Sketching Tommorow: A Clannad fanfiction
Chapter 1: First meetings
James walked slowly up the hill. The ground felt bumpy and he tried hard to keep his balance. The area was covered with cherry blossom tree's on both sides. The leaves fell down to the ground and blew in the wind. It reminded James of the heavy snow storms that had happened in england over the years. He noticed more students further up the hill and the weird looks continued. He stuck out like a sore thumb with no uniform. Every one else wore uniforms in a pale yellow colour. The boys wore dark blue jumpers and trousers while the girls wore the same jumper with a sort of cape around them and blue skirts with white socks. All the uniforms had the school logo on the front pockets but in different colours. Some with green some with red and some with blue. James assumed this meant the grades that some students were in like sophomore freshmen and senior.
"Who is that?" Whispered one student "Is he suppose to be here?"
James was beginning to get nervous again. "Just ignore it!" he thought to himself. He stopped for a moment and looked at the school building. It was quite large and looked a little old and worn. It seemed that the building was already packed with students as he saw many of them wandering around through the windows. Many of the students outside just talked to each other. Nothing much was happening at all and it reminded him of the times with his old friends at school.
He brushed up the courage to walk to the main entrance. A lot of students were all walking in there at once.
He took one step forward Suddenly he felt a hand grab his shoulder.
"Excuse me!" said an elderly voice
James turned around and backed away slightly so the man could remove his hand from James'es shoulder.
The man was quite old he appeared to be in his 60s perhaps 70s with white grey hair a large moustache and wore a green suit with a blue tie and grey trousers. He kept his eyes closed for some reason. Perhaps he had bad eyesight or somthing. He was an old man after all...
"Y-yes?" James stuttered at the shock of behing touched which he hated especially from strangers. He looked to the ground as he was always shy with looking at anyone in the face.
"Are you the new student James Walker?" the man asked.
"Yes" James replied "Are you one of the teachers?"
"Yes I'm the English teacher " The man replied "I was told that you were coming today. Welcome to the school!"
James started to get even more nervous. "T-thank you!" He stuttered "Um sorry to ask but where do i get a uniform from?"
"Eh?" muttered. He hadnt noticed that James wasnt in uniform. "Oh!" He laughed "I see your not in uniform! Sorry but at my age i dont notice these things as much!" Your class representive arrives around this time! She will show you where to find a uniform!"
"She?" James thought in panic. His heart began to beat fast and he swear he could actully hear it out loud. James was never good with girls. Even though he was always very quiet with talking to people it was even worse for him with women around the same age as him. He'd only ever gotten close with one girl and that had ended horribly. "never again..." James thought "I wont let anyone use me like that again!"
"Then" continued "She'll take you to your class!.
James'es feet began shaking and started to feel like he was glued to the ground.
"Ah there she is!" began to wave " !"
James looked and apeared to be waving at two girls. One was short with blue eyes shoulder length light purple hair a white ribbion clipped on and the other was taller with purple eyes long light purple hair and just like the other girl had a white ribbion clipped onto it.
"I'm assuming they're related?" James thought as the two girls rushed over to
"Yes ?" asked the girl with the shorter hair
The girl with the longer hair looked at James oddly
raised his hand to James
"Ryou this is James Walker. He's a new student joining today and as your his classes representative I thought it would be best for you to show him where to find a uniform and then show him around the school!
James felt like he had a lump in his throat as he kept his eyes on the ground. He had noticed the other girl staring at him intensely "I hope she's not thinking I'm staring at they're breasts!" James though as he went red in the face at the thought of it.
"H-hello!" James said to the short haired girl but she just gave him a confused glance. "H-hello?" He said again. He suddenly noticed that he had greeted her in English rather than Japanese!
James cleared his throat "H-hello!" he said in Japanese. The short haired girl gave an awkward Laugh "Hello I'm Ryou Fujibayashi!"
"Well I'd better get going!" said as he began to walk off.
"I'll see you later Kyou!" Ryou said to the long haired girl. "She you later sis!" Kyou replied. She brushed past James and whispered to him "You'd better not do any horrible to my sister!"
"She's definitely a bully..." James mumbled to himself as Kyou walked off
"S-so..." Ryou muttered and she began to blush a little "I'll show you where to get your uniform!"
She slowly began to walk to the entrance. James hadnt noticed but Ryou was just as nervous and didnt look him in the eye.
They walked up to the entrance where the students were all rushing to get in "E-excuse me!" Ryou said quietly but the students didnt hear her. She turned her head and looked at James still blushing "S-sorry about this!"
They waited for a few minuets before they were finally able to get into the building. They walked through long corridors that seemed endless and all looked the same. James thought that he could easily get lost here.
"How do you get use to all this?" he asked Ryou. She merely laughed "Dont worry you'll get use to it! I was the same when i started here!"
"Hopfully!" James replied. "I admire you for behing the class representative! It's somthing i wouldnt be able to do!"
Ryou blushed a little "W-well I was actually voted in. It's not really somthing i would do since i'm not very confident but i try my best!"
James stopped suddenly...
He began to get brief flashbacks in his mind. The same thing had happened to him in his last school!
Ryou looked at James with concern "A-are you Ok? um James wasnt it? Uh I mean Walker!"
James suddenly came back to reality "Oh sorry!" James scratched his head and gave an embaressed laugh "I was just thinking of somthing! By the way you can call me James!" James found it silly that you had to reffer to people by their last names in Japan. "um ok...James" Ryou mummbled.
They eventully found a small room filled with uniforms Ryou had to help James find one in his size which took several minuets but they eventully found one.
"I'm just gonna get changed!" James said
"I'll wait outside!" Ryou replied as she walked out and quickly shut the door and began to wait.
"Ryou!" She looked and Kyou was walking in her direction.
"Hi sis!" Ryou shouted as Kyou came closer. Kyou glanced over at the door "So how are things with the new guy?"
Ryou blushed "Um..good! Have you seen okazaki?
Kyou sighed and then grinned "Yeah i saw him wandering around as usual! Probably gonna be late again!"
"Ah!" Ryou suddenly had an idea "Maybe I'll read his fourtune later!
Kyou laughed slightly "If you want! Now listen!" Kyou walked closer and began to whisper to Ryou "Watch out for the new guy! Notice how he didnt look at either of us in the face earlier? You know what that means!"
Ryou went completly red in the face "What?!" She gasped "Y-you dont mean..."
"Yep!" Kyou replied "staring at our breasts!" "If he touches you tell me and I'll rip him apart!"
Ryou started Panicking and began waving her arms "I-i dont think its anything like that sis!" "I think he's just shy!" Kyou glanced at Ryou with an intense look.
Suddenly the door opened and James appeared. He looked in suprised when he noticed Kyou "Oh hi! Kyou wasnt it?"
Kyou looked at James angrily "Thats Fujibayashi to you!" Kyou shouted as she stormed off. They hadnt noticed but she'd been trying to stop herself from attacking James...
"W-whats with her?" James asked in shock "N-nothing!" Ryou shouted trying not to look embarrassed. "So I take it you've put your old clothes in your bag?" She asked trying to make conversation.
"Only place I can put them!" he laughed
Ryou gave an embarrassed laugh "Yeah true!" She began scratching the back of her head "Why did I ask such a stupid question?!" she thought.
James took a deep breath and said "Well you'd better show me around as quickly as you can! It would be bad if both of us were late for class!"
Ryou gasped in shock as she suddenly became aware of the time! "R-right!" she said in a panicky voice.
She showed James all around the school. They went past the different classrooms lunch rooms youth centers etc until they eventully came to a small room.
"This is the second library!" Ryou said as she walked through the door.
"Second Library?" James asked "You havent even shown me the first one!" he chuckled as they went inside.
It was fairly small for a library. A lot of old books were scattered across the shelves. A televsion and some VHS tapes lay on the table and some cooking equitment stood at the end of the room.
"Well this place is pretty random!" James laughed as he scratched his head.
James suddenly looked around "I'm suprised there isnt a librarian around here or somthing!"
"One of the students Yukine Miyazawa runs this place! Ryou explained "Most of the unused books go here but a lot of people just come here to ask Miyazawa for advice!"
James browsed through some of the spines on the book's although he didnt really understand what most said
"Excuse me a minuet.." Ryou muttered as she browsed through a shelf. "Ah here it is!"
She plucked an old looking purple book from one of the top shelves. "So whats that?" James asked with interest
"Oh!" Ryou blushed "It's a book on fourtune telling! It's kind of my hobby!"
"Oh wow!" James gasped in suprise "Have many of your fourtunes come true?
Ryou thought about it for a few seconds "About 50/50!"
"hmm thats interesting" James mummbled.
"Since Miyazawa isnt here I'll come back for the book later!" Ryou suddenly checked her watch and gasped in shock "We'd better get to class!" I'll continue the tour later if thats ok!
"Sure thing! James said as he and Ryou began walking out of the library.
"So James tell me..."Ryou asked quitly "Do you have any hobbies?"
"Art is my hobby I'll be honest! James began grinning a little "I do a lot of painting and sketching when I'm at home!"
"wow!" Ryou gasped in suprise "So are you any good?"
"um" James thought for a few seconds "Well I dont know it depends on how i feel about it. I've brought my sketchpad with me so i can show you some stuff I've already done if your interested!"
"Sure!" Ryou replied "If you want i can read your fourtune later?"
"Yeah thats fine! James said as he looked at a passing clock.
"James if there's anything you want help with just let me know!" Ryou said as she blushed again "Since your new your gonna need help finding your way around this place!
"Allright! He exclaimed "And if theres anything you want help with let me know!"
So far it seemed James had found at least one friend with Ryou.
They eventully found "Class 3-D which was of course their class. Ryou and James slowly came inside
"The teachers not here!" Ryou said to James "We made it with a few minuets to spare!" Ryou pointed at a seat towards the end of the classroom by a big window. "Theres a seat for you!"
"Thanks!" James replied as he began to walk over to the seat.
He sat down and looked outside the window there wasnt much of a view just a tiny courtyard with some benches and a few tree's.
James took out all his booms from his bag. He was sure he'd need to buy a larger one at this rate since it was starting to rip from all the weight inside it.
He took out his clothes and carfully began to fold them. He then placed his books back into the bag they were all thick and heavy and were hard to fit inside even before he'd put his clothes in the bag! He then placed a small bottle of water into the bag and made sure it wasnt leaking.
He glanced at the clock. He probably had at least 10 minuets before the lesson started. He brought out his sketch book and began to draw the view outside. It was a little difficult to concentrait due to all the noise in the classroom but he tried to ignore it.
He suddenly heared a large thump in front of him. A guy with blue hair sat in the chair in front of him. He couldnt make out the face since James was looking at the guy from behind. He continued with his sketching and paid little attention to the guy.
"um...Okazaki?" James turned his eyes to the right and noticed Ryou was talking to the guy in front of him. "Yeah what is it?" He replied
Ryou blushed " Looks like your a little late again"
"So?" He replied
"W-well I think you should come to school on time more.." She said quitly.
James listened. He though Ryou seemed shyer than before.
Okazaki grinned "Oh? You know your starting to sound like the class leader or somthing?!
"Ryou went even more red "I-i am the class leader!"
"Hey Okazaki!" One student shouted "Dont make her cry otherwise you'll have her sister after you!"
James noticed that Ryou actually had started crying but she tried to cover her face to hide it. " Dont worry I-i'm not crying at all!" She shouted and suddenly started breathing heavily
Okazaki just gave a rather board sigh "I'll try and come in early tommorow!"
Ryou suddenly put her left hand in her left pocket "H-how about I read your fourtune for tommorow?"
James looked with interest whereas Okazaki did not seem interested at all.
Ryou began shuffling her cards when she suddenly dropped them and they went all over the floor.
Okazaki was about to pick up the cards when Ryou interupted him "It says your going to be late tommorow!"
James tried his best not to laugh at that. Okazaki suddenly stood up "Are you trying to make me mad?!"
"surely this guy wont try and attack her?" James thought
"I-its just what the cards say! I-i think its your future!"
"My future?" Okazaki asked in disbelief.
Ryou nodded "Tommorow you'll have a romantic meeting with a sweet girl! You'll forget all about the time and thats why your going to be late!"
"That's amazing! James thought
"So pacific!" Okazaki mumbled
"Call it a maidens inspiration! Ryou said as she started going red in the face again.
James chuckled at that last comment.
"Tomoya Okazaki!"
James Okazaki and Ryou all looked at the direction of the door. Suddenly a book came flying! Okazki ducked quickly as the book bounced off the window and whacked James right on the top of his head!
Kyou suddenly burst into the room. "You've got some nerve picking on my little sister you fleebrain!" She suddenly grabbed Okazaki by the tie and held him up in the air "I'm gonna beat you!"
Ryou suddenly started panicking "S-sis he wasnt..."
"And you!" She suddenly grabbed James by the root of his hair "Argh!" he shouted as he tried to get Kyou's hand off his head
"Stay away from my sister you damn pervert!" She shouted.
"Will you relax i was only talking to her!" Okazaki shouted
"And I'm not a pervert!" James also shouted
"They havent done anything at all!" Ryou shouted
Kyou just have them both a blank look "Hmm in that case..." She released them both.
"Argh Jesus my head!" James muttered as he started rubbing it while Okazaki started putting his tie back in place.
"Kyou looked down at the cards "Oh were you reading fourtunes?" she asked
"Yeah" Okazaki replied "It says i'll have a romantic meeting with a sweet girl tommorow!" he said in an unamused voice
"Is that so?" Kyou grinned "Whats with that face?!" Okazaki asked
"Nothing at all lover boy!" She shouted as she walked out of the class laughing
Ryou and Okazaki just stared at each other blankly.
"Whats her problem?!" James asked
"S-sorry! "Ryou shouted in a shaky voice "She can be quite violent!"
"I'll say!" James groaned "Your complete opposites!"
Okazaki suddenly noticed James "Hey are you new or somthing?" he asked.
"Oh this is James walker!" Ryou blushed "He's just starting here today!"
James stood up and raised his hand "As she said I'm James walker!" So your Okazaki right?" he asked
"Tomoya Okazaki!" He replied as he sat back down in his chair not bothering to shake hands. "Hope you like this place cause your gonna be stuck here for a while!"
Suddenly Okazaki got up again and began to walk out of the classroom "I'm going!"
Ryou started to go after him "Okazaki stop! Y-you cant.." but he had already left before she could finish the sentence.
"Ah he's one of those guys right?" James asked
"What do you mean?" Ryou asked in confusion
"I mean he's one of those guys who comes to class whever he wants and dosent pay attention in lessons?"
Ryou looked at the floor sadly "Yeah..."
"Oh I hate people like that!"James thought.
Ryou bent down and began picking up her cards from the floor.
"So do you think your fourtune that you gave to Okazaki will come true?" he asked her. Ryou just smiled "Maybe!"
Ryou began walking back to her chair when James suddenly remembered "Oh!" he shouted "What did your sister mean when she called me a pervert? What the hell was that about?"
Ryou blushed "I-i honestly dont know!"
The teacher came in. He was a slightly thin man in a black suit with a large nose jet black hair and a rather bored look on his face.
"I see Okazaki and Sunohara are absent once again!" He said in a voice that sounded as though this was a regular thing. He sat down on his chair and placed a couple books on his desk.
"Now class you maybe have noticed we have a new student here today! James Walker please stand up and introduce yourself!" He mummbled
James slowly stood up and started to get nervous with the amount of people in the classroom. He didnt notice but Ryou had given him a thumbs up for good luck.
"W-well there isnt much to say really! My name is James Walker as you just heared. I've moved here from England and thats pretty much it really..."
"He quickly sat down again feeling embarrassed. Most of the students didnt seem that interested anyway.
"Now class..."
Roughly an hour and a half passed James did his best to keep up with everything and awnser questions. It was finally break and everyone walked out of the classroom.
"Where the hell do I go?" James thought
Ryou had gone with some of her friends so he had knowone to talk too. "I guess I'll go outside!" He said to himself as he left the classroom.
The hallways were packed with students talking. He tried his best to get through the crowds "E-excuse me!" he would mutter as he went past.
"Watch it asshole!" a student shouted. James started to get that awful tingeling feeling in his stomach. As he got up to the end of the corridor he noticed two large wooden doors. He looked up at the top a large sign hung on the walls which read "Library.
He carfully pushed the door on the left as to not disturb anyone. He quietly went over to a table in the corner. "So this is the first library!" James said to himself.
It was far bigger than the second library and his classroom combined. A countless number of books shelves stood around the room. 50 pherhaps 80 books filled each long shelf. He looked around and suddenly noticed that there was knowone in the room but him so he began to walk around.
"I should be able to stay here for a bit!" he said as he walked around. He noticed another table and a chair and sat down. He began to open his bag when in the corner of his eye he noticed a girl.
He looked and gasped in suprise. She had been that quite that he hadnt notice her at all. She was reading a thick emrald green book. She slowly turned the page. He noticed here eye's going back and fourth and then turned another page "Wow she's fast!" James thought.
He slowly walked over to the girl "E-excuse me!" he whispered. The girl didnt seem to hear him and she continued reading. James moved away and sat at the table.
"I'm just gonna sit here for a bit! Sorry if I disturb you!" He slowly unpacked his bag and brought out a small plastic bottle of water. He carefully opened up the bottle and began to drink.
Suddenly he coughed out a laod of water that has gone down the wrong way. He coughed and spluttered for several minuets before gasping for breath. Water had gone all over the table and his bag had gotten quite wet.
He quickly brought out his shirt from inside his bag and began to wipe up the mess. He then quietly walked over to the girl. She still sat in her own little world reading her book. She sat on a cushion on the floor barefoot her shoes were placed by the wall. She had purple eyes blue-ish purple hair with red ball hairbands.
James tried to hide the fact that he was blushing "S-she's quite cute!" He thought
James suddenly cleared his throat "S-sorry about all the noise just then!"
But she didnt seem to notice him she merely kept on reading.
"She must really like reading!" James thought
James sat down again and grabbed his water bottle. He was about drink when he hesitated. He didnt want to choke on the water again and make a lot of noise. He glanced at the girl and suddenly had an idea.
"I've been meaning to sketch some people!" he thought as he brought out his sketchbook and pencils. He quickly inspected the sketchbook. Only one corner of it had gotten wet the rest was thankfully bone dry.
He picked up his pencil and slowly began to sketch the girl. It was pretty easy since she stood pretty still. He just hoped she wouldnt notice...
Several minuets past and James felt it was best for him to bet getting back to class. He put back his pencil and was about to close his sketchbook when he noticed the girl had moved.
James gasped in shock. He turned around and noticed she was stood right behing him looking at him like a child would to a stranger.
"Um..."James began to say. He had no way to explain this...
"I-is that suppose to be me?" The girl asked. She spoke in a soft quite voice. She seemed a lot quieter than Ryou.
James blushed "Y-yes.." He choked on his words as he replied "Look I'm sorry I.."
The girl blushed and smiled "It's very good!"
James looked at his sketch. He'd only been able to draw up to her holding a book. He hasnt properly finished the background or anything and he felt the face and proportions looked odd.
"Um thanks" James mumbled "I-its honestly not that good!"
The girl walked over to her bag and brought out a lunchbox. She carfully opened it up but it was too far for James to be able to see its contents.
"Do you want some?" she asked
James grinned and went red "N-no thanks sorry! I have to be getting back to class!"
"See you later.."she mumbled as James walked out the door.
As James walked out of the library he noticed Okazaki walking past him. He thought to say hello but decided against it. He remembered Ryou telling him Okazaki was a slacker and thought talking to him probably wouldnt be the best idea.
He got to class walked over to his seat and sat down "Who was that girl?" James thought as he examined his sketch.
He suddenly noticed Ryou walking up to him. "Hi James!" she exclaimed "S-sorry that I couldnt hang around at during break!"
James smiled "Dont worry its fine!" Ryou looked around the classroom for a few seconds. "H-have you seen Okazaki?"
"Yeah I've just seen him walking to the library!" James replied.
Ryou just gave a deep sigh.
"Oh by the way!" James brought out his sketch and explained to Ryou about the girl in the library.
"Judging by your sketch that was probably Kotomi Ichinose from Class-A! She's a genius!"
"A genius?!" James asked in shock
"Yep! Ryou replied "She reached top 10 on every subject of the national mock exam! She's allowed to cut classes any time and study whatever she wants!
James sighed"Well she's definitely out of our leauge!"
"W-well" Ryou muttered "I hear she's really shy!"
"I guess! She didnt talk much although it might be because she was engrossed in reading a text book or somthing like that!"
"Changing the subject but I think the sketch you did of her was really good! Ryou tried to hide the fact that she was blushing even more than usual.
"T-thanks! " James blushed "But I can honestly do better!
"Um..." Ryou suddenly started shaking "D-do you think w-we could do some drawing together some time?"
Ryou tried to hide her face as she began to cry a little.
"Sure!" James smiled "we'll try and arrange somthing!"
"O-ok!" Ryou said in a shaky voice as she sat back down in her seat.
James then thought about the girl He'd met in the library
"Kotomi Ichinose..."
To be continued
Authors Note:
Sorry that this took a while to uplaod!
As well as having to do laods of work I did also get stuck a few times while writing this!
Hopfully when i write the next chapter it wont take as long!
PS: Please correct me on spelling and grammar mistakes since they arent my best subjects...