Title: Yankumi the Spy
Author: MK
Pairing: Sawada Shin x Yamaguchi Kumiko
Fandom: Gokusen
Theme: #13, Excessive Chain
Disclaimer: I don't own Gokusen.  I put the Kindaichi 3 end theme on my Mp3 
player and listen to it on constant repeat though, because it reminds me of sexy 
MatsuJun.  

	There were two weeks between writing the exams and getting their marks, 
and then a week after that before graduation.  He had always assumed in the past 
that those two weeks existed so teachers could do their marking, but clearly he 
had been wrong.  There, in the middle of a very public place, was Yankumi 
crouched behind a long row of bushes and peeping through like a common 
pervert.

	He crouched down next to her, "Oi, what's so interesting?"  and held back 
a grin when she nearly jumped out of her skin.  

	"Shin! Shh!"  She stabbed a finger at the scene on the other side of the 
hedge row, the familiar Takoyaki stand where Tetsu stood poking and turning the 
dough as it cooked, and Minoru waved as he ran off for something.  The key 
feature was the slightly taller Shinohara smiling opposite Tetsu, apparently 
involved in casual conversation.  As casual as Shinohara could be with Tetsu's 
face going up in flames, at any rate.  

	On some level, he sympathized. 

	"Tetsu-san," Shinohara leaned in, apparently going for the kill, "I know 
this may be too soon, but would you be interested in a movie sometime?" Tetsu's 
face went pink and then red, but the two shades seemed to indicate entirely 
different moods.  He scowled, the bandana around his forehead making him look 
even angrier.

	"Stupid," he replied coldly, "Don't you know Yakuza when you see one?  
I'm probably the worst idea you ever had."

	"Actually, if it's the Yakuza part you're concerned with, being interested in 
Kumiko-san was probably the worst idea I ever had."  Shin was surprised; 
Shinohara was being remarkably calm about this. He glanced at Yankumi, but the 
blood had all drained from her face.  "Of course I've known for a long time you 
were both from the Ooedo group, that doesn't stop me from being very much 
interested in you."  

	The three of them must have been on the same wavelength, because at that 
moment, both Shin and Tetsu went through a similar reaction to Yankumi. "You.. 
youÉ"

	"I'd love to meet them all, of course," Shinohara added patiently.  Minoru 
was running back to the stand carrying a white plastic bag.  

	"Oi, Tetsu~ I got the fresh octopus!"  But it was as if Tetsu couldn't even 
hear Minoru, his eyes fixed on Shinohara who smiled unassumingly.  

	"YouÉ you could probablyÉ come forÉdinner," he managed to tumble the 
words out of his mouth, and then furiously added, "As a friend!" And Shinohara 
just continued to smile at the other man, looking entirely pleased with himself.  

	Yankumi was looking better too, the colour coming back to her cheeks.  
"Come on," he whispered, tugging on her arm.  Yankumi followed him away in a 
bit of a daze, which was either a very good sign, or a very bad one.  


	
	It began slightly awkwardly.  He was fighting with Kyo in the backyard 
when Yankumi nodded her head in the direction of the house, tapping her finger 
to the side of her nose.  Kyo looked at Shin, and he shrugged in return, but they 
stood up by the back porch looking in.  

	Tetsu set out a pair of guest-slippers for Shinohara, who slipped into them 
and followed him into the main room, where Oji-san sat.  "Boss," Tetsu bowed, 
"This is Shinohara, I have invited him for dinner."  Oji-san smiled kindly, and 
Shin got the impression that the old man had known about this before hand.

	"Welcome, Shinohara-san. I hope you will make yourself comfortable."  It 
was all downhill from there.  The policeman hadn't been surprised at anything -- 
not even at seeing Shin there, and had helped Tetsu, Minoru and Shin prepare 
dinner, despite Tetsu's vehement protests.   

	He sat next to Tetsu at the far end of the table during dinner and joined in 
the discussions easily, refilled a few drinks and generally was well accepted.  
Interestingly enough, there was some kind of subtle understanding that he was a 
police officerÑno one talked about anything related to current kumi matters or 
activities between the different clans.  He was privileged to have them be so open 
with him.  

	Eventually though, Shinohara had to leave, and while Tetsu's back was 
turned, Yankumi gave everyone a long look that said if they teased him about it, 
they'd answer to her.  	

	"He's a good person," he said to Tetsu while they washed up.  Tetsu kept 
his eyes firmly focused on the sink in front of him and made a non-commital 
sound.  "She's happy for you," he felt had to add, in a quieter voice.  Yankumi was 
just in the other room, after all.  

	"I know." And that was all that had to be said.