Apachi, AT-chan signing in once again… Sigh, here is another chapter, the reason why I have to post from the past three chapters to this sooner is because I may not get another chance to post another one or write another chapter… I'll be deadly busy. So please don't expect a fast update… But can I ask a favor for those who are reading this right now? Please write a review for each chapter you read, I would really appreciate that, if you don't mind, that is if you don't mind, I'm not forcing you to write.

This may not be the best story you have ever read but I swear to you all, I did try my best I could give you all… (I hope you could accept the triangle in this fic, I was surprised myself when I started having that thought, and I just had to write it, so for those who don't like it, gomen ne!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Gokusen, (obviously) I'm just using Jun Matsumoto's name temporarily, so don't sue…

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Chapter 4: A Little Bit More Than a Hindrance

"Yankumi?" Uchi stared at the woman, who was equally surprised. "W-what are you still doing here?"

Uchi placed his hand on hers and Yankumi pulled him up effortlessly. "I was wondering why someone suddenly called me in this small street, and the voice was familiar too… so it was you. I should be asking you the same question too; I thought you were with Shin and the other two out for karaoke or something… But, why were you calling my name?" the teacher tilted her head in wonder.

"U-uh, I didn't call you! Nobody did! You must be hearing things! After all, didn't ya tell me that you were tired?" Uchi denied, waving his hand along with the package. "Yeah, maybe I just feel dizzy…" Kumiko drooped her sight at a lower level with exhaustion, suddenly feeling a slight squeeze on her right hand. She suddenly looked at the direction of the warmth on her hand. Then she darted her sight on the boy's face that had a collected and relieved appearance. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable for an unknown reason, she started stuttering. "This is a… different expression coming from Uchiyama… this shouldn't bother me at all… Still, though… Why is he…?" She started glancing away from his gaze to his hand then back at his gaze once again.

"U-uh, Uchiyama… You can let go now…" she started out. When the boy suddenly saw what his teacher was pointing to, he immediately pulled his hand away and shoving it into one pocket, while the female pulling hers away as well. "S-sorry." He managed to get out. "Damn it, what happened just now?"

The petite lady only nodded, her sight caught by one object the other boy was holding on to for quite a while. She then started pointing at the object without thinking, making the tall boy feel confused. "Is that Ramen from the nearby restaurant?" she inquired. Uchi pulled the package in a higher level, making him stare at it oddly. "Why did I buy one again?"

Uchi, without him knowing that he quickly shoved the package right behind his back, nodded in a blank way. "Why am I hiding it away from her anyway? Its just-just Ramen!"

This made the woman suddenly smile widely, "I love how they make Ramen in that restaurant, and they make the best shakes! Hey, Uchiyama, have you tried the green shake?" Yankumi babbled happily, making "Blonde" blink his eyes in astonishment while nodding all the way. "So you bought a bowl didn't you? So you were hungry along with the others? By the way, where are they?" At the woman's last question, Uchi looked away, while the woman herself started going around the boy, hoping to see her other 'precious students'. She turned back at the silent boy once again. "They left? This early?" Yankumi blinked at him.

"Yeah, they were busy with some things…" Uchi lied. She didn't seem to notice the disappointment in his eyes, but instead changed the topic. "So when they left you bought Ramen for take out instead, since you were hungry? Oh yeah, what kind is it? Is it Miso Ramen?" The boy's eyebrow twitched at her sudden bounciness, and caused him to nod like a mannequin once again.

"Wow! I love Miso Ramen! Especially if it's just cooked from that restaurant, now all this talking about Ramen is making me hungry too! Hold on for a while Uchiyama, I'll just go and order myself one bowl for me too!" she started to turn the other direction when she felt a sudden strong grip holding her back. "U-Uchiyama? What's wrong?"

It was like a stimulus to him. He pulled her hand back to his direction, when she looked back and started talking; he placed the package right on her palm. "Here." He offered. All Yankumi could do was blink a few times when she can finally formulate the whole scene properly.

"Oh! You mean you're going to give this to me? You don't need to do that, Uchiyama, I can always just buy myself a package, I just can't receive something when it was from your money." She tried pushing the package back to him, but the student pursued and shoved it back to her.

"…Is this the reason why I wanted to order another one…?"

"…Don't worry, it's not from my own money anyway… Since you wanted one so badly, I'll just have to give you mine, it's that simple…" Uchi placed both his arms behind his head and avoided his teacher's eyes.

The teacher looked at her student with great astonishment and pointed at him with her index finger. "U-Uchi…" at his name, he glanced at the woman and suddenly felt embarrassed with her calling him by his first name in a 'weird' manner. "W-what? What is it now?" Uchi placed both his arms on his sides and started squinting his eyes on her to lessen the warmth on his cheeks. The woman suddenly affectionately grinned at him and pounced on him.

"AAAWWW! LOOK AT MY PRECIOUS STUDENT RIGHT HERE! HE'S FINALLY SHOWING KINDNESS TO HIS TEACHER! I'M SO PROUD!" she started while head locking the tall boy with one arm that held the Ramen package and the other ruffling his clip-free hair.

"Still, he didn't buy the Ramen with his own money, but what the heck… YOU'RE STILL SHOWING THAT YOU ARE A GOOD STUDENT, AND BEING YOUR TEACHER REALLY MAKES ME HAPPY!" The teacher paused, giving the prey a chance to fight back, but instead stopped at the idea, he realized his feeling comfortable at their closeness with each other… And he was trying so hard to fight it…

"…I bet he's just as worse as a teacher as you…"

The woman paused and stepped back from the boy that was hesitating. "Finally! You could've killed me you know that, Yankumi? For a small woman you sure are—" Uchi started fixing his ruffled hair with one hand and holding his sore neck with the other.

"Oh, did I hurt you? I'm sorry…" the woman's mood suddenly changed with just one sentence that was said from a few moments ago. Somehow, it was beginning to make her stop doing things she usually does do, and it made her think twice on things…

"Hey, I was only kidding, although I have to admit it's getting a bit sore, but no harm done… What's wrong with you now?" Uchi stopped holding his sore spot and began to notice his teacher's nervous fiddles, making him feel sincerely worried.

"I-it's nothing, like you said, I may have been a bit too hard, I'll stop, I promise… he he" she failed faking a smile and instead made him more worried, he inched his way closer and held her trembling fingers. "U-Uchiyama?"

"Stop fiddling, you'll drop the Ramen then spoil it…" The boy waited for a few seconds before she could finally control her fingers, then he nodded at her then pulled away. "Though you might hurt us by doing that, that doesn't mean you have to stop, besides, it can be of good use as a disciplinary tool." He stepped back into a good distance.

Yankumi stared back at his concerned eyes and shook her head. "You're still stubborn… But you have changed, Uchiyama… If only you were like this sooner, but seriously… you don't have to change completely, be yourself, Uchiyama… And, thank you…"

Uchi had a small smile, "…I know… But still, since I've been a good student to you, then why did I get to be the first guinea pig for the 'disciplinary tool', eh? That's mean of you, Yankumi!"

"Ah, Gomen ne, Uchiyama, its just that you're so cute when you act so smug and kind at the same time!" she clasped her hands together in an apologetic way and sweat dropped at the boy's complaint.

"…This is the Yankumi I know…"

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He felt an adrenaline rush through him right after the last step he took on the ground, his eyes were both laid on the two other characters, he knew he was intruding a moment, but the thing is, he doesn't give a damn at all, that was his whole point to come up to Uchi and Yankumi anyway, to annoy them then make them both stop their whole conversation with each other… It sounds stupid and incredibly typical, he knows, but the surprising thing is, that's the only thing that comes up to his mind right now…

The sound of footsteps approached the student and teacher who were busily blabbing to each other. He saw the whole thing happen a while ago, but he didn't let it get to him, after all, Shin Sawada is Shin Sawada… though he has to admit, it's getting annoying…

"Oi. Stop flirting you baka…" the new comer started, ignoring the smirking Uchi.

It was obvious the teacher was uncomfortable with his presence; just knowing he's there really makes her pissed. "Hmph, what are you doing here? Uchiyama told me you had other things to do."

"Oh, so you didn't deny that you really were flirting?" the boy teased, enjoying the teacher's pouting face. The redhead avoided the other boy's gaze, and instead looked intently at his teacher's nervous reaction.

The teacher glared at the boy, feeling the furiousness from the rooftop once again. "Fine, if it makes you feel any better, we were not flirting… But if we were, what would you care anyway? Right, Uchiyama?" The teacher raised an eyebrow smugly then looked at the boy beside her for more fighting power. Uchi shrugged, and then smirked at his 'developing' companions. At the other boy's shrug, Shin took the liberty to walk towards the teacher, pissing her even more. Uchi then noticed the boy's intention, he shoved his pockets in his pockets and nodded at Yankumi.

"Oi, Yankumi, I have to go…" the boy started. "W-wait! Can I really have the Ramen?" Yankumi was caught in surprise. "Hai… Enjoy it then, see ya tomorrow you two." He nodded at the smiling and waving teacher. "Take care then, Uchiyama"

The tall boy proceeded on his way while muttering to the blank boy beside him at the moment, and with a quick moment, he spotted his bleeding hand on the package and smiled mischievously

"…Had fun hitting the wall…?" Uchi chuckled playfully, making the redhead tighten his grip.

"Well obviously, Uchi didn't tell you that I just didn't want to eat with him… I bought Teriyaki instead at the stand close to the school," he confirmed, making a quick glare at the retreating Uchi without the teacher noticing and showed the package in front of her. The teacher glared at him then looked at the package, her sight only to be caught by the boy's bleeding hand.

It was amazing how she could change from being pissed to completely forgetting about it, but when she started to feel that something wrong was going with him, she said the next sentence with a pure glare, "What happened to you? What did you do with your hand?" She said, holding his hand. The stubborn boy pulled his hand away, making the teacher look at him intently. She noticed his flushed face, making her look softer.

"Are you sick?… You feel warm." The teacher placed her hand on his forehead, making the boy add color to his face unwillingly. He looked back right at her dark eyes behind the glasses and tried to stop his heart beating so fast. He frowned inwardly…

"…It's still there… damn"

"Quit it… This is nothing." The boy shoved her hand away from him and glared. Once again in self-control, he breathed inwardly. But the teacher herself wasn't feeling at all jolly any longer, "You are so stubborn ya know that!? I know there is something wrong with you! Could you just drop the pride already!?" She furrowed her eyebrows, trying so hard to restrain herself from not hitting him again.

…shrug…

in one swift movement, she pulled up her fist and moved to his face… The teacher stopped at one inch from his nose. "…His cheek… it's swollen, did I…?"

"…Are you going to hit me on the same spot? Baka…" the boy muttered quietly letting only the woman and himself hear it. The teacher pulled her hand away and placed both her arms on her chest. She looked away from the smug look of the boy to pout .

"J-jerk…" she childishly insulted, making the calm boy chuckle a bit.

"Sawada?" she muttered when she saw the package of Teriyaki in front of her arms. "You have it, Tetsu and Minoru cooked the Teriyaki…" he said blankly to her. "Tetsu and Minoru?"

Although she knows that he's trying to do something nice to make up for what he did a while ago to her though, things between them aren't exactly over yet… she glanced from his face to the package then back at his face. "Take it will you? I can't hold out my arm all day…" he slightly let the package touch her arm.

"R-right… Sorry" she hesitantly held the package and felt a sudden quiver from her spine. "But, are you sure I could take it?" she asked. With his nod, she placed her hand over the package slightly making contact with his fingers. Shin grimaced from the contact, successfully hiding the pain in her face when the teacher moved to remove the package from his hold. Notwithstanding the pain, the boy was satisfied nonetheless at the small contact.

"… Now were both even…"

The teacher smiled at him and sniffed at the package she held. "Thanks, Shin… Wow, if only my two students were like this everyday, I would be the happiest teacher in the world… I always knew you two had feelings for me—" she strutted.

"Don't expect too much with just Teriyaki, baka…" The boy sneered. In return, the woman gave a small smile.

"I could dream can't I?" she poked fun at the boy. Despite her joking, it made him think otherwise. Also making him feel a bit 'motivated' for some reason. He looked away, peeved at the inconsequential joke. He placed one hand in his pocket, suddenly coming to finger an object that had a soft surface, making him suddenly wonder why he took the certain object. Thus, making him even more peeved.

Seeing him shove his hand, that was not harmed, in his pocket, made her change into 'motherly mode', or so does Uchi and the others learn to call it. She frowned and got closer to her student with a bleeding limb, the limb with a reason of why it was hurt being stupid; so, so stupid, (according to the boy that is) that it was unlikely of the boy to do it… Well, of course, the teacher does not even know the damned reason.

"your hand, Shin… Come to my place with me today, I'll fix your wounds, I want no refusals." The woman cleared out. The teacher seized his wounded hand and looked intently at the boy for any reaction. The boy was surprised at the gesture and stared at the woman blankly, once again analyzing her expression. Not getting the reaction the 'mother' was looking for, she did the first thing that came to her mind.

SLAP…

"DAMN it!!! What did you do!? Can't you see I'm hurt? You baka…" The boy hissed in pain, gently soothing the pain from his slapped wound, glaring at his 'mother'. The woman stepped back from him and gave him an apologetic look.

"I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It's just that I had to make sure how serious it was! But you'll be happy to know it's a minor injury, no deep wound… he he" The boy furrowed his eyebrows at her, the woman in turn bowed continuously at her student. She stopped, then looked right back at the boy. "I'll make it better in turn of what I did to you… You can join me for dinner! We'll eat these two packages together!" She grinned at him, making him soften a bit.

"…Baka" he set off first, the teacher dumbfounded at his expression a while ago. "So was that a yes? Being the Shin that he is, he'll just confuse me in the end anyway…"

"Oi, Yankumi." He tilted his head to her, his bruised hand now hanging from his side. Yankumi looked right back at the calm boy, pretending to be angry. "H-hai! Wait for me!" she ran off beside him, then both walking to the Ooedo household together.

"…Guess that's a yes…"

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"You wait here, Shin, I'll just get the first aid in the kitchen…" She started off to the living room's door. At the frame she turned to the boy with her tongue sticking out at him mockingly, "Now don't go off and escape, or you might just get another thing much worse! Beh!" once the childish teacher was gone, Shin shook his head at her actions. Then darted her eyes at the two packages on the table in front of him. "We're both even now…still, it bothers me"

He stared intently at the Ramen package, he could see from the cover that steam was seeping through, while he set his eyes on the Teriyaki package, it was doing the same. He finds it strange, and he dared had to ask he himself. "…Why didn't he stop me when he had the chance…? And why didn't I refuse?"

When he heard the sound of fidgeting in the kitchen, he began to wonder on why hasn't he seen the others yet. He didn't notice any lower Yakuza in the front to greet their Ojou back home, then he realized…

…he was alone with his teacher…

This didn't bother him before, for countless of times he has been with her without anyone around to bother them, but why now? He wondered… was this because of the interaction between Uchi and Yankumi? He was beginning to think that he shouldn't have come… But, why didn't he just run away then? "That can't be, that would just mean I'm a coward…"

The next question he was asking was… "…And why did I give her my Teriyaki? Was it because of…"

"…How would you know how I feel for my teacher or if he is as worse as me…? You of all people wouldn't understand… You won't even listen to your teachers, including myself…"

Yes, that must be it… I'm just feeling guilty, damn it… I really am beginning to think I should've refused…

"… Or most of all, insult Jun Matsumoto… you …will pay…"

…But then again…

The door slid open to reveal a woman come in. Then Shin's gaze on the two packages were cut off by the sound of footsteps in front of him then looked up at the woman. "Sigh… I finally found it, Kyou-san must've misplaced the kit from the last time… Anyway, give me your hand." She set herself down in front of him and opened the kit. She then was about to reach for the boy's hand when he pulled it away from her. "I'll do it myself…" he refused in a blank way, not wanting to trouble he woman any longer, he was about to reach the kit when Yankumi pulled the kit out from his reach.

"Oh dilly-dally, shilly-shally… Stop being so stubborn and give me your hand!" Yankumi pursued, taunting the young man. "You're the one who slapped my hand a while ago, I just can't let you wrap it up…" he continued to refuse her 'offer'.

"Oh so you really want me to slap your hand do ya? All right! If that's what you want then!" She had a small 'demon glare' and pulled his hand in a split second. "All right! Do what you want, baka…" Shin accepted, making his teacher ruffle his hair a little and making the lad smile inwardly.

She started pulling his hand and dab a little alcohol around the surface of the wound. She smiled, happy for acting of good use for her precious student, nothing more, nothing less. The boy smiled at the woman who was quietly concentrating on dabbing on his hand. He was satisfied with the closeness, and tried not to chuckle when she had trouble closing the bottle of alcohol with one hand.

"Where are Kuroda-san and the others? Its dead silent here…" he blankly muttered, unknowingly bothered by the silence. "Oh? Uh, grandpa had to go to Shanghai for a meeting with another Yakuza heir, and obviously he had to bring along the others with him, so I'm alone with Tetsu and Minoru… I didn't know you hate silence here, I always thought silence was your best friend." She answered, not being bothered by the tense closeness with the boy.

"Hn, you have no idea…" Shin muttered silently, knowing the Ooedo household full of warmth and familiarity of a big happy family, and of course Shin would have to admit, he's happy to be a part of it. But some things need to be clarified between he and the Ooedo Ojou. First, he needs to say the 's' word. His hand was being held in her warm and soft palm, and she didn't take notice of it, "the idiot" he thought. He was nervous, but he can't accept it, he wondered why. Maybe things are happening fast for this boy. He doesn't know what he wants right after he says it, but will they still be as close as she is with him right now?

He had to stop thinking, so when he saw her struggling to open the ointment cap, he placed his free hand on top of hers and startled her when he helped her open it. "Uh, thanks…" she could only let out. She looked up at him, realizing on how very close they were right after Shin's shift of position. She had a good look of his face, that held a calm expression through her eyes, then the 'expected' happened, she looked back at what she was doing and quickly dabbed on his hand. "Y-you can tell me when I'm a bit hard for you…" she suggested. When she dabbed once again, she felt from her hand that he winced a bit.

She looked up right at him once again to apologize when she could feel his breath, going through her features. Then she noticed one thing different… "Those eyes…"

"Should I do it now…?" The lad was full of regret on what he did on that day on top of the rooftop, but he wasn't conscious at all in front of Yankumi. The woman though, has forgotten who the boy really was and was replaced with her familiarity of someone else…

"Is he back to haunt me…?" Yankumi, the ointment on her hand forgotten, her hand trembling to link with the other man's face, has finally reached one side of his face. "Yuuta-san, is that really you with me right now?" she silently muttered.

Shin blinked, suddenly back and automatically touched the hand on his face. "Yankumi?" the boy startled the woman, swiftly pulling her hand back from him. "S-sorry, I was tired ever since this afternoon…" She started picking the ointment and placing it back on the box, while avoiding Shin's familiar eyes.

"This afternoon…" Shin repeated, suddenly upset. She gently wrapped his hand with a bandage and she laid her hand on top of the wrapped one with a small pat. "Th-there you go…" she made a motion to pull away. Then she organized the different remedies on the kit and tried to ignore the deep stare from the boy.

"Listen, Yankumi… About this afternoon." Shin bravely started, calmly and intently looked at the 'busy' woman. She paused. She never looked up to meet his eyes. "w-what do you mean?" Shin shook his head and continued. "Don't act like you don't know…"

Yankumi looked up and placed her index finger on her chin to do a thinking stance. "…Let me see… Oh! Right! He he… Don't worry, there's no harm done… You actually helped me realize something, so there's no need to—" she grinned and half lied at the boy. "Stop lying, Yankumi, I know I made you mad, there's proof too…" Shin scolded, pointing at his bruised cheek. A few moments passed by with not a word, only Yankumi trying to look at some thing in the room that would be of a good excuse while Shin followed her every gaze. Then she positioned her eyes on two objects on the table and motioned to pick them up.

"Oh! I have to reheat the Ramen and your Teriyaki that you two gave me so I'll just—" Shin cut her off by placing his wrapped hand on top of hers. "Yankumi…" he called her in a soft tone, while staring deeply into her eyes to restrain her.

Yankumi darted her eyes on his wrapped hand and shut her eyes while clasping onto the kit's lid to sigh in defeat. "All right… I'm listening…"

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I hate cliffhangers, but please bear with me…

Try to drop a review, okay? Arigatou…

Take care!

Next chapter: Chap 5: Mosukoshi

Apachi then! AT-chan signing off!