Our Teacher is a Yakuza Princess

Chapter 48

Suddenly everything clicked into place. He was right. He was right. Setting aside the fact that Noda had picked up on a rather sharp insight, which was a minor miracle, he had realized something Yankumi hadn't. Shin knew her better than anyone.

He knew her moods.

While they may have thought they were being sneaky, she noticed that every time she was angry or upset, the members of her household either covertly texted Shin for help, or (since he was nearly always over) shot him pleading looks as Yankumi attempted to strangle them. Shin would sigh, say her name in that tone of voice – and suddenly, she didn't feel as murderous. Whenever she was frustrated or disheartened about her new students, he would come sit with her. Sometimes he wouldn't say anything, sometimes he would start talking about how he had gradually come to see that she was different from all the other adults, even if he didn't show it, but either way, just his presence made her feel better.

He teased her.

No one else ever teased her. Her grandfather would make a gentle joke here and there, but the yakuza members respected/feared her too much, the other teachers didn't know her that well, and her students often were just being mean. However, Shin had no such problems. When she had muttered something about what was the point of Shin having his own apartment if he practically lived there, he leaned over his law school homework and asked if that was an invitation to move in. She nearly choked on her tea and could feel her face turn bright lobster red as she attempted to clarify what she meant.

He knew what she was thinking.

That was one of the more infuriating traits Shin had. He always seemed to be able to read her, no matter what. This party, for instance. She hadn't ever told him that she wished she knew how her original students were doing. But somehow he knew. She tried to think back. Months ago, she had been worrying about her current students' futures, and had said something about being sure all her other students had done well. But then, she had wondered if they really were doing alright, if they had found jobs, found love, found their own paths. And just from that, he had known what she was thinking, he had planned all of this months ahead, and had done all this to make her happy.

"Oi." She turned and got poked in the cheek. "Baka." Shin smiled at her. "Stop thinking so much. It's your party, after all."

When she simply looked at him, still absorbing her revelation, he tilted his head and asked, "Are you still worrying about that?" He motioned towards her finger.

"No, it's just..."

"Aren't you even a little happy?"

"Of course I am!"

"Even though you're planning on arguing with me later?" He teased her. When she couldn't come up with an answer to that, he smiled and said, "Well, I'm planning on winning all those arguments, so imagine how happy I am." His smile grew wider.

She started to gesture at him, then saw her ring catch the sunlight. As she stared at it, she realized that he had proposed to her, knowing she would argue, and instead of being hurt or offended, he took it in stride and still loved her for it. He had planned a party for her, fulfilling an unspoken wish, at the risk of being humiliated if she had said no, because it would make her happy.

Suprising both herself and Shin, she reached up and pecked him on the lips.

"I don't deserve you," she mumbled quietly, then left to grab some cake. Or tried to, anyway.

His surprise quickly transformed into a very pleased, very masculine smile, and he swooped his arm around her waist and grabbed a nearby drink.

"To Yankumi!" He toasted, and everyone else joined in.

"To Yankumi!"

"For making all of our lives better." He took a sip, then leaned down and kissed her.

As catcalls and sounds of disgust echoed around the room, Yankumi decided that maybe she would let him win those arguments. After all, they could argue about other things later. Much later. For forever.

At that thought, she smiled, and kissed him back.