AN:This will be the whole series from Odagiri Ryu's point of view following the episodes of Gokusen 2. I have no idea why I am so fixated on writing about Odagiri, but even so, here it another story from me related to his development from a frustrated young man and toward a more independent man.
To be honest I have watched this series more than a few times in the past, but still, I had no idea how much Odagiri was the one who talked to Yankumi, and how much he noticed her compare to his fellow classmates. It gave me a small shock when I began watching the episodes in detail. Giving me a lot more to write about.
At least now I am certain he is in love with her.
Unfortunate I do not own the actors, the drama or even most of the plot. Nonetheless I hope someone find my writing a little interesting even if it mainly just following the series.
Ep. 1 - The beginning
In the beginning I felt a little lost after I was told to remove myself from school. Kurogin Gakuen had never felt like a school where I could learn anything relevant, but it was still a place I had spent hours upon hours daily during these last few years. It felt wrong never to go back. I might not have graduated, but nonetheless there was no place for me in the dirty classroom of class 3D.
I felt wrongly treated by my friends and classmates. In truth I had done what they accused me of. Knowingly hindering a fight between my friends and our rival school, but my former friends would not listen to my reasons. They never gave me a chance to defend myself. My pride did not take a beating when I bowed down to our rivals. I did when those close to me refused to understand I did it in order to protect a close friend.
That one incident had a lot more consequences than I ever imagined. Being attacked by fellow classmates I thought was my friends, lead to fights which in turn resulted in the school contacting my father.
In his own way I think my father just wanted to protect me, but it still felt like a dirty deal. My father and the superintendent made an agreement. I would not be expulsed because of my fights, and would despite everything be allowed to graduate. The only setback and request from the superintendent was that I was no longer welcomed inside the school's gate or at the graduation ceremony. On paper I was a student, in real life I was a nobody.
I was never given the opportunity to say what I wanted, but considering how the atmosphere was inside the damaged classroom, maybe it was the best solution.
In spite of everything it did not hinder me from feeling lost and alone.
Walking around carelessly in the street during the night and sleeping during the day in order to stay away from my father's lectures was not ideal. But what else could i do?
Like a lost soul on the street I was approached by a older man asking if I wanted to work at a bar one evening. To be honest I felt it was a little strange to be asked to work at a bar when I was not old enough to even drink legally. Nonetheless I accepted his offer after a short consideration. After all it gave me something to do in order make the time go by. Home was not a place I wanted to be because of my parents reaction, and since all my friends had turned their back on me I both felt and was alone in this world.
I began working at a bar named Frentzen a few days later. It was mostly mindless work, but I liked to consider myself part of something again. Even if most of the time I felt like a servant. Cleaning up and taking orders for silly jobs was now part of my everyday routine. At least here someone was talking to me as if I was a human, and not someone they despised.
One late evening while I was outside taking out some used bottles from the club, I heard a female voice say my name. I looked over and saw a woman in her twenties, wearing a little outdated clothes.
To be completely honest I even considered to just ignore the female and act as if she was not even present. Experience had taught me that stranger usually did not represent something good.
My first words to this small woman with long dark hair was «Who are you?», while wondering to myself how she knew my name. Questioning what she wanted with little unimportant me
At that moment I could not have comprehended know how much my life would change because of that small woman.
She introduced herself as my homeroom teacher, Yamaguchi Kumiko, and I became perplexed. She asked me if I wished to return to school. It felt ironic that a stranger, even a teacher, was the first one asking me that very question. Teachers was after all not to be trusted, and only thought of themselves first.
What was she even doing here I wondered to myself as I hunched down next to a box filled with used glass bottles, acting as if I was not curious to her present. I told her the truth "The school wanted nothing to do with me." I stopped ignoring her for a second to look more closely at her when she claimed I was being obedient.
When I think back, she had to be the first person ever to tell me that I was being obedient.
Obedient since I was not going to school. Obedient for following the instructions given to me by my father and the system.
Her behavior pissed me off. I was already at a low point in my life and did not feel the need for any more lectures from people who had nothing to do with me I thought while looking over at her. Trying hard not to notice her interesting dark eyes reflecting care for someone she had never met before. Her eyes and words frustrated me and I grabbed the front of her jacket with two hands. Dragging her face closer to mine, informing her in a strong voice "You're trying to start a fight with me?" while trying to act intimidating. Not that I would ever hit a woman.
When the female teacher dared to say she would not fight me because she thought I would be weaker than her I almost forgo the rule of not hitting woman at that exact moment. My insides was burning with anger, but still I was intrigued. Her strong eyes was telling me a lot more than her words. She was not nervous at all. She really thought she would win. With one last annoyed look I let my hands fall down, leaving her warm clothes.
Not giving up the woman even dared to give me a lecture about how headteacher and the superintendent could not decide everything. Still insisting she wanted me to come back to school. As if I could trust her. Who would go back after becoming an outcast among his former friends?
Hayato, Tsucchi and Hyuga would never welcome me back, even if Take might. Take knew the real reason as to why I had hindered the fight that time. He and I was the only ones who knew the real reasons for my actions. I had done it on his behalf. So that he could graduate, to make his mother proud. As things were at that time it would be the best solution for the both of us if I was the one dropping out. Despite everything I had not seen him in a long time I still considered Take a friend and would protect him by keeping away.
Even if she was here today, who in their right mind would trust words coming out of the mouth of a teacher? Trying to ignore what my heart was telling me, I refused to accept her request. Just the fact that that she had shown up here, at a bar, showed me she was different than the rest of my former teacher. Because of the vibe I got from this female I finally told her what I really felt as I sat there shorting thru the dirty bottles with her standing a few meters behind me. The truth was simple "I can not trust teachers." I heard her walking towards where I sat with my back turned against her. She sat down next to me, taking a big breath and asked me to trust her.
Why give her a chance?
I was almost swayed by her words about chance, and her hopeful voice asking me to put my trust in her personally. As I sat there staring at her face which was close to mine I felt conflicted. I wanted to believe her words, but something was holding me back. Maybe past experiences had ruined my feelings of ever trusting another human being ever again.
The moment between the two of us was broken when someone else working at the club came out the back door. Seeing the two of us together and called my name, rudely telling me not to slack off. Breaking my weak moment.
She stood up at the same time I did, asking me if he was a friend. I mumbled yet again the truth "something like that," as I turned away from her and began working again. The woman refused to just walk away and kept on talking about true friendship. She even dared to order me to cut ties with the man who had interrupted us if he was not a real friend.
Hearing a teacher who I had not met before this moment order me how I was suppose to live my life, pissed me off again so I told her a small lie.
Just to get her off my back.
I told her I was working at Frentzen because I owed them money. That they would not let me go until I had paid them back full time.
Thinking to myself "as if I would be stupid enough to borrow money from someone like them."
To lie was not something I often did, maybe a small white lie here and there, but nothing of this magnitude. It was after all a serious lie. just considering that it might have been the truth sent a shiver down my spine. At least I had not become that desperate in life. Yet.
As I walked into the club again I gave her one last look before closing the door, shutting her outside.
She probably left soon after, never to return.
Or so I thought.
oOoOo
During the first hours after meeting that strange woman I did feel a little bad for scamming her. But then I just had to shake my head a little, remembering that she was just a teacher and that I would never see her ever again. So why did it felt like a matter I should concern myself with? Concluding to myself that she would not think of me, so I would not think of her.
oOoOo
Before opening time a few days later at the bar some of the employees and the boss was sitting around a round table inside playing poker. The air was filled with heavy cigar smoke and the smell of strong sake almost made me sick. They were gambling away more money then they legally should have earned from this club. Trying not to notice these things I put my head down and focused on making the club more presentably for opening time.
A small stream of daylight entered the poorly lit room through the newly opened door. Walking through the door, without fear was the woman proclaiming to be my new teacher. In her small hand she carried a envelope. In that innocent looking white envelope was all that money I "owed", my lies had become partly the truth.
She placed the envelope on the table where they were gambling. Almost everyone else present began laughing when they realized why she was there. For once they could put two and two together and they understood the situation before she did. I remember standing a little on the side having a little smile on my face to hide my shock. She actually was prepared to pay the debt for a student she had hardly met before. Money must not be a issue for her I thought as I stood there on the sidelines watching the scene in front of me.
I hastily came forward and grabbed all the money from the table before turning around and walked behind the bar. Partly because I did not want the other guys to get a hold the money she gave, and partly because I did not wish to be standing next to her when she finally understood the truth. I couldn't even look her into her eyes when she realized she had been tricked.
When she was forcefully escorted outside the clubhouse, I felt like a scumbag. This had to be the worst thing I had even done to another human being. Would this episode give an accurate view of my future? Standing behind the bar I cleaned the same glass again and again feeling remorse. The glass still felt dirty, like it could never be cleaned again.
When had I sunk so low in life?
oOoOo
Shortly after she was gone a man came inside with food delivery.
Someone had had ordered some noodles for everyone and for once I had money and I offered to pay. My main reason was that it gave me an opportunity to get away from the others who were still laughing about that stupid teacher. Trying to forget the scene happened just a few minutes ago. Beside I did not want to keep the dirty money, maybe if I used them up I would feel better inside.
Then something made me feel even lower that what I first thought was human possible.
The deliveryman refused my money.
A outsider who needed the money in my hand to pay his daily bills refused it. He was a better man that I was. The big man with short bleached hair even knew how my female teacher got the money. He informed me she had been working during the night as a construction worker. Probably on the same days she worked during the day as a teacher to my former friends. Something which in itself would not be an easy task for such a small woman.
Until then I just presumed she had a lot of money, that she would not have done anything else but to go in a mini-bank and withdraw the sum of money I had told her I owed. Did not teachers earn a lot?
I already felt bad about the situation, but now, now I felt smaller that a bug under the shoes of the devil.
If I felt this shitty how would she feel now? Maybe she had been a good teacher before this incident, but now I had ruined her future concerning how she would trust people.
What had I done?
I could hardly sleep for days thinking about her devastating look when she had been escorted out of the club. The few hours I got with rest was plagued with nightmares of her yelling voice asking me to return to school.
oOoOo
After a few days I cracked and convinced myself to return the money.
Since I knew she was working at my old high school, it originally looked like it would be relative easy to return most of the money. To be completely honest I had not used any of the money. Nonetheless I did not wish to return everything at once. Without knowing the reason myself I just wanted a legit reason so that I could get to see her again in the future without becoming her student. Maybe I felt this way lied in the fact I wanted to be certain she had not quit because of my actions.
I waited close to the school, nervously wanting to see her again.
After what felt like forever I noticed her small figure walking slowly, crossing close to where I was waiting. Giving myself a small pep talk about how I should man up and do the right thing I began walking in her direction. Trying to act coop, not wanting to show her how nervous I was seeing her again.
Keeping my feet steady and looking at everything except her face I got closer and closer. It was after all a beautiful day, and after all my time working during the night and sleeping during the day it felt nice to feel the sun on my face again.
I quickly delivered back the money while informing her she would receive the rest sometime later.
When I finally looked at her I felt a stab in my chest.
Why did her eyes have to be so red?
I quickly turned away from her and began walking in the direction I came from before I lost my courage. Before I started begging for forgiveness.
Her yelling request of me returning to school followed me in my head all day. Why would she want me as her student? I were not someone she could trust. I had (unfortunate) given her an exceptional great example on how unworthy I could be.
Was her words true? Could I go back, could she become someone to protect me, did I deserve the chance?
How could I earn her forgiveness without having to utter the words "I am sorry."
I wanted to at least try to show her that I was not someone who conned others for a living. Knowing beforehand it would not be easy to get away from the other guys connected to Frentzen, I felt the strong need to release myself from them. I owed her to at least try.
oOoOo
I remember getting the beating of my life from the employees at Frentzen. Like I was a defenseless little child at a abandoned warehouse. Not just a small slap on the wrist, a full beating from a big group who I had just a few moments ago almost considered friends, or at least comrades. How pathetic they were, ganging up on one small person just because I wanted to quit my job.
As sudden as it started the beating ended. For a minute I thought I had lost consciousness, but the pain in my body told me otherwise. Slowly I dared to open my eyes in order to see why they stopped. It hurt even to look, but there in the doorway I saw her shadow. She was walking towards where I was lying pathetically on the floor with the group of older men surrounding me.
This woman who had until a few days ago been a complete stranger even bowed down to those scum in hope of them letting me go.
Why did they have to laugh at her when she defined me as her precious student? When I heard someone describe myself as someone precious made me feel wanted for the first time in years. Despite the fact that the title was undeserving. I had never been her student and the few short meetings we had in the past I had not acted as how a student should.
During her speech to the men inside the warehouse she talked about me as if I was an ignorant child. Someone who was not done being educated in the way of life, and she wanted to be the one teaching me how to be a grown-up. At that moment I did not know why it hurt to be defined as a child by a complete stranger. Those words hurt a lot more coming from her that if someone else had muttered them to, and about me.
When the men began touching her and talking about her earning them money I really did feel like a helpless child. Not able to anything because of my injuries. It was unbearable looking at the scene unfolding in front of me. I could not protect her, like she was trying to protect me. Lying there on the cold cement floor I began thinking about all the dreaded they would make her do. Feeling the panic fill my whole body at images my own head produced. The first person in a long time who was asking me to put my trust in them, and while trying to save me this person might be raped of exposed to any other dangerous situation. I felt sick inside.
Then she surprised me and everyone else in the room. She knew how to fight, really well fortunately. As she was walking toward where I was lying, removing her glasses and her pigtail she looked more like a goddess than a defenseless woman. She might be small, but her aura screamed dangerous.
One by one the men was falling down by her actions, by her small hands.
I will forever regret fainting from my injuries. Firstly because it was not a manly thing to do, and secondly I missed a big part of the fight. From the small parts I had seen while conscious she was beautiful as she attacked the men while defend me.
oOoOo
Waking up confused outside on the grass with her face so close to mine shocked me. I had to sit up in order to hide my blushing face. Both from shame and something unidentified feelings I felt in my stomach. Maybe with all my facial injuries she had not seen the difference in color anyway. Seeing her so close I could not help noticing how pretty she really was. With her hair down, and without the strange glasses her perfect caring expressions was no longer hidden. Before letting my thought travel to far I ordered myself to think logically. After all it was a teacher I was almost drooling over.
After getting myself together a little more I let my eyes travel over her face and down her body. I could not see any sign she had even been in a fight. Not even her knuckles was damaged. For a moment I thought everything might have been a dream, before quickly shaking those thoughts off. Considering how much my body ached and the fact she was sitting next to me on the grass was leading in the direction that she had saved me.
I finally ask her shortly after collecting my thoughts why she came in relentless pursuit to help me after I deceived her. Her response became forever engraved in my heart and mind. Her words about promise and the sentence «I won't betray you» would haunt me for years to come. She even praised me because I tried cut my ties with the group myself. Was it her life's purpose to make a permanent blush on my face?
As we were sitting there together by the lake the strange woman she confessed that she was not an normal teacher. As if this was not something I had noticed myself. I was looking forward to find out just how strange she was in detail myself in the future I thought silently.
There and then I decided to go back to school in the next morning. She was too interesting to let go. Not that I told her that during our private moment on the grass.
Even with an battered body, my heart felt at peace for the first time in a long time.
oOoOo
As I was lying down on my bed that night almost asleep a thought suddenly entered my mind. Quickly I sat up, not managing to stop my voice from shouting out "How the hell did she move me?" When I had fainted I was on the ground of the warehouse, but when I woke up later she was next to me on the grass next to the river. The distance was more than a few meters, and even if my body ached I could feel it in my bones that she had not dragged me.
Lying back down I thought to myself "I hope she did not carry me like a princess". Oh, the horror if anyone had seen me being carried by a small skinny female. I was almost glad I did not have friends anymore. No friends equals no one to make fun of me. I comforted myself with those thoughts before almost forcing myself to forget everything and to fall asleep. After all I had to stand up early tomorrow.
oOoOo
It felt a little strange to put on my uniform again the next day.
To be honest I had expected to never use it again. It felt good in a way, even if I was nervous.
I did not even inform my parents, or anyone else for that matter, of my change of heart about returning to school. Not that they would have cared either way, I think.
As I was walking towards the institution in the sunlight all different thoughts circulated inside my head. Would I even be accepted into the school again? How would my classmate react? And most importantly, how would she welcome me? I wanted to see a smile on her face just this once because of my actions. To show her that I did not take her effort for granted. To make her red eyes disappear.
Would she smile at me?
Entering the school gate I ignored the "welcome committee" of the other teachers representing this school. Blocking out their voices as they were obviously ordered me to leave the schools property again. Walking past them I had only one goal, and that was to get closer toward a lonely female woman standing a little in the back.
With the headteacher and a small group teacher behind me I was steadily walking towards that strange woman in a white jumpsuit. What kind of female teacher dressed like that anyway?
I got a big bright smile, and a «Good morning Odagiri,» from her when I almost right next to where she was standing. With my stone face in place I told her a even bigger lie than before. I said «It is not like I came for you», when in my head the words were screaming the completely opposite. My heart felt warmer that it had in a long time just standing close to her. That warm smile on her face made almost all of my concerns disappear.
Stopping myself from soaking in all the warmth I felt from her I opted to walk past her toward my yet again fellow classmates. All the good and bad times I have spent together with those young men similar dressed to myself flashed before my eyes as I got closer.
To hear Hayato, my former best friend, declare he still had not forgive me hurt more that his fist hitting my face seconds after.
Strangely my first thought was, "well that was expected," and secondly "she is watching." The unique female teacher had already seen me get beaten up the night before, and I did want to show her I was not a pathetic little boy. I might not be a full grown adult but I knew how to fight in a fair match. This was my main reason as to why I attached Hayato back with my fist. I wanted to get stronger to hinder me from ever lying helplessly on the ground while someone attacked...someone I cared about? Fighting would make me stronger, even if it was in frustration because of my lost friendship to Hayato.
As the fight almost escalated into pure hostility I found out that my new teacher would try to enforce her students into following her directions in life.
Getting drenched in dirty rain water from a barrow shocked me and the other young men around me enough to stop fighting. Looking up on the rooftop, I should be surprise to see her there, but I was not. To hear her passionate speech about how she was not letting anyone of us graduate as we were now was almost comforting.
Her words warmed my heart, I was not the only one she perceived as a boy.
oOoOo
An: hope you like it so far.