The test took far longer than Ai suspected it would, even when she winded up skipping ahead several questions. Coming to the realization that she had no idea about most things covered in the test, and deciding to give up about halfway through. Choosing instead the true and tested method of randomly choosing answers in hopes to land a couple extra points.

Of course, it didn't surprise Ai when the teacher looked over the test and frowned. Quickly scanning it through instead of going point by point to give her a score. What did surprise her was when, after a brief pause of awkward silence, the teacher asked for a bit of time and took a laptop to do some work.

The result was another exam, just as long, but a little more comprehensive. Which, honestly? Ai didn't want to answer it. She had already mentally prepared to fail the first one spectacularly. What if this woman told Hachiman-san how stupid Ai was? With not one, but two exams that would probably be a piece of cake for any of the people he was surrounded with.

But… Ai was the one to start this whole thing. She wouldn't back down, she couldn't. It'd reflect poorly on her, so every instinct in her body told her to keep going. To bear the thought of being called out and just go through it.

"Isn't this going to be more work for you?" She finally asked as she started having problems with the topics, just like with the previous test.

"Well, yes. But grading two tests isn't really what I'd consider tough work." The teacher replied, eyeing Ai with curiosity.

"I see… Even though they're kind of long?"

"Oh, they are. That's how they're designed. But there's also an optimized way to grade them, so…" The teacher shrugged, ending the conversation then and there.

"Will you be charging more for this?" Ai asked after a few seconds of considering how to answer the next question, drawing a square and putting the numbers she was given to be able to visualize the problem.

"I was gonna, but now I have a personal investment in this." The woman sat further back into her chair, crossing her arms to show off how much more mature she was compared to Ai.

If she was popular with men, Ai wouldn't be surprised. Instead, it'd be surprising if she had a lot of female friends. Beauty had an odd way to twist the balance, just like that.

"Uh-oh. I hope it's not because I'm too dumb!" Ai chuckled, scratching the side of her head with the pencil she was using. Not really knowing what to do or say under the stoic gaze of this woman.

"I don't think you're dumb." She stated simply. Not particularly cold, nor filled with the warmth that Ai would've liked. It was just a fact, and Ai couldn't extract anything else from that.

"…Thanks." Ai smiled as shyly as she could muster. "But I know that I've neglected this, so I can take it if you think that."

"I don't think you're dumb." The woman repeated. "You're quite clever, even. I like that in young people. It's one of those things that can't quite be taught."

"Doesn't that make meddlesome students?"

"Oh, it does. And they think they're too smart for you, and they'll fight tooth and nail to avoid being proven wrong…" The teacher sighed fondly. "It's just how life goes."

Hmmm… That couldn't be it. Ai was clearly lacking in some aspects, but she didn't think she had all the answers. She was popular and successful, but that wasn't enough to fool her into believing herself to be superior. She was just… Weird. And people couldn't seem to be able to accept that.

"Must be fun." Ai went back to counting in her head, trying to make sense of what the questions required her to do.

"It's a pain in the ass." The teacher admitted.

Ai had to stop herself from chuckling.

"Must be rough." She corrected and went back to scribbling on the paper. Trying to concentrate.

"It's very fulfilling." The woman added.

Ai put her pencil down and stared at the woman, who was still looking at her.

"How come? I'd think it'd be one or the other."

"Challenges aren't fun, Ai-san. People aren't like quests, or plans, or whatever. Untangling their messes isn't something to enjoy." The teacher lifted a hand, elbow still touching the opposite -still folded beneath her boobies- one. And drew shapes as she talked, illustrating a point that Ai couldn't see. "But, at the end of the day, doing something worthwhile always feels good."

"That's nice." The idol said just to avoid the silence. "It's what's important, right? Enjoying what you do."

The woman chuckled.

"Enjoyment isn't something one considers while helping others." She flexed her fingers, turning them into a fist. "But this? This does put a smile on my face."

Ai wasn't intimidated at all.

"So… You want to help me?"

"Being around people like you is a learning experience for me too." The teacher's tone became normal again, and she opened her hand to fold it back with the other. "It feels like I can do something for others. Different from what I have been thus far."

Ai looked back at her test.

"Want to take a break?" The teacher offered.

"I'm fine." Ai replied, trying to draw shapes faster.

"I see." The teacher didn't push, but somehow Ai still felt a little judged.

"Are you going to grade it today?"

"Of course not! Give me a couple of days." The teacher chuckled. "Just because it's not hard doesn't mean I'll have it done right off the bat."

"Wouldn't it be better to get this over with?"

"No? This is work too." The teacher opened her arms, finally stopping with that silent boasting about her maturity, and motioned to the room they were in. "I'll go home and do whatever afterward."

"You're just being here." Ai pointed out.

The teacher smiled.

Ai felt like she gave away something that she couldn't put into words. A hint, maybe.

"If I wasn't here, you'd probably cheat."

"Wouldn't that defeat the point?" Ai ignored the harmless accusation, and instead wanting to have this woman on the defensive.

"A lot of people don't care nowadays. A grade is a grade. And for many, that's all that matters." The woman shook her head. "Actual, meaningful, learning is a thing of the past."

Ai looked down to her current math problem.

"That's why courses to prepare for entrance tests are so popular." The teacher added, smiling at Ai.

Something clicked in the idol's head.

"You gave me a college entrance exam."

"A mock one, yes." The woman nodded, placing her elbow on the table to hold her head with her hand. "This one is high-school level."

Ai stared at the test, a little alarmed.

"A high school entrance exam?!"

"Eh? No, of course not!" The woman chuckled. "I don't think we need to go that low… Right?"

Ah…

Ai put down her pencil, cradling her head.

Positive thoughts, positive thoughts…

"I just wish the girls were here to see…" Ai finally gave up and let her face rest on the desk, putting down her hands in defeat. "…that this is why I just shut up and listen most of the time."

"You're quite a lively girl; I didn't take you for the silent type."

Ai rested her chin on the table to be able to stare at the woman.

"No one ever does, for some reason."

"Have you given yourself the opportunity to be with people in a more casual environment?"

"What kind of question is that?" Ai chuckled, even though those words were more offensive than funny.

"I mean, given the places where you appear, it's almost obligatory to put up a front that is just not real." The woman seemed to grow more interested in Ai as the conversation continued.

"Yeah, but all of us do the same for a living. Doesn't it make sense that they would get it?"

"Here in Strawberry Pro?"

"In B-Komachi." Ai shook her head. "Never mind the whole business. That's… A bit too big a scale for me to parse."

"'Parse'?" The woman raised an eyebrow.

"Did I use that word wrong?" Ai frowned. "I don't know where I picked it up."

"I think I can guess." The woman sighed with a small smile.

"You are assuming something devious out of an idol." Ai pointed out with a polite smile.

"Girl, I'm not the one thirsting over some guy I met online."

"I didn't meet Hachiman-san online, you know this." Ai frowned. She didn't want to make this ugly, but she felt that it was necessary to draw a line here.

"Hah!" Why was this woman laughing now?

"It's not funny, my career is on the line."

"Oh, that's just divine." The woman made a point of fake-cleaning off some stray tears. "Yeah, I guessed you'd say something like that now."

Ai frowned for real now.

"You think you have me all figured out, huh." The idol shook her head, mostly to clear off her thoughts to continue keeping this civil. "Quite arrogant from someone that I've been told is really wise."

"See, it's curious that you'd say that. It goes right back to what I was saying about annoying students, thinking that they're too smart for their old and uncool teachers." The woman sounded outright mocking now, and motioned with her hands to mimic a puppet talking while she made a silly voice. "Oh, Hiratsuka-sensei! I clearly landed the required word count. That I talked in circles and wrote several redundant paragraphs doesn't mean anything! I completed the task!"

Hiratsuka scoffed.

"You think I think I'm way smarter than the rest?" Ai smiled at the teacher, cradling the idea with the same seriousness she would a child's idea of how to prepare good food. "It wouldn't be the first time."

"I think that you're arrogant." Hiratsuka replied carefreely.

Ai smiled more.

"Not the first time either."

"See? You're doing it, you're acting all dismissive just because I touched a nerve."

"I just think you're being rude here."

"I am not. Well, maybe 'arrogant' is the wrong word. I don't mean it in a snobbish, or vainglorious way."

"I don't know what 'vainglorious' means." Ai pointed out. "Would an arrogant person admit that?"

Hiratsuka's smirk grew even more.

"You're going to tell me that I'm proving your point." Ai spoke up before the teacher could say anything. "But I don't get it. Do illustrate this point of yours for me, please."

"That." Hiratsuka waved a finger at Ai. "That approach is what I'm talking about."

"I promised to speak up when I need more information." Ai tilted her head. "I know it's annoying, but I don't think it's bad."

"No, no. You don't have to defend yourself. I get it." Hiratsuka's tone was calm, friendly even. But Ai still didn't like it. "It's good, great even. Communication is the basis for anything worthwhile happening."

Ai didn't get it.

"Then what's this so-called arrogance of mine coming from?"

"As I said, it might be the wrong way to say it." Hiratsuka lifted a finger. "But you're still making the exact same mistake as every other teenager has. You're smart, and you know it. So you think you're capable of fixing your own mistakes, while doing exactly what every other idiot has done: Nothing at all."

"I am a successful idol." Ai waved at herself.

"Indeed. Even though you've breached through mainstream media, you remain an idol." Hiratsuka nodded. "Moreover, you think of yourself as an idol. Not even a celebrity, not a woman or a young person. But an idol."

"Well… That's what I am." Ai couldn't say that she was also a mother. It'd be dangerous, in more ways than one. And it probably wouldn't help this hag's opinion of her.

"Just an idol?" Hiratsuka raised an eyebrow.

"…Just an idol, yes." Ai lowered her eyes.

"You're not making sense." Hiratsuka accused her. "Then don't go trying to play house with one of my students, do your damn job right."

"That's an unfair assessment. People can't control their feelings like that." Ai stated coldly.

Again, Hiratsuka smiled.

The snap of her fingers felt like a bucket of water had been thrown over Ai's face.

"Exactly."

"You're so pedantic!" Ai huffed. "So what? I'm arrogant because I can't control my feelings? Is that what it is?"

"You can't control your feelings… Yet somehow expect everyone else to do it?"

Ai looked at the woman, confused.

"That's not how it is."

"Isn't it? This day was rough for me too, y'know. I had to wake up earlier than expected, almost with no prior notice, to come here. I'm a little hungover, my butt hurts from sitting around for hours, and I'm kind of hungry." Hiratsuka crossed her arms. "And you're not even answering the test anymore."

"I…" Ai looked down at the paper. "I'm sorry."

"See, this is kind of my job. So you don't have to apologize. I get it."

"Then why tell me this?" Ai's voice came out with annoyance, which kind of surprised her a little. She hadn't meant to let that through, but this woman was starting to get on her nerves.

It made Ai acutely aware what annoyance actually was.

"Because this is a mistake every other person with enough brains has fallen for: The implicit idea that they alone have life happening, that things go awry for them, with them, and that they alone have high highs and low lows." Hiratsuka smiled softly, warm. And it made Ai almost forget how insulted she had felt. "I'm not saying that you don't care, or that you're cold and unphased by things around you. But it's hard to notice these things, even to the best of us."

Hiratsuka stood up and walked to get behind Ai, picking up the pencil and writing a formula where Ai had drawn the shape that the problem was about.

"We're so used to our own ways and methods, that we can easily neglect to account for others. We assume, and twist things to fit our own ideals. Because that's how the world makes sense to us." Hiratsuka then proceeded to skip to choosing an answer, without writing down any procedure. Because she probably could do the calculations in her mind. "And we forget that understanding requires for us to take it all in. The good, the bad, the ugly, the funny, the harmful… The greater whole."

Hiratsuka put down the pencil and placed a hand on top of Ai's head. Not to mess with her hair, like she was expecting, but to put some weight on the idol instead.

Ai had to tighten her muscles, holding Hiratsuka's weight while sitting down so she wouldn't topple to one side or forward.

"We change and make tweaks to ourselves, we choose to present our face in different ways depending on context, location, time, mood… And others do the exact same thing. All within our respective context, all to do things in the way that makes sense to us." Hiratsuka stood properly, releasing Ai from holding her up. "But it's easy to forget that, because some people just… Seem so much simpler, better. We think, and we assume others don't. Dumber people might not even wonder whether the people surrounding them have worries, hopes, or dreams. But people that do think? You guys have a fondness to simplify things to fit your worldview, just like the idiot does."

"…But we think ourselves better?" It felt so strange talking of herself alongside imaginary 'others'. Ai couldn't visualize herself being like anyone, not even Ichigo-san. The closest she had gotten to a kindred spirit was Kamiki Hikaru. And that was… Something that Ai didn't deserve thinking about. "I'm not better. I'm just…"

"Different?" Hiratsuka offered.

"But I am." Ai insisted.

"From everyone?" Hiratsuka sounded amused. "From the billions of people in this planet? In this very moment? In this point in history?"

"I'd be hard-pressed to point at someone that is similar to me." Ai pointed out.

"Have you reached out to find people like you?"

"I… Stopped trying."

"Exactly." Hiratsuka nodded.

"There are reasons." Ai added.

"There are always reasons." Hiratsuka replied. "Ah… I'm agreeing with you here, by the way."

"That's…" Ai opened her mouth but quickly closed it again. "Thank you for telling me."

"What a cute girl!"

"I've been told that before too." Ai smiled politely.

"I mean, your face is cute. But I'm talking about your heart." Hiratsuka replied. "I think you have it in the right place."

Ai looked away, toward her test.

"Is that so?"

"Oh? Is that embarrassment I hear?" Hiratsuka smiled even more.

"I'm not used to these one-on-one talks." Ai admitted, facing Hiratsuka with an even expression. "It's all too new for me."

"Makes sense." Hiratsuka nodded, going back to sit.

Ai looked at the test for a moment, without writing anything.

"Do you think I've judged my group-mates too harshly?"

"Only you know that." Hiratsuka replied.

Ai bit her lower lip.

"I don't, that's why I'm asking."

"Well, only you are capable of judging how the things that happened between you affected you." Hiratsuka looked away. "Maybe you were, or maybe they were. Or maybe you were in a bad spot and that doesn't count. Or maybe it matters that they failed you while you were in a rough spot to begin with."

"Isn't all that too complicated?"

Hiratsuka smiled again.

"Then tell me if you were too harsh on them."

Ai sighed.

"I see."

"You are just like your father." Hiratsuka chuckled, and that sentence made Ai's heart jump.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. From our talks, he's the kind of guy to unironically say 'things are easy except in the way I think they're hard'. You're both so deep into your own ways that you don't even see when you're avoiding change."

Ai chuckled at that.

"I'm talking more, I'm growing closer to my group-mates, I'm discovering myself…" Ai shook her head. "How am I avoiding change, again?"

"How many warnings did you ignored, in your way here, just because you thought you could get away with it?" Hiratsuka tilted her head.

"I…" Ai knew that the woman didn't mean 'here' as in 'right now'. But rather as in 'to get to where you are in your growth'. In her journey. "Ichigo-san has my back."

Hiratsuka cackled at the answer.

"Aren't you a little too old to be daddy's little princess?"

"I am never too old to be a little princess." Ai protested. "I deserve to be treated like one."

"Fair, fair." Hiratsuka rested further onto the back of her seat. "That's the attitude, alright. I like your grit."

"Thanks."

"So?" Hiratsuka insisted. "How many warnings?"

Ai thought back to how it all started. How Miyako-san warned her against looking for Hachiman-san's hospital, against meeting him, against inviting him to the concert or the meet and greet, against him interacting with the other idols. Then, she thought about all the advice that Ichigo-san had given her.

"None at all." Ai smiled shamelessly at the teacher. "I trust the people that helped me reach the place I am right now."

Hiratsuka scoffed smugly.

"Finish your test, kid." She took out her phone, not making any attempt to take a picture or anything. Just typing something, maybe a message.

"You don't believe me." Ai accused her.

"I've seen my fair share of young adults." Hiratsuka shrugged, not even looking at Ai.

"So you think I'm a meddlesome kid too?"

"Not my place to say."

"Aren't you supposed to educate the young ones?" Ai tilted her head.

"You're not my student." Hiratsuka looked at Ai again. "And you're in good hands anyway. I'll just look out for whatever bad habits you've picked up from your villain of a father."

"'Villain'?" Ai scoffed. "Right. Now I see that you're not very adult-like yourself!"

"Ai-san, you're way too cheeky for a girl that knows next to nothing about how the world works." Hiratsuka sighed.

"It's a cute girl's prerogative to be cheeky." Ai nodded wisely.

"Wow, okay Isshiki." Hiratsuka clicked her tongue. "Can't wait for a younger, cuter girl to floor you with her own cheekiness."

"That's impossible." Ai smiled brightly. "Logic dictates that the only cute girl that could defeat me would be my own daughter. And she wouldn't, for I'd be a perfect mother."

"Hah!" Hiratsuka cackled. "I'd pay to see that! Just you wait to raise someone to the age you are right now!"

Ai didn't know what to say in return.

"You think I'd be a bad mother?"

"I think that parenting is a job no one is ready for." Hiratsuka looked away. "No matter how many children there are, they're always something else in ways that people just don't expect."

Ai furrowed her brows.

"I'd love my daughter so much that she'd want us to be together all the time."

"Watch her become a teenager and cling to her dad like she did with you when she was a toddler." Hiratsuka shrugged.

Ai looked at the teacher in shock.

"That wouldn't happen… Would it?"

"Do you remember being a teenager?" Hiratsuka tilted her head.

"Yeah?"

"Now imagine growing up spoiled, because you're describing raising a spoiled brat." Hiratsuka pointed at Ai, like she was accusing her of a crime.

"How would you know? You're not a mother!"

"That's…!" Hiratsuka recoiled like Ai had physically hit her. "S-So what?! I've seen plenty of children in my time! In fact, I'd say I know about these kids than their own parents!"

"So you don't know anything about parenting!" Ai jabbed a finger at the teacher. "You're just saying things to sound smart!"

"That's…!" The woman looked super aggravated, red like a tomato, and between pissed off and ready to cry. "…F-Finish your test, Ai-san."

Ai returned to look at the questions, smug.

That's what Hiratsuka got for -unknowingly- saying that Ruby would prefer her dad instead of Ai. She couldn't imagine her little baby growing up to love a certain someone more than…

…

Wait, no! She shouldn't be pushing such responsibilities to… Anyone! The twins were Ai's children! She could raise them herself just fine!

"Preferring her dad…" Ai mumbled to herself, irritated with someone that wasn't even there and that hadn't even been mentioned in name. "Tch. He's not that great anyway. I'm way cooler…"

So this was what it felt like to be defeated in an imaginary contest? It was so bittersweet…

"Did you say something?" Hiratsuka absentmindedly asked.

"I said you're old!" Ai lashed out before thinking.

Hiratsuka slammed a foot directly on the table and almost punched Ai then and there.

"Say that to my face, you brat!"

The idol got a little break after both women calmed down, as a treat. They both feigned ignorance when Miyako-san asked about all the noise coming from their room.