True Confessions 5:
The delicious smells of
fried red snapper, meat and potato stew, subuta and rice filled her nostrils as
she continued to practice in the backyard. She wondered what the occasion was,
since it was rare that Tetsu would go all out to make anything extra special
for dinner. She had also noticed that Minoru, Sawara and even Kyou-san had been
polishing and cleaning up the house with more thoroughness than usual. Deciding
to think nothing of it - assuming her grandfather was expecting some other
Groups for a meeting - she lifted her left leg and struck out at nothing,
pursing her lips in slight irritation at not being as quick as she would have
liked.
She needed a sparring
partner.
Of course she usually had
Tetsu or Minoru as unwilling participants in her training, but they were always
too timid to go all out with her. Her grandfather wasn’t as strong as he used
to be, so he was out of the question while Kyou-san had the tendency to break
down in tears if he made the mistake of hitting her too hard. In short, none of
the men in the household were of much use to her these days. She needed someone
young and yet strong enough to withstand her attacks and to match them as well.
So why don’t you ask him?
Just as quickly as she thought
that, her concentration snapped and she ended up twisting her left leg at an
awkward angle causing her to fall to the ground with a small cry of pain.
Cursing softly, she favored her aching foot, glaring as if it was responsible
for her thinking of that boy again.
/Don’t call me that!/
She winced, still hearing
the resentment in his tone as he had said those words to her. And as if to
prove himself, he had dared to…to…
Her cheeks burned.
“Ojou? Are you all right,
Ojou?”
She lifted her head to
stare into the concerned black eyes of Kyou-san. Although, the scar on his face
made him look scary to others, he was a good man at heart and had always acted like
an overly protective mother to her during the years. She managed to smile at
him while wishing her heart would stop pounding so fast from the memory of her
time on the roof with Sawada.
“Ah, I’m fine,” she
reassured him with a thumbs up sign. “I just needed to get some rest that’s
all.”
He looked skeptical, but
decided not to pursue it any further. If the Ojou said she was fine, then he
would just have to take her word for it. “You’ve been practicing for so long
now, Ojou,” he said with a wide grin. “You should go and get prepared for
dinner tonight, ne?”
“What’s the occasion
though?” she asked, rising to her feet gingerly. Her t-shirt was now stuck to
her back damp with sweat. The need to take a good long bath was overwhelming.
“Why’s everyone being so attentive today?”
“Ah, didn’t you know?”
“If I knew I wouldn’t be
asking you, would I?” she all but snapped impatiently, causing Kyou to wince at
the look on her face. She really could be scary when she chose to be.
Clearing his throat, he
puffed out his chest proudly. “Well, it’s Shinohara-sensei…as well as that
student of yours. Oyaasan has invited them over for dinner…”
“Eh?!” Her eyes became as
wide as saucers, her jaw growing slack at the news. When had her grandfather
planned all of this? And why was he inviting both men tonight? What was the
deal?!
Assuming she was shocked
because of Shinohara’s name – since all the men knew that she had a crush on
the young lawyer – Kyou-san grinned and winked. “Don’t worry, Ojou. We’ll make
sure you get the best seat at the table tonight.”
Damn it! That’s not
the issue! Sawada’s going to be here too!
Just when she thought she
had managed to get him out of her thoughts for half a day, this has to happen.
It was rather ridiculous to feel this way though. It wasn’t as if this was the
first time Shin would be joining them for a meal. However, she knew that things
would be different this time. She couldn’t explain it but she knew it would be!
She had congratulated herself on ignoring Sawada for the past week at school,
although it was difficult stopping her cheeks from coloring each time she felt
his gaze trained on her. On more than one occasion she even noticed him waiting
for her after school, but she stayed inside until he eventually walked away.
She admitted it was a bit pathetic of her to ‘run’ away from the young man like
this, but it was better than facing the tumultuous emotions that were beginning
to worry her…a lot.
“…eh, Ojou?”
“Eh?” She blinked at
Kyou, who had been talking all this time, wondering what he was going on about.
“I said, it will be an
interesting night, don’t you think?”
“Oh yeah,” she grumbled
as she began to walk towards her bedroom, trying not to make her limp too
obvious. The last thing she needed was Kyou gushing all over her in concern.
“It’s definitely going to be one hell of an evening.”
Shin
tossed the last shirt in his closet to the bed and then stood back to eye them
all in growing consternation. He wasn’t one to be bothered about clothes and
looking too dressy for any occasion. He usually picked out whatever fit his
mood. But tonight, for some reason, nothing seemed good enough. He ran restless
fingers through his still damp hair, stealing a glance at the clock beside his
bed. He had less than an hour to get himself ready for dinner at the Oedo
household.
To say he was stunned at
the invitation was an understatement. He had gotten the phone call from
Kyou-san just yesterday saying that the Kumichou requested his presence
tonight. Shin wondered if he had done anything wrong or if Yankumi had told his
grandfather about their intimate moment. He doubted that however, for he was
sure Kuroda would have had his head by now.
“Fuck,” he muttered,
shivering as the cold air from the air conditioner sent a chill down his naked
body. Deciding he was worrying too much over nothing, he closed his eyes and
reached out for the first item of clothing his hands touched.
He would just have to
hope he didn’t look too dorky tonight.
She paced
around the room – at least as fast as she could go – eyeing the outfits on her
bed. Several kimonos lay in a single row on the floor, each looking even more
extravagant than the other. Damn! Why couldn’t she just have something ordinary
for a dinner date?
Date? Who said
anything about it being a date?
“Shinohara sensei,
Shinohara sensei,” she muttered to herself. “I have a crush on Shinohara sensei
and don’t you forget it, Kumiko.” Funny how saying the name didn’t seem to have
the same effect as before. Usually just saying the lawyer’s name would have
sent her heart fluttering with nerves but now…
Sawada…makes me…
“Damn it!” she cursed out
loud enough for the other men in the house to blink at each other in concern
and slight worry. When the Ojou was that loud, she was either angry or just
plain irritated. And knowing that it was best to steer clear of the woman when
she was in such a state, they went back to their duties with even more vigor
and determination.
Yankumi took a deep
breath and closed her eyes. She would just pick out the first thing her hand
touched and hope it didn’t make her look too stupid tonight.
Shin
stood outside the gates with hands within the pockets of his black pants. He
bit his lower lip and eyed his outfit again, feeling as if the oversized black
sweater was a bit too much. The necklace around his throat seemed to be choking
him now and not for the first time that evening, he wondered if he should have
just made some excuse and remained home. He peeked into the silent compound,
knowing full well that appearances could be deceiving. He was sure that inside
the house, it would be more boisterous and noisy – a far cry from his lonely
apartment.
He swallowed tightly and
took a deep breath, now wishing he had at least gotten some gifts for Yankumi and
Kuroda. Of course, he knew that they didn’t expect him to, since he was still a
student but he still felt bereft at not being able to think of something quick
enough to get for them as a token of gratitude. He knew that Yankumi had been
avoiding him for the past week and Shin wasn’t even sure if she would
appreciate him showing up tonight at all. But if he hoped to begin his wooing
of the older woman, this was as good enough of a start as he was going to get.
A car pulling up to the
driveway jerked him back to reality and he turned his head around quickly to
stare at the newcomer. Had someone else been invited as well? Shin hadn’t been
told that…but then again, he wasn’t one to ask questions about such things. He
eyed the lanky figure that stepped out of the car and felt his blood run cold
at the familiar shock of dark hair and those handsome features.
Shit.
“Ah, Sawada,” Shinohara
greeted with a pleasant smile as he walked towards the teen. Shin was glad to
see that the lawyer was in a dress-shirt and pants which made him breathe a
little easier. He wasn’t too casual after all. He also noticed that Shinohara
had gifts which he held gingerly in one hand as if hoping they wouldn’t break.
He gave a small nod of acknowledgement and Shin reciprocated the act albeit
reluctantly.
“So you were invited as
well?” Shinohara continued as he began to walk towards the house. Shin followed
slowly, feeling as if his feet now weighed a ton. "That’s good to see.
Tonight is the celebration of the Kumichou’s release from prison about five
years ago. He always considers this day one of blessing and thanks and invites
close friends to his home to celebrate.”
Was Shinohara being
sarcastic? Shin couldn’t tell since he was now looking at the older man’s back
and so couldn’t really see his expression. Either way, it seemed as if
Shinohara was implying that Shin was lucky to even be in this position. Shin
held back a retort and settled for a small smile that didn’t quite reach his
eyes.
“Ah, sensei!” Minoru
greeted amiably as he opened up the door to let them in. “Ah, Sawada-san.
Welcome, welcome.”
Both men took off their
shoes in the lobby and walked into the warm and cozy home. Kuroda came out of
his private quarters to greet his visitors with Kyou, Sawara and Tetsu in tow.
As Shin fell to his knees to greet the kumichou, he couldn’t help wondering
where Yankumi was…or why his heart rate was quickening yet again. He ran damp
palms down his pants and managed to smile in all the right places. Shinohara
was clearly more comfortable in the Oedo household and showed as much.
“Ah, the Young Lion is
here,” Kyou greeted cheerfully as he slapped an arm upon Shin’s shoulders. Shin
blinked at the nickname, wondering why he was being called that. Noticing the
younger man’s questioning look, Kyou laughed heartily. “Well, I think it has
something to do your hair and the fact that you’re the only one who can stand
up to the Ojou. Heh and you even rescued her twice!”
Shin could feel his
cheeks heating up at the praise. He had done nothing really.
Kuroda laughed and nodded
in approval. “A fine name for the young one, Kyou. Ah, and here comes Kumiko.”
Shin felt his heart skip
a beat as Kumiko stepped into the living room slowly. Many would have assumed
she was walking that way to make a grand entrance, but her left foot was now
beginning to throb rather painfully and she had to walk as carefully as she
could so as not to aggravate the sprain. She looked resplendent in a pale blue
and white silk kimono embroidered with intricate designs of white pelicans. Her
hair had been let loose to frame her face (she had tried to get it into a bun
but had given up after several mistrials). Her features glowed with a light
sheen of make-up, her lips looking even fuller with the added touch of pink
lipstick. Her cheeks flushed in mild embarrassment at all the approving looks
she received and then grew even hotter as she noticed Shin’s dark gaze.
For one long week, she
had avoided looking into those eyes, afraid of what it might evoke within her
and now she felt she was justified in doing so. He really did have the ability
to make her feel lightheaded without even trying. With tremendous effort; she
tore her gaze away from his to meet her grandfather’s proud ones.
“You look beautiful,
Kumiko,” he said with a nod of approval. “I will have to keep away the men with
a stick at this rate.”
“Ojii-chan!” she muttered
in embarrassment, smiling warmly at Shinohara and the other men who all bowed
to her as they made their way towards the prepared dinner table.
Tetsu had really outdone
himself this time and everyone admired the eye-catching presentation. The young
henchman had the grace to blush at all the praises he received, claiming that
he had only done it as thanks for the kumichou’s help over the years.
“Ah, I brought a little
something for you, Kumiko…ojii-san,” Shinohara announced with a warm smile as
he held out the packages. “Please accept it. It’s not much…”
“Oh!” Yankumi gushed
happily. It was rare to receive anything from Shinohara and she was genuinely
pleased as she took the brightly wrapped rectangular box. “May I?”
“Please,” Shinohara said
with a small bow.
“Oh, a rare bottle of
wine!” Kuroda enthused as he had already opened his gift eliciting sounds of
awe from the other men as the large green bottle seemed to shimmer beneath the
lights in the room. “Thank you, Tomoya.”
Shin was beginning to
feel claustrophobic and suddenly felt like a fool for not bringing anything.
How could he hope to compete with the lawyer at this rate? He felt a cold sweat
break out on his brow as he watched Yankumi all but rip open the package. The
queasiness in his stomach grew tenfold as she gasped in delight, holding up the
breathtaking necklace with a small diamond pendant to everyone’s gaze.
“I never really got you
anything since you got the job as a teacher, Kumiko,” Shinohara explained with
a small apologetic smile. “I hope this makes up for it.”
“Aww…sensei…thank you!”
She looked lovely with her cheeks all flushed with happiness and pleasure. Shin
couldn’t bear to look any longer and he lowered his head, his hands clenching
into tight fists on his lap as he struggled to gather moisture in his now dry
throat.
A hand was firmly placed
on his shoulder and he lifted his head quickly, meeting the smiling ones of
Kuroda. “Why don’t we all begin to eat, ne? We don’t want Tetsu’s efforts to go
to waste, do we?”
Everyone agreed and Shin
gave an inward sigh of relief, sharing a small but grateful smile with the
kumichou who must have realized the young man was becoming uncomfortable.
The kumichou was at the
head of the table tonight, with Shin on his left. Kumiko sat directly across
from him and really wished she didn’t. Having to look at Shin each time she
lifted her head to eat was becoming slightly unbearable. At least Kyou-san had
kept his word and Shinohara sat beside her making things a bit easier. The food
was, of course, delicious and conversation flowed amongst them easily.
Shin ate slowly, barely
tasting much as he watched Shinohara and Yankumi laugh over something. She was
acting a bit too chummy with the lawyer for his liking and it was rather
aggravating to watch.
“So, what do you plan to
do when you leave school, young lion?” Kyou-san suddenly asked, causing Shin to
almost choke on the rice he had begun to chew.
“Young lion?” Yankumi
asked in confusion and Kyou was quick to explain. She ‘oohed’ after it was all
said and done and had to resist the urge to ruffle her student’s hair. “It
suits you, Sawada!”
And why am I blushing? He thought with an outward look
of nonchalance while shrugging lightly. He turned to face Kyou, replying
quietly. “I’m not sure yet…”
“Sawada applied to
“Oh?” Shinohara asked in
surprise. “That’s interesting. It’s a wise choice too. Lots of options…”
“I didn’t say I was going
there,” Shin interrupted coolly. He reached for several slices of meat. “I just
took it because my dad told me to.”
An awkward silence fell
as everyone looked slightly uncomfortable. Everyone knew of Shin’s father’s
status and his disposition towards his son. It was a rather touchy subject that
no one wished to prolong if possible.
Kuroda shook his head
lightly. “It is the young man’s choice on what he wishes to do with his life
after school. I’m sure that whatever you choose will be a wise decision.”
“Hmmm….or maybe he could
always be a part of us,” Kyou mused. “He’s shown he’s capable of standing up
for the truth and he’s a fighter…although amateur…”
“NO!” Yankumi cried out
sharply, as she slammed her plate on the table. Shin’s chopsticks hung in mid-air
as he met the irritated black depths before him. “He’s not going to choose this
way of life, Kyou-san and I really wish you wouldn’t encourage him!”
“Ah…I’m sorry, Ojou,”
Kyou bowed in apology, wincing inwardly at the reprimand. He hated making her
upset.
“Listen to me, Sawada,”
she began in that voice of hers that left no room for argument. “You are a
young man with lots of dreams and a bright future ahead of you. Do not waste
your time hanging around guys like these.” She pointed towards Tetsu and the
others, ignoring their pained looks at the indirect insult. “You have to set
your goals higher, like Shinohara sensei here!”
The lawyer had the grace
to blush while Shin’s fingers tightened around the wooden sticks. Oblivious to
her student’s agitation, she got into the spirit of her speech and continued
loudly. “Youth is something that should not be taken for granted! Seize it
while you can and go for it! You have a chance to be at a prestigious
university and you should take that opportunity, Sawada! I want to be able to
look at my future students and put a poster of your face on the blackboard and
say ‘See this man? This man was once a student of mine and now he’s going to
become the president of the country!’”
Several sniffles arose in
the room and Shin blinked in confusion as Kyou-san, Tetsu, Minoru and Sawara
all now had tears in their eyes. Apparently Yankumi’s speech had moved them
that much. Shin didn’t know if he wanted to laugh, cry or smack some sense into
them.
“So? What do you say,
Sawada?” Yankumi asked with a wide grin. “You will give
“Whatever,” he mumbled
and received an enthusiastic round of applause from the members of the
household, Kuroda included. He blushed even harder and buried his face within
his bowl of rice.
Why did she always have
to make him feel this way?
By the end of the
evening, Yankumi felt as if her foot had grown ten times larger. She shouldn’t
have knelt for so long. She had managed not to wince or limp too much while
showing Shinohara sensei to the door. He had claimed to have some important
meetings to attend in the morning and had to leave. She was sad to see him go
because it now meant that she would have to deal with Shin alone.
But she needn’t have
worried much for the young man was too busy helping out with the clearing and
cleaning of the remnants of their dinner. For a while, she watched him from behind
the screen, with a small but warm smile on her lips as he asked questions on
what to do. He had visited the house several times already and seemed to be a
bit more accustomed to his surroundings. Her grandfather had long retired to
his chambers allowing the young ones to have their fun.
But first things first,
she had to get out of his uncomfortable outfit and try to soak her leg in a tub
of ice. She limped into her room, making sure no one saw her. She sat on the
bed heavily and lifted the injured foot slowly. Peeling out of the thick white
sock, she winced at the redness of the tender flesh. How was she going to go to
work on Monday?
“Damn it…this is all your
fault, Sawada.”
A light knock on the door
had her lowering her leg as quickly as she could and using the kimono to cover
it up. “Co…come in!”
The door opened slowly
and expecting it to be Tetsu or Minoru, she was stunned to see Shin walking in
with what looked like several ice packs.
“Sa…Sawada…”
He said nothing and fell
to his knees before her, pushing aside the hem of the kimono to lift the aching
foot slowly. With hands that were surprisingly gentle, he caressed the tender
skin, thankful that his face was hidden from view or she would have noticed
that he was slightly flushed. Her feet looked so small and delicate, hardly the
feet of a woman who had used it to kick bigger men to submission.
She seemed to want to
pull back, but he held on firmly, shaking his head. “Hold steady,” he said
quietly as he opened up a pack with his teeth. He placed it against the bruise
and listened, with a small smile, to the sound of pain and yet relief that
escaped her lips.
“How did you know?” she
asked, biting her lower lip. Her long hair fell forward to cover her blushing
cheeks, more aware of just how intimate a setting they were in. Just like in
a romance novel, she thought.
“You were limping,” he
said matter-of-factly. “I can’t have my Yankumi coming to school that way, can
I?”
My…Yankumi…my?
“Now lie down and put
your feet up,” he commanded gently, getting to his feet to push her back slowly
to the bed. She did as she was told, more out of shock at the ‘endearment’ than
anything. Had he actually said…?
“Hmm…you will have to get
out of that kimono,” he began with a mischievous look in his eyes. “I wouldn’t
mind…”
“Get out of here!” she
cried out, reaching for a pillow to throw it at him. “And stay out, you damn
cocky brat!”
He dodged and let himself
out of the room, smiling at the concerned visages of Kyou and Tetsu who had
come running to find out what was wrong.
“Young Lion…” Kyou began
but Shin silenced him with a finger to his lips.
“Let’s just let her get
some rest. She’s had a long day.”
Back in the room, Yankumi
kept grumbling to herself about the audacity of young men these days. How dare
he! It was bad enough that he was kissing her without permission and now the
thought of him seeing her naked was just too much! Hell! Even Shinohara sensei
hadn’t been as bold!
So why was she suddenly
having mental images of Sawada shirtless? Damn it!
She cursed out loud and
continued with the arduous task of undressing while making a mental note to
make sure she asked Sawada to become her new sparring partner.
She couldn’t wait to kick
his ass.