Well, I bet this is something you've never seen in Tenchi fandom, before—a yaoi fanfic (well, there was two others written by someone years ago, but...)! Anyway, this is an AU fanfic, takes place in early 20th century Japan. And it's an epistolary, which I've never written before.This is actually based on parts of a movie I've seen, called "The Lover," which is based on the novel, "L'Amant," by Marguerite Duras. I actually couldn't watch the rest of that movie because of the softcore porn...So, it WILL have SEX in it (gasp), so if you're uncomfortable with Tenchi Muyo m/m sex, then go read something else.Otherwise, I don't own anyone. At all.Enjoy!
Dear Brother...I've finally arrived here in Okayama.It's such a small town, much different from Tokyo. Here I can finally pursue my dreams of being a teacher. I know you understand. I doubt our father would understand. We all know how he is.
Anyway, I am okay. I am trying to find a place to stay. A friend whom I've met on the train had told me that his sister works at a sushi bar and can offer me a place to stay, provided that I work there as well. I know you're laughing at me, because I can't cook worth a damn. I'm going to check it out, though. I'll get back to you at that.
There's only one schoolhouse in this small town. The younger children have to be taught outside near a shrine. This schoolhouse is for the older students, from the ages of fourteen to eighteen. I will be teaching them. I admit I am nervous. I think I'll do well.
I must go. I'm going to check out that sushi bar. Yours, S. Matsumo Dear journal...
March 18, 1910
Well, I guess you're wondering who I am. My name is Tenchi Masaki. Like I said before, I'm almost seventeen. I live in the town of Okayama. It's a very small town. But it's nice. My grandfather is a sh Shinto priest who owns a shrine. My Dad and I live in the house just across from there, so we three live together. My mother passed away when I was born. Even though I've never seen her, Dad and Grandpa would tell stories about her.
School for me is okay bad okay sometimes good tolerable. I mean, I have friends, like Ryoko, Aye (which I'll tell you about later). I was good in everything except history, trigonometry, and science.
Actually that's most of the stuff, but I never cared for any of that stuff. I don't want to be a doctor. I want to be a writer, as I've explained before.
I said I would talk about my friends. Well they consist of two girls and one guy. One of the girls, Ryoko, is somewhat of a tomboy. She really doesn't take crap from anyone or anything. She follows by her own rules. Another is Ayeka. She's what someone would call "girly-girl," because she's polite, kind, obedient. She comes from a well-to-do family. Many girls at our school don't like her because they think she's snotty (Ryoko and her, being completely different from each other, tend to fight sometimes). But once you get to meet her, she's actually very nice and generous. Then the guy is named Amagasaki. He's overweight, and that's an understatement! And he thinks about food all the time! But he's a cool friend.
Well I don't know what to write about, so I'll just
So this is my very first journal entry. Well can I write about? I guess I can tell you what went on today. Well here goes.
We all found out for sometime that one day we were going to have a substitute teacher. Well that day was today. Now everyone was excited! No one has ever had a teacher to substitute another before, in fact we all had to ask our regular teacher (Mr. Toshito) what a substitute teacher was. Mr. Toshito was supposed to leave for a couple of weeks because his wife is expecting. Thank god. Because we really don't like him.
I'll explain what happened.
There I was at school, sitting with my friends, conversing about out substitute teacher that would arrive in a few minutes.
"Tenchi, what do you think about having a substitute teacher?" Ayeka asks me.
"He can go fornicate himself," Ryoko mutters. "He won't even teach us shit."
"Ryoko! Language!" Ayeka scolds. "What if he's nice?!"
"What if he's not?"
"He may even be a SHE! Well, anyway, you never cared about your studies before..." I can still remember Ayeka frowning after she said. Besides not seeing a teacher replacing another, we never see a woman teacher.
"I don't."
"Well..." I say. "We'll just have to wait and see what happens."
"Well," Amagasaki begins, "as long as he doesn't keep me from eating, I'm fine!"
We all stare at him.
Suddenly Mr. Toshito walks in the room. "Students, we have a teacher here to continue what I've been teaching you. Come on in, Mr. Matsumo."
Then, he comes in. Surprisingly, he doesn't look too much older than us. He's tall...and he has light brown hair.
"Hi!" Mr. Matsumo greets us. "I'm glad to finally meet you."
"Oh...my..." Now hearts appear in Ayeka's eyes!
"...God you're stupid," I hear Ryoko mutter to her.
And I simply laugh.
So that's what happened today. Pretty weird, don't you think?
Well, my Dad's calling me for dinner. I have to go now.
Yours, Tenchi Masaki
March 20Dear Journal...
Remember when I talked about my substitute teacher?
Well, he's a very nice man, but boy is he strict! He gives us a lot of homework and pop quizzes the next day. Since many of them were science and history, I fail miserably. Already many of us hate him.
Tonight, he's making us write a six-paragraph essay on the sun Goddess Amaterasu. When I was little, Grandpa used to tell me all about the myths and legends of the Shinto gods and goddesses.
I regret not listening to him...
Well, I really should go and finish this essay.
Yours, Tenchi Masaki
March 21Dear Journal...Last night, I tell Dad and Grandpa that I'm having trouble at school. Grandpa suggests that I get a tutor. But do you know how expensive that is? I'll just have to work my way through this. So today, I sigh, walking to the stop where the trolley usually comes to take me home. See, the distance between my school and my home is great. On my way, I see Ayeka staring at something or someone. Being a curious person that I am, I walk over to her to see what was going on.
"What's going on?" I ask.
"Usually the old folks look down on us, Tenchi, but they seemed to like Mr. Matsumo," Ayeka answers. And indeed, we did see the old women laughing with Mr. Matsumo.
"Well, he's only a couple of years older than us," I reply.
"Amazing!"
"Where's Amagasaki and Ryoko?"
"They already walked home."
There are times that I tell them and Ayeka that they are lucky. Ryoko's and Amagasaki's homes are only just around the corner. Mine is a mile and a half away. Ayeka's home is far too, but her father's chauffer comes with his carriage to pick her up.
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Tenchi," she smiles, walking away. I respond with a wave.
Suddenly I hear a bell.
"Oh crap!" I shout. It was the trolley. By the time I run back to the stop it was too late. It was long gone...
I got angry because now I couldn't go home! As I said before, my home is a mile in a half away.
Now this is where things became strange...
I hear someone say, "You need a ride home?"
I look up, and to my surprise it was Mr. Matsumo!
"Y-yeah," I answer.
And he smiles, "Well hop on!"
"Hop on?"
"My bike..." And there was his bike...
"Are you sure?"
"Trust me man, I let people much heavier than you on my bike..." he jokes.
"Well, all right..." and I hop on.
(Tenchi is called downstairs for a moment)
Anyway, unfortunately he couldn't take me home right away. I found out that he works at a sushi bar to support himself. Plus the sushi bar is halfway between the school and my home.
So we arrive at the sushi bar. It's a pretty weird place.
"Sagami!" A woman shouts at Mr. Matsumo. "I'm glad you're back, because I really need help down here!"
So that's his name? I thought.
"Too noisy down here," he mutters. Then he smiles. "Let's go upstairs to my room!"
Now I'm still shocked. My sub is really smart and knows a lot of things, and yet he works and live in a small sushi bar?!
We walk upstairs, the space becoming narrower the higher we go. I have the nerve to ask, "You actually live here?"
"Well, I'm not from around here so..."
His room is small and simple. There's a small window; the paper on it was torn a little. To our right, there's a small table with only a cup and a flower. Three black pillows surround the table. To our left was his futon. And right next to us was another table, loaded with papers, books and whatnot. He must use this as a desk. He steps in first, and puts his bag and books down on the "desk." Then he turns to me and says, "Well, make yourself at home." He looks around. "In fact, you can sit here, and take out your homework. Keep yourself busy."
I nod and sit down on former table. I watch him take off his vest and tie, and tie on an apron. Then I look away and take out my book. The homework assignment he gave us was to read a short story and answer the questions at the end.
Then he speaks up, "Well, I'm gonna go do my job, so just finish the homework, and if you need help, I'll be up here later." I can only nod. I don't know, but maybe...everytime I try to speak, words collapse.
An hour later, I was stuck at the first question. It really wasn't a hard or a boring story. The questions weren't impossible. But God, it was it so noisy down there. How does Mr. Matsumo manage to come up with lesson plans there?
A knock interrupts my thoughts. He enters. "How are you doing?" He sits down beside me and glances at my work, or lack thereof. He raises one eyebrow at me. "Come on, Tenchi. These questions aren't THAT hard."
Luckily for me, I was able to find my voice this time, so I reply, "I can't concentrate, Mr. Matsumo." I think he knew what I was talking about, because he glanced down on the floor (you can hear what the woman downstairs was saying). Then he sighs. "Well—"
But I interrupt him. "How do you do it?"
He stares straight at me and replies, "You learn to adapt." He then slides the book over to him, so we can share the book. "You pretend that the only person in the world is you, so that you can easily block all the sounds, and other senses." He hands me a bowl of rice and sushi and grins. "Or are you hungry?"
I laugh nervously. I was pretty hungry, so I thank him. He didn't need to help anyone anymore that night, so we read through the story together, and helped me with the questions. Afterwards, he took me home, in the bleak darkness. But I didn't think he minded at all.
He asked me if I wanted him to take me to the sushi bar again, for tutoring. I gladly said yes! And it's free. I asked Grandpa and Dad if I could go there after school, and they allow it.
So, not only will I do better in school, but it's free. I'm definitely going tomorrow.
Well, I'm tired. School is tomorrow and I want to be up and ready then.
I'll write to you again, soon!
Yours, Tenchi
March 22Dear Brother,I'm sorry I haven't been able to write to you. Just busy preparing for lesson plans and working at the sushi bar. I really like teaching at the school.
Oh sure, the students probably hate me because I'm very strict on them. But to move up at the top one has to be challenged in education. Though we were lucky, we've always had the strictest teachers, haven't we?
I'm tutoring a student already in the sushi bar. He's really great in literature, but he needs help on some other subjects. Well, it's late, and since the trolley doesn't run anymore tonight, I'll have to take the student home.
Write back to me—and ask mother to write to me, too!
Your brother, S. Matsumo
(Well, that's it for now. Stay tuned!)