Nobody Knows
A/N: Hi everyone ! It's my fourth story on this site and I hope you'll like this one as much as the others. This story came to me after watching the japanese movie Nobody Knows from Kore-eda Hirokazu. Some passages will surely be similiar to the movie but all in all, the story is not the same (at least not for now, but it may change). Well, it's all for now (more comments at the end). Justread and possibly enjoy the fic, and keep in mind that english is not my first language.
Disclaimer: Don't make me say it... please...
"speaking"
thinking
emphazise
> > > >
Now on with the story...
> > > >
Splat splat splat.
Akane watched the pouring rain outside of the train, listening to the soothing sound of the fat droplets splashing on the window. A book lay forgotten on her laps, her right hand splayed on the pages to keep it open, her free hand twirling a loose strand of blue-black hair as she watched the buildings flash below.
It was nearly nighttime, the dark grey colour of the rainy sky leaving place to an even darker shade of blue.
The young girl was just coming back from accompanying her older sister, Nabiki, to the airport. The older girl had left Japan to go and pursue her studies of marketing in the United States, leaving behind her family and friends, but with a promise to return at least twice a year.
Akane had never been really close to Nabiki (what with her always making profit of her younger sister behind her back), but she couldn't help but feel a little sad about her sister's departure. Well, she thought while finally closing her book and putting it on the seat beside her, there's still internet and letters. It's not like she's gone forever…
Still, a nagging feeling of loneliness was slowly creeping in her mind, nearly bringing tears to her eyes. Angry for letting herself being so weak, she pressed her forehead against the cool glass of the window and let out a long, deep sigh. She closed her eyes for a second to recompose herself and brought a hand to the back of her neck, letting her head loll from side to side to ease the tension in her muscles. She looked outside once more and noticed the sign reading 'Nerima, Tokyo – 15 km'. Great, only 20 minutes left. She decided to prepare herself to get out and began gathering her things up.
However, just as she was reaching for her bag at her feet, she noticed a small pair of feet belonging to a little boy (not older than 5 years) standing a few centimetres from her. Looking up, she saw that he was looking right at her and her eyebrows rose in question. She opened her mouth to ask what he might want when he began speaking rather quickly.
"Hullo, 'Baa-chan, what're ya doin'?" he asked, blinking his big blue eyes up at her in cute-doggy way.
Letting out the breath she was holding, she smiled wanly at him, not really at ease with small children. "Ano… as you can see, I'm getting ready to get off the train…" she answered softly.
A frown appeared on the boy's chubby face as he began to roll back and forward on his heels. "Oooooh, you're leavin' alweady… I wan'ed ya ta play with me…" He said, looking down at his shoes and locking his hands behind his back.
She melted a little at the puppy-dog act and smiled a more genuine smile, looking down at him now shifting from foot to foot. "Ano, aren't your parents willing to play with you a little? I'm sure if you ask them—"
He again cut her off, looking back up and stopping his movements. "My mama and daddy aren't there."
Her eyes widened in confusion. "You're alone?" she said, sounding more like a statement then a question.
"Na," he said, looking down the alley and pointing a few seats away. "Ranma 'ni-chan is just ther' but he's sleepin' with Eimi."
Akane looked over the back of her seat and in the direction the boy was pointing and effectively saw a young man (she noticed about her age) dozing a few seats from her with a little girl (this one not more than 3 or 4 years old) pressed up against his side and his arm loosely wrapped around her shoulders. Handsome… was the first thing she thought, but, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks, she immediately shook her head to clear it off. No hitting on strangers in the train. Plus, you hate boys, remember.
Well, you really couldn't deny that this young man, who was apparently called Ranma, was in fact a handsome young man. From what Akane could see, he had a lean but well defined body, clothed in what appeared to be a chinese red and short-sleeved shirt and baggy black-green pants. He had also fine and boyish features and jet-black hairs tied in a single ponytail (A/N: like the one he has when he hasn't fallen in the cursed springs yet) that reached his broad shoulders.
Realizing she was staring (and staring is rude!), she turned back to the little kid and saw that he was sitting comfortably beside her, looking for pictures in the book she had been… hum… reading earlier. Sitting back down, she decided she had still a little time and looked back out the window at the now completely dark sky, stars now clearly visible as it had stopped raining. Just as her thoughts began drifting away, the boy spoke again.
"What's your name?" he asked, the book now closed on his swaying legs.
She looked down at him before answering in a small but gentle voice, "Akane. You?" She smiled slightly.
A large and joyous grin spread on his face. "Satoru !" he exclaimed. "You wanna know how old I am?" he asked with an eager smile, as if he was going to reveal a very important secret.
The young girl simply nodded, her smile widening. As she looked down at him counting his age on his fingers, she suddenly noticed that the great loneliness she was feeling earlier had now completely disappeared.
A/N: Well... a little short and cliffy, yes?Anyway, don't worry, Ranma won't sleep any longer, he'll be awake in the next chappies, I swear (even if I haven't decided yet what will happen next... not very inspired at the moment...). So, loved / hated ? It's for you to review and maybe help me for the good continuation of the story... it's all in your hands. Now I'm back to rereading Harry Potter (but now in english), ja ne !