Changes!
Yotsuba looked in on her sleeping Dad. She hadn't slept beside him for years but she was feeling lonely today. She climbed over his papers and files to his futon, she smiled at his silly sleeping face, his mouth was wide open, with a little drool coming out, and his limbs where flung about all over the place. She curled up beside him and savoured the moment, she would have to get ready for school soon. Meanwhile Mr Koiwai awoke to find his adopted daughter lying serenely beside him. When had she grown so big? 17, he thought, jeez. She was very cute, her green hair had grown long and willowy, she had big green eyes that sparkled when she laughed(which was very often) and she was, well, developed.
'Yotsuba?' He said softly.
'Daddy.' She smiled and snuggled closer to him.
'Yotsuba,'
'Mmmm?' she purred
'You're going to be late for school.' He said counting in his head. 1...2...3.
'UWAH!' She screamed looking at the clock. 'Why didn't you wake me sooner, Baka Daddy!' She ran out the room wildly knocking over his piles of paper and files. Mr Koiwai sighed as he listened to his daughter panicking loudly and thumping around in her room. He heard her curse as she hit her toe on the bathroom sink. Mr Koiwai stumbled to the kitchen to make breakfast. She won't have much time, he thought, better make it to go. Yotsuba smiled at her reflection, just how she liked it, her long hair pulled into two long pigtails tied with red ribbon. Her school skirt pulled to a respectable length, just above her knees, she had her school jumper a size to big so she could hide her hands up her sleeve when she got nervous, and her school neck tie nice and loose. She checked her watch and screamed.
'I'm super super late!' She wailed, rushing to the door, grabbing her satchel along the way.
'Yotsuba? At least have break…' Mr Koiwai started but then heard the door slammed shut behind Yotsuba. Well, she always was wilful. He smiled to himself when he realised one of the buns he bought yesterday was missing.
Yotsuba ran out the gate and took the bun out her bag(she had a feeling this might happen so decided to be prepared), she stuffed it in her mouth and started running down her street. It took her 15 minutes to get to school like this(10 if she's on her bike) if I run all the way I might make it, she thought. She ran round the corner of her street and slammed into something.
'Ow,ow,ow,ow!' She cried rubbing her nose. A hand appeared in front of her face and a voice said,
'Sorry, I haven't been here in a while and was trying to figure out where I was, so I didn't notice y…' Yanda stops talking when he realises Yotsuba is glaring at him.
'Ah! It's you!' Yotsuba growls and get's into a karate position, she had been going to karate since elementary school.
'Yo…Yotsuba?' Yanda splutters taking in her appearance, her long flowing hair, her intense green eyes that are blazing(at Yanda), her petite waist but generous cleavage and her skirt which was modest but also showed some of her creamy white thigh. She was wearing knee length socks with bananas on them and Yanda chuckled, glad to see some things never change. He realised she was still preparing for battle but he couldn't fight her now she was a real girl.
'Yotsuba, you don't have to do that.' He sighed remembering Yotsuba's cold treatment towards him all those years ago.
'I do! But I can't I'm going to be late to school.' She picks up her bag and pouts when she see's her bun lying on the road, guess there's no helping it, she thinks. She bends and picks up her bun, dusts it off and pops it back in her mouth. Yanda blinks, yes, something's definitely do not change.
Yotsuba arrived late at school red in the face, one, because of running the whole way there, two, because her homeroom sensei had shouted at her in front of the whole class, and 3, Yanda. He was just as she remembered him, smug and annoying.
'Hey, Yotsuba chan, sensei's talking to you! Misaki, Yotsuba's best 'school' friend whispered across the aisle.
'Ah!,' Yotsuba stood suddenly and blurted 'sorry Fuuka, I mean Ayase sensei!' She bows repeatedly and hears the class laughing around her. Fuuka blushes.
'It's alright Koiwai san, but can you answer my question?' Fuuka aska.
'Um…about that…' She scratches the back of her head and gives her best 'I'll try harder grin'. The class laughs again. Fuuka sighs, she's used to Yotsuba's antics considering she watched her grow into the bubbly teenage girl she is now.
'Alright, sit down, how about you Sunero kun?' Fuuka turned to one of the boys. He was quite the lady killer in this class and reminded her of her first crush. But Sunero wasn't paying attention to her, he was looking at Yotsuba, who was giggling with Misaki. Oh no, she thought, he better not be thinking what I think he's thinking. She was just about to grab his attention when the bell rang.
'Oh!,' Fuuka cried, 'um, class dismissed.' She sat at her desk and rubbed at her temples, she loved her job, but she couldn't help wanting to watch over Yotsuba, is that classed as favouritism?
'Fuuka chan?,' Yotsuba touched her forehead lightly, 'do you have a head ache?' She put the back of one hand on Fuuka's forehead and her other hand on hers.
'I'm fine Yotsuba chan, but you shouldn't call me Fuuka chan when I'm at work.'
'But you just called me Yotsuba chan.' She grinned like a Cheshire cat.
'That's because I can't help it…,' Fuuka trailed off when she realised Sunero kun leaning against the classroom door, waiting on Yotsuba, 'Yotsuba, you know about that boy right?' Fuuka asked tilting her head towards the door.
'Mmmm? Oh, Sunero Kun, yes, I know. He's played with more girls hearts, than a cat plays with string.' She giggled at her little metaphor.
'So, you wouldn't…get involved with him?' Fuuka blushes but then see's Yotsuba's blank expression.
'Involved?' She asks oblivious.
'Never mind, you better get to class!' Fuuka made shooing motions with her hand's.
'Okay, Fuuka cha…I mean, Asagi Sensei, make sure to go home if your head ache gets bad, but if you don't I'll walk home with you! Yotsuba smiled and waved as she left the classroom and walked straight into Sunero's trap.
'Hey, Clover chan.' He smiled as she skipped out the class.
'…My name's Yotsuba.' She gave him a blank stare.
'I know but don't you think that nicknames cute?' Sunero asked.
'I guess…' Yotsuba thought about the nicknames she'd had in the past, most the time Daddy and Jumbo just called her Yotsuba or Shortie.
'So you're close with Sensei Clover chan?' He moved a little closer to Yotsuba, who was still, totally clueless.
'Yes!' She beamed and looked up at Sunero who's heart jumped a little at her smiling face, he blushed and had to turn away. What was happening? He never felt like this about a girl…
'I moved next to her when I was 5 and we've been very close ever since!,' Yotsuba remembered all her great memories with Fuuka, she was just 16 when they first met, 'Ah, this is my class, bye, Sunero kun!' Sunero stood for a moment and caught his breath. He knew she was cute but this must be a whole new level. He had to have her!
Yotsuba waited for Fuuka at the gate, she usually took a little longer because she had to clean up her classroom and finish correcting her classes work. But Yotsuba didn't mind because she didn't see Fuuka as much now, she moved out 10 years ago, she lives close by but it's not the same, and on Thursday she goes home so Yotsuba always walks with her.
'Yotsuba chan, ready to go?' Fuuka had a big pile of papers in her hands, a breeze came along and blew some off.
'OH NO!' Yotsuba ran wildly after them.
'Yotsuba, watchout!' Fuuka screamed as Yotsuba ran onto the rooad, chasing a rougue paper. There was a screech and screaming, as the dust settled Yotsuba was still screaming. The car had stopped just in front of her but Yotsuba's eye's where opened wide in terror and her mouth was still producing a long high pitched screech. She covered her eyes and knelt down. She heard the car door slam and a voice asking if she was okay.
'I'm f…f…fine.' She got up slowly, Yanda was looking worriedly at her.
'Y…Y…Yanda!' Yotsuba stuttered.
'Yotsuba chan!' Fuuka came running towards them, she was on the verge of tears when she saw Yanda standing with his hand on Yotsuba's shoulder, she got flustered.
'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt…' She bowed her head blushing, since when did Yotsuba know a handsome young man!
'You didn't interrupt anything Fuuka chan, let's go.' She shrugged off Yanda's hand and walked towards Fuuka.
'Wait, I recognise you now! You're Mr Koiwai's friend!' She smiled, she hadn't seen him in years.
'My name's Yanda, now please, you can't just walk off, at least let me give you a ride.' He pointed to his expensive looking BMW.
'Now that you mention it, it is really hot today, a ride would be…' Fuuka started.
'No.' Yotsuba was standing with her arms crossed over her chest.
'Yotsuba chan?' Fuuka was surprised by Yotsuba's cold tone, usually she would have been really excited to ride in such a nice car.
'Fuuka chan, please, let's go.' Yotsuna lowered her head and bit her lip, why couldn't she see how uncomfortable she was?
'…alright, I'm sorry Yanda kun, maybe next time.' Fuuka smiled sadly and walked over to Yotsuba.
'Thank you.' Yotsuba squeezed Fuuka's hand and they walked home together.
When Yotsuba got home, she found a letter waiting for her.
'Daddy, I'm home!' Yotsuba called, there was no reply, he must have gone out. Yotsuba sat in the TV room and opened the letter…
Dear Yotsuba chan
I hope you get this, I've been meaning to write for a long time but I've been, well, busy. I wanted to tell you all about what I've been doing here in Brazil, but I'd be easier to say in person, so I'll just say a little bit, K? You'd love it Yotsuba chan, there are so many different animals! I've rescued a baby monkey today and we're going to give him to a special zoo here in Brazil. I saw a green canary today and it reminded me off you, it made me laugh! I'm coming home on Friday and I can't wait to see you! It'll be my Birthday the day after I get back, maybe we can do something together?
Love from Ena chan xxx
Ena was studying Animal nature in The Brazilian Rainforest, Yotsuba was happy for her but missed Ena chan a lot! She was coming home this week though!
'Yotsuba, I'm home!' Mr Koiwai dragged himself through the doorway. Yotsuba came running up to him, completely oblivious that he was exhausted.
'Daddy, Guess what? Ena sent me a letter from Brazil and she's coming back on Friday and Saturday's her birthday and…I need to go see Mom! See you later Daddy!' She kissed his cheek and ran out the door.
Yes, some things change, but, well, others definitely don't!