After Story: Companionship
a Tomoya/Misae fanfiction

Chapter One: Turnabout

I ran my hand through a mop of bed head as I made my way downstairs to the front door. "Yes, I'm coming…" Who would be knocking at my door on a Sunday?

My unspoken question was answered as I opened the door to reveal Furukawa, wearing an attractive brown dress and a perplexed expression. "Oh! Okazaki-san, good morning!"

"'Morning," I replied, not sure about the 'good' part just yet.

"I'm sorry, is this a bad time?" she asked, now with a worried expression.

I waved off her concern. "No, it's fine. I really should be up, anyways." I rubbed at my eyes. "What can I do for you?"

Her 'antennae' swayed as she shifted from foot to foot. "Sagara-san told me that you could help me with my problem."

"Huh?" I suddenly woke up fully. "Misae-san did?"

Furukawa nodded. "She told me that if I brought my problem to you, you could help."

"Well, what's going…hold on, come inside," I stepped to the side, and she entered the house. "Let me get changed and then you can tell me what's going on."

"Okay."

While I changed I mulled over the situation. "So Misae-san had sent Furukawa for me to help her with…" My face broke out in a smile. "I guess I asked for it, didn't I?"

It looked as though Misae had sent her to me as revenge of a sort for my little stunt a while back. I had sent a whole bunch of girls to her for love advice to try to learn about her old boyfriend, and now she was returning the favor by sending people to me. "It's just a theory, of course, since Furukawa's the only one so far, but…"

I finished changing and headed back downstairs, to find that she had made herself at home, preparing tea in the kitchen. "I'm sorry, Okazaki-san; I was nervous and needed to do something."

I remembered the likely reason for her nerves; she had gone to Misae for advice while I hid under the bed and learned about her feelings for me. If they were still the same as back then…I shoved that thought aside. "Don't worry about it. I'm sorry for being a bad host."

Her nerves were on full display as the teacup rattled against the saucer as she placed it on the kotatsu. "I-I hope you like it, Okazaki-san."

"If I don't, it's my own fault since it's my tea in the first place," I said light-heartedly.

"O-Oh…of course," she replied, her face flaring up.

"So…what can I do for you?"

She rubbed her hands together and looked down at the tabletop as she fidgeted. "W-Well…the Drama Club isn't doing as well as I h-had hoped, so Sagara-san suggested that I talk to you again."

I leaned back against the wall and crossed my arms. "What are you hoping I can do?"

"I don't know…" She suddenly looked up at me. "But if anyone can help me, I know you can!"

Her earnest look, the words 'help me'…I gave in immediately. "All right Furukawa, fine; I'll see what I can do."

I ran my hand through a mop of bed head as I made my way downstairs to the front door. "Yes, I'm coming…" Who would be knocking at my door at this early an hour on a Monday?

My unspoken question was answered as I opened the door to reveal Sakagami, wearing her school uniform and an intense expression. "Okazaki, good morning."

"'Morning," I replied, not sure about the 'good' part just yet.

"Did you just get up?" she asked, now with a worried expression.

I waved off her concern. "Yeah I did, but don't worry about it." I rubbed at my eyes. "What can I do for you?"

The intensity of her gaze wavered as she bit her lip. "Sagara-san told me that you could help me with my problem."

"Huh?" I suddenly woke up fully. "Misae-san did?" Again? I inwardly grumbled; Misae's work again.

She nodded. "She told me that if I told you my problem that you could help."

"Well, what's going…hold on, come inside," I stepped to the side to let her in. "Let me get dressed and then you can tell me about it on the way to school."

"Okay."

While I changed I mulled over the situation. "So Misae-san sent Sakagami this time …" My face broke out in a smile. "I really did ask for it, didn't I?" Her plot was starting to become clearer.

I finished changing and headed back downstairs to find that she had made herself at home, preparing tea in the kitchen. "I hope this is okay, Okazaki; I was nervous and needed to keep my hands busy."

"It's fine," I said, feeling a bit of déjà vu. "Sorry for being a bad host."

"Don't worry about it," she replied smoothly as she brought out the tea. "Everyone has their different strengths, right?"

"I guess."

We quickly drank our tea and headed out the door. Tea wasn't much of a breakfast, but I had gotten my allowance and could afford to splurge a little for a bigger lunch.

"So…what do you need?" I asked as we made our way to school.

I noticed a definite hesitation before she answered. "Some of the people who agreed to help set up for the festival have gotten sick, and I really need help."

"You need someone to help with the heavy lifting and stuff, I assume?"

Her silver hair swayed as she shook her head, and I definitely smelled something sweet. "No. Well, sort of. I can handle carrying stuff around, but one of the guys who got sick was supposed to help coordinate the construction."

My brow furrowed. "So what do you need me for? Why do you think I can help?"

She looked at me with an unusual intensity. "Like I said, Sagara-san said you could do it." Then something in her expression changed. "I…really believe that you're the only one who can help me."

'Help me'… That phrase, along with her intense look …I gave in immediately. "All right, Miss Student Body President…I'll see what I can do." I said, knowing full well that I had just committed myself to helping two people.