We both held the kiss for what felt like forever. At first I was completely shocked to realize that Hijikata was kissing me, but after a few seconds, it felt right and I couldn't stop myself from kissing the man back; even if he is my teach-

No, this isn't right ...!

I mustered up whatever strength I could gathered and began to push my hands against his chest hoping that I would be able to push him away, but my efforts were for nothing.

My hands resisted my orders and rested along his chest. At last the kiss ended as he slowly backed away from me ...

My lips were still warm from his being pressed against his and slowly I began to feel self-conscious of everything. I quickly covered my mouth with my lips and turned to the side so that I could cover the heat that was rising to my face and appearing on my cheeks.

I tried to calm myself but at the same time I couldn't help but notice that I was short of breath, my chest was heaving up and down very quickly trying to gather air in my lungs.

I felt Hijikata shift as he seated himself at the side of my bed, his hand rested on my head. I winced a little from the pain that was on the back of my head; I had completely forgotten about that.

"Chizuru ..." said Hijikata snapping me back to his presence being beside me.

"How is your head feeling? Sorry, if I was too rough with you back there ..."

I bit my lip and curled up into a ball trying to muster the courage to speak.

"About what we just did-"

I looked away from my hands and up to look at his face but was faced with the back of his head as he was looking at the door to the nurses' room, "S-Sensei ...?

He heard me and turned back to me, he had a faint smile on his face as he spoke, "We'll talk about this later, for now you focus on resting, understand?"

Unconsciously I nodded my head and laid back on the bed as he adjusted my position so that I had my back flat on the mattress.

Just as soon as I settled into the comfy bed the door slid open and Yamazaki walked in.

His face showed confusion as he looked at me and Hijikata. His eyes shifting left and right until he finally spoke, "What happened here, Hijikata-sensei?"

Hijikata brushed his hair back and explained how when he tried to get into the bathroom he didn't know I was in there, at first I thought he was going to tell him the actual truth until he continued saying how when I tried getting out the door wouldn't bulge so he tried to force open and as a result I fell down from having the door fly open out of nowhere.

I tried to hold back the urge to calling him a liar, but then if the truth of what happened got out who knows what would happen. I didn't want to get Hijikata in trouble ...

"So her head is hurt? It's ironic how just earlier you were asking how to treat a head wound." Stated Yamazaki as he sighed and shook his head.

"Well, Hijikata-sensei, thank you for staying with her, I'll take care of the rest."

Hijikata nodded his head and walked to the door stopping as he took a look back at me.

Though he didn't say a word something inside me knew that he was mentally telling me not to say a word about what just happened.

I tried to smile at him to reassure him I wouldn't speak a word but he walked out of the room before I could ...

Out of nowhere all of my energy left my body and my head dropped back onto the pillow, I released a deep sigh as my eyes closed on me. I could hear Yamazaki digging through the cabinets, probably gathering the bandages and medicine for my wound most likely.

I tried opening my eyes but found that they were really heavy and unwilling to move. Slowly I drifted off to sleep, my mind filling with images of Hijikata

ooo

I made my way back to the gymnasium when I heard someone call me out, "Hijikata-sensei, what are you doing out here?"

I stopped and turned to see Okita standing behind me with a grin on his face, "Souji? Shouldn't I be asking you the same thing?"

He laughed and pulled out his cell phone as he explained, "Always so suspicious, sensei. I was just making a call to my sister; she was asking me how Chizuru was doing."

"You guys are close aren't you." I muttered as I turned back to continue making my way to the gym.

"But of course! Dr. Kodo asked my sister to keep an eye on Chizuru while he was away." Said Okita as he began to look through his phone.

"Hey, you know you're not supposed to have that out." I said pointing at the phone.

Okita sighed and put the phone away, "I know, but I thought maybe you wouldn't be such a buzz kill about it."

I shook my head and sighed as well as we both walked back inside.

Once we entered we saw all the students standing around with their shirts off as they waited for their turn to go up.

"Don't' be a perv and stare, sensei." said Okita nudging me at the side.

I shot back a glare as I responded back, "What the hell are you talking? I'm trying to find my class ..."

I scanned to area to see where my class was at, but it seems that we moved to a different location from where I had left them.

"Hmm ..." No sign of anyone, just where the hell did they go?

"Looks like they got buried in the crowd, hm?" said Okita with a grin on his face.

I sighed and brushed my hair back, "I asked Sannan to keep an eye on them, looks like they got pushed up in the line."

"Sucks for you then, as for me Sanosuke-sensei is right over there so I'll leave you." Said Okita as he waved at me while walking off.

"Oi, Souji, if you want your phone out for today then text Heisuke or Saitou to look for me."

He paused for a second then pulled out his phone, "Sure thing, but you can't go being mad at me if you see me with my phone for the rest of today."

"Just this once!" I yelled at him making sure he heard me.

He lazily waved his hand in the air showing that he heard but didn't really care.

"I swear, he such a pain in the ass at times."

"Oi! Sensei, we're over here!"

I looked up towards the right and saw Heisuke waving his arms in the air trying to catch my attention, "How the hell did you guys end up over there?"

I made my way through the sea of students and arrived at my class to see that majority of the students were missing, "Okay, where is everybody?" I said in an annoyed tone.

Saitou raised his hand up and spoke, "They're undergoing their examinations right now, we just finished up and were told to come here and wait for you."

"Is that so." I looked at my students and counted 10 with us right now.

"If we're done here then there's no reason for us stay here, I guess we can head back to the classroom."

"What about everyone else, sensei?" asked Heisuke.

"I'll go over to Sannan and tell him to send them to the room, the rest of you start moving." I ordered as I left them.

"Don't worry, Hijikata-sensei, Saitou'll make sure we make it there!" yelled Heisuke before running out of the gym laughing.

Maybe I made a bad call? But then again, Saitou is part of the Student Discipline Committee so I doubt the other students will try to pull anything.

I chuckled at the thought of Saitou lecturing any of them for doing something against school regulations, "That's Saitou for you." I said to myself.

"Ah, Hijikata, I'm just about done with your students." Said Sannan as I approached the table he was seated at while he wrote notes about the students.

"I know, the others told me. I just wanted to tell you to tell the rest of them to head back to my room when you're done with them."

Sannan smiled softly as he nodded his head, "Of course, I'll do just that."

I nodded my head back, and started heading back to the class.

"You seriously kissed her!?"

I stopped dead in my tracks and shot a glare back at whoever said that fearing that they saw what happened between me and Chizuru earlier, but much to my relief there were two students gossiping with one another, it seems that one of the two had their first kiss with a girl from Shimabara.

I let out a sigh of relief knowing that I wasn't caught and quickly tried making it to the door but was stopped once again when I heard a familiar voice speak up, "Where have you been Hijikata?"

I felt an arm warp place itself around my back the hand hanging off my shoulder as Sanosuke leaned on me, "What happened to just getting the papers for Sannan?"

I rolled my head to the side trying to hide my lie as I answered, "Something happened that needed my attention to."

Sanosuke whistled before answer, "Must be something pretty serious to keep you away from your students for a while."

I shrugged and moved his hand away, "I guess so."

"Where you heading to now?" asked Sanosuke as I started walking away.

"Half of my students are done with their examinations, so I sent them to our room." I answered back not slowing down my pace.

Sanosuke nodded in his slowly before his eyes caught two kids goofing around, "H-Hey, you two knock it off!"

I rolled up my sleeve slightly to take a glimpse of my watch and saw that we still had an hour left before lunch. I really hope it passes by quick so I can speak with Chizuru about what happened earlier.

Her mind must me a complete mess right about now ...

ooo

"My mind is a complete mess right about now ..." I sighed burying my head into the pillow.

"Now Chizuru, you know you're supposed to take it easy right now." Said Yamazaki as he was dusting off some of Sannans' equipment.

I sat up careful to ensure that I didn't cause any unnecessary pain to my head as I patted my hands down on the blanket over my legs, "How long do I have to stay here, Yamazaki?"

"Maybe until lunch, but then again I don't think you should be moving around during then."

"But then how would I get my lunch!?" I questioned pouting my cheeks out a bit.

"I would go get it for you of course." Answered back Yamazaki.

"I see ..." I muttered in defeat. Yamazaki was always someone that once they had their mind made up they refused to change it easily.

But I have to get out of here soon, I need to talk to him ... About that kiss ...

I touched my lips gently with the tips of my index finger and noted how cold they were. The warmth from his lips were gone ...

"Hijikata-sensei ..."

"Hm? What did you say Chizuru?"

I snapped out of my thoughts and waved my hands around, "N-N-Nothing, Yamazaki! I guess my head is still a little fuzzy!" I didn't help myself trying to appear as casual with this awkward nervous laugh that came out of my mouth. I literally slapped my hand over my mouth and cursed myself for that stupid act just now.

Yamazaki looked at me all awkward that his eyebrow was raised and his mouth was slightly opened as though he was trying to form something to say but in the end he shook his head and continued dusting.

I thanked the Heavens for letting me off the hook.

"Yamazaki~?"

"What is it now Chizuru?"

"Can I go to the bathroom?"

"You don't need to ask you know, there's a bathroom right over there." He said pointing to the bathroom in the room.

I winced a bit remembering that that specific door caused me my current pain, "You mean the room where I got trapped in?"

Yamazaki looked up from the stethoscope with a blank stare as though he realized I had a point. He was quiet for a few seconds before dropping his head back down to continue wiping but during so he spoke, "True, I guess you can go to the one down the hallway, but don't overexert yourself, okay?"

I nodded my head and smiled, "Of course Yamazaki! Thank you so much!" I threw the covers off my legs and rushed out of the infirmary.

It wasn't until I was down the hall that I realized the ground beneath me was freezing cold that it dawned on me I forgot to put my shoes back on.

I slapped my hand on my head calling myself an idiot but only proved my stupidity by crying out a bit, "O-Ow, I forgot not the head ...!"

Boy, was my heads in the clouds right about now. All I could think about was Hijikata and how much I wanted to talk to him right now that I forgot how sensitive my head was right now.

"We need to take this nice and slow Chizuru, you can't go back to the infirmary to get your shoes." Looks like the only thing I could do was continue on in my socks.

I don't know why but I was tiptoeing as though someone would end up hearing my footsteps which were barely even audible.

Why am I so nervous about? I'm just roaming around the school I attend, so why be on alert for anything?

"Chizuru?"

I stopped and covered my mouth trying to hide my faint scream and quickly moved to the trash can that was stationed in the hallway. I curled up behind it and remained still as I heard someone walk into that same hallway.

"She's still in the infirmary."

"Okita ...?" I peeked out from behind the trashcan and saw Okita was standing in the middle of the hallway talking into his cellphone.

"You know you call a lot asking about Chizuru, when are you ever going to call to ask about me?" asked Okita with a frown on his face as he twirled one of the ends of his hair around his finger.

"Is he talking to Mitsu?" I asked myself.

"Hm~? Sis you're yelling again."

I faintly giggled, "I was right..."

"Okay, okay, I get how much you wanted a little sister, but you can't forget you have a little brother too." Whined Okita.

I heard his footsteps coming closer towards me that I panicked and covered my eyes hoping that if I couldn't see him he wouldn't have been able to see me either. I felt my heart knocking on my chest that I feared for a moment that Okita would be able to hear my heartbeat!

"Sis, you're breaking up again, mind if I call you back during lunch?" asked Okita his voice barely passing by me as he walked, "That's good? Alright then, I'll talk to you later."

I peeked between my eyes and saw Okita walking down the hallway as he waved his hand as though he was waving good-bye to someone in front of him, "Later sis~" And with that he hanged up his phone.

I considered this as my only opportunity to get away that I started tip-toeing again still crouching downwards making my way around the trashcan.

I heard Okita stop walking that I froze in place and looked back at him to see if he saw me. I felt my face go pale as I was met with green eyes and a playful smile as though a cat had just found a mouse to play with.

"O-Okita-senpai, w-what are you doing out here?" I asked back with a nervous laugh.

Okita titled his head to the side closing his cell phone and tugging both hands along with his cell phone into his pocket, "Hello Chizuru, shouldn't I be asking you that same question?"

I looked around to see something that I could use an excuse but to no avail all that was near me was this trashcan.

"Chizuru, shouldn't you be in the infirmary with Yamazaki?" asked Okita taking a step towards me.

"Y-Yes, but I was heading towards the bathroom."

Okita's smile grew even more as he pointed behind him, "You know you already passed it right?"

"R-Really?" I didn't realize that!" I said pretending to scratch the back of my head with my hand.

I saw Okita's eyes open big as he pointed at me, "What happened to you, your head is bandaged up."

"O-Oh! I-I accidently tripped so Yamazaki helped me wrap up the wound."

"Oh~ I see then." He walked up to me and grabbed my hand pulling me up to my feet, "Let's get you back to the infirmary."

"N-No, I'm not going back until I use the bathroom!"

Yamazaki looked at me with a grin and questioned, "Do you really even have to use it?"

I panicked again and pointed at his phone, "Hey you had your phone out, I'm going to tell!"

"Is that so~ I got permission from Hijikata-sensei that I could use it all day today." Answered Okita with a hum to his voice with each word he spoke.

"Are you serious!?"

He nodded his head and pulled me close to him, "Yes, I am serious, now let's get you to the infirmary so you can rest up."

Before I knew it, we were back at the infirmary.