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Shin knew that he'd suffer for it later when he agreed not to let Yankumi know that he'd moved into the Oedo compound. He'd even pictured what might happen: a punch that'd put him flat on his back, a lecture that would make his balls shrivel up, or even the cold shoulder (he wouldn't admit it, but the last possibility scared him the most). Running into her in the middle of the night (law school required lots of paper writing) and having her stare at him for five full seconds and then say: "You've changed your hair." didn't really figure in anywhere in his prediction.
"Well, it was either dye or long hair." Shin wasn't really sure where to put his hands so he shoved them into his undyed shoulder-length hair. He'd gotten some shit for it at school to begin with, but Shin knew how to get respect even without fighting. That his father's identity had leaked out had probably helped as well, but he tried not to think too much about that.
When Yankumi didn't look like she was going to say anything (she was staring in fact, some hitherto unknown part of his brain pointed out, which, sure, he was wearing his yukata -- a red dragon embroidered on it of course -- a bit more more open than might be strictly modest and Shin had never been ashamed of his physique, but still) Shin added: "Aren't you going to ask me what I'm doing here?"
There was an actual blush on Yankumi's face of the kind that Shin hadn't seen since she'd been in love with that guy in high school. A smirk sort of appeared all by itself on his face and he rolled back on his heels, hips jutting.
That seemed to wake Yankumi up. "Yes!" she said, back going uncomfortably straight, her voice sharp. "What are you doing here?"
Shin considered lying for a moment -- there was no doubt that it'd be easier to pretend that he'd just continued on the delinquent path he'd walked for so long -- but in the end, he told the truth. "To see you."
That blush returned to her cheeks, but the gaze didn't turn less sharp. Damn. "My grandfather has taken you in. And he kept you a secret. You must've really impressed him."
And that was exactly what he didn't want her to think. "We talked," he emphasized and found himself praying that she'd get what he was saying. "Your grandfather wanted me to have a chance to settle in before we told you." To see if he had the guts or if it was just a young man's bluster.
"But he knows you've got the guts--" she caught herself and put a frown on her face (figure she'd catch that subtext). "I mean, you can't join the family."
"That's my choice." And not strictly the terms of the agreement he'd made with her grandfather -- if nothing else, Yankumi had been mentioned a lot more. "I heard you took on another bunch of delinquents."
"Don't talk of my students like that," Yankumi said half-heartedly, then: "I'm your teacher. You can't live in the same place as your teacher. There'd be--"
"Not any more." And Shin couldn't help but notice the last part came out of her mouth much less vehemently than it was probably meant to. He took a chance on her state of confusion and the power of his yakuza clothing and darted in, slanding a kiss across her lips. "Think about it."
Then he jumped backward before her fist reached him and walked off (he was bold, not stupid).
"Sawada-kun," she called before he passed out of sight. Shin turned around. The blush was deep on her cheeks again, but her eyes were all fire. "If you do that again without permission, I'm going to lay you flat, got it?"
Shin gave her a casual salute, then walked off, heart and stomach tumbling all over each other under his skin. He had a chance then, if she was even considering as far as giving permission.
He grinned.