"Ojou!" Minoru called Yankumi with his goofy voice. "Tetsu, she isn't waking up?" he went on telling him.

"Minoru, it's already 9 o'clock. She told us to wake her up." Tetsu explained.

It was a typical morning in Oedo Family Home. With Tetsu and Minoru, trying to wake up Yankumi. A few minutes later, and with a lot of effort Kumiko had woken up. She was angry at Minoru since she was having a good dream and it was ruined now. After she woke up, they run to have some breakfast.

" Natsume-sensai ..." she said with a sad naive voice thinking of her dream.

Yankumi always would have a light crash. Like the time she worked at Shirokin Gakuen, it was that policeman. The crash only lasted until she found her next work at Kurogin Gakuen. Then she fell in love with that other teacher from another school. But, it became an old history since she started working at Akado High School. Now she had again a new crash with the school's doctor, Natsume Seichi. Her family and students never took her seriously. After all, it was Yankumi, how serious would she be about love.

She walked in the main area, where everyone was sitting, and having breakfast. Yankumi was drying her hair with a towel and still thinking of Nastume-sensai. She was wearing a white shirt and a dark blue tracksuit. Her mind still spacing out, she was mumbling and sat down. "Nastume-sensai.." she muttered with a erted smile "No.. no I cannot say .. that.."

"Just call him!" a serious voice said.

Yankumi nodded her head and agreed "Yes, I should call him... eh?" she startled and stop her daydreaming. She noticed she was already sitting with everyone and having breakfast.

"Sawada!" she jumped surprised "You are awake!" she commented.

"Baka!" Shin whispered at her and smiled drinking some of his coffee.

Shin had already woken up since 6 am. He was a light sleeper, he went late to bed and always woke up early. He had already met with Shinohara and had a talk with him. Shin asked him, why he didn't inform Kuroda-san that he was coming back. And he also needed to know more details of the lately threatening messages and events against the Oedo family. Shinohara explained that Kuroda-san didn't want to drag him in this mess. That things were more serious than other times. So, he kept Shin's arrival secret. And about the new threats he only explained shortly, since there was a lot to talk, but now was not the time.

Sawada acted naturally like nothing had happened last night. He knew that Yankumi soon would start asking questions. Some of those he would answer easy, the rest he had no idea how to answer. Minoru and Tetsu were again fighting over a piece of meat. Kuroda-san was enjoying his breakfast. And Kumiko although she promised to take matters slowly, she couldn't anymore be avoiding and not ask any questions.

"Sawada-kun..." she asked trying to act sweet "what were you up all this time?"

Shin hid his cracked smile behind his palm. He recognized Yankumi's sweet talk, and that it was questioning time. Shin nodded his head agreeing, mostly with himself, to answer her. But, Shin was never a long talker, so he would keep it short.

"I stayed in Africa for 6 months, doing some volunteer work. I changed my mind and went to law school when I came back. I work as an attorney now." Sawada said not including too many details.

Yankumi was moved to see her student doing great. She started crying, and waffled Shin's hair, looking at him proudly. "I am so proud of you Sawada!" she said and looked at him with her glasses foggy and steamed.

Kuroda-san and the rest started laughing at Yankumi. The view of her with the steam glasses and the proud teacher attitude was too funny. Shin, was also laughing behind his hand, but he still was showing Yankumi his poker face.

"Tak! Don't mess with my hair, Yankumi!" Shin yelled seriously "I tried all morning to fix them".

Kumiko smiled at him "Your hair is fine!" she said giving Shin a closer look. A small click happened and Yankumi blinked at Shin. 'Indeed' she thought, 'he is more than fine'. But, she shook her head and flipped out of that thought.

Shin let it slight, smiled at Yankumi. "Baka! You haven't changed at all!" he said happily.

Kuroda-san kept looking at them as they were talking. A few of his worries were now settled, us Shin finally manage to meet Yankumi. He hoped that Shin-kun would find someday the courage and confess his feelings. He kept them long inside him. Also, new worries rise, with Shin now back, he feared that Shin would interfere more with their business.

❧ ✿ﻬ ✿ﻬ ✿ﻬ✿

After they were done with breakfast. Shin wanted to go and visit Kuma. He didn't see his friend for 2 years now and missed him a lot. Yankumi, followed him as she would always do with her students. Shin, took the back alley to Kuma's place. He was trying to avoid people seeing him again, and calling him 'Young Master'. He still was trying to hide that he was the 'Young Red Lion Master.'

"Sawada, you missed Kuma? Didn't you?" Yankumi as she walked next to him.

Shin, walked lazily with his hands inside his pockets. He was smiling and gazing at her. Relaxed, and happy he nodded at Yankumi. "Of course I have, Baka! I have not seen Kuma, for two years now!" he explained. "Oh, right! Yankumi, how is your new 3D class doing?" Shin threw back at her the tease.

Yankumi with a serious face explained to him, that she only managed to reach Reita and Junpei. Those were the only ones that called her Yankumi. The rest, although they opened up a bit, it seemed they didn't trust Yankumi fully.

"It makes sense Yankumi. One day they find a total stranger, that trusts them and cares about them. It takes time to adjust to such a big change. It was the same with us. I sure it was the same with Odagiri, Yanbuki, and the rest." Shin told her.

Kumiko agreed with him, but seconds later she noticed Shin speaking about Odagiri and Yanbuki. 'Wait ..huh' she thought. "Sawada.. you met Odagiri and Yanbuki?" she asked him. She started feeling the presence of Shin even more. How did he know about them? The Sawada that she had not seen for all these years, is involved more than she ever would know.

Shin, made a cranky face, as he really didn't want to talk about that with Kumiko at least not yet. "I met them.. back then when Kumai had issues with the land sharks." he clarified "we only said a 'hi'."

"Wait, what?" Yankumi jumped up "You were here at that time? Why didn't I see you?"

"Don't run into conclusions, Yankumi! I was back home only for a few days. I come to see Kuma and met them. There is nothing else." Shin gave a half answer. Thankfully they had reached now Kuma's place, and they dropped the chat.

They stayed at Kuma's until late at noon. Shin had to share with them many stories about the strange lands he had seen. The people he had met. He also met Ami, Kuma's wife properly this time. Yankumi also went on her hyper happy mode bothering, and tease. They all stopped only when Reita call Yankumi.

"Yankumi, Junpei.. was got by the cops. They will only release him if an adult comes and gets him. I had none else to call..." Reita said.

"You guys stay there. I will be there in a second!" Yankumi yelled and jumped up ready to storm out and go help Junpei.

Though, Shin grabbed her arm. "Wait, .. what happened?" he asked her.

"I have no time now Shin, Junpei.. is in trouble," she said a runout.

Shin, thought Junpei must be a 3D student of Akado High School. He waved at Kuma and followed Yankumi. It had been almost 8 years, that he and Yankumi run together to the aid of a friend. Shin, gazed at her smiling and went on running.

❧ ✿ﻬ ✿ﻬ ✿ﻬ✿

When they reached the police station, Reita was sitting outside. He looked worried. Reita gave a strange look at the man that was following Yankumi, but right now he was more considered about Junpei. He let them know "Someone else stole a girl's wallet. At the same time, Junpei pumped into that girl. The girl claimed that Junpei is the culprit. I was all the time with Junpei, there is no way he would steal that girl's money. I explained that to the police. But guess... As always since we are from Akado High School...they didn't believe us."

"Ok, Reita Let's go deal with the Okami" Yankumi yelled and turned around to walk into the police station.

"Okami?" wondered Reita with a confusing look at his face. Reita knew that Yankumi was strong. That she had an odd way to talk when she was fired up. But he had no idea that she was part of a yakuza family.

Shin grabbed her from the cuff of her shirt stopping her to enter and lifted her up. "You think that is the way to handle 'the Okami'?" he said and freed her. "Let me do the talking this time, Yankumi," he said and walked in front of her. He paused only to ask Reita "What is Junpei's full name?"

Yankumi shrank and nodded agreeing with him. But she was not convinced that Sawada could deal with the Cops.

"Mochizuki Junpei .." Reita answered back, still confused who that man was. But, since he was calling her Yankumi, and he dared to speak back to her, he should be someone that knows Yankumi well.

Shin, fixed his hair and walked inside. He stopped and looked around. At the end of the main office, there was a girl standing, next to her a younger boy sitting. Shin, know that would be Junpei. He walked towards the officer that was talking to them. Shin, faced him and gave him a small bow. "I am here about stealing. You are keeping my client here, for what reason? I was told Mochizuki Junpei, already has a witness, that places him far from the incident. Although, you still keeping him here. For what reason?" Shin asked forwardly and serious.

The police officer didn't expect a lawyer to show up, in such short notice. After all the girl was explaining she wasn't sure it was him. He just looked like him, had the same hair and height as Junpei. But she had not seen his face. "We will let him go. It was a misunderstanding! You are free to go!" the policeman said.

"Next time double-check before you start accusing innocent students," Shin said.

All these time Yankumi was few steps away from Shin, and the rest. She watched Shin. He remained her of smart Shin, that could read through the lines. Only now, he could take care of more than himself. In a way, she was surprised since it was not her taking care of her students, but Shin. And he was not yelling or threading. With few words, he could manage to get results. But Yankumi was not glad about the outcome. After all her student was wrongly accused.

She bypassed Shin and walked closer to the policeman. "We try to teach the young ones if they do something wrong to admit their mistakes and apologize. I think you owe an apology to my student. What example will we set." she demanded.

The policeman gave a short apology to Junpei. The girl gave a slight node and followed him to finish with her statement. Junpei and Reita were shocked. It was the first time an adult, and especially a policeman would say sorry to them.

Shin, smiled thinking 'Yankumi will never change.' he rolled his eyes and tapped Reita's and Junpei back. Then he pulled Yunkumi from her shirt and dragged her out.

She pushed Shin's hand away as they made it outside the door, and faced Junpei and Reita. "You both, if you are in any trouble, always contact me. And, don't take it too personally, I know you would never do such something so lame. I trust you guys." Yankumi told them.

Shin, leaned against the nearest wall, placed his arms behind his neck and watched Yankumi. It has been a while he has not heard Yankumi's big speeches.

Junpei talked with Yankumi and they went on with their big speech. Although Reita turned his attention at Shin. "You know Yankumi?" he said at Shin. "Who is she Yankumi?" he asked.

Shin, smiled. He wanted to see Yankumi's face explaining to them who he was. He remembered how they reacted if they saw Yankumi with a man. Shin gazed at her and nodded her with a tease waiting for her reaction.

Junpei also gathered around Shin and Reita. "You are right, Reita! Who is he?" he asked confusingly.

Yankumi had a feeling that was going to end bad "Shin is one of my first Students." Yankumi said proudly.

The name sounded familiar to Reita, he had heard before. But he wasn't sure. "Aww, that's how it is. You surprised me Yankumi, I thought he was your boyfriend." he mocked her.

Junpei laughed "Yankumi with a man.. right.. No way! No way!"

Shin, could avoid laughing "We thought the same back then. Yankumi with a man right!?"

"Exactly, and with a pretty young man. What was I thinking!" Reita added.

When all three turned to look at her, she was ready to attack them. Reita and Junpei said a fast bye and vanished. An angry Yankumi was dangerous. On the other hand, Shin remained where he was. Yankumi straightly attacked Shin "Making fan of me" she yelled at him all fired up. She grabbed Shin's shirt and she pinned him against the wall. Shin, let her have her way. He was having, a lot of fun. "You want to have a fight with me?" she kept yelling.

Shin, laughed and gazed at her. "Yankumi, calm down. They were only telling the truth. You aren't dating anyone, are you?" he played her around. "So, they thought it was funny to see you with a pretty man. Wasn't it?" he quizzed.

Yankumi was soon sitting in the corner, and crying. All her students would always mock her about her looks and if she would be seen with a male. "It isn't fair!" she said with a sad face still sitting in the corner.

An angry Yankumi was fun. A fire up Yankumi interesting. A clueless Yankumi lots of fun. A happy Yankumi the best. But a Sad Yankumi, even if It wasn't serious Sad, Shin didn't want to see. He walked next to her and knelt down. He placed his finger next to her cheek. When Yankumi turned her head, her chick touched against Shin's finger. "Baka!" he said and helped her stand up. "We were teasing you now and back then" he explained. "We wanted to see Yankumi's funny-sad face!" he said as he placed his arm around her.

They took the road back home. Kumiko walked next to Shin. They talked all the way, with Shin still resting his arm against her. He managed to keep calm and cool, all day around her. But, he didn't know for how long. Although, Yankumi surprised him. Keeping his hand around her, not pulling away, and remaining close to him. That was something new for Shin. He would not do anything to smash that moment. It was too perfect for him.

Yankumi also was surprised by herself. She didn't mind Shin, close to her. Neither his arm around her. It didn't look odd. Her mind didn't wander on thinking that a formal student was walking with her. It was just Shin. Those two days, she had seen a few new sides of Shin. She also faced, a more mature Shin. A stronger one. Yankumi was happy to see her student grow and mature like that. The confusing part started when she thought Shin as a mature adult. A very handsome mature adult. 'Funny thoughts' she shook her head, trying to forget those thoughts.

((continuing chapter 6...))