Title: Stand By You
Disclaimer: Gokusen characters not mine. Jyuu mine. Shiro mine. So are some of the other characters.
Author's Note: Ugh. This chapter is long. Sorry! It might make your necks hurt. Or it might bore your eyes out. But don't say I didn't warn you. LoLz .
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lalala: foo!
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blueprincess16: thank you for your support, verimuch! Oooh, you'll find out later on. Shin's just as confused as you. LoLz .
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White Alchemist Taya: yes, her past. But that's OK. It will be out in the open some time, for sure. I'm not sure if you got my reply so I'll include it here as well. Hina's a girl. Heheh.
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Chapter Five: A Little Love Here and There
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Shin walked steadily on despite the rain.
He had walked out of Jyuu's apartment, slightly bothered by the endless teasing of his friends. The only reason he talked was because he thought the other guys also noticed Yankumi's unusual behavior. During the past days she had become quieter, less rambunctious, and more thoughtful. She was still a bit clumsy, but other than that, she seemed more mature. Shin wasn't sure if he could cope with that.
After a while, he found himself standing in a deserted park. The rain had done its job, causing the children and their parents to run for cover somewhere else.
The swings were empty, so Shin sat on one of them, not caring about the water. He was already wet, anyway.
Nearby, there was a bunch of roll-around tubes stuck together, defeating its purpose as a "roll-around" tube. Each tube was four feet in diameter. Normally, those tubes would be placed separately, so if a kid wanted to crawl into one and roll as much as he wanted, he could do so. But these ones were all attached to each other, preventing it from moving. Perhaps it was because there was too little space in that park to roll around in.
As he looked on, he saw that there was something, or someone, in one of the lower tubes. A closer look confirmed that there was indeed a person curled up inside.
Shin recognized the girl's clothes and crouched down at one opening. "Oi. Jyuu."
Jyuu, who had been partially asleep, sat up, her hair a mess, and stared at Shin in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"I went for a walk. The others are still in your apartment." He crawled in beside her. "I thought you went to see your stepfather."
"Well, I was going to, but he might be busy. I came here instead."
"You've been here for hours?"
"About a couple."
"Why didn't you go back?"
"To my apartment, you mean?" Jyuu shrugged. "I don't know. I just wanted to be alone for a while, I guess." She turned to him. "Not that I want you to leave here," she added quickly.
"I understand."
"Why are you really here? How come you got yourself so wet?"
"Same as you."
Jyuu reddened. "You want me to go?"
"You were here first, why would you say that?" Shin looked at her face in the mild darkness of the tube. Her bruises still looked awful, and Shin couldn't help but grit his teeth at the cruelty of her attackers.
Unaware of being observed, Jyuu rested her chin on her knees and played with her toes. She had taken off her shoes, and her feet were starting to get cold. "You know," she mumbled. "I keep thinking about my stepfather, and how he could stand living with my mom."
Shin remained silent.
"Then I get confused, if he's really as good as he seems, or if my mom's really as bad as she makes herself out to be. I mean, oh I don't know. My brain's all mixed up with this one."
"It could be either," Shin agreed. "Which would you rather want?"
"I'd rather... Well, I know it sounds the worse of the two, but I'd rather my mom is really as I know her. No matter how unkind."
"Why?" Shin asked, although he already knew the answer.
"It would be much simpler. If mum isn't really what she shows me, I wouldn't be able to handle it. Things would get more complicated. I'd have to know the reasons behind it, and all that. It's frightening. And strange." She took a deep breath. "As for him, I could just take his actions as for show."
"Have you ever thought... that maybe..." Shin struggled to say the next words. "Well, perhaps they're together because..."
"Because of love?"
"Yeah."
"That would be another point for the 'opposites attract' theory."
Shrugging, Shin combed his fingers through his wet hair. When Jyuu reached over to touch his hair, he tensed. "What are you doing?"
"I'm helping you."
Shin put down his hand and allowed Jyuu to do as she liked.
"Ne, Shin."
"Hm?"
Jyuu stuck out her tongue and roughly tugged at a tangled part of his hair, making him yelp in pain. "That, is for invading my privacy."
She gently kissed his cheek.
"And that, is for being here just in time."
---
Shin didn't know what she meant when she said he was just in time. He would have asked, but he was too busy trying to regain his composure. After she kissed him, Jyuu had hurriedly put on her shoes and got out of the tube, saying that they'd been away from the apartment long enough.
Now they were back. The boys teased them when they saw that they were both together and wet. Shin rolled his eyes. First, Yankumi. Now, Jyuu.
"Hey, hey! Where'd all the food go?" Jyuu yelled from the kitchen. That was the first thing she checked as soon as she arrived. Half of what David-sama supplied for her was gone, and he had supplied plenty.
"Kuma ate it all," Minami shouted back, laughing.
"That's not true, Jyuu-chan! See, Ucchi's still stuffing his face right now!"
"Gomen, gomen!"
"Maa... you guys are noisy!" Jyuu exclaimed, still yelling.
You're all noisy. Shin thought maybe he made a mistake coming back. He should have gone to his own apartment, it was quiet there.
Jyuu made a face at him. "We should have gone to your apartment," she muttered. But she looked like she was having fun amidst all the commotion, and Shin knew she didn't regret coming back at all.
Noda heard what Jyuu said and stared at her with wide eyes. "Jyuu-chan, what do you mean his apartment?" He looked from Jyuu to Shin, then back again. "Is there something going on between you two?"
Minami, Kuma and Ucchi crowded over to them eagerly.
"What is all this business about pairing us up?" Jyuu bellowed.
Noda winced and covered his ears. "Forgive me!"
"Come on, Shin, make up your mind... Is it gonna be me or Yankumi?" Jyuu suddenly asked. She looked so serious.
"Are you serious?" Shin raised an eyebrow.
"Oh my god..." Minami mumbled.
"Is this a romantic situation?" Kuma asked confusedly. "I mean, are we talking about Shin-chan?"
Jyuu cracked up. She sank to the floor and continued laughing. The whole business was just so funny she couldn't control herself. "You guys are so stupid." She sat on the couch. "Listen, I'll tell you everything straight." She looked at Minami, Ucchi, Kuma and Noda. "I want no more teasing from you about me and Shin. Got it?"
The boys nodded like obedient puppies.
"There's absolutely nothing going on between us," Jyuu continued. "But Yankumi... you can tease him about Yankumi as much as you like." With that, she jumped up and hugged Shin, laughing. "I'm sorry, ne. But you and Yankumi would be crazy fun together."
"That's true, I guess," Noda said. He looked at Shin's face and studied his expression, but it was empty.
"I'll go get changed." Jyuu entered her room. "You get changed, too, Shin. Here are the clothes I borrowed from you," she called from the door, tossing out the shirt and jeans she had worn on her first job at Sayuri's.
Later on, when order was obtained, Shin looked at the sprawled bodies of his sleeping friends.
His eyes rested on Jyuu.
Absolutely nothing.
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Jyuu quickly scrambled to her feet. She glanced at the wall clock and saw that it was almost four o'clock in the afternoon. Through the window, she saw that the rain had stopped. The sun had almost completely dried the streets, except for a few puddles here and there. What time were her her mum and stepfather leaving? She tiptoed over the boys and stepped out the door.
She dialed David-sama's number on her cellphone and waited nervously. Maybe they'd already left.
"Hello?"
"Uhm, hi, David-sama, it's—"
"Jyuu! Hi, we're at the airport right now. We'll be boarding the plane at four-thirty."
"Oh..."
"Do you want to come see us off?"
"No," she answered after a few seconds. "Have a safe trip."
"OK. Will you be all right?"
"Yes."
"Do you want to talk to your mother?"
"No!" She bit her lip. She hadn't meant to sound so vehement.
"OK, then. Take care of yourself, Jyuu. I'll call once in a while. Tsumaki Toshiro will help you if you need anything."
"Thanks. Take care, too... bye." Jyuu ended the call and leaned against the wall. She stared at her phone.
After a few minutes, she called Kyo.
---
"That was Jyuu-chan," Kyo announced. "OK, listen, she needs a ride to the airport. Who can get her there before four-thirty? She's waiting outside her apartment." He told them the address. "I'd take her myself but Boss needs me here."
"What's she going there for?" Minoru asked.
"It doesn't matter, fool!" Tetsu slapped his head. He scanned the people around them. "Who can take her?"
The men turned to the sound of a motorcycle being revved up. Kyo grinned when he saw who it was. "Never mind. It's all taken care of."
Shiro, who had been with them seconds ago, was already leaving to get Jyuu, nothing said, no questions asked.
That was how he did things.
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Wow. Jyuu stared in amazement at the gleaming Ducati in front of her.
"Get on," Shiro told her.
Jyuu did so happily. She took the helmet he handed to her and put it on. "I can't believe I'm gonna be riding this."
Shiro grinned and revved up the engine once more. "Four-thirty?"
Jyuu nodded. She nearly fell out of her seat when the motorcycle sped off.
---
"Hey, where's Jyuu?" Ucchi asked sleepily. He shook the others awake. "Jyuu's gone."
"Maybe she went to buy something," Noda mumbled and went back to sleep.
"She'll be back," Minami said, eyes still closed.
Kuma just grunted.
Just then, they heard a noise outside. Ucchi hurried to the window and looked out just in time to see Jyuu get on a motorcycle behind a guy. "Hey, Shin, Shin! Look! Jyuu's leaving with a biker!"
Shin was beside him in a flash.
He wasn't sure, but the man looked a lot like Shiro from the yakuza.
"Where are they going? Who is that man?" Ucchi asked, to which Shin didn't answer.
All of them were gathered around the window now. But Noda, Kuma and Minami were too late to see. By the time they were alert, Jyuu and Shiro were gone.
---
"Arigatou, ne, Shiro!" Jyuu yelled even though she knew Shiro wouldn't be able to hear. They were going so fast, and the wind swallowed any sound she made. Though she and Shiro were good friends, Jyuu was reluctant to hold him tight. She just wasn't much for touching, unless she initiated it, not out of necessity. But she held on, anyway.
Subconsciously, she had known that Shiro would come when she told Kyo about her request. Maybe she was assuming too much, but hey, he really did come, didn't he? That made Jyuu feel good. Like she could trust Shiro to help her anytime.
Of course, a voice inside her head said. He looks at you as his little sister. He can't help but try to meet your needs. It was true, Jyuu decided. Nevertheless, she still felt good. Who cared if he treated her like a little sister? "Let me be Rukko, if that's what you want!" she hollered just as they slowed down a bit. She hoped Shiro hadn't heard.
As soon as Shiro stopped in front of the airport entrance, Jyuu jumped off and rushed in. It was only a couple of minutes before four-thirty. She could only hope that the plane was delayed. She didn't know exactly where her parents were going, so she just ran off to the takeoff area, where a guard stopped her.
"Oh wait! I haven't said goodbye to my parents!" Jyuu's throat hurt as she tried to keep from crying. She spotted several passengers boarding a plane nearby. "Let me just go near enough that one! If they aren't there, I'll leave, I promise."
The guard looked like he felt sorry for her, but also a little suspicious, what with her wounds and bruises. Nevertheless, he allowed her to stand about twenty-five feet from the plane she meant. Jyuu looked at each passenger about to board.
And there they were.
Her heart thumped. There! David-sama got on first, followed by her mother. Jyuu resisted the urge to call out. Why am I here? I hate her, don't I? She hates me, so I'm not really supposed to be here. But Jyuu stood fixed to the spot. The guard looked at her curiously.
"Are they there?"
Jyuu couldn't answer because at that moment, her mother turned and saw her.
Mother and daughter looked at each other. The older woman seemed a bit surprised to see her there, but other than that, Jyuu couldn't detect any hint of displeasure on her mother's face. Shaking, Jyuu lifted a hand into a stiff wave.
To her shock, her mother also raised her hand in goodbye. It was a very brief wave, her hand just at the level of her breast, but Jyuu saw it. Jyuu stood there frozen until she could no longer see them.
"Miss?"
"Hm?" Jyuu realized she was still holding up her hand. She put it down and grinned at the guard. "Thank you. Thank you very much."
A little lightheaded, she walked back to where Shiro had dropped her off and saw that he was still waiting there, leaning against the Ducati. She felt giddy, cold, and nervous. But still, she was happy. So happy! She wasn't sure how she liked it, but somehow, she knew she and her mother were reconciled. Funny... she thought. It had to happen during goodbye. In a moment that almost didn't happen.
Shiro didn't have to ask how things went inside, he could tell by her face that everything turned out well. She smiled, and that made him feel happy, too. He hadn't seen her smile so naturally before this. The only times she smiled around him was when she was drunk, and that didn't count.
The corners of his mouth twitched.
"What?" Jyuu asked. She put her face directly in front of Shiro's. She planned on doing that until he gave her an answer as to why he looked like he was about to smile. Or laugh. It usually worked.
But Shiro wasn't the least bit bothered. Instead, he stared right back at her, until she was the one who looked away. He poked one bruised cheek. "Ugly."
To Jyuu's dismay, her lips quivered. She straightened up, but not before her tears fell down in torrents. She tried to say something but it turned into a sob.
"Jyuu..." Shiro was bewildered. He stood up properly.
"I'm sorry," Jyuu blubbered. She roughly brushed her tears away with her fists. She knew she looked like a little kid, but so what?
"No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Jyuu. You're not ugly."
"It's not that, Shiro." The girl gave a shuddering breath and smiled. "It's just that, I was overwhelmed, you know. I wasn't mad about your comment, promise. Well, perhaps a little hurt, but that was nothing."
"But it was enough to make you cry like this."
"No, it just happened to be a little kick that brought the whole mountain down. And I'm glad it did, I really am." She truly was. Lately her emotions had been building up inside her, what with her parents, the recent attack, the reminder of the past... Now, she was finally relieved. Her sudden outburst had flushed out everything.
"Let's go back, then." Shiro patted Jyuu's head and got on the motorcycle. Jyuu climbed on after him.
"Thanks for taking me."
"No problem." He put on his helmet and gunned the engine. "And Jyuu?"
"Yes?"
"You don't need to be Rukko for me. Just be Jyuu." He turned his head to glance at her. "I love you for that."
Jyuu shivered at the intensity of his words. She could hardly put on her own helmet. Nobody had ever talked that way to her before. She couldn't speak, but if she could, she wouldn't have been heard, anyway. They were already off. There was no way her voice could compete with the sound of the engine and the wind.
As a reply, she hugged him tightly at the waist. Without hesitation.
This time, it wasn't out of necessity.
---
The plane was already airborne. Russ David glanced at her wife and saw that she was staring out the window. "It felt good, didn't it?"
"It did," she agreed. "It still does."
Russ David smiled. I've never seen you look so peaceful. "I'm really glad she showed up. I wasn't so sure earlier."
"But she did, looking better, I might add... and that's what matters."
Husband and wife looked at each other, smiling.
---
It was dark by the time Jyuu got home. The lights were on so she knew her friends were still there. "HEY YOU GUYS!" she yelled as she walked in. "I brought FOOD!"
Kuma rushed towards her, reminding Jyuu of a dog she met once.
"YAY, food!" Noda skipped to where she was standing and helped her with the plastic bags.
"Say, Jyuu," Ucchi spoke up when they were settled around the coffee table. "Who was that guy? Where'd you go?"
"You saw that? I thought you were asleep. Anyway, he was a friend of mine."
"Where did you meet a biker?" Minami asked, his mouth full of noodles.
"Hey, where's Shin?" Jyuu looked around and realized that he wasn't there. "Is he in the bathroom?"
"Oh, he went home. "
"Why?"
"I'm not sure... he doesn't talk much about himself..." Noda stared at Jyuu's face.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing," he replied, and continued eating.
---
Back in his familiar apartment, Shin relaxed. He lay down on the couch and rested one arm across his forehead. Although he and his friends had spent the day lazing around, he was tired. So tired he could sleep again and perhaps never wake up.
The doorbell rang.
Sighing, Shin sat up. He rubbed his face and walked to the door. When he opened it, a face with a huge smile met him.
"Hellooo, Sawada-kun!" Yankumi pushed past him and headed for the kitchen. She placed her plastic bags on the counter.
Shin followed behind her. "Oi."
"Have you eaten?"
"No. What are you doing here?"
"Oh, good you haven't. I'm cooking you dinner."
Throughout the whole process, Yankumi ignored Shin. She was so busy 'cooking' that Shin decided to leave her alone. He waited in the living room, wondering where his peaceful solitude had gone. But as he listened to the clatter of kitchen utensils from nearby, he grinned.
Maybe he liked this kind of distraction.
"Everything's ready!"
Yep. It was a good kind of distraction.
---
Alone. Finally.
The boys were gone. After they cleaned up the apartment, they left for their own homes. Jyuu went inside her bedroom and laid herself out on the bed. She had had too much excitement for one day.
Next week... Next week I'll start working again.
---
"Why didn't you guys go to school today?"
"We visited Kawakaze."
They were eating Yankumi's special Beef Teriyaki. It was OK by Shin's standards.
"Oh... That's why. I went to see her at the hospital yesterday, she seemed fine. How was she today?"
"Fine." Shin didn't understand most of what was happening to Jyuu lately so he didn't say anything about it. He'll leave Jyuu to share her own experiences to Yankumi if she wanted to.
"Ne, Sawada-kun."
Shin looked at Yankumi. She still had that big grin on her face. "Nanda?"
"How are you and the guys? I haven't had the chance to talk with you lately."
He shrugged. "We're OK."
"Are you interested in anyone?"
"..." The red-haired boy couldn't answer right away. Was he? Well, maybe. But with who, exactly?
"You look so serious, ne! First time you've actually considered that question!" Yankumi took a bite of her food.
Shin looked at her. He wanted to wipe that silly grin off her face. Then he shrugged and continued eating. "Perhaps I'm interested in someone."
"NAAAAAAANNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!?" Yankumi's glasses nearly fell off her nose. "WHO!?"
Noisy. He didn't answer. Who... That's what I'd like to know. He wouldn't look at Yankumi. Stupid move. She won't stop bugging me now.
But so what?
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Author's Note: Hope you're not tired of this yet. It's long, I know, heheh. But I felt I needed to finish the day. Lemme know what you think so I can improve. :) .