An: here is part two of chapter 7. To be completely honest I have no idea why this exact chapter became so big, it is nothing extra special with it from my perspective. Anyway, I hope those who read it will find it interesting. Enjoy.
Part 2 - the white devils
I used most of the night trying to convince my friends to come back to school in the next morning. We were a group who lived by the words "One for all and all for one". This meant I would have to convince everyone individually to return in hope of all of them returning to school.
Take I knew regretted his actions the moment he had left the room. Hyuga, with his improved relationship with his mother would also try his hardest in order not to disappoint her so he was also easy to convince.
When I told Tsucchi that Take and Hyuga wanted to go back to school, but felt like they could not return unless everyone else came as well he agreed easily.
Hayato was the main problem. Not that he did not want to go back, I knew him well enough to know he regretted his actions, but still had too much pride to not change his actions without a good reason. I began talking to him about Hyuga's improved relationship with his mother, how I had even dropped out from school because Take wanted to graduate, and how even Tsucchi agreed to go back. All of this was good points, but not enough to shake Hayatos pride.
In the end what convinced him was when I talked about our teacher. How he and me were the only one who knew her secret and how we needed to protect her and how she made my life a lot more interesting.
When I had began talking about her I could not shut up. I talked about how she convinced me to come back, something I had not told anyone before because I was ashamed, and how I felt like seeing her everyday gave my life meaning.
Hayato was just sitting on the couch in our favorite restaurant where the two of us just a few weeks earlier had small a competition about valentine chocolates. He just sat there for what might have been hours listening to my speech.
In the end he just said he would come back since "he could not keep me from my happiness" and walked out of the restaurant. Whatever he meant by that I do not know but since he agreed I did not waste a second before sending out messages to Take, Tsucchi and Hyuga that Hayato was also going to school in the morning so now they could show up as well.
oOoOo
The next day I arrived early and waited outside the school almost one hour before the bell would ring.
Just to be certain all my friends would come.
One by one they came.
In the end we were a whole group again and I could finally walk into her classroom yet again.
oOoOo
When she came thru the door the next morning I really wanted to see her reaction to us all being there again, but I was a little afraid and looked to the side like I had no care in the world. Not that anything had changed, I had luckily prevented that from happening.
Acting as not nothing special had happened the day before Yamaguchi began handing out papers while telling everyone about jobs they could apply to or different schools they might get into. She began giving out advice. A fellow classmate was interested in fashion, she told him he could work at a boutique, another one was interested in cars, so she informed he could maybe work at a car repair shop. It might not be the most concrete advice she gave out, but she gave the young men inside the classroom ideas and possibilities they at this moment had not realized them self.
Nothing had changed it seemed, headteachers and superintendents strict orders about banning anyone from finding work was for her just unimportant orders defining her wish in life. Words related to a purpose she was deliberate breaking in hope of her students having it a little easier when they graduate.
I felt proud of her actions, but still rotten inside since the fight was my fault and even with the new positive passion for the future inside the classroom I could not get Tsucchi and the other guys back their chance at a interview.
oOoOo
Just a short distance from where I and the guys had gone to play at a arcade after school I saw Yamaguchi a few meters in front of us. Take followed up saying her nickname "Yankumi" before we all decided to investigate what she was doing.
Seeing her bow down to a man in a dirty one piece at a car reprimand shop begging him to at least give one of her students a chance of employment made me realize she was telling the truth when she told headteacher her dream was for us to graduate and fulfill our dreams. Not that I doubted her words. She was working hard when we did not even think anyone one would employ someone like us.
Yamaguchi was trying to make our future brighter, and what had I done? I ruined my classmates dreams at the interview and in doing so also ruined part of her dream.
oOoOo
After a late evening out with my friends, and having trouble sleeping since my head kept on repeating the scene where she bowed down to that man, telling him again and again "Please, hire him" I entered the classroom the next morning a few minutes late. Looking around, I could easily see that all of my closest friends had the same trouble finding sleep yesterday as well since they were all late and looked tired.
As I entered I could see something was celebrated in front of the class. Takayama, in his baseball shirt looking a little shy but still happy, was standing in the middle surrounded by his classmates. He had gotten a job offer. The first one in class.
Our female teacher walked up to Tsucchi who was standing with Take on one side and Hyuga on the other almost at once. She informed him that he had another chance at the interview tomorrow at the same gaming company as last other three who had also lost the chance earlier, as given another chance as well.
Tsucchi who had acted as if he did not care about his lost chance could not hide his shock when she told him. After what we had seen yesterday it was an easy guess who had persuaded the company to change their asked her just to confirm what we all knew, if she was the reason for their change of heart. Yamaguchi casually told him she was his homeroom teacher, and that it was her job to do so.
Hearing her reply I knew no other teacher would go to such length for her students as she had done, and was probably still doing every night after school hours.
Hayato walked forward from where he and I had been standing in the back towards Yamaguchi. He placed himself between Hyuga and Tsucchi while standing close by our female teacher while de declared towards her "We will pay you back". When Yamaguchi obviously had trouble understanding what he meant I walked forward a little standing close behind my friends informing her he meant that we would all graduate together.
Maybe we had messed up the interview and in so put a hamper on her dream for our future working life, but miraculous she had fixed part of the problem at least and because of this we would at least fulfilled one part of her dream, we would graduate. We would work so that everyone would graduate as a class together.
When Hayato even declared "We definitely won't fight until we graduate" might be a little hastily but I agreed with his statement and told her on behalf of everyone "We promise".
Seeing her beautiful smile made almost everything feel like it would be a piece of cake. As long as she smiled like that, I would work really hard never to fight again. At least until after graduation.
oOoOo
Hearing about Takayama job opportunity and Tsucchi's interview tomorrow we all felt a little uplifted and bought a lot on job applications magazines after school. We took them back to the cafe we usually went to and began looking thru them. Feeling our hope fall lower and lower as we kept on going thru page by page, magazine after magazine.
Either the pay was really low, we were too young without experience, or we needed a college degree. It was frustrating and a little sad.
As I was browsing the pages I began thinking in the direction of getting myself a college degree. In what I had no idea, but I think even my parents would be happy if I went to college compared to when I worked at Frentzen. Yamaguchi might even be proud if she knew the former drop out now considered collage.
Suddenly my thoughts was broken when I heard the annoying loud voice from a few nights ago. It was the white dressed guys again. From the looks of it they had washed the dirty uniforms, making them bright white again. The leader Todoroki, was obviously angry they lost the fight last time and wanted a rematch, this time with a lot more students backing him up.
Since we did not want our hangout to be ruined, and getting the police involved for damaging the property we followed the guys outside and into an abandon warehouse not far from the cafe.
Over ten white dressed guys with sticks and other weapons against five unarmed guys was not a good start. As a reminder both to my friends and in hope of stopping this fight I told everyone "Sorry, we have no intention of fighting you guys."
Todoroki disagreed with my statement and hit Hayato sin the face with his fist in order to start the fight. Hayato with his quick temper even ordered Tsucchi not to attack in retribution. I felt almost proud of Hayato and how he must have grown in this short time in order to keep his temper inside.
Trying yet again to hinder the fight, I walked in front of my friends standing face to face with Todoroki telling him "We told you we don't feel like it".
Maybe I was acting a little cocky again since not long after my words left my mouth all hell was loose and we became punching bags for frustrated high school students dressed in white.
It was almost wrong how easy it was to stop myself from fighting back.
In my eyes I only saw her smile as I told her we promised not to fight anymore. Focusing on the scene inside the classroom earlier today this beating did not hurt as much as it usually did. Not that someone was beating me up often, I was usually the one winning.
Quickly the white dressed guys had put us up against the wall for them to hinder us from falling and in so getting more hits in. The leader had enough of us not attacking us back and confusingly asked us why we would not give him the pleasure of having a even fight. Not that it would ever be an even fight with the difference in numbers and weapons.
Again Todoroki showed us how childish he and ordered the beating to start again. At this point I had trouble keeping myself standing up, having used too much effort to not do anything but to take the beating. It was in a way more tiresome to just stand there and take it compared to be the one throwing the fists. Since I still felt strongly about our promise to Yamaguchi I think the main reason I felt so tired was related to all my energy went into keeping myself awake during the fight, my body using all my leftover energy trying to heal itself.
One by one we fell down, no longer having the strength to stand. Sitting up against the wall trying to breath normally was at this point all I could focus on. Still the bastards would not give up and began kicking us as we lied there on the floor.
After what felt like forever my brain ordered me to look up in front of me.
Between the white devils I saw her. At first I thought it might be a mirage, like that of a thirsty man in the dessert, but I realized quickly she was here. Even in my condition my mind began question how this must look like to her, was I pathetic for getting my ass kicked like this, or was she proud of me because I kept my promise?
Without knowing what had happened Yamaguchi ordered the white clothed guys to "keep their hands away from her students". The beating stopped at once, but seeing Todoroki walk towards her made my want his attention on myself again. Let him beat me instead of her my mind was screaming.
I knew those thoughts was ridiculous since she was a better fighter than myself. Still, hearing the other students laugh at her when Yamaguchi informed them she was our homeroom teacher did not lie well with me. Even so I could do nothing.
Seeing her remove her hair bands and her glasses before shaking loose her hair was one of the most erotic things I have ever seen in my life. I could feel her burning eyes on my soul even if her eyes was not directed at myself.
The pathetic leader did not want to listen to her lecturing words and tried to hit to her face. I wonder how hard he would fall down?
It shocked me when she did not turn away. He hit her, in the face. Seeing her hurt was the first time I wanted to use my fist today. I wanted to tear him apart. First of all, you do not hit woman and secondly you do not hit my woman. Or my teacher I mean.
After getting hit she did not fall down like the rest of us had earlier. Her feet was firmly planted on the ground and as she turned her face back at the attacker I saw she has blood on her lip. Yamaguchi's eyes was burning but she did not say anything. The boy in front of her began yelling at her as to why even she would not fight back.
Then she began lecturing him and the others, about their lack of understanding in this "fight". I finally felt a relief I had hungered for, the knowledge that letting myself be beaten had been the correct solution to this situation.
Seeing the guy walk backwards as she was taking step by step closer was almost entertaining. In the end he even fell down without her ever touching him.
A few times in the past I had seen guys running away from the strength of her fist, this was the first time I had seen someone terrified just by her eyes alone, and a few words of course.
Shortly after everyone was running away with their tail between the legs because of one lonely female's eyes. She was magnificent.
I did not feel so great lying there with my feet in front of me, probable looking more dead than alive, but I could not make myself move one centimeter. Now that the danger was over and she was here I felt every hit that had landed on my body earlier making it ache.
As she sat down in front of where we were located on the ground she began telling us we were idiots. Because of her words I began question our decision earlier about not fighting, it would had made it easier to breath at this moment at least if I had protected myself better. Still when Yamaguchi heard we took the beating because our promise to her, it looked like she was close to tears.
I wanted a smile, not tears.
When she began messing with our hair in her way of showing us she was proud I could not even make myself tell her it hurt because of the injuries.
A smile entered my face, she was touching me.
oOoOo
Before the interview the next day everyone in class joined together in wishing the interviewees good luck. Tsucchi, with noticeable wounds on his face from getting beaten up the day before told everyone he would not join the other three. He was conscious about his wounds and did not want to let the other guys loose this new opportunity. Yamaguchi being the person she was told him those wounds was different from last time since he had not done anything wrong.
She ordered him to tell those who question his wounds the truth. That he did not get the while fighting, he got them while holding on to a promise of not fighting back. I think the words "Be proud of yourself" was the main reason as to why he changed his decision.
Hayato told everyone to make stand up in formation F. What is it with Hayato and his formations? I am his best friend and the only one not knowing all his formations. After school hours today I must make him write down every formation he has come up with during the time I was away.
Since I had no idea where I should put myself I stood in front and let Take hold my hand up as Tsucchi and the other interviewees walked under our and the rest of my classmates holding hands.
I wish them the best of luck.
oOoOo
After school everyone was inpatient for Tsucchi and the rest to come back so everyone collectively began running in the direction of where they would come from. In front of us was three teachers, the gym teacher, the bimbo english teacher and my favorite the math teacher, Yamaguchi.
They were talking to Tsucchi and the rest when we arrived. Hayato, the unofficial leader, (or maybe it was official?) asked them how it went. Looks like it did not go to bad, and now they must impatience await the result. Even if it was not a positive reply it was a lot better than most of us expected considering what happened last time just a few days ago.
Everyone from class began cheering for the success and with Yamaguchi in the middle, began yelling out things as everyone agreed and fist pumped into the sky. I think out of everyone present I was the only one not yelling out "oh" and put my hand up. I was more interested in watching and feeling the joy I was surrounded with.
We might be defined as dead last, but everything had a fighting changed after Yamaguchi joined our life. In just a few months ago I could not even imagine around twenty of us feeling such joy collectively just because some of us managed to fulfill an interview without being thrown out.
The future suddenly felt a lot brighter.
oOoOo
an: with baby steps his feelings are coming forward. :)
