Spins off from Gokusen manga Volume 10 Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not down either Gokusen or KHR. The idea just bit me and would not let go.

Shin could not help but recall what Yakumi said in school, 'just a friend? …Or someone closer?'

Pausing, he let out a noisy sigh and ran his hand roughly through his hair. Looking in the direction of where Yakumi should be, according to her plans, he frowned, 'knowing Yakumi… Her plans will get wrecked and she'll be found out… Tch, troublesome.' Pressing his lips together, he quickly reached into his pocket and removed his handphone, dialing a familiar number.

"…Oi, Kuma? I'm going to Aotama High. …No, it's ok. …Ok, see ya," he pocketed his phone before switching direction and heading straight towards Aotama High, a small frown apparent on his face.

He let out a soft whistle when he finally reached his destination. 'So this was the school I was supposed to go to,' he raised an eyebrow at the cluster of buildings.

High walls surrounded the area and the only entrance in had a security guard manning it. 'I don't think that Shirokin had a security guard… Ever.' He looked around, and true enough, unless he wished to scale the walls, the only way in seemed to be through the front gates.

Pushing himself up from the wall he was leaning against, Shin prepared to charm his way into the school before he felt himself bump into someone.

Tsuna sighed to himself as he got ready to head home, his hands automatically packing the various books back into his schoolbag. It felt weird returning to a house without his mother, or pseudo-siblings waiting there to welcome him. But then, it can't be helped, Aotama High was the best school he could enter with his scores, and Lambo, I-Pin and the rest still had to attend their schools in Namimori.

One thing is for sure; his life had gotten a lot more peaceful ever since he started Aotama Senior High, yet, a part of him wished that he was back in middle school, where he had his entire family around him.

"Tsuna! Want to go home together?" Hayato called out loudly, smiling even as he roughly shoved aside the people in his way.

"Oi, Gokudera! You aren't allowed to go home! There's a class representative meeting remember?" The second class representative, Yamada Keiichi shouted from across the class.

A frown formed on his face as Hayato prepared to yell back and demand his way, before a hand on his shoulder stopped him. "—Tsuna?"

"It's alright Hayato, I can make it home myself. Go attend that class representative meeting," Tsuna smiled and signaled his friend closer before continuing, "can you imagine Reborn finding out that you've been skipping your duties? Take it as training for our future… jobs."

Eyes brightening, Hayato nodded his head furiously and replied, "yes, Juu— I mean, Tsuna! You always have the best ideas!"

Internally sweatdropping, Tsuna just scratched his head sheepishly. 'That isn't my idea Hayato… Although I am glad that you go to such lengths for me…' He quietly reminded Hayato to be back before dinner, since it's his turn to cook today, before saying his goodbyes and leaving the classroom.

'I think I better to stop by the supermarket since the fridge looked pretty empty this morning…' Tsuna was mentally trying to compile a list on what to buy and let his feet lead the way, not paying attention to anyone and thus missed seeing the guy who just stood up.

"—!" He walked straight into the guy and fell on his butt.

Snapping his eyes open, the first thing that caught his eye was the bright red hair of the guy he just walked into. Quickly scrambling to his feet, Tsuna rapidly apologized, hoping that the guy would not take offense. "I'm sorry! Are you ok? Did—"

"Wait a sec, are you from Aotama High?" The guy jabbed a finger in the direction of the school.

Tsuna quickly nodded, only realizing after that that it may not have been the smartest thing to do. A guy with bright red dyed hair shows up and waited outside the school, what are the chances that he's not looking to pick a fight with someone? '…At least it's not the mafia that I've to worry about for now,' a part of Tsuna quietly whispered.

"Good. Have you seen a new female teacher walking around school today?"

"Erm… N—" 'Wait, I think I saw a woman that Baba-sensei was leading around school…' "I think so…"

The guy narrowed his eyes and scrutinized him, before saying, "I better not find that you've been lying to me."

"N-No!" Tsuna shook his head quickly, and his eye spotted the crest that was on the uniform he was wearing. 'Shirokin High? Hiieeee…! Wasn't that the school where the students were suspected of mugging people?'

"…So, do you know a way to get in?" He slipped his hand across Tsuna's shoulder and casually asked.

Eyes widening in alarm, Tsuna prepared to make a break for it when his intuition quickly calmed him down. Biting his lower lip nervously, Tsuna asked, "w-why do you want to get into the school?"

"…I'm looking for my homeroom teacher. She's that female teacher you saw," he replied softly, careful to keep his voice down so that none of the passersby could hear.

"O-oh," his intuition was telling him to help the guy, and rarely had it ever steered him wrong, 'I really hope that I don't end up regretting this.'

"I'll help you," Tsuna replied, looking up at the guy.

"Oh?"

"Just wait here… My friend has a spare uniform that you can borrow. I'll go back in and get it for you," he clarified even as he slipped out from the guy's hold and headed back into the school. "Don't move!"

The weird kid just went back through the school gates. Shin just sighed, 'I seem to be sighing a lot today. This is definitely Yankumi's fault.'

'Is the kid really serious?' Shin could feel his eyebrows rising when he spotted the kid running out with an extra bulge in his bag. 'Why would he help a complete stranger sneak into the school?'

Feeling a bag pushed into his hands, he silently nodded his thanks before slipping away to a nearby alley to slip on his new set of clothes.

Walking back, he saw the kid nervously fidgeting and looking worried. But the moment he spotted him, the kid brightened and actually smiled. 'Seriously, what is with this guy? Who would help a delinquent sneak into their school? Possibly getting expelled in the process?'

"C-come on."

Shin just followed the kid's lead, allowing him to place a cap on top of his head before being lead past the security post, where he almost had the shock of his life.

"Oh, Sawada-san! Back again I see?" The guard happily greeted him.

Shin's first instinct was to reply; before his common sense took over and he realized that there was just no way that the guard could have known his name, even if he was slated to go to this school before.

"A-ah, yes. Hayato has a class representative meeting that he has to attend later. And he snuck out of the school again. I'm really for making your job harder, Tanaka-san," Tsuna apologized, scratching his neck nervously.

"Hahaha, it's alright kid, go on in," the guard did not even take a look at his face before waving the two of them in.

Hiding his surprise, Shin took a closer look at the guy leading him, 'his family name is Sawada? What are the chances…? … Then again, it's not like Sawada is a very uncommon name. There should be hundreds of households with that family name… And just because it sounds the same doesn't mean that the writing is the same…' Those thoughts kept running through his mind before a tap on his arm brought him back to reality.

"Ano… Is that the teacher you are referring to?" Sawada raised his arm to point at a woman in formal wear kicking a football away from a student.

Suppressing his urge to groan, Shin nodded and quickly headed towards Yankumi, leaving the kid to scramble after him. 'Not even a day in a different school, and she does an overhead hook to kick a ball. In a skirt!'

"Oi, er, sensei," it felt weird calling her sensei, truth be told. Sensei was too formal, too associated with those guys who did not do anything but look. Yankumi is Yankumi, Shin decided.

She stopped and spun around the moment he spoke, her eyes wide and her entire body radiating shock. He could easily tell what she was silently asking, 'what are you doing here Shin?'

Watching her struggle to say something and not give away the fact that he was her student is amusing, and somewhat cute. But hearing the other guy's voice cut into her silent struggle immediately put a damper on his mood.

"And who might you be? I don't recognize you, especially with your… distinctive hair color," an annoying voice drawled out.

"Ah! Uesugi-san!" the other kid cried out from behind him.

'So this Uesugi-san is someone in this school? …I really don't like the looks of him.'

"Sawada Tsunayoshi-san, I see. No wonder he got past the front gates. The security guard must have thought that he was Gokudera Hayato, didn't he?"

Sawa—no, Tsunayoshi just nodded quietly, refusing to say anymore. Shin didn't miss the reaction Yankumi had when she heard the kid's name. 'At least it wasn't just me.'

"So that means that he's from Shirokin High, Yamaguchi-sensei?" Uesugi continued, his voice switching from condescending to painfully polite in an instant.

"Ahhh, yes. He was just worried about me, you see! I am glad to have such a good student who cares so much about his teacher!" Yankumi grinned and waved, grabbing Uesugi by his arms and physically dragging him away, all the while signaling him to leave the school now before he gets into deeper trouble.

"I'm sorry if this causes you trouble later, Sawada-san," Shin turned to the guy. An apology for the trouble he may have inflicted on this guy, after how he had helped him, was the least he could do.

Shaking his head, Tsunayoshi just smiled, "it's ok, erm, how should I address you?"

"Ah, I have not introduced myself, have I? It's Shin, Sawada Shin," he paused, before continuing, "but you can just call me Shin. It's probably weird for you to call me Sawada, isn't it?"

Blushing, Tsunayoshi just bowed. "Nice to meet you! You can just call me Tsuna then. And I'm sorry, I didn't realize, but it must have been weird hearing the security guard call out your name just now."

Smirking, Shin just shook his head, "it's ok. It made the whole thing a lot more interesting though."

"Do you have a place to change? Since I was already found out, I think it's probably best if I returned this soon…" Shin gestured to the uniform that he's wearing.

"T-this way!" Tsuna lead Shin to the closest washroom, all the while praying that Hayato would not spot them and realize that Shin was the one wearing his spare uniform, not him.

He could just imagine the disaster that would happen…

A/N: Plot bunny number 2 down! This will remain a one-shot, unless there's enough demand for me to make this into a full-fledged fic.

Again, suggestions and criticisms are welcomed! Drop by my livejournal if you wish to see what else I've been working on. The link can be found on my profile.