Author's Note

Hello, this is Marc Roland. This is my first (published) fanfiction. I've attempted many, only to give up or fail. But I shall once again, take up the pen. Or, shall I say, keyboard? In any case, thank you for reading "The Five Year Journey", by me, Marc Roland. By the way, that's not my real name. If that is someone's real name, which it probably is, sorry. I used a random name generator.

Well, to start off, this is the introduction/explanation and whatnot of "The Five-Year Journey". It is a fanfiction, starting from the end of School Rumble, pretty much. It begins around the time that Harima stays at the Tsukamoto household with Sara and Yakumo. This is an explanation of Harima's "purification" journey.

I don't know how long I intend it to be. Hopefully, you guys who are reading this will like it and give me some feedback/opinions. If the feedback is good, I'll probably keep writing more. I'll end it in 10 chapters, though, as I have school to deal with. But again, more reviews and/or feedback will result in more chapters. So it's all in your hands, guys.

Note, I do have a life, so I may not write/update every day or anything. But I generally will have a weekly upload on Sunday. That is, until school starts. Then I have football in the fall and track in the spring. On days that I have nothing to do, I'll probably continue writing. So depending on how it will be, I might have monthly updates instead. Check the Chapter Ending Notes for info about how it is, and for random bits and stuff. Read it, there might be something that affects the fate of this story. Again, I state:

1) More Reviews
2) More Chapters
3) ??
4) Profit!

Oh, a word of warning. This story is rated T, just in case. It probably won't go past suggestive themes, chances are. But who knows? This story is somewhat driven by user feedback. If you say there should be something, tell me and I'll think about it. Alright, now to really start the story.

I hope you enjoy "The Five-Year Journey"!

Legal Mumbo Jumbo: I do not own any rights relating to anything about School Rumble. The only thing that belongs to me is the story of this fan fiction. If the story or my own characters bear any resemblance to anything already published, it is a coincidence. Do not copy this story onto any other site other than without my knowledge.

Harima: "Someday... A man that loves you will appear... And that man will be miserable."

Unknown Voice: "Why is that?"

Harima: "That... is a man's will. For sure, that guy... will try to take you back from the Karasuma-kun that you had fallen in love with. Keep that in mind for the rest of your life..."

Harima jolted up immediately from his deep sleep, in a cold sweat. He was staying at the Tsukamoto household, once again. Harima thought to himself, for at least the hundredth time, "Was that the right thing to do?" Deep in his heart, there was a lingering, aching pain... He closed his eyes, covering his face.

He said to himself, "Damn... It's too late to change it... But will I regret this? Oh well... It's time for breakfast. Maybe that will get things off my mind..."

Harima got out of his bed and exited the room lazily. Already familiar with the house, he walked through the hallway, where the smell of curry got his mind out of the daze... He made his way into the kitchen to see Yakumo making curry in her school uniform.

Harima greeted cheerily, "Ah, Imōto-san, good morning. The curry smells good."

Yakumo replied quietly, blushing slightly, as she prepared the curry, "Harima-sempai... Good morning. Your breakfast is on the table."

"Thanks, Imōto-san. Say, where's Sara? I haven't heard or seen her since yesterday." Harima said as he took a seat and began eating his breakfast.

Yakumo answered, "She had something to do at school, so I told her to go on ahead, and I would bring her lunch..."

But the truth was that Sara had lied and left for school to let Yakumo and Harima spend some time alone. Still in a slight daze, he nodded and continued munching away. Harima was still distracted by his dream. Yakumo sensed that he was disturbed, but did not say anything, nor did she want to. She finished making the curry and put it into bento boxes.

"Harima-senpai..." Yakumo mumbled.

While his mind was aloft, he replied, "Hm?"

"If you're heading to school... I made a bento for you... Don't forget it, I'll leave it on the counter..." Yakumo told him.

"Oh... Yeah, alright... Thanks, Imōto-san..." Harima replied nonchalantly.

Yakumo exited the kitchen hurriedly, then left for school, forgetting the boxes in the kitchen. Harima finished his meal quietly and began washing his plate when he noticed the boxes sitting on the counter.

He thought, "Imōto-san left her lunches here... I guess I'll go to school and deliver them. Though I wasn't planning on going to school, I can't leave her lunches here... Or it'll have gone to waste."

Harima got out of his clothes and changed into his school uniform. He grabbed his manga manuscript and drawings in his left hand, went into the kitchen and grabbed the lunches with his right hand. He slipped on his shoes and walked off to school.

END CHAPTER 1!

Ending Note

I hope you enjoyed Chapter 1 of "The Five Year Journey"? Sorry about the super long author's note. Please, give me reviews. If you liked it, if you didn't, what you want to see, or whatever you'd like to say about my fanfic. I don't care if you tell me you hate it, but tell me what you'd like me to improve on.

PS: Keeping with the story, there won't be ANY mutual love relationships involving the main characters. This is the way of School Rumble, so this is the way of my story. So YakumoxHarima, ErixHarima or (insert pairing here) shippers or whatever, sorry to disappoint you. Also, besides the telling of Harima's journey through the world... There will be short side stories about what goes on while certain events occur, like the sharp/flat notes in the manga.

For example, as Harima journeys through America, there'll be little stories in a side chapter about Tenma and Karasuma, or Eri, Mikoto and Akira. Or Yakumo and her friends. Or even Imadori, Ichijou and Lala! But that's all up to you guys. On certain chapters, I'll have a mini poll in the ending note where you can PM me your choice, and the most popular vote will get the chapter written about them! Or I'll just decide myself, sometimes... Because it'll be hard to read a bunch of PMs... That is, if I get any... Anyway, ON TO CHAPTER 2!