Title: Stand By You
Disclaimer: Gokusen characters not mine. Kawakaze Jyuu mine.
Author's Note: I finally finished this chapter. It's not a very long one, but I think I won't take too long with the next chapter. Well, I hope I won't hahah. Hope you guys haven't gotten tired of waiting around for this story. I don't even know how you will respond to this chapter, but oh well, I hope you won't be too disappointed. Not much happens here, but this still means a lot to me. Enjoy!
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ichie: Thank you for reading and supporting :D
SierralaineWalsh: I'm sorry there's no confession here hahah, but I hope you enjoy this one just the same.
blueprincess16: Thank you so much for your encouragement! I hope this one will be good enough for your taste :D
White Alchemist Taya: It will all be laid out in due time . Please be patient with me. I do need time to sort out some things, I'm a bit spontaneous when writing :D
x0Skay0x: I know, right? That was a bit traumatizing, I mean, Yankumi in a two-piece swimsuit? But when I imagined it more, she looked really pretty in my mind. :D
kaikiko: Well, here's more! Thanks for your compliment! Shiro is a character I made up :D He's cool, isn't he?
Lexy4eva: Thanks for encouraging me to continue :D I hope you continue reading as well.
Rynn: You know, I did have a tendency to create Mary-Sues when I was younger, but I learned a lot over the years. Thanks for noticing the change :D I really appreciate it. I get really down sometimes when people criticize my character as a Mary Sue, without considering how old I was when I started writing fanfics hahah. I hope this doesn't disappoint. Good day!
For the rest of the readers, thank you! :D I super appreciate you.
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Chapter Seven: The Last Night in Okinawa
It was their second night in Okinawa, not their last yet, and all the boys were out joining a beach party some distance from the hotel. Yankumi knew the boys wouldn't cause trouble in such a public place, and one away from home, too. Should trouble arise, she trusted Shin could handle it, along with Noda and the others. That's why she decided not to go with them. She wasn't in the mood to be amongst a partying crowd of potential drunks, but she agreed to let the boys go with the severe warning for them not to take even a single drop of liquor. She told them she would check up on them from time to time, and anyone caught would have to face her, not the principal. The boys were more afraid of Yankumi than the school.
A public beach party was fine with Jyuu, but she decided to accompany Yankumi. The two of them stayed at another outdoor bar not far from where the boys were, but with very few people. At first Yankumi forgot that Jyuu was no longer a minor, but when the younger girl reminded her about her age, they went ahead and ordered some beer.
"You know, I shouldn't be letting you drink," Yankumi said with a grin. "You're not a minor, but you're still a high school student."
"It's up to you, really." Jyuu winked and stuck her tongue out at Yankumi, then drank from her bottle. Both of them were silent for a long time, leaning against the counter and generally just relaxing. Then Jyuu asked, "Ne, Yankumi, why are you a teacher?"
"Well... there are a few reasons, but some part is because I grew up with some very tough guys, and I saw how they were misunderstood by their teachers. Sure they were rough, a lot worse than your classmates even, but they weren't bad people. The treatment they get really do a lot of damage to their self-esteem, you know."
"So you want to be a teacher...one that understands these kinds of students?"
"Yeah. I'm a teacher because I want to look after everyone. I don't want kids to turn out bad just because they were treated as though they were, if you know what I mean."
"Yeah. I know what you mean."
"I'm looking forward to the future of my students, including you." Yankumi smiled at Jyuu. "What are you planning to do after graduation, Jyuu?"
"My, we're talking serious here, aren't we? Well, I don't mind," Jyuu shrugged. She thought for a while then answered, "I want to travel the world."
They both drank to that.
"I guess I'm like you," Jyuu continued. "I'm interested in people. There are so many kinds of people, and I want to see as many as I can before I settle down. I don't know, Yankumi, I don't know why people intrigue me so much, both Japanese and foreign."
"Maybe you want to be a psychiatrist, eh?"
Jyuu laughed. "I don't think so. I don't want to spend my days sitting down and listening to people who are so self-centered that they fail at both understanding themselves and others. I want to go out, see the world, meet people from different cultures. Maybe then I'll begin to understand them, regardless of the language."
"Wow, those kinds of things never crossed my mind before. Humans truly are different from each other."
"Cheers!"
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A couple of hours and several bottles of beer later, both Jyuu and Yankumi were starting to feel the effects of alcohol. Needless to say, they were a bit drunk.
"What's going on with you and Ucchi?"
Jyuu blinked at her teacher. "What? You're so random, sometimes, Yankumi. Nothing's going on between me and Ucchi."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Why do you ask?"
Yankumi mumbled something that was unintelligible. Then suddenly, "What about you and Shin?"
Jyuu slapped Yankumi's face.
"WHAT DID YOU DO THAT FOR?"
"Your eyes were closing up."
Yankumi slapped Jyuu back. "You look a bit dazed too."
The bartender standing off to one side stared at them.
"Oh darn. I forgot to check up on the guys. Come on, Jyuu, we've had enough."
They put their money on the counter and left. A bit unsteady, the two young women walked towards the loud music nearby. "Do you see them?" Yankumi asked Jyuu when they got there.
"There they are!" Jyuu shouted into Yankumi's ear. They found the guys hanging out by the counter with some girls who were probably also there for vacation. Jyuu rolled her eyes, then laughed along with Yankumi. These guys can find girls in a boys' school, how much more here in Okinawa?
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"Are you drunk?" Noda stared at Yankumi and Jyuu.
Jyuu coughed into her hand. "Well, we might have had more than we should've had," she slurred. She sat down on the stool beside Noda.
"Hey, Jyuu, this is Miyo and this is Suki," Minami, who was just standing, introduced her to the two girls with them.
"Hi. I'm Jyuu. And this is Yankumi. I mean, Yamaguchi-sensei." But by that time, Yankumi was already conked out on the stool beside her. "Heheh... sorry about that. Anyway, nice to meet you girls. Have fun." She spun the rotating stool and turned away from the girls. She began eyeing the liquor bottles displayed on the open bar's shelves.
"Don't even think about it," Noda whispered to her.
Jyuu smiled hugely at him. "What could you mean?"
"What have the two of you been up to?" Shin asked from Noda's other side. As usual, he totally ignored the new girls.
"Muhuhahahah... we were having a grand time. Then we remembered we had to watch over you little boys."
Shin rolled his eyes. He remembered the last time he saw Jyuu drunk. It didn't turn out quite good for him.
"I'm sure Yankumi can watch us fine, passed out like that," Minami cracked, making his new friends, who were also standing, laugh.
"Is Yankumi all right?" Kuma asked. He poked their teacher's cheek, and getting no response, he looked worriedly at Shin, who shrugged.
"She's fine, she's fine," Jyuu said.
"Yo, Jyuu," Ucchi greeted her. He had just gotten back from the comfort room.
"Ohayou!"
Ucchi peered at Jyuu's face. "Drunk."
"Oh, shut up. I'm just in a good mood."
"Drunk."
"You shut up, too, Noda."
"Drunk," Shin joined in lazily.
"Shi-in? Your dear Yankumi is drunk too, you know." Jyuu laughed. Her head was beginning to clear a bit.
Noda and Ucchi laughed as well. "Hey, want to dance, Jyuu?" Noda asked.
"Why don't we all dance?" Jyuu suggested. "Come on, guys!"
Shin stayed behind, which was just as well, so someone could watch Yankumi.
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Jyuu woke up the next morning with her stomach feeling a little funny. She didn't have a headache, though. "Oi, Yankumi. Where are you?"
"I'm in the bathroom!"
"I think I'm just going to stay in this morning."
Yankumi finished up in the bathroom and got out. "All right. I'll be out all morning, buying presents. You want anything?"
Jyuu shook her head. "Anyway, have fun." She went back to her bed as Yankumi left the room. "What a crappy feeling on my last day here," she grumbled.
She hadn't been alone for five minutes when the door banged open. "JYUU!" She sat up straight and hurriedly buttoned up the long-sleeved polo shirt she had on.
"GUYS! You should've knocked."
"It's just you." Minami, Noda, and Ucchi barged in, followed by Kuma, who was dragging a sleepy Shin behind him.
"What's the plan?" Ucchi asked.
"I'm staying in till lunch," Jyuu said as she looked for a pair of shorts in her bag. She found one and pulled it on. "My stomach's gone weird on me."
"Serves you right," Shin mumbled, massaging his head with one hand, making his red hair even more messy that it already was.
"Yankumi's out to buy presents," Noda said. "We bumped into her on our way here. The other guys are out in the sun, too. How about us?"
"I told you, I'm staying. You guys go ahead and buy presents or whatever."
"I'm staying in, too," Shin spoke up, he was lying on the floor, with his eyes closed.
"Let's all stay in," Minami decided. "I already bought a few souvenirs yesterday. Hey, why don't you order tea or something, Jyuu-chan?"
"Yeah, that might make your tummy feel better," Kuma agreed.
"There's tea here," Ucchi said. He went over to the food and beverages area and got a packet of dried tea leaves. He found a teacup and filled it with hot water from the dispenser, then he placed the tea leaves in. "Here Jyuu."
"Thanks, Ucchi. By the way, what happened to those two girls?"
"Miyo and Suki are on their way home now, I think," Minami answered with a grin. "They're from Osaka. Such cute girls."
"Yeah, they were!" Kuma said loudly. "I forgot there were girls like that when I began hanging out with you, Jyuu-chan."
Everyone laughed.
"You're so mean, Kuma!" Jyuu exclaimed. "That's all I can say. I'm speechless! Shin! Defend me!"
Everyone laughed again. "What a dork," Ucchi said between laughs.
"How's your stomach, Jyuu?" Noda asked.
"Still not so good, but the tea helped." She had gone halfway through the cup. Looking around at the guys sprawled on the carpeted floor, Jyuu felt she couldn't remember the time when she hadn't known them. Somehow the past didn't seem as forbidding as it used to be. "You know what, guys..."
"What?"
"Thanks for everything."
"Is this some hormonal thing?" Ucchi asked.
Jyuu just grinned, put down her teacup on the bedside table, and grabbed a pillow. "Who knows?" she asked, just before attacking Ucchi with the pillow.
Well, a pillow fight ensued.
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After dinner, the whole class formed a circle on the sand near the shore. They hadn't been able to do much together time before then, because they were always off doing different things. But tonight was different, it was their last night in Okinawa, and the best time for them to relax in each other's company.
"SPEECH! SPEECH!" Some of the boys goaded Yankumi into saying a few words.
"Yeah, give a speech, Yankumi!"
The dark-haired teacher adjusted her glasses, a bit flustered. "Well, if you want it so much..." Her students cheered. When the noise died down, and only the sound of waves remained, Yankumi began her speech, a speech nobody expected to think much of, but would remain in the hearts of her students for a long time, if not forever.
"I started out at Shirokin, hopeful and on fire. It had always been a dream of mine to teach, and finally that dream was in my hands."
The class, except for Jyuu, remembered the day Yankumi first got to Shirokin. They recalled how active she was during the introductory speech, and marvelled at how different the atmosphere was right now.
Yankumi continued. "As you all know, you are my very first students. And you should also know that I never regretted being your homeroom teacher. I would rather have you than the smartest class in any school, and that's the truth. You guys make my life fun. You guys are real. You are good people, always remember that. Don't ever think you're not good enough. And Jyuu, you're my kind of girl. You should have joined us sooner."
"YEAH!" the boys lifted their fists in agreement.
Holding up a hand to quiet them, Yankumi smiled and went on, "It's been a great year with you all, but guys, we all have to go our separate ways soon. You can't remain in high school forever. Try hard, and graduate into a life the others call reality. I would like to tell you though that your life right now is no less real than what lies ahead, so I'm sure you will do well. I wish for you to do well. Soon you will graduate from school, but everyone... don't you ever forget that you don't have to graduate from friendship. If there's anything you should treasure from all your years in high school, it's the bond that you have with each other. So when you all go out into the big wild world, remember that you're not alone." Yankumi looked around at each one's face.
"You're not alone," she repeated.
Jyuu felt her stomach go weird again, but it was a different kind of weird from that morning... Thank you, Yankumi. Thank you for saying the words I needed to hear so badly.
She wasn't alone in thinking that, too.
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Author's Note: Well, that's finally done. I hope you guys enjoyed this one, though it was short :D . I know, I know, it kinda doesn't have much meat, but I still have room for improvement. :D Till the next chapter then!