A/N: Time for my first FLCL fic! This might be a little sad, considering I'm usingone of thetwosongs on Green Day's American Idiot that makes me cry. I almost used 'She's a Rebel' but I thought 'Whatsername' would have a greater effect. Enjoy!
Summary: It's been 10 years since Haruko left. Naota remembers everything that happened, but can't remember her name. Now he looks back, wondering what happened to the girl with the yellow Vespa.
Disclaimer: I do not own FLCL or Green Day. All I have is a burned copy of American Idiot.
Thought I ran into you down on the street
Naota walked along the streets of Akibihara. He was slowly walking home from work. It was late and he still had homework to do. "Guess it's another all-nighter..." He sighed as he kicked some invisible dirt. Just then, he heard a Vespa. He quickly turned around and saw a yellow Vespa rushing down the street. "Is it...her?" The Vespa stopped beside him and Naota gasped. It was her. She had on riding goggles but he could see her green eyes. Her pink hair lightly brushed her shoulders and a blue bass guitar was strapped to her back. She hadn't changed any. She grinned wickedly. "Hi, Naota." Naota stood their in shock. "It's you..." The girl rolled her eyes. "Duh! Don't tell me you don't remember my name!" Naota shook his head. "I don't." She grinned wickedly again. "It's Ha-" As she was saying that, a car sped by and Naota didn't hear the rest. She gave him that wicked grin once more. "I'll see you around." She then started up her Vespa and sped off. "Wait!" shouted Naota. All of a sudden, he felt something scratch his face.
Then it turned out to only be a dream
Naota opened his eyes to see his cat, Miyu Miyu II(A/N: I couldn't think of anything more creative). He touched his cheek and rolled over. "Not that dream again." Naota was 22 now and living on his own in Tokyo. He had a job at a game store in Akibihara and pulled all-nighters on a regular basis to balance his school, job and homework. His life was boring compared to what happened to him 10 years ago. He slowly got up and went to the kitchen.
I made a point to burn all of the photographs
Naota got a glass of water and looked over at the wall. He had pictures everywhere. They reminded him of his roots in Mabase. A lot of them were torn up though. After she left, Naota was kinda angry at her for not taking him with her. But when his grandfather died two years later, all his rage came out. He went around the house, finding every picture he could of that pink haired girl. Once he found all he could, he burned them all. He didn't want to think about her. He almost destroyed her guitar, but he couldn't. So, he kept it.
She went away and then I took a different path
Naota then taught himself how to play the guitar. Both bass and lead. He then began to slowly forget about that girl. Mamimi eventually came back and visited from time to time. She even took him to see Green Day in Sapporo when he was 16. But, no matter how nice Mamimi was nice to him, no matter how many times his then girlfriend Ninamori tried to remind him, and no matter how many times Canti tried to sigh at the torn up pictures, it wasn't going to make his boring life any better. That's why he moved to Tokyo once he heard he made it into Tokyo University. He hoped it would make his boring life better. It didn't.
I remember the face
But I can't recall the name
Sometimes, he wished that girl would come back and tell him her name. Maybe he could move on with his life again. But, ten years of wishing didn't make her come back.
Now I wonder how Whatsername has been
Naota walked over to the closet and pulled out the bass. He strummed out the bass line to 'Whatsername'. "That's all that girl is to me now..."
Seems that she disappeared without a trace
Naota plopped down in a chair. That strange girl just flew off on her Vespa one day, never to be heard from again. "Where did she go?"
Did she ever marry old what's his face?
"Atomisk..." He then remembered. That girl was looking for Atomisk, the pirate king. "Did she ever find him?" Naota shook his head. "How is it that I can remember all of this, but not her name?!"
I made a point to burn all of the photographs
She went away and then I took a different path
Naota fell to his knees and began to cry. He was so angry at her. "Why did she leave? Why didn't she take me with her?" He slammed his fist on the ground. "I'm old enough now!"
I remember the face
But I cant recall the name
Now I wonder how Whatsername has been
Naota dried his eyes. He should have just accepted it by now. That girl was never coming back. His Whatsername was never coming back for him.
Remember, whatever
It seems like forever ago
Naota stood up and walked to the door. He slipped on his shoes and grabbed his coat. He needed to think. He opened the door and walked toward the staircase to the roof.
Remember, whatever
It seems like forever ago
Naota walked up the stairs and to the middle of the roof. He looked up at the sky. He couldn't see as many stars as he could in Mabase.
The regrets are useless
In my mind
She's in my head
He stuck his hands in his coat pockets. Why should he regret what happened? That time of his life was the greatest. It really helped him become who he was today. He only wished he could remember her name. He remembered everything else.
I must confess
The regrets are useless
She's in my head
From so long ago
He could try as hard as he could. Even if he couldn't remember her name, he could remember everything else. Her green eyes, her pink hair, her Vespa, the guitar, that stupid curry, her wild personality. He closed his eyes and breathed in the night air.
And in the darkest night
If my memory serves me right
He re-opened his eyes and looked up. A shooting star streaked across the sky. He smirked.
I'll never turn back time
"Thanks..." He slowly muttered under his breath. "...Haruko.."
Forgetting you, but not the time.