Senior Year: A School Rumble Fanfic
Chapter 1: The Bodyguard
Disclaimer: I do not own School Rumble. I'm just doodling in the margins.
Note: This fic is meant to take place near the end of the manga, after the events of the walking festival, but before the final reunion in the last volume and will probably contain for anyone who hasn't finished the manga.
Harima Kenji gave a loud snort and slowly rubbed his sleepy eyes. Looking around the room, he blinked in confusion. The warm smell of breakfast wafted in from the door of the bedroom. 'Where am I? Oh right... Tenma-chan's house,' he thought groggily, while images of Tenma danced through his head. He slammed his head back down against the bottom of his sleeping mat, the pain of his skull banging against the floor refocusing his mind. 'No... she's in America with Karasuma now. I have to forget about her.'
Still trying not to think about Tenma and Karasuma, he stumbled over to the bath room to brush his teeth and wash up as he thought to himself, 'Imouto-san's probably making breakfast again. She's too nice. I need to stop depending on her so much.'
He stumbled back to his room and put on a clean school uniform. He picked up his school bag from the desk and headed downstairs. He thought of the past few days that he had spent living here trying to keep himself busy with his manga. He didn't really care about going to school now. The only reason he had gone before was to be with Tenma-chan. But maybe getting out of the house would help him re-focus his thoughts. His future seemed so muddy now, with no clear goal in sight. At least it might keep him busy, too. Keep him from trying to run to America after Tenma.
As he rounded the hallway and made it into the kitchen, he saw Yakumo quickly filling three lunch boxes with rice. She looked up and smiled at Harima with warmth in her reddish-brown eyes. She bustled around the kitchen with a natural grace. Finishing with the lunch boxes, she said cheerfully, "Good morning, Harima-sempai. Please have a seat, breakfast is almost ready."
"You don't have to bother yourself for me, Imouto-san," he said gruffly.
Yakumo blushed slightly and mumbled, "Well, I was cooking for Sara and myself, too, so one more isn't any trouble..."
'I have to stop taking advantage of Imouto-san's good will. Maybe there's something I can do for her...' Harima tried to think about it as Yakumo finished up breakfast and their lunches.
He had been staying with Yakumo and Sara for a while now, but this was the first day of the new school term. Harima looked around and said "Oh... where's Sara-san?"
Yakumo sat down across the table from Harima and, blushing slightly, said, "Sara left for school already. She said she... had something she wanted to do."
Harima grunted, thinking 'She's probably trying to give me and Imouto-san some time alone together. Why does she keep misunderstanding our relationship?'
"Thanks for breakfast, Imouto-san," Harima said as he started eating. She smiled shyly at him and started eating, too. 'Imouto-san's cooking is so much better than Tenma-chan's,' Harima thought to himself then ruthless shoved that thought aside, 'I have to stop thinking about Tenma or I'll go mad!' Looking at Yakumo's smile, Harima resolved to find some way to pay her back for her kindness. 'That should help keep my mind off of... other things.'
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Tsukamoto Yakumo walked down the street next to Harima, thinking 'This is the first day of the new school term. I wonder what class each of us will be in?'
She glanced at over at Harima walking casually beside her, 'I wonder if he got held back a year if we'd be in the same class...' She shook her head and chided herself for thinking that, 'I shouldn't hope for sempai to fail just so that I can see him more. I already live in the same house as him.' She blushed furiously at the thought.
Harima looked over at her curiously and said, "What's wrong Imouto-san?"
"N... Nothing," Yakumo stammered. Trying to change the subject quickly, she said, "Are you going to be eating lunch with your friends today, sempai?"
He looked thoughtful for a moment and frowned slightly. "No, not really, I don't really have many friends in school."
That made Yakumo frown from for a moment before she continued, "You don't have any close friends, Harima-sempai?"
He laughed, "Delinquents don't make many friends. With all you've done for me, I guess you're the closest friend I have. Anyway, why did you ask?"
You're the closest friend I have.
Harima's single thought, echoing his words, flashed briefly across Yakumo's awareness before his mind faded again to silence. Yakumo almost stumbled in surprise, but managed to keep on walking next to him, blushing. 'Courage... Sara said I have to be bold,' she thought. Gathering herself, she said aloud, "Well, if you're not eating lunch with anyone maybe we could eat together..."
Harima gave her a big thumbs up. "Great idea, Imouto-san! We can go over some ideas for the manga, too!"
Yakumo had to keep herself from sighing. She loved working on the manga with him since it let them spend so much time together, but she wished he'd show some interest in her personally. She thought idly, 'I wonder if sempai will ever get over nee-san... But I can't get discouraged. He said I was his closest friend, right? One step at a time...'
"Takano-sempai wanted to have the first Tea Club meeting after classes today. If... If you want maybe you could come over," Yakumo said nervously. She fidgeted a bit and continued, "I'm sure Takano-sempai wouldn't mind if you did your drawing there while we have our meeting."
Harima grimaced, "I'm not sure if Takano-san really wants me hanging around her club. Or Itoko either. But it's not like I have anywhere better to go, and I need your help with the manga anyway. You sure she won't try to kick me out?"
Yakumo thought for a moment and replied, "I don't think it'll be a problem." She hesitated before saying, "You don't have to come though. I... I was just hoping you'd be able to help me with some grocery shopping after work."
Harima's eye's lit up and he gave her another big thumbs up. "Anything I can do to help you, Imouto-san."
Yakumo smiled at the thought of spending more time with Harima today. She idly began to make up a menu of what to cook tonight and for tomorrow's lunch, 'He likes curry right?'
YAKUMOOOOOOO!!!!!! What's she doing walking with that delinquent!
Her planning was abruptly interrupted buy the pressure of someone else's strong thoughts pushing against her consciousness. She could feel him... Hanai Haruki... She glanced around and saw Hanai looking intensely at her from inside the gates of Yagami High School and she instinctively half hid behind Harima.
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Harima frowned, buried deep in his own thoughts as we walked next to Yakumo on the way to Yagami High. 'I never really made many friends at this school. I love Temna... loved Tenma... but I guess Tenma doesn't really count now that she's run off to be with that evil bastard Karasuma. Well, I guess I did help send her there, but... NO! Best to not think about Tenma. And really, Imouto-san is the only person in school that I hang out with at all now.'
He glanced over at her. 'I bet she thinks I'm pathetic for not having more friends. And I still haven't thought of a way to thank her for letting me freeload at place! Other than manga, my only talents seem to be fighting, riding a motorcycle, and failing tests...'
Yakumo slid behind him as if she was putting him between her and someone else, which brought Harima quickly out of his own brooding. Harmia scanned the road for any sign of danger but there weren't any other people within 5 meters of them. He frowned, "What's wrong Imouto-san?"
She looked nervously at Harima and whispered embarrasedly, "It's Hanai-sempai... "
Harima looked closely at the crowd in front of the school and saw Hanai staring tensely at Yakumo. His frown deepened, "Is that four-eyed ass-kisser bothering you?" He thought to himself, 'Does she need me to protect her from four-eyes? I didn't think he was the kind of guy to molest a helpless girl...'
Yakumo looked up at him. "He's... not really bothering me, but... I wish he wouldn't..." She frowned, "I... I don't really enjoy being near him."
"Leave it to me, Imouto-san!" Harima said firmly. "I'll kick his ass if he doesn't leave you alone." He told himself, 'This is it! Maybe my fighting skills aren't useless in helping Imouto-san if I can just chase this bastard away from her.'
As they walked together onto the school yard, Hanai practically ran up to them, fuming. "What are you doing bothering Tsukamoto-kun on her way to school?" Hanai yelled.
Yakumo shrank further behind Harima and mumbled, "It... it's not like that..."
Harima grinned evilly at Hanai. "Imouto-san wanted me to protect her from this glasses wearing stalker who'd been bothering her."
Hanai yelled at him, "Stalker? Where?! I'll protect her myself! She needs a better defender than a stupid delinquent."
Hearing those words, Harima's burned with anger hot enough to be felt by everyone within 50 feet. They all took a step back, except for Yakumo.
'Yes!', Harima thought gleefully, 'I haven't felt this alive since my last fight!'
Suou Mikoto, who and been coming up behind Hanai and had heard the conversation tried to reason with Hanai, "Maybe you should cool it a bit, Haruki..."
Hanai ignored her and immediately tried to grapple Harima, who in turn grabbed both of Hanai's hands. The two combatants stood there, locked in a viscous struggle, both desperately trying to overwhelm the other with sheer brute force.
Seeing Harima wrestling with Hanai, Yakumo said worriedly, "Please be don't get hurt just for my sake, Harima-sempai!"
Harima turned his head to grin confidently at her, saying, "Hearing that from a woman he's protecting, no real man could back down."
Hanai, on hearing Yakumo worrying about Harima, suddenly hesitated, unsure of himself. This allowed Harima to kick him squarely in the gut. Hanai dropped his hands instinctively to cradle his bruised stomach. Harima, never being one to let go of an advantage, punched Hanai as hard as he could across the face, knocking him unconscious to the ground in front of Suou's feet. Dusting off his hands he looked warily at Suou, "Not gonna try to avenge his honor, are you?"
Suou grimaced and shrugged, "I'm not going to finish up a stupid fight he started himself." She grabbed his collar and started dragging him across the ground to their classroom, though.
Turning back towards Yakumo, Harima said cheerfully, "Ready to find out which classes we're in?"
Yakumo smiled at him and nodded, "Let's go, sempai."
Harima walked with her towards where the class rolls were posted, thinking, 'Tenma may have left, and there's nothing more I can do to make her happy. But this year I can at least protect her little sister, and show Imouto-san how grateful I am for all her help. Maybe that'll be enough to keep my mind busy.'
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Sawachika Eri watched the fight between Harima and Hanai with disgust written plainly on her face, 'Stupid Hige... can't he even wait for the first day of classes to begin before he starts a fight?'
Her expression turned into an angry glare when she looked at Yakumo, 'Can't she just tell Hanai no herself? Why does she have to drag Hige into her problems.'
"That's because she has a hard time expressing her feelings. Also it seems the only people who can beat some sense into Hanai are Harima and Mikoto."
"Gah! Don't sneak up on me, Akira!"
Takano Akira put a hand on her friend's shoulder, "Sorry, but you were so busy staring at Harima, you didn't notice me waving at you."
"I was not staring at him!" Eri replied fervently, shaking her head in denial.
"Oh? You weren't wishing it was you Harima was getting into a fight for?"
"No, not at all!"
Akira looked at Eri slyly, and nodded to herself. Smiling ever so slightly, she replied, "Then you won't mind if Harima joins the tea club with Yakumo?"
Eri turned a bright shade of red, "That stupid Hige doesn't know the first thing about tea! You'd be better off recruiting a... a dog. At least it'd be more obedient."
Akira shook her head and replied, "I see. Well anyway, did you see what class we're in this year, hmm?"
"No, but I'm sure you already know..."
Akira nodded, and replied, "3-C... Don't worry, Harima's in the same class too."
"Like I would care."
Akira shook her head again and walked away, "Don't say I didn't try to help you."
Eri glared at Akira's back in annoyance, 'She always does that!' Eri sighed and thought, 'I shouldn't get mad at her, though. I know she means well.'
She looked back to Harima and Yakumo and saw them walking into the school building together. Shaking her head, she started walking after them, 'I have to find some way to get him away from little miss perfect.'
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Eri tried to think of ways to get closer to Harima all through the opening ceremony for the new school year, but couldn't come up with anything. 'Maybe I can try talking to him during lunch. At least Yakumo won't be around him then.'
As the lunch bell rang, Eri dug through her bag and took out her lunch. She turned towards Harima's desk and said, "Hey Harima..."
"He's already left," Akira said abruptly, "If you hurry you might be able to catch him."
"What?" Eri glanced quickly around the classroom. "Stupid Hige..."
Ignoring her lunch, she got up from her desk and left to find Harima. As she entered the hallway, she saw him walking towards the stairway that lead up to the roof of the building. She started to follow him quickly, but she stopped dead when she saw him meet someone coming up from the stairs from the lower floor.
"Ah... Imouto-san, there you are. Let's go up to the roof. We should be able to eat up there undisturbed."
"That sounds fine, Harima-sempai."
Eri pressed herself back into the doorway of another classroom. She saw the two lunch boxes that Yakumo was carrying and thought, 'Gah... trying to bribe your way into his heart through his stomach, huh? You're such a cheater.'
Once she heard them open the door to the room, Eri crept quietly up the stairs and put her ear up against the door. She could barely make out every few words they were saying.
"... too soon ... to kiss..."
"... romantic..."
"... start... rival ... better..."
'Oh, so she's not ready to kiss him, huh? Well it looks like I just have to beat her to that.'
Nodding to herself, Eri walked quietly down the stairs and headed back to eat her lunch.
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"I think it's too soon for these two characters to kiss," Harima mused.
"But I think it'd be quite romantic," Yakumo replied while picking at her lunch.
"But the heroic part is about to start. When his rival comes to challenge him. I think it would be better if she were to kiss him to re-energize his fighting spirit after he's been beaten up a bit."
"I suppose, but why can't they do both? I think the audience would feel sad if the main character only got her affection when he was being beaten up."
"Ah... you're probably right, Imouto-san. It'd be cruel to the readers if the hero and his love never had any good romantic moments together."
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Yakumo looked at the clock for the twentieth time in the last five minutes. 'Just a little bit more before time for clubs. I hope he'll be there today.'
She had sent a text message to Takano-sempai this morning making sure it'd be okay for Harima to come. So that at least wouldn't be a problem. She wondered idly, if Takano-sempai could give her any advice about Harima. She seemed to know the most surprising things. 'No, she's Sawachika-sempai's friend too. I don't think she'd want to get in the middle of this...'
The school bell rang, interrupting Yakumo's thoughts and ending the class. Yakumo quickly packed up her bag, and started to stand up.
"Oh, you're not going to leave without me, are you?" Sara Adiemus asked, smiling as she walked over to Yakumo's desk. "Or are you just nervous that he might get there before you do?"
Yakumo blushed and looked over at her friend, "Are you ready to go? I... don't want to be late."
Sara giggled, "Yup! Let's try not to keep Harima-sempai waiting too long."
The two newly promoted second year students walked together out of their classroom and over to the tea club room. As they entered the clubroom, Yakumo saw that Takano-sempai was already sitting in the room making a batch of tea. Yakumo looked around and felt a tiny needle of frustration when she saw Sawachika-sempai sitting in the room as well.
"Ah... Sara, Yakumo... I hope you don't mind but my friend Eri wanted to try some of our tea today."
Eri smiled and said, "Well, since I'm not a regular of any clubs, I thought I might see if I wanted to join your tea club this year. It's important to learn more about my Japanese Heritage after all."
Yakumo walked quietly into the clubroom and sat down at the table with Sara, thinking, 'But at this rate Harima-sempai...'
At that moment, Harima opened the door. He looked at the four girls sitting there in the room, and paused. Giving a meaningful look to Yakumo, he said, "Ah... Imouto-san, I just wanted to tell you to tell that I'll be on the roof this afternoon. Please get me when you decide to head home."
With that he turned around quickly and closed the door behind him.
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Osakabe Itoko sat drinking a small cup of green tea with Takano Akira after the tea club meeting had finished. "Well, that was quite an awkward meeting."
Akira shook her head, "Not as awkward as it should have been. I had hoped that bringing them together would lead to some break through in their situation."
Itoko raised an eyebrow at her, "It's not like you to interfere like this."
"Eri's my friend and Yakumo is my friend's sister and my junior in the club. This situation needs to be cleared up. The longer it lingers, the more hurt there will be at the end."
"And Kenji is stubborn and still too in love with Tenma to choose either of them. What will you do if he can't decide, or if he chooses neither?"
"If he chooses neither, that'll be fine. But I WILL make him choose before the year is out."
"Hmph... you're pretty stubborn yourself. Good luck, though. You'll need it."
Akira simply nodded and continued to drink her tea.
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A/N: I've actually been kicking this story around for awhile, but it's taken me a long time to finish. Maybe it's the jumping perspectives. Anyway, it'll probably take me awhile to write the next chapter.