Lotus Blooming

CappuccettoRosso

Beta: None

Universe: Manga

Pairing(s): Sawada Shin / Yamaguchi Kumiko

Rating: PG-13

Genre(s): General; Romance; Drama; Humor

Warning(s): Mild Adult Language; Gang-themes; Footnotes

Word Count: ~1,700

Disclaimer: Gokusen is the intellectul property of Kozueko Morimoto, and its publisher Shueisha. I am only borrowing the characters for my own amusement. No profit is being made in the publishing of this story.

Note #1: Written for dove_drabbles prompt #2: "Remember your first everything."

Note #2: There is a vague crossover with the drama, My Boss, My Hero. You don't need to have seen the drama to read this story.

Note #3: I'm not completely satisfied with this story. No matter how many times I rewrote it; there was always something else I felt was wrong. So instead of frustrating myself unnecessarily, and missing the deadline, I've left it as is. I do ask that you forgive me if it's not up to par with my other stories. Most likely, I'll change a few things later, after I've taken a break and cleared my head.

Summary: He would do anything for her; face the entire gokudo, armed with only a knife and a prayer. He would do this, because he knew he wouldn't be alone. She would be one step behind him, always, guarding his back and daring the world to get past her.

"I look utterly ridiculous…"

Kumiko pointedly ignored him. It wasn't the first time he'd said it, after all.

"I'm going to get arrested. I know I am. The second my feet hit that pavement, bam! The police are on my ass like I'm carrying or something…"

She held up the garment and eyed it critically, making sure it had been treated right. The haori was very fine; made of high quality material that only very few knew how to clean properly. It had cost quite a bit to do the job, more than she spent in a month; however, by the look of things, the money had been worth it. The jacket was so soft to the touch.

Kumiko carefully spread the haori on the bed and turned to Shin. "Alright, let me check your obi."

Shin shot her a dirty look. "I'm not a child. This isn't the first time I've worn a fucking kimono."

She glared right back. "I know. I just want to double check."

"Don't you trust me, Yamaguchi-san?"

"It's not about trust, Sawada-san. I just want everything to be perfect."

Shin eyed her coolly, but he didn't protest when she started straightening the already straight knot.

"You know," he drawled after a long moment of watching her correcting imaginary errors to his obi, "I'm the one that should be nervous about this whole thing. I mean, I'm the one that's going out dressed like this." He gestured to the clothes he had on. Just looking at it had made him wonder if he should have it insured. Simply putting on the kimono had been awkward, considering he'd not wanted to touch the silk a whole lot or else get it dirty; or worse, rip it accidentally. Kumiko would have punched him if he had.

Kumiko huffed. "You look fine."

That wasn't the point. Shin raised an eyebrow. "Fine enough to get me out of it then…?" he said invitingly, only half serious.

Half serious or not, Kumiko still blushed prettily.

"Enough of that," she said sternly, "We don't have time to joke around."

"Believe me, it wouldn't be a joke, far from it."

"Shin..." Kumiko stared at him for a long moment. She must have seen something because she asked worriedly: "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said, perhaps too soon. Shin cleared his throat, oddly uncomfortable underneath the penetrating gaze. "Nothing," he repeated and he almost meant it. Of course, Shin really wasn't; his nerves were shot to hell and he was seriously questioning his own sanity. Yet, how could he explain the nervousness he felt, without sounding childish? It was just a party, after all. What was so daunting about a party?

Normally, it wouldn't be, if the party in question was a regular one. In reality, the party that they were going to was being hosted by the Kuroda-ikka, to celebrate the fact that the kumi's numbers had reached 7,000 members strong. More importantly, the event was to commemorate the Ooedo-kumi's new alliance with Kanto's Sharp Fang Group. Much like the Ooedo-kumi, Sharp Fang was a powerhouse within the gokudo and controlled territories in Tokyo, Saitama and Yamanashi. With this new association, between the two of them, they had complete control of the Greater Tokyo Area [1].

The branch families and sibling organizations were expected to be there, as well as their new allies. Shin had been invited as well, though his role was a bit more complicated. For all intents, Shin was, for the first time, making a public appearance as the Ooedo-kumi's koukeisha [2].

Certainly, he being Kuroda-oyabun's heir was technically unofficial. However, it was understood and mostly accepted by the section heads that Shin would become Yondaime [3].

In a lot of ways, the success of this party depended on him making a good impression; not only on their new associates, but to the rest of the family, as well. Otherwise, serious doubt would spread through the ranks and people, especially in upper management, would begin to question the Kumichou on his choice and force him to officially appoint his heir.

Shin seriously didn't want them to question his position; didn't want Ojii-san to regret his faith and trust in him. More importantly, though, he didn't want to lose Kumiko and the right to stand by her.

So, hell yeah, going to that party was seriously messing with him

"If you're done hovering, I'm going to finish getting dressed," he said roughly. He made to move around her, but Kumiko pressed both hands to his chest, stopping him. She gazed up at him, a worried frown pulling the corners of her lips down. Shin stared down at her, and not for the first time that evening, it startled him to find her so very beautiful like he did that moment. Still, Shin felt like an ass, for making her look anything but happy.

"Shin, if you don't want to go," Kumiko began slowly. She paused, bit her bottom lip a little and then continued: "If you're not feeling up to it, then we won't go. I'm sure if I explain it to Ojii-san—"

Shin scoffed and grabbed her hands, threaded their fingers together. "You're kidding, right? If we bail out now, then Ojii-san is going to give me the stink eye for the rest of his unnaturally long life. We're going to be old and gray, while he's going to be a decrepit old geezer that still looks at me like I'm not worthy of being with his only grand-daughter." Of course that was assuming Ojii-san didn't just go ahead and simply kill Shin for embarrassing him in such a way, not only in front of the entire kumi, but complete strangers.

He squeezed her hands and let them go. This time, when he moved around her, Kumiko didn't stop him. "Besides you were excited about going, so we're going."

Shin reached for the haori and was about to slip it on when he heard sniffling. He eyed her turned back suspiciously. When he heard the sound again, Shin rolled his eyes and went back to her.

"Oi! What's wrong with you now? Are you crying? I said we were going."

"I'm not crying, you idiot," Kumiko snapped, even as she carefully dabbed at her eyes. "It's this stupid makeup, makes my eyes water."

Shin looked at her amused. "If you say so…"

She gestured impatiently at the haori. "Give me that and turn around."

Shin dutifully did as instructed. He waited for a long moment and when Kumiko didn't move, he turned his head to see what was keeping her. Before he could say anything, though, he heard Kumiko ask:

"You really think of us growing old together?"

Shin blinked. "Well, yeah…" He kept facing forward, especially when he asked: "Don't you?"

"Hai…every night…" she whispered to his back. He felt Kumiko press her forehead gently against the nape of his neck. "This is just the first time I've heard you say it…"

"You're stuck with me till the end, Yamaguchi-san."

"I'm glad…"

Shin closed his eyes and relaxed into the peaceful silence that settled between them. Their breathing was the only sound in the room; even the noise from the world outside seemed muted as it drifted through the open balcony door. Wordlessly, they moved; Shin reached back and helped Kumiko slip on the haori. He ran his hands down his chest; Kumiko echoed the movement, smoothing her small hands across his shoulders.

Shin moved away and stepped over to the full length mirror.

He stared at himself for a long moment. The picture he made threw him off for a moment; he was hardly recognizable. All he could see was unrelenting black, bold red and shots of glinting gold; fire and snarling shi-shi dogs [4].

Well, if nothing else, Kumiko knew how to make a statement and his outfit did just that. His clothes screamed yakuza.

"I definitely look the part," Shin muttered, mostly to himself.

Yet, Shin still felt something was missing from the overall picture. Before he could pinpoint what that missing factor was, exactly, Kumiko came to stand beside him. He watched silently as she slipped a tanto in his obi, obscuring it beneath the fall of the haori. Shin didn't protest, knowing that she had a keiken [5] herself, somewhere on her person. Once she was done, Kumiko gazed at the mirror. Standing side by side, the picture became complete and Shin found himself smiling.

Kumiko looked so much more herself than she normally did, like all the facets of her were put together. He could still see the Kumiko he saw everyday—the one that got up every morning to teach delinquent brats—there in the softness of her eyes, in the gentle curve of her cheek. However, Oujo was there, too, adding firmness to her lip and slipping steely arrogance to her jaw.

In a kimono, with her hair up rather than in pigtails and face painted—she was in her element. This was Kumiko ready for battle: the kimono her armor, the makeup her war-paint. Even the fan she had in her hands was a weapon she was more than willing, and able to use.

Shin glanced at himself, and realized, for the first time, that this was his war gear, too, and will continue to be, for the rest of his life.

The thought wasn't completely unpleasant. Actually, it settled his nerves and made all doubt vanish from his mind; because with this beautiful, fierce woman by his side, watching his back, he could take the whole gokudo head on.

Bring it!

Shin smirked at Kumiko through the mirror and received a devilish smirk in return.

"Let's do this shit," he said arrogantly. He reached inside the hidden pocket of his sleeve and pulled out a pair of sunglasses. He slipped them one smoothly, watching Kumiko do the same from the corner of his eye.

"Ou," she intoned, already falling back onto her yakuza upbringing. She followed one step behind him, when Shin headed to the door. "And don't worry; if the fuckin' police dogs come 'round, I'll knife 'em."

Shin smiled dangerously, oddly enjoying her words. "That's my woman, more than willing to spill blood for me."

"Always," she said, and Shin believed her.

After all, he would do the same for her.

[1] The Greater Tokyo Area encompasses various prefectures including Tokyo, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Ibariki, Tochigi, Kanagawa (which is also known as the Kanto region), and Yamanashi.

[2] To my limited understanding, this means roughly "successor."

[3] Yondaime means "Fourth Generation." For reference, you should think of Naruto's father, Namikaze Minato. In Gokusen, Yankumi's grandfather is referred as Sandaime, "Third Generation," as seen in Vol. 12, ch. 1.

[4] Shishi, or "stone lions," was introduced to Japan by way of Korea. They are considered guardians and are placed at the entrances of temples, government buildings, homes and stores, to scare evil spirits away and keep good spirits in. These guardians lions often come in mated pairs, (male and female), and I just thought they would be a good representation for Shin.

[5] A type of tanto, or dagger, carried hidden in the obi. They are a stabbing weapon, meant for close quarters where a regular katana would be useless.