Hello, everybody!
Okay, okay. I know I promised to be prompt with updates and everything—but it's just so busy recently! Lot's of quizzes and projects again, books too read—gah! Just too much! And before long I kinda forgot about updating…Sorry, sorry!
Am I forgiven? I will try to update sooner next time!
Anyways, thanks for all those encouraging reviews from the last chapter! I really appreciated it all. But I really want to know what you think about this chapter. I think I may be guilty of being OOC in lotsa places here…but I just couldn't help it! Just tell me what you think! You may hate me, coz hey! It is part of being an aspiring writer neh? Being hated?
Though I do hope you don't hate me too much…
Ahem…anyways, here is the next installment! Read and…have fun!
The Turning Point
It has been three weeks since their explosion at the rooftop, and unexpected reconciliation in the corridor. Three weeks of uneasy expectations. Three weeks of awkward moments, when they occasionally met at the rooftop or at the classroom, together. Three weeks of waiting, and not waiting, for something to happen. But nothing did. Always, their conversations remained friendly—but awkward, as though there was an unspoken agreement to avoid the topic known to both of them. In fact, Kumiko would abruptly withdraw whenever she felt too comfortable with him, and Shin, though somewhat panged by her actions, understood her and left her alone.
The times she spent avoiding Shin was always full of regret. Aside from her family, Shin was the only other person who understood her. She respected him for his unprejudiced opinions of her flaws and ill-judgments on certain matters. Even his smug quietness was sometimes a source of comfort and confidence. His presence was companionable and easy. With Shin there was no need for too many words, there was no need to impress and, she felt that he would always be a ready shoulder. But despite all these qualities which she valued in him, the teacher decided it best for both their peace of minds—especially hers—to make a gradual detachment.
Then why, thought Kumiko wryly, am I standing hidden in the corridor of my own house, looking secretly at my student like a shy high-school girl?
And she mused argumentatively. Whenever had she been a shy high-school girl?
The direction of her gaze remained unflickering as he sat down tiredly in the middle of the training mat, drenched with sweat. Her keen eyes noted the miniscule particles of water that flew in the air as he shook his head furiously. There was something about him that mesmerized her. And for the umpteenth time, she wondered if it had something to do with the few close calls between them, most involving bodily contact and closeness.
Suddenly waking in a snap, she berated herself with a sharp hiss. Yamaguchi! That boy is your student! Your student…
A small voice teased in the back of her mind. Ha! But you're in love with him!
I am not!
As she debated heatedly with herself, Shin squinted at the direction of the half-open sliding door and saw no one. He visibly shrugged and lay down on the mat the sweat himself out. Now, decided Kumiko, I'll go in there and talk to him—prove that I don't have nothing for him. Because I don't love him that way.
"Hey—Sawada." Came her voice uncertainly. In sudden impulse, she found herself strolling casually in the room until she was towering above him.
Shin smiled inwardly; he knew it was her standing behind the wooden doors, pretending to be some non-existent observer. She could never conceal herself from him.
Without opening his eyes, he muttered an uninterested "ah".
Confident with his seemingly indifferent greeting, Kumiko grinned down at the redhead lying leisurely on his back. "You're supposed to be training—not slothing about."
The boy cracked an eye open up at her. "Who said anything about slothing?"
"That's what you're doing," she pointed out with a wider grin.
"I think this is what you call "rest". It usually happens after some strenuous workout."
"Ah," she murmured slowly quickly summing the numbers in her mind. "So you call training for just two hours work. Tsk. Kyou-san is indeed known for his patience."
Annoyed at her implications, Shin peered up and studied her through a half-opened lid. A very wide smile was a-spread on her face, affecting him in her usual way of affecting him. She really looked cute, standing over him like that. Aside from being mammoth strength, quirky appearance and the teeny detail about her being an ojou, there was nothing really very special about her. She was weird, loud, sentimental, damningly flat-chested—and he loved her. Gods, he thought agonizingly for the thousandth time, why did I have to fall in love with a crazy woman, so obviously beyond me? Instead, he muttered. "What do you want? You didn't come here just to mock your favorite student, did you?"
Kumiko had to laugh in spite of her nervousness. "What else, O Young-Master-Red-Lion," Seeing the increasing annoyance in his face, she laughed more loudly and plonked down beside him.
"Don't call me that," he growled.
"Ooh, the Young-Master-Red-Lion is angwee," she continued childishly. Finally relaxing, Kumiko lay down beside him, elbows touching. In spite of himself, Shin had to smile, happy that she was becoming her usual conversational self instead of the monosyllabic person he had to endure for three weeks.
"That is mature," he said sarcastically.
"I know," she sighed dramatically. "It's one of my charms."
The dam finally broke. As though the estrangement never happened, she happily ranted about every possible topic, something she missed doing. Ironically, every possible topic included everything about her family, school, work, the yakuza—even nature—everything but Shinohara. The boy—no, young man—beside her closed his eyes and reveled at their closeness, and listened on the excited tone of her voice, on every pause and breath, rhythmic with his own breath and the very sounds of silence.
"—and then Baldy 2 rolled on grass with Fuji—"
"Gross."
"I thought so, too. And that's when I woke up."
"You have very strange fantasies, Yamaguchi," he chuckled.
"It was a dream. I can't control my dreams," she argued then shuddered. "And I wouldn't dare fantasize my dog with that friggin' alien-man."
"A normal person wouldn't fantasize of a dog with anyone," he said pointedly. "You really have very weird dreams."
"You haven't heard the best of it yet—" she teased.
"I don't think I'd want that."
She pouted sideways at him. "You're a meannie."
Sawada rolled his eyes and smirked. Biting her inner cheek, Kumiko wondered out loud. "Hmm, I've told yah at least four dreams in a row and I haven't heard a single 'un from yah."
"So…?"
"Sooo…tell me."
"Tell you what?" he mused though knowing perfectly well what she was coming at.
"One."
"One what?"
"One bedtime story, I wanna sleep," she said sarcastically. "One dream, yah idiot. What else?"
"No," Shin wrinkled his nose. He couldn't possibly tell her that he dreamt of her almost every night, can he?
"Arrgh! Come on! Tell me just one!" she pouted at him again.
Feeling his face redden at the recollection of a very recent dream he muttered with more conviction. "No."
"Oooh!" Kumiko said, wide-eyed. "I saw that! You're blushing!"
"No I'm not," though he felt his cheeks grow hotter.
"Yes you are—you are! Oh, God—what kind of perverted dream have yah got, eh?"
"I don't have perverted dreams!"
"—you sick, sick boy!"
"I'm tellin' yah, I—hey! No—" Kumiko had started tickling his side. His voice came out cracked and slightly high-pitched as she attacked him with ease. Unable to get away, he retaliated, not surprised to see her squirm in laughter. Soon enough, they were both rolling on the mat, an unspoken race of finding ticklish spots racing on both their heads. Thoughts of settling her feelings for Shin were forgotten in their lively play. Shin, on the other hand, enjoyed their game as much as her, though careful to avoid contact with any of her feminine parts.
When they were finally out of breath, the "couple" stretched out once again on the sweat-absorbent mat, panting, with Shin's arms openly bared in a cross and with Kumiko's right leg draped tiredly across his thigh.
"I—didn't know—you were ticklish," muttered Kumiko accusatorily, as though it was some secret that he didn't let her on.
"I didn't—know either," he gasped truthfully.
"Now I know how to get you to come to my class," she said, eyes gleaming mischievously.
Shin cocked his head in her direction and raised a brow. "Whatever."
The woman closed her eyes in a deep breath, listening for his heart beating loudly in symmetry with hers. Her throat constricted in a strange warm feeling, as though her insides wanted to burst out of her. As though she wanted to jump and laugh and cry all together. She wondered what it was, and suddenly it struck her: she was happy. With a smile, she murmured impulsively, "I missed you."
For a second, she anticipated him asking how she could possibly have missed him when they always saw each other at school and, whenever he trained, at the house. But the question never came; he knew what she was talking about. It was something deeper than physical absence that they missed on—it was a connection much deeper than mere expression of words and greetings.
A sigh escaped his lips as he looked at her peaceful, sweat-drenched face adoringly. He wondered how he could possibly allow himself to pull down his passive façade with this woman. It was so out of character. Deep inside, he knew how he had always feared hurt, turning instead to rationality and empiricism—a world void of emotion. Now, he was slowly un-building that wall—because of her.
And for this reason, he found his hand reaching for her own, for the sake of touching—of closeness so real and tangible. When Kumiko's eyes opened, she found herself drowning in his own dark depths, a myriad of unspoken feelings she never knew affecting her. She was suddenly most aware of the fact that her leg was really draped across his lower half—just aware of their skins touching, blood pulsating, the comfy nearness. The swirl of emotions—happiness, strangeness, fear, anticipation and much more she couldn't name—gripped her, she could hardly breathe. What was it? Reason seemed to question though she felt the answer was there, looking her at the eye. What is it?
Kumiko found herself licking her suddenly dry lips. "Shin—I—"
"Ojou—" The voice coming from the other room made them immediately break contact. By the time the door slid open, they were at the opposite corners of the mat, conscious of two new, familiar presences in the room.
"Ah, you're here. Look who came to visit, ojou," Kyou failed to note the odd distance between the two, the flushed skins, and the nervousness hanging thin in the air. But Shinohara's critical senses picked up every detail, including outline of two recent weights rested earlier in the middle of the mat.
"Good evening, Kumiko."
Batting her eyes as though waking from a dream, Kumiko stood up unsteadily. "Shinohara-sensei! I didn't know you would come tonight!" Pushing the guilty emotions she had felt earlier to make room for him, she ran gaily off the mat and to him. With a grin, she said with mock affectation. "And what, O great Shinohara-sensei, does the house of Kuroda owe to be graced with this honorable visit?"
"Nothing," replied Shinohara evenly with a small smile. "Perhaps he wishes to enjoy the company of one such strong and lovely woman to his eyes."
Kumiko was taken aback, not used to hearing him talk like this. An uneasy feeling seemed to fill her stomach. Eyes widening, she exclaimed to ease the tension from her body. "E-eh! Shinohara-sensei, be serious!"
"I could never be more serious, Kumiko," he insisted suavely, locking her eyes in his, and in one smooth motion, he took each of her hands in his and pecked her cheek. At this, the teacher had to bite her lower lip; how can she not feel anything special for the man now? She used to feel giddy with every bit of attention from him—how come there was nothing now?
Meanwhile, Shin drilled holes on the two oblivious people who seemed to be talking happily. A wave of intense hate and jealousy made him feel nauseated, and he had to clench his fist to keep in control. Does his existence inside the room even matter to them? Does his existence, in general, even matter to her? How can she act as though nothing almost happened between them? He could hardly believe that a few minutes earlier, he was the one bantering with her, he was the one who received her smiles, listened to her laughter, he was the one who held her hand and looked deeply into her eyes. He was the one with her. He almost—he already bared his heart out at her, held it gingerly on his hands in offering. Now, he felt as though she just gobbled it up and moved on.
His rational mindset jibed him—don't be sentimental. It doesn't suit you.
"Oi, Young Master." Shin looked up, surprised that he didn't notice Kyou come close to him. There was an almost sympathetic smile on his face—which he both resented and welcomed. "Come on, it's best to cool down outside on the yard after training—the air'll be good for yah." Nodding hollowly, he allowed himself to be pulled up by the older man.
"Ah, Sawada," said Shinohara deliberately as Shin and Kyou passed them by the door. "Are you being a good student to your teacher?"
Shin saw her squirm uncomfortably at the reference. He squarely met the lawyer's calculating gaze and answered. "Ask her. Why don't you let her be the better judge?" He shrugged, earning a chuckle from the older man.
"Why don't you stay for dinner?"
"I think I'll be staying even without your invitation."
"Good. You know, it's nice to get to actually know some of Kumiko's great students. It would be a pity if we don't get along…being that I am part of the family."
"Hehe, you don't have to worry 'bout missin' our Lion!" interjected Kyou with a laugh. "He's as good as family, so said ojou just the other day, din't yah say so, ojou?"
The two other men simultaneously looked at Yamaguchi: the older one studying her reaction, the younger outwardly passive but inwardly hopeful. She gulped and avoided any eyes, especially his. "Ah, yes…of course, Sawada is family. Yes—" she said with an uneasy laugh. "You will be—both—seeing each other. A lot."
"I see. So there won't be any missing out," with a cool smile, Shinohara focused his gaze at the redhead in an unspoken challenge. "I will be looking forward to that."
Returning the look, Shin answered with a smirk. "Yes. I think I will."
Oo0OoO0ooO
Kumiko was silent and rather oblivious to the seemingly "casual" conversation between them, reacting only when she referred to or mentioned; she was too caught in mentally punching herself for allowing her emotions to get carried away.
When the other two were out of the room, the teacher was finally left alone with the lawyer. The lawyer? She thought wryly. Why am I suddenly calling him "the lawyer"? He used to be my lawyer!
With Shin out of the room, the weird tension was gone but her discomfort cloaked her more than ever. Again and again, her thoughts ran to the redhead and the "almost" thing that always seemed to happen when they were alone or together.
What is wrong with me? cried a voice in her head.
"Kumiko, are you okay?" Startled, she glanced up and met Shinohara's dark studious gaze and realized that she had been frowning and staring at the floor for some minutes now.
She laughed and rubbed the back of head abashedly. "I'm fine. Nothing's wrong with me."
Yes. Nothing is wrong with me, she decided and firmly pulled her thoughts away from Sawada Shin, punctuating her self-imposed intentions by shyly lacing her fingers through Shinohara's large but slender hands. Shinohara raised a brow in surprise which fluidly transformed into a smile so discreet it could have been a smirk. In turn, he raised her hand to her mouth and kissed it lingeringly, making her flush. When she tried to pull away, he held on and murmured softly. "My dear Kumiko, I am willing to take things slow with you. Marriage is a tough decision, and I want us to know each other better—"
"But we already know each other," she interrupted, and bit her tongue; she didn't want him to think that she was considering him when—she wasn't sure of herself.
Thankfully, he ignored her rash statement. However, he took that opportunity to weave a hand across her back to pull her close to him. She was almost irritated and confused by his movement but the intense look on his eyes, though not completely drowning the flash of imperious intelligence, held her completely. "I need you to know me better—to know us better, so that you could feel more confident in giving me your answer. I know I haven't exactly made my intentions known to you in the earlier part of our acquaintance but I am willing to make amends. Please let me do this, Kumiko. Let me."
Her heart thudded in nervousness—she could certainly not refuse him, not when he was holding her this close, not when he trapped her in his hypnotic gaze, especially not when he was obviously sincere. Something twisted inside her and she could hardly breathe. Wordlessly, she nodded. When his mouth claimed hers for the second time that day, she hardly felt it or appreciated it; instead the knot seemed to twist tighter on her insides and vague realization told her that it was something more akin to discomfort than love. A smile—sincere and triumphant—rose in lawyer's face as he pulled away from her, and Kumiko found herself relaxing simultaneously with the withdrawal of Shinohara's arm from her waist.
"Good," he said simply.
"Uh…good," she repeated feeling slightly annoyed by the look on his face and ruffled by the quickness of the occurrences despite his insistence on going slow. To occupy her rampaging emotions, she scuffed her feet on the tatami, oblivious to the return of the sharp studious look in the lawyer's eyes.
Oo0OoO0ooO
When Shinohara left after dinner, which turned out to be pleasantly uncomfortable, awkward to everyone (except Kuroda, who seemed perfectly at ease with everything), the teacher challenged her student to a game of chess. And so, that was how, a few more minutes later, they were seen by a passing Kyou, who smiled at their rapt attention to their pieces. He grinned at his own foolishness; he thought a heated argument would ensue between the two. Though her ojou never told any particulars about her relationship with the Young Master, he easily sensed the tension between them. When he saw Shin's reaction to Shinohara earlier that evening, he felt more convinced that the two were finally testing the paths beyond friendship, unconsciously or not.
If it were any other men, the Young Chief would have felt protective and boned the immediate suitor. But it was Sawada Shin—a boy he could trust. A young man, he corrected himself, who proved himself in the eyes of the Kuroda household with his loyalty for her teacher. The man that he knew would be the next heir to the kumi. With a grim smile as he greeted the two, he decided, Better this young man than that lawyer.
Of course, Kyou didn't hate Shinohara. In fact, though the lawyer was years younger than he was, he respected and liked him. But this didn't change the fact that Shinohara was a "shady" persona—even under yakuza standards. No one really knew his intentions—except for the boss, and he wouldn't tell anyone. And, even now, he still couldn't decide if his feelings for their ojou was genuine.
There was still that thing, too, he gritted his teeth. Everyone knew how Kumiko pined for the man for years; he knew it was inward torture for Kuroda's youngling when he would ignore her attentions. And now, catching wind of competition…he grimaced in contempt, something he felt partially for the lawyer. He felt indignation for the young woman whose childhood he had so influenced. Was everything so easy as that—for him to waltz and just propose out of thin air? Had Kumiko accepted? the man wondered. Will she? Glimpsing over his shoulder the two laughing and enjoying their game, he shrugged and smiled wider, already seeing the answer before him.
"Good luck, Young Master," he murmured. "You will certainly need all the gods' luck on yer side." With a definite shrug, he left out the gate to do his usual night patrols, feeling certain and contented over the expected outcome of the events.
Oo0OoO0ooO
"Checkmate," muttered Shin nonchalantly, the twinkle in his eye failing to veil his personal satisfaction. Yamaguchi bristled and scowled at his look.
"Overconfident ass."
"So winners are 'overconfident asses' now?" A full grin was spread across his lips and she had to pout to keep herself from grinning as well.
"Hrrmph! Don't get so cocky, fool. This is just one game—beginner's luck more like. The next time, you'll be sprawling on the floor, bawlin' for your ma."
He set his elbows on the table and crossed his fingers, looking directly at her challengingly. "Oh, so there is a 'next time'?"
A slow smile spread on her lips as her eyes locked with his. How she enjoyed Shin's company! "Of course! Do you think I'd let you off easy?"
She laughed and he shook his head ruefully at her. They simultaneously took the fallen pieces from the table and carefully placed it inside the compartment under the chessboard. From his peripheral vision, he could see her long black hair sliding loosely on her shoulders; he seldom saw her with her hair let down. Needless to say, his next words made him want to slap himself.
"I like your hair."
Kumiko's eyes widened at him as though he had grown two heads.
I like your hair? Fuck. That sounded so gay.
Fortunately, he seemed to have said the right thing. She smiled and ran her hands over one side, a happy flush staining her cheeks. "Eh? You think so?"
Shin sighed and shrugged in response. But that answer was enough to make her smile even wider. Feeling nicely comfortable with him, Kumiko looked out through the open doors at the moonlit garden. There was something magical about the peaceful night, making her want to say anything, think of anything. And in a quiet voice, she said. "You know, my—my ma used to say that to me all the time, too."
His eyes darted to her face, searching for signs of emotion. She seldom brought up the topic of her own parents to him. The smile on her face, though happy, seemed sad as well. But it was gone as soon as it came. "Of course, I've heard it from other people as well. From my high school and college pals, not that there was many, then sometimes Kyou and even grandpa."
There was no response to this and for a moment, she thought her companion had fallen asleep, but when she looked sideways, there he was, still awake and apparently listening to her every word. With a sigh, she rolled on. "You know, this is really nice. We should do this more often. Yah know, play chess."
"Yes…play chess."
They were both silent and Kumiko didn't know what else to say. Without thinking, she muttered more to herself than to him. "I wonder…should I wear my hair down like this on my date? I'm not sure Shinohara would notice—he never did mention liking my hair."
At the words "date' and "Shinohara" the magic broke. The look on Shin's face was unreadable. Without knowing why, she felt as though she was a scoundrel, the one responsible for the hurt hiding beneath his expression.
"A date with…him," came his voice hollowly and unemotionally.
"Yes," and for a moment, she thought she saw him slump. Of course it was just her imagination! Shin would never get devastated for her going on dates, wouldn't he? But for some reason, she herself felt sad about the whole thing. But of course, this too was a product of her imagination! She loved Shinohara…didn't she?
Inwardly, Shin felt icy and dead. It was bound to happen eventually, he knew. After all, Shinohara had proposed to her, and though she hadn't given him her word yet, dates were bound to happen. And naturally, her answer would be inevitable. It was only a matter of time now…
Shin Sawada abruptly stood up. "I should be getting home. I still have classes tomorrow."
'Oh…ok." She stood up unsteadily and followed him out to the garden. They walked in silence, arms slightly coming in contact. Both people's thoughts rallied and railed. When they were finally at the gate, Shin turned, and for a moment hesitated, then—
In one swift movement, his better hand was on her nape as he quickly planted his mouth on one corner of her lips. Only, once the contact was made, Shin lost all intention of being quick. Her sweet scent brought clarity to his head enabling him to savor the taste and shape of her lips. He felt quick to explosion, as though his emotions (and, his rational voice whispered, hormones) would burst, but he wanted to do it right—this was the first time he allowed himself to kiss a woman. If this was the first and last time—he would make sure it would be worth it.
The only time Kumiko swooned was when she was sick, and now though not infected by any bacteria, she felt ready to swoon. Swirling feelings rushed at her belly, her stomach, her chest, her throat—even her head was ready to burst. Her legs felt unsteady, and she grasped onto Sawada's arm to keep from falling. His mouth was soft and unsure…and with some surprise, she realized that she was his first kiss. For a brief instant, her mind screamed at her again—you're his teacher! But she couldn't resist anymore. She just could not. She responded to his touch, to his movement, and she was vaguely aware of being pushed beside the wooden welcome sign of the Kuroda clan.
Back completely against the wall, she allowed herself to feel his full body against her. She gasped for breath when he briefly pulled away and pulled him back again, eager for fulfillment, wanting and needing that heady feeling which made her head spin over and over. She could feel him shivering against her, and she knew it had nothing to do with the cold. Somehow, she knew she was shivering, too.
It was getting warmer and warmer as Shin unconsciously allowed his hands to trail down her cheeks, her neck, her shoulders, her back...he knew he should stop this—the madness, but he couldn't, knowing and fearing that should he let release her, Shinohara would come waiting in the background with that cool and steady smile on his face. The Kurodas would surely not approve…
That last thought made him snap back to rationality. Reluctantly, he pulled first his mouth, then his arms away from her. The Kurodas treated him as family—it would be the finest act of betrayal, the thing that he was doing right now, kissing their ojou when she was obviously for another man. He could hardly meet the look on her eyes, and though he felt despicable, he could not feel regret for what he had just done.
Clearing his throat, he jerked his head slightly at her and was rewarded by the confused but flushed look on her face. Her black hair, once limp, was now slightly ruffled by the activity and clung to the sides of her face and neck. There was something on her eyes, too, but he never was one to hope for more. With a determined step away from her, he left, but not without saying what he meant to say in the first place.
"Don't wear your hair down on your date. He won't like it."
Stunned, she watched him disappear from the streets, swallowed by the night, knowing beyond doubt that nothing could possibly be the same after.
So…what do you think?
Yellow phlegm?
Green phlegm?
Salmonella?
Or just a good chunk of Staphylococcus aureus (pus)?
Tell me, please! The review button's just a click away!