Marmalade Melody
Disclaimer:
Kaiya-chan (the author): Yesh! I'm back!
Yuu: Oh no…we're dead already what could you possibly do to us that could be more horrible?
Kaiya-chan: ((thinks)) Hmmmm…I'll get back to you on that.
Yuu: That's very reassuring.
Kaiya-chan: Heh, isn't it?
Kei: Just say your disclaimer already. No one has time for this drivel.
Kaiya-chan: You're not even in this story yet. How'd you get in here? ((Looks at Miki)) Did you let him in?
Miki: No…
Kei: Thanks, all of you…((note the sarcasm))
Kaiya-chan: Well, sadly my pets, I don't own you. However, I do own the major character, Naomi. I also own Maru, Yuri, and Kiyoshi.
Kei: ((whispers to Yuu and Miki)) And I feel sorry for them. ((Points at the characters Kaiya owns))
Chapter One:
"RISE AND SHINE! GOOD MORNING TOKYO! IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE A.M. AND TIME FOR THE-"
A hand slammed down on the silver alarm clock and, with a grumpy yawn, Naomi Matsuura rubbed her eyes. "Monday mornings, how can I describe my hate for you?"
"It's easier than describing how much I loathe that darn thing, Naomi-chan!" cried Yuri Namura as she slowly sat up with a groggy grunt. She waited for Naomi's anticipated snippy comment. When none arrived, she threw her pillow at a lump of blankets on Naomi's bed hoping it would bounce off and hit the alarm clock.
The pillow flew past Naomi's bed but, unfortunately, missedYuri's target. In turn, it knocked the bedside lamp off balance towards its final destination: the floor. Yuri's gasp broke the silence. She wasn't normally this reckless but it was Monday morning and, like Naomi, it didn't exactly put her in the right state of mind. "Oops," was all she managed to utter.
Again she waited for a responce. She sighed; there was no reason to hold her breath. Disappointed nonetheless, Yuri placed her head in her palm. Her dark brunette hair was left astray and she fiddled with her pajamas to pass time. "Naomi?" She resentfully got up and walked to Naomi's bedside. "I'm guessing it's time for school."
She placed her hand on the blanket. "Hey, Naomi?"
The moment of realization struck her as she pushed her hand against the blanket. Ah, no one here. Yuri glanced around the room then her eyes rested on the small ray of light that came from under the bathroom door.
Wow, she's quick. Yuri thought as she bit her lip, hugging a lacy turquoise pillow to her chest. She leaned her chin over the edge and thought in deep concentration. She could have sworn she hadn't heard the rustle of the bedsprings as Naomi stood up or the click that sounded when the door closed shut. That was odd. Naomi never was so quick to wake up…
Naomi stood with her back against the wall and her eyes closed. She took a deep breath. Was this really necessary? Naomi shook her head as reached for the shower knob. Sticking her hand in the vapor from the warm water, Naomi let go of the troubling thoughts in her head. Yes, Yuri had a point. There was no need to wake up two hours before the time in which they head over to school but today was different. She wasn't going to press the snooze button repeatedly for the next hour.
After stepping out of the refreshing shower and drying off, Naomi, age fourteen, threw her tennis uniform on and softly opened the door. She peered into the bedroom her damp caramel brown hair streaming behind her. She tiptoed around what she supposed was Yuri's sleeping form and walked to bedroom door. Closing it softly, a sigh of relief escaped Naomi's lips.
"Where do you think you're going?"
A sweat drop formed on Naomi's head as she turned around. Hastily, she threw her hand behind her head and paused in an awkward matter with a goofy smile plastered on her face.
"H-hey! Morning, Oneesan."
Yuri rolled her eyes. "So, leaving without me?"
"Oh, no! I-"
Yuri gave Naomi a meaningful glance.
"Well…yes. I have some practicing to do and-"
Yuri shook her head. "Just go. Unlike you, I still prize my sleep. See you later and," Yuri let out a long exaggerated yawn. "G'night!"
Naomi hummed softly to herself as she walked along the sidewalk. Her hair was still slightly damp making the back of her shirt wet as she strolled past another block. With a tennis racket in her right hand and a book bag slung over her shoulder, Naomi waited impatiently for the light to walk across the street to turn green. Her body was hunched over due to the weight of the book bag that held all of her books. She planned to stop by her school, Isaku Junior High, and drop of her things in her locker before she set off to Toryo High School. Megumi-sensei often insisted that Naomi should practice in the Toryo courts mainly because they were much bigger than Isaku's.
Naomi entered the school with only the creak of her footsteps to accompany her. Of course there would be no one else here so early in the morning except for a fair amount of early morning teachers setting up their lesson plans. Locker number 228 came into Naomi's view within five minutes and she quickly picked up her pace. Cautiously setting down her tennis racket, Naomi smoothed out her yellow tennis skirt and turned the dial of her locker. She then hastily shoved her belongings in the small, enclosed space and slammed the door shut. After picking up her racket, Naomi broke into a run as she sprinted to the Toryo Courts.
"You're late Matsuura-san," Megumi-sensei uttered simply.
"S-sorry, sensei. I was held back at home and-"
Megumi lifted his hand in a gesture to silence Naomi. "No need, Matsuura. Just get over there and do your warm ups. We're practicing doubles today."
Naomi sat down on the cold pavement with a huff. The floor was cold as she stretched placing her in a very bad mood. Hastily, she ran a lap around the court, a punishment for tardiness, and made her way to her friend Maru Yamagata.
"Mi-chan!" was the hearty morning greeting that Naomi received every day during practice, not that she minded of course. Naomi turned with a soft smile gracing her face.
"Maru-chan! It's nice to see you."
Maru nodded while her eyes brightened and danced in the sunshine that was beginning to fill the sky. "You need a double?" Maru asked as she fiddled with her hair and placed them into two even braids.
A smirk surfaced. "Maybe," Naomi answered.
"Now children before you go off choosing your best friend, let me remind you! You're not choosing this time! All of you are here for tennis improvement not for socializing. My best bet to get you to actually work is if I pair you all up, boy-girl pairings."
Maru and Naomi sighed at the same time. "Oh no, not again!" Naomi never enjoyed playing with the boys who supposed thata girl was too fragile to hit the ball back herself.
"Don't you all start sighing again, I don't want to hear it. Either way you all are doing it whether you like it or not.Here are your teams: Kaedae + Toji, Rini + Hiroshi."
A roar of laughter exploded from where Hiroshi Hokkaido started to walk away. "Yeah! HIRO!" the boys rooted as Hiro responded with a tip of his hat. He had an expressionless face as he stood next to Rini Kochi. Rini glanced at the floor no doubt embarrassed about with whom she was assigned to.
Maru stared at the emblem on Hiro's tennis shirt. Instantly she nudged Naomi with her elbow. "Hey Naomi, look at that!" she whispered as she tried to get a closer look.
Naomi followed Maru's gaze and saw the emblem on Hiro's shirt. She shrugged. "So what?"
"Idiot! That's not a junior high student! He's a Toryo High Student."
Naomi looked the least bit phased. "And your point is?"
Maru sighed with an unmistakable star-crossed look as she gazed at Hiroshi. "He's so cute!"
Naomi rolled her eyes. Typical Maru, it never changes, does it?
"Ami + Ryuu, Noriko +Shunichi, Yoko-"
Blah, blah, blah. Naomi thought as she watched people being sorted into different groups. Instead of waiting for her partner, Naomi preoccupied herself with other things. What's so important about a doubles practice anyway?
"Maru + Yasuo" One last quick glance were shot between the two best friends. 'Sorry' was murmured as Naomi nodded. Good luck, Maru!
"Akane + Kisho, and Naomi + Kiyoshi"
At the sound of her name, Naomi looked up. There from the middle of the group of high school tennis players was the boy named Kiyoshi. Wait…Kiyoshi? Naomi's eyes went wide as the group erupted with cheers and high fives. NO! I did not just get their leader! Astonished, she struggled to find words. There had to be a way to protest. This just wasn't fair. Why did it have to Kiyoshi Miyazaki of all people? Naomi slummed to the ground with a groan. Today just wasn't her day.
"So, Matsuura is it?" said Kiyoshi with a sneer. He sauntered to her side as he smiled at the girls that were watching him as he passed. "Well aren't you just the lucky lady?"
"Lucky isn't exactly my choice of words," Naomi mumbled as she stood up. Her anger grew more intense as she noticed that she would not be able to look Kiyoshi in the eye without having to glance up at him first. How degrading could one day get? Bitterly, Naomi crossed her arms in front of her chest and grabbed a tennis ball from the white bucket in the corner.
"Do you want to serve first, princess?" Kiyoshi asked with a smirk.
Naomi brushed the comment off with a shrug of her shoulders. POOF! The subject didn't exist now. "Do whatever you want."
Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow yet said not a word. For some reason, this annoyed Naomi more than when he spoke.
"What NOW!" Naomi hissed as she turned around to throw him a glare.
Satisfied with her reaction, he smiled silkily. "Oh nothing."
Naomi fumed as she bounced the yellow ball on the ground and hit it as if it were Kiyoshi's head. BAM! Bounce.
"SCORE ONE!"
Kiyoshi looked bored as he watched the opposing team try to score on his side. He hit the ball back with not much effort and glided across the court making Naomi feel like she was just in the way. Naomi sighed. Today's practice sure was going to be a long one.
Hastily pulling her school uniform on, Naomi rushed out the girl's locker room and into the Toryo High Auditorium. She gasped for air as she leaned over the door late for her first lesson of the day. Special permission was given to her by Isaku to visit the High School every other day for her vocal lessons. Naomi looked startled as she gazed at her tennis instructor, Megumi-sensei.
"Megumi-Sensei? What are you doing here? Where is Nara-sensei, my vocal instructor?"
"Nara-san has been replaced," he responded coolly. "Please meet your new teacher and old friend of mine, Saitama-sensei."
A middle-aged woman with sleek, thick, black hair emerged from behind Naomi with a welcoming smile. Her hands were filled with music books and a cup of coffee. Naomi returned the kind gesture with her own polite smile and sat down in a cushioned chair.
"UP, UP, UP!" Saitama-sensei yelled as Naomi's skirt brushed the surface of the chair. "I will not allow sitting while singing in the class, young lady."
Naomi shot up from her seat and stood rigidly upright. "Yes, sensei," she uttered uncertainly. Is this lady weird or what? Oh well, just go with the flow I guess.
"Now time to warm up those vocal cords. Now repeat after me," Saitama ordered.
Naomi nodded solemnly.
Saitama-sensei opened the windows and then settled herself by the piano starting off with scales. Naomi opened her mouth to sing when no voice came out. She stared absentmindedly at the doorway where two people stood. Naomi rubbed her eyes wondering if this was all one big annoying dream.
"Nai?" (Short for Naomi…)
Saitama-sensei whirled around in her seat. She gave the same warm smile to the two people in the hallways staring at her first pupil of the day. "May I help you?"
"No, it's nothing really just heading to the-"
"Yuri just hurry and get to the point," Naomi said stubbornly as she found her voice once more.
"That's not very polite. Remember your good manners, princess," uttered the male student in blue uniform.
"When did you start going to Toryo High? How come you never told me or Mom for that matter?" Yuri asked with slight fascination. What was her little stepsister doing here anyways?
Naomi shrugged. "It just never came up."
"Well, I must say I'm ashamed-"
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH, MIYAZAKI! Don't I have to deal with you enough at practice?"
"Oh no! It's not nearly enough, princess."
Again, the unmistakable rage was building up again. Naomi hastily walked to the door and murmured, "I have a class right now, sorry Yuri." Then suddenly she slammed the door shut and stared at it after she had done so. Naomi turned on her heal to face her new instructor. How weird does she think I'm now?
Yet, the instructor did not scold, yell, or make her presence notable except for the sound of the piano she was playing on. Naomi smiled as Sensei nodded. So this is what vocal class was: Sanctuary.
(A/N: Hey Hey everybody! I hope you enjoy the sequel I have planned out for y'all! It's not too depressing like my one shot but it's bound to be exciting (well at least to write) Hopefully some of you readers will miraculously be so moved by the story that you chose to review! So R&R! Enjoy!)