Title: Kimi-chan and the Irritating Boy

Authoress: Seer M. Anno

Disclaimer: The characters belong to the incredible Sakuraga Mei. I own nothing but the story.

Rating: T

Pairing: Hajime Yukimura/Kimiko Shirahane, with mentions of canon pairings

Summary: Meetings changes into dates, and one towards a new year.

Genre: AU. Romance.

Warning: None. Probably a bit OOC and sweetness-fluff. Fluff for the New Year!

A/N: This is a total fanon-y pairing that was my head making. But I can't stop thinking about this, and so be it. Part one of my New Year's fic!

Kimi-chan and the Irritating Boy

Seer M. Anno

"We were connected by a strange fate."

~Nanao Shirahane, Mujihi na Otoko~

The first time Kimiko Shirahane saw that loud-mouthed redhead was when he came to her house. Mikado was with his little brother, that glasses boy. Kimiko never talked to that boy, and Mikado never really talked about him either. That glasses boy had a fierce spirit inside him, Kimiko could see it, and his forehead slightly wrinkled as if he were overthinking things all the time.

"Hello, ma'am, it's nice to meet you," he said with a smile, bowing down. "I'm Yukimura Hajime, and apparently my little brother Shuji is here...?"

He spoke a bit too cheerfully for her to be called as normal, and she merely gazed at him, her usual coldness increasing. So that glasses boy's name's Shuji. She almost said no and kicked him out, but then she remembered that glasses boy wasn't her family that she needed to protect, and she wanted this man to leave at once.

"Yes, I reckon he's here," she finally answered, refraining herself from saying 'you irritating boy'.

This guy seemed to be around her age, but his smiles and cheerfulness made him look much younger. Childish was the right word for this Yukimura Hajime. "Ah, thank you very much! I—"

"Aniki...?"

Kimiko didn't need to look back to know who it was. With noisy steps, the glasses boy rushed downstairs, Mikado in tow. Do these brothers have any manners?, Kimiko couldn't help but to think so.

"Ah, Shuji!" the irritating boy—that was Kimiko's new nickname for him—exclaimed. "I've been looking for you! Why don't you tell me you're here? I was going to take you for lunch, and when I came to your class you were gone!"

The glasses boy looked as uncomfortable as Mikado, although Mikado didn't show it much. "Well, Aniki, I'm here," he finally said after his brother finished ranting. His face was red, and Kimiko reckoned he was embarrassed at his brother's words.

"Yeah right, you're here. That shouldn't be a problem right now," the irritating boy huffed. "Anyways, thank you very much for taking care of my little brother, er..."

"My name is Kimiko Shirahane," Kimiko said coolly, expressionlessly.

"Ah, Shirahane!" the irritating boy's eyes flickered and rested at Mikado. "I know you! You're the student council president! You hang around Shuji quite often!"

Mikado looked like he almost rolled his eyes, but managed a nod and a small 'yes'.

"Well, we better get going," the irritating boy said, bowing together with his little brother. "I'm so sorry for bothering you."

You're bothering indeed. It was Kimiko's turn to roll her eyes. She merely nodded at him and let Mikado open the door. She didn't know why, but she followed her little brother, walking them towards the gate. Mikado spoke with the glasses boy, who answered with his usual fierce tone, until Kimiko opened the gate without any word.

"See you!" the irritating boy suddenly said, patting Mikado on the shoulder before joined his brother on the street. He waved and smiled widely at Kimiko before walking away.

Kimiko didn't know why, but that smile etched itself in her brain.

The second time Hajime Yukimura saw the aloof young woman was when he took a stroll around the nearby park, his mind full of Shuji and his 'little follower'. It was pretty cliché, their second meeting. Hajime couldn't help but to shake in exasperation his head every time his memories played the scene.

Shirahane-san's hands were full of groceries, and since today was a holiday, Hajime couldn't help but to question her brother's whereabouts. He, not noticing where he was going, bumped to her and everything was scattered on the ground. People nearby looked at them and Hajime couldn't help but to blush. He was making a scene, which he sometimes did, but making one in front of the aloof Shirahane-san was another story.

"Please watch where you're walking, you irritating boy."

Hajime smiled sheepishly. The words 'irritating boy' made him frown, but he knew it could wait. "I'm so sorry for that. Let me help you." Without waiting for her response, the health teacher knelt down and gathered all he could get, Shirahane-san followed soon enough.

In a matter of minutes, the groceries were back on their places, and both stood, staring at each other. That was the most awkward situation in Hajime Yukimura's life.

"Thank you," she said coolly. "I should be going. Good day."

She turned her back at him and was walking away when Hajime did something he never thought he would do to her. He followed her and said at her back,

"Mind if I walk you home?"

She stopped, and Hajime waited. She didn't look back, thus Hajime finally stood in front of her and stared down at her dark eyes. She stared back just as cold as usual before finally spoke.

"I don't see why not."

Hajime beamed.

"As long as you're the one to hold this."

Kimiko rarely spoke to guys around her age. Well, Nagahisa Aikawa-san, the older brother of Nanao and Mikado's boyfriends, was an exception.

No. It's different. She liked to tease him, not talk to him. That naive boy was too innocent and rather stupid (if you put it bluntly) for her. She knew that she would get exasperated at him soon enough. Nevertheless, she had come to like him, because he and his little brothers came from such a simple family and because they could take care of her little brothers.

This irritating boy, Hajime Yukimura-san, apparently would be the next exception. Kimiko knew this irritating boy liked her by just looking at him. And for the first time in her life, she didn't really feel like teasing him or even telling him about the punishment room.

"So, how come your brother doesn't help you with these?" he said, struggling with the heavy groceries in his hands. He looked rather funny, since he wasn't wearing his usual white coat and tie. He merely wore loose t-shirt and jeans, and Kimiko had to admit they looked good on him. With her family's groceries in his grip, he looked like a boyfriend of a shopaholic girl.

"They're out."

"You have more than one?" his voice sounded more nosy and irritating, but Kimiko didn't say anything. "How come—"

"They're out," she repeated, exasperated. "They're away for something."

He huffed. "It's always like that, isn't it?" he asked. "My brother's away too. I don't have any idea where he's gone. It's like puff!—" he clicked his tongue, "and he's away with someone. Or with your little brother. Or alone. Oh, maybe with his little follower!"

Little follower? That intrigued her as images of Nanao's perverted ex-teacher came to mind. She hurriedly erased the memories and flicked her eyes at him. Unlike some guys she knew, he directly caught her gaze. Then he smiled.

"I called him that, Shuji's old friend. One tall weird guy, if you ask me. His family moved in next to our house when I was away for college, years ago. Shuji told me he tutored him once in a while, he's his kouhai, delinquent to boot. Still think he's a bit of a weirdo."

"Yet you let them together?" Kimiko finally asked.

"Shuji seems okay with him around, so I let it be," he instantly replied, and it seemed like he didn't notice her sarcastic tone. "He seems happier, but of course that little kid won't admit it. I have a weird feeling they're together, you know. It's such a weird thought, Shirahane-san. Not like I mind, anyway."

Suddenly hit by memories of her brothers and their boyfriends, Kimiko stopped walking, and so did he. He smiled but his stare at her was questioning. Seeing it, she resumed her walking after hurriedly pushed the memories to the back of her mind.

She remembered the days when her brothers went out together with the Aikawa brothers behind her back, and she had to admit she hated not knowing the people they had fallen in love with. That, and she actually didn't really like them going out with anyone, especially Nanao, that annoyingly persistent child.

Surely Nagahisa's motherhen trait had rubbed onto her. Or maybe they just weren't that different.

"How about your brothers, Shirahane-san? You're the first child, no? Surely you've worried sick about them for at least once."

Kimiko stared at the ground as she spoke. She had to admit he had something in him which attracted her. He was a type of guy who would make anyone told him everything inside their minds. Kimiko knew some people who were like this, but never really interacted with them. This irritating boy was the first, and that was probably why she spilled it out.

"Of course I have," she said. "My little brother isn't that strong. Being hurt too many times, that child."

He looked surprised. "I hope he's not damaged."

"What do you mean?" Kimiko lashed quickly, narrowing her eyes. She could feel anger inside her, and that wasn't a good thing. Her glare was so sharp he practically cowered in front of her.

"No, no, no, not like that!" he hurriedly apologised. "I mean, 'being hurt too many times' would make him pretty insecure and you know... er, he needs anchor to reality."

"His anchor is his family, and none of your business."

"Aw, please don't be mad," he begged. "I'm sorry, okay? I don't mean anything by that."

Kimiko inhaled deeply and stared at him before looking down at the groceries in his hands. A funny thought came in her mind—what if this boy takes those things with him as a threat?—and she found it so amusing she suddenly looked up at him and said,

"It's fine."

He was silent for a while, and they could see Shirahanes' house nearby. "Pretty hard being the oldest, yeah?" he eventually said, wiping his sweaty forehead with the back of his occupied hand. Kimiko nodded as they stopped in front of the gate. She opened the gate and he walked into the porch before putting down the groceries.

"That makes the two of us." He smiled widely at her, and Kimiko could see sympathy in it.

And Kimiko found herself smiling back.

Second meeting turned to three, and four, and after a month of seeing each other in the unexpected places possible, that irritating boy asked Kimiko out for a date. He asked her with the most irritating way possible, by standing on her porch, leaning against the wall, as if wanting her to know he was under control. But Kimiko could see he was nervous, it wasn't that hard to see that. Yukimura-san was too expressive for a man in his middle twenties.

And Kimiko had said yes. She was shocked, yes, when he asked "Mind having a dinner with me?" but she was the master of being expressionless so (she hoped) he couldn't see any of surprise in her face. Luckily, she also refrained from answering immediately, thus she had saved herself from embarrassment.

Well, she actually said, "I don't see why not." but he practically beamed at her and she couldn't help but to shake her head in exasperation.

"What an irritating boy," she mumbled under her breath. But she was happy at the sight of the redheaded vibrant man, and that was enough.

Stop that sap!, she thought. No. She wasn't happy, she was... content. That irritating boy was a sight of sore eyes, for Kimiko whose household was (usually) as grave as the grave itself. His smiles and never-ending talks filled Kimiko's mind like a prolonged music, and Kimiko would be lying to herself if she disliked it. Being the oldest child made them could confide to each other. That was the first reason, since almost all their talks about their brothers expanded into everything else. Yukimura-san was quick-witted and smart, he could talk about anything and everything just fine.

Her little brothers were in the living room when Kimiko walked past them, wearing her best dress and her favourite scarf since it was autumn and everything was cold.

Nanao looked up from the book he was reading.

"Aneki, where are you going?" he called, releasing the smoke from his mouth. Kimiko still couldn't stop him from smoking, much to her annoyance.

Thanks to his brother's words, it was Mikado's turn to look at her.

"Are you going out for a date?" Nanao asked, his mouth curled into a smile.

"Of course I am," Kimiko answered. That irr—Yukimura-san would come in a minute now, she didn't have time for a chat with her little brothers!

Her thoughts stopped right there. She never acted that way—refusing communication with his brothers. It was weird, but she realised she didn't care.

"That explains the strange car out there," Mikado suddenly said, "and a persistent, irritating health teacher that I know who demands a 'beautiful Shirahane-san'. Being there since I arrived home two hours ago."

Yukimura-san!, she mentally cursed. That irritating boy couldn't seem to stop making a scene.

Nanao laughed slowly. "Aneki, I'd like to see him."

"No, you wouldn't." Kimiko hurriedly said.

Nanao's laugh was a bit louder, and even Mikado had a trace of smile on his mouth. "Better you get outta here soon." Nanao continued, approaching his sister and gave her a light pat on the shoulder. "He'd be frozen to death by the time you get into his car."

"You better not speak to me like you're kicking me out, young man. I'm your older sister, you annoying child." Kimiko retorted, and she realised that the nervousness had made her rambling. She could feel her face burning, something she almost never felt. "I'm leaving."

"Wait."

It was Mikado's voice, and thus she stopped. She looked back at them, waiting.

"Take care, Nee-san."

With a nod, she left.

The dinner went well. They ate and drank and talked. Or to be precise, Hajime talked. He talked about everything, and Shirahane-san was a good listener. He talked about the boy at school who fell and broke his arm. He talked about his studies as a health teacher. He talked about his brother's and friends' cosplay in the Thanks Offering (she looked triumphant as Hajime laughed at this, the image of Shuji being a waitress was a bit too much), and many things that even he couldn't remember.

She looked triumphant for the second time when Hajime mentioned about the Pizza Cousin and the delivery boy. Kaida-sensei liked him, and Hajime was surprised to see her chuckled at the story. He never heard her chuckling like that before, and he didn't understand why she looked like that every time he mentioned the delivery boy.

"How's the dinner?"

"I like it, thank you very much."

They continued their walking in silence, before Hajime broke it again. "Shirahane-san, can I call you Kimiko?"

She smiled. A rare one, which wasn't a mere slight curl on her lips. "We're dating now, you irritating boy. I don't see why not."

An idea came into his mind. "Alright... Kimi-chan."

She snapped her head at him. "Not that informal, mind you."

"But I like it!" Hajime said back, and laughed at her glare. He was no longer scared at her glares anymore. "Let me keep it, Kimi-chan!"

She rolled her eyes and walked past him. "Suit yourself," she snapped as she walked the lonely road. Not many people were there, since they ate in a quite secluded restaurant, and decided to go to the park nearby before going back to the car.

Hajime huffed and ran towards her before pulling the struggling woman into a hug. As strong as she was, she was still a woman, and naturally Hajime was stronger.

"Listen," she finally said. "I'd like you to follow me to the pun—I mean I'd love to kill you if you call me like that in front of someone else."

Hajime chuckled. He didn't want to ruin the mood by asking for her unfinished sentence. So he kept hugging her and nodded. "Deal, Kimi-chan. Shall we seal it?"

With that, he leant down and captured her lips by his.

The first date became two, and three, and in the fourth date, Kimiko was asked to spend New Year's celebrations with Yukimura-san—Hajime now, her boyfriend—in the park where they spent their first date.

"Because here has the best fireworks," he had said. "Coming, Kimi-chan?"

Kimiko had almost dragged him home and into the punishment room but since nobody heard them, she let it pass.

It became a habit for Mikado and Nanao, seeing their sister walking out the room with good dress and dyed hair. Both knew the 'lucky guy' as Nanao called it—in Nanao's case, thanks to Kuon Aikawa who saw them together in their second date—was, and they gave him their condolences. Kimiko thought it was strange, them accepting her relationship just like that.

It was already winter, and Kimiko wore her best long coat, her favourite scarf, and picked up the best pair of boots from her cosplay collections. As she skimmed through the dresses and shoes, she couldn't stop thinking about forcing some on Hajime just like she did to Nanao.

She found that idea not as intriguing as she used to be.

"Kimi-chan?"

She snapped from her musings, and found herself sitting next to the redhead on the bench, staring at some silly children who were trying to build a huge snowman. Two of the boys were redheads, three were brunets, and two were dark-haired. The rest were girls. Although the night has come, the park became even more crowded, filled with people who wanted to see the fireworks in less than an hour.

"I used to do it with Shuji."

"Excuse me?"

"Playing in the snow," he said. "I'm much older than him, and having him around is like taking care of a child. We would build a snowman just right there, just like what they're doing. It was fun."

Kimiko listened intently, and wondered why she and her brothers never did the same when they were little. She didn't know the answer, and she pushed the thought to the back of her mind before looking at her boyfriend. "That sounds nice," she replied, emotionlessly.

"Indeed it was," Hajime stared back at her, a small smile playing on his lips. "But here I have you, it's just as nice. Nicer, even."

Kimiko could feel her face burning, but she couldn't look away from Hajime's truthful eyes. They were beautiful, those eyes, and in that exact time, she realised that she'd fallen in love with him. Her heart was racing madly as she kept staring, and now... now she understood what her brothers meant when they were in love.

But, being raised as the one who could keep calm in any situation, she looked away the first and cleared her throat. Hajime seemed like he could sense her discomfort, spoke again.

"So... how are you and your brothers in New Year's Eve?"

Kimiko was glad at the topic. That would distract her from the thoughts. "Nothing really. Just waiting for the fireworks." She remembered the small villa near the lake. They'd used to go there... She remembered Mikado falling into the lake and Nanao catching his first fish. "Fishing and grilling them, then we ate together."

Somehow she didn't want to tell him about her habit of buying new dresses for Nanao every New Year's Eve. She didn't know why, but she didn't really want him to know. Hajime wasn't Nanao or Masato or Nagahisa whom she could easily tease and drag to the punishment room and force dresses on.

"And now they're with their boyfriends?"

She stared at him in shock, not remember telling him any of that. Hajime laughed.

"Oh, come on, Kimi-chan. It's not that bad. I encountered Mikado and that Aikawa delinquent at the school roof, you know. And the older Aikawa—Kuon, is it?—came with your brother Nanao when his little brother fell and almost broke his arm."

Kimiko made a mental note to speak to her youngest brother before listening to Hajime's words. She knew what they would do on places like the school roof.

"Told you I never mind, remember? I—"

There was a loud cry, and they were forced to stop talking. There was a boy, who apparently trying to climb the tree and failed. Hajime, his doctor instincts kicking in, rushed towards the silly boy and Kimiko followed, along with many people who were nearby.

After a while of examining, Hajime declared to his crying mother that her boy was okay, since he fell onto the snow. The problem was, that silly little boy couldn't stop crying. So, the redhead had to cradle the crying boy for a while before giving him back to his mother. At least, he tried to give him back to his mother. The boy resisted, and finally his mother agreed to leave her son with him for a while.

They went back to their bench. Kimiko never really liked children, except ones like Nanao who would be good for a dress-up. This boy wasn't really 'her type' with that plump body and straw-like hair. "You seem good with children," she eventually commented.

"School's health teacher, remember?" he boasted, patting his own chest. "Besides, Shuji fell from the tree once, just like this, but he broke a bone, forgot which one. Thanks to that careless little boy, I know how to calm them down or give them some aid if something happened."

"He's asleep, that silly boy."

Hajime chuckled. "Everybody is silly and irritating in front of you, right, Kimi-chan?"

Kimiko was going to answer when she heard a loud voice of, "TEN!"

The irritating boy smiled the widest smile she'd ever seen on him. He scooted closer to her. "It's starting, Kimi-chan!"

"NINE!"

"Let's count, Kimi-chan!" Without waiting for her answer, Hajime followed the shout of, "EIGHT!"

"SEVEN!"

For the first time in her life, Kimiko let her coolness down. She opened her mouth and shouted as loud as she could. "SIX!"

Hajime stared at her with wide eyes, and she could see surprise and pride in them.

"FIVE!" Kimiko found herself liking it, and she realised how great it felt to just shout, to just let go of all responsibilities, of the hectic life and just... have fun.

"FOUR!" Scooting even closer to the woman, Hajime resumed shouting the numbers.

"THREE!"

"TWO!"

"ONE!"

By the time people shouted "HAPPY NEW YEAR!", Hajime had put his lips on his girlfriend's. Pouring the newfound love with the vow of together for the rest of the year, they kissed. The kiss tasted sweet, nice, and it was something that Kimiko would always remember. With the shouts and laughs in the background muted, it was their own world right now, with a new year to get through and little brothers to protect.

"It's snowing." Kimiko said, exhaling deeply. "And don't forget that silly boy."

Hajime laughed. "You'll never change," he said before kissing her cheek, making her flinch a bit from the coldness.

The little boy cracked his eyes open and smiled at them. Kimiko frowned, and the frown went deeper as he pointed at Hajime. "Hajime-san," he said. Then he pointed at Kimiko.

"Kimi-chan."

Hajime looked as sheepish as he was back in their second meeting and Kimiko's face reddened suddenly. "Well..." he started carefully, smiling, but it faltered as soon as he saw Kimiko's venomous glare. It was twice scary than the usual! "It's cute, Kimi-chan. Why don't you like cute things?!"

Kimiko didn't answer. With darkened eyes, she leant against him and whispered,

"I'd love to take you home today... I have this punishment room to introduce to you."

FIN.

A/N: Well, this is it. Hope 'ya like! I just think Haijime/Kimiko (with a tsundere!Kimi-chan) is an interesting ship. It's been a while since I want to write this pairing, and I hope I can get the characters right. To be honest, I don't really like the way Kimiko forced dresses on Nanao, and also the punishment room, that's why I make it her 'dirty little secret'. They're probably a bit OOC, but like the couples in canon, they'd go rather OOC once they're falling in love, yes? :)

Part 2, the New Year celebrations in Mikado's house. Pretty messed up, if you ask me. :)