"Kumiko, this is too embarrassing. And I'm sure your students know already." Ryuichiro-san looked at the two boys, and they nodded quickly. Ryu looked down, and Hayato shifted on his mat. "Please, for Kumiko, keep this a secret. Her job is in danger if our background is revealed." He bowed to him. The students both looked uncomfortable as the whole kumi bowed to them, including Kumiko.

"We won't tell. It doesn't really matter for us, anyway. Yankumi's background." Hayato regained his indifferent composure, and Ryu did the same. But they couldn't help but smile as Kumiko pulled them into a tight hug and yelled something about her and her precious students racing towards the rising sun. Hayato grinned at her cheesy remark. He realized he was smiling for another reason, too. She smelled like lilacs. It was his favorite smell. She was lovely, and her hair was down and it was covering him in a thin layer, and she- Why am I thinking like this? Calm down, Yabuki. You have no right to like your teacher. That's gross. Besides, it's... it's... Yankumi. If he had already graduated, and he liked her, then that was different. But they were still her students!
"Yabuki. Oi, Yabuki." He realized Ryu was poking him. "Ryuuichiro-san asked us to stay for the night." Oh, god. A night? At a time like this? "He said we could share a room with Yankumi, because she's our teacher, and there's no other bedroom." A night.. with Yankumi?! That's ridiculous. But Hayato could already feel his heart beating like crazy.
"Uh, yeah. That's cool. Arigatou gozaimasu, Ryuuichirou-san." He kept a straight face, and closed his eyes to try to calm his growing excitement. Hayato turned to Kumiko. "Yankumi, yoroshiku." He knew he would be staying for a while. He didn't know why, but somehow, he knew he would. Suddenly, he stood up, drawing the attention of Ryu, Kumiko, Ryuuichiro-san, and the rest of the kumi. He needed to be alone and think. "Uh... can I... Do you have a bath?"

Ryu caught on that Hayato was nervous, and stood up as well. "Yeah, we'd like to take a bath. Is that okay?" He glanced nervously at Hayato, who gave him a thumbs-up behind his back.

Minoru pushed his stout body up. "Sure," he said, "right past that corridor. I'll take you." The chubby man guided Hayato and Ryu, who shuffled along, glancing behind them.

Ryu could tell that Hayato liked Kumiko. He wondered whether to tell him, but decided not to. An angry Hayato was not a pretty sight. He wondered if Hayato himself had realized it yet. In secret, he thought that they made a nice couple. Under his breath, he whispered, "Go for it, Hayato."