Bloom Into Me
Prologue
On a Monday morning in the middle of September, Toomi East High School began yet another school day, albeit one that was not entirely like the ones that came before it. One of the most prominent and well-respected members of the school, as well as the leader of its student body, did not come to the school that day, and never would again.
At the start of the day, the students were summoned into the gymnasium for a special assembly. The reason had not been given, but more than a few of those in attendance made educated guesses, and some of them perhaps knew already.
"Is it really true? Was the president really in that accident?"
"...my friend lives in the same building, and he heard the ambulance coming."
"Seriously? The driver didn't see her?"
"What's going to happen with the school play now?
The principal, an elderly man, walked up to the podium, carrying a framed portrait in his arms. After setting down the portrait, he motioned for silence among all the boys and girls assembled in orderly rows.
"Good morning, everyone," the principal said. "It is with great sadness that I announce that our student council president, Nanami Mio-san, was killed in a traffic accident yesterday afternoon."
Gasps of shock and surprise went up from the members of the audience who hadn't heard or suspected that Mio had been in an accident.
"Settle down, please," the principal said. "While some of you may undoubtedly have heard certain things about Nanami-san's death, I ask that you not irresponsibly spread rumors. Please show consideration to the Nanami family, and keep them in their thoughts as they grieve for their loss. In Nanami-san's memory, I ask you all to observe a moment of silence."
The principal held a moment of silence for Touko, one that the student body and all others in attendance respectfully observed.
"Thank you," the principal said. "I have also spoken with the student council, and we have appointed an interim president for the rest of the year. Unfortunately, the student council will not be able to put on their play for this year's festival."
The play and the student council's leadership seemed to be trifling concerns compared to one girl's life being cut short so suddenly, but they were a harsh reminder that the community could not simply move on after losing one of its students. Perhaps the students would eventually adjust to the "new normal" without Mio, but those close to her would have to endure the feeling of loss, and more practically, the sudden and traumatic death of a student council president would inevitably disrupt the student council's work.
Of course, life had to go on, and the principal soon dismissed the students, sending them back to their homerooms and leaving them to work through their feelings on their own. Mio meant different things to different people, so all of them ended up coming to terms with her passing in different ways. Some eventually forgot her, others moved on with their lives while cherishing their memories of her, and one young girl sought to become her older sister, out of a desire to emulate Mio and do everything she could not.
Just who was Mio?
While no person can be summed up in a single word or a single sentence, most people, when asked that question, could think of a few answers for Mio. Mio was the eldest daughter of the Nanami family, student council president of her school, a star student, an excellent athlete and a popular young lady with many friends, as well as a victim of a local traffic accident.
Of course, while virtually everyone who went to school or worked at Toomi East High School had heard of Mio, and knew why she was famous, few of them knew much about her personal life. Some were obligated to keep a certain distance from her, while others knew her, but were not close enough that she would willingly confide in them. A handful of people close to her knew more than others, but none of them knew the entire truth- they each had a few pieces to the puzzle that was her. The truth about Mio, or at least the most important pieces of the puzzle, had died with her.
But while no one person knows the entire truth about Mio, her life and death had a profound impact on those close to her. What follows is Mio's story, the tale of a life cut short, and the closest thing to the truth about a girl who was widely known but not always understood.
Author's Notes
This fic is a look at the life of Mio Nanami, Touko's older sister and her greatest role model. Be warned that there will be spoilers if you aren't caught up with the manga.
It's a NaNoWriMo project, so I'm hoping to have it finished and/or up to 50,000 words by the end of November, although it may not be nearly long enough to reach the latter mark.
Regarding the student council, it's somewhat surprising that apart from the president, none of the "officers" have official titles, so it's hard to tell who took over after Mio died (although it probably wasn't Ichigaya, since he talks about the president's job as though he's never actually done it).
For your reference, here's a brief timeline, based on my estimations.
23 years before the story (YBS): Mio and Ichigaya are born.
16 YBS: Touko and Sayaka are born.
15 YBS: Yuu and the other first-years are born.
11 YBS: Mio enters middle school (presumably the one Yuu and her friends attended).
8 YBS: Mio enters high school and joins the student council.
7 YBS: Mio is killed in an accident. The yearly play is canceled until Touko revives the tradition.
5 YBS: The Nanami family moves cross-town, Rei and Hiro start officially dating.
1 YBS: Touko and Sayaka come to Toomi East