Disclaimer: I don't own Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou. Obviously. If I did, the
story would be much more focused on Kazuma and Tsubasa.
Author's Note: Hi all!! I've decided to take a break from my FF7 fic. *AT grumbles about her friend not e-mailing her the first five pages of the next chapter of said fic* Anyway, I just watched episodes 12 and 13 of the Kare Kano anime. I was like, wow. Kazuma's mad hot. ^/////^ But there was not enough there to satiate me, so I'll be writing Kare Kano for a while. Basically, because I can and want to. So there.
In this chapter: Tsubasa goes through a normal day that could change her life forever.
Enjoy!!
Chapter 1:
I Don't Understand
It was a long walk from the school to her house. The afternoon sun was always hot, and she forced herself to walk faster. Her feet padded softly against the hard concrete. She could feel the vibrations of her steps traveling up her legs. She walked faster.
Houses passed by slowly. A man walking his dog waved, and she ignored him. Most people were friendly to her. She knew it was only because she was cute. If she looked different somehow, she would never get the attention that she got now.
It was too easy to manipulate people. Whatever she wanted, she got. It was that simple. People tried too hard to think of her as innocent and naïve. She did nothing to dissuade them. She acted how they expected her to act, and no one was able to see through that act.
No one.
Tsubasa stopped at a street corner and looked both ways. No cars were coming. She hurried across the street. Her backpack was slipping, and she hefted it up on her shoulders. Books were getting heavier and heavier every year.
Was it really that strange to act selfishly? She knew she was selfish. She wanted things and got them. She understood that meant she was spoiled. Maybe it was unfair to expect anyone to want to be with her. Her personality was too twisted. No one could ever love her. They might love her fake personality, but not who she really was inside.
Souichiro liked her. He liked her a lot. They understood each other. She could stay with him, and he wouldn't mind. Even if he didn't see her romantically, he would still talk and laugh with her. Maybe that was all she could hope for.
Then Yukino showed up. Who did she think she was, taking Souichiro like that? Tsubasa had known him first. Didn't that count for anything?
There was no hope for it now. Yukino and Souichiro had fallen in love, and they were too close for anyone to come between them. Tsubasa knew they both cared for her, but it was still painful. Being close to them was painful.
She reached the door of her home. A hand slipped into her pocket, and came out with the key. She opened the door and walked inside, flipping the lights on. A note caught her attention. It read:
"Tsubasa,
Things to do- Dishes Laundry Dinner
Thanks honey.
Dad"
She smiled slightly. He needed her. She was the only one who was able to take care of the house, since he worked all day. Doing the chores was never a burden on her. They proved how much he needed her there.
She quietly hummed a song that had been stuck in her head all day. She walked into the kitchen and turned on the faucet. The cold water felt great on her hands, but she hurriedly turned it to hot. She squeezed a small amount of dish detergent out on the sponge, and began to scrub the dishes thoroughly. The song ended, and she started over again.
The laundry was easier. All of the dirty clothes were already in the hamper. She took out the laundry basket, and piled all of the clothes onto it. She carried it down the hallway, grabbing detergent along the way. Once both were in the machine, she nodded to herself and turned away.
Dinner was always the hardest. She wanted to make something that daddy would be happy to eat when he came home. What if he didn't like what she cooked for him? It was a worry that was constantly on her mind. It hadn't happened so far, but the worry was always there.
As she was preparing dinner, the laundry machine stopped. She paused and hurried to put the clothes in the dryer with a sheet of fabric softener. She went back to her meal with confidence.
By the time everything was complete, daddy came home. He paused in the hall to take off his shoes, then went into the kitchen.
"Hi, honey."
"Hi, daddy. I just finished making dinner."
"Mmm. smells good. What are we having?"
"Shoga-yaki and gyoza dumplings," she replied as they sat down at the table.
"Itadakimasu!"
They ate in relative silence, both completely lost in thought. Tsubasa barely tasted any of what she made. He wasn't saying anything. Did that mean he didn't like it, and was too nice to tell her? Normally they made conversation, but he was acting different. Should she say something? Maybe she should. Maybe it would ease the tension a bit.
"How was work, daddy?"
"Fine."
.....
Okay, that didn't work. Maybe it really was her. She probably did something to upset him. It would be better to keep quiet until she found out what was wrong. It didn't have to be her. It could be any number of things. She should just keep quiet.
So she did.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that night, Tsubasa was doing the dishes once again when her father asked to speak with her. She agreed immediately and put the dishes on hold. Talking with her father was much more important than doing dishes ever could be.
She walked into the living room and sat down next to him.
"Tsubasa, I need to discuss something with you."
She nodded, eager to hear whatever had been troubling him. It was too much for her to take anymore, just sitting there waiting.
"Well, you see, when you were in the hospital I met a nurse there. Ikeda Hiromi. I was having a really hard time dealing with everything, and she helped me out a lot." He looked up to see her reaction, but there was nothing to see. "Anyway, we ended up going out together a few times. We really like each other, Tsubasa." Still no reaction from her. "We're thinking of getting remarried. How do you feel about that?"
The silence was deafening. How did she feel? How did she feel about another woman, a harlot, sneaking in and taking her daddy away from her? She knew exactly how she felt about that!
"How do I feel?" she repeated dully, letting the words sink in.
Her father waited nervously. He knew she would have a strong opinion on this, one way or the other. He just hoped she could agree with him.
"Why?" Tsubasa looked up at her daddy before continuing. "Why do you want to marry? I do everything around here! What do you need that I don't do? I do whatever you tell me too! Why would you want to get remarried?"
"Tsubasa, I know this is difficult for you. But please try to understand how I feel. I-"
"How you feel? That's easy enough. You want some woman to pretend to be my mother. What's wrong with you?! Can't you see that I don't want anyone coming here?!"
"Tsubasa."
"No!!" She stood up and faced him defiantly. He knew she didn't realize she was crying. "I don't care what you have to say. I don't want you to remarry! I don't want someone to come between us! I don't!!"
"Tsubasa, calm down-"
"Why would you do this?!" she cried, pacing back and forth in front of the couch. "I don't understand..... I don't understand you at all!!"
Tsubasa ran out of the room, slamming her bedroom door shut behind her.
Author's Note: Hi all!! I've decided to take a break from my FF7 fic. *AT grumbles about her friend not e-mailing her the first five pages of the next chapter of said fic* Anyway, I just watched episodes 12 and 13 of the Kare Kano anime. I was like, wow. Kazuma's mad hot. ^/////^ But there was not enough there to satiate me, so I'll be writing Kare Kano for a while. Basically, because I can and want to. So there.
In this chapter: Tsubasa goes through a normal day that could change her life forever.
Enjoy!!
Chapter 1:
I Don't Understand
It was a long walk from the school to her house. The afternoon sun was always hot, and she forced herself to walk faster. Her feet padded softly against the hard concrete. She could feel the vibrations of her steps traveling up her legs. She walked faster.
Houses passed by slowly. A man walking his dog waved, and she ignored him. Most people were friendly to her. She knew it was only because she was cute. If she looked different somehow, she would never get the attention that she got now.
It was too easy to manipulate people. Whatever she wanted, she got. It was that simple. People tried too hard to think of her as innocent and naïve. She did nothing to dissuade them. She acted how they expected her to act, and no one was able to see through that act.
No one.
Tsubasa stopped at a street corner and looked both ways. No cars were coming. She hurried across the street. Her backpack was slipping, and she hefted it up on her shoulders. Books were getting heavier and heavier every year.
Was it really that strange to act selfishly? She knew she was selfish. She wanted things and got them. She understood that meant she was spoiled. Maybe it was unfair to expect anyone to want to be with her. Her personality was too twisted. No one could ever love her. They might love her fake personality, but not who she really was inside.
Souichiro liked her. He liked her a lot. They understood each other. She could stay with him, and he wouldn't mind. Even if he didn't see her romantically, he would still talk and laugh with her. Maybe that was all she could hope for.
Then Yukino showed up. Who did she think she was, taking Souichiro like that? Tsubasa had known him first. Didn't that count for anything?
There was no hope for it now. Yukino and Souichiro had fallen in love, and they were too close for anyone to come between them. Tsubasa knew they both cared for her, but it was still painful. Being close to them was painful.
She reached the door of her home. A hand slipped into her pocket, and came out with the key. She opened the door and walked inside, flipping the lights on. A note caught her attention. It read:
"Tsubasa,
Things to do- Dishes Laundry Dinner
Thanks honey.
Dad"
She smiled slightly. He needed her. She was the only one who was able to take care of the house, since he worked all day. Doing the chores was never a burden on her. They proved how much he needed her there.
She quietly hummed a song that had been stuck in her head all day. She walked into the kitchen and turned on the faucet. The cold water felt great on her hands, but she hurriedly turned it to hot. She squeezed a small amount of dish detergent out on the sponge, and began to scrub the dishes thoroughly. The song ended, and she started over again.
The laundry was easier. All of the dirty clothes were already in the hamper. She took out the laundry basket, and piled all of the clothes onto it. She carried it down the hallway, grabbing detergent along the way. Once both were in the machine, she nodded to herself and turned away.
Dinner was always the hardest. She wanted to make something that daddy would be happy to eat when he came home. What if he didn't like what she cooked for him? It was a worry that was constantly on her mind. It hadn't happened so far, but the worry was always there.
As she was preparing dinner, the laundry machine stopped. She paused and hurried to put the clothes in the dryer with a sheet of fabric softener. She went back to her meal with confidence.
By the time everything was complete, daddy came home. He paused in the hall to take off his shoes, then went into the kitchen.
"Hi, honey."
"Hi, daddy. I just finished making dinner."
"Mmm. smells good. What are we having?"
"Shoga-yaki and gyoza dumplings," she replied as they sat down at the table.
"Itadakimasu!"
They ate in relative silence, both completely lost in thought. Tsubasa barely tasted any of what she made. He wasn't saying anything. Did that mean he didn't like it, and was too nice to tell her? Normally they made conversation, but he was acting different. Should she say something? Maybe she should. Maybe it would ease the tension a bit.
"How was work, daddy?"
"Fine."
.....
Okay, that didn't work. Maybe it really was her. She probably did something to upset him. It would be better to keep quiet until she found out what was wrong. It didn't have to be her. It could be any number of things. She should just keep quiet.
So she did.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that night, Tsubasa was doing the dishes once again when her father asked to speak with her. She agreed immediately and put the dishes on hold. Talking with her father was much more important than doing dishes ever could be.
She walked into the living room and sat down next to him.
"Tsubasa, I need to discuss something with you."
She nodded, eager to hear whatever had been troubling him. It was too much for her to take anymore, just sitting there waiting.
"Well, you see, when you were in the hospital I met a nurse there. Ikeda Hiromi. I was having a really hard time dealing with everything, and she helped me out a lot." He looked up to see her reaction, but there was nothing to see. "Anyway, we ended up going out together a few times. We really like each other, Tsubasa." Still no reaction from her. "We're thinking of getting remarried. How do you feel about that?"
The silence was deafening. How did she feel? How did she feel about another woman, a harlot, sneaking in and taking her daddy away from her? She knew exactly how she felt about that!
"How do I feel?" she repeated dully, letting the words sink in.
Her father waited nervously. He knew she would have a strong opinion on this, one way or the other. He just hoped she could agree with him.
"Why?" Tsubasa looked up at her daddy before continuing. "Why do you want to marry? I do everything around here! What do you need that I don't do? I do whatever you tell me too! Why would you want to get remarried?"
"Tsubasa, I know this is difficult for you. But please try to understand how I feel. I-"
"How you feel? That's easy enough. You want some woman to pretend to be my mother. What's wrong with you?! Can't you see that I don't want anyone coming here?!"
"Tsubasa."
"No!!" She stood up and faced him defiantly. He knew she didn't realize she was crying. "I don't care what you have to say. I don't want you to remarry! I don't want someone to come between us! I don't!!"
"Tsubasa, calm down-"
"Why would you do this?!" she cried, pacing back and forth in front of the couch. "I don't understand..... I don't understand you at all!!"
Tsubasa ran out of the room, slamming her bedroom door shut behind her.