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Taking It All In
Back in the faculty room, Yankumi checks the files of Ogata Yamato and Kazama Ren. Maybe it’s a fan challenge or something, but the character files list the real birthdays and blood types of the two actors who portray the students.
Ushijima is worried that the two boys have already caused trouble. Yankumi denies it. The others insist they never should have put a woman in that position. Ushijima takes it a step further and warns her again. “You need to be especially careful of Ogata Yamato and Kazama Ren.”
Yankumi is taken aback. “Be especially careful?” He goes on to explain that the two of them were so-called “gang leaders” in their first and second years. Tsuruoka points out that they’re probably trying to figure out which of them is the strongest.
Here Yankumi does what she does best…use intriguing vocabulary. “In other words, it’s like a Battle of Succession.”
The others are stunned. “
Henna_Juna summed up Yankumi’s choice of words nicely. “…So the many instances where Yankumi says something in public and everyone else looks at her funny and she has to make some excuse for saying it...I don't think they're ever necessarily bad words or dirty words or disrespectful, just different, but that difference is important because it distinguishes her, and gives her identity away.” Exactly!
For whatever reason, the entire exchange went over Baba’s head and he assures her he’ll protect her no matter what. Nurse Sakura is impressed that Baba goes for “this sort of woman.” Yankumi is not pleased. “This sort?” Baba isn't bothered at all. “Yes! This sort.” Aoi writes this less-than-pertinent information in her notebook. When Yankumi asks her what she’s writing, she says she's new. Baba offers to be the co-teacher for 3D.
“No, because I must protect my own turf.” The others are surprised again. “Turf?!”
While Yankumi freaks out, Sawatari saves her by pointing out that she loves gangster movies. Aoi writes that down, too. Ushijima could care less. He’s worries about the alleged villains in the school.
Yankumi thinks he’s exaggerating. Tsuruoka says she feels that way because she doesn’t know them yet. Hatoyama insists that they’re probably behind a string of mugging incidents. Because the culprit is believed to be a teenager, everyone automatically suspects someone from 3D.
Yankumi can't believe what they're saying. “High school kids grow on trees.” Even so, the others think she’d be hard-pressed to find a group as bad as they are. Sawatari steps up and proclaims that if the culprit is in 3D, it would be nice if he voluntarily left school before he got arrested. Yankumi doesn’t appreciate this at all.
As she heads back to the classroom, she mutters to herself. “What the hell are they (the teachers and the Vice Principal) thinking? In the end, no matter what they say, the kids are coming to school. That's enough to prove they have potential.”
She’s got a point there. High school is not compulsory in
Yankumi puts on a big smile and slides open the door. The classroom is empty and the words, “GO HOME!” are written in big roman letters on the blackboard. The other teachers might not have been exaggerating after all.
Completely deflated, she eases back into the corridor, lowers her head and softly closes the door. She realizes this will be her toughest challenge to date.
Page 1 - Hell is an
Page 2 - The Return of Yamaguchi Kumiko
Page 4 - Don’t Turn Your Back on Them
Page 6 - Cheers, Crime and Boyz on the Loose
Page 8 - Misconduct, Punishment and a Lie
Page 12 - The Fight to Save an Innocent
Page 13 - Redemption: A Leader is Born
Page 14 - To Protect What is Important