A/N: So, I've decided to rewrite For You before I do anything new with it. It's been some time since the fic began, and my writing has improved as of late.
... that, and I have entirely forgotten where I was planning to take this story. Oh, yes. I forgot le plot. I know, awful of me.
I'll be re-working the plot, adding more detail, changing some dialogue, et cetera. I do hope that my loyal reviewers enjoy the new and improved version of For You.
Disclaimer: I don't own Azumanga Daioh.
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Kaorin sighed. She was slowly making her way down the sidewalk, schoolbag in hand, just thinking about getting home as she tried to forget the events of the day. The soles of her shoes were making a sound akin to sandpaper against the pavement, shuffle-scrape, shuffle-scrape, the soundtrack to her life. She was dragging her feet out of exhaustion, both physical and mental; it had been a long, lonely, creepy day as usual in Kimura-sensei's class.
He had called on her several times that day- whether her hand was raised or not- and, just like always, he had called her "Kaorin" each time. At one point during the class, he even suggested that the girls change into their gym shorts due to the increasingly hot weather. And to top it all off, he decided to give the girls in the class a "pop quiz".
The little questionnaire was full of questions about their opinions on what nicknames they preferred to call Kimura by and whether or not gym shorts should be tucked in. However, those were only warm-ups; the real question was down at the bottom, in plain sight.
"Do you like me, Kaorin?"
That question had resulted in a few sympathetic looks from the other girls in the class, as well as a bit of bewilderment from the boys that glanced at the girls' papers. And of course, Kimura was entirely serious about the whole thing.
Thankfully, no one answered any of the questions; Kimura passed it back no less than three times before the bell finally rang and he gave up. Their homework: "Think about your answers, the test will resume tomorrow."
Kaorin sighed again. "Why does it have to be me he likes?" she groaned miserably. Sometimes she wondered why she even bothered to attend his class; they rarely did anything educational anymore, the test from earlier made that quite clear. There was only one reason she bothered with that class anymore: Sakaki-san.
Sakaki was in a lot of the same classes as she was, and they had been in the same homeroom for the first two years of high school. Now, though, Kaorin was trapped in Kimura's homeroom- it wasn't quite as perilous as Yukari's, but Kimura was far more obnoxious than Yukari could ever be. And as if it weren't bad enough that she had to put up with Kimura every day, she had been separated from Sakaki.
Now she rarely got to see the other girl, save a few classes together and maybe once during the day, at lunch. Sakaki would walk outside during the lunch break on occasion, and Kaorin would do anything to get away from Kimura. So, they were often out in the courtyard by the trees at that time. Kaorin could never get up the courage to approach Sakaki out there, though; she just stood behind a tree and watched as Sakaki stared off into space a few yards away. That way, she could be somewhat near to Sakaki without feeling terribly awkward. However, this behavior was not without its consequences.
There had been rumors that she was stalking Sakaki, little wisps of gossip floating around the rest of Sakaki's admirers. She found out thanks to Chihiro, who would pose as one of the squealing Sakaki-fangirls to find out what everyone was saying and how the rumors started. Some were harmless little bits of scandal; others, cruel and vicious. The latter were rare, but they were bad enough that Kaorin often spent a night in tears. Anything she said or did only gave them more to talk about; so, she just stood there behind that tree, admiring the charcoal-haired beauty from afar.
Sakaki, so cool... and so quiet, which was odd considering the rather loud group she was always with. Kaorin envied them a bit- she wished she could be that comfortable around Sakaki. Especially Kagura, always challenging Sakaki to some kind of contest or sitting with her between classes. Kaorin sighed. Lucky girl, she thought to herself. If only I could be that bold...
"Ka-Kaorin, look out!"
"Huh?" A car horn blared to her left, shaking her out of her reverie. "Ah! S-sorry, sorry!" She had walked right into the middle of the street. Bowing embarassedly, she dashed back to the sidewalk. Chiyo-chan and Osaka were standing there, both relieved that she was coming back in one piece.
"Y-y-you should be more careful!" Chiyo-chan squeaked as the cars drove on. She was practically hyperventilating.
"Yeah, what Chiyo-chan said." Osaka had a hand over her heart. "You coulda gotten hit!"
"Thanks for warning me," Kaorin said gratefully. "I guess I was spacing out..."
"Gee, you're startin' to sound like me." Osaka said with a smile. "So what were ya thinkin' so hard about?"
"Oh... n-nothing," Kaorin stammered, averting her eyes.
"Were you thinking about Sakaki-san?" asked Chiyo.
"Wh-what? What makes you say that?" Kaorin asked, feigning ignorance.
"Well, I know that you like Sakaki-san very much." Chiyo-chan said this with an innocent smile that made Kaorin wonder what kind of "like" Chiyo-chan was referring to. "But that's not strange, or anything. I like her, too! Sakaki-san is the best!"
"Ahaha, you think so, too, Chiyo-chan?" Kaorin grinned, then sighed. "Lucky you... I always get so flustered around her, but you can just talk with her any time."
"We're good friends, is all. If you knew Sakaki-san better, I'm sure you could talk very easily together."
"You really think so?"
"Yes! Sakaki-san is a very nice person. But, I think some people find her a little scary."
"Nn. I've heard that, too... ahh, the light still hasn't changed?" Kaorin watched as the cars zipped by; they still hadn't gotten a crossing signal. She leaned against the wall of a nearby building and slid down to a sitting position, dropping the schoolbag she'd been carrying beside her. Chiyo-chan joined her, but Osaka remained staring into space by the curb.
"So, where are you headed now that school's over for the day?"
"I think I'm just going to go home... it's been quite a day. How about you, Chiyo-chan? Are you going anywhere?"
"Nn!" Chiyo-chan nodded, beaming. "I'm going to walk my dog, Tadakichi-san. Sakaki-san walks with us sometimes, in the afternoons. She might even be meeting me on the way to my house... ah! Would you like to join us?"
"R-really? You don't mind?"
"Not at all. It's always more fun with other people."
"I'd love to come, then!" Kaorin was so happy she could die. "Thank you!"
"You're welcome. Ah, the signal changed! We should hurry across..." Chiyo-chan stood up and started toward the curb. Kaorin quickly got to her feet and followed Chiyo-chan, pausing a moment to tug at Osaka's sleeve. "Oh, you don't need to worry. She'll snap out of it soon."
"Ah." Kaorin nodded slowly, not really sure about leaving Osaka standing on a curb with her head in space. "O...kay, then. Let's get across."
"Right!" Chiyo stepped out onto the crosswalk, Kaorin a few steps behind.
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Meanwhile...
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"Betcha I can do make that stale green light up there!" Yukari shouted with a grin as the Yukarimobile barrelled down the road.
"Betcha can't!" Tomo grinned. "There's no way!"
"No chance, Yukari-sensei!" Kagura said as she shook her head.
"No way." Yomi said firmly.
"Fine! I'll show the lot of you!"
Earlier that day, Yukari had made a bet with Tomo, Kagura, and Yomi that she could get them all home in five minutes. They were already two minutes in, and Yukari had no intention of buying either of them a soda as stated in the terms of the bet. So there they were, speeding towards the green light several blocks away.
"Hey, Yukari. You're craziest driver around here, right?" Tomo asked quietly from the passenger seat.
"Damn right I am!"
"Well, I think you're being jousted," she said with a sly grin.
"Ousted," Yomi corrected.
"What she said." Tomo pointed out the window, toward a car that was passing them. Passing the Yukarimobile. It was unheard of.
"I'll show them!"
"No you won't!" Kagura yelped. "Pedestrians!"
"Yee!" Yukari slammed on the breaks when she saw two people starting to cross. The light was red. The other car was slowing, but nowhere near stopping...
Sakaki was walking down the sidewalk, eagerly anticipating the rest of the afternoon. She and Chiyo-chan were going to walk Tadakichi-san, and on the way they would stop by the toy store to pick up the new Necoconeco doll... it was going to be a great day.
"Lu, la lu, la piano wa sekai no yumesaku nohara ni merodii, kowareta tokei o shinjite jikan wa beru no naru yo... hm-mm hm-mm hm-mm hm-m hm hm hm hm hmm hmm..." She suddenly readlized that she had forgotten part of the lyrics and laughed softly at herself. "I think Ayumu is rubbing off on me." She opened her mouth to sing the next verse when something caught her eye: a car, several blocks away, speeding towards a nearby intersection. Sakaki looked where it was headed and gasped, throwing her schoolbag to the ground; Chiyo-chan and Kaorin were right in its path, on the crosswalk. She was already running before she even thought about it, praying that she could get there in time.
Kaorin saw it coming. Hurtling down the street at top speed, it didn't seem like it would slow down. And even if it did, the force would be enough to kill her or Chiyo-chan.
There's no time to move... my God, we're both gonna die, Kaorin realized. And, she thought to herself, I'll never get to see Sakaki-san again. The passage of time seemed to slow, and nearly halt; if only there was more time. Sakaki-san... if she were in this situation, she could grab Chiyo-chan and leap out of the way, and the car would just speed by. Unfortunately, there was no way that Kaorin could do that. She thought of Chiyo-chan. Of Sakaki. Then, a thought struck her. If Chiyo-chan likes Sakaki as much as she says... then... does Sakaki like Chiyo-chan just as much? If that's the case...
Kaorin reached out her hand towards Chiyo-chan. There's only one thing I can do, she told herself firmly. Chiyo-chan... I'm... sorry.
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A/N: Story will continue very soon. Those who read the original, don't spoil anything for new readers in your reviews, all right?
And please, review, readers. It really means a lot to an author. Motivates us. Makes us want to get the job done faster. The more you review, the faster it comes. The review button is your friend! XD