The next day came slowly, with most of them resting at the hospital, outsides Yankumi's room. The horrifying hours were now gone, and Yankumi was saved. The bullet that hit her the previous day thankfully didn't affect any main arteries. Everyone was waiting for her to wake up. Outside her room, everyone was still talking about the news. Shin being the 4th leader of the Oedo Clan, somehow didn't make any sense.

What they didn't know was that the other night, Kuroda-san shared his worries with Shin. Kuroda-san told Shin; How he was sad that there will be no Oedo leader. How his clan of four generations will die. Though he also revealed at Shin, he had someone in mind. Someone he saw as a son and trusted. Shin added the clues and found out, that he was talking about him. It was that night, that Shin agreed to become the next Oedo leader. Although it would take time before he would officially be one. But the word was out, and Oedo's followers already knew.

Shin remained with Yankumi, sitting next to her. Worried Shin couldn't take his eyes off her. He came so close to losing Yankumi. And he had not shared with her, his biggest secret. He vowed, whatever the outcome, he would tell her. Already three months had passed since Shin was back. And all this time he couldn't share his deepest desires with her. That ' he loved her.'

Yankumi that was finally slowly gaining her senses, opened her eyes slowly. Next to her, a deadly serious and worried Shin was gazing at her. His face and body were filled with wounds, from yesterday's fight. Shin and Kumi gazed at each other for a few minutes. No one spoke. Last day's events passed through their minds.

"Baka!" Shin yelled at her "I told you not to go alone. How can you be so reckless!?"

Yankumi that slowly sat up and kept gazing at him replied: "Did you see yourself in a mirror lately, Sawada and I am the reckless one?"

"I didn't have in mind to go and face Kudo alone. It was you! Remember?" Shin answered her back.

"How could I not go after him. He touched my precious students!" she went on like always.

"You should know better than not everyone you are dealing with, has the same strength. See how you ended up! And don't tell me it was to save some of your students. Because this time you didn't save anyone, you just created a mess." Shin stated.

Yankumi cracked a smile since she knew Shin was right there. But admitting that he was right, brought her another thought. 'The 4th Oedo Leader'

"The 4th...em .. leader..." Kumiko tried to ask confused. She was no more on her yakuza mood or her clueless mood.

"That is me. Don't go overboard about it. We only agree with Kuroda-san yesterday. I am not officially, but one day I will be. And don't go down that road again, telling me' why I am messing with your family'. Because this is my family too. It has been for almost 8 years now." Shin explained honestly.

For his surprised Yankumi didn't say anything like that, she just smiled at him "Sawada-kun if that's what you want to do. Then You should do it."

Kumiko's words were once again student-zoning him. And Shin didn't want any more of that. He had enough... He had enough of Yankumi treating him as a student. He had enough of him, being scared to tell her. He had enough of everything and anything. He did not wait anymore. He once again dropped the cool act. He let his emotions show all over his face.

"Yankumi ...what happened yesterday... got me thinking... That there are things I still have not shared with you!" Shin said.

Yankumi, moved a bit to the right to sit better and gazed at him a confusing. She was just happy that everyone was alive and alright. As for Shin becoming the 4th leader of the Oedo's. If really he wanted to take that path, she would support him.

"The last day before we graduated ...maybe it was sooner... I found out I was in love with a girl." Sawada uttered.

Yankumi that seemed now confused tilted her head.' Why would Sawada at the time like these speak about girls and love' she thought.

"I spent more than 3 years telling myself that it was only a young flame. But it was not. Since this day, my love for her became only bigger... only stronger." Shin admitted and sighed.

Yankumi had no idea how to respond. She never thought that Sawada had those deep thoughts. She never ever knew he liked someone. But the thought of Shin being in love with a girl somehow made her sad. Again, she didn't say anything and waited for Shin to finish.

"That clueless girl... That brought my life upside down its you! It always has been you!" Sawada dropped his last words.

Kumiko froze, she could think Sawada telling her anything. But that he was in love with her. And that he was in love with her for so long. "You .. with me.. in love... for years!" she giggled and took her clueless look "Sawada-kun don't tease you teacher."

"I hate clueless Yankumi the most... I am not teasing you.. can you not see how hard I am trying here to show you my heart.." Shin whispered and lean closer to her. His soft lips slowly touched hers. A warm feeling touched Kumiko's lips. She remained speechless. Shin slowly pulled back "I have nothing more to say. I am not waiting for an answer. Because I know it .. and I know well... You only See Sawada as your student... But stop calling me Sawada, or Sawada-kun. My name is Shin. And that Shin is madly in love with you!" he said and walked off the room. Leaving behind a very confused Yankumi.

❧ ✿ﻬ ✿ﻬ ✿ﻬ✿

Days had passed and everything went back to normal. Yankumi, Minoru and Tetsu were back home. The scary mornings that Minoru and Tetsu were trying to wake 'Ojou' up were there again. The 3D class that drove their teacher in trouble every day was also there. Natsumi and Yabuki started dating now formally. Ogata and Kazama were still having lunch at Kuma's shop every day. And Shin was back at his old workplace since the school director was out of the hospital.

Though all those days the only that had seemed more confused than ever was Yankumi. Every time of the day, Kumiko's mind would be about Shin. Thinking of Shin's words, of his reactions, now everything was making sense. But she was still confused. 'Shin in love with her..' that though could not leave her mind. There always someone that Kumiko liked. But now there was someone that loved her. And loved her for so long. Yankumi's mind could not understand that.

She had long talks, with her grandfather, with Kuma, with Ami and the rest. She was actually more shocked that everyone knew that Sawada was in love with her. Only she was the one that didn't see it coming. And everyone was telling her to trust her feelings. But how could he? Sawada, the Sawada she always thought as a Student being now in love with her. But lately, she thought him more as Shin. Those 3 months that he was around, it was more than a student. And then again there was that kiss. That every time she thought of it, it would make her blush and lose her words.

((continuing Chapter 14... ))