Life Comes At You Fast
20 Things about Osakada Tomoka
1. She knows that most people find her annoying. It doesn't really bother her, because she has Sakuno-chan and the regulars appreciate her, even if no one else does.
2. One thing she has never understood is why everyone assumes she and Horio are a couple. Even though she crinkles her nose, shouts at them, and, depending on the recipient, slaps them, they don't believe her. She loves Ryoma-sama, for God's sake! Why settle for such a disgusting...she can't bear to think of it. Besides, he already has a crush on Sakuno-chan.
3. She's a self-proclaimed tomboy and is generally against her school uniform, if only for the short skirt. But, even though there is no problem with wearing street clothes at the tournaments, she prefers to let everyone who sees her know that she's from Seigaku rather than wear her normal clothing.
4. When her father gets the job that he's been working towards for years, the one that will boost them to the upper class, he takes her out to a fancy restaurant. She's happy, because they get to sit at a nice table with a silky tablecloth and fancy decors. But most of all, her tou-san is there, smiling and laughing, asking about school, and about the tennis team. She holds back from raving about Ryoma-sama's awesomeness as buchou because she wants to seem mature and wonderful for her tou-san. And because she wants to seem mature and wonderful for her tou-san, she doesn't cry when he tells her they are going to be moving into an expensive house and she'll be going to Hyotei Koukou next semester. She thanks him for paying for such a good education for her. That's her tou-san's way of showing her cares.
5. She loves cats. Especially Ryoma-sama's. That's probably why she likes to be around Kikumaru-senpai; he's just a playful kitten in human form.
6. On the last day of 9th grade, her last day at Seishun Gakuen, she hugs everyone she knows so tightly they complain of choking. She doesn't let go, not until she has to. She cries and cries. But her eyes are dry and Ryoma-sama allows her to practically maul him. He just mutters "Mada mada dane," and stares at the ground.
7. She was, at one point, silent. Her first day of senior high school. She had always imagined it to be a glorious day as she walked in at Sakuno-chan's side to watch Ryoma-sama reunite with his senpai-tachi. Nothing of the sort happened. She kept her head down and tried to fade away.
8. She hated her new uniform. Even if it was of the best quality cloth and tasteful design, she hated it. It wasn't the cotton-blend of the Seishun Koukou uniform, and she hated it.
9. On Kikumaru-senpai's birthday, after Ryoma-sama left for America and they won Nationals, she buys him cat ears on a headband and a singing birthday card. He grins, hugs her in thanks, and promises to wear them every non-uniform day. She blushes and stutters a thanks. She wonder why Ryoma-sama doesn't understand her like Kikumaru-senpai.
10. She lied to her kaa-san once. But it was for a good cause; she told her that she was going to go watch Hyotei conquer at the regional tournament. She internally cringes at those words, but kaa-san believes them and gets their driver to drop her off at the time. She finds her money and takes the bus to Shikinomori Sports Park to watch Seigaku. Sakuno-chan cries and cries as she reaches out to hug her. Kikumaru-senpai glomps her excitedly, commenting on her shorts and t-shirt. Her eyes wander towards Ryoma-sama, but he just 'che's and pulls down his cap. She wants to cry so openly like Sakuno-chan, but she doesn't.
11. Her heart's never really belonged to Ryoma-sama, but she does love him. More in the adoring, you're-my-hero way than the I-want-to-marry-you way.
12. Sometimes, when she's watching her little brothers being taken care of by the new nanny, it's bittersweet. Sure, they're irritating, annoying, often were the cause that she didn't have many friends, but they're her little nuisances, damn it. And she loves them.
13. Her favorite drink is grapefruit juice. Most people find it to be too sour and bitter, but she likes it.
14. She normally has no qualms about cheering loudly, even if it's for the opposing team. At the Prefectural Tournament, though, she feels awkward. She's developed a sort of acquaintance with Hiyoshi-kun. She finds his contradictory ways very entertaining, and he's her only friend. She doesn't want to ruin that, so she watches Seigaku's matches in content, cheering for neither side.
15. In her mind, her first kiss always played out as the perfect ending to the perfect first date. Kikumaru-senpai shatters all those expectations when he kisses her messily, tells her to call him Eiji-kun, and would she like to go have some ice cream?
16. When she tells Hiyoshi that Eiji-kun asked her out, he smirks and says, "That makes sense, you're both annoying and loud." She slaps his arm and sticks out her tongue, but that just makes him comment on their age difference.
17. Her heart's broken when he comes up to her one day, a sad frown on his face rather than his determined one. Atobe-buchou told him he shouldn't hang around such terrible company of a girl who dates someone from the enemy and that she may undo his view of Seigaku. He would never win by having such lowly people around him.
18. Perhaps it was just a childish dream, but she'd always believed that whoever her first kiss would be, her first boyfriend, her first love, would be the one she'd spend the rest of her life with.
19. She'd always wanted to live in one of those quaint, brick townhouses. There would be old-style street lamps lining the road outside. Her husband would wake up early to surprise her with breakfast on the weekends. The neighbors would be friendly. But when they decided to have a child, they would find a nice house in a nice neighborhood with nice schools nearby.
20. When she and Eiji-kun broke up simply because of the distance and inconvenience, she thought her dreams were over. She goes through several guys in the next couple years. Her complete attention is doted on them singularly, but nothing works out. She takes it as a sign when she sees Eiji-kun at the same university, though she's in her first year and him his third. They embrace like old friends and part as lovers once again.