Can I Stay By Your Side?

It has been a long time since I read Katekyo Hitman Reborn, but I still want to deliver the story as soon as I can. This is actually a multi-chapter story, but for now, I want to publish it as a one-shot… just to see how receptive is the community towards OC stories. I hope you can support by giving reviews or just… comments?

By the way, in case you're wondering, this chapter started between Chapter 4 and 5 of the manga.

Chapter 1 – Yamamoto Takeshi

I have always been looking at him.

"… The pitcher from our opposing team is readying his throw…" A voice rang throughout the school announcement system.

Many voices cheered enthusiastically throughout Namimori Middle School, and I joined in willingly. On such a good afternoon, there can only be three reasons why students are not leaving school immediately after the school bell.

One. They are detained by the discipline head.

Two. They have club activities to handle.

Three. They stay to support competitions held in Narimori Middle School.

Today, I, Tanaka Sana (aged thirteen), stayed in school for reason number three. Not that I particularly enjoy baseball, even though my family supports the sport.

There is only one reason why I am supporting Namimori's baseball team.

"And he did it!" With that announcement, students gathering at the baseball field cheered. "Even though it's not a homerun, we are not disappointed at all. What accuracy, what strength, indeed it is a smashing hit from our baseball batter, Yamamoto-kun!"

I watched as the tall boy with short black hair sped around the field and made it just in time at the first base. Everyone cheered and waved their arms excitedly. Yamamoto turned back, gave a grin and a short wave.

"Yamamoto-kun," I sighed. "Only you can be this cool and still look so adorable at the same time!"

A girl next to me rolled her eyes and flicked my forehead really hard. I groaned in pain as she tutted at me. "Seriously, Sana-chan, I don't understand what you see in that Yamamoto Takeshi!" Despite her harsh words, she smiled as she lifted her camera to take a picture of me rubbing my sore forehead.

"Yoshiko," I groaned and narrowed my eyes at my classmate and good friend, Matsugawa Yoshiko. "That hurts. And don't impose your preferences on me!"

"Hmph," smirked Yoshiko, flipping her blonde hair. "I'm not gonna worry about you for one bit! At least I know that I've got no immediate competition for Gokudera-kun!"

"A-choo!" We flinched as we heard someone sneeze behind us. We turned around and to Yoshiko's delight, Gokudera Hayato, the recent transfer student, was standing mere metres away from us. With his exotic features and striking hair colour, I must admit, Gokudera is handsome, but not in the way that makes me melt like Yamamoto.

"Gee, Gokudera-kun, did you catch a cold?"

To my surprise, Gokudera laughed. You mean this person can laugh? I stared at Yoshiko with wide eyes.

"It's no problem, tenth!" He scratched his head and grinned at the boy next to him. I recognised the boy. Then again, who doesn't?

"Gee, that Gokudera, what is he thinking?" sighed Yoshiko as the two boys walked further down the corridor and out of sight. "Of all people to make friends with, why is it with that no-good Tsuna?"

"Don't be mean, Yoshi," I frowned. Yoshiko gave me that look that challenged me to try and defend Sawada Tsunayoshi successfully, of which I did try. "I'm sure there are good points about Sawada-san… like… like…" In my mind, I could only think about all the horrible accolades and disasters that followed that poor boy. Just a few weeks ago, he became from famous-throughout-the-grade to famous-throughout-the-school for confessing to the belle of our grade, Sasagawa Kyoko.

Yoshiko had won – it showed all over her face. "Like nothing!" She finished for me with a cheeky grin. "There's nothing good in that Tsuna-kun."

"Well, he helped his class in the volleyball competition." I managed to find something to protest. "Thanks to him, Class 1-A won against us 1-C."

"Well, maybe that's just ONE thing, but No-Good Tsuna needs more if he wants this stigma to end." She looked over her shoulder and out of the window. "The game is almost ending, are you still going to stay?" She lifted her camera. "I have to go back to my club activities."

I nodded. "Thank you for staying with me, Yoshi!" I grinned. "Remember to email me the pictures that you've taken today!" Yoshiko smiled and waved a little before walking away. I turned back to look out of the window and watched the last few minutes of the game. Namimori won in a friendly match, but even if Namimori were to compete seriously anywhere else, I'm sure that they would win.

As long as Yamamoto is there. At least, that's what I want to believe.

Both teams met and shook hands amiably. Some of them even patted Yamamoto's back, probably congratulating him on his almost home-run. Girls ran into the field, giving the towels and honeyed lemons to the exhausted team players.

Hmm. Why couldn't I do that? I made a face at the thought. It will be so embarrassing to go there and present anything. What if he says something like, "Who are you?" I smacked my cheeks at the thought. I will be so embarrassed!

Suddenly, Yamamoto turned his head and looked up at me. My eyes widened – I swooped down under the window – and hated myself for it.

Way to go, Sana, I thought. That was so natural. I'm sure that he has seen me, why didn't I behave more naturally? A wave, a smile… anything would have been less suspicious than hiding the minute we made eye contact. I covered my face with my hair and hands. What an idiot.

I peeked over the window. Yamamoto and the team were no longer there. Oh well, I stood and picked up my bag. Time to go home, I guess. I dug in my bag and took out my phone. There was a message, but it was from Mom, telling me to pick up the carrots and potatoes from the grocery store along the way home. I gave a quick reply and quickly walked out of school.

"Uwah! How did it rain suddenly?" I picked up my bag and ran along the streets and through the park. "No way!" I complained when the rain became heavier. "I can't run all the way home like that!" I made a final dash towards the pavilion in the park. I guess I'll have to wait until the rain stops.

A sound behind me made me turn around. When I saw who it was, I could barely speak.

"Ah, you-" He started.

"… Yamamoto-kun," I mumbled. I clutched my bag closer to myself. Words could not express how I feel. Of course I'm ecstatic to see him, but the rain made my uniform wet. If I were to move my bag away, he can see through everything! "I'm… I'm sorry, I thought I was alone-"

Yamamoto laughed. "Don't worry, I was not alone too-What a minute- Here," He took out his jacket and passed it to me. "Wear this."

I stared at him. "But- How about you?"

He grinned. "I'm not the one who is half-soaked in the rain. You'll catch a cold. Unless you are concerned about my jacket having funny smells…"

"No!" I said immediately. "I mean… thank you for your trouble…" I took the jacket from him and turning around so that my back faced him, I put on the jacket. What is kami-sama doing to me? I beamed. Thank you very much, kami-sama! I'll treasure this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

With my bag and my groceries sitting on the bench, I looked at Yamamoto again. He was squatting by his bag, his back facing me. I could not believe that someone whom I have been admiring from afar, was mere inches away from me. Yoshiko would be so excited to hear this!

"You… What's your name? And your class?"

My heart pounded. He was asking for my name! "Sana… Tanaka Sana…" I mumbled. "From Class 1-C."

He beckoned me to come over. "Look," he said. I walked over and peered over his shoulder. I gasped. There was a puppy sleeping by his bag. "Cute, huh?" He grinned. "I found him in the park just a few days ago, but I've been stopping by to check on him." I resisted a wide grin. The puppy looked no more than a few months old. Even though its dark brown fur were damp and fuzzy, I could not help but notice its white paws. The puppy looked like it was wearing socks.

"It's an Akita," I pointed out the breed of the dog.

"Oh, do you like dogs too?"

"Yeah!" I replied excitedly. At the mention of dogs, my face lit up. "I've an Akita at home too."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it's called Chisuke."

He snorted. "That's a weird name." I giggled and explained that Chisuke's coat was cream yellow and white, like a piece of cheesecake, so the name stuck. "Sounds great, I wish I can own a dog." He sighed enviously.

"Oh? Why can't you?"

"My dad hates it. Says that it would ruin his business."

"My mom did not like it too, when she first saw Chisuke. But now, she could not bear to part with it." I looked at Yamamoto. "What would you name your dog, if you had one?"

"Hmm…" He folded his arms and considered my question seriously. "It's such a difficult question…"

I raised my hands towards him. "You didn't need to really answer it…" I said. Thinking so seriously over such a trivial question, I giggled. He is so cute!

"I've got it!" He grinned. "If it is an Akita, I'll name it 'Jirou'!"

"That's… unusually common." I pointed out.

He turned to me with a half-indignant expression. "But an Akita is Japanese! Of course I have to give it a real, proper Japanese name!"

"So is a Shiba inu."

"Hmm, you're right…" Takeshi fell back into his thoughts. "Then I would need another good, proper Japanese name if that happens…" He frowned and narrowed his eyes. "Maybe… Shouta?"

I could not take it. I burst out laughing. "You are really such a funny person, Yamamoto-kun!"

"Eh, am I?" He exclaimed.

"Yeah, but that's why I like to look at you-" I clamped my hand over my mouth. What. Did. I. Just. Say?

"… Ah!" Recognition flitted across his face. "You were watching the match today, right?" He glanced at me. "In fact, you were there, in that window, for every match that we have."

My jaw could have dropped at that moment and I would not even be aware of it. I knew it! I knew we really made eye contact! And how did he know I was there for every match? Oh crap, does that mean that he knew that I've been watching him? "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to dodge when you turned this way-"

"No, thank you for supporting the team." He smiled. "Next time, just come down to the field and support us. You'll be able to see the game better, right?"

"Eh?" I blinked.

"It's so hard to find girls who are into the baseball game," he explained and rattled on about baseball. I blinked at him. Did he think that I was there because I wanted to see the game? He can be really clueless, like an idiot. I smiled to myself. At least he does not know of my intentions and feelings.

"I hope you work hard in the coming nationals," I smiled at him. However, when he returned the smile, it was not his usual smile. "… Did I say something wrong?"

He shook his head. "It's just that… I have my own doubts."

"About what?"

"I feel a little disconnected in my skill recently. I wonder if I'm over my prime…"

"No way!" I stood suddenly. "You are only thirteen years old!"

"Still…"

I shook my head vigorously. There was no way I could let him think of himself that way! "Yamamoto-kun is an amazing baseball player! Your swings are never excessive and you always hit the ball almost at the same spot on the bat all the time!" I took a deep breath. "It's already a feat to be in the school team as a first year student. You've got to be more confident in yourself!"

I stared at him, waiting for his reply. Is my face blushing? Is my voice trembling? Did I give myself away this time around?

"… You really are interested in baseball, aren't you?" He grinned. "You are even watching all these details!"

I smacked my forehead in exasperation. It's hard to miss these details when your father and brother are baseball fanatics. "No, not really," I said, a little unconvincingly.

Yamamoto smiled. "Well then, to tell you the truth, I really did not know who you are. If I had known that you are such a baseball fan, I would have talked to you earlier."

I cocked my head at his reply. Did he miss the point? He could be really be that clueless about relationships and feelings, I guess. But the sentence where he said that he would have loved to talk to me more… if I heard that out of context, life would be much better.

"I feel horrible that you know about me but I'm only speaking to you for the first time today. I don't like that feeling that people know me but I don't know them… So, Tanaka-san," He asked, stretching out his hand. "Let's be friends." He declared, his smile wide and bright as if he could chase the gloomy rain away.

I blushed, stretching my hand out and holding his hand in a firm handshake. "Let's be friends," I repeated blissfully.

My hand tingled with warmth at his touch.

"Ah, it seems that the rain has somewhat stopped," remarked Yamamoto Takeshi.

I checked my watch. Had it been an hour since we were stranded here at the pavilion? It felt like an eternity. It also felt like a moment. "I guess I should get going. Ah, your jacket-"

"Return it to me tomorrow. If you take it off now, you'll catch a cold. But in return," He grinned. "You have to wash it for me."

I beamed and nodded. "How about Musuke?" I asked of the puppy. It was awake a while ago and was curiously sniffing the smell of the rain. We had named the chocolate brown puppy Musuke, after chocolate mousse cake (It was his idea).

"I can't bring it home, so I can only come every day after school."

"Can… Can I come and visit it too?" I asked shyly.

He looked at me. "Well, whenever you're free, I'm sure Musuke will be happy to see some company." He grinned.

"Yeah, you're right." So that means he has no intention to visit Musuke with me. What was I expecting, anyway? I picked up my bag and groceries. "Thank you for your jacket," I mumbled. "Well… see you."

"Yup!" He nodded. "See you tomorrow!"

I ran away as quickly as I can, so that he could no longer hear the mad pounding in my heart.

"I'm home-"

"You're late!" A voice shouted. I raised my hand to deflect a plushie baseball bat.

I narrowed my eyes at the older boy who was swinging the toy bat. "Did you just try to re-enact a scene from BLEACH?" I asked.

His face was full of horror. "Did you secretly read my manga?" He gasped. "I need to hide my secret stash more carefully, before you find my other… stuff." I groaned, while he continued. "You're finally home, Mom was worried! What happened?"

"The rain happened, duh," I made a face at my older brother, Tanaka Soma. Soma, with his mass of unkempt hair and a mole by his right eye, would be considered good-looking by many girls his age. However, I could not find anything about my brother attractive. He is a major baseball fan, and always made a point in the thirteen years of my life, to remind me. When he is not rattling on about baseball, he will be reading manga and stuffing potato chips in his face. Tell me, how is that attractive? Then again, I have fallen for a baseball fanatic myself, what an irony.

Soma peered at me, immediately noticing the jacket that I was wearing. "You mean, Yamamoto Takeshi happened." He observed, reading Yamamoto's name from the jacket with a sly smile. "While we were worried about you, you were having a whole shoujo manga scene."

"He's just a friend," I said quickly, hiding my embarrassment. "And since when do you read shoujo manga? That's just gross."

"Moooooom!" Soma shouted from the hallway. "Sana was totally hanging out with a boyfriend just now!"

"I'm not!" I protested hotly. "Gee, Soma, you're being ridiculous! Sometimes I wonder if you are really a year one high school student. You behave more immaturely than I do."

"And she is addressing me by my name directly!"

"Onii-san!" I yelled.

"Don't tease her, Soma." My mother appeared at the hallway, smiling. "It's alright, Sana. I'm just glad that you are home." Chisuke, my dog, bounded out into the hallway and also greeted me with a playful wag of his tail.

Bending down to pat Chisuke, I explained, "It rained really heavily on my way back. I met a schoolmate at the pavilion by the park so we waited till the rain stopped."

"It's really nice of your schoolmate to lend you his jacket," she smiled warmly. "Just pass the jacket to me later and I'll wash it for you."

I beamed and thanked her. That is what I love about my mother. She is gentle and caring. Despite having a part-time job, she puts in extra effort to manage her household duties.

Taking two steps at a time, I climbed the stairs and went into my room. Without caring about my damp uniform dirtying the bed, I flopped myself onto the bed.

What a day… I touched my cheek, flushed and warm with excitement. What a day… I never thought that I could talk to Yamamoto-kun like that.

"Let's be friends." His voice played again and again in my head. I know that Yamamoto's sentence has no hidden motives. He simply wants to be friends with everyone. Even so, knowing that I have the chance to be part of the 'everyone' is more than enough for me.

Who knows, someday we will really become friends… and…

I covered my face with his jacket in embarrassment. ... So this is how Yamamoto-kun smells like… I quickly pulled the jacket away from my face. … Annnd I'm officially a creep. If Soma nii-san were to walk into my room now, he will never stop making fun of me. I smiled to myself again. I won't forget this day, ever.

Even... I looked away and sighed. Even if I never have the chance to speak to him like how I did today... I, at least, had the chance to see for myself that Yamamoto Takeshi is just as nice a person as I've imagined.

Somewhere, deep in my heart, feelings overflow.

Now, all the stuff and disclaimers that you may or may not want to read before you consider giving a review. The story is done in a shoujo manga style of writing. So yes, all elements of shoujo that you love or hate are here… hopefully.

If you are wondering, the events of my story will go in line with the events and facts in the manga. Yeah, I like to place my OCs in the canon storyline such that even the presence of the OC will not disrupt the main storyline. Readers of my other stories will understand, but I hope my new readers will understand what I mean too! Unfortunately, I don't follow the events of the anime, so don't be confused by the events in my story. The events are canon, but the OC is obviously not!

Please review if you liked what you've read!