She wrote him letters occasionally. They were pointless things, just talking about funny things her students had done and other classroom dramas or whatever minor disagreement she was having with the powers that be that week. Never anything of importance; never anything Shin could actually help with. He felt a little resentful about that, just because he wasn't physically in the area didn't mean he couldn't still help with her problems.

Her spelling was occasionally hilarious, yakuza slang slipping into her writing in much the same way it did her speech. In very cagey language, she sometimes even shared family stories, which made him feel a little warmth inside at the trust she had in him - coupled with an odd sense of home-sickness.

He stuck the letters on the pinup board next to his bed anyway, which made his roommate laugh and tease him about his girlfriend. Shin didn't care much. (He just wished it were true.)

Her latest letter had a paw print on the back page and he found himself vaguely wondering what Fuji was trying to tell him. Did the dog even know who the letter was going to be sent to? (He had a mental image of Kumiko writing the letters sitting cross-legged on the floor with the old dog looking over her shoulder, asking him for advice and getting his approval before sending.)

He wrote back, of course, telling her about anything interesting he'd learnt at college (if he'd managed to stay awake in lectures that week), complaining about the teachers (they never even tried to engage their students' interest) and occasionally catching her up on the gossip of what his other classmates were getting up to. (Those, he kept in contact with electronically.)

She inevitably responded with effusive praise for how clever he was (honestly), which just made him want to respond with a rant about how boring college was. Sure, the schoolwork was harder, but all his classmates were dull and lifeless. Even the drinking parties had grown old and repetitive.

The one time he'd tried to express this in a letter he'd received a slightly reproachful email about how he was a college student now! He was supposed to be partying all the time and not going to classes! That was what college was for, it was the reward for the long years slogging away on the college entrance exams!

Yankumi-vision had struck again. But she wouldn't be half so interesting if she saw the world normally.

He always wanted to end his letters with a casual "by the way, I'm still in love with you", just to see what would happen. He never did.