CrowsXGokusen FF – 1,694 words (about)

Everything happens for a reason

Part 2: All In The Family

Kumiko tapped her finger impatiently against her desk. There were few clocks in this school, and the ones they did have were broken or so covered in graffiti that it was impossible to read the time anyway. She smirked. This is one crazy school I've come to. It was almost the end of the day, and already she had witnessed three separate fights in her classroom alone, plus an additional one they had all watched out the window earlier.

Oddly, the fighting didn't bother her at all. Maybe grandfather actually knew what he was doing when he sent me her, she admitted. She felt fairly relaxed considering all that had happened. The teachers where basically a non-issue here, she had discovered. They were either too afraid to come into the classrooms or couldn't get anyone to listen to them. It really wasn't surprising considering the types of guys that attended this school.

It was weird, in a way. Kumiko looked around appraisingly at the sea of rebellious haircuts that surrounded her on all sides. Guys were joking around with each other, playing cards, reading manga, or facing off in a game of Bloody Knuckles. Everything she saw was familiar, even the tough, scary faces everyone wore. Sighing in relief as the dismissal bell finally rang, Kumiko got up and grabbed her bag.

It wasn't that she was anxious to get away from school, though that's probably what it looked like to her new classmates. Ignoring the snickers, she practically dashed out of the building and through the front gate in the direction of home. Being careful to make sure no one saw where she was going, she headed for the seediest part of town, deep into the mob of underground businesses that enclosed her home.

From the classroom window, Kirishima Hiromi watched as the new student Yamaguchi ran down the road and headed dead east. He wasn't stupid, he knew where that headed. He had headed there several times himself, but never as excitedly as Yamaguchi did now. So, now I have a nice little mystery to keep my busy on the side, he thought, interested. Turning back to Mako and Pon, they made their own way out of the school together and headed west.

No, Kumiko wasn't anxious to leave her new school. In fact, she was merely excited to get home and tell everyone how her first day was. Knowing that Tetsu and Minoru would be home by now only made her run faster. Damn those middle schoolers! she thought, amused. They have it so easy! Shouting hurried hellos to the shopkeepers calling out "Okairi, Ojou!" as she passed, Kumiko rounded the corner and dashed through the gate of the Oedo Family's house.

"Tadaima!" she yelled, kicking her shoes off at the door. She heard crashing sounds from within the house as people rushed towards the entrance to greet her.

"Okairi!" Leaping up the one step to the main floor, Kumiko ran forwards to meet the group of battle-hardened yakuza who greeted her. Stopping before them, she waited as they bowed to her, resting their heads respectfully on the floor. Getting up, Wakamatsu smiled welcomingly at her.

"How was your first day?" he asked gruffly. She shrugged, but smiled.

"It was alright. There were a couple run-ins with some of my classmates, but nothing serious happened." Wakamatsu's eyes narrowed, as did those of the rest of the men.

"What do you mean?" he demanded, his face slowly turning red. "They didn't try anything, did they?!"

"No, no," she assured him calmly. "Just your basic teenage fighting and stuff." Stepping past them into the hall, Kumiko peered into the living room, hoping to find her grandfather, the Kumicho. Seeing him seated in front of the doorway to the side-garden, his back to her, she snuck forward and was about to poke his shoulder when…

"Kumiko!" She jumped, startled as he suddenly called out her name. Pouting, she walked around him and sat so he could see her.

"How did you know I was there?" she complained. He chuckled.

"I think anyone within a kilometer of this house would have heard you come in. I don't think I've ever heard you make such a noisy entrance before." He smiled at her. "How was Suzuran?"

"Well," she began, "it was only my first day so I can't be sure, but I think I'm going to like it there!" The Kumicho's smile broadened as he saw his granddaughter's joyful expression. It had been a while since he had seen her come home from school without looking as though someone had just died. Hearing a noise from the other side of the room, they both turned in time to see two small heads disappear around the corner. Laughing, Kumiko jumped to her feet.

"Tetsu! Minoru!" she called. The two small heads reappeared, accompanied by small faces and small smiles. Running over to the doorway, Kumiko grabbed the two smaller boys and gave them each a rare hug. Usually she was strictly against such things, but today was different.

"Kumi-chan!" they complained in unison, though still smiling. Disregarding their protests, she pulled them into the room with her grandfather and they all sat down together. Waiting until they had settled themselves, the Kumicho resumed his conversation with Kumiko.

"Do you know why I sent you to Suzuran, Kumiko?" he asked. She shook her head, not understanding. "It's because I went there," he explained. "I didn't really want you to go there at first; I was hoping you would do well in some other school. But it seems you are more like me than I thought." Inside, Kumiko was bursting with each word he said, excited and nervous by his praise.

"I want you to do your best there, Kumiko," he continued, ignoring her as she fidgeted beside him. "If you can't survive Suzuran, then you're not the girl I raised." As he finished, Kumiko suddenly threw herself into his arms and gave him a large hug, which he returned without hesitation. After a moment, she jumped up, kissing him lightly on the forehead.

"Thank you, grandfather," she whispered. Hearing a sniff from the doorway behind her, she turned again, this time to see Wakamatsu and the others tearing up at the scene they had witnessed. Sighing exasperatedly, she turned to Tetsu and Minoru who were still seated on the floor, looking up at her.

"Be good and maybe you guys will get to go to Suzuran too!" she said, excitedly. "Wouldn't it be cool if we were in the same school together? I would be a third year and you two would be freshmen!" She grinned evilly down at them and their own smiles faltered a little. Laughing, Kumiko turned and stepped outside. "Come on! Lets go train or something!" she shouted, full of energy. Hearing snickering, she turned to see Tetsu and Minoru covering their mouths. Even her grandfather was looking at them with a puzzled expression.

"What is it guys?" she asked suspiciously.

"It's just," Minoru giggled, "we can't really take you seriously…"

"…dressed like that!" Tetsu finished. "You look like a boy!" he laughed, rolling on his side. Even the Kumicho cracked a smile before quickly covering it up with his "stern face".

"YOU TWO!" she yelled, pouncing on the two hysterical boys.

Later that evening…

Kumiko did feel better in her usual clothes, if a little odd from being dressed like a boy for so long. Clipping her bangs out of her eyes with matching butterfly clips, she really did look like a cute girl for a moment. But after seeing herself in the mirror, she jerked them back out again and replaced them with a simple hair band. Feeling more like herself now, she headed downstairs for dinner.

It was pot roast, of course. Pot roast was her favorite meal, and everybody knew it. Sitting at her usual place next to her grandfather, she clapped her hands together and bowed her head saying, "Itadakimasu!" Everyone followed suit and began serving themselves from the large bowls sitting on the table. It wasn't long before Tetsu and Minoru were arguing over who got the most meat, and the other men had begun to discuss the day's work. Putting her bowl down, Kumiko sat back and enjoyed watching her family eat and talk together.

"You know, Ojou," Wakamatsu began, "I also went to Suzuran as a high school student."

"Really?" she asked. "I had no idea!" Several of the other men raised their arms in the air and began revealing that they too had attended Suzuran before. Kumiko looked around at her family members, as though seeing them in a new light.

"So, I guess I'm really just following in everyone's footsteps," she said happily. She grinned at them reassuringly. She didn't mind following them at all.

When dinner was over, Kumiko decided to go for a walk while Tetsu and Minoru worked on their homework. Ha! she thought, triumphant at last. They may get out before me, but at least I don't get any homework! I didn't bother her at all that she probably wouldn't be learning anything at this school. She had always thought academics where overrated anyway.

Strolling through the now empty streets, she marveled at how peaceful things were at night. The only people around were a few of the shopkeepers from before, closing up their storefronts for the night. Waving at her in recognition, they smiled. She smiled back. For as long as I live, I don't think I'll ever get tired of this, she thought to herself. I like everyone knowing who I am, and I like being able to help them out.

Continuing her strut through the maze of dirty alleyways, she hummed to herself, letting the cool night air rush over her. It was such a comfortable temperature. Breathing in the familiar stench of old food, sweat, and less pleasant things, Kumiko felt content. Finally heading back towards home, she waited outside the gate and sighed. Never, she repeated with a smile.