Disclaimer: Oregairu doesn't belong to me, all rights reserved to Wataru Watari.

I've taken an exceptional amount of imaginative liberty when writing this; so if there's anything that seems factually off, please let me know, so I can embarrassingly and discretely edit the chapter(s).

A Teacher's Promise

Hiratsuka Shizuka had never sat up so straight in her life.

Coming from a painfully dull and low-middle class family, she gained a great amount of confidence by putting herself through work and slaving herself through college. Sure, she didn't have much of a social life, but she liked to think that she had grown tremendously as a person as a result. She tackled school and work as diligently and hard she could; hard enough to make her judo instructor proud.

Besides, now that she was employed, she would definitely find a cute boyfriend that she could mutually spoil and come home to welcome every day.

Yet, today, she sat up more nervous than she had ever been. Her first official day as a high school teacher, and she was just now only in her early twenties. Her homeroom class was a group of second-year students, their previous teacher having retired over the break. Years of playing secretary and office girl at local, dull high schools wouldn't help her here; Sobu was notorious for its cases of eccentric and ambitious students. They would easily knock her down the moment she showed any signs of weakness.

"Hiratsuka-kun, please relax."

The elder man, the principal of the school, had sensed her nervousness.

"Y-yes sir! I am very relaxed, sir!"

The man audibly sighed behind his desk, propping his hands and leaning his head against them by his chin. She thought he looked suspiciously like Ikari Gendo [1].

God, would kids in this generation even know what Evangelion was? Was even that too old for them? What were they even into? Wait, if the geezer in front of her was Ikari Gendo, did that make her Katsuragi Misato? It did fit, they were roughly the same age… Was she doomed to not have a long-term boyfriend? Would she shack up with some kid thrown at her? God, was she just destined to be lonely and throw her desires on some high school boy? Not that she would mind, if she moved in with one, and he was mature and nice and kind and…

"Hiratsuka-kun, do you understand?"

His voice brought her out of her stupor and she "eep"ed in surprise.

"Ah, I'm very sorry sir, I was distracted by… the uh…" She cursed herself for running into a corner like this.

The principal brushed her stammering aside with his hand. "I was saying that you have little to worry about. Class 2-J has been well maintained and you will likely have very little issue; the previous teacher was excellent in her work." His finger tapped on a folder. "Have you seen the roster?"

She wordlessly accepted the papers in front of her, and flipped through the pages and pictures of the… girls in the class. All of them were girls, it seemed. Out of the twenty-four listed in the class this year, only three were male.

"Sir, this is…"

"It seems that class has some longstanding tradition. The individuals there are particularly exceptional, even for this school. You'll find little to no behavior problems that you will personally have to intervene with." He pensively scanned the list of students from across the desk. "In fact, you may even find yourself relying on the students in that class from time to time. You'll find that exceptionalism tends to spread in young people far deeper than you may think."

Internally, Hiratsuka let out a loud "HAH!" and slapped away his statement. Relying on students to solve affairs for other students? What kind of irresponsible teacher did that? Adults were adults because they were capable of taking care of children. Relying on a bunch of high school children was the sign of absolutely certainty that she was, herself, still a naïve college kid.

Ignoring the fact that she was still only barely twenty-three, she found herself calming down at the discovery nonetheless.

Class 2-J. A class that seemed to be built specifically for the most exceptional in an already above-average high school.

"They are, after all, still children." He continued, still looking at the class roster. "Power and authority, to them, are still very much so real and tangible things. Your attire alone will command most of their attention. Your wit will do the rest."

She was dismissed from his office shortly after, and took a glance from the silver watch beneath her left suit jacket sleeve. She'd best walk over to her class now, even if she would be a little too early for a teacher.

Her anxiety was still present, but she found her nervousness to be forming more out of anticipation than out of fear.

At reaching the door of her homeroom class, she had begun to double-take and think it through. Most teachers arrived in after the students, right? Would she give off an image of an amateur teacher if she did so?

It didn't really matter in the end, because as she opened the door, the entirety of Class 2-J was present, and immediately went silent upon her arrival.

"…"

"…" The class responded in silence, their eyes either perched forward or glancing at her.

Talk about a warm welcome.

"A-hem," she cleared her throat before starting. "I'm Hiratsuka Shizuka. I'll be your homeroom teacher for the year." She didn't continue with any further introduction; the advice from her senpai as a teacher was to never offer students any opportunity for fraternizing as much as she could, especially when in front of the whole class.

As if she had done it routinely, she called out the names on the roster for the first time in her life. Each name responded in earnest; she noted that most of the girls present looked so well-groomed and flashy that she wouldn't have been surprised if it turned out that they were all idols out of school. The boys were no doubt perfect as well, having been trained and studious for the duration of their lives.

As she reached through the middle, she realized that the next name in particular was one she recognized.

"Yukinoshita." As she said it, she realized the name had belonged to the prominent figure of the Chiba diet. A politician's kid.

A hand shot up in a wave. The girl in particular had medium-length hair that bobbed around her neck, hair stylishly cut in three layers, with a hint of purple/violet streaks going through. And she herself had to admit, the girl was downright gorgeous. She had a refined yet still natural look to her face, with a figure already grown enough to make her wonder what kids in this generation ate to get a bombshell figure at the age of sixteen or seventeen.

"Hihi, I'm here, sensei!" She waved her straightened hand in the air. First impression of this girl? She was suspiciously happy and friendly. Ignoring the inappropriate greeting aside, the girl's voice itself was already set to 'greet a friend mode'.

The most peculiar thing was her eyes. Clearly friendly, but behind them Hiratsuka Shizuka could see that they were sharpened and toned to suit far more emotions than just happiness. If the girl was wearing a mask, then she had made it expertly.

"Ah, right – next…" She caught herself before she paused too long, hoping that the Yukinoshita girl wouldn't notice. She had a sinking suspicion she had indeed, when she saw the growing smile out of the corner of her eyes.

As she finished up, the room remained awkwardly silent. Her lesson plans hadn't accounted for any introduction, and instead would go straight into the day's first lessons.

She bit her lip for a moment. That wouldn't be right. Even if she wanted to keep a professional level with her students, they would be together for a year. And, judging from how stiff these kids were in trying to maintain their level of excellence, maybe it wouldn't have been a terrible idea to at least introduce some levels of casualness into the room.

"So… I was made aware that the former teacher of this class has retired, and that they were well-respected here in Sobu, is that right?"

She scanned the room, and was pleased to see that the majority of the class was now looking at her with interest.

"Well, I don't know much about this school other than what I've been taught and heard from. This is my first year teaching, so I'm hoping to learn as much from you all as you will from me, and even help me from time to time. Let's get along well, okay?"

Her shortly-prepared speech was well received, earning a short fit of applause from her now smiling students. The metaphorical pat on the back was enough to fuel her enthusiasm for the day.

"Before we get started with today's lesson, are there any questions any of you might have?"

While the rest of the class looked amongst each other, the same hand that had shot up earlier went back into the air.

"Ah, Yukinoshita, was it? Go ahead."

"Sensei, you're really stunning in that suit of yours." Smile still going strong, she continued. "Do you have a boyfriend? Or maybe even a girlfriend?"

!

"What?! I, that's…" She found her face warming. She may as well have had her feet swept by this girl, with the state of her speech and brain.

Collectively, she heard the class groan, sigh, and laugh.

"Jeez, Haruno-san." One of the male class members looked at her in disbelief. "On the first day? On the teacher's first day?"

The Yukinoshita girl laughed, pleased at the now rustling energy in the class room. "What? I was curious!" She gave the boy a wink, clearly satisfied at the class' reaction to her audacious question.

Amidst the now freely talking class, Hiratsuka Shizuka sighed and pinched the nose of her bridge.

This year would undoubtedly be long and eventful.

"Pencils down. That's it for the exam."

Collecting the papers from the desks, she could tell even just by the front pages that she would have an easy time grading all of them. They were definitely all high marks. If she taught a class like 2-J for the remainder of her career, she would most likely live up to a century due to the lack of stress. This class was as flawless as could be defined.

"Alright, you're all free to leave. Be sure to read up on the textbook before next week."

In her peripheral vision, she could see the girl getting up to leave.

"Yukinoshita, may I have a word for just a moment?"

She didn't make eye contact, opting to keep her eyes fixated on her papers even though they were the last thing on her mind. She could see her maintain her cheerful visage, but freeze in place and look over towards her without finishing the word she was about to speak to her friends. The action was so sudden and dramatic that Hiratsuka briefly wondered if Yukinoshita Haruno was actually a Terminator unit[2].

As the class filed out and left the room, the girl never broke eye contact with Hiratsuka, staring deeply into her. She suppressed every urge to shift uncomfortably.

Here she was, an adult, nearly cowering in front of one of her students.

"Sensei? You wanted to speak to me?"

As she looked up into the empty room barring Yukinoshita, she realized that her act of pretending to be busy was easily seen through.

Time to test the waters.

"Come here, Yukinoshita." She tried to make herself sound as inviting as possible.

Yukinoshita forced a smile, each step seeming more and more like a choreographed act. They stood together at the front of the room, each sensing a slight bit of tension in the air.

"Is there… something wrong, Yukinoshita?"

The girl gave her a thoughtful look before responding. "Nothing in particular, sensei. Why? Is there something that I'm doing that's bothering you?"

"You seem… a little distracted, lately."

"Hm? Ah, sensei, I can assure you that I am paying attention to you in class, even if it may seem like I'm not. I hope you didn't think I was being disrespectful towards you."

With a sigh, Hiratsuka made a bold move that would no doubt change her relationship with Yukinoshita, as subtle or caring as it may have been. She gently placed the tips of her fingers on each side of Yukinoshita's temples, and lightly massaged them. On contact, the girl shook, but remained statically in place.

Hiratsuka wondered exactly how much discipline she had from her parents to let her high school teacher touch her in such a way. Clearly she was not expecting nor enjoying the contact, but she never lost her smile.

"Relax. You don't have to idolize yourself even to just one single person, especially your teacher." Yukinoshita's temples were stiff and rigid, as though she had been clenching her teeth behind her smile the entire time.

"Sensei?"

"I just want you to know that if there's anything wrong, I'm here to listen. Whether it be school, or a club, or anything at home."

The rawness and emotion she saw in Yukinoshita's eyes had blasted through her suspicions of her wearing a mask, making it incredibly apparent to her in that moment. The girl was far deeper than she would ever let anybody know.

The flash of sadness, anger, guilt, and stress in the teenager's eyes made her wonder exactly what she had gone through, and why it seemed like even when she was years younger, the girl in front of her may have possibly gone through more than even she herself had.

"Familial troubles. My younger sister is acting up with my family, and it's taking a larger toll on us than she knows." She spoke in a monotone voice, lacking any of her forced and injected happiness.

"Would you… like to talk about it? Or her?" She moved her hands away from the girl's head, gently placing a hand on her shoulder as a sign of comfort.

"She's… being very inconsiderate to us. All girls have a rebellious phase sure, but…" Yukinoshita's eyes narrowed. "…I think she actually hates us."

Hiratsuka was silent, letting the girl continue.

"Sensei, are you aware of who my family is?" She continued after receiving a nod from her teacher. "Then, you might be able to understand… the children in the family are expected of a great deal. After all, nobody as revered and significant as Yukinoshita should have bad children, correct?" Acid dripped out from her voice with her last sentence.

Hiratsuka remained silent, understanding her student more in the last five minutes than in the whole duration of her teaching.

"And Yukino-chan – my sister – she doesn't seem to understand that it hurts her family when she forces a distance between herself from us."

As an only child, Hiratsuka wouldn't have known anything about sibling interaction first-hand. She always had wanted an older brother, but ultimately her parents stopped with children at her. Thus, she didn't want to continue with the assumptions or potential situations regarding the Yukinoshita family.

Even so, she could tell that despite the trouble that Yukinoshita gave off just in her rare upset look, she cared. Even without any siblings of her own, Hiratsuka could tell that she had a great love for her sister.

"She sounds like she can be quite the troublesome girl." She gave her student a small smile, if only to defuse the trouble in her eyes. Yukinoshita made no attempt to bring back her mask, looking too occupied in her own thoughts to realize that she was acting considerably different than usual.

"If you continue teaching at Sobu, you'll meet her for yourself."

"She's… how old?"

"Three years younger. She'll be in her first year by the time I graduate, unfortunately. But she is determined to come here. She's always had a habit of following me."

Really, Yukinoshita must have thought incredibly highly of herself if she thought her sister had emulated her that much.

"Sensei, I'll be gone by then, so… could you watch over her? I won't be able to see her often when I'm in university. And-"

"I will. I promise you that I'll look after her." She didn't know why she made the promise, especially to a student she had only known for three weeks. They were still practically strangers.

Yet, she couldn't deny her. If the promise of looking after her younger sister gave Yukinoshita Haruno even just one night of comfort, then Hiratsuka would have succeeded as a teacher in more ways than she ever would by idly standing by.

The look of gratitude that she received, perhaps the first time she had truly seen Yukinoshita Haruno, would likely remain with Hiratsuka for the rest of her life.

The winter term was rapidly closing, and with it, Hiratsuka Shizuka's first year of teaching.

Also with it, was the massive amounts of paperwork, grading, and reviewing that she was expected to do. Where was the assistant teacher from the local university at this time? Why couldn't Sobu just find a few kids looking for a good mark on their resumes and let them grade it all?

Tiredly reflecting on her work, Hiratsuka fished out the box of cigarettes in her coat pocket, tapping it out only to see that it was empty.

With an exasperated sigh, she tossed the empty box into the nearest bin on the street. That was the tenth thing today that soured her weekend.

She had just recently started having odd cigarette here and there; when had she finished the entire pack?

Shivering she walked towards the pastry store she had driven twenty minutes out for. Her eyes brought her looking at a black-haired girl dressed moderately in a black coat and cardigan, plush scarf draped over her neck. After a couple of seconds, the girl looked back at her, and waved her over.

"Sensei! Hihi!"

"Yukinoshita, what a coincidence." Hands in her coat pockets, she stepped over towards her student, taking the seat next to her.

"Wow, sensei, looking good. Very chic and sharp. Out to kill tonight?"

With an uncomfortable grunt, Hiratsuka loosened her tie. "Teacher's meeting. On a weekend, no less."

"It's like you have nothing but suits, suit pants, and nice shirts. I've never seen you wear anything else!"

"Haha," She let out an indifferent chuckle. "I should be glad I got comfortable in them, then." Truth is, she really didn't have the disposable income to buy fashionable clothes. She was thankful that she looked as decent as she did in her office clothing.

Though, as much as it might draw the compliments of her students, Yukinoshita especially often, it didn't seem to help her find a boyfriend…

Looking up and down Yukinoshita, who was far better dressed, she wondered exactly how much wealth the girl could have to herself if she could pull off outfits that made her look a model so casually.

"So, what brings you here? Finally taking up my recommendation, sensei?"

"Actually, this is my second time here. You know how to find them; this place is quite good for the price. Great, even."

Yukinoshita smiled at her. "Great minds think alike. I'm glad you're pleased with this place."

They began their small talk about class, schoolwork, and upcoming finals while Hiratsuka placed in and waited for her order. A box of pastries for home that she could guiltily much down on during her late-night television drama binges.

"Thank you for your patronage! Good night!"

The chimes on the door rang as the two walked out, Hiratsuka careful not to bruise the box of pastries in her hands. The cold air hit them immediately, and Hiratsuka wished she had the foresight to wear a scarf as her student had.

"It was nice to see you on a weekend, sensei. I should head home before it gets too late, though." With a casual wave, Yukinoshita walked into the opposite direction.

"Mm. I'll see you on Monday." She curtly nodded, but didn't turn around to walk away.

"Yukinoshita, wait-" She briskly walked back up to the girl whose attention she had again. "Are you walking home? Are you far?"

They were in downtown Chiba; even if she were to live close to the city, the nearest station was at least ten minutes by foot, and it would take her more to trek back home.

"Ah, it'll take me about thirty minutes. But don't worry sensei, I'll be fine."

She shook her head. "I took my car tonight. Let me drive you home."

"That isn't necess-"

"I insist."

Even Yukinoshita Haruno would have to surrender to the intense look she was giving off.

With a chuckle, Yukinoshita nodded her head. "Alright then. If it's no trouble to you."

When they got to her car, Yukinoshita paused and stared. It was the reaction from the girl that Hiratsuka had always wanted.

"Sensei… can teachers really purchase a car like this with their salary?"

"Nope!" She patted the windshield of her beloved sports car as though it were her child. "This baby right here was the result of me saving bits of my paychecks from college for years!"

Oh, the insufferable cup ramen dinners and instant curry lunches. It was all worth it for this, though. Her one-and-a-half ton steel horse was well worth every single yen she saved up. Even if it was an expensive habit, she found every bit of it meaningful.

When the two got in, Yukinoshita had a strangely curious look on her face.

"Comfortable enough for you, Yukinoshita?" She was sure the girl was used to pure leather interiors, in the back of a luxury sedan or limousine.

"This is embarrassing, but… I've never actually been in the passenger seat of a car before."

"…" Or maybe she was far more pampered than she thought.

"Ah, is that strange to you, sensei? I didn't feel the need to learn how to drive, and our family has had a driver ever since I was little."

"No, that isn't strange at all." The smile of disbelief had told her student otherwise.

"Ehh? Are you making fun of me?" Her student looked at her with a coy smile. "That's not very teacher-like, you know."

They shared a laugh together. As Hiratsuka pulled her car out of the parking lot, she wondered when she and her student had could laugh and sound as though they were two friends attending the same school.

The loud hammering of the engine roared in the car as she sped up. In truth, Hiratsuka was going out of her way to show off to her student.

"Where or when did you find such a… raw hobby, sensei?"

"College, actually. My first boyfriend was a serious auto buff. He ended up being a dud, but at least he had an interesting hobby." She sighed and bit her lip, reminiscing about her days at college. Hiratsuka wasn't so certain that she had gotten over the absolute heartbreak and metaphorical car wreck that was her first real relationship.

"Don't worry, sensei. You're still young. And hot too. There are plenty out there who would jump at a chance with you."

She felt her student's hand gently rest on her shoulder, and she wondered if she should feel slightly offended or grateful at the action. More importantly, she noted that physical contact, for the first time, was initiated by Yukinoshita.

The two had really come a long way, since their short but heartfelt conversation in the spring. Any of her earlier concerns about being too professional were practically thrown out into the window. She found it harder and harder to maintain the strict teacher-student relationship when the girl in question was only seven years younger than her at most.

Inexplicably, she and Yukinoshita had bonded. Even if she had to scold her sometimes, and turn the other cheek when she saw the girl innocently and slyly manipulate her classmates, Hiratsuka couldn't deny her a friendly relationship. She couldn't tell when she had started looking after her more as a sister than as a student.

And yet Yukinoshita Haruno had never stopped wearing her mask.

Which was the only reason why Hiratsuka occasionally doubted the strength of their bond.

"Yukinoshita, how are things at home?"

The girl quietly stared at the passing road, answering her after a few uncomfortable and extended moments.

"Yukino-chan is acting up again, as always. My father doesn't quite understand the situation all too well, but it's been made apparent to him that it's becoming troublesome."

"Ah, your sister? The more I hear about her from you, the more I'm expecting a troublemaker when she arrives to high school."

"Ah, no no, not at all. Yukino-chan is actually very gentle and delicate! The cutest younger sister imaginable! Completely incapable of hurting anybody intentionally. Very obedient too, much moreso than me, sensei." Yukinoshita played with a frayed thread from her scarf. "Too obedient, actually. Maybe that's why she feels the need to distance herself from her family so badly. She needs any form or outlet to do so."

"Even your family has problems too, huh?"

"Ahaha, of course! Even the family of a politician isn't perfect, despite what it might look to be." Yukinoshita gave a look of disappointment. "We are, after all, only human. As much as we try, we can't be as flawless as we make ourselves look."

Shifting gears, Hiratsuka had known the answer all along. It was no surprise that such a high-spec, political family like the Yukinoshita family had its own skeletons in closets.

"But don't worry, sensei. I'm grateful for your guidance. I hope you can offer it to my younger sister in the future as well." Yukinoshita smiled at her again, reminding her of her promise.

"Of course." She met her smile while keeping her eyes on the road.

After a few more minutes of driving, guided to the Yukinoshita home by her student, Hiratsuka Shizuka had reached her destination.

And promptly gaped at the size of the estate. Hell, she gaped at the size of the gate she had driven through.

It made her stylish car look like a toy, by comparison. Yukinoshita caught her awe and nervously laughed.

"We're here. Thanks again, sensei."

"It's… are you certain that this isn't some billionaire's home that you mistook? Or even royalty, maybe?"

Her student erupted in a fit of laughter. "Ahaha! How could I forget where my own home is?"

The Yukinoshita estate was massive; a huge plot of land in an area of Chiba that Hiratsuka had never ventured to. A large and ornate Japanese-style house was in the middle, and she could see a number of staff working outside and through the open doors.

It seemed like high-ranking politician's families were the new royalty of today's age.

"Would you like to step inside for a bit? It would be rude of me to just leave you off here without thanking you with some tea."

Hiratsuka shook her head. "No, that's fine. It wouldn't be proper for a teacher and student to have tea together in one of their homes, wouldn't you agree?"

Yukinoshita shifted in her seat. "'Proper', you say… you really do care about that sort of thing, don't you sensei?" The quiet tone of the girl's voice surprised her. "Ah, well maybe you're right after all. It would be too familiar, wouldn't it? A teacher and a student, sitting together outside of class." She smiled knowingly at her, stating outright what they two of them had just done in the pastry shop just minutes ago.

"I'll tell you what, Yukinoshita. We can go out for tea the day you graduate, but not a minute before."

"I'd like that a lot."

With her final 'thank you' and 'good night', Yukinoshita departed into her home.

Hiratsuka stayed in her car. She told herself that she remained still out of concern, rather than out of curiosity.

When the door opened, two people were present. One, a woman dressed in traditional clothing, hair elegantly wrapped upwards with pale skin. A true Japanese beauty, one that was in television dramas and nowhere else.

The second was a girl. The sister she had heard so much about. She couldn't get a good glimpse of her face, but the two sisters certainly did look alike.

The woman, their mother most likely, walked towards her car. Hiratsuka opened down the window as she approached.

"Hiratsuka-sensei, is it?" The woman's voice was smooth and gentle, but Hiratsuka almost shivered. It was even colder and more calculating than Yukinoshita's, and it certainly didn't lack the confidence nor authority that her daughter also had.

The matriarch of the Yukinoshita family was certainly scary…

"A-ah, yes. I'm Hiratsuka, your daughter's homeroom teacher."

She received a modest bow from the woman who made her feel like she herself was in high school.

"Thank you very much for bringing her home, Hiratsuka-sensei. I apologize for the inconvenience she has caused you."

"No, that's quite alright, really. I… wouldn't feel comfortable if we had just parted ways and she were to walk home by herself."

The woman's gracious smile was foreign to her. It wasn't a mother's smile, certainly not one she was used to. It was made purely for the sake of appearance.

"I see. I'm very grateful that Haruno has a teacher who is so thoughtful of her. You see, I had offered to send the car to pick her up, but she declined as she always does."

Perhaps Yukinoshita Haruno wasn't as forthcoming in telling her the full story as she was led to believe.

She glanced over to the front door, at the sight of her student happily embracing her younger sister, who wore a bashful and annoyed look on her face.

After a few seconds of silence, she nearly jumped at the realization that their mother was still looking at her.

"Ah! Excuse me, I've overstayed my welcome, haven't I? I'll leave you to… do whatever it is your family does." She awkwardly stammered, and the engine of the car roared back to life.

Ah, damnit. That probably would startle such a yamato nadeshiko[3] like Yukimomshita here, wouldn't it?

Her apologetic look was shot down by the sight of the mother who remained perfectly still and gracefully bowing.

"Good night, Hiratsuka-sensei. Please drive home safely."

"Y-yeah… good night to you as well."

Driving out of the gate, she took one last glance through her mirrors at the front door of the Yukinoshita household.

For a brief moment, she and Yukinoshita's younger sister met eyes through the reflection.

Days, weeks, and months passed. Now in the summer of her second year of teaching, Hiratsuka found herself sorely missing class 2-J. It seemed that Sobu found it preferable to reassign her to a different class for the next year.

Maybe they had eased all new teachers into the school by giving them a class with little problems, before throwing them to the wolves.

"Alright, alright! Settle down already! Class isn't over yet!"

Her voice soared through the room, commanding the attention of her new second-year class.

"I know this is the last week before your vacation starts, and you've all already taken your exams, but first and foremost, we need to sit down on our class' contribution to the festival. So! Any ideas, or shall I let you kids decide?"

A voice from the back shouted: "Group date café!"

Tch. The entire class groaned and shrieked, preparing themselves for the onslaught.

"Ah shit, man. Why did you have to go ahead and say that to her?" The student next to the boy swore, already pushing his legs out and distancing his chair from the poor soul who was about to be reaped.

The entire class, which was normally loud and excitable, froze in fear and tremored in silence as Hiratsuka Shizuka stomped her way towards the back, hands clenched and head fuming.

Her target, the smartass who actually said something as awful as "group date café," gulped and visibly regretted his comment.

"Oi, punk, mind saying that again?! What was that suggestion just now? I could have sworn I heard the word 'date' somewhere in that suggestion of yours. Wanna run that by me again?"

"N-no Hiratsuka-sensei! I didn't say anything Hiratsuka-sensei! I was mistaken, Hiratsuka-sensei! Please don't punch a hole in my stomach, Hiratsuka-sensei!"

"Good! Because if you think we're actually going to encourage that kind of setting in this classroom, where I have to sit and manage it for DAYS and-"

Hiratsuka Shizuka was interrupted by the bell, signaling the end of the class, and thus the day.

Ah, damnit.

"Alright, listen up!" She hollered over the sound of rustling chairs and desks from students too eager to leave class as soon as they could. "The first thing we're doing tomorrow is taking a vote and deciding what we're going to do, so think of something when you go home today. Dismissed!"

Shooting the unfortunate kid one last warning glare, she walked back to the front of her desk and rearranged her papers to be packed in her briefcase.

"A lab coat, sensei? What's with the getup, and in the summer of all times, when it's already warm?"

She turned her head, her former student leaning against the doorway.

"Yukinoshita, what a pleasant surprise. What are you doing down here?"

"Curious to see my favorite teacher! We haven't really seen much of each other this year, you teaching a second year class and all." She looked her up and down. "The lab coat? You're still teaching Japanese, aren't you?"

"Ah… well, it's much more convenient to wear this over my clothes than a suit jacket, especially when it's warm outside. The temperature in the building fluctuates so often since we had that new air-conditioning unit installed, so I asked the science department if they had anything I could wear over during the day."

"Hmm…?" Yukinoshita walked closer to her, further inspecting her clothes. "May I see what you look like without it?"

"Ah… sure, I guess."

Shrugging off the lab coat and gently placing it over the table, she looked back to her student, folding her arms over her chest.

"Aha, so that's it, isn't it?" Yukinoshita gave off a dangerous grin. "Just as handsomely dressed as you were with our class. Except…" She motioned to her teacher's chest, rounding the air with her hands in a suspiciously perverse motion. "This outfit really doesn't leave much to the imagination. Or maybe it leaves too much for the imagination?"

"Yukinoshita… that kind of comment would be harassment to any other teacher, you know?" She sighed and frowned at her former student. Just because she was in her third year didn't mean she was exempt from maintaining a level of respect.

"But it's you, isn't it? Aren't we so much more than just a former teacher and student by now?" The girl smiled at her, mask in full effect. "And 'Yukinoshita'? You know, you'll be calling my sister that soon. Why don't you just start calling me Haruno instead?"

Hiratsuka regretted that she couldn't have taught the third year class instead. Whatever had happened in the last year, Yukinoshita had reverted back to her initial overly-friendly outlook.

"You know I can't do that…" She leaned against the podium.

"I know, I know. Will you still be my friend though, after I graduate? I am looking forward to it, you know."

"Look, after you graduate, we can go out for a meal, go to a hotspring, do whatever you'd like... I'll even call you 'Haruno' if you want, but not a minute before you graduate."

"Ehh? Really? It makes me happy to hear that! And you'll call me Haruno… we'll be on a first-name basis then?"

First-name basis? That's not what I had in mind, but…

"Ah… yeah, I suppose we will. It wouldn't be fair to you if we weren't."

"Then… it'll be 'Shizuka', instead of sensei, right? Shi-zu-ka… Shizuka-chan, maybe? Ah, that's really cute! Shizuka-chan!"

Shizuka-chan.

The name rang through her head. She remembered the days when she would be relentlessly mocked in high school for being even just the slightest bit different than every other girl. Sure, she was rougher around the edges, but they were the same. Instead, they teased mercilessly her for not being a stuck up, prude bitch like the rest of her class.

'Shizuka-chan', they called her to her face. 'Why aren't you dating somebody?' 'What's with those old clothes from last year?' 'Why don't you wear any makeup?' 'How can you not be into these boy bands?' 'What are you even interested in?' 'Why are you wearing the male uniform?'

Each time a question came up, they laughed at her.

She hated that name.

"Maybe… just Shizuka will be fine."

She winced, knowing full well from the narrowed eyes and fake smile from her student that Yukinoshita wouldn't call her anything but 'Shizuka-chan' when she had the chance.

"Shizuka! Shizuka, over here!"

She quickly hid her lighter and tossed the unlit cigarette away into the field she was standing on, feigning ignorance to it as she turned around to the voice marching up to her.

Haruno paced quickly towards her, hand stretched out and waving to hear in the air. She was still dressed in graduation gown and hat, with her other hand pulling a smaller girl next to her.

Ah, it was Yukimoutoshita.

Smiling, she walked up to the pair.

"We couldn't find you in the gymnasium. Were you sneaking another cigarette again, by any chance?"

"Congratulations on graduating, Haruno." The name was still foreign to her. Previously it had only belonged to her student, rather than serve as her name. She wondered if she would ever get used to calling her students by their first names.

The younger sister looked up to her in surprise when she heard her call her sister by name.

"Only made easier with your graduation, Shizuka-chan. I'll be sure to show you my gratitude in the future, okay?" She brought her hand to her mouth, blocking her lips from her sister's sight. "Maybe even set you up with a guy, what do you say?"

Hiratsuka's eyes narrowed. Haruno's joy for poking fun at anyone she could seemed to only get stronger when she was around her family.

Ignoring her comment, she looked instead to the younger sister, who looked uncomfortable holding her older sister's hand.

"And you must be Yukino, right? I've heard a lot about you from your sister. You'll be entering Sobu in the spring, is that right?"

"Ah! Yes, I am." The girl painfully straightened up, bowing down. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I've heard a bit from you from my sister as well."

Their speech mannerisms couldn't have been anymore different. Compared to Haruno, this sister of hers was so obviously and painfully whipped by discipline and nobility that it was like talking to a character out of literature.

"Well then, Yukinoshita, let's get along well. Your sister here –" she thumbed over to Haruno "made me swear to look after your well-being."

"That's right! Yukino-chan, this is Hiratsuka Shizuka-sensei. My favorite teacher, so please be nice to her!" She held her sister by her shoulders, smiling down at her.

Up close with her student and her sister, Hiratsuka realized just how condescending Haruno could act to another person. She looked at Yukino-san like she was a doll more than an actual sister.

"Ah, well that's it, really Yukino-chan. Sorry to drag you away so suddenly. You can go back home, with mother and father, if you want. You must have been bored here, looking at all of these high school students at their graduation ceremony."

Saying nothing, Yukimoutoshita awkwardly bowed and walked away.

"…That's your sister? Could have fooled me, you two are nothing alike."

"H-huh? What's that supposed to mean, Shizuka-chan?" Haruno feigned surprise, nervously smiling.

"It's like I said, you guys aren't alike at all. Even just from first impressions, you two are on the polar opposites of the energy spectrum."

She crossed her arms and furrowed her brows. She wasn't sure which one of the two would have been harder to deal with.

"You'll like her more, Shizuka-chan." Haruno's quiet voice came from her side, monotone and bleak. "Everybody does, in the end. Yukino-chan is so precious and delicate that everybody sees her as a sprouting flower in the snow."

Whether it was envy or disdain in Haruno's voice, Hiratsuka couldn't tell.

"She'll do whatever she's told, and she'll do it because she thinks she's better than everybody without knowing why. She's so aimless and malleable, she'll let anything in the world shape her into whatever form they want her to be."

Her student's eyes were as cold and steel-ish as she had ever seen. Her own eyes widened in shock at the difference between her hidden expression and her fake one.

"It's so unsettling. I hate that about her." Her voice was laced with venom.

"Haruno, that's-"

"Ah, but don't worry, Shizuka-chan. Deep down, Yukino-chan is a good girl!" Immediately, Haruno killed her harsh tone of speech and resumed her bubbly outlook. "She'll need guidance, I'm sure, but definitely not as much as you gave me. I guarantee that."

In that moment, Hiratsuka shivered by considering that the younger Yukinoshita's fearful and weak presence wasn't so much the result of the pressure of her upbringing…

"So, you can rest assured, Shizuka-chan. Looking after her will be easy."

…but it was due to the former student of hers that she couldn't recognize anymore.

Without saying anything to Haruno, Hiratsuka-sensei considered going back on the promise she had made. Perhaps Haruno hadn't deserved or even needed the peace of mind that she would look after her sister from the corner. Maybe it was just another tactic to remind her sister that Haruno's reach was farther than she had ever imagined.

No. She would, for the sake of the troubled girl she had just met, figure out a true and genuine way to help. One that didn't involve her sister's hand in play.

"Hiratsuka-sensei… if I may ask, why did you call for me? You aren't even teaching students of my year."

Standing in the teacher's office, Yukinoshita Yukino uncomfortably looked at the second-year teacher who was busy looking down into a sheet of paper.

They had met occasionally, though she usually greeted her out of being acquaintances through Haruno-nee-san rather than respect. Even though the teacher in front of her did warrant her respect; in just a little under three years of teaching, Hiratsuka Shizuka was commonly considered as one of the greatest Modern Japanese instructors in Sobu high school, praised for her unique style of teaching and commitment to her students.

But what would the woman want from her, a first year student?

"I spoke with your homeroom teacher, Yukinoshita. To put it bluntly…" The teacher paused for a moment. "You don't have any friends, do you?"

Offended, Yukinoshita fought the urge to glare in response.

"I'd like to think that those in my class and I can cooperate when necessary. Other than that, our relationships are not your business, no offense to you, Hiratsuka-sensei. Frankly, you are not my teacher, so I'm a little confused as to why you care."

She bit her lip, wincing at her tone of voice and sudden outburst at the woman. She hadn't meant for it to sound so retaliatory, even if she had meant every word.

Yet, instead of receiving a scolding as she had expected, Hiratsuka-sensei instead sighed and smiled sadly at her, looking filled with pity. She would never know, but the teacher's motivations were largely to prevent her adolescence from looking anything close to resembling her own.

"I care because I understand a girl like you more than you think. And I'm not just saying that because I used to be your sister's teacher, really."

"Please disregard nee-san's request. It clearly was meant only to trouble you. I can take care of myself, and I don't need you looking over my shoulder to protect me for the sake of her comfort."

Yes, she was fine by herself. She wouldn't need to be watched by her older sister any longer. She promised that to herself when she moved into her apartment by herself, determined to create her life on her own terms.

"Then how about I look after you because I want to, and not because Haruno wants me to?" The teacher in front of her smiled knowingly making her even more uncomfortable.

"I… I suppose if I feel the need for advice, I could always come to you then."

What was this woman thinking?

"Yukinoshita, I'm going to be honest here. Your personality is… pretty coarse. Twisted, even. I won't say anything. But sometimes, the things that I hear other girls in your class say about you... even I get a little upset."

"You're over-exaggerating."

"I'm not. For the entire year, your class' opinion of you is that they all think you're far too perfect and flawless. Annoyingly so. Sometimes, being so quick to offer others your help is the same as insulting them."

With a huff of air, Yukinoshita haughtily looked to the side, avoiding her gaze. She hardly needed a teacher she had only met before criticize her without reason.

"So, Yukinoshita. I know you're the stubborn type. Stubborn enough to walk out of here without me having denting your outlook on life. You want to help people out? That's a noble cause, despite the fact that you're noble to a fault. The problem is that you don't have the right medium for all of that… determination of yours."

The paper on Hiratsuka-sensei's desk was then offered to her, neat writing penned out and bullet pointed for clarity.

"The spring starts soon, doesn't it? You weren't in any clubs this year. How about starting one with me as the advisor in the spring?"

Hesitantly, Yukinoshita took the paper.

"I penned this out earlier last week, but it took me a while to figure out something that you would be interested in. This solves a lot, doesn't it? This way, you can do what you want without being an intrusion, and I can show up as the supervisor for a club." Hiratsuka-sensei looked far too proud at what ultimately was her taking advantage of a situation.

On the top of the sheet, the title of the club was listed in bold letters.

"Service… club? And exactly what kind of activity would this club be performing, sensei?"

Hiratsuka-sensei flashed her a grin, folding her arms knowingly.

"Why, you'll be helping the public! And make no mistake, Yukinoshita. I already know you were meant for it."

With a coy smile, Hiratsuka-sensei reflected back onto a certain other folder she had read from a different first year teacher who had approached her for advice. One of a certain individual in his class who was so socially detached, she cringed upon reading the profile created for him.

An individual who had the eyes that reminded her of a dead fish.

"Besides, I get the feeling you'll meet somebody you can find common ground with, in that club there."

.

.

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[1] An enigmatic 'father' character in Neon Genesis Evangelion. The "gendo pose" is fairly famous/notorious in anime and on the internet.

[2] Machines from the Terminator film franchise; cyborgs designed to look human to more easily infiltrate amongst people.

[3] Yamato nadeshiko(やまとなでしこor 大和撫子?) is a Japanese term meaning the "personification of an idealized Japanese woman", or "the epitome of pure, feminine beauty". - Wikipedia

So this kind of came out of nowhere. I had too many unanswered questions that the light novel hadn't addressed early on, either that or I had completely missed them. And, like everything I ever submit, editing was rushed and I'll most likely backtrack and make grammatical corrections when I have the time. Sorry about that, when you catch it. They're embarrassing for me to find, so I hope there aren't too many. I hope the gaps in time were also evident with the line breaks.

Mostly, I wrote this as an attempt for a character study on Haruno, but ultimately my opinion of her character hasn't changed. I'm not sure where the line exists between Haruno and "crazy bipolar girl", but it sure is interesting to think about.

Also, I've been really wanting to write something with sensei in it, ever since I saw the great scene of her and Hikki standing by the bridge next to her car. Older girls really are the best, aren't they? It might be fanfiction entirely, but I like the idea of a Hiratsuka who shifts her responsibilities with Yukino from "Your sister asked me to, so I'm doing it for her." to "Wow, you're really damaged. I want to help you out, so you can grow past whatever abuse you might have suffered so you don't have to suffer like I did." Basically mirroring her intentions with Hikki.

Additionally, and although this story doesn't have anything in relation to Tortoise other than just characterization, it also sort of serves as a character study to Hiratsuka-sensei too. I'd like to think that her determination in helping out Yukino, and then Hachiman, would eventually come back to haunt her behind the scenes of the Tortoise. Does that make me a terrible person?

Final summation: if nobody chooses Hiratsuka-sensei, I will gladly marry her.

Overall with this fanfic, there were three major questions I wanted to address:

· Hiratsuka Shizuka's introduction as a teacher.

· The process wherein Haruno became 'Haruno' and sensei became 'Shizuka-chan'.

· The origin of the service club.

And surprisingly, it was actually quite easy to wrap them together!

Also, apologies for those anxious on the update to Tortoise. I'm actually close to finishing the next chapter, but I likely won't submit it until the next week, or even after. I only have two more exams that I've been horribly neglecting, so I'm going to be spending every waking hour preparing for those. After that, my winter break will be largely spent playing my backlog of games on Steam, watching my backlog, and writing up Tortoise.

But I couldn't help but write this up an hour into it. It was way too enjoyable, for some reason. I'm finding myself enjoying Haruno's character more and more as I re-read her sections in the light novels, and bring myself down to write more.

Thanks for making it down this far. Review or message away any comments you might have. I read them all and I'm grateful for all of them.