a/n: i just wanted to clarify that if Kumiko is being referred to as "Yankumi," then it would either be 3-D/ShinGumi's train of thougt, but when she gets referred to as "Kumiko," it's Shin/Tomoya/Ryuuichirou(Grandfather's) POV. Of course, if she's "Ojou," it's the kumi, if it's "Yamaguchi-sensei," it's the teachers.

0o0o0

3-D watched in strange fascination, as they saw "that guy" pick up Yankumi for lunch. Those too far away to get a good look either squinted their eyes, or rudely came forward to stare.

Of course, Yankumi was too busy acting like a doofus to actually pay them any attention with the lawyer present. And it wasn't just the lawyer's presence that set her so off-balance, either. It was the increasingly antisocial aura that was radiating from 3-D's Sawada Shin, which also caused their unusual interest.

The tension in the air was extremely palpable.

"Let's try having lunch at your cafeteria, and look around the school, after. I'd like to see the kind of environment you work at." They heard the lawyer say.

All eyes shifted to Shin, who closed his eyes, and kept silent, as if irritated, and wanted to try to sleep to be spared whatever it was he found extremely unpleasant.

Now, despite their grades, when it came to their 'fearless leader,' 3-D was pretty sensitive. And curious interest was now turning into...dislike.

This made Yankumi laugh nervously, and agree, just to get the older man out of the room. It wasn't that she couldn't handle them. It was more along the lines of not wanting to show the older man that more...violent side to her.

Shin knew this, which irritated him further. And 3-D was becoming restless. If the two 'grown-ups' stayed longer, the others were going to start being rude, and while he was of a mind to stop them, before she had to hurt them, he didn't want to have to.

He watched secretly, as Kumiko hustled the lawyer out of the room, to go to the cafeteria. Ugh. He was planning to have lunch today. Why couldn't that jerk just take her out, anyway?

"Hey, Shin. You wanna go check on those two?" Minami asked, eagerly. "Who is that guy? I never seen him before."

"No, I don't. And he's their lawyer." Came the short reply.

"It don't look like that's all they are." Ucchi observed, the others hitting him for his insensitivity.

"If she's so rich, why is she teaching?" Noda asked.

"Aw, you know her. She's weird that way. If you ask, she'll probably make some dumb speech about tomorrow's youth, or something." Kuma answered.

They watched as Shin wordlessly stood up, and was on his way out of the classroom. They knew where he was going, and why, and as their 'fearless leader left the room, they all had the same thought.

Man, was it hard to be him.

0o0o0

Fujiyama and Kumiko had lunch with Shinohara-sensei. Both the sexy teacher, and the lawyer took this opportunity to size each other up, and observe the rather uncomfortable woman sitting with them.

"So, how do you think Kumiko-chan is doing with the students?" Shinohara Tomoya asked, in honest interest.

"She's doing pretty well, especially with her class, 3-D." The buxom woman answered, flashing him a bright smile, while inwardly smirking. Funny you should ask that. She wondered just how much she could push the envelope without actually saying something.

Kumiko, on the other hand, started feeling a little more nervous, at that answer (try a lot more nervous. That woman was purposely doing it, saying something like that!!!)

Tomoya was still smiling though the words confirmed his suspicions. That woman definitely knew something. Something useful.

"What about you? I can't imagine them not taking a liking to you." Flatter her. He thought. Women like that. The more he found out, the better. "Do you have a favorite student?"

"Oh, Shinohara-sensei! That's-"

"Please, call me Tomoya. Kumiko-chan's friends don't need to be so formal." He said, cutting her off.

Pleased at this development, She continued. "Dewa, Tomoya-san, you should know that it isn't fair for teachers to have favorites. But if I really had to say...I'd pick...Sawada Shin...ne, Yamaguchi-sensei?"

"Eh? Shin? Why should I pick Shin? He's such a smartass, always skipping out and acting like a jerk, a-a-and he doesn't help me out at all." Kumiko stuttered, lamely. Dammit!!! That woman wasn't going to stop!!!

Fujiyama wanted to laugh at her flustered friend. Tomoya had to keep his brow from furrowing.

Sawada Shin, huh. He wondered if this woman might have possibly corrupted Kumiko in some way. Maa.

"Of course. I hear Shin-san is quite exceptional." Tomoya replied.

"Masaka..." Fujiyama gasped, in a saucy voice. "Don't tell me Yamaguchi-sensei talks about him with you! Dame yo, Yamaguchi-sensei. Shinohara-sensei might get weird ideas."

You're the source of those weird ideas. Thought Kumiko and Tomoya, at the same time.

Kumiko glared at her friend. Fujiyama only gave her an annoying smile. Tomoya wondered idly, if the music teacher knew what her friend's look meant. It was probably better that she didn't.

"Not at all. It's Kumiko's...family members. Shin-san comes by pretty often, I hear." He answered.

"Awww...how sweet." Fujiyama sighed. "He must really love his teacher a lot."

Now, Kumiko, at that moment, was drinking a glass of water. After hearing this last remark, not only did she choke on her water, and blister her throat some water came out of her nose, and after having that happen, wanted to die of mortification.

Of course, Tomoya and Fujiyama saw everything. And while Fujiyama had already given in, and was laughing (apologizing between laughs, as it were), Tomoya was having problems holding it in.

It was just so like her. And while he did love her, he had to admit-the woman was wither unlucky that way or just clumsy.

Kumiko, on the other hand was already wishing Fujiyama dead, and her devil mode aura ws increasing by the second. She was on her way to transforming, with only the barest hint of control remaining. Sensing this, Fujiyama Shizuko opted to take a safer-though equally interesting route.

"How surprising that you seem more interested in Shin, than in Yamaguchi-sensei...Tomoya-san." She commented, watching the lawyer's near-unreadable face.

"I imagine you know what it means to know whom you should keep...closer." He answered, as if in a joke, to hide from Kumiko his real meaning, knowing Kumiko was dense that way.

Fujiyama ununderstood. It was a battle, and this was planning.

"Well, then. That boy is antisocial. You really have your work cut out for you." The music teacher responded.

(Translated: Good Luck. You'll need it.)

She watched him give her a short nod.

"So, what do you think of Kumiko and me?" He asked, eagerly.

Kumiko's head snapped towards Tomoya's direction, mouth open due to shock. How bold he was! how could he say such things so easily?

"S-S-Sensei...what do you mean? We're not..." Kumiko stammered, shyly, blushing furiously as she did.

"Would you like us to be?" He asked, in a somewhat teasing manner.

"YES!-uh...no...I mean...I'm pretty thirsty, so I'll just-"

In her haste to escape a situation she couldn't handle, she was about to stand up, and run to the bathroom, the rooftop-somewhere-just to avoid making a definite answer, when she slammed into a firm, warm someone.

They fell in a heap, that someone wrapping his arm around her head, making sure she would be unhurt, no matter wich way she fell.

She fell right smack on top of him.

Sure that she was safe, he slowly let go.

Kumiko, still in between shock and panic, was slow to stand up.

"Well. You must be pleased." A dry, bored voice muttered tiredly.

Her head snapped up, noticing red hair first, face-second. It was Shin. SHe scrambled to get off him, and he slowly sat up.

"W-What do you mean, Shin? P-Pleased about what?" She asked, guiltily.

"I'm not even going to bother saying it." He said, as he stood up.

Tomoya, Fujiyama, and Kumiko both watched quietly as the younger man stood up, and walked off.

"Do things like that happen, everyday?" Tomoya asked, curiously.

"Hmm...What? Yamaguchi-sensei slipping, and Shin catching her? It depends. Nothing like her actually, physically slipping, but in other things, in other ways...i'd say, a lot."

Most of them contrive, like that little show we saw, just now. Fujiyama thought, inwardly. Strangely enough, but while Yamaguchi Kumiko and Shinohara Tomoya did not notice, she caught sight of Shin, sitting close enough to hear, but a little ways to avoid their direct line of sight.

At the lawyer's question, the younger man had anticipated Yamaguchi-sensei's panic, and stood up, walking along the direction she'd most likely try to escape to.

Just to show his rival who the man really was. How cute!

Tomoya and Kumiko, unaware of the other woman's thoughts, wondered what was so amusing.

Shin, on the other hand, needed to take a walk.

She said yes. Thankfully, she took it back. This wasn't good.

He didn't miss the knowing smirk on Fujiyama's face, when he and Kumiko fell in a heap.

As much as he hated to admit it, he was going to have to have a little talk with her...sometime soon.