I was hiding in the classroom’s storage locker. A metal locker at the back of the classroom where we store our cleaning supplies.

Kurumi shoved me in here after they stripped me naked. That girl always has super human strength when she puts her mind to it.

Just what are those two thinking? If I am caught like this

“Hinata?”

I heard Takashi call out to me. My heart began to pound inside my chest.

“Hinata, I have got your clothes.”

Eh… he has my clothes.

“I will put them here and leave.”

“Wait… Don’t leave.”

“Eh!”

I opened the door slightly and peeked outside. Takashi had his back turned against me. On the desk next to him I saw my clothes. My face burned red hot when I saw my bra and panty there.

He saw them my bra and panty.

I don’t know why but I was super embarrassed by it. No. That’s a lie. I knew exactly why.

It was because Takashi was different from my exes.

“I will get dressed. If someone comes. Act as my shield okay?”

He nodded when at my request.

As I got dressed I used this opportunity to ask him the question that was on my mind all this time.

“Takashi, why did you confess to me? I mean, it clearly wasn’t to lose your virginity."

“Hmm… Even if you ask me that. I don’t know if I can answer the question properly.”

“Do you love me?”

“I do.” He said it without hesitation

“When did you fall for me?”

“Hmm… I was interested in you when I first saw you at the end of my second year. I saw you with your friends and I quickly got interested in you, but at that time I heard you were seeing someone so I kept my distance."

When I heard that I couldn't help but hate myself a little. Had not been throwing myself at every boy that came my way then I could have met him sooner.

"When my third year started I overheard some guys saying you had already broken up with someone and they debated whether to ask you out or not. I don’t know what came over me but I immediately started looking for you and confessed. You have no idea how happy I was when you accepted. ”

“My past… What do…?”

“I love you Hinata… I won’t lie… Your past does bother me from time to time but if I let that be the reason why I don’t try and make this work. I feel like I will regret it forever.”

“…”

“Don’t sell yourself short. You are honest and kind and hardworking. You are pretty and smell really nice. I want to spend a lot of time with you. I want us to be boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“…”

“Rather than your past, I am more concerned about your future. Will you still want to date me? Will you find someone else? I am not good-looking or anything. I know you can do better than me, so… Hinata?”

He turned around and found me crying.

This dupe. Just who is selling themselves short here?

“You are a wonderful guy Takashi. I know you can get a better girlfriend than me. Someone who is still a virgin or at least someone who doesn’t have the title of slut hanging over her head.”

He didn’t reply to my words and just stood there. I couldn’t bear to look at him and turned my head to the side but he turned it back with his hand.

He looked deep into my crying eyes.

“I am weird you to know. What other people think is often not what I think. That’s why, rather than placing importance on someone’s first. I think their last is the most important. Hinata… I want to be you last.”

What is love?

Is it something that comes once in a lifetime?

Is it something you receive from someone eternally?

When sensei left me, I felt like I lost a part of me. I tried desperately to fill the hole left behind.

There was nothing I wouldn’t do to fill that hole. I hurt my sister because of my selfish desire.

I wanted to find the happiness that I once had.

However, listening to Takashi I find myself thinking.

Was what I had love?

Why is it that what I feel for Takashi is the same if not more than what I felt that time?

Have I fallen in love with Takashi?

Yes… I have.

I kissed him.

I wrapped my hands around his neck and kissed him.

I wasn’t going to let go. I wanted to be with him. I wanted him to embrace me in his arms.

And as he did. I could feel his warmth, his breath, and his heartbeat.

It was beating just as fast as mine.

Sensei's heart never beat like this when we embraced.

But that doesn’t matter now, because Takashi isn’t sensei. He is Takashi. And I wouldn’t change that for anything.

After we stopped kissing his red face was cute to see. But, I couldn’t make fun of it, my face was also feeling hot.

“Shall we go home?” he asked.

I simply nodded. I wanted to be with him but I was too embarrassed to be with him.

Is this what being in love feels like? It’s different from what I felt with sensei. Maybe, just maybe… not sensei but Takashi is truly my first love?

As I thought this as I heard the classroom door slide open behind Takashi. Perhaps Haruko and Kurumi had returned to see what had happened.

I will pay them back for striping me naked.

“This is the class I will be teaching next semester right.”

My heart stopped its pounding.

I knew that voice.

I could never forget that voice.

As Takashi stepped aside I saw with my own eyes who had uttered those words.

My eyes widened when I saw his face.

“Eh… Is that you Hinata-chan? Long time no see.” He said cheerfully

“Sensei Hiro.”