Title: Change in the Wind
Author: El Scribe
Rating:PG-13
Spoilers: Not sure yet, cutting to be safe
Summary:This story is an attempt at making the dorama as it stands eventually conform to the spirit of the manga. In other words, a sequel. Six years after Yankumi watched her first class graduate, her grandfather passes on and she's forced to make a final decision to either accept her birthright or follow her dream of being a teacher. Guilt-ridden at the prospect of destroying the livelihood of the friends who are her family, she determines to become the fourth generation head of the Oeda family. No sooner does she make the decision than Head Teacher throws her a loop that will teach her what dreams are all about.
Disclaimers: This is a nonprofit, recreational story, using character that I do not claim are my own.

Change in Wind

Chapter Four

"Welcome home, Ojou!" chorused three voices. The two live-in members of the Oeda Family scurried to the front door like puppies racing to meet their master.

"I'm home." Kumiko tried to make her reply sound as enthusiastic as their greeting, but failed miserably.

Tetsu's smile wavered but stayed in firmly in place. Minoru's shoulders slumped.

"I made a special dinner to celebrate your first day back at school," Tetsu continued, with determined cheerfulness.

Please not hotpot again, Kumiko winced. She'd never thought there would come a time when she'd be sick of her favorite dish.

"It's fish!" Tetsu announced proudly, not picking up on her hesitation. That brought forth a genuine smile from Kumiko.

"That sounds great!"

Tetsu blushed and felt his pulse pounding painfully, as if a tiny cupid was practicing high kicks on his neck. "Yes!" he replied and backed into the hallway so she could enter.

"How was school, Ojou?" Minoru asked, plopping down at his place in the dining room. Even though dinner had yet to be served, he pulled a pair of chopsticks out of its sleeve and broke it in preparation. The movement drew Kumiko's attention to his left hand, which was heavily bandaged. Kumiko felt a cold pang in her chest.

"What happened to your hand, Minoru?" Her tone was a mixture of worry and command that terrified the large man. He looked to Tetsu for help.

"He got it jammed in a door, the clumsy doof," Tetsu replied, rearranging the place settings.

"In what door? Ours are lightweight sliders; they wouldn't do that to a hand," she cross-examined.

"I think it was the front door," Tetsu explained quickly. "Wakamatsu is eating at home today. It's his daughter's birthday. So we won't need his forks and things." He hurriedly picked up the dishes and carried them into the kitchen.

Kumiko narrowed her eyes at Minoru. "Tell me what really happened."

Minoru gulped and looked around frantically, seeking any cue for a believable story. Imagination had never been his strong point, but Tetsu had said that if they loved Ojou they should protect her from any more stress.

"I... I... I was going in the front door and... and the wind blew all of a sudden and slammed it really hard on my arm." He finally managed.

"The wind." Kumiko eyed him sceptically. "You're saying the wind blew hard enough to slam the door and that injured you hand so badly it had to be bandaged by a doctor?" She could tell from the neatness of the wrapping that none of the Oedo men had been handling the first aid.

A sheen of sweat broke out on Minoru's bald head.

"I... that's..."

Kumiko folded her arms across her chest and leaned back, eying the large man without expression. Minoru broke under the pressure.

"We were doing the rounds and ran into some trouble, is all." He leaned forward and spoke softly in hopes that Tetsu wouldn't over hear. When it came to his ojou, however, Tetsu had superhuman senses.

"You moron! I told you not to worry her!" In a flaming flash, Tetsu was back in the room, a trail of smoke almost visible behind him. Kumiko coughed quietly and the infuriated man froze in place.

"Conspiring to keep things from me, Tetsu?"

The yakuza member shriveled up in dread. "B-b-b... I was just... I was... I can explain!"

"It sounds to me like you were withholding Oeda family business from the 4th Generation family head. Does that seem like a good idea to you?"

"No, I mean sorry." Tetsu started bowing profusely, terrified by Kumiko's uncharacteristic calm. "It was only that we didn't want-"

"4th Generation head?" Inquired a new voice. Three faces swiveled to view the tall, imposing figure that was dwarfing the doorway. A broad, kimono'd man stood there with each of his hands resting on the bicep of the opposite arm and a sardonic look on his face.

"Kyo-san?!" Kumiko was up on her feet and across the room before she could finish her short sentence. Her small arms wrapped around the wide frame of the man in front of her and he reached down, smiling to pat her head.

"How now, Ojou? What's all this about the 4th Generation Head? The last I head on the matter, Oeda doesn't have a head right now."

"A body can't live without a head." Kumiko spoke to the older man's chest.

"That's true. We're about due for a transplant."

"They say that family members are the best donors in such cases."

"Ojou...?" Tetsu's mouth fell open.

"Mmmm," Kyo grunted, approvingly. "Well, then, Boss. I'm here to report after my long absence."

Kumiko beamed, the momentary cloud that had descended upon her while sealing her decision to accept her birthright now cleared. She was overcome with curiosity to know how her friend and mentor had been getting on for the last ten years.

"Well, as you know, I had to leave Japan pretty suddenly after that sleazebucket canary sang to the cops about my involvement in the Sinoma job. I hopped a boat to Taiwan and I've spent the last several years building on some connections I have there. My cousin Oto has been deep into the Sung-kim family since before Ojou was born, so there was much work to be had. Actually, I ended up doing a major favor for the head, Sung Jae-in, and it became necessary for me to leave Taiwan in a similar hurry to my escape from Japan. It all worked out for the best, though. I wouldn't have taken the job if I hadn't known that the statute of limitations on the Sinoma job was gonna be running out this week. It's actually pretty convenient. In another ten years, when I get chased down again, maybe I can see what crimes there are to commit in Korea!" He ended his story with a deep belly laugh.

Kumiko's face split into a huge grin. Kyo-san hadn't changed.

Tetsu was still trying to process what had happened. "Wait wait wait!" he yelled, causing all eyes to turn on him, questioningly. He lowered his voice. "Ojou- do you mean to say that you're giving up on teaching?"

"Yes." She didn't raise her eyes, but her voice was quiet and firm.

"After all of your work? All you've had to go through to be accepted in your job?" Tetsu couldn't process this sudden change of gears. "I thought this was your dream?"

Kumiko turned her back and looked out the doorway, into the moonlit courtyard. "There's a time to dream, Tetsu." She closed her eyes and leaned her head on the doorpost. "And there's a time to wake up." She pushed against the doorway and straightened her spine. Her shoulders squared as she turned around, and there was no doubting the resolve in her expression.

"The time for dreaming is over. I am what I was meant to be – the head of the Oedo family."

To be continued