Story Title: Takoyaki Confessions
Author's Note: As I already said in Gifts, I have only (scarcely) perused the manga scanlations found on the net. I therefore warn that this is an H2 alternate universe fiction firmly entrenched in the live action camp, and features pairings from the TV series. Also, any character back stories have been drawn up without consulting the manga. This story (more like drabbles) will probably be updated sporadically, subject to real life and fickle muses. Finally, I would like to thank those who read, reviewed or did both for my other two H2 fics.
Warnings: Rated T, just to be safe. Spoilers for the whole live action drama, H2: Kimi to Itahibi.
Summary: Sharing food and companionship. Koga Haruka and Tachibana Hideo after Kōshien.
Disclaimer: I don't own the H2 manga and its characters. I don't own the live drama either.
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Prologue
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Kōshien, end of summer
On a summer afternoon, a girl listened to a boy's departing footsteps and struggled with her loss. On a summer evening, a girl glanced at a boy's profile and contemplated what she never had.
This is the tale of the aftermath.
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Tokyo, autumn
The turning leaves were a delightful contrast to the deep blue sky. Down the road, the gleeful cries of children at play could be heard. Indeed, it was a beautiful day.
Tachibana Hideo was miserable.
Approximately one month after Kōshien, and he was still walking on eggshells around Hikari. Granted, she avoided him as much as he avoided her; when being thrown together in company was inevitable, they existed in mutual awkward silence.
To say that "making Hikari choose was an utterly stupid thing to do" was a gross understatement. Now not only was she not talking to him, but he'd not seen hide nor hair of Hiro since that bitter match. Noda would have commiserated, but the catcher was busy with upcoming prep school exams.
Hideo never thought it'd come to this pass, when the high point of his day was giving his horde of fan girls the slip (sans girlfriend, he was apparently "free for the taking," so to speak). Attempting to shrug off his melancholy, he slowly became aware of his grumbling stomach. Burned energy from fleeing crazy fans, he thinks.
Tachibana Hideo, being doubly hungry and miserable, therefore made a beeline for the takoyaki stall by the park.
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When she was very young and still lived in this neighborhood, Koga Haruka used to come to this park and climb a certain tree; despite her inherent clumsiness, she was actually a very good climber. She used to reach upward with chubby hands, gripping and grasping, scrambling up the trunk, all the way up to a certain branch, a favorite haven for a bit of quiet or people-watching. Haruka was not afraid of heights.
Present day Haruka, however, was not about to clamber up to her old spot, especially when she was wearing a skirt; she settled for a brand-new park bench instead.
She had been feeling out of sorts earlier and wanted to get away from everybody ("everybody" translating to "Kunimi Hiro"), but had shied away from her usual haunts for fear of coming across well-meaning (but getting-on-her-nerves) friends (and again, Kunimi-kun). Well, that and the fact that the sanctuary of her bedroom did not offer protection from the insanity that was her elder brother and Keiko-sensei's wedding planning.
Still, sitting on a park bench by your lonesome was not conducive to keeping unpleasant thoughts away; she sighed in defeat, gathering her things. Rising from her seat, she contemplated bringing home some takoyaki…
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Two people ensnared in the same tangled web proved too tempting for the gods to ignore.
Takoyaki went flying.