"You really should be more aware of how your appearance is when you re-enter the classroom. Your cheeks were still somewhat noticeably red when you entered again," I said as we walked down the empty hallways of the school, towards the front doors.

"Oh? And you should be aware that I wear lipstick everyday to work. Your lips are significantly redder than the normal pale they usually are."

"Right."

"Don't believe me? Look."

She rubbed the back of her palm against my palms, revealing a faint streak of red against her soft white skin.

"Oh..."

"Mhm."

We exited the main building of the school building, and soon enough I found myself once again sitting in the passenger seat of Hiratsuka-sensei's car.

She slid in behind the wheel and shut the door. Yes, we were still at school.

"Let's get out of here shall we?"

Looking out the window vigilantly, just to make sure we weren't seen, I nodded,"Yeah, let's get out of here."

She started the engine and shifted into gear. Her foot gently depressed the accelerator and the car moved from the school grounds.

"So, how was school today?"

I sighed,"It was okay. I spent a bit of time with Yukino-san and got a decent mountain of homework from you."

"Oh stop your complaining, I'll help you on it later on if you really need it. In fact, it's just filler homework, I could just give you the answers, don't worry about it."

"Wow, a teacher giving a student the answers...I never thought I'd see the day, nor did I think I would the one receiving the help."

"Hey, don't get used to it. I still value your education. This is a one time thing."

"Fine."

I looked out the window as we passed another intersection.

"How was your day at school, Hiratsuka-san?"

It wasn't everyday that a student asked his teacher how was her school day. Sensei brought the car to a halt before a red light.

"Umm. I mean, I guess it was fine. There was that whole...thing earlier..."

I glanced at her. Her gaze was fixed on the speedometers and her grip on the steering wheel was noticeably tighter. Colors filled her cheeks.

"Oh...Right..that."

There was an awkward silence between us over the next block.

"I...liked today, Hikiga-...Hachiman... I liked how today played out," she finally said.

"I did too...Sh-Shizuka..."

She cleared her throat, and desperately tried to flush the awkward from her speech and features.

"Ummmm, so...what would you like to do today?"

That question stumped me. What did I want to do?

"I actually don't know."

"Want to spend some time at the mall?"

"Umm..sure. But wait, wouldn't a teacher and student walking around together at the mall, be a little..suspicious?"

"You're right. Hmm. Take your blazer off."

I did as she instructed.

"Let's see, the school's neck tie is green... Here put this on."

She loosened and removed her maroon necktie and gave it to me. I tightened it up around my unbuttoned shirt collar.

"Is this enough to fool anyone?"

"It's not a big change, but it's a change. A subtle change can make an ordinary eye in a crowd pass us over without recognition if it is leisurely paying attention. He'd have to look twice and focus in to notice us. Now, hang on let me change up a bit."

She removed her lab coat leaving on just her black vest over her black skirt. Sensei then reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a maroon hair tie to tie her her lengthy hair into a lengthy pony tail. Finally, she placed a black headband over her bangs.

"There, now even I look moderately different."

"I guess this could work..."

"You bet it will, you watch."

...

Soon enough we were now walking down the corridors of the local mall. Occasionally I would spot a fellow student, male or female, in the crowds. The closet encounter was when Hiratsuka and I passed a couple in the same pathway. Sure enough, she was right. The girl in the couple glanced at us, directly, but her eye passed us over as the quick glance did not provide enough clarity to register in her mind that we went to the same school. The subtle changes worked!

That, or it's the fact that I'm an extreme loner and she didn't recognize me at all. Either way it benefited Sensei and I.

"There is a decent cafe here, I come here every now and then to relax after the day is done."

"Mm. I see."

"Just over there!"

A small cafe with a blue and red illuminated sign gave a quaint light to an otherwise dim corner of the mall.

We both ordered lattes and sat down at a small table just outside.

"Y-You look...umm..pretty today."

She stuttered a bit,"W-Where did that come from"

I quickly looked away. "W-What's with the change in appearance today?"

In the corner of my eyes, I couldn't help but examine, her legs. Not ever visible as she always wore slacks, but she did posess a great figure. I couldn't help but look.

Curse my gender instincts.

"Oi. Hikigaya-kun."

She planted both feet on the ground and was turned toward me. I snapped back to to reality.

"Yeah?"

"This is wrong. I can't- shouldn't be doing this.. There is nothing right with what we have between us. Hikigaya-kun, we can't continue."

I did not reply.

"But...I can't stay away. I can't resist."

She shuffled a bit in her chair.

"Since I can't pull away...I need you to do it."

I couldn't respond.

I stroked her hair. That got her attention.

"I refuse, Shizuka."

Her eyes shot to me at the remark.

"I won't leave you," I added,"I like you."

From a bench across from the cafe, I could see the two of them. What the two of them were doing alone at a cafe, in the mall, after school, together, was beyond me.

I had a feeling of this-

My eyes shot open, and my heart stopped for an instance.

Hikigaya-kun ran his hand through her hair. With a benelovent smile.

I don't know- I can't comprehend this. My head was spinning in circles...

Hiki.

I pulled out my phone and punched in the numbers, bringing it up to my ear to speak.

The bell for the start of class rang. Hiratsuka was running late today. She came in about ten minutes late. The light from her eyes, the fire in her drive was gone this morning. Like she had been hit with something devastating.

After the day ended, Sensei left the room in a hurry, heading towards the roof of the school. She glanced at me briefly, being sure to make eye contact, as a sign for me to follow. I hurried out the room and up the stairs to the school rooftop.

Bursting through the door, I saw her knelt on the ground before the railing facing the setting sun.

"Sensei, what's wrong?"

She turned to me. A small hint of tears filled her eyes. She was clutching a small paper in her hands by her chest. She handed it to me.

Citation of Misconduct

Teacher in Question: Shizuka Hiratsuka

Reason at Suspicion: Forbidden relationship with student

To be investigated and addressed at later time

She quickly stood up and hugged me. Crying lightly into my shoulder.

"Hachiman, what should I do? What can I do?"

"Calm down, it can't be too bad. This'll blow over soon."

"No. This is something where the minimum consequence if found guilty is usually being fired from my teaching position! I'll never be able to teach again!"

Gee, that was pretty bad. How could I deal with this?

Theres no sense in crying over it now. I don't think the crying was from the sadness. No, she was too strong for that. The light crying was from the stress, she wasn't even sobbing. Her hug was tight, and her fists were clenched tightly. She was enraged, but had no one to direct it to, so it's pressure that can't be released.

I ran a hand through her hair, stroking it calmly.

The roof was one of the places after school that would allow these actions to take place as no one came up here after school since they could go home.

"It will be alright. We'll work it out."

"Together."