Chapter Text
Yamaguchi Kumiko was sitting in the yard outside the Ooeda residence, a cup of sake in her hand and an absentminded look on her face. The graduation was over and her first students were spread by the wind.
”Ojou. Is there something troubling you?”
Kumiko was abruptly brought back to reality and she glared at the man suddenly sitting beside her.
”Tetsu! Don't sneak up on me like that!”
”I'm terribly sorry Ojou. But it's a shame to be troubled on a beautiful night like this.”
The heir of the Ooeda group sighed and turned her face towards the full moon.
”Perhaps you're right.”
”Did something happen?”
”Not really. It's just something that Sawada said.”
”Shin?”
Kumiko nodded slowly. And then she said something that made Tetsu twitch.
”He said that he loved me...”
Kumiko was standing outside the school. The graduation-cermony was over and it was time for her to head back home. She was sure that everyone had prepared a celebration for her. She was just about to leave when something caught her eye. A boy in a school uniform and black hair with white highlights was leaning against the wall next to the gates.
”Sawada? Why are you still here?”
The boy lifted his head to meet her eyes. His piercing stare never ciesed to amaze her. If he wanted to, he would probably be able to make a lot of people follow him. But today there was something different. There was the slightest hint of nervourosity in the back of his eyes.
”I needed to talk to you. Do you have time?”
Kumiko nodded slowly and as she walked out of the gates he followed her without a word. They had reached the riverbank and sat down before Sawada opened his mouth again.
”What will you do now?”
Kumiko looked at him with surprise.
”What do you mean? I'll continue teaching of course.”
”But Yankumi...” he hesitated. ”Never mind.. But there is something I need to tell you.”
”What is it?”
Kumiko leaned back and closed her eyes. It was strange, but she always felt comfortable when she was with Sawada. He felt more like an equal than a student. She looked up when she heard him raise to his feet again. He was standing with his back to her so she couldn't see his expression, but his shoulders were tense.
”Sawada? What's wrong?”
Without turning to look at her Shin let the words softly leave his mouth.
”I love you...”
Kumiko blinked in surprise and sat up, intending to ask what he meant, but the boy had already started to run away from the riverbank. Kumiko looked after him in silence for a while before she got to her feet and absentmindedly started walking towards home. When she reached the outer gates of the Oeda mansion she stopped briefly to regain her composure. The words her favorite student had left behind him echoed in her head like a broken record. 'I love you'. Was he serious? She took a deep breath and opened the gates.
”So...” Tetsu's voice brought Kumiko out of her thoughts. ”What did you answer him?”
Kumiko sighed and turned her face back towards the sky.
”I didn't have a chance to answer anything. He ran off as soon as he had said what he wanted to.”
”I see. But you'll need to answer sometime.”
”I know. But I don't know what to say. I mean, he's my student!”
Tetsu sighed and put a hand on her shoulder.
”Ojou. He's not your student anymore remember. He graduated already.”
Kumiko looked at him in surprise for a second before finding her composure again.
”You're right. But still.”
”You don't have to decide right now right? Think it through thoroughly.”
Before Kumiko could answer she heard her phone ring. She hurridely picked it up and listened to the panicked voice on the other end.
“What do you mean you were attacked?”
Tetsu looked at her in surprise at her raised voice, but Kumiko didn't notice. She was already halfway out the gate, running to the aid of one of the younger in the Oeda family. She was in such a hurry that she didn't notice the young boy on a side road as she passed it.
Shin was troubled. He had been home to shower and change clothes and now he was aimlessly roaming the streets. Before he noticed his feet had brought him close to her house. In the same moment he realized that, he saw the woman in question rush off somewhere. She didn't see him, but he could tell that something happened. He brushed away his incertainity and quickly followed her.