Our Teacher is a Yakuza Princess

Chapter 29

The day before graduation was spent in gathering all of 3-D together. Shin had spread the word for all of his classmates, ronins or not, to meet in the warehouse district that night. He didn't know if this would work, but if there was anything he learned from Yankumi, it was to try anyway.

Nearly everyone arrived, minus Matsudaira, who was late for some reason, and they all sat and waited for Noda and the others to show up. When the others did arrive, they strolled in as if they owned the place.

"If you need something, tell me straight out. We're kind of busy." Noda drawled as he walked up to Shin.

Shin ignored that and met his friends gaze with a look of his own. "I wanted to apologize." He said.

Noda blinked in surprise. "Forget it," he answered, shifting his weight uncomfortably. "Is that all?"

"I want you to come to tomorrow's graduation ceremony."

Oishi stepped forward. "Don't call me out here for such a stupid thing."

Kuma matched his pace. "We want to graduate together!"

Noda shrugged. "How long do you want to play friends?"

"We got tired of such kiddy stuff," Senzoku remarked, also moving towards Shin.

Uchi came up and grabbed his collar. "Kiddy stuff?" He repeated roughly.

Shin pushed them apart. "Stop," he told them, then glanced back at Noda. "We want to receive diplomas together!" He shouted, trying to get it through their thick heads.

"Doesn't matter."

"We don't wish to attend."

"Shut up!" Uchi yelled. "To graduate together… didn't we promise?"

"It's the last time we can be a part of 3-D." Shin said.

"What do I care?" Noda replied.

"I have other appointments." Shimazu added.

"Cut it out!" Kuma warned.

"Just leave it alone."

"We can't!" Shin responded. Before he could say anything else, Yankumi raced in, followed by Matsudaira.

"You guys! What are you doing?" She shouted as she ran up to them.

"Nothing," Noda told her shortly, trying to leave.

"Hold it right there!" She commanded, blocking their path. "You think it's fine to be separated from everyone? Like you can't communicate with each other, like rubber balls, bouncing away from your friends?"

"Who cares? We'll be separated anyway." Noda said dismissively.

"High school friendships are just for high school."

Yankumi stared in disbelief. "Just?"

"After graduation, we say goodbye. That's all there is to it."

"That's not-"

"Yankumi," Hazama interrupted. "Let it go."

Hattori agreed. "Everyone's made up their mind."

"We're all different anyway," Noda told her. "Our way of living is different. Our way of thinking is different. We can't pretend to be the same any more. We were together in the same school for three years. That's all. Friends? Relationships? Don't impose them on us anymore!" He shouted, and Shin could see how much those words hurt her.

After a few moments of sniffing and trying not to cry, Shin saw her look up, then saw her arm draw back. Before he could say anything, Noda was on the ground with the sound of her punch echoing in the warehouse.

She forced him to look at her, and tried her best, with both tears and words, to show him that the friendships he had here were so much more than what he was saying. She pleaded with him to see that cutting off these friends meant losing something he couldn't replace.

Standing, she addressed the rest of the group. "And you? What do you say?" When no one answered, she glared back at the ronin group. "Noda, when you were at the bottom, everyone got together and solved your problem. When Sawada was in deep trouble, everyone got together to back him up. When I was almost fired, you all got together and saved me! Because you were there, I can be here as I am today. We fought so many obstacles together! That's what friends are supposed to be."

As he saw Yankumi finish, tears flowing down her cheeks, he stepped up.

"I met Minami today. Why do you think he lied about Australia? His father's company went bankrupt. He couldn't even think of a graduation trip! But he didn't want us to worry. He wanted us to enjoy our trip. You understand why he lied. And you still don't understand this? You still don't get it!"

Silence reigned over the warehouse.

"He thinks of us as important friends! Minami is still thinking that we're all going to graduate together tomorrow! And you…" He stared at his friend. "Noda!"

Noda met his gaze, then angrily turned away. "Shut up!"

He walked out of the building with his group following him. One by one, the others left too. Until only Yankumi and Shin were left, wondering how it had come to this. On his way home, he stopped and simply watched the snow fall, praying that somehow, tomorrow would turn out alright.