was the first time he had met her.

The first time he had really spoken to her was when he'd been tasked with bringing over a stack of assignments to her desk in the staffroom.

"Thanks, Hikigaya."

Those simple words had been enough to make him stop and stare.

"You know who I am?"

He hadn't been able to stop himself from asking that question. It might have been misconstrued to be rude. It might have been misunderstood. But in his moment of surprise, he had been unguarded.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Of course I know you. You're in my class, aren't you?"

Her words had been delivered with simplicity, as if what they were stating was an obvious fact.

Hikigaya, of course, had been in the situation where even his teachers didn't know he existed, aside from a number on a roll sheet, or a name on a page. It was something so basic, it should never have been a question to begin with, but to the ultimate loner who had perfected the art of living without being noticed, it meant something. She had seen him. And she had acknowledged his existence.

With every class, every assignment, that acknowledgement only grew.

Hikigaya was not a bad student by any measure, and his grasp of language especially was quite good, especially for a high schooler. There would have been no reason for a teacher to spend much time on him. He was good at the subject, and didn't disturb the class.

Hiratsuka Sensei, of course, didn't think that was enough reason to ignore him.

Thus began her relentless quest to "hammer him into shape".

Assignment after assignment, she continued to point out the minutest flaws in his work, often doing so in front of the class.

In the strangest way, this was how her relationship with Hikigaya began.

For the loner who was once bitten and twice shy, gentle words and smiles would have been a warning sign. So where they failed, open criticism succeeded, though it was often harsh.

Hikigaya got used to her talking to him. And thus, before he knew it, he felt at ease talking to her.

He smiled slightly.

That was how it began.

Of course, what happened afterwards was well known to him.

Oftentimes, one does not truly understand what is going on while one is experiencing it. Only in hindsight, with the gaining of wisdom does it become clearer.

As Hikigaya looked back on that second year of his at Soubu, he was able to do so without feeling any pain or sadness.

No matter what memory it was, there was one thing that had never changed.

She was always there for me. Did I never notice it before?

A lot of things that he had never properly thought about or appreciated leapt out at him. While it was happening, he had sometimes resented her for how strict she was with him. Or the fact that she had strongarmed him into joining the Service Club. And sticking with it. For some reason, he had never taken the easy way out of talking to his parents and getting a note asking him to be excused from the Club. He had stuck with it, no matter how ridiculous it had gotten. And in his ever-logical mind, he had never been able to give himself a rational reason, an answer to the question.

Why he had done it, why he had stayed.

Because somewhere inside, he was just glad that someone cared. So while he continued his search for something genuine, his instincts continued to guide him towards it.

All of a sudden, many of the jokes he had made at her expense seemed a lot more hurtful.

She doesn't exactly take it easy on me either, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt her. It's easy to forget that she's older than me. If she had a choice, maybe she wouldn't be spending so much time with me.

The thought of that bothered him much more than he expected: Hiratsuka Sensei finally getting married, as he had joked about so many times. And as a result, no longer having time for him. The thought of her being with someone else.

Not going to happen. I won't let it.

He sat up in bed.

The last time he had fought for something, he had lost. Lost so horribly, it had left him a shell of himself for a while.

But he was going to fight again. And this time, he wouldn't allow himself to lose.

The next morning, he woke up feeling a little nervous, but determined nonetheless. Bathing and putting on his uniform, he rushed through the breakfast Komachi had made.

"In a hurry for something?" she asked.

"Yeah. There's something I gotta do before it's too late."

Komachi blinked, a little surprised by the very direct (and also vague) answer. Though her brother had a habit of joking around at home, she had learnt to tell when that wasn't the case. Right now, there was no mistaking the earnest look in his eyes.

Her own eyes widened.

She hadn't seen him like this since that day, all those months ago. She could remember it so clearly. The truth was, it wasn't that her brother's eyes were dead. They were simply jaded beyond belief. Tired, tired of hoping, and being disappointed. In time, he'd simply stopped expecting. Stopped believing that things could ever change. Ironically, that fact had made him kind. Though rarely appreciated, he, in his own way, tried to spare others from experiencing what he did, while letting them learn from what he gained. And that was precisely why that day had stood out so much to Komachi.

Because for the first time since middle school, there had been hope in his eyes.

He would never allow himself to look weak in front of her, of course. But she was sure he had cried when he had come home. She knew she had. He had never really told her what had happened that day at school. But she had managed to put the pieces together by herself. It wasn't hard.

Time had passed by, as it always did. Humans can heal, they can learn to keep moving forward, and he had certainly done that. In his own way, without asking for help or pity, he had quietly picked himself and moved forward. Komachi was proud of her brother for a lot of things, many of which strangers would never know or understand. No matter how difficult it had been, and how much it had hurt, he had made it through.

And now, after all that time had passed, Komachi could once more see hope in his eyes.

She smiled slightly. If she were to say aloud that she was probably feeling as nervous as he was, it would sound ridiculous.

So, instead, she kept it simple.

"Good luck, Onii chan."

He looked at her. As usual, Komachi seemed to know a little too much about what was going on.

Still, he'd gratefully accept that wish. He needed all the good luck he could get.

"Thanks."

Finishing his breakfast, he put away the plate and headed for the door.

"Are you sure you won't have any trouble getting to school?"

She shook her head.

"I'll be all right. You should focus on that thing you have to do."

He nodded. It was good advice. Without wasting any time, he set out.

As he biked, he went over his plan. While he had left early, he had no intention of arriving ten minutes before class started. In other words, he was going to continue the tradition, and give Sensei the chance to rebuke him. If yesterday hadn't been a dream, she would see the signal for what it was.

And after that…

I'll think about that if the moment comes.

He didn't want to hope too much.

Hikigaya arrived at school soon enough, and parked his bike in its usual spot. Having done this, all that remained was to find a place to spend some time while he waited for the right moment to head to class. He always carried a manga or light novel in his backpack, so as long as he found a place to sit for a while, he would have no problem.

Just as he was deciding whether or not it would be worth going all the way to the tennis courts where he usually hung out by himself, or whether he should simply head to one of the back staircases leading up to his class (3F), life decided to throw a curveball his way.

"Senpai!"

Said curveball being in the form of an altogether too cute kouhai who had an unfortunate gift for being rotten.

"Geh!"

"What's with that 'geh'?" she said angrily. "You should be happier to see me. It's said that the first thing you see in the morning indicates how the rest of the day will go."

"That's exactly why I'm worried to see you."

In reply, she punched him on the shoulder.

"Ow!"

"Minus ten points."

"From what?!"

"... Doesn't matter."

"Okay…?"

Isshiki continued to stare at him intensely, prompting Hikigaya to take a step back. Right away, she closed the distance again.

Mentally, she quickly calculated exactly what she should do, while berating herself for not having thought about this part of the plan (i.e. the plan itself) beforehand. The truth was, she had been flustered enough by Komachi's casual statement that Hikigaya might end up with someone, that all of her usual cunning had gone out the window.

In the past, she had been aware of his relationship with Yukinoshita and Yuigahama, as well as his feelings for the former. Despite this, she had never been overly bothered by it. Perhaps because she had first come to know him as a member of the Service Club, and thus concluded that him being with those two girls was only natural. Or because she had never given much thought to what might happen if Yukinoshita and Hikigaya were to grow closer. Was it because she simply did not see that happening?

Or because she believed that things would never change? That the Service Club would always exist, and Hikigaya would always be with her, Yukinoshita and Yuigahama, but never truly close to any of them.

It irked her to admit it, but she had grown complacent. Counted on the fact that Hikigaya wouldn't be able to move on, or find someone else.

It was a low way of thinking, a rotten way, and Isshiki knew it. Especially because Hikigaya himself had always helped her, even when he stood to gain nothing in return for it, such as her "practice dates" to prepare for Hayama.

Practice dates. That's the best I could come up with. The best excuse to spend time with him.

She wanted to kick herself.

But it was no point thinking about it now.

She needed to say something, and quick.

But what was she supposed to say?

"Senpai, are you going out with someone?"

"Senpai, do you have anyone you're close to?"

"Senpai, I like y-"

She shook her head, cheeks read.

No way. No way I'm saying that.

She prepared to deliver one of her "rejections" to cover up how flustered she was, only to be interrupted before she could start.

"Ah, Isshiki. I'm in a bit of a hurry."

His experience with the girl had taught him that getting involved in anything related to her would cause him to lose large amounts of time. Right now, he couldn't afford that. And he couldn't afford to be distracted.

"We'll talk later, okay?"

Isshiki blinked a few times.

His perfectly normal statement, and the ease with which he delivered it, left her with an unfamiliar sensation deep in her chest. She didn't quite understand right away what it was, nor could she properly respond to it.

It took her a second or two to realize that it had hurt.
Hikigaya had always had time for her before. No matter how much he grumbled or complained, he had always found a way to help her, and never turned her down when she asked for it either.

Which was why him casually brushing her off, not out of anger, spite, or anything like that, but simply because he had other things to do, stung.

Komachi's words seemed to echo in her head.

"It's just that he's seemed in a good mood lately, so I was wondering if maybe he's finally found a girlfriend."

"If someone gave him a chance, she might not find a reason to leave."

It was ironic. Isshiki had rejected him hundreds of times, though he'd not been hitting on her.

The one time she even thought about getting closer to him, he had ended up rejecting her without even knowing it.

I kind of earned it, she thought. I know what I've done is wrong. That it's unfair. That what I'm doing now is unfair too. But I can't give up.

Before she could come up with any ideas, however, he walked away.

As for Hikigaya himself…

What was all that about? Well, it doesn't matter.

He checked his cell phone. The conversation with Isshiki had taken a while, so he wouldn't need to take a detour after all. It was around five minutes to the start of class right now, so he decided to head there directly.

Once outside the door, he paused for a moment.

Well, this is it.

Without giving himself time to overthink it, he slid the door open.

As expected, he came face to face with Hiratsuka sensei.

In contrast to what he had hoped for, however, there was no sudden blush on her cheek, nor any nervousness in her demeanour. Instead, what he saw was the usual Sensei, calm and confident. She already had her teacher's almanac in her hand, evidently midway through announcing something or the other to the class. She barely spared him a glance.

"Hikigaya, don't stand around. Take your seat."

He started slightly, brain taking a moment to completely take in what had just happened.

It was a completely normal interaction that might have happened between teacher and student, and between Hiratsuka and himself.

Given what had taken place the previous day, however, it was so jarringly out-of-place, he felt for a moment that reality itself had gone bizarre for a while.

Not quite sure what else to do, he nodded and walked over to his desk, sitting down and pulling out a notebook in case he needed to write something down.

He snuck another glance at her, but she wasn't looking at him. Her attention was focused on the class as a whole as she picked up her announcement where she had left off.

"-Tobe, you should write this down. And please grow up a little, you're in your senior year now. As I was saying, this event is mandatory. You will all be required to-"

Whatever she was talking about didn't seem at all important to Hikigaya. The rational side of him was screaming at him to focus, and not be distracted. But it may as well have been telling him to bench press a mountain. Completely unlike himself, he felt a surge of irritation and anger at Tobe for having occupied Sensei's attention.

He caught himself thinking this, and shook his head.

Am I that far off centre?

Taking a breath, he tried to analyse what he was feeling.

Now that the initial shock of the response had passed, he realized that it had hurt. A part of him had feared that whatever had happened was a one-time thing. That there were any number of reasons it couldn't go any further. That to even think otherwise was stupid. Even so, after that, he had, against his better judgment, allowed himself to try, allowed himself to hope. As he sat in class, he felt incredibly foolish.

To his surprise, however, the pain wasn't as bad as it had been during the incident last year. He didn't shut down, nor did he feel himself sinking into a hole of despair like he had before. For better or worse, going through that experience once had taught him how to deal with it.

Classes passed by, and Hikigaya was able to stay focused. In a way, constantly having to read along and take notes stopped him from dwelling on himself too much.

When the bell rang for lunch, he reached into his backpack to grab his bento, only to realize he hadn't packed it. In his hurry to leave the house in the morning, he'd forgotten to take it. He was carrying his wallet, however, so reluctantly, he decided to make his way to the cafeteria instead. Crowds were a pain in the ass, and crowds of high-schoolers were the worst of all. However, allowing himself to starve would be worse still, so he would have to brave the queue and buy food.

It went as one might imagine it to go. There was a good deal of pushing and shoving, and it took quite a while, but he managed to emerge from the cafeteria with a sweet bread bun. It wasn't as good as the lunches Komachi made, but it wasn't bad. Not quite feeling in the mood to go to the tennis courts anymore, he instead walked up to a location he didn't visit quite as often, the rooftop.

The door was open as usual, and Hikigaya walked through it, taking a moment to appreciate the breeze that was blowing.

Leaning against the wall, he tore open the packaging, and bit into the bread.

"Bit rare seeing you up here."

He looked back and upwards instinctively, without really thinking of what he might see.

Given that the one who had spoken was standing above the doorway, what he saw was a spectacular view of a shapely pair of thighs that looked like it had not missed a single squat day. But it didn't end there. Given his perspective, he was able to see further up still, the smooth, round curve of a butt. Fittingly, it was covered by black lace.

Normally, Hikigaya would try to avoid letting on that he had seen, or if possible, walk away while making a mental note of how the colour of the panties reflected some trait of their wearer.

However, given the recent changes he had been through, his reaction was a little different.

"Fantastic view, Kawasaki. You've made my day a lot better."

Kawasaki Saki, realizing that her position, combined with the breeze, had just allowed Hikigaya to see much more of her than she had intended, immediately jumped down, landing next to him.

"Why, you…"

Despite her growl, and Hikigaya's knowledge that she was an ace brawler who knew Karate, the blush on her cheeks made her look adorable rather than terrifying.

That, and he was fresh out of fucks to give for the day.

If he was going to be beaten up anyway, he might as well go down with some dignity.

And so, once more without quite realizing what he was doing, he held out the bread to her.

"Want some?"

Kawasaki almost took a step back, surprised at how calm he was.

"Ya've got some nerve trying to buy your way outta this with sweet bread."

"If it works, it works," replied Hikigaya. "If you don't want it, just say so."

Kawasaki looked into his eyes, noting that he wasn't flinching or otherwise trying to smart-talk his way out of the situation. If anything, he just looked like he didn't care.

She sighed.

"What've ya gone and gotten yourself into this time?"

In her brief history with Hikigaya, whenever she had encountered him, it was always during some or the other problem he was trying to solve. Despite her first impression of him, he had over time proved her wrong, turning out to be a reliable person who had quite a bit in common with her.

She may or may not have also developed a crush on him over a misunderstood statement.

As a result, she was a little concerned to see him looking so down. It reminded her a little of how he had looked right around the time he had stopped going to the Service Club. She didn't know the details of it, but from the looks of things, there had been a fallout of some sort.

She wasn't really close enough to console him over it. In fact, unless they had a reason, the two of them rarely talked.

He shook his head.

"Oh, nothing. I just… misjudged something, that's all. It's not a big deal."

It wasn't a lie, but it was definitely an incomplete truth. Kawasaki hated being indirect like this. Moreover, he sounded bitter.

It was odd to hear that tone in his voice.

Given the ridiculous extents to which he went out of his way for people, it was sometimes easy to forget that he was a person too, and had limits.

Maybe I should let it go, she thought. She certainly wouldn't have liked it if someone had tried to poke around in her business.

But isn't that exactly what he did?

Hikigaya hadn't backed down even after she had tried to tell him to do so. And the solution he had come up with had actually been helpful for her. She had been studying hard, and the thought of getting a scholarship didn't seem so far fetched any more.

But she couldn't exactly force him to tell her what was wrong.

It just wasn't her style.

Well, if I can't have that… then maybe I can take a page out of his book and play unfair.

If things stayed the way they were, the two of them would eventually never see each other again. They never talked unless there was a reason. And even with their younger siblings being friends, they would one day become almost strangers.

Hikigaya's newfound confidence proved to be contagious, and Kawasaki tried a move she normally wouldn't have.

"Shit happens. Try to forget about it. Lunch is almost over, so I have to go. But… I wouldn't mind hanging out here with you again."

Hikigaya looked at Kawasaki.

He wasn't in any state of mind to properly think about what her words might have meant. But he certainly didn't dislike her. Of all the people he knew, she was one of the most direct.

And spending time with her wouldn't involve the Service Club or anyone else he wanted to avoid.

"Sure, I don't mind. See you tomorrow."

Without waiting for her reply, he walked away.

As such, he didn't witness the blessed sight of Kawasaki Saki jumping for joy, which could cure cancer, bring about world peace, and advance human civilization by 3000 years. True story, reader. It's why no rule 34 artists have drawn it.

The rest of the day passed by without incident. Hikigaya sat through them on autopilot. Several times, Yuigahama glanced at him, but this went unnoticed by him. When the bell rang for the end of classes, he gathered up his things and was about to leave, when he realized he was on cleaning duty for the day, meaning he would have to wipe the blackboard and desks as well as the floor before going home.

He didn't entirely mind. The work would keep his mind off things. As the rest of the students left, he opened the closet and pulled out the needed materials, then got started.

It was fairly late by the time he was done and finally ready to go.

The sun was setting, and he paused for a while to take in the sight from the classroom window.

Was I really expecting things to go any differently? They never have. Besides, she's older than me anyway. It's not like it could have worked out.

As always, he was blunt to himself. It was best to not leave oneself with any false hope.

Twice now he had strayed from his path.

He wouldn't make the same mistake again.

As he was about to leave, the sound of the door caught his attention, and he turned around.

Hiratsuka Sensei was standing there.

Seeing him, she smiled slightly.

"Hikigaya, are you done for the day?"

He nodded, not looking in her direction.

Walking over, he picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder.

She seemed a little taken aback by his actions.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going home."

She approached, still smiling, reaching out a hand towards his face.

"So early?"

To her surprise, he knocked her hand away.

"Do you all enjoy screwing with me so much?"

Hiratsuka almost recoiled.

"H-Hikigaya?"

"I don't understand what I ever did wrong to any of you. I was perfectly happy just by myself. Was it too much to ask just to leave me in peace?"

"Hikigaya, I don't-"

He finally looked up, and to her immense surprise, he had tears running down his face.

It was a sight she had never seen before.

Not when he had made himself the villain and had the entire school badmouth him.

Not when he had deliberately gotten himself rejected by Ebina.

Not from any of the casual and constant insults he received from everyone around him.

Not from being pushed around.

Not from the pressure he'd had to deal with from the Yukinoshita's, or all of Haruno's scheming and the difficulties it had caused.

Not even when he had left the Service Club, after his hope for finding something genuine there had been broken.

Hiratsuka had never seen Hikigaya cry, never seen him look truly defeated, truly bitter, truly angry.

None of those things before had driven him to this point, it had been the way she had treated him earlier this morning. She was perceptive, and she knew what she was doing. So she knew for sure that she was the one responsible for it. An actual, physical pain shot through her heart at seeing him like this. It was so easy to forget, but she should know better than anyone: behind all his cynicism, behind all the forcibly-acquired maturity that no one should have at eighteen years of age, he was actually a pure boy. To him, the moment they had shared yesterday in the staff room was huge. He would have had to talk down his own tendency to rationalize, to overthink and overanalyze, just to believe that it had really happened. He would have had to believe in her. For Hikigaya, the loner who didn't think he would ever be valued, that took courage.

When he believed in her, he did so with all his heart, because it was the only way he could allow himself to think, even for a second, that she might feel something for him.

So when he had come to class in the morning, he had completely, one hundred percent been vulnerable.

And he had done it for her.

Without wasting another moment, she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him, not caring that they were in the middle of a classroom, that anyone could have walked in on them. Leaning close, she pressed her lips against his.

Hikigaya stiffened up for a moment.

Wha-?

The kiss deepened, and Hiratsuka pulled him tightly to herself. Their lips broke apart from a brief moment, and he could feel her hot breath on him.

"I'm sorry, Hikigaya. It must have hurt a lot. I'm truly, truly sorry. I should have found a better way. But please understand: whatever we have between us, no one can know. No one can suspect. If any of this is found out, your life will be ruined. So I cannot ever let this show, especially in front of this class, because they will be doubly suspicious. So even if it hurts, please bear it: at school, we can only be teacher and student."
Hikigaya's eyes widened in understanding.

He felt ashamed for doubting her.

Of all the people he knew, Hiratsuka would never lead him on.

A surge of affection went through him; he was happy. Happier than he could remember ever being.

"Sensei…"

This time, he initiated the kiss. The warm, slightly wet feeling of her lips was like heaven. The contact deepened, and Hiratsuka opened her mouth wider herself. Taking the invitation, Hikigaya thrust his tongue, immediately encountering hers. Tentatively, he licked it, and was surprised by the intensity with which it coiled around his own. Within moments, she was exploring every inch of the inside of his mouth, lapping it up hungrily. The experience gap was obvious, but it felt so good, Hikigaya didn't care.

And he had other ways of levelling the playing field.

Reaching lower down, he firmly grabbed onto her ass. His hands almost seemed to sink into the Sensei's soft cheeks as he squeezed.

She moaned into his mouth, sending a wave of pleasure through him.

"Mmm… feeling… a little better now, Hachiman?"

"That… would be an understatement," he conceded.

He kneaded Hiratsuka's butt even as he spoke, causing her to giggle slightly.

"I can see that all the hentai you watch has paid off. But we can't continue this here," she said.

He was a little disappointed at that, but brightened up when she leaned close and whispered into his ear.

"Call me."

With that, the encounter that firmly sealed them as more than just teacher and student, came to an end.