Our Teacher is a Yakuza Princess

Chapter 44

Shin paced around the park once more. He was fairly certain that he would wear a path down by the time Yankumi got here.

If she even comes…

No. He shook his head. Like he told himself on the plane, ifs and hypotheticals would not help at all. And it wasn't as if she was late. He just happened to arrive three hours early.Like an idiot, his internal voice commented. A desperate idiot.

He ignored it and continued walking. The day before had been filled with valiant efforts by his friends to cheer him up, or even take his mind off of what was coming. He did his best to act like he was interested in pool, or sushi, or video games, (he didn't even try for karaoke, though), but he had a feeling the others could still tell.

In order to spare everyone the effort of trying to distract him this morning, he left for the park as soon as he got up. So here he was, walking and waiting until noon rolled around. And time had never passed so slowly in his life. By the time two hours had passed, he was starting to think he was losing his mind. He kept thinking that every woman with glasses or jerseys or pigtails was Yankumi. He also could have sworn he heard a bush whispering about him.

Forcing himself to calm down, he sat on the bench, closed his eyes and counted slowly to a hundred. When he opened his eyes, he gave himself another hundred counts to look around, then closed his eyes again. As the clock struck twelve, he counted along with the chimes, then counted another hundred, then looked around to see a woman with a half ponytail and jean jacket looking around.

See, you counted and now she's here. Wait – she's here!

He leapt off the bench and strolled as quickly and casually as he could, fighting off a giant grin. When she saw him, he tried to read her expression, but she masked too quickly.

"Yankumi… you came." Was all he could say when he reached her. She nodded, then spoke formally.

"Sawada Shin. I have a few items of discussion that I would like to… discuss. With you."

He blinked a few times, then motioned to the bench. As they sat, he watched her stare at him for a moment, then fumble around her pocket and pull out a sheet of paper.

"I think that, um, there might be a few things you had not, um, considered when you… when we talked the other night. I would like you to consider them now. Ahem. The three items of discussion are as follows…" She kept glancing at him over the top of her paper. Shin tilted his head and guessed that this was somehow Kuroda-san's work.

"First, I'm five years older than you."

"Four years and ten months. Plus, it's within the Standard Creepiness Rule."

He bit back a grin as she glanced to the side and muttered, "Dammit! How does everyone know about this? I'm a math teacher, for heaven's sake!"

Meeting his gaze once again, she cleared her throat and looked at the paper.

"Second… I have no intention of taking over my family's business." Biting her lip, she continued. "But, that will always be a possibility. And even if I don't, I can't cut ties with them, and I don't want to involve someone with that life if they don't want-"

"Yankumi." She looked up to see him smiling softly. "You've met my family, right? I'd pick yours any day, yakuza or not. And I'd never ask you to give up your family."

Hearing the truth in his voice, she nodded and tried to move on to the third item. "Th- third is… um… that I'm not…" and then she mumbled something so softly that Shin couldn't make it out.

"You're not…?" He repeated, trying to hear what she was saying.

"I'm not…asfghjkl"

"What?"

"Hmhee."

"What?"

"Sexy!" She finally shouted, then clapped her hands over her mouth. Taking a breath and staring firmly at the ground, she spoke in one breath. "I'm not tall or sexy or pretty or even normal looking."

"Yankumi,"

"I'm short and skinny and plain and flat and dorky and-"

"Kumiko!"

He finally startled her into looking at him. Taking a breath, Shin was very, very careful not to smile at how ridiculous she was being, because he had never seen her this vulnerable before. Ever.

"First," He told her, meeting her eyes so she could see he meant it. "You. Are beautiful." And he held that gaze until she started to believe him. "And I'm sure you could be sexy if you wanted."

Well, that sent a blush right down to her roots.

"Furthermore, I am not in love with you just because of your looks. I'm in love with you because you have the biggest heart of anyone I have ever known, because you think the best of everyone, no matter what, and because you're willing to sacrifice anything for the people you care about."

He bent down so he could peek under her hanging head. Once she glanced at him again, he made every effort not to grin, and asked, "So. Now that we have discussed these items of discussion, have you made a decision?"

She returned her gaze to the ground and mumbled something new.

"hmasfghjklder"

Biting his lip and reminding himself to be patient, he attempted to clarify.

"What was that?"

"We'd have to ask Grandfather." She repeated a little louder.

Shin froze, then looked at her with wide eyes. "Is that a yes?"

For some reason, this made her blush more, then nod once.

Letting his grin stretch across his face, he tilted her face up with a crooked finger.

"Well, then," he said, and kissed her.

This kiss ended sooner than Shin liked because suddenly the bush down the way started yelling at them.

"Woohoo! Shin!"

"Ew! I don't need to see that!"

"Yankumi, don't make me jealous!"

"Get a room, you two!"

Both he and Yankumi stopped and turned towards the bush with equally murderous looks.

"Shit! They found us!"

"Now you've done it!"

"Run, guys, run!"

"Wait for meee!"

Shin took a step towards them, then Yankumi's hand stopped him. "Shin, wait."

He looked back at the love of his life, who suddenly grinned and said, "I claim Kuma."

Shin nodded. He was aiming for Minami anyways. After stealing one more kiss, he started running. And as he chased his idiotic friends through the park with Yankumi running by his side, he realized that this was the best moment of his life.