Hey everyone! So, this is my first FanFic ever, and I'm very excited to be starting off with a Lucky Star fic based on the Minami x Yutaka pairing. I love this pairing so much, probably because I identify a lot with Minami and this pairing also gets a fair amount of coverage in the actual anime. This story is written almost exclusively from the perspective of Minami, so her thoughts and emotions are going to be predominant. I'm not sure how long the chapters will be from here on out, and I suppose y'all can help me decide that. Of course, longer chapters normally means less frequent updates, and vice versa. Please leave me feedback and constructive criticism (as well as praise, because that motivates me to keep going as well) so I can learn from more experienced readers and writers and make this fic the best it can be. Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Let's get into a somewhat long chapter one!
"Ok class, that should do it for today. Your homework is on the board, and is due Monday. Have a great weekend!"
Minami Iwasaki began putting her textbook and notebook back into her bag, delighted that she'd made it through another grueling week of school. The prospect of the coming weekend excited her, but also drained her resolve and focus with each passing day. Now that school was done for the week, she felt both relieved and spent.
"Hey, Minami-chan! Um...are you feeling ok?"
A petite girl with salmon-pink hair down to her shoulders stood in front of her desk, a fact Minami failed to register until the much shorter girl spoke up. She wore two cerulean ribbons in her hair, and had to look up at Minami even though she was still seated in her desk.
I must've been more out of it than I thought...
"Hi, Yutaka...Yeah, I'm ok. Just tired from all the work we've had this week."
"I know! It was almost more than I could handle, too. But I know that with people like you watching my back, I can make it through whatever life throws at me!"
This made Minami blush slightly. She knew Yutaka was talking about her more than anyone else, and it was true. Not surprisingly, given her size, Yutaka Kobayakawa was frail and constantly got sick, which frequently caused her to miss several days of school at a time. Minami would always go visit her friend, sharing what she missed in class that day and asking if she felt any better. Yutaka would always put on a brave face and say she was doing fine, but Minami still worried every time she came to school and saw Yutaka's empty desk.
"Are you excited for your birthday this weekend, Minami-chan?" This question instantly snapped her back into reality once again. She had thought about it every day this week, constantly wondering what she would receive.
O++O
Minami's parents were wealthy, a fact she tried very hard to conceal from her friends. She told her parents every year that she didn't want anything too extravagant, yet somehow they always found a way to make each birthday special. She received her favorite birthday gift a few years ago. On that day, a loud yelp had awoken her, and as she blearily looked around for the source of the noise, she felt something large and soft climb onto her bed. Rubbing her eyes, she saw a gorgeous dog with snow-white fur and pink ears staring at her curiously. Her surprise quickly turned to joy, and she instantly sat up and started scratching the dog's ears and rubbing its belly. Her mother, Honoka, came in shortly after and asked her what she thought of her present. She ran over and hugged her mother delightedly.
"I'm going to name my new pet after the most beautiful thing I can think of - a cherry blossom. I'll call her: Cherry."
Years later, Minami and Cherry were still as close as ever. Sometimes, Cherry was a better friend to her than anyone except Yutaka. She knew that although it would be tough to top that birthday, if this year was anywhere close, she would be overjoyed.
O++O
"Of course. Even though I'm not sure what I'll be receiving, I'm confident whatever I get will be more than enough to make me happy. By the way, what are you doing this weekend, Yutaka?"
"Um...I'm not sure yet. Kona-chan's not going to any conventions, so she'll probably stay home all weekend. Onee-san will probably be working or out with her husband, and Uncle Sojiro is taking pictures for the newspaper on Saturday and Sunday. I guess I'll have to figure out something to do on my own."
"Oh..." Minami felt bad for her best friend. Often times, she was the only one who would hang out with Yutaka regularly. Sure, the two of them saw their friends Patricia and Hiyori at school and walked home with them sometimes, but Minami was usually the only one to see Yutaka on weekends or even when she was sick. Hiyori and Patricia visited, but usually not for longer than 10 minutes. Minami stayed with Yutaka to give her assignments and keep her company, but the other two girls weren't too keen on possibly catching a virus, so they rarely stayed for long.
"Well, maybe you can come over for my birthday and see what I got. Don't worry, you don't have to bring me anything. I know this is sort of last min-"
"OF COURSE I'LL GET YOU SOMETHING, MINAMI-CHAN! You're my best friend! Why wouldn't I get you a present to show how much I appreciate everything you do for me?"
Minami blushed deeper now. She felt like she had an obligation to watch over her best friend and keep her safe. She would never forget the first day she met Yutaka, when she showed her to the nurse's office and gave her a handkerchief. From that day on, Minami felt responsible for the well being of her fragile and innocent friend.
"T-thanks, Yutaka..." Minami said, turning her head so Yutaka wouldn't see her blushing. "You can just come over whenever you're free...I'll probably be home most of the day, so feel free to drop by when you get the chance."
"Sure, Minami-chan. Can't wait to see you!" Yutaka smiled up at her friend, then, almost skipping, left the classroom and disappeared out of sight.
Phew...That was close. I-I wonder what will happen when she comes over. I'm always over at her place to keep her company while she's ill, but what will she think about where I live? Will the size of my house intimidate her? Will she still like me?
She pondered these questions as she walked through the hallways of her school toward the exit. Her thoughts distracted her from her surroundings to where she almost didn't notice the other students passing by. Not that she was liable to talk to anyone else anyway; Minami kept to herself unless spoken to, a characteristic that left many people with the wrong idea about her. Only her closest friends, Yutaka, Patricia and Hiyori, knew what she was really like. To the rest of the student body, she was practically an enigma; a strange, quiet girl that no one really paid attention to.
Minami was anxious to get home. Her evergreen hair flowed around her shoulders as she walked out of the school gates and onto the sidewalk. Her friends were all busy today, so she was forced to walk home by herself. Sometimes when this happened, she felt lonely and scared of the world around her, although she tried her best not to show it. Today, however, she was too preoccupied with images of how the next day might progress. Her birthday was tomorrow, and she was anxious to get home, eat, finish her homework, and sleep.
O++O
Minami ran through a field of beautiful tulips of every color. She somehow knew exactly where to go, even though she'd never been here before. Suddenly, she spotted a girl sitting on a bench in a clearing, and knew that was her destination. She slowed to a walk and realized the girl was Yutaka, holding a bouquet of white roses and smiling brightly.
"Yutaka..."
"Hi, Minami-chan! Um...happy birthday!" The shorter girl blushed deeply and handed the roses to Minami, head tilted slowly downward. The taller girl looked at them, dumbstruck and overcome with feeling.
Does she know white roses signify young love? And if so, what does that mean for the two of us...
"Minami-chan, there's something else I want to tell you. I...I don't know how to say this, but you've been there for me since the first day we met. The instant you gave me that handkerchief, I knew you were going to be special. So special, that...that...I LOVE YOU, MINAMI-CHAN!"
Minami stood, speechless, holding the roses tightly in her hands and blushing a deep shade of ruby. Secretly, Minami harbored feelings for Yutaka too, and had ever since she met her. Her kindness toward Minami that day, even though they didn't know each other then, was something she'd never received from anyone else her entire life. She had tried to keep those feelings hidden deep within her, because if anything happened to her friendship with Yutaka, she would be devastated to the point of depression. None of that mattered now, however, as Minami began to smile. Normally, Minami's lips never broke into more than a mild smirk, but now she was grinning from ear to ear, looking at the woman who had just confessed her love for her.
Minami set the roses down on the bench and pulled Yutaka to her feet. She brought her close and looked deep into her eyes.
"I love you too, Yutaka. I have since the day we met."
"Minami-chan..."
The two of the drew closer, as time and space seemed to disappear around them, leaving them alone in an endless sea of bliss. They drew closer, their eyes still locked on one another. Mere inches separated their lips...
Suddenly, Minami heard a loud buzzing noise from somewhere above her. It rang once, twice, three times. The noise still blared overhead as Minami felt something pulling her in the opposite direction from Yutaka. Some sort of gravitational pull was dragging Minami farther and farther away from her lover. She fought as hard as she could, but the force was stronger than she was. The buzzing noise still screeched above her. She stretched out her hand for Yutaka, but she was too far away.
"MINAMI-CHAN, COME BAAAAACK!"
O++O
Minami opened her eyes. She could still hear the buzzing noise, but it was much softer than in her dream. She sat up to turn off her alarm, then quickly lay down on the bed once again and closed her eyes.
What kind of dream was that? I've never had a dream that powerful, especially about...
She pictured the scene again in her mind. The memory of what happened was still all too fresh. Yutaka, her best friend, confessing her love for her in a beautiful garden. Minami picking her up and declaring her own hidden feelings for Yutaka. Their lips and bodies slowly moving closer together...
"Happy birthday, Minami!"
Her eyes snapped open. She quickly tried to cleared these thoughts from her mind as her mother walked into her room.
"Say, are you feeling ok? Your face looks red and you're a bit sweaty..."
Oh no. I'm still blushing! It's much easier to make thoughts disappear briefly from your mind than your cheeks.
"I-I'm just a bit warm, is all. Thanks for asking though."
"Ok, if you're sure. Anyway, why don't you get cleaned up and come downstairs? I want to start your birthday celebration nice and early!"
This wasn't an unusual practice in the Iwasaki residence. Usually, birthdays were taken care of first thing in the morning. Honoka said she simply wasn't very patient and couldn't wait for her daughter to open her gifts. So, Minami yawned and clambered out of bed. Grabbing a towel, she quickly disrobed and headed to the bathroom.
Once safely underneath the pleasantly hot water, she allowed herself to contemplate the meaning of her dream once again.
Am I really in love with Yutaka? Well, I guess that's obvious based on that dream...but how does Yutaka feel about me? She'd probably think I was weird if I told her how I really felt. I'd never want to risk losing my best friend, especially over something like this. I can't let my feelings for Yutaka jeopardize our friendship. I'll keep this hidden for now and save myself that much more heartbreak.
After she was clean and properly dressed, Minami headed downstairs to find her mother waiting for her. Several packages surrounded her, and Minami already dreaded how overboard her mother went with the gift giving this year.
Surprisingly, however, she found nothing that seemed too pricey. She got some new headphones, a new collar for Cherry, and some new clothes. Only one package remained, and before she opened it, her mother cautioned her:
"Now Minami, this might seem like a big present, but I insist you take it. Everything else I got you didn't even reach half the price I normally spend on your birthday each year! Anyway, I hope you like it."
Slightly worried, Minami opened the box and found a beautiful model of a large winter cottage. The roof and ground were covered in snow, and the house was made out of dark mahogany wood. Inside, she could see rooms, stairs and even a miniature chandelier. The piece was lovely, but Minami couldn't understand why her mother would make such a big deal out of it. It didn't seem as expensive as she made it out to be.
"Mother, thank you for the gift. It's truly wonderful. But I have to ask: Why this?"
"Well, there happens to be a part two to your gift."
Part...two? What does she...
"This model represents a real cottage a few hours north of here. Your father and I purchased it without telling you so we could surprise you for your birthday. You, me, your father and Cherry are all going to the cottage for a week in December!"
Minami didn't know what to say. She was overjoyed. Unbeknownst to everyone except her family, winter and snow were two of her favorite things. She loved sitting next to a cozy fire and watching the snow fall outside her window. Plus, she had never been skiing or really attempted any winter sports before, and she was already dying to give them a try.
"It-it's perfect! Thank you mother!" Minami rushed up and gave her mother a big hug. She stood there for a minute while her mother stroked her soft green hair. When they broke apart, Minami looked up at her mother.
"Um...mom...can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, dear."
"How big is the cottage?"
"Well, it has three bedrooms and four bathrooms, if that's what you mean. We bought a cottage with some extra space just in case we had guests over."
"Then can I ask you a favor?"
Her mother had an idea of where she was going with this, and cut her off before she could ask.
"Of course Yutaka can come, but only if her family says it's ok. She seems like a fragile girl, and although she's your friend, you can't go dragging her so far from home without consent from a parent or guardian."
"H-how did you know I was going to ask you that?"
"Mother's intuition, of course!" Honoka smiled. Minami didn't know it, but her mother bought a cottage with an extra bedroom in the hopes that her daughter would maintain her friendships with her classmates. Before high school started, it was rare to hear Minami talk about any of the other students, let alone say she was friends with any of them. Honoka wanted to do all she could to make sure Minami lived a happy, healthy lifestyle, and that included making friends. Some people might say using money to help someone get friends isn't the noblest thing to do, but Honoka knew money wasn't the reason Minami and her new friends had become close, so she didn't mind pushing them in the right direction just a bit.
"T-thank you so much, mom! I told her she could come over sometime today. I'll be sure to tell her about this and see if she'll call her family to make sure it's ok for her to go."
"Ok, dear. I can't wait to meet her!"
All of Minami's fears about Yutaka seeing her house were temporarily assuaged as she thought about what she and Yutaka would do for a whole week at the cottage.
We can learn how to ski together, and have snowball fights, and go sledding, and sit together by the fi-
This last thought turned Minami's cheeks from their normal beige color to a solid pink. She and Yutaka, huddled together, watching the snow fall and holding each other close for warmth...
No. I told myself I'd banish those thoughts from my mind for the sake of our friendship. I need to keep myself occupied with something else so these images don't come rushing back into my head.
Minami decided to read for a couple hours, then had a nice lunch with her mother. After secretly feeding Cherry her leftover scraps, she headed over to the piano and began to play. She became so involved with the song she was playing, she failed to hear a set of tiny footsteps coming toward her. As she finished her tune, she heard clapping coming from the other side of the room. She immediately jumped and looked around. There stood Yutaka, wearing a flowing yellow and white sun dress with two matching white ribbons in her hair. She looked like something out of Minami's fantasies, but she knew this was no dream. In the crook of her arm she held a small white box topped with a smooth red bow.
"Hi, Minami-chan! That was absolutely beautiful!"
Turning her head away from her friend so she wouldn't see her blushing, Minami responded.
"Hi, Yutaka. When did you get here...and how long were you listening for?"
"Your mom let me in about five minutes ago. She's so nice, just like you! I heard you playing and came to listen until you were done. You're so talented, Minami-chan!"
"Oh...T-thank you, Yutaka..." Minami was still avoiding looking at Yutaka directly, so she busied herself with putting away her sheet music. She wanted her face to at least turn from red to pink before she dared glance at Yutaka again.
"Oh! I'm sorry! Happy birthday, Minami-chan!" Yutaka walked over to her and held out the box in her right hand. Minami finally turned her head to see Yutaka's smiling face and the box being held in front of her.
She looks so cute like that...
Minami was unable to help herself, and her cheeks went back to being glowing red beacons.
"Y-you shouldn't have. This is too much."
"I told you I'd get you a present, didn't I! Don't you want to see what I got you?"
The truth was absolutely yes, but she was still so embarrassed she could barely mumble a soft "Mhmm..." before accepting her gift.
What could she have gotten me? It could be a friendship bracelet, or earrings...No, this felt much too heavy to be earrings. But the box was certainly small enough for jewelry...
"Please, Minami-chan, open it!" Yutaka smiled again, and Minami forgot all her troubles. She carefully undid the ribbon so as not to ruin it, then opened the box. She gasped.
Inside the box was what seemed to be another box, but this one was made of sterling silver and was decorated with a beautiful floral pattern on the lid. In turning it over, she saw her initials engraved on the back in capitalized Blackletter font. Her fingers shook as she cracked opened the box. Inside was a complex display of small metal strings, and as she opened the box further, she heard a song coming from it that was all too familiar.
"Yutaka, how did you know White Christmas was my favorite song?" Tears filled her eyes as she looked at her beaming friend.
"A few weeks ago, I saw you staring out the window and heard you humming that tune. I figured you must be wishing it was winter, and were humming that song to make it seem more like that time of year. I asked Uncle Sojiro if he knew any places that made music boxes, and he led me to the perfect store. I had to save my money for a while, but when I saw it, I knew it was the perfect present!"
Tears rolled openly down Minami's cheeks now. No one had ever put that much thought into a gift for her except her parents. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to have Yutaka in her life, even though she sometimes wished that they were more than friends. She gently put the box back, then stood up and looked into Yutaka's eyes.
"Do you like it, Minami-chan?"
Minami simply responded by pulling Yutaka into a tight hug. Although it wasn't easy with their height difference, Minami laid her head onto Yutaka's shoulder and continued to cry tears of joy, while Yutaka stroked her hair just like her mother had earlier that day.
"I-I love it, Yutaka. So much. Thank you."
Again, please tell me what you thought of this so far. If you made it down to the end, I appreciate you already. Stay tuned for chapter 2, (hopefully) coming soon!