Inlove with my Gangster Teacher

Chapter 45: Noda's Project

Yankumi sat by the window at Kuma's restaurant, absentmindedly gazing outside as she sighed for what must have been the tenth time since she walked in. Her mind was elsewhere, replaying every word Shin had said, every glance he'd given her, and her own flustered reaction. She barely noticed her surroundings.

Amy, who had been watching her for a while, nudged Kuma. "Is Yamaguchi-sensei okay? She seems... out of it."

Kuma scratched his head, frowning. "I noticed. She's been sighing like that since she came in. Think she's got a problem?"

Amy glanced back at Yankumi, a little worried. "Maybe. You should go check on her."

"Alright," Kuma agreed, straightening up and walking over to her table. He leaned on the chair beside her and asked, "Oi, Yankumi, you okay? You've been sighing nonstop. What's going on?"

Yankumi jolted, startled out of her thoughts, and looked at him, flustered. "Oh! Kumai-kun! I, uh... didn't realize I was sighing so much," she mumbled, trying to brush it off, but her face betrayed her.

Kuma raised an eyebrow, sensing there was more. "C'mon, you can tell me. Is something bothering you?"

Yankumi hesitated, fidgeting with her hands. "It's... complicated," she said with a sigh, her gaze drifting back to the window.

"It's about Shin-chan, isn't it?" Kuma chuckled, a knowing smile spreading across his face.

"N-No! I wasn't thinking about Sawada Shin at all!" Yankumi's cheeks turned bright red, and she immediately waved her hands in denial.

"Yankumi, it's written all over your face. You can't fool me." Kuma's chuckle deepened as he shook his head.

She huffed, crossing her arms and looking away, but her blush betrayed her completely. "I'm not... It's just..." She fumbled, unable to come up with a convincing excuse.

Kuma just laughed, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "If it's bothering you that much, maybe it's time to sort out how you feel."

Yankumi sighed, her shoulders slumping as she mumbled, "Easier said than done..."

"It's easier to be honest, Yankumi," Kuma said with a final pat on her shoulder before heading off to greet some new customers.

Yankumi watched him go, his words lingering in her mind. Easier to be honest, huh? she thought, a faint sigh escaping her. She wasn't sure if being honest was really that simple, especially with feelings as confusing as hers.

Just then, she glanced outside and spotted Noda walking by. He noticed her through the window and, with a big grin, waved enthusiastically. Yankumi couldn't help but smile back, giving a small wave in return. Moments later, Noda walked in and made his way to her table, plopping down across from her.

"Yankumi!" he greeted cheerfully. "Nice seeing you here."

"Yeah, you too, Noda-kun," she replied, her mood lightening a little. "What brings you here?"

Noda leaned back, relaxing. "Just thought I'd grab a bite. But you... you look like you've got something on your mind." He raised an eyebrow, giving her a curious look.

Yankumi fidgeted, looking away shyly. "Is it really that obvious?" she asked, her voice barely above a murmur.

"Yeah, Yankumi, you're really easy to read. So... this is about Shin, right?" Noda laughed, nodding.

Yankumi immediately blurted out, "Why does everyone automatically think it's about Sawada Shin?" Her face flushed as she realized how loud she'd gotten. She covered her mouth, clearly embarrassed.