Chapter 1: My Name is Her Name
Another school day was about to start for Kaori. She stood outside of the classroom door, trying to force herself to slide it open and enter. After taking a heavy breath and letting it out slowly she felt slightly more relaxed. Her hand shook as she rose to the side of the door. Then, in a sudden lightning quick motion, she slid the door open and walked in trying to stand up straight. It helped her feel more confident that she could handle the first class of the day if she stood strong during her short stroll to her desk, but once she sat down she couldn't help but shrivel up.
Kaori did this routine daily. It never used to be part of her morning, but once she entered third-year and was placed in Mr. Kimura's classroom it was the only thing that could get her past the horrible period. Desperately, she wanted to switch out and be in Miss Yukari's Homeroom along with Sakaki and her other friends. Nothing ever seemed to go her way, though. She never could understand why she missed out on the best things in life and had to put up with the worst. Despite her tendency for misfortune she still lived everyday hoping that something would change for her. It didn't have to be a major change to make her happy. Anything would be appreciated.
As she sat in her desk, she breathed nervously. Her eyes were stuck on the classroom door waiting for Mr. Kimura to enter, or even better, not enter. Although, she knew that her hopes would never come true, she felt that she should at least expect his arrival and be prepared for torture. The other students, though, didn't see what Mr. Kimura put Kaori through as torture. They saw it as comical and entertaining. They giggled whenever Mr. Kimura called her "Kaorin" and laughed when she told him to stop only to be ignored as he thought of excuses to call her that. Most of the girls felt bad for poor Kaori and showed empathy, but secretly were glad that she was picked as his favorite. The boys didn't care how she was treated and they stuck by their teacher's side out of admiration for him.
After Kaori stared at the door for a few minutes anticipating the arrival of her creepy teacher the door began to slide open. It was him and she knew it. Everyone else had already made it to the class and the only person missing was Kimura! She knew he would walk in with his usual gaping mouth sit down and immediately start calling on her to answer questions. She was certain the only reason he called on her was so that he could her name. He rarely called on anyone else to answer questions and if he did it was another girl. She couldn't remember a single time he called on a boy which was one of the reasons he was admired by the male part of the student-body.
When the door opened fully, it did reveal Mr. Kimura to be the one opening the door, but Kaori was slightly off. He did not have his mouth gaping open and he didn't walk his chair to sit down. Kimura instead had a full smile on and he walked in front of his desk and faced the class.
"Good Morning!" he energetically greeted everyone.
The class echoed his greeting back happily, but a little confused. They were used to the routine of starting class without introductions.
"I see everyone is cheerful today." he said then looked at Kaori, "And Kaorin looks as cute as ever."
She blushed and shrank into her seat.
"Can anyone guess why I'm so happy today?" his glasses twinkled in light.
A boy rose his hand up and Kimura pointed to him, "Is it because you're surrounded by high school girls?"
Kimura laughed and the boys in the class joined him. The girls were slightly angered and embarrassed. Kaori was frustrated at how powerless she was in the situation.
"Kaorin, do you know?" Kimura asked looking in her direction.
"It's Kaori!" she snapped trying to correct Kimura.
"You're correct!" He shouted in joy, "Kaori is why I'm so happy today! You even knew her name, there is a reason I like you the most."
"What?!" Kaori questioned in confusion.
"Today is the anniversary for Kaori and me. We have been married for ten years!"
The whole class gasped at his statement then silenced. Kaori placed her head on her desk once again embarrassed, but still wondering what Kimura was talking about.
"Y-you're married Mr. Kimura?" a girl with long brown hair asked.
"Yes." he calmly answered.
A burst of whispers broke out in the class. Kaori was shocked, also. She had heard rumors of Kimura possibly having a spouse from Tomo, but she couldn't take the seriously considering it came from her mouth.
"Her name is really Kaori?" she asked her teacher meekly.
"Yes, Kaorin." he answered.
She sat down in her seat quickly with a thought in her mind, "I have the same name as his wife! Maybe that's why he is so attached to me!"
A bit a hope surfaced for her as she thought she could use this knowledge to make him stop harassing her. She sat quietly in her desk and Mr. Kimura began teaching right away after his announcement. He didn't hesitate to call out for Kaori to her displeasure. She clung to the one ounce of hope she had and it made the class seem to pass faster than usual.
When it came time for the Lunch break she dashed to the cafeteria. She was hoping to see Sakaki there eating lunch with everyone, but no one was there except for Chihiro. She was sitting a table with her bento box opened. Kaori rushed over to her.
"Chihiro!" She screeched.
Chihiro looked at Kaori oddly and tried to smile, "Hi, Kaorin. What's with the evil sounding greeting?"
Kaori shoved her face into her friends, "You'll never guess what I found out!"
Chihiro tried to back away, but Kaori inched closer, "What did you-"
"I have the same name as Mr. Kimura's wife!" She answered before Chihiro could.
"Very interesting," She humored, "you have the same name as the wife I didn't know he had. We learn something new each day, eh?"
Kaori nodded her head firmly and stiffly, her eyes where bulging with excitement and it was making her friend uneasy.
"Why don't you sit down?" Chihiro offered hoping to make Kaori calm down.
She ignored the offer, "I'm going to confront Mr. Kimura today and make him stop harassing me. I bet me sharing his wife's name has to do with his pestering and with this knowledge he will surely leave me alone."
Chihiro nodded her head in agreement trying to go along with whatever she said even though she wasn't making any sense. Kaori accepted her nod and walk off. Chihiro felt relieved. She watched Kaori walk away and began eating her lunch.
Kaori didn't feel like eating she wanted to find Sakaki and tell her the news. She wanted to tell everyone. On her way the roof, where she knew that her friends would be eating lunch, she passed by a certain teacher that she felt abandoned her. She walked right past Kaori without a glance.
"Miss Yukari!" Kaori shouted to her without turning around.
Yukari turned her head, "Oh, hello Kaorin, my name is Miss Tanizaki since you're not in my class anymore."
Kaori flipped around suddenly, Miss Yukari saw her excited face and took it for anger and nervously responded, "Kaorin, I was just joking with you, you can call me Miss. Yukari."
"I have the same name as Mr. Kimura's wife!" She shouted in response then skipped off.
"I think I know why I let Kimura have her now." Miss Yukari said to herself.
Within minutes Kaori made her way to the roof and slammed the door open. The loud slam echoed on the roof and six heads turned to her. They were curious as to why Kaori was violently opening doors.
"It's Kaorin." Osaka announced.
Kaori walked over to the girls, "Hi, Sakaki." Kaori greeted shyly.
Sakaki responded lowly before taking a bite of her lunch, "Hi."
Kaori blushed and smiled then remembered why she wanted to find the in the first place.
"Did you know Mr. Kimura has a wife?" She questioned.
"I told you that!" Tomo shouted wanting credit.
"I know, but I didn't believe until today."
Yomi giggled as Tomo crossed her arms.
"Anyway, do you guys know what his wife's name is?" Kaori then asked.
"I know, I know!" Tomo waved her hand around, "It's Mrs. Kimura."
Osaka applauded her technical approach to the question, "Tomo actually said something smart."
Again Yomi giggled, she loved picking on Tomo.
"Ok, Tomo, you're wrong. Her name is the same as mine!" She announced.
"It's Kaorin!?" Tomo responded.
Kaori clenched her fist in frustration.
"No, she means it is Kaori." Chiyo corrected.
"I know. I was just messing around."
"Ah." Chiyo said wondering if Tomo was telling the truth or trying to hide her ignorance.
"Thank you, Chiyo." Kaori said, "Yes, my name is her name and I can use that against him."
"How can you use that against him?" Kagura asked.
"I will…" Kaori suddenly realized that knowing her name was the same as hers wasn't something that could be used against him.
Kagura looked at Kaori waiting for her response. She took a bite of bread that she had in her hand.
"I don't know." The reality-stricken girl sighed, "I guess I got caught up in the excitement, but this info doesn't help me in any way to solve my problem with him. It only tells me one possible reason for my problem with him."
"So you think that he likes you because you have the share his wife's name?" Yomi questioned.
"Yeah, but it's still only a possible reason."
"Why don't you ask him if that is the reason?" Yomi suggested.
"Ask…him?!" Kaori shuddered in fear.
"I'll ask him." Tomo said smiling.
"Things will get all messed up if you get involved." Yomi teased.
"Why don't you ask his wife to ask him?" Osaka suggested.
Everyone looked at her, "Doesn't that just make everything more difficult?" Chiyo pointed out.
"Oh, I guess it does Chiyo-chan." Osaka realized, "Then why don't ya try sendin' her a message through the mail askin' her ta ask him. Then ya don't need ta try to find her in person."
"That makes it even more difficult than your earlier suggestion." The pig-tailed girl once again pointed out.
"Oops."
"No wait!" Kaori spoke in excitement, "That is a perfect idea!"
"It is?" questioned all but Kaori and Osaka, who had a proud look on her face.
"Yes, it is because if anyone knows anything about Mr. Kimura it would have to be his wife! She would defiantly know why he likes high-school girls and why he likes me the best of all of them!" Kaori smiled brightly.
"That actually sounds reasonable." Yomi said.
"So we're gonna write her a card? Does anyone know her address?" Osaka asked.
Everyone shook their head.
"We don't her address we can have Mr. Kimura delivery it." Kaori told.
"How?" Sakaki asked a bit curious about the plan that was unfolded before her.
"Today is their 10th anniversary and if I make a card and tell him to give it to her he will. We just need to tell him not to read it."
"Awesome plan, but where do we get an anniversary card?" Kagura reminded.
"Let's just fold a piece of paper and write 'Happy Anniversary' on it." Kaori explained.
"Nice!" Kagura exclaimed.
The girls quickly constructed a letter disguised as an anniversary card. It specifically said "To: Kaori Kimura" so that Mr. Kimura would not open it and on the inside was written Kaori's question. It read:
"Happy 10th Anniversary, Mrs. Kimura, My name is Kaori like yours. Your husband calls me "Kaorin" all lot and says her likes me. Do you know why he does this? I am too embarrassed to ask him and was hoping you would explain to me by sending me a letter back."
"Hehehe," Kaori cackled at the achievement, "This will work so perfectly."
"Can I write a question?" Tomo asked.
"Uh…" Kaori didn't know what to answer.
"It would make sense to do it. This may be our only chance to ask her these questions." Tomo mentioned.
"You're right. We should take this opportunity to ask some questions, but not too many. I don't want to make her angry."
"I don't think she'll get angry, when I met her she seemed pretty easy going." Tomo explained.
"You met her!?" Kaori shocked.
"Yup, she was pretty."
Everyone wrote down one question in the card and a small note about their anniversary. When they finished Kaori neatly folded the paper back up and placed it in her school bag. Before lunch ended she had to give the card to Kimura since she would not see him for the rest of the day and she knew he was in the teachers lounge eating. She said goodbye to everyone and shyly said goodbye to her crush, Sakaki, who answered back lowly just as she greeted earlier. Then she made a dash for the lounge trying to beat the clock. Just as she arrived at the teacher's lounge she caught Mr. Kimura exiting to go to his next class.
"Mr. Kimura!" She shouted for him.
He turned to her instantly upon hearing her voice, "Yes my sweet?"
Kaori gagged a bit at his words, then spoke up, "I have this anniversary card for your, wife, Kaori."
"Oh thanks!" he smiled, then began to open it.
"No!" Kaori yelled.
He dropped the card in shock. Kaori grabbed it off the floor, "Sorry, but this is a secret card and only your wife can see it.
Kimura scratched his head in baffled, "Huh? I don't get it."
Kaori knew exactly what to say to make him understand, "It's a high school girl thing, you can't read the card."
Kimura seemed to respond well to the words. He smiled and assured her he would not open it. Then he left Kaori after saying "bye" and walked off muttering something about schoolgirls.
"Mission accomplished!" Kaori thought to herself.