When she said detour, I guess she actually meant longer route. Due to a road construction, she suggested we take an alternate route to avoid traffic. Well...the avoiding congestion portion was true, however the length was ten times longer. This took us around the entire city! I just want to go home and "study" by which I mean, do absolutely nothing of worth until tomorrow when the scene resets on its loop.

There were barely any cars on this route, as it was long and evening commute dies down considerably at this hour. It was already 7:45 PM!

We continued through the prefecture smoothly, this expressway had barely any traffic lights, which was a relaxing change of pace I guess.

Hiratsuka's car still impressed me to this day. I don't know where she got the affluence to acquire such a car. Driver's seat and steering wheel is even on the left side of the vehicle, which, I assume, means this car came from the western countries, more likely the United States.

Hiratsuka was as she normally is whenever she is behind the wheel. Humming a cheerful sounding tune while tapping the beat out with her thumb against the steering wheel. The car cruised at a steady pace, almost leisurely with no interruptions in the flow of traffic at all. Hiratsuka seems to be in a whole different world while driving. Almost seeming, happy. Come to think of it though, I've only seen her like this while I'm with her. That leaves a possibility that she wasn't always so pleasant.

"You drive often, Sensei?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Quite, I enjoy driving. I am out quite often when school is out."

"Really? Sitting in the same seat staring out a window for hours on end seems fun to you?"

"You said it yourself, life wants me to enjoy the rare occasions when everything is going my way and I'm actually happy."

"Actually happy. You mean you aren't happy often, Sensei?"

"Hm."

Her mood seemed to drop a little. She stopped quietly humming and her hand steadied itself on the wheel with a firm grip.

"As I said, life is unfair to me. Always has been. The only time I feel I can escape the torment is while out driving."

"Really? You seem happy during class sessions, teaching Japan's future and helping people to succeed. At least that's what I believe they tell teachers as false hope and motivation..."

"It's all an act," she grimly replied.

A traffic light actually turned red. She brought the car to a firm halt before the crosswalk. We were now entering the residential area, which meant more red lights. Great.

"Sensei?..."

"Stop calling me that!" she barked.

I was startled slightly by this.

"At least...not when we're alone, of course continue to refer to me as 'sensei' when around others... Geez, sometimes even you make me feel significantly lonely. Like I'm just a character, a figure, and title."

"..."

"When we're alone...you can refer to me as Hiratsuka...your choice whether or not to include honorifics..."

"Haha...funny. Now, Sensei you were saying-"

Both her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. Total death grip. The light turn green. To shake me up even more, let's just say we were at rough, complete halt at the next light two blocks down within mere seconds. Where are the traffic police when lives are on the line?

Her grip still tight on the steering wheel, her eyes latched shut, but couldn't keep the single tear from rolling down her cheek.

"Just a title..." she whispered as quietly as possible.

Just how emotionally damaged could this woman be? She's only twenty eight or thirty!

I cleared my throat.

"Uhm. H-Hiratsuka-san, you were talking about an act?" If I value my safety and well being, I think I should appeal to her request and just listen and talk it out with her.

She sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"My attitude in class is all an act. The motivation, the positive reinforcement, everything, it's all an act. Because I know that the students I teach... I accept the fact they will all probably strike it better than I have in life."

"Hm. I know that feeling. Just gotta learn to drill through it. Although it doesn't seem like it. Live and it's corrupted agenda still somehow find a way to level it out and turn out okay. If it makes you feel any better, being around them, I know that a quarter of them couldn't even dream about being at your current status, not to mention pass it. Some of them really aren't going far."

"It feels very wrong thinking this, but that does make me feel a little better. I'm a bad educator for thinking that, but... Thank you, Hachiman."

Hm. I think we are similar in more ways than not Sensei... Very similar...

"You should really rethink your career choice. I think you'd make it very far and become very successful in life. Don't settle for stay-at-home house dad. Work Hachiman, work. You won't be my student forever you know... Our relation will change in a few months. I'll just become a part of your past that you forget about completely and won't recall or once look back on until you've done it all. It saddens me to think that," she sniffled,"but also makes me happy too. That idea of you making it in life."

"Well, that is still months away Sens- Hiratsuka, and even after graduation. I won't forget you. Ever."

She chuckled quietly.

The car came to a halt in front of my house. Finally, I could go home, collapse on my bed and lay there for the rest of the evening.

Just before closing the door Sensei called to me. "See you tomorrow, Hikigaya-kun!"

I turned around and with a smile I replied,

"See you tomorrow, Hiratsuka."