©Sunrisepainter: Golden Skies

What Teachers Are For

Yamaguchi Kumiko was very happy when she came to school this morning. The troublesome guys in her class were being very obedient at the moment and the new girl, Katsuragi Nao, seemed to get along with them better now. Additionally she met Natsume – sensei in the park and he asked her to tag along on a trip to Okinawa the next month. Yankumi was very blessed. And even Sawatari Goro with his usual complains about her cute students could not destroy her high spirits.

But as soon as she was in front of her class her whole day way ruined when she saw the long faces of the boys. She was afraid of their answer, but she had to ask anyway:
"What happened, everyone?"

"It's about Katsuragi", Ren informed her, "she didn't show up this morning."

Confused Yankumi looked to the empty chair across from her own desk. For a moment she was dumbfounded. Then she asked in a serious tone:
"Did anyone of you hear anything?"

"Nope, nothing", Kura answered for everyone, which made Yankumi even more anxious.

"Maybe she got tired of us and don't want to come anymore", someone said.

"Or she was too much ashamed of Yamamotos soon confession", another one giggled and the mentioned one blushed.
"Oh, you confessed Yamamoto. Good job!", Yankumi held her thump up.

"I think you're missing the point", Yamato reminded his teacher in a bored voice.

"You're right", Yankumi got back to her serious self, "I don't think that Katsuragi would skip school without a reason. She is a very responsible and good girl."
Her students could only agree with their teacher. Nobody of them thought of her like someone who would run away, even if she was sensible. Furthermore she seemed to be a little more cheerful and open than before.

"Maybe you should call her house", Ichi proposed.

"Well,that's a got idea", the teacher agreed and went to the teachers lounge. But no one picked up the call.

"Yamaguchi – sensei, what are you doing? It's time for class", she shrieked when she heard the voice of the principle behind her. Shortly she explained the whole situation. The principle looked very much concerned:

"Well, I think it's time that I'll tell you something about your new student. Katsuragi Nao, she..."

In the meanwhile the boys were as anxious as their teacher. What could have happened? Did Yankumi reach her? They all jumped on their feed when Yankumi came back into the classroom

"Bad news, I couldn't reach Katsuragi. The principle just told me that she lives on her own, so we have no chance to ask anyone of her family members", Yankumi did not tell them everything the principle said, but this piece of information was enough for the boys to be more depressed than before.

"Really?", Kura was as surprised as his classmates. It was another secret that was revealed about her.

"As long as I know she doesn't have parents. I think it's very reckless of a young girl to live on her own", Yankumi said.

"Maybe she was kidnapped", Ren was very much agitated. He had a short temper and was the kind of guy who would act before thinking about consequences.

"Did anything unusual happen? Anything suspicious?"

"Maybe...", Yamato began and soon he had everyone's attention as he bit his lip nervously.

"Spit it out, Ogata", Yankumi demanded, Yamato just looked in the direction Ashida and his gang.

"You don't think the guys of Kitanishi would have...", Kengo paled and everyone in the classroom was tensed

"What about Kitanishi?", Yankumi had already come to a conclusion but she wanted to hear it from the mouth of her students. Ashida looked very guilty as he told the story about their last fight and the promise of the leader to get revenge. Yankumi clenched her fist and shouted:

"You stupid, immature boys! Do you get it now what I'll always try to teach you? I'll hope you learn from your mistake then now an innocent person is involved. Katsuragi must be in trouble."

All the guys let their chins drop on their chest. They felt remorse and angry at themselves.

"Stop pouting and start looking for your classmate", Yankumi told them, "if you want to make your mistake right, you must help her now."

"You don't need to tell us. Of course we will help one of our comrades", Ren glared at her as if she insulted them. His teacher just smiled:
"Alright, let's head off!"

They had handcuffed her on a chair, so that she was unable to move. She was very sleepy, because she could not close her eyes for one moment. She did not know where she was and what they wanted with her, but until now they did not do anything (except for pushing her into this old factory and gagging her). Of course they said some very offending and filthy things to provoke her, but they did not even touch her. She was guarded by two of them, but it looked like they were not so happy about watching her and soon they drifted off to sleep. She used this opportunity to free herself, but it was impossible. She could not move an inch, so she could not get hold of her cell phone to call for help. But there was still something that was strange about the situation:

What was their intention of capturing her and then ignoring her completely?

She had no one who was able to pay them a sum of money and they did not look like these human trafficker one saw on TV. Did they not put something in her mouth she would have already ask them what this was about.

She watched attentively as the blue haired guy, who was obviously their leader, came back and said something to one of the guards, but she could not understand it for they talked too quietly. He then started moving towards her and leaned down:

"Don't be afraid, little girl. It's nothing personal, you see. It's just that some of your classmates really pissed me off!"

So that was what it was all about! It was about the fight the others were celebrating merely yesterday. She would have screamed in desperation if she could.

"What an convenience for us that recently a cutie like you joined their class. What do you think they'll do if they know that we got you?"

Of course they would not do anything, would they? But the question was more like: What could they do? They might have won the last fight, but would they last in another?

"I'll tell you, because we'll already contacted them", the guy smirked in pleasure, "they were very angry at us. Guess what they told us?"

Of course Nao could not answer, so the guy was once more forced to help her out:

"They told me to not lay a hand on you. And that they will never forgive me if I do. Isn't it nice? It seems like they really care for you."

The guy laughed and went away. Nao hated herself for her eyes getting wet. How much she must have cried the last three days! She was such a dumb girl! But somehow she was affected by her classmates words (if they were the truth). But even so she wished they would stay away or even be as clever enough as to inform the police. Trough her tears she tried to glare at this insolent guy. It was the first time that she was overwhelmed by a very strong sensation. Boiling Anger.

How much she wanted to kick this bastards ass, who was now placing himself in an armchair. He looked at the door full of satisfaction and expectation:
"Well, let the fun begin!"

"I just got a call from Ashida", Yamato told the other guys. They were running around looking for their female classmate. Ren, Kura an Shunsuke looked at him hoping for some good news.

"Kitanishi really has Katsuragi and they want us to look for them at this instance or they will mess up her pretty face."

Kura clenched his fist and started cursing like he always did. Ren and Shunsuke were about to lose their temper as well.

"What about Yankumi? Does she know?", Ren asked.

"Not yet, but I'll call her while running", Yamato told them, "we'll get their before the others, because it's near. You know the old wood factory?"

The others nodded there heads and started chasing after him for there all were determined to get the situation under their control before their friends and their teacher arrived.

Nervously Nao bit her bottom lip. Whenever there was a noise outside she prayed to god that it were not the guys coming to rescue her. Of course there was slight hope that at least someone would come, but she would prefer it to be some police men with guns and handcuffs.

But of course she already knew the guys well enough that this would not be the case. So she was not really surprised when, after some time went by, the heavy door was pushed open and four short tempered and furious boys stormed into the idle factory. Nao closed her eyes and some inappropriate words crossed her mind. These reckless idiots!

She wanted to tell them to run away and telling the police, but she knew, even if she was able to, they would not have listened to her. Of all people these four were the stubborn ones. She could just sigh and hope that they had even called out for help before rushing here head over heals.

"What is this about?", Yamato finally started talking, "she doesn't have anything to do with this, so let her go!"

The blue – haired guy just smirked and raised from his seat:
"Well, well, the knights in shining armor are here to save their princess, just as I predicted!"

"Shut the hell up and tell us what you want!", Kura shouted.

"You're not the ones I was hoping for", the guy remarked.

"It doesn't matter", Yamato said in a calm voice," if you have a problem with our comrades, you can discuss it with us, too."

"I understand. It's your own will, so you get what I actually intended to give to your comrades", and without losing another minute a bunch of guys armed with iron sticks and chains started to attack the four students.

Nao started panicking as she saw her classmates beaten up in front of her eyes while she herself was unable to do something. Wildly as ever she struggled and tried to free herself. But the only effect was that the chair she was sitting on fell to the side. Looking from the ground the scene was even more terrifying. Tears streamed down her face as she saw Kura kicked by two guys already lying on the ground and Yamato being punched in his gut.

She wanted to close her eyes but she couldn't. She caught the eyes of Shunsuke, who was still trying to defend himself and looked at her apologetically as he fell on his knees.

"Are you alright?", she heard a weak voice near her head. She tried to look up and saw Ren bending forward and holding his side. Blood was dripping from a cut on his forehead. She nodded her head and he smiled:

"It'll be al-", he couldn't even finish his sentence as he was hit on the head and fell motionless to the ground right next to her face. Once again Nao wiggled with the intention of loosen the ropes, but it was still not possible. She looked around the room and saw that all of her classmates were already on the ground. Shunsuke panted hardly and tried to get up, but he was kicked on the back and fell flat on the ground. Never in her life had she felt so much anger and pain. Not since her parents death had she felt so miserable and desperate.

"That was it? What an easy game. I'm really disappointed", the leader of the gang exclaimed, "well let's get rid of them forever."

"Don't you dare lay a hand on them!", a female voice shouted. Naos head rocketed upwards, because she knew at an instant who the voice belonged to. A small figure stepped through the door and the bad guys were really surprised to see a woman in an odd tracksuit. They looked at each other in disbelief and then broke out into laughter.

"And who the hell are you, freaky bitch?"; the blue haired guy asked amused.

"I am their homeroom teacher", Yankumi said in a calm voice and stepped nearer.

"Their teacher? How ashamed they must be to be helped by a teacher!", the guys laughed again, but Yankumi did not really seem offended by that. She still tried to be diplomatic:
"I would like you to release my students now. I guess you took care of them well enough."

"Stop joking around! What will you do? Trying to scold us to boredom?"

"I think you don't give me much of a choice", Yankumi sighed and suddenly the air around her changed. She looked very determined and dangerous as she pulled the two hair ties off her hair.

"For my precious students I will do anything, because that is the job of a teacher. Whether the student is a girl or a boy: they all must be treasured and protected. It was not right to drag an innocent girl into your little revenge", Yankumi shook her head so that her dark hair whirled like fire around her head, "it's not very gentleman – like to kidnap a girl. Every man hurting a woman should be ashamed", as she stepped nearer she threw away her glasses and everyone was able to see the danger in her eyes, "I will no allow someone like you getting away with such a coward act."

And with this all the guys tried to attack them, but Yankumi dodged all of it. Her moves where fast and precise as she kicked one of them in the stomach and he was pushed against a wall. Naos eyes widened when she saw her weird teacher beating up a bunch of scary guys as if she was just taking a walk.

When one of them grapped her from behind, Nao hold her breath, but Yamaguchi kicked an attacker in front of her and then threw the guy behind her over her shoulder. Nao was more than amazed and forgot all her fear.

When the mean guys realized there was no point in fighting this inhuman woman they soon took a leave. Just the blue haired guy stayed and looked at her furiously. All his cockiness and satisfaction was long gone. With a desperate cry he pulled his knife out of his pocket and stormed in her direction.

"Yankumi!", Shunsuke and Yamato, who were still conscious, yelled in unison. But Yamaguchi already saw it coming and the knife went into air. Swiftly the teacher punched the guy in his stomach and he fell to the ground grasping desperately for air.

"Revenge will never get you anywhere, remember this", Yankumi said in a cold voice. The blue haired boy stared up to her in disbelief and finally accepted that he had lost again. As soon as he could in his state, he stumbled out of the factory.

When he was gone, Yamato scooted over to wake up Ren, and Shunsuke tried the same with Kura.

"Did they do anything to you?", Yankumi asked after freeing Nao.

"No, don't worry. I'm okay", she assured her , "but as for the guys..."

She still could not help it, but feel a little guilty. While they all fought to protect her, she was not able to do anything...

She looked up as she felt a hand on her head.

"It's okay", Yankumi smiled down to her, "it wasn't your fault. And as for the guys, I should be angry at them for doing something unnecessary, but I'm proud as well."

She looked at Ren being supported by Yamato, and Shunsuke still trying to shake Kura awake.

"Why?", Nao asked curiously.

"Don't you get it yourself, Katsuragi?", Yamaguchi smiled warmly, "they might be immature and rash, but they will always protect there friends even if it means to be beaten to a pulp. Can you understand their feelings of friendship?"

"I think I start to understand them a little", Nao confessed and looked at the guys trying to support each other.

"Because they are always underestimated and misjudged they get angry easily, but they accept other people much faster, because they are free from prejudices. That's the reason why from the beginning they thought of you of nothing else but being part of their class. And the feelings are getting even stronger. If you would open up a little more and treat them like your comrade, you can become friends with them."

"Are you serious?", Nao asked and felt a queer feeling inside her stomach as if something new was starting to grow inside of her.

"Just try and see for yourself", Yamaguchi send her one last smile and then tried to help her injured students.

"I think it would be best for you all to go home for today", Yankumi said looking at Ren and Kura.

"But what about the vice principle? He'll be very angry", Yamato interjected.

"I'll manage it. You all have to rest", Yankumi sounded as if she would not want to hear them object.

"But it's Friday", Nao said timidly and her teacher looked puzzled at her only female student.

"We were supposed to write a test today", she remembered the math teacher. First they looked at her as if she was crazy, but then they started laughing.

"That's a good one, Katsuragi. I didn't know you were so humorous", although his stomach hurt like hell Ren was still able to laugh.

"Well, thanks for lifting our spirits", Yamaguchi said, "but now it's time for us to go back."

"I wasn't trying to be funny", Nao mumbled, "I was serious there."

But no one could hear her for they were always out of reach.

End of Chapter Four.