Hello everyone! I'm back, with my fourth chappie!
Hmm, all I've gotta say is that this one is a wee bit of a long chapter. Actually, it took me some time to finish this one as classes have started at last. Again, I'm forced to juggle my time and schedules. (Sigh.)
But I do promise to update! I am very much determined to finish this story! So, to all the readers and reviewers who've supported me so far, I ask you to bear with me. Fight-o! Yeah! I will finish this one!
And anyways, juicier things are bound to happen to 'em, so I can't pass that up, right!
Disclaimer: Gokusen ain't mine, never was, never will be. If it were mine, I'm sure it wouldn't be as interesting as the original (which is, or course, the best! Morimoto rocks!).
An Unexpected Proposal
The room was large and spacious. The walls were plain white and the floors were made of the conventional smooth tatami boards. Somehow, there was a feeling of newness in the room, as though it was a recent additive. A bench press was positioned on one side, with assorted weights stacked some two meters from the left wall. There was even a punching bag positioned on one corner. It's oddly frayed state told Shin that a certain pig-tailed teacher often used it for easing pent-up tension. In the middle was a sparring mat with its fading friction-glossed areas, indicating that it was used sparingly but vigorously.
"This is the training room," said the Young Chief proudly as he toured the student around the equipment.
I can see that, he thought wryly, feeling impressed at the same time. The small smile on Shin's face encouraged Kyou to continue. "It was built for ojou's college graduation. I remember it…she was so glad when the boss had it made for her. Pity I was in jail."
Shin stared. "How could you remember if you were in jail?"
"Ojou visited me. At first, I was pissed at Wakamatsu for bringing her there. The okami had to hold me back," and the mental image of a demonic-looking Ooshima Kyoutarou, mouth frothing as he spitted curses, being held by a dozen guards as he attempted to reach a very sorry Wakamatsu passed through the redhead's mind. "But then, ojou said that she had to thank me. You see, I made that suggestion to the boss when she was about ten years old. I didn't even think he'd remember. Boss is really so kind."
Shin didn't know whether to laugh or feel exasperated as Kyou became teary-eyed at the not so distant memories. And in his very own Kyou-ish fashion, he wailed. "And my sweet little ojou went to a filthy place like that just to visit me! I'm so ashamed of myself!"
The young chief continued howling and reminiscing about the past leaving Shin utterly lost on what to do. To his relief, one of the doors slid open. But his relief died as soon as it came, replaced by queasy sensation around the pit of his stomach.
"What's this noise? Ah, Kyou-san," she said cheerily. Her eyes darted to and away from Shin, failing to acknowledge his presence as he noticed the sudden reddening of her cheeks. "I thought you were training—him."
"Ah, yes, ojou," replied the older man with a sniff, oblivious of the sudden tension between the two. "But I was just telling the Young Master about the history of this room."
Kumiko rolled her eyes, trying vainly to ignore the pair of dark eyes boring into her. "I see. Well, don't let me keep you." And she moved to leave.
"Ah, but I thought you wanted to watch Shin's training?" Shin stared questioningly at the young chief. Kyou didn't tell him that.
Fool. Why would he tell you something so trivial? countered an irritated voice at the back of his head.
Kumiko smiled at them—was that a sneer directed in his direction?—and indicated to the stack of papers tucked beneath her arm. "Got some stuff t' do. And I wouldn't wanna see my cute student embarrass himself in front of me."
For a moment, he watched her retreating back slightly relieved but feeling injured as well. He felt sure that she was still upset if she intentionally meant to push him away with that seemingly unimportant statement. But it hit a soft spot. If his body was only stronger—if he only knew how to fight better, maybe she'd see him in a different light. Shin knew she respected his intelligence and smart-ass attitude, but his physical weakness was another thing, one of the many obstacles to her affection. His hands clenched inside his pockets. He'll train hard for sure and—
A comfortable weight rested on his shoulder. "Don't sweat yourself thinking, Young Master." He sighed and looked up into the older man's knowing face. "I'll help yah be the man that you wanna be."
Shin nodded and made a ghost of a smile. How long had Kyou known? He often wondered. But at that moment, his comforting and supportive presence gave him all the encouragement in the world.
"Let's get going now!" said Kyou energetically. Shin nodded again, this time more determinedly, wishing momentarily that Kumiko hadn't given him the cold shoulder.
oo0o0oo
"Another meaningless stack of paperwork!" she growled, scribbling down the last score. Deep inside, she knew this was half-true and she felt a small twang of pride. This batch of quizzes had low scores but, compared to the last ones, these had promise. For one thing, no one received a grade below 30! Grinning ruefully, she shuffled the test papers together and knotted them into a bunch with a rubber band. The pleased smile on her face became rather fixed as she glared at topmost paper. It had a score of 100, and there was only one person in his class, let alone the entire batch who had enough brains to perfect her examinations.
Kumiko sighed. There really was no reason to get uptight with the boy, she reasoned with herself. But she couldn't help feeling irritated and furious at him. No one had ever gotten such a close contact with her before. She knew it was an accident but…! She bit her lower lip as she remembered the sensation of being close in his arms. For the umpteenth time, she mentally slapped herself for wanting to kiss him.
Shut up, shut up, shut up! You have absolutely no business feeling like that you, you perverted woman! her thoughts screamed.
I'm not a perverted woman!
Yes, you are. You were thinking of how firm his torso felt.
No, I wasn't!
Yes, you were.
No, I wasn't!
YES, YOU WERE!
NO, I WASN'T!
Kumiko pinched the bridge of her nose; she was starting to have a migraine. She never had migraines before but this one felt like it. Tetsu chose that moment to enter with a steaming pot of green tea.
"Here is your afternoon tea, ojou!" he said cheerily as he poured on her cup.
She frowned, puzzled. "But I didn't ask for an afternoon tea. And it's already 7:30."
Tetsu, scratched his bald head sheepishly, "Ah, I just—'coz you looked a bit stressed earlier, ojou. And tea calms your nerves sometimes…"
A lump formed in her throat and her eyes began stinging. She instantly regretted having pounded him earlier for his mistake—heck, everyone make mistakes! Smiling ruefully, she felt really happy and lucky to have a brother like him. With a small sniff, she murmured. "Thank you, Tetsu."
Tetsu grinned from ear to ear and excused himself from the room, leaving her to drink her tea in peace. The tea did calm her nerves, she thought warmly as she savoured the aroma and sipped peaceably. The wind chime hanging outside the door tingled and she looked up at the darkening horizon. A smile played along her lips. The whole thing was an accident, nothing more, she thought reasonably. No one could blame her anyways; Shin really looked nice. There was nothing wrong with feeling somewhat attracted with him. In fact, now that she thought it over, it would've been unfeminine of her if she found him unattractive.
Yes, that was it. It was just that, she murmured to herself, feeling satisfied with her analysis. Gulping down her third cup, she stood up and decided to visit the two men on the other side of the building.
oo0o0oo
"Urgh."
Kyou grinned down at him and extended a hand. Shin waved it aside, determined to stand on his own. The former smiled even wider, impressed at the redhead's will power and fighting spirit. "All right! One more, Young Master?"
If Shin noticed the kindly note in Kyou's voice, he didn't show it. Mouth set in a taut line, he wiped his bloodied mouth with the sleeve of his sweatshirt, quite forgetting that it was borrowed clothing. In the standard fighting position, he shouted. "OU!"
To count, he had received, 68 punches (20 of which were successfully blocked), 10 kicks not including the three he managed to dodge, and suffered from the third, recent head throw. Of course, he knew the young chief had to hold back since he was a newbie but the hits he received were still painful. When a person wants to fight, one had to be prepared for the pain after all.
"Too slow! But I can't blame yah. Remember to dodge and watch carefully before striking, eh?"
He nodded grimly and began his attack. Kumiko leaned casually on the sliding door and watched the sparring pair. Observing wryly, it really didn't matter who did the first move; Kyou was really much too fast for Shin. They danced on the sparring mat, spit and sweat flying. Kyou seemed much unharmed in contrast to her student's battered form. Though some of Shin's attacks managed to hit Kyou, Kumiko knew that those were uselessly directed in his strong areas, and thus could never inflict real damage. Nevertheless, she felt impressed; he seemed to be catching up pretty well with the young chief.
Clearing her throat, she spoke in her usual cheerful tone. "Hello, boys. Having fun?"
The two simultaneously halted their attacks. For the first time, she realized that Shin's hair was tied in a pony and, for a careless moment, decided that he looked really nice that way. She fully received Shin's stare and fidgeted slightly, wondering if he perceived her thoughts. There's no reason to feel uncomfortable, she disputed calmly and returned his gaze until he looked away. "I think my pretty stud's been pulped enough for the day. You've been working non-stop for—" and she consulted the wall clock. "—two hours now."
"Ah, yes, we should turn in now," answered Kyou and patted Shin with a grin. "Have you been watching, ojou? The Young Master here had real spunk. You should be proud of him."
With a wide grin, she said. "Of course I am! He's my best student!"
Shin couldn't help but feel the corners of his mouth quirk. She wasn't mad at him anymore. It felt nice to be acknowledged by her in his tired state. His face only sported a swollen left cheek and a bleeding lip but the rest of his body was already black and blue. The compliment was a salve to his wounded pride and battered body.
"You're staying in the guestroom," Kumiko grinned at the questioning look on his face. "We all know you can hardly walk, kid. You look like hell—you should change stuff again. We've prepared the necessary clothing for yah."
"Ah…thanks," was all he could think of to say. After all, she was right. Anyways, he liked the cheery and homey atmosphere at the Kuroda household. They may be tough gangsters but theirs was the kind of family that he missed and admired.
oo0o0oo
Shin stifled a yawn as they blessed the food and began to eat. At that moment, all he wanted to do was fall back on the floor and sleep. Of course, he couldn't yield as much as he wanted to; Kumiko was sitting just beside him. She'd laugh senseless should he fall face down on the hot bowl that had been placed right before him. That would truly be embarrassing, especially in the presence of her grandfather. However, he had no doubt that the others would enjoy such a scene as well.
Tetsu and Minoru finished serving the dishes and sat down last. Kuroda, who sat at the head of the table, facing Kumiko at his right and Kyou at his left, enquired as to Shin's training. Kyou proudly responded that he was doing well for a new apprentice and Shin had to bow at the approving glance the sandaime sent his way. His teacher nudged him with her elbows and gave him a thumbs-up of encouragement. He resisted the urge to smile openly at her and looked at her smugly instead.
Kumiko started digging-in in her own very unwomanly fashion. Shin watched her from the corner of his eyes, feeling highly amused; it was similar to watching a child on a favourite meal.
"You know,"—biting through a fish steak—"Yer weely lear'ing fa't." Gulping down, she attacked the salted rice without much looking up at him. "E'en Techoo 'n Minorah 'ad a 'ard time catchin' up with Kyou-'an."
"Maybe you shouldn't chew while talk," he suggested blandly and proceeded to munching the string beans. He received a very open glare from her at his statement. He smirked side wards at her and found her expression very cute…especially since some sticky grains of rice clung on the sides of her mouth. There were even some on her bangs.
"You've got some rice here," he said pointing to the area. "And your hair, too."
With a highly embarrassed look on her face, she tried to remove it all vainly. Sighing softly, he cupped her chin with his left hand and brushed off the bits with his other. Kumiko couldn't move in surprise, breath almost catching in her throat. His face was neared hers as he inspected her closely. She reddened, eyes widening as she watched his mouth. Why was she even looking at his mouth?
Noticing her reaction, Shin felt secretly satisfied and deliberately slowed his movements, savoring the feel of her face while teasing her with his thumb at the same time. When everything was done, he even held her face for some seconds longer than necessary before gently pulling away. Shin smiled discreetly, feeling slightly warm at his very bold move and proceeded eating more heartily.
Kumiko, feeling very awkward, let out a very fake laugh, babbling about the trouble with long hair. Annoyed with her subtle way of spoiling his moment of glory, he softly murmured about "fools making stupid excuses." Equally annoyed, Kumiko declared about "foolish boys who know nothing" and promptly "stole" his fish steak. The pissed redhead retaliated and took her chicken nugget, and soon, they were bickering over food, fools, and thievery.
Wakamatsu and the two live-ins sweat dropped as they watched the playful exchange, Kyou held an amused expression, while Kuroda pretended watching the opened television, with a discreet smile that matched Shin's. The same thing was running in all the onlookers' heads: they looked like a married couple.
"Stupid kid," the woman sent her fist flying at her student, and to both their surprises, Shin caught it. Feeling quite impressed and even more annoyed, she scoffed and tried to pull away. "That was luck."
"Whatever," he smirked, determined not to release her hand. He was not used to the feelings that she stirred in him but he liked it immensely. Foolish woman, can't you see what you're doing to me?
Kumiko laughed as she tried to wrestle out of his grasp but, as her eyes met his murky depths, she abruptly stopped her resistances. Without noticing, her breath caught in her throat again when his thumb made a non-existent trail on her wrist.
"Good evening. Am I interrupting something?" The two looked up simultaneously. Kumiko's eyes widened; Shin's narrowed.
Shinohara-sensei! As usual, he looked resplendent in his immaculate suit. His endearing and intelligent gaze swept them all as the others greeted him cheerily before focusing on hers. Finally, he smiled; his smile reached her and she grinned. "Hallo…Kumiko-chan."
Kumiko waited for that jumpy feeling, the warm sensation, the titters that never failed her whenever she was in their family lawyer's presence. She waited expectantly—
It'll be there…in a sec—but wait…the effect usually was instantaneous…maybe some more seconds?
…….?
Nothing came. That's weird. No. That can't be. Forcefully, she shifted herself to all gooey-eyes and sweet smiles, believing the lapse to be a glitch. "Shinohara-sensei! Come, you're just in time for dinner."
…just in time? Him? Shin grimaced. He flinched at Kumiko's gushes, thinking it highly unbecoming of her to sound like that. Why is he here anyways?
"Hm. You are late, Shinohara," said Kuroda sternly, looking slightly annoyed at Kumiko's sugary giggles, and the interruption of the most recent development. Kyou respectfully scooted to give space for the lawyer, and for the first time, Shin noticed that there was a space which was allotted for the man.
Stupid, smacked a mental voice. He most probably arranged coming here tonight. And he's the family lawyer so there's nothing wrong with him coming, you fool.
He clenched his hands unconsciously and was surprised to feel something warm in his grasp. Eyes widening, he looked down to see that he was still holding Kumiko's hands. Apparently, she had forgotten this detail as she was too busy showering the lawyer with her attention. Had Shinohara noticed it? Shin risked a glance upwards and felt the calculating gaze cast in his direction. The lawyer narrowed his eyes—was that a frown?—and greeted him suavely. "Hello. Shin-san, right?"
"It's Sawada," he muttered, returning the look, unfazed by the other man. There was silence; everyone seemed surprised by his coldness, save Kyou (who looked slightly impressed and annoyed) and Kuroda (who seemed mildly amused while drinking his tea).
Kumiko made to slap his crown for his insolence but pulled her hand away instead when she noticed how comfortably it was being held. The "audience" noticed her subtle movement and eyed her interestedly, save Kuroda who was still "drinking" his tea. A blush rose to her ears and she laughed nervously. What is happening? She tucked at her collars uncertainly. Did the temperature just raise a notch? Why's everyone looking at me?
In fact, everyone seemed to know the source of the tension save the unwary ojou. Feeling extremely uncomfortable, she hastily stood up. "It's a bit hot in here." Everyone followed her with their eyes. Stop staring at me! "I-I'll just go—and—ah, hehe…" It was unnerving her. Temper rising, she stalked off, extremely annoyed and nettled.
The soft brown earth crunched under her light footsteps. Kumiko sighed, glad for the fresh air which welcomed and eased her. Somehow, everyone felt uptight in there, and it was actually the very first time she felt suffocated with Shinohara's presence, or around her family for that matter.
Does it have something to do with Shin being there?
With a shrug, she decided to ignore her thoughts before they return to the earlier dangerous thoughts and stepped beside the tiny pool in their yard, intent on watching the fishes swim peacefully. Soft moonlight glinted on the water. The night time breeze rustled the old tree by the pond allowing the dried leaves to scatter and fall. The young woman watched one brownish leaf dwindle to a spot before her. It sent tiny ripples as it touched the surface and she smiled, both mystified and intrigued by the ambiance of the place. Naturally, this was her personal hideaway and her favourite spot: even the toughest people have their moments.
Her keen ears vaguely noted the arrival of an intruder. She sighed; who could possibly be foolish enough to disturb her in a mood? Of course, only a certain red-haired visitor in the house could possibly be a stranger to her moods…
"Stop skulking there, will ya?" she said grouchily, not bothering to turn. "If ya wanna say something, spill. Can't ya see I don't wanna be disturbed?"
"Ah, I'm sorry. I was just wondering if I could talk to you for a moment."
Kumiko perked immediately when she recognized the voice and turned her head. There was only one person who possessed such a suave and cool voice…
"Shinohara-sensei!" she breathed and struggled to stand up. Shinohara approached and helped her to her feet. Again, she prepared herself for the excitement which coursed in her body whenever the lawyer was near her. Again, she was disappointed by the lack of stimulus. And again, she wondered why she felt nothing but a tingle of embarrassment and uneasiness around him. Uneasiness! Kumiko shook mentally, I never feel uneasy around Shinohara-sensei! Uncertainly, she muttered. "A-arigato."
He smiled his secretive smile. The teacher looked up and forced a cheery laugh. "Ehehe. Sorry if—you know—I was a bit—"
"It's alright, Kumiko-chan," he murmured. "I understand that you want some time alone, but I need to speak to you."
"Oh, ah—it's okay—" he was still holding her hand, and she fidgeted, not understanding the negative feelings she was having. Relax! This is Shinohara-sensei. Relax, Kumiko— Unheedingly to her thoughts, she sharply pulled away and laughed even harder at the frown which passed across his forehead. "Sorry—I—" she sighed. It's come to this. She needed an alibi. "I'm just—I'm just a bit tired today, you know! The—ah—well, there was a prob earlier with—uh—some stuff and, hehe, I think and—"
For the first time, she realized that he was not listening; his eyes trailed thoughtfully along the surface of the pond. Stopping with her meaningless babble, she bowed her head, highly unsure of herself. What is wrong with you? screamed her inner voice. You're with the man you love and all you can do is babble?
I dunno…I—
"I found a replacement."
"Yes, you have—WHAT!" she spluttered, eyes widening.
Shinohara returned his gaze on her face and her breath stuck in her throat; the look on his eyes was tender, and almost loving. For some reason, it alarmed her, but it was not the issue. "You're leaving?"
A cryptic smile passed on his face. "The man I found has great potential. You're grandfather even approves—"
"He didn't tell me! Why didn't he—!"
"—and I think he's just your age. You'll get along well."
"But—but—" Anxiety unhinged her. The man that she believed she loved was leaving. More than that, he was part of the family, and the fact that he hid everything pained her to no extent. She suddenly became angry. "You stupid man!" she fumed. "You didn't even tell me a single stuff of it and—"
"Whoa, why so furious?" he asked mildly, as though amused.
Eyes flashing, she stepped gripped him by the collars. She didn't give a damn's thought for respect at that moment as she shouted tearfully, "You said we're like a damn family here, and then you're just gonna leave the kumi just like—"
Firm lips pressed itself against hers and she stiffened. Strong hands were firmly planted against the arch of her back and for some reason, her mind went blank. He adjusted his head and moved his lips deeper. The truth trickled upon her head. He was kissing her! It was the dream that she used to replay again and again in her head. Now it was reality—and she couldn't react!
It didn't last long enough to register in her head. When he pulled away, he smiled at her breathless surprise. "Who said about leaving?"
oo0o0oo
A few meters behind, a pair of feet halted abruptly. Some of the contents from the steaming cup of tea that Tetsu told him to give her spilled and scalded his hands but he hardly felt it. Illuminated by the moonlight, there was his teacher in the arms of a certain black-haired lawyer…
And he kissed her.
Shin stepped back, eyes not leaving the scene before him in masochistic disbelief. She was held unresistingly in his arms, and for a vague painful moment, the moment reminded him of a beautiful painting he once saw of a tragic couple. The scene was the same, hauntingly beautiful and tragic, but this time, he was the one who felt the tragedy. Him, Shin Sawada, the student, the kid, the outcast. He felt numb and cold as he went back inside the house and, with shaking hands, placed the untouched cup on the table. The world seemed surreal as he told Kyou that he needed to leave. The older man questioned him, but he didn't answer. Everyone's protests fell on deaf ears as he wordlessly took his bag, paid his respects to Kuroda, who was strangely silent, and exited through the gate. And, ignoring the stiffness in his muscles, Sawada Shin closed his eyes and ran, as though to escape the world that was crashing around his ears.
(Running and alternately dodging flying tomatoes and ketchup)
I'm interested. What do you think of this development? Sorry if I had to do this to Shin, but it is part of the story. Don't worry; the pairing is still ShinKumi (or rather, ShinKumiShino which will eventually lead to ShinKumi). I think I'm a bit guilty of being a bit OOC on some of the chars, but well...Reviews are open!
I wonder…would I still be alive after your death threats? Hehe, just kidding (sweats nervously).
So…
Tin cans?
Jagged rocks?
Car engines?
Please review!