Inlove with my Gangster Teacher

Chapter 49: Here we go again 2

The next day, Shin sat in a quiet corner of a coffee shop, his usual poker face firmly in place as he waited. The gentle hum of conversation and the soft clinking of cups filled the air, but he paid no attention to it. His focus was entirely on the door, waiting for her arrival.

Finally, Yankumi walked in, a bit flustered as usual, brushing stray strands of hair out of her face. She spotted Shin and made her way over with a quick wave.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," she said, sliding into the seat across from him.

Shin didn't respond immediately, simply signaling to the server. "Two teas," he said curtly, his gaze steady on Yankumi.

The tea arrived quickly, and Yankumi fiddled with her cup, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. She took a deep breath and looked at Shin, her expression unusually serious.

"Listen, Shin..." she began, her tone soft but firm. "We really need to talk about this. Let's discuss this situation... from an adult point of view."

Shin didn't say a word, leaning back in his seat, his expression unreadable as he waited for her to continue.

"I mean..." Yankumi hesitated, searching for the right words. "We're both grown-ups now, right? And... well, I think you just had a case of puppy love towards me back then. It's normal, really. You were young, and maybe you were just... infatuated."

Shin's jaw twitched ever so slightly, the first crack in his composed demeanor.

Yankumi, oblivious, pressed on. "You know, like a crush or... admiration for an idol or something. I'm extremely flattered—really, I am—that you admire me as your former teacher. For someone as decent and smart as you, Shin, it means a lot. But..."

He's fingers tightened around the teacup, the faint clink of ceramic against ceramic the only sound as he suppressed the growing storm inside him.

She paused, as if bracing herself, then smiled awkwardly. "It's time you overcame this childish infatuation and moved forward with your lif–"

That's it. Shin had clearly overestimated both his patience and his ability to stay composed.

"What the hell!?" His hand slammed down on the table, the sharp sound of it making his teacup rattle violently.

Yankumi froze mid-sentence, her mouth hanging open in shock. Shin rarely raised his voice—so when he did, it always carried an unsettling finality.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" he snapped, his voice laced with frustration and something rawer. "An idol, my ass! I'm telling you that I love you! Don't you get it? Not as some idealized figure, not as my former teacher—but as a woman!"

Yankumi's eyes widened, her face flushing with a mix of shock and indignation.

"And you—" he continued, his words cutting like a blade, "—you probably don't even know what it means to be seen as a woman!"

At that, she glowered, offended. "Excuse me?" she hissed, her tone sharp as she glared at him.

"What do you mean, a crush?" Shin's voice rose, his frustration boiling over. "For crying out loud—crushes don't last for several years!"

Yankumi scoffed, trying to regain control of the conversation. "That's because you put some nonsense into your head and held onto it instead of—"

"Silence!" he barked, his voice cutting through her retort like a whip.

Yankumi flinched, the sheer force of his tone making her forget, just for a moment, that she could easily shut him up with one well-aimed punch. But there was something about the way he had spoken—so commanding, so unwavering—that sent a shiver down her spine.