"P-P-Professor Hiratsuka?!"
Suddenly wrapped in Hiratsuka Shizuka's gentle embrace, Hikigaya's heart raced wildly like a startled deer. He froze, completely at a loss.
On the bridge, the sea breeze blew softly around them. A shy young man being held in the arms of a mature older woman—this scene painted a picturesque and tender moment.
It was gentle. It was warm.
Hiratsuka-sensei's embrace brought a sense of safety.
And...
What was that...?
It smelled so good...
Hiratsuka-sensei's gentle embrace was way too unfair!
Hikigaya's body trembled slightly.
His hands, almost moving of their own accord, ached to hold the woman before him, to wrap around her, to feel more of that warmth.
But just as that instinct surged, the image of Hiratsuka-sensei's earlier words—her guidance—and Yukinoshita's face flashed through his mind.
In the end...
He held himself back. Hands trembling, he let them fall to his sides, letting her hold him without returning the embrace.
"Feeling a bit better now?"
Hiratsuka's voice was soft, her tone gentle.
"Y-Yeah... a lot better..." Hikigaya replied haltingly.
"Haha, that's good. I'm glad to hear it."
Hiratsuka smiled and slowly let go of him.
"It's about time. I'll drive you back to Chiba now. Be sure to spend some proper time with Yukinoshita once you're home."
With that—
She turned to walk back toward the car.
Hikigaya stood there in silence, watching her retreating figure.
Just as she reached the door, he suddenly called out:
"Wait, Hiratsuka-sensei."
"Hm?"
She turned back, a playful grin tugging at her lips.
"What, you want me to keep holding you? You little punk—trying to take advantage of your teacher?"
"N-No! That's not it!"
His face flushed red. He shook his head quickly, then took a deep breath and said:
"Advanced Nurturing High is nothing like a regular high school like Sōbu. Most of the students there come with... special problems. For someone like you, teaching there—it's honestly a loss."
"Huh? You brat, are you actually worried about me now?" Hiratsuka laughed and scolded. "Don't worry. I'm doing fine. Any student who gets out of line, I'll knock 'em back in place with my fists!"
She raised her fist as she spoke, swinging it through the air with such force that Hikigaya could almost hear the wind whooshing.
"Yup. That's the Iron Fist of Hiratsuka-sensei for you. Terrifying as ever."
Watching her exaggerated punches, Hikigaya chuckled wryly.
"Huh?! Iron Fist?!"
"Not a name I came up with," Hikigaya quickly clarified.
Still swinging her fists, Hiratsuka growled:
"Those damn kids—giving me ridiculous nicknames! They better hope I never find out who started it, or they're dead meat!"
With that intimidating aura, she looked like a fearsome demon straight out of a manga.
Hikigaya couldn't help but shiver as flashbacks of her wrestling techniques came to mind. They were equal parts traumatic and... oddly alluring.
"All right, let's get going."
Like a cool heroine, Hiratsuka gave him a sharp turn and headed for the car.
But—
Hikigaya reached out and grabbed her arm.
"Intimidation can work, sure—but only if you actually can back it up. That's what makes it effective."
"Well, duh. Of course I can back it up."
"No."
Hikigaya shook his head, eyes serious as he looked at her.
"For delinquents or students who outright defy authority, yeah, violence might work. But the students at Advanced Nurturing High... they're cunning. They won't come at you head-on like the idiots at Sōbu. And besides... you've got one critical weakness."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Hiratsuka scoffed. "You underestimating me? I don't need a lecture. Worry about yourself. I'm taking you back, let's go."
She tried to break free and head toward the car.
"Hiratsuka-sensei!"
Holding on tightly, Hikigaya took a deep breath and said, from the bottom of his heart:
"You're... too kind."
"Eh?"
Hiratsuka froze.
Hikigaya continued.
"You put up that whole 'Iron Fist' act to scare them, but deep down... you care more about your students than anyone else. You love them more than anyone else. Whenever they're in trouble, you're always the first to think about how to help, how to support them..."
"Hi-Hikigaya, what are you even saying...?" Hiratsuka looked at him, dazed.
Hikigaya pressed on:
"You once told me, 'Being too kind only makes people worry.' Let me return those words to you now."
Advanced Nurturing High isn't like Sōbu at all.
It's full of complicated students, each with their own issues.
Sure, Hiratsuka-sensei was strong. But managing a class like that, all by herself? The pressure must be crushing. And knowing her, she'd want to help every single one of them, no matter how broken they were.
Honestly, someone like Haruno would be more suited for a place like that—a devil in disguise.
But Hiratsuka-sensei?
She was just too kind for that kind of place.
"Hikigaya, you..."
She stared at him, stunned. Her eyes flicked away after a few seconds, and she mumbled:
"You don't need to worry about me... just mind your own business..."
"Sigh... as I thought. You're just too kind, Hiratsuka-sensei."
With those words—
Hikigaya pulled her into an embrace.
"Y-You—Hikigaya! What are you—what do you think you're doing?!"
"You comforted me earlier... now it's my turn to comfort you."
"Y-You brat..."
She pouted, half-muttering—
But as she breathed in the calm, steady warmth of the boy in her arms, she gradually relaxed.
Before she realized it, her own arms had wrapped around him in return.
And in the end, like a delicate woman, she leaned into his chest.
"T-Thank you..."
That soft, tender voice...
It was like silk gliding through his ears.
All the "Iron Fist" intimidation was gone—in this moment, Hiratsuka Shizuka was just a beautiful, vulnerable woman who drew out your sympathy and affection.
Add to that her mature charm...
Her sensuous figure...
There was no denying it—Hiratsuka-sensei, in this moment, was simply too incredible.
Hiratsuka-sensei...
At the end of the day, she was still a woman.
"P-P-Professor Hiratsuka..."
"Hikigaya..."
Their eyes locked.
The air between them sizzled, as though sparks were about to fly—
But just then.
A ringtone shattered the silence.
The flushed pair snapped out of it in an instant.
Scrambling for his phone, Hikigaya's hands trembled as he saw the name on the screen.
"I-It's Yukinoshita?!"