A.N.: Chapter 9 is now up for grabs! I'm mortified at the horrible amount of time it's taking me to finish this single fic, but please do understand that I'm one of those people who gets frequently attacked by bouts of writer's block. Have patience, people. And continue reading!

--

"Good God! What the hell was I thinking?!"

Yankumi slapped herself several times as she walked in the cold, empty streets near Kamiyama-chou, willing herself to feel punished, but realized that it didn't work since she was pretty much immune to that kind of pain anyway. Stopping in mid-stride, she pushed her hands deep in her pocket and took a deep breath.

Okay, Yankumi, you had something you had to do. Come on, think!

She remembered the list.

Sawada.

Oh, damnit!

She completely forgot about having to find him so she could try to round him up for the reunion this Friday, but, then again, anybody would forgot about any bloody thing if she'd been snogged so deliciously by a really hot, young man in her own house.

Damnit, stop thinking about it!

She had to go find Sawada quick. She wasn't going to let that little kiss (Ha! Little!) with Ucchi drive her to forget about her teacherly duties especially to Sawada. She was soooo much greater than that.

Ha, she'll show that brat!

With an air of newfound determination, she strode ahead to the school district, planning her form of espionage so as to find the ever-elusive Sawada Shin.

--

Work was as demanding as ever and all Shin could do was collapse on the couch after a rather exhausting day of schoolwork and office work. He didn't bother to open the lights as he dropped his dead weight onto the plush sofa and sighed. He closed his eyes and contemplated falling asleep right then and there.

"Boo-yah."

"ARGH!" He shot out of his seat at the sound of that low voice, his eyes flicking warily about his spacious apartment as he tried to find the source of it. He adopted a menacing position. As he looked around he thought he saw a pair of eyes staring back at him malignantly through the dark.

"Who the hell are you?!"

"I'm your conscience, Sawada-bozu."

Shit. He recognized that voice. And those glasses. He switched on the light and sighed.

"What the friggin' hell are you doing in my apartment, Yankumi? And how did you find me anyway?"

She shrugged. "I have my methods."

"The hell you do."

"Whatever. I needed to contact you, Sawada. So I found your place."

"Couldn't you have just called me instead of breaking in?" He stared at her as if she was mad.

"Where's the fun in that?" She said as if that made a whole load of sense. "And anyway, you never gave me your number."

"You found my place. You could've easily found my number."

"Eh, this is lots better. You would've hung up on me if I called you."

"No I wouldn't."

"Yes you would."

"No I wouldn't."

"Yes you would."

"No I wouldn't."

"Yes you w—,"

"Okay! Whatever! Just tell me what the hell you're doing here, Yankumi." Damnit, he was exhausted. And her being her engaging him in mindless Yakuza banter was not helping matters. "I need my sleep."

"Well," Yankumi grinned at him as if breaking and entering wasn't a punishable violation in the Japanese law. "I want to invite you."

His eyes narrowed. "Invite me where?"

"Reunion. This Friday."

He closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. It sounded like a whistle. He hated it when it sounded like a damn whistle. "No."

"What? What, no?"

"I said no, I'm not gonna go."

"The hell you're not, Sawada. I'm forcing you to go." Yankumi put her hands on her hips and glared at him menacingly. She gave him her trademark deadly Yakuza look.

Shin snorted. He was used to those looks from her. "As if you can. Listen, Yankumi, I know you're a spaz and you probably don't understand this sort of things, but I've estranged myself to them, remember? They wouldn't want me there anymore. Ucchi will probably kill me if he sees me. The rest will just look at me in disgust. I honestly don't think I want to plunge headfirst into any hostile situation."

Yankumi shook her head. "No, you won't be plunging into anything. Sawada, come on. It's high time you get out of that little misery bubble of yours and mingle with your old classmates. They miss you." She approached him with an imploring look in her face.

Shin sighed exasperatedly. "We've been through this at the charity event, Yankumi. They don't miss me, and I don't think it's proper that I just show up after years of going MIA. It's just not... right."

"Aw, bollocks, Sawada. They'll love you there. Damn!" She swore, shrugging off her jacket and making a face. "It's damn hot in here. Didn't you turn on the air-conditioning?"

"Didn't have the time," Sawada mumbled, watching her. There was something off about Yankumi now that she didn't have the jacket on. He could see that she was wearing a t-shirt, but that was her normal get-up anyway. He couldn't quite fathom what was so wrong until he saw that purplish spot just above her collarbone.

If he squinted hard enough, the spot looked just like a hickey.

He did a double take.

HICKEY?!

Yankumi kept babbling on about how hot it was in the room and how she'd love it if he'd go to the reunion, but Shin couldn't hear her. His eyes were fixed on that damned bruise on her neck.

How the hell did she get a damn hickey?!

Yankumi noticed him staring.

Her eyes widened as she realized what he was staring at. Subconsciously, her hand moved to touch the bruise.

Ouch. She winced. She's going to friggin' kill Ucchiyama for this.

"I... I burnt myself with—with an iron." She mentally kicked her ass for producing such a lame excuse.

Shin swallowed, and nodded. "I see."

Yes, he definitely did. He kind of figured out already how she got the freaking hickey. Damn that Ucchi. He felt more like shit than he ever did.

How the hell did things turn out like this? He never expected for his former teacher and classmate to hit together when he first accepted his father's proposal to study in Keiko. But, then again, things like that wasn't actually his business.

Yet, he can't help the huge wave of jealousy that surged through him.

"S—so." He hated the way his voice cracked. "What time is it? The party, I mean."

Her eyes widened. "Wh—you're coming?"

Shin looked uncomfortable. "Yeah." He mumbled. "I—I figured you were right."

Her face lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah. Sort of. So when is it?" Yankumi's jolly face was enough to drive him nuts, but he controlled the overwhelming urge to hug her and proceeded to scowl at the overjoyed woman.

Yankumi ignored his facial expression. "It's around seven o'clock in the evening till whenever. Come by my house this Friday."

"What?" Sawada was surprised. "It's gonna be in your house?"

"Yeah," Yankumi sighed exasperatedly. "I was against the idea, but Ojii-san wanted to meet you kids so I had to agree. Besides, what more harm can it do?" She gave a noncommittal shrug. "Everyone knows about the kumi anyway."

Shin nodded, seeing sense in it. However, he was still a bit put off by the fact that the house only he had been privy to so long ago was now going to be shared with the rest of Yankumi's former students. Back then he had felt rather important for being the only student in the class who knew about Yankumi's status and could even visit her at nights for some nabe dinner. But, then again, there already was Ucchiyama, who was probably filling up his place for the entire Ooedo kumi.

Yankumi was beaming up at him through her flashing glasses. "Sugoi... I didn't actually think you'd agree!" She gushed happily and prattled around in front of him, thrusting her fist out triumphantly. Shin was suddenly thrown back to the good old days back in Shirokin where they'd accomplish some mission regarding one student and Yankumi would do the exact same thing, as if celebrating for the fruit of their labors. He was then overcome by the strong realization that he missed those days more than ever.

He closed his eyes. Damn it. He missed them.

And he really looked forward to seeing them this Friday.

--

"Are you sure he's gonna come, Yankumi?"

Kuma annoyed the hell out of his former sensei by asking this particular question for the umpteenth time that evening. Yankumi, who had a large vein twitching in her temple, resisted the urge to sock her old student and instead proceeded to take a long drink from her cup of punch.

"Yes, Kumai-kun, I'm pretty sure," she said in her "demon voice" that the Ooedo Kumi so feared. Kuma seemed to be affected by it too, judging by the way he swallowed and mumbled a small "Ossu" and scuttled away from the irritated Yakuza boss.

"Whoa, Yankumi, was it me or did you just send Kuma running?" Ucchi appeared beside her, grinning widely. Yankumi could see that he was really happy with the party. Everyone from 3-d gumi was there, after all, and it reminded him of the happy days back in high school.

"He was annoying the beejezus outta me," Yankumi growled. "Kept asking if Shin will really come. Of course he will! He told me so!"

Ucchi suppressed a roll of his eyes. He decided to give Shin a chance that night. It was a reunion, after all. "Well, you better mingle with the students instead of just standing there waiting for him, okay? They miss you." He jerked his head to his old classmates, most of whom were enjoying themselves by singing with the karaoke machine in the TV room, playing Go Fish with the kumi, or decking out the pool which Tetsu and Minoru had managed to smuggle in earlier.

Yankumi nodded and sighed. "You're right. I'm probably just too anxious." She let herself be led by the waist to the pool table by Ucchi, who was determined to play the part of the gentlemanly suitor that night. She still wasn't comfortable with the idea, but the young man wouldn't relent and she didn't have the heart to just punch him around all the time. She would probably give him a concussion, so she just let him do as he wished as long as he wouldn't snog the brains out of her in public. That would probably move her to castrate him. And give him a concussion.

"Well, well, here comes the couple of the night," Fujiyama gushed as they approached. "You two are soooo sweet!"

So much for staying discreet.

The rest of the kids surrounding the pool table shot their heads up to stare at them unabashedly. Some of them were from 3-D and the others were from Fujiyama's class. Yankumi felt herself go redder than a tomato and she tried to shrink away from the view, but Ucchi held her still.

"Arigatou, sensei," he smiled at Fujiyama, who clapped happily at the "Kawaii!" pair.

Oooh, she's going to kill that damn bozu! Chop off his thing and feed it to the dogs! Then kick his sorry ass all the way to Okinawa!

"Eeeh!?" Noda, one of the students playing billiards, exclaimed. "You two are DATING?!"

"Oh, yes, didn't you know?" The soon-to-be-dead Fujiyama-sensei said to Noda, whom she was openly flirting with. "I saw them this Monday near the Keiko district kis—mmph!" Yankumi had shot from Ucchi's grasp to clamp her hand over the sensei's mouth.

"Whoa, easy there, Fujiyama-sensei! I think you had too much punch already!" She giggled helplessly at her former students who were staring at her, and motioned roughly for Ucchi to help her.

Ucchi, looking quite amused at her predicament, gave her a small smirk, undeterred by the deadly glare shot at him.

However, he didn't want to be killed later that evening, so he addressed his peers with a huge grin. "Yankumi's right, Fujiyama-sensei drank too much for the night. Let's keep the sake away from her, shall we?"

"Oi, oi, Ucchi-kun, how can you say that? I'm not drunk!" Fujiyama said, pouting prettily at Ucchi in a way that made Yankumi want to pull her hairs out. However, Fujiyama-sensei had realized, judging by Yankumi's pleading expression, that their sordid little affair should not be mentioned in front of the guys as of yet, much less the entire Ooedo kumi, who would probably chase the poor kid out of the door with sharp katanas.

"My, my, I think I want to have some of that nabe," she said, backing off. "I'll go bother Tetsu-kun over there, shall I?" She walked off to a blushing Tetsu, who was being elbowed in the ribs by some of the kumi members.

Yankumi sighed as soon as she was away and the guys had finally returned to their various businesses. "Whew," she whispered. "That was close."

Ucchi had a slightly hurt look on his face. "Why are you still so against them finding out about us?"

Her head shot up to look at him. "Ucchi, we've talked about this…"

He shook his head. "It still doesn't make sense to me."

"UWWWAAAAAHHH! SHIN-CHAN!!!"

Kuma's huge voice saying Sawada's name cut through their little world like hot knife through butter. Yankumi turned her head to stare at the door so quickly that she almost got a crick in her neck, and Ucchi's eyes widened as he stood where he was, fists clenched.

"SAWADA!!!" Yankumi had left him to jump over to where Sawada was, grabbing his arm and mussing up his hair like she used to do back when they were still her students. "So you came after all, ne?" She had the widest grin on her face.

Sawada looked nervous. "Y-yeah."

"Oi, oi, Sawada!" Tetsu and Minoru had come over to greet him, too. "It's a good thing you're here. We reserved a special bottle of sake just for you, eh?" They clapped him at the back as they pulled him into the threshold, the rest of the students still staring at him in awe, marveling at his presence after four years of his absence.

Kuma seemed to be the only person unaffected this. "Shin-chan, I missed you…" Sniffling, he enveloped him in a hug, Sawada growing rigid as he was shocked by this unconditional display of affection from his best-friend.

"Kuma…" He whispered, eyes wide. He had expected him to just stare at him like the other students when he arrived, or even react to his presence violently just like Ucchi had done, but not to do this. It was completely the opposite of what he should do faced with the fact that his best friend had deserted him for a span of four years.

He looked over Kuma's huge shoulder with difficulty to meet Yankumi's tearful gaze. She nodded at him happily, as if to say, Go on, hug him already!

Sawada did so, dismissing any inhibitions and making Kuma sniffle with tears of joy. It was completely uncharacteristic, he had to admit, but Kuma's warm, friendly welcome had moved him far beyond anything else that had happened in the years that he had spent in absence.

"Uwwaahhh! Shin!!!" Noda and Minami had joined in to form a manly group hug, which had moved the rest of class 3-D to join them, resulting in a huge crowd surrounding Sawada and almost suffocating him.

"You guys…" Yankumi was smiling happily as she tried to bite back tears of joy, watching the rather emotional reunion commence.

Ucchi.

She remembered him. He was nowhere to be seen in the crowd. She peeked back to the room where she left him in earlier, and he wasn't there. Where the hell is he?!

She moved to search the whole house for her missing student, but her grandpa's voice stopped her from wandering off.

"Kumiko, is that Sawada-kun I hear?"

She turned to face Kuroda Ryuuichirou, who was carrying a huge bottle of sake, which was often used as gifts in Yakuza tradition. She stared at it and nodded. "Are-are you giving that to Sawada, Ojii-san?"

He nodded. "I feel that this has been long overdue. Sawada had been an important part in the kumi's existence back then, after all, especially since he helped keep your status a secret."

Her eyes widened. "But, Ojii-san, I don't think--"

"Please, Kumiko, let me do this." Kuroda smiled at her. "I really do wish to give this to him as a sign of gratitude and respect."

Great. The last thing she needed was for Ucchi to go haywire with jealousy and anger when her grandpa gives Shin a huge traditional Yakuza welcome. And in front of his other rejoicing classmates too.

Still, she had to let her grandpa do whatever he wanted to do. It wasn't exactly her place to stop him. She gave him a pained smile. "Alright, go ahead, Ojii-san."

"Thank you, my dear. Will you come with me?"

Yankumi nodded, following the Yakuza boss out of the hallway and into the large connected system of sitting rooms where all the guests were gathered. All fell silent as Kuroda Ryuuichirou stepped into the room, bearing the huge jar with him.

"Ah, Shin," he said, smiling warmly at the newcomer. "Okaerinasai."

Sawada looked up from the overcrowded group hug that was currently suffocating the stuffing out of him and met the Yakuza leader's calm, welcoming gaze. A huge lump in his throat had formed, and he nodded gratefully at the elder man, fighting back the surge of tears that had again threatened to burst from their dam. The last thing Shin wanted was to be reduced into a sobbing, blubbering git on the floor right in the middle of his former classmates and the Ooedo kumi.

He permitted himself a warm smile, though. He nodded, grinning insanely at the Yakuza boss. "Tadaima."

--

A.N. I'm sorry for the relatively short chapter, but I'm working on the next one today so it'll prolly be up in a week or so depending on how motivated I get. Anyway, to answer Fathskie's question, I thinks that Megumi looks like Sawajiri Erika in my head. With the short-ish, blond-ish hair that is reminiscent of Shin's sister Natsumi, which is prolly why he's a bit partial to her advances (note the bit!).

Ooh, and please do check out my other fic, "The Wellber Council", if you're a bit of a Harry Potter fan too. It's up to Chapter 7 now I think, and I'm working on it too. I could use some suggestions and reviews about it, so please, please help a dear fellow writer in need! *grin grin*

Thanks!

blaine36