Shall we Dance? A gokusen fanfic. All standard disclaimers apply.

"What is it this time?" He drawled lazily, not even bothering to remove the book from his face, as she loomed over him that particular afternoon.

This obviously wasn't school related. he could almost imagine her fidgeting, trying to figure out a way to tell him what she wanted. If this was some random thing, she would've told him already.
He could almost feel her determination gathering.

Any moment now.

"I want you to teach me how to act on a date."

Oh. So that's what it was.

Well...he'd been trying to think of a way to get her to notice him, anyway. This could definitely be the answer.

Of course, he had a pretty good idea what this was about. Since he wasn't particularly enjoying this conversation, might as well make her fidget a bit more.

"This has something to do with that lawyer you like, doesn't it?" He asked, trying to sound bored, keeping a tight rein on the irritation he felt. Finally unable to take the stream of incoherent babble that was her reply, his temper snapped

.
"Ask someone else." He mentally smacked himself. Great. He might as well accept the hundred years she'd slapped him with.

She stopped at this sudden change in his mood, and stared at him, squinting her eyes as she did. While she expected him to turn her down since she knew it wasn't something that interested him, there was really no reason for him to get all huffy about it.

She tried another tact. Maybe acting all cute and adorable would get to him.

"Demo, the only person I could ask is Fujiyama-sensei..." she whined.

And I'm kind of afraid of what she might try to teach me, was left unsaid, but understood, all the same. He knew her well enough to know what went on in her head, and she knew it.

He gave her a withering look that told her he dearly wanted to strangle her.

"That's not my problem." He replied, obviously annoyed. Hell, he'd snapped at her already. What more of a difference would this make? He moved the book a little so he could see her expression at his refusal. He could almost see the wheels turning, as she thought of a way to get him to say yes. He snorted softly in disgust, then put the book back the way it was.

Really. Why help those two along? The lawyer was obviously making his move; why else would he suddenly ask her out? The way it was going, she didn't really need his help.
And to ask him, of all people. The woman was SO dense.

"Have you ever seen me go out on a date, much less the formal one you're expecting?" he asked absently, knowing the answer, just wanting to hear her even indirectly acknowledge that she needed him. He felt an intense need to be mollified, right about now.

She squinted her eyes at him a bit more. The sneaky brat. How did he guess? "Do I look stupid? Who else could I ask? You're about the most normal male person I know. Between the two of us, you'd have a better idea of what I should do!" She answered heatedly, giving him an exasperated glare.

He didn't even want to think about what the Young Chief would've done in this situation. Taking a deep breath, he sat up, crossed his legs, and leaned back against the bench. He was playing this game, after all.

"Well...even if I agreed, it wouldn't really work." He began, setting the trap. He saw her eyes light up in interest; her curiosity peaked, while seemingly wary and suspicious. Didn't she even notice how he never seemed to say no to her?

"Why is that?" She asked, eyeing him cautiously.

"Do you realize that giving me that suspicious look might be part of it?" He mentioned in that dry, bored tone of voice he usually took with her. "For one thing, in order for us to anticipate the possibilities this 'date' might take, you need to stop looking at me and treating me like your student, and more like a man you would go out with, and possibly be attracted to."

He slowly lifted a heavy eyelid halfway, wondering idly how she'd take the bait. The sun was just about setting, and they were surrounded by a soft orange glow. Her face showed obvious surprise at what he said, though seemingly admitted the validity of his well concealed complaint.

Time to make it more interesting.

Watching her deep in thought, trying to make a decision as to whether she would accept this stipulation or not, He stood up and walked over to her. She barely noticed his presence, until he was standing less than a hand span away. She jumped a little in surprise, with a little nervous squeak, as he lifted her chin, to have her face him.

She met his gaze, unable to look away, her heart slamming hard against her ribcage, hopelessly trying to fight down the panic she felt at his closeness. Her chin tingled where he held it. What was wrong with him? Why did his moods change so drastically? What was he about to do? This was wrong! This was...

"You need to stop looking at me and treating me like your student...more like a man you would go out with..." her memory replayed, traitorously. "...possibly attracted to..."

His eyes were a murky, mossy dark green, his heavy-lidded eyes only slightly open, as if trying to hide some unnamed emotion he didn't want her to see completely.

Suddenly, her mouth felt dry, and she felt so short of breath. She didn't even feel him let go of her chin. She didn't even notice him take her hand. All she knew was that his face was getting closer...closer...

Seemingly snapping out of it at the last moment, she started babbling "Oi Baka, what are you doing? This is...This is..! (Kyaaaa!)"

She closed her eyes, preparing for the worst...nothing.

Something soft brushed against her fingers. She opened her eyes slowly.

He was holding her hand. Just a little past her chest. He slowly let go.

"Maa." He continued indifferently, as he turned around, grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder, sticking his hands in his pockets afterwards. "That's why I said it'll never work."

"YOU!" She hissed, finally regaining her composure, going into her 'devil-mode'. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR, HUH?!?!?"

He gave her a backward glance wearing his usual bored expression, and played his hand.

"What? You're not attracted to me, anyway. I was only demonstrating the point." He replied, blandly.

He walked away, leaving her there to think about what he just said. If she was hell-bent on asking him, she'd tell herself it was nothing, and that she could handle it, and the game would continue. With that enormous pride of hers, she'd never admit she felt anything for him, and would prove she was completely in control of her emotions, by accepting his stipulation. He had already given her his unspoken challenge. There was only a month left, before graduation. He wasn't ready to give her up to that Lawyer, Shinohara, just yet.

He smiled inwardly, eager to begin.
...

That brat was up to something. While he could always tell what she was thinking, curse him, she could only guess what went on in that sneaky little mind of his. Like an unwanted commercial break, there it was again.

"What? You're not attracted to me, anyway. I was only demonstrating the point."

How could he even look at her like that? How could he...how could he...?

"AAAAAARRRRGHH!!!" she shouted in frustration, wanting to feel flesh being hammered by her fists, feeling a barely controllable rage, remembering what she thought he was about to do. That he would dare!!!

Her finger still tingled where his lips had pressed against it. She remembered the look on his face,

standing so close to her...almost as if he...

"You need to stop looking at me and treating me like your student..."

She remembered how uncomfortable she suddenly was, with him standing so close...the nervousness she suddenly felt.

"...more like a man you would go out with..."

She remembered the way he looked at her. She swallowed involuntarily.

"...possibly attracted to..."

This was a completely alien emotion to her. With Shinohara-sensei, she felt warm and fuzzy, and the world seemed like such a happy, positive place. She felt breathless in a giddy sort of way. Contact with him made her feel warm and secure, and protected.

Shin, though...well, Shin was fine, before. With Shin, she felt as if she could talk to him about anything that she felt like, or ask him about how to deal with issues at school. With Shin, she didn't have to act all girly and refined.

With Shin, it didn't matter what mood she was in. She didn't have to pretend. He accepted her as she was. She could just be her usual self, and he was okay with it

.
Sure. He took huge chunks of amusement out of it, the jerk. She thought, sourly.

Earlier, though...it was as if he was a completely different person. She actually panicked at his closeness. The atmosphere felt so dangerous. She couldn't even look away. When he touched her, suddenly, her body seemed to grow several degrees warmer. Her skin tingled, her breath fell short...He was standing so close; he could've kissed her...

He did kiss her. Her hand, at least.

"That's why it wouldn't work."

Maybe that was it! That whole episode at the rooftop! The reason why Shin acted so strangely. He wanted to check if she could handle what he thought would be the way people who liked each other acted, and the way she reacted, earlier, certainly told him that she couldn't. And that indifferent attitude he reverted back to, afterward...

He was only testing her resolve. And if she couldn't do it, he didn't even want to try. he was just too lazy to be bothered!

Feeling a fresh wave of irritation swamp her, she clenched her fist, her jaw tightening wih resolve.
It was just so like him to do something like that, too. He even said so, himself!!!

"What? You're not attracted to me, anyway. I was merely demonstrating the point."

In that same, irritatingly impersonal way of his!!! It just grated on her nerves even more violently than before.

"I'll show YOU, Sawada, Shin." She muttered darkly.