Title: Love in Karuta's Terms
Disclaimer: I do not own Chihayafuru. Suigetsu Yuki does.
The very first time. Funny but after all those years of knowing each other, this is the first time that they'll be able to fight. In the tatami with karuta cards between them. The lights blinding and some flashes distracting. The Meijin Match.
A/N: I've realized that no matter who Chihaya ends up with, (if ever she does end up with someone, which I highly doubt) the friendship that is part of the appeal of the anime would be tipped to imbalance and someone will get hurt in the process. That is before I reminded myself that they are fictional characters.) :D
-oOo-
"We witness as Mashima-meijin defends his title for the first year. After that breathtaking match between him and the previous master, Hisashi Suo last year, this rookie has proven himself as he never lost to any of his matches this season. Now here's a surprising, or a not-so-surprising challenger, Wataya Arata from the Fukui Prefecture, who had withstood his own match against Suo in the Qualifiers." The commentators announce as karuta players all over Japan watch in animated anticipation, because it is such rare sight: to have two young men compete for the highest rank in their society. The eternal master, Wataya-sensei's equally-skilled grandson versus the current master who quietly rose up in ranks and shocked the country by defeating the previous meijin on their first meeting.
"If only…. If only I was able to win against Murao-san last year. Then I would have been granted the chance to play Taichi." Arata tried to dampen down his regrets and start to focus on the game instead. The frustration of being 'left behind' (Chihaya's the Queen for the 2nd year) and the jealousy that comes with seeing Chihaya happily smiling beside Taichi has been gnawing his confidence to pieces for the last months. But this time, he's more than determined to snatch the title, to win against Taichi, to make her 'see' him.
Taichi looked at his friend and rival's determination and his started to kick in. "Arata, I've always hated being behind you in every way, and now that there's something that I have that says I'm somehow better than you, I won't easily give it up. Chihaya momentarily forgot about you and focused on me instead, even though her eyes only showed immense pride and happiness for me, she looked at me! I won't let you take that scene away from me. I won't give this up!"
-oOo-
Mizusawa Karuta Club members gathered on Hanano's house to watch Mashima and Chihaya, their honored senpais, fight to defend their titles.
"President Hanano! Our Mashima-senpai is really strong, he'll definitely win, right?" a first-year asked Sumire, the president of the club consisting of 20 members, and who had volunteered to just take care of the club while Tsukuba and the other senpais go and root for them in the Omi Jingu.
"The challenger is a childhood friend of Mashima-senpai and Chihaya-senpai." She explained as the girls sit down and marvel at how good-looking both Arata and Taichi are.
"!", one girl gasped. "Like an epic tale centered on a love triangle, history is much like repeating itself!"
"She's not that far-off," Sumire thought. Although she was only able to meet Arata for a few times, with Chihaya blabbering about him and the expression that Taichi wears during those times, the supportive kouhai could easily guess the situation.
-oOo- Chapter One End -oOo-
A/N: I'm used to having notes at the end of each chapter. I would like to point out some things, 1. This contains spoiler, intentionally or unintentionally. Please understand that I researched almost everything about Chihayafuru, I love poetry. So I've read the manga, read spoilers, and is currently waiting for each season 2 episode.
2. Personally, I think that the pairing should be left out to the hands of the fans, and I personally wish for Suigetsu-sensei to not make any closure on which Chihaya ends up with. That would, for me, destroy the plot. I mean, both deserves her, I actually wished for no romance on this anime once. Don't get me wrong, I'm a romance junkie and all, but still. I'm at odds with even myself.
3. I love Sudo-kun! Lol.
4. About the spoilers, I added characters from the manga, like Inokuma Dan 6. I like her sooo much, I mean she's really strong. Just imagine anyone you would like to imagine, but she looks like Levy of Fairy Tail. Or is it just me?
5. And I apologize for the mistakes of this story. I write for the heck of it, really. I'm not that good. Tell me if you find some loopholes or if there are questions. I'd gladly kill myself. Kiddin'
Ja! RnR, 'kay?