Its not your fault Kiriyu-kun... The smile she had on her face as she saw the notification stating he had sent her a message disappeared. She held the phone tightly with the screen still displaying his message. A hint of sadness could be seen in her eyes. 

She didn't reply to his apology. She turned her phone off and placed it back down on to her desk, laying flat on the wooden surface. She goes back to her work, a little hurt.

--------------------

It was now the next morning. Miss Sakurai got ready for work, silently. No words left her mouth. She was still thinking about yesterday. The message he sent.

She closes her closet and exited her house.

She was now outside of her apartment. She locks the door and then turns around. She takes deep breath in and then lets it out. This was one of her ways of calming herself down. She had to calm herself to make sure the message wouldn't disturb her work.

....

After a while she made it to the school.

She enters the faculty room and takes a seat at her desk. She starts reviewing today's lesson plan. 

It was only 7:00. There was still an hour and a half before students get here and 30 minutes before the sports teams start their morning practice. The teachers still had quite a bit of time.

{Kiriyu's Side}

Just like yesterday, she wasn't there waiting for him. She probably won't be coming again today. He thought to himself, a little sad. He thought it was kinda lonely having to go to school alone. He wondered when they could go to school together once again.

....

After a while he made it to the school.

Just like yesterday, she wasn't there, sitting on her desk. It was already pretty late. There was only about 5 minutes before the bell rings and school starts. Kiriyu got to school a little later then usual today. Walking alone feels lonely and makes him unmotivated, making his body move slower. When he's with Hina, his body just keeps moving. It's much more enjoyable. 

He walks over to his desk and takes a seat, waiting for class to start. He places his palm on his cheek and looks out the window, staring at the cloudy sky. 

I guess I won't be able to meet Sensei anymore... Suddenly, a memory from his past seeped inside of his mind. How boring... His expression turns serious and glum. He was glaring while looking out the window. By 'boring', he's referring to the new 'life' he will be having. Not being able to meet her anymore. His new days will be filled with boredom.

After a while, the bell rang and Miss Sakurai entered the room. She took attendance and just like that, classes started once again.

....

As she talks and points at the board, Kiriyu was thinking about other things. He watched her with his palms placed on his cheeks, a little sad. He wasn't fully ready. He wasn't ready to accept what he said in the message from last night. He understood full well, it was for the best. That the safest way for them to continue this relationship is for them to not to meet. He himself came up with the idea and yet, he couldn't fully accept the reality of it. Though, there is no going back anymore. What's been done can't be reversed any longer.

At that moment, he told himself not to think about those things anymore. He started paying attention to the lesson.  

After a while it was finally lunch.

Miss Sakurai left the room and went outside to eat with Mikasa-Sensei. They sat at their usual spot.

"What wrong, Kyo-chan?" Mikasa-Sensei asks, looking at her lunch box. She barely even touched her lunch. Miss Sakurai was looking at the box with glum expression.

"Huh?" She responds, surprised while looking at her. "What do you mean?" She asks her confused.

"...You don't seem well today. You seem down a bit. Are you alright?"

"D-down? What are you talking about? I'm perfectly fine!" She sends her a stiff smile, trying to prove she was alright.

"..." Mikasa-sensei just looked at her doubtful and a little worried. She didn't fall for her lie. "I see." She says. "Well then eat up!" She holds up a piece of fried chicken(karrage) with her chopsticks and turns it towards Miss Sakurai. "Say 'ah'~"

Miss Sakurai was hesitant, but in the end gave in. She leaned forward and took the omelet off the chopsticks.

"Pretty good, right?" Mikasa-sensei, says, smiling.

"Yeah...." She says, blushing a little bit, embarrassed by the feeding part. 

"If anything ever bothers you, you can tell, alright? After all, we're friends!" She looks at her and smiles once again. Miss Sakurai looked at her surprised for a second.

She was a little happy by what she said. It was the first time she had this kind of feeling. Other then from her parents, this feeling was a first. The feeling of closeness and 'love'(non-romantic: friends, family and animals).

"Yeah!" She smiles at her. Mikasa-sensei stared at Miss Sakurai, stunned. It was the first time she saw her smile in the couple years they've been friends. Mikasa-sensei gave her a warm smile in return.

Lunch continued for the two. 

Kiriyu on the other hand sat alone for lunch again. He wondered when she would come back while looking beside him. It was as if the short period of lunch was for hours even though it was a little less 60 minutes in reality. 45 minutes to be precise. The steadiness of time became apparent to Kiriyu once again. It was as if time had stopped. With Hina by his side at lunch, time passed by much faster. 

The eternity-like lunch ended and it was time to head back to class.

With the inability of seeing Miss Sakurai and the absence of Hina, school was once again starting to get boring. One minute felt like an hour, an hour felt a day. Endless bordem.

Time slowly passed by as she continued her lesson and finally, the bell signaling the end of the day rang.

Kiriyu stood up and started packing his things, ready to leave for the day.

After packing all his things, he heard a voice calling him. A female voice. It was Miss Sakurai. He looks up and sees her looking at him. 

"Kiriyu, you stay. I need to talk to you." She says. He looked at her a little confused and surprised. 

The other students left and it was once again, just the two of them.

The boy was still confused. Did he do something wrong? Was this even a part of her role as a teacher, or was it part of something else? Her other self. The lover one.

He stood up and walked over to her. He was now in front of her. In the middle of the class.

"Um, why did you tell me stay, Sensei. Did I do something wrong?" He asks, breaking the long silence. Did she catch him thinking about other things during class?

"'Something wrong'...?" She looks down. She clenches her fist and then a little after takes out her phone. "This is whats wrong!" She yells, showing her phone to him. On the phone was the message from last night. Kiriyu looked at her a little surprised. It was the first time she yelled at him(other then in class).

He takes a closer look at the message. It was indeed the one from last night. "I just think... its for the best..." He says, looking to the side while attaching one of his arm onto the other. "Hina- Hanabi-san already found out about our relationship. If we keep meeting up and act like we normally do, then, more people will learn of the secret." He looks up her with eyes that had a hint of sadness. 

"..." She stayed silent.

"I'm sorry. It's all my fault. If it wasn't for my selfishness then-" He says, once again, looking to the side feeling guilty about his action, making him unable to look her in the eye, but was cut off.

"It's not your fault..." She says, softly, looking down at the wooden floorboard. Kiriyu looks at her. "It's not your fault! It's my fault in the first place for proposing this secret! So... please don't blame yourself..." She lays her head against her his chest. He felt a small wet sensation- like water on his uniform. It was tears. He looks down at her shocked and surprised. "This was a risk from the start. I knew that and yet, I still took it," She gets off of him. "So, its my fault." She smiles at him with a slight blush that came from the realization that she was against his chest.

"Sensei..." He looked at her stunned. Kiriyu felt something in his chest as he saw her blinding smile. It was like he wanted to do something. Something that may hurt their relationship as it is right now.

"And, I-its not like I hate it when you tease me or anything..." She says, looking to the side blushing, while covering her mouth with the back of her hand. "I guess it can be annoying sometimes, but its not that bad... I guess..." She was still blushing.

The next thing she knew. She was being embraced by Kiriyu. His arms wrapped around her back. Her warmth rubbed against his. They could both feel each others warmth as there bodies came in contact. 

Kiriyu couldn't hold back anymore. The feeling he got in his chest took control of him. 

Miss Sakurai was a little surprised at first, but soon gave in. She wraps her arms around his back and the two stayed like that for a while. 

Miss Sakurai pushes him back after a little bit. "T-that's enough..." She says, blushing.

"Alright~" He smiles at her, happy he got to embrace her and because she didn't push away as he wrapped his arms around her warm and soft back.

He kept watching her as her face continued to stay red. There was quite the long silence between them. 

"...Can we still meet...?" She finally asks, curious, looking up at Kiriyu. 

He was a little taken aback by what she just said.

She had eyes that said she wanted to continue like before.

He thought hard on what she said. He kept pondering and thinking of the consequences of his decision. This was probably the hardest he ever had to think about something in his life. In his 16 years of life. He was reluctant to say yes. 

"...Sure." But in end gave in.

Her face brims with happiness, in response to his positive answer. She gives him a smile. His face on the other hand started turning a slight shade of red after witnessing her joyful smile. The smile that appeared after him saying 'yes' to the two meeting each other again.

She turns her body and then starts walking through the gap between the desk. He watched her confused, not sure what she was trying to do. 

She was now behind him. He was even more confused now. She picks his bag that was on the desk next to him and puts his in his hand.

He then suddenly felt a gentle touch that turned into a gentle push. She was pushing him from behind and forcing him walk forward. 

The two were now in front of the door. She opens it. He watches her open it, still confused. 

She pushes him out the door after it was open. He was now outside of the door. On the other side of the door. 

"Y-you should go home now! I still need to finish some work!" She says, looking at him one last time and then closes the door shut, slightly blushing. 

Kiriyu was a little surprised, but his surprise soon turned into a smile. He starts walking away with his bag in his in hand, satisfied. In the end, he wasn't in trouble(only his heart was), it was just her lover self in play, not her teacher self.

Miss Sakurai whom was on the other side of the door leaned against it and had a smile. She herself was a little happy as to how it worked out. 

Kiriyu walked down the streets until he made it to his house. He does his usual routine, taking his shoes off and then entering the apartment, taking his uniform off and changing into his house wear.

He laid down on his bed with his forehead on his head. 

In the end, we agreed on going back to normal. Even after I said we shouldn't anymore. It seems I wasn't prepared for that. How pathetic. Another smile sprouts on his face. He was happy with how things turned out. Even though what's happening now is contradicting what he said in the message. He was still very satisfied with the new decision.

After a little bit he leaves his room and goes to his fridge. It was once again time for him to buy more groceries. His fridge was pretty much empty, once again.

He decided to go shopping and left the house.

...

Hina walked along the sidewalk and spotted two adult men that looked like they were delinquents or some type gang members or something- fighting on the same sidewalk she was walking on. 

She decided she would go through another route but couldn't. There were countless cars on the street and there were no nearby crosswalk. The nearest one was on the other side. It was a little too far.

Without any options left, she decides to take the risk.

She tries walking past the two, ignoring them. 

"Oi girly!! Where do you think ur going, huh!!?!" One of the gangsters yelled, looking at her with a fierce look. He was completely pissed.

The other one also looked at her. He also had the same look. 

Hina backed up, frightened.

The two men walk up to her. One of them raised his left hand up in the air, ready to hurt her. He swung his arm. 

Save me... Kazu...! I'm scared! Please save me!! She flinched, scared. Her eyes closed.

"Oi! What do you think you're doing to my friend?!" A boy says with a voice filled with rage while looking at the man. It was a familiar voice. Hina slowly opens her eyes.

It was Kiriyu. He caught the hand that was about to hurt her, restricting him from throwing the hit.

Kiriyu was glaring at the man with eyes that looked like he was gonna kill him.

Hina looks up at his hand. It looked he was gripping it with a lot of force. The man was even starting to look like he was in pain. 

"K... Kazu... I-I think that's enough..." She says a little surprised that she met him.

He looks at her surprised and then slowly loosens the grip.

Once it was loose enough, the man that's hand was held ran away and so did the other one.

Kiriyu was about to run after them but was stopped by Hina. 

"Are your sure?" He asks.

"Mhm." She nods her head.

He looks at her. "...Are you alright?" He asks worried, looking at the direction the delinquents ran and then looking back at her. When he looked at the direction they ran, he was glaring at it with the same amount of blood lust from before.

"..." There was silence. He leaned against his chest just like how Miss Sakurai did a little earlier. 

Kiriyu felt another wet sensation on his white uniform. This time there were more.

She starts crying. He looks at her worried. 

"Are yo-"

"Thank you for saving me Kazu! I was so scared!" Tears drip down from her eyes. "I'm sorry I was ignoring you!" She didn't answer any of his calls or messages.

He smiled at her. He gives her a pat on the head. "There is no reason to thank me for help you. I mean, we are friends, after all!" He says while smiling. She looks up at him, a little surprised by what he said.

"Friends, eh..." She says, softly in a dejected tone. Although it was his first time he said something like that, she still...

Kiriyu wondered if she said anything but decide not to say anything as he wasn't fully sure. She gets off of him and sends him a smile. 

"Ah right! I gotta go shopping, wanna come with?" He asks with a slight smile on his face, remembering the real reason he came out.