Aaaand more Gokusen fic because I love nothing more than Yankumi and Shin beating the shit out of each other. OUT OF PASSION.
Shinohara saw them fight once.
Although he'd officially left the Kuroda's service, curiosity got the better of him every once in a while and he would pay a visit to Ryuuichiro to see how things were going. He wasn't intending to go back, but when he happened to be in the area he couldn't resist checking in.
He'd stopped by on a whim one evening, as he'd been working nearby and found himself heading that way, but as he approached the house he heard raised voices. As he got closer, he recognised one as Kumiko, and felt his footsteps quickening. He burst into the doorway, following the shouts, and now thumps, to one of the rooms further toward the back of the house.
He found the door open, and stopped at the threshold as he recognised Kumiko, clad in shorts and a vest-top – unaged and unchanged by the years – her fists tightly bunched by her sides.
"Th' fuck's wrong with ya, disrepectful punk!" she screamed across the room at someone outside Shinohara's vision, in her thickest and roughest Yakuza voice, and then before he could make his presence known she'd launched herself across the floor.
He knew that Kumiko could fight, and that she was stronger than she'd given away in his presence, but she moved faster almost than he could anticipate, with a deadly and fierce determination. She slammed into her opponent with a hard fist, which was blocked before it could hit its target, and Shinohara heard the grunt and realised she was fighting a man before he recognised the figure.
The shock of red hair should have been an instant givaway, but he had to confess to being thrown off by the man's brash, aggressive tribal tattoo sleeve from his wrist up under the material of his shirt. His first thought was that it was a rival gang member, but then he realised where they were and how unlikely that would be, so his second thought was that Kumiko was brawling with some new problem child or house member. With that tattoo, he couldn't imagine who else it might be.
It was only when the man parried, jumped over a low-kick Kumiko lashed at him, and then dodged another punch that Shinohara realised he was watching Sawada Shin.
"Drop it!" he bellowed as Kumiko tried to punch him in the gut, and he grabbed her arm, twisting it around behind her back and jostling her towards the wall. Shinohara was going to shout for him to let her go, when she hooked a foot behind Shin's and tripped him out from underneath her, spinning free and launching a high kick at his head.
Shin caught her foot about an inch from his face, and held it in place as he whipped his own leg out and kicked her hard in the centre of her back, throwing Kumiko aside with a stringent yelp. If Shinohara had been possessed with the ability to actually do anything beyond watch with a kind of hypnotised horror, he ought to have been able to do it by now. Instead he just stood there.
Before she even fell, Kumiko regained her balance and about-turned on Shin, landing him with a sledgehammer of a punch across the jaw.
"Cocky piece of shit!" she yelled as she followed up the first connecting hit with a second, but then Shin caught one of her hands and hit her back, a wide hard slap right across her cheek.
"You're just as arrogant and just as disrespectful," he seethed back, blood running from his lip down his chin. Shinohara had no idea what they were fighting about, but it was no holds barred, no mercy or trace of sympathy. Kumiko tried to knee him in the stomach, and he grabbed her by the neck and flung her into the wall, pressing her there, grinding her face against the plaster, until she stamped on his foot and elbowed him in the stomach, backing him away far enough for her to flip around.
Shinohara was about to say something, to intervene, to call for someone to stop this terrible fight, when Shin grabbed Kumiko by the wrists, slammed them back against the wall and then pressed his mouth over hers. Shinohara's stomach lurched – he'd known Sawada had feelings for Kumiko, but seeing them manifested so aggressively, so incorrectly, was horrifying. He didn't think Shin would have been capable of trying to force himself on Kumiko, much less making it the nature of a whole fight, but then before he could cry for molestation, Kumiko shoved Shin back.
He staggered half a step away, but didn't fall because she caught him with two handfuls of his shirt. With a quick step she spun their positions, and the thump as she hammered Shin's back against the wall shook the hangings, rattling the floor under Shinohara's foot. Then she kissed him back, and everything Shinohara had thought changed. Aggressive and smeared with blood, she crushed her mouth against Shin's as his hands clutched her waist, digging deep fingerprints in her flesh.
Shinohara felt his face warm just with the intimacy and intensity of the scene, and he wanted to know the missing gaps – when had this happened? How had this happened. When did Kumiko become involved with one of her students, although by now it would have been a few years since Shin was actually her student. As fiercely and suddenly as he'd been pulling her closer, Shin pushed her away.
"You're an idiot," he outright growled.
"You're an idiot," she shot right back at him.
"You're wrong," he retorted.
"You're wrong."
"Oh shut up," he snapped, shoving her back and stepping forwards, walking her out into the middle of the room and then reaching behind her head, grabbing hold of her loose hair into one thick ponytail. He yanked on it, tipping back her head, and closed his mouth over hers once more. Shinohara could see Kumiko's lip caught between his teeth, pulled on and bitten, as they parted again.
"Let go of me," she demanded, holding herself into his grip to stop her hair hurting.
"No," he replied bluntly, and she lashed a slap across his face, the crack sharp and loud. Then she grabbed a handful of his own hair, dragging on it hard until he bent like a sapling. But he didn't let go, he just turned their positions again and walked, moving so assuredly that she could go with him or fall over, until her legs backed against a desk.
Before she'd even stopped, Shin let go of her hair and seized her by the waist, lifting and shoving her onto the edge of the desk, her knees on either side of him, his hands going straight under her top to hold her in place. It was when he lowered his mouth to her jaw, and worked around, turning her head to the side as he went for her ear and neck, that Kumiko was pointed in the right direction to notice the open door – and more importantly, the person at it.
"Shinohara-sensei!" she yelped, and Shin's movements froze for a moment, and then continued as if nothing had happened. "Whatever is the reason for your- your-" she stammered, and then let out a hiss as Shin most likely sunk his teeth right into the soft part of her neck. "Get off, get off!" she barked, twisting and writhing as Shin carried on trailing his mouth up and down her neck.
Then, finally, he stopped, and picked his head up out of the crook of her neck. Turning to Shinohara, he gave him a stern, searching look.
"Peeping is a dirty habit," he said, and then turned back to drag his lower lip around the outside of Kumiko's ear. "Get rid of him," he growled against her, and then the inferno receded, and he stepped back, releasing her. Kumiko hopped off the desk and skipped across to Shinohara energetically.
"Sensei, um, please, you see if you'd just-" she babbled awkwardly, and Shinohara found himself staring at the stark red marks on her pale skin. Marks he'd watched being made, bitemarks from Sawada Shin, who was slumped back against the desk watching him with an uninpressed air.
"The door was open," he remarked lamely, and Kumiko shot Shin an angry look, who shrugged.
"Sorry... I mean, that was just," she rushed.
"You were fighting," he stated, and she looked embarrassed.
"Well yes, but you needn't worry," she said awkwardly. "We fight plenty."
"We?" he remarked, and wondered if it had really gone that far – that there was actually a we in their relationship.
"Uh... buh," Kumiko stuttered, and then with a great sigh Shin walked up next to her and put his hand over her mouth.
"Look, your concern is wonderful and all," he interjected, "but there's no issue here, and you're interrupting a scene of a personal nature. I think the boss is around at the other end of the house, if you're looking for him." He levelled a cold, challenging stare at Shinohara, confirming everything he'd seen and more. He had the tattoos, he had Kumiko; he was everything Shinohara wasn't, and proud of it.
"Does he know you're here?" Shinohara found himself asking.
"Of course," Shin scoffed. "He knows to get out of the way if we're having a fight," he stated, glancing for confirmation at Kumiko, who nodded with Shin's hand still over her mouth.
"What issue could possibly provoke such a..." Shinohara started – what could be worth fighting like that about. He was a man of words, of argument and reason, and knew that Shin was a law graduate like him, so should know better.
"Who cares," Shin snapped. "We argue, we fight, shit happens."
"And how long have you been like this?" Shinohara questioned, finding himself indignant about whatever twisted shape their relationship had taken.
"I don't remember it being any of your fucking business, Shinohara," Shin clearly threatened, his hand slipping from Kumiko's mouth to sit over her shoulders. "You're intruding."
"Am I, Kumiko?" he asked, turning to her in expectation of a denial, of a hidden cry for help out of this situation.
"Well... kinda," she answered, and shock drove deeply into Shinohara's gut again. "Now isn't a good time, sensei. Maybe you should go look for grandpa, and Shin and I will be along later." For a moment he just stared at her, wondering if this was really the Kumiko he'd known for so long. She wasn't just agreeing, she was trying to shift him along – she wanted him to go so she and Shin could finish whatever it was they were in the middle of.
"Then... I don't have much of a choice," he remarked stiffly. "I better go."
"Yeah, great," Shin added bluntly. "See ya." He took a step forward, and out of instinct Shinohara moved back, intimidated by him. Then Shin slid the door shut in his face, and Shinohara was staring at unforgiving screen panelling.
He walked to the other end of the house in somewhat of a daze, trying to shake from his mind images of what might be happening now, and almost walked straight into Ryuuichiro.
"Oh my, Shinohara, what on earth brings you here?" he said suspiciously, and noticed his vacant expression. "Are you quite all right?" he added a little more forgivingly.
"I just... bumped into Kumiko and Sawada," he murmured, and Ryuuichiro made an understanding hum.
"Ohhh, I see," he commented. "They're having a little run-in. I apologise for whatever you may have witnessed."
"How long have they been like that?" he asked in exasperation. "When did it happen? With Sawada?"
"How long?" Ryuuichiro repeated with a chuckle. "My, some time now. It's failed to be novel to us any more. You knew his intentions back in school, he didn't wait very long to close in."
"And Kumiko-"
"Kumiko is lucky to have an intelligent and brave man who loves her," he interjected sharply.
"But the fighting-"
"Ah, yes, that," Ryuuichiro consented to Shinohara's protest. "Well, young love is very dramatic. They don't do any serious damage to one another."
"So it's... acceptable?" he found himself murmuring disbelievingly; he knew that he had no right to care so much, because he'd had plenty of chances to make Kumiko his and had rejected each and every.
"I don't see that it's anyone's business but their own," Ryuuichiro commented. "You seem very shaken up," he added. "Is this really so much of a surprise to you?"
"I... just... the circumstances," he answered uncomfortably. "I wasn't aware that they liked... that it was like that."
"Yes, well Sawada does encourage her violent streak," Ryuuichiro remarked pensively. "He seems to enjoy it." Shinohara wasn't sure that was information he wanted or needed to know. Nevertheless, he resolved that he was not going to be warned off by them, and would come for the purpose he'd intended, to catch up with the boss.
He neither heard nor saw Kumiko or Shin for well over an hour, and was about to leave when he heard the voices echoing from down the corridor.
"Ah, Shinohara-sensei," Kyo greeted, walking in alongside Shin and Kumiko, whom Shinohara didn't care to examine very closely, because he knew exactly what he'd be looking for. "Been a while since we seen you round here."
"I was just in the area," he answered politely, watching out of the corner of his eye as Kumiko sat down, and Shin sprawled out on his back on the floor behind her, draping an arm over his eyes as if to settle down for a nap, clearly uninterested by the situation.
"How are you doing, sensei?" Kumiko asked eagerly. "How is the law firm? Are you getting closer to your dream?" The fact that she was still so clearly enthusiastic about his prospects and drive to return to the straight and narrow was almost depressing, because it confirmed she really held no lasting sentiment for him – she wished for his happiness, but not with her, and not with the Kuroda family.
"It is hard work," he answered neutrally. "I wouldn't like to brag." He could have sword Shin scoffed quietly, but it was so subtle that he could have simply imagined it. They chatted awhile longer, and the Kumiko seemed to tire after her burst of energy, and slowly tilted back until she leaned against Shin's propped-up knees, slumping her face against him as if he were part of the furniture to her.
It was getting late, so he chose not to stay much longer and begged his leave of Ryuuichiro, who along with Kumiko saw him to the door.
"It's good to see you now and again, but don't let being seen here endanger your career," Ryuuichiro admonished sternly, and Shinohara couldn't help thinking that Shin would get no such warnings. He could already be living there for all he knew.
"No, I won't," he answered dutifully, and then glanced at Kumiko. "It was good to see you too," he added, "however... briefly." She started to go red, but he made his final goodbyes and left.
The images of that evening stayed with him for a while – not surprising, as a couple of them had been somewhat traumatic – but the pose that stuck with him, the picture he couldn't completely shake, wasn't of Kumiko and Shin locked in their intense, sexual fight, but afterwards; the simple act of leaning against him, and his unquestionable support. He envied it – not in a sense that he wished it was himself instead of Shin, but simple envy of the comfort and balance they'd obviously found.
He couldn't help feeling a long-delayed sense of loss.
This short is half Inked and half Kiss With a Fist and it was very hard to stick to Shinohara as the point of narrative because to hell with what Shin thinks I wanna peep.
Another random piece of Gokusen feels for reasons of I don't know. Leave a review if you enjoyed it!