Disclaimer: I'm nice, you're nice, we all know that FoR doesn't belong to me so play nice and don't sue ok?

On with the story, ENJOY!!!

Standing Around

"Fuu-Chan!" Yanagi's gentle voice called out to me. "We're over here!"

Craning my neck, I looked towards the direction of her voice and found her waving at me. It was the first day in our last year of high school. Next year would be a new year, new school, new opportunities and a new chance. But for now, we would relish the moments we have together and fight towards that new beginning that is waiting for us.

"Yanagi-chan!" I grabbed her in a bone-crushing hug. It's been three weeks since we've last met as I had gone over to my grandmother's house in Hokkaido, losing touch with the rest of the gang. "Kami-sama! I've missed you so much!"

Just as I was letting go of Yanagi, allowing her face color to return to it's normal healthy pink, someone banged my shoulder, causing me to lose my balance.

"Itai!" My 'assailant' fell onto the floor from the impact of our crash, rubbing her bruised shoulder while sending me a glare along the way. "Can you stop standing around? There are people who are trying to move from place to place!... Oh no! I'm late!"

Barely noticing the rest of her speech, I ignored her when she brushed herself off and rushed to her class. The words reverberating in my head.

"Fuu-chan? What's wrong?" Yanagi's hand gently grasped mine, shaking me out of my reverie.

Shaking my head of my thoughts, I turned to smile at her.

"Daijoubu."

'...stop standing around...'

~~~~~~~~~~

Sitting in class, trying to keep my attention on the history teacher was not an easy task, especially when he's teaching World War Two. Who really cares about a war that has passed for more than half a century?

I turned to my right, casting Yanagi a bored look. She spared me a second, flashing me a sympathetic smile before bending down to continue with her note taking. Rolling my eyes at Yanagi's conscientiousness, I turned my gaze elsewhere.

Just as I had predicted earlier on, everyone was busy with their heads down, copying every word that Takizawa sensei spouted as though it was the Gospel.

At the back of the classroom I noted a student who, like me, was bored and most definitely not listening to Takizawa sensei - Mikagami Tokiya. However, unlike me, he did it with confidence, knowing that he would definitely ace this subject with or without listening to class. Glancing at him surreptitiously, I took in his arrogant and self-assured gait, as well as his distancing aura. To many, he was a God - someone to be admired but not touched. To me... to me, he would have been, but he was not.

~~~~~~~~~~

BUMP!

"Itai!" I choked out those words as I fell straight onto the cement pavement my knees scraping the hard floor painfully.

Looking up, I was preparing my death glare as well as a long speech about how blind people should not be allowed onto the streets at least not without a sign or some warning ten feet away. But I could not.

Giving me a bored look and his patented glare, the Adonis standing before me smirked.

"Cat got your tongue?"

~~~~~~~~~~

"Kirisawa-san!" An angry voice boomed out waking me from my memory. "Could you tell me how our Japanese troops managed to fool the British in our invasion of Syo-nan-to??"

Gulping, I literally broke out in sweat at Takizawa sensei's question. How the heck was I supposed to give him an answer when I haven't even read pass the contents page of the history text??

"Eeto sensei..." I was just about to say 'it was magic??' but another voice cut in.

"We did it from the North instead of the South. The British had thought that we would pick the natural route which is from the sea so they countered it by facing their artillery in that direction. Knowing it, we came in by the forests using bicycles as opposed to tanks so as not to be hindered or delayed. Advancing swiftly, we caught them unawares and completed our invasion of Singapore."

Shocked, silence filled the classroom momentarily. Make no mistake, the perfect answer was not what stunned the class, the surprise arose from the fact that the quiet seemingly distant Mikagami Tokiya actually participated in a class discussion albeit a class punishment at that. I, like the rest of the class, was trying to comprehend what has just passed. Mikagami Tokiya talking? The God actually spoke up? And for me??

But before Takizawa sensei could reply, the bell rang, signaling the start of our lunch hour.

~~~~~~~~~~

The class was abuzz with conversation. 'Mostly about Mikagami's contribution to the class no doubt' I thought sourly to myself.

Glancing in his direction, I dug my hand into my pocket and fingered the soft material of the handkerchief that lay there.'It's now or never.' Resolutely, I stood up and walked to his desk.

"Mikagami-kun, I... I would like to thank you f-for helping me just now."

Sputtering out those words like a lovesick fool, I cringed on the inside. 'That was great, now you're gonna say "Would you like me to shine your shoes?" just like his fan club would!'

So lost in my self admonishment, I didn't realize that he had stood up until his shadow loomed in front of me.

"Are you done? I only did it because I could not stand Takizawa sensei. It has got nothing to do with you. Stop standing around."

Moving aside, he brushed pass me towards the door. It was only then that I realized that the entire class' attention was focused on me and what had just transpired. Glaring at them, I walked back to my seat. Thank Kami-sama he spoke softly so they could not hear the cold words he had said.

Pulling out the handkerchief, I held it to my nose inhaling the pine wood scent it emanated as I whispered to myself.

"I am not lovesick."

~~~~~~~~~~

Annoyed that what he said was true, I spat bitterly. "You're the one who bumped into me! I should demand an apology now!"

Standing up, I bent my scraped knee, checking to see the severity of the wound. Noting that it was not just a superficial wound, I turned to the arrogant Adonis next to me.

"If this wound does not heal by next week, you're going to pay!"

Looking me up and down in an attempt to enrage and intimidate me, his words came out measured and cool.

"I will take no responsibility for your clumsiness."

~~~~~~~~~~

The whistle went off.

I kicked back against the track and shot off like a bullet. Feeling the wind whipping against my face, I grinned as I pushed my legs to move faster, my arms to swing quicker and my body to flow with the air around me. I truly felt in my element when I was running. It wasn't long before I outstripped the rest of my team members and was reaching the finishing line.

As it came in view, I noticed something, or rather someone, who was not a natural scene at the track - Mikagami Tokiya. Dressed in the typical school uniform, he looked out of place at the track where everyone was wearing their T-shirts and shorts. Yet, he didn't really seem to notice it as he nonchalantly watched the track team train.

'What is he doing here?'

"Kirisawa-chan! You're doing very well!" The voice of my coach sounded out as he came to me, reporting my time. Dazed and momentarily distracted, the last thought before I turned to my coach was 'he looks cute in that.'

~~~~~~~~~~

"Yanagi-cha~an," I whined to my best friend of 6 years. "How could you??"

Giving her my famed 'Fuuko-Bambi-and-puppy-dog-eyes' combo, I pouted at her while she just quietly giggled.

"You know that my competition is coming up next week. Next week! And you brought me to this restaurant??"

"But it's your favorite!" She protested weakly, although she was right. Yanagi knew all about me, and was well aware of my habits. Ever since we were in middle school, we would come to this restaurant at my insistence. I could not survive a Monday without eating here. Citing the reason to be that 'it makes the week a lot more bearable!'.

"And I love the brownies here!!!!" I retorted. "I can't eat brownies when I'm going to run next week! It's not good for my form!!!"

"Oh look, the clumsy girl is whining again." A familiar taunt from a very familiar classmate of mine.

Raising my eyes, I frowned, more at the flutter in my stomach than the sharp ends of his words.

"Mikagami-kun! What an unpleasant surprise!" I forced my heart to return to it's normal speed. I would not let his perfect face ruin my reputation! I would not-

"Hn. I just wanted to tell you to keep your voice down, it's not that pleasant to begin with, so don't share it with the whole restaurant."

Feeling my eyebrow twitch, I was prepared to return with another comeback when Yanagi grasp my arm, smiling up at Mikagami.

"Please forgive Fuu-chan, she was just too excited."

Damn Yanagi and her good manners! Scowling at her, I forcefully grabbed my lemonade and thanked Kami-sama for a drink as sour as my mood - I will -not- be flustered just because he -talked- to me!

~~~~~~~~~~

"My clumsiness?? If you have yet to notice you blind wombat, my knee is injured! I'm sure I don't go around flinging myself on the ground just for kicks!" I shouted, putting emphasis on my wounded limb by pointing to it with my forefinger. "When you're done being a jerk, move out of my way so I can- What are you doing??"

Kneeling down to the level of my wound, Mikagami took out a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed the blood after which, he tied it round the wound to stop the bleeding. Rising up to his normal height, he gripped my arm in a vice jerking it forward.

"You need to go to the nurse."

No one was as bewildered as I was at that moment.

~~~~~~~~~~

"... And coming in first is Kirisawa Fuuko from Tounan High!"

The cheers were deafening, completely overwhelming. It was a proud moment for the school as well as for myself as I knew this would be the last time I will be running for the school.

"Fuuko, I knew that you would make us proud, now you've gotten the gold you've been waiting for. I told you that all you needed was more training especially due to the circumstances last year." The coach's voice was laced with reminiscence and a tinge of pride that made my heart swell. "I still cannot believe how you ran with an injured knee that afternoon!"

"Arigatou." I bowed to her before enveloping her in an embrace. "I'm glad to have made you proud."

"Fuu-chan!"

"Kirisawa-chan!"

"Fuuko!"

The rest of my friends and classmates have found me, coming forward to extend their congratulations and well wishes. Amongst them was one person I was most definitely not prepared to see - Mikagami Tokiya. The crowd parted as they saw him, eyes widening as the God came forth to bestow upon me his Benison.

Smirking, he walked pass me.

"Well done for a clumsy girl, now would you stop standing around?"

~~~~~~~~~~

I sat there with my injured knee perched precariously on the bed while Mikagami stood at the door waiting for the nurse to free herself from the other student.

"Mikagami-kun... A-arigatou for the handkerchief."

I was flustered. It wasn't everyday that the school's handsomest boy would offer his handkerchief to you, and I wasn't prepared for it either.

"I didn't want it anyway, it's so ugly, you can keep it."

"Why you-" I could not continue as my rage was choking the words. How could he be so kind one minute and so infuriating in the next??

Cocking his chin at me in his irritatingly self-assured manner, his next words were the one that I would never forget.

"Just be more alert and -stop standing around-."

 ~~~~~~~~~~

"Banzai!!!" Cheers were resounding throughout the large auditorium.

Today was our Graduation Day. The day we have been waiting with great anxiety and trepidation. Today was the day we inched closer to that dream career of ours, or that adult life we've been waiting for. It was also that day that we would shed our childish airs and enter the unknown.

"Yanagi-chan! Let's go to eat at the restaurant later!" I chimed out to my best friend.

"Sure!" She agreed immediately, smiling as she did. "But why? It's not even Monday!"

Pouting at her, I gave her a winsome yet wistful grin.

"Next year, you'll be going off to Kyoto, who knows when we are going to next meet? I would love to eat there with you one last time."

"Don't sound so morbid you clumsy girl, I didn't realize you were going to die."

Caught unawares, I spun around coming eye to eye with Mikagami.

"Wow, Mikagami-kun, if I didn't know better, I would think that you enjoy sneaking up to me!"

He ignored me, turning to Yanagi instead. "Would you mind if I had a moment with her?"

Stunned, Yanagi merely nodded before smiling sweetly at the both of us and scampered off to find the rest of our classmates.

"Traitor..." I muttered under my breath.

"Kirisawa..." He spoke up ignoring my mutter despite hearing it clearly, "I just wanted to give you this. Have a good day."

Putting a large envelope in my hands, he turned and strode towards the exit of the auditorium. Taken aback, all I did was shout to his retreating back. "Aren't you even going to tell me to 'stop standing around'??"

Stopping just for a minute he glanced back, and replied before leaving.

"Today you didn't 'stand around'."

~~~~~~~~~~

It was a year before I saw him again, outside our old high school, at the same spot where we bumped into each other.

Smiling bashfully at him, I walked up and greeted him.

"Konnichiwa."

"Kirisawa, since when were you so polite?"

He still looked very much the same. The same hair, the same eyes, the same style, but with a rather different attitude.

"I'm surprised you didn't bump into me this time as your clumsy self would."

Alright, scratch that, a -modified- attitude.

Just as I was to shoot him a comeback, he took one step closer to me, pulling the locket I wore around my neck out while smirking softly to himself.

"You're wearing it."

Unprepared for his actions as well as the soft expression on his face, I was dumbstruck. He -did- mean all the things he wrote to me in that letter enclosed in the envelope.

Softly, he spoke up.

"... I never got a chance to say to you what I have always kept in my heart..."

Reciting the words from his letter, from his heart, he looked deep into my eyes and straight into my soul.

"... To me, you've never just 'stood around'. No, someone like you could never merely 'stand around'. Not when we first met, nor when you ran that race with an injury knowing that you would never win. No, you, Fuuko, stand -out-..."

Smiling gently at my shocked and awestruck expression, he placed his hands on my waist, sending shivers up and down on my spine as he drew me close.

"... All this time, I may have seemed to intrude upon your frustrations and rage, but did you realize that you were the only one I wanted to do that to? I only wanted a part of your life, a part of your time, a part of your thoughts. Won't you let me in?..."

Leaning my head upon his chest, hearing his heartbeat, feeling his arms tighten around me in a warm embrace, I recited along with him, the words I knew so well, the words I read to myself every single lonely night before today.

"...So I will say it now, with a conviction so great, with a heart so full. Do not ask me why or where these feelings arose from, 'Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind'...

"... Will you wait, one year from now at that corner you stole my heart? When the sun sets, casting it's last rays of light upon that pavement, I'll be waiting. If you are not there, I shall know that my heart was meant to be broken. But if you reach there on that appointed time and day, I hope you would wear this locket I buy as a sign of your affection."

Pulling away from me, he stopped reciting as he gazed deep into my eyes, reading the emotions that were laid so bare before him, the emotions that emerged even before his did.

Grinning unabashedly at him, I confessed.

"Maybe I resented you for not getting that gold three years ago, but now... Now, I'm waiting one year from last year, at that corner I stole your heart, when the sun sets, casting it's last rays of light upon this pavement, just as you're waiting. I'm wearing the locket you bought as a sign of my affection... no, love. And now, I'm grateful to give up that gold, for a treasure far more worthy and far more precious."

Grasping the lapels of his collar, I pulled him down, towards me. His face merely centimeters away from mine before I continued.

"So stop standing around and kiss me already!"

Matching my grin, he replied in the only way he knew how.

~Owari~

Author's Note:

Just a couple of explanations -

1. There was really an attack on Singapore (which was renamed 'Syo-nan-to' by the Japanese after they occupied Singapore. Trans: Light of the South). Takizawa sensei is very proud of the Japanese soldiers as he was of the older generation thus he referred to the conquered land as 'Syo- nan-to' while Mikagami did not.

1. As you can see, I did not add the rest of the Hokage team here. I just wanted this story to center around Mikagami and Fuuko's romance - of lack thereof in the beginning. Yanagi was only added because I wanted Fuuko not to be like some other interpretations where she was just a tomboy without any friends because of her choice of BEING a tomboy. -Yes, I'm a self-confessed tomboy, so tomboys of the world, UNITE!!!!-

1. Oh yes, I changed the age gaps a bit. Mikagami is the same age and in the same class as Fuuko. More chances to meet ne?

1. The lines 'sharp ends of his words' came from Jewel's 'Break me' Cool ne? ^_^

1. Please Please PLEASE review! I'm such a sucker for reviews, make my day and press that button!

Translations:

Sensei: teacher Daijoubu: I'm alright Itai: Ouch! Konnichiwa: good afternoon Kami-sama: God

~Haruko

p/s don't you just love that quote from Shakespeare? -swoons-