Disclaimer: I don't own Mai-HiME. Got the idea from Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife. Awesome story :)
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My Time Traveler Hime
Chapter One
by Chill
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Monday, July 24, 1989 (Shizuru is 16, Natsuki is 15)
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-S-
The Student Council Room is quiet save from some chattering students passing by outside the room. I am enjoying my tea and reviewing the paper works Yukino left for me to sign when I hear Haruka's howling voice saying something about "delinquent" "skipping classes" and "punished". She's coming. I mentally groaned. A Fujino never groans. Never.
"FUJINO!" yelled Haruka as she slam the door open and march in front of my table.
And there goes my peaceful day.
I didn't notice a girl following her until I heard grumbling noises; "stupid" "lion" "shouldn't have gone to school" she says. I chuckled, mentally agreeing that Haruka indeed is like a lion. A feral one that is. I smirked at my own thoughts.
My breath was caught in my lungs when I opened my eyes. Not so far away, there stood a girl with long midnight blue hair cascading down to her waist. Her pale white skin seems to glow as the sun highlight her delicate features. What really took my breath away are those emerald eyes that are so vibrant and full of life and I can't help but stare at them. Natsuki!
Natsuki is glaring at Haruka and she seems to be boring hole on her head and she is pouting. That took away the murderous vibe that she is giving away. Ara, so cute. I giggled silently behind my cup of tea and the glaring stops when she heard me. Haruka, on the other hand, remained oblivious and was continuously ranting about "maintaining the school's peace and 'border'".
"FUJINO! Are you listening? I said that this delinquent needs to be punished! Disrupting the school's peace and border is unforgivable!" she says.
"You mean order?" Natsuki smirked.
"I said that, idiot! Are you not even listening!"
"Maybe not," Natsuki said with sarcasm.
"Gah! You and Fujino are so alike!" Haruka yells and she points at me and Natsuki for emphasis.
"I'm leaving now. Fujino! Take care of this delinquent and punish her!" and Haruka stormed out of the room.
I gave her a nod as a sign of confirmation. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Natsuki flinch. I giggled again and she cross her arms in front of chest and looks away. A frown was visible on her face and what made her cuter is the slight blush adorning her cheeks. I could never get tired of this. 'This' meaning staring at her.
"Ara, Natsuki should not frown or else it will stick on her beautiful face. Now, we wouldn't want that, would we?" I teased. God, how I'd miss her. It's been three years since I last saw her.
"I'm not-wait! How did you know my name?"
"Ara, Natsuki already forget me? How cruel. Am I not beautiful enough for Natsuki? Natsuki must think that I'm ugly." I faked a sob and hide behind my hand. Gotcha, my Natsuki.
"No! No! Please stop crying! You're not ugly! You are the most beautiful girl that I have seen, I swear!" she said in panic to stop me from 'crying'.
"Ara, thank you Na-tsu-ki." The 'crying' stopped and I beamed a smile at her.
"Y-you-you tricked me!" Her eyebrow twitched.
"Kannin na, Natsuki. You're just too cute." I giggled and she sighed. Natsuki walks to my table and sat on the corner of it.
"Anyway, have we met before? I don't…"
I stood up from my chair and went over her. I tried taking her hands in mine but when she tensed up, I let go of them. Maybe in another time, I sadly thought.
"I'm Fujino Shizuru. I knew you when I was a little girl." I tried to explain. I was at a lost because here I am, Fujino Shizuru, in love with a girl who is sitting not so far away from me with no memories of me at all. Everything is in the future for her. I want to laugh at the weirdness of the whole thing. I'm flooded with years of knowledge of Natsuki while she's looking at me fearfully.
Searching her memory and realizing that some future self of her has met me, she stood up and brushed imaginary dirt from her skirt. "I'm sorry but I need to go now. I…"
"W-wait! Meet me later for tea or something?" I asked her before she was completely out of the room, her hand on the door knob. Surely she has to say yes, this Natsuki who loved me in the past and future must love me now in some bat-squeak echo of other time. To my immense relief she does say yes and she left.
After some moment, I realized she did not say when and where. Or rather, I did not! Horror floods through me. I was uneasy the entire morning, thinking that Natsuki might disappear here and now. Silly. She studies here, does she not? You could easily look for her.
At lunch, I went to the Student Council Room. I want time to myself to think of things…and Natsuki. I did my usual routine: prepare tea, sit on my chair, eat my lunch, and drink tea while reviewing another stock of paper that Haruka or Yukino must have left for me. Here is where I always spent my vacant period, away from my 'fans'. The school bell rang signaling the end of our one hour break and I decided to take my leave. I fixed my things and picked up my laptop that I left earlier. I saw a piece of paper under it and curiosity gets the best of me. I unfolded the paper, rereading it over and over again.
Four o'clock. Front gate. - N.
Natsuki! There's no mistake in it. The handwriting gave it away. Hope replaced the fear and anxiety I felt earlier that day. A smile broke into my face. I am happy and giddy. She is real. She is here. And my day went better all because of a piece of paper.
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-N-
"Ooof!" I just came back in the present and landed hard on the floor of my apartment. Really hard that it leaves my back hurting. I think it's been a week since the last time I've been in here and my apartment looks clean. Mai must have cleaned the mess I called my living space while I was gone.
I looked for the calendar. It says July 24. Great. I missed a week worth of learning. I time traveled last Monday, July 17. One moment I was doing my homework diligently and the next thing I know was I was back in 1980, when I was six. That year my mother died in a terrible car accident and I have to watch it over and over again, in every imaginable angle. It hurts but I eventually got used to it. Maybe after the 23rd time, I somberly thought.
I checked the time on my walk clock, 7:15. "Shit! I'm late again!"
I scrambled to my feet and rushed to the bathroom to take a quick bath then I rummaged my closet for some comfortable clothes. Like every school day, I settled for a white hoodie, which I have tons of, the school's orange vest and gray skirt, long green socks, and my favorite pair of converse. I made a quick breakfast consisting of a mayo sandwich, an orange juice, an apple and another mayo sandwich, which my motherly friend that goes by the name 'Ma'i called 'mayo topped with bread'. I snorted at the thought.
Okay, 7:40. I picked up my leather suit, helmet, and keys. I don't have time to change into it anymore so I just placed it on the compartment of my Ducati. I'm really thankful that I don't time traveler while riding my bike or else…I wouldn't want to know what would've happen. Maybe it's because it helps me release the tension I feel in my body and relax?
School bell rang at 7:00 and it's 7:45. I tried to sneak in as quietly as possible but today was definitely not my lucky day. I was caught by the one and only loudmouth, Suzushiro Haruka. Prfft!
"You, delinquent, have always nothing good to do! Always skipping classes and disrupting school's peacefulness. You'll be punished!" Ouch. I think my ears rang. Always the loudmouth and she's clearly living up her reputation…and it is early Monday morning too! Now, who is disturbing the school's tranquility? And hey! It's not like I wished to skip school. If I had the option I would rather stay here and learn. It's my mother's wish after all.
Haruka slammed the door to the Student Council room open and marched her way inside yelling something like "Fujino". Waaaaait. "Fujino" as in the Student Council President? Oh. Shit. I'm in deep trouble.
"Seriously, if only I knew that I would be caught by this loud stupid lion, I shouldn't have gone to school today." I grumbled and glared at the back of the head of Haruka, who is still ranting about something I could care less, trying to bore holes in that thick lion head of hers.
"FUJINO! Are you listening? I said that this delinquent needs to be punished! Disrupting the school's peace and border is unforgivable!" she said.
"You mean order?" I smirked.
"I said that, idiot! Are you not even listening!" Seriously, is that even a question? I just smirked at her, knowing it would set her off.
"Gah! You and Fujino are so alike!" Now, who's the idiot? She even points an accusing finger at this "Fujino" and then at me for emphasis. Prft. Whatever.
"I'm leaving now. Fujino! Take care of this delinquent and punish her!" and the lion stormed out of the room and went on her way. That's when I decided to take a look at this Fujino. She is wearing a cream colored vest and black skirt. Yep, definitely the kaichou. Long chestnut hair framed her beautiful face. Creamy white skin that looks so soft. Perfect curves and the girl is clearly gifted in that department. And she has the most gentle and beautiful crimson eyes I have ever seen.
I saw her gave Haruka a nod of confirmation and I flinched. Punishment. Is time traveling not enough punishment? I heard her giggle and I realized that she must have seen me flinch. She must think that I'm scared of her. Oh no, I've been through much worse. I crossed my arms in indignation and looked away. I frowned at her when I realized that she keeps on staring at me weirdly and almost like in adoration. I tried to keep away the blush that's starting to surface and this warm feeling that's spreading in my body, but to no avail. Shit.
"Ara, Natsuki should not frown or else it will stick on her beautiful face. Now, we wouldn't want that, would we?" she teased. And she has the most beautiful voice I have ever heard…aside from my mother that is. Kyoto-ben?
"I'm not-wait! How did you know my name?" I asked. It's not every day that I encounter someone who calls me by my first name (except for Mai and her pet Mikoto) and I don't even know her. Have I met her somewhere?
"Ara, you already forget me? How cruel. Am I not beautiful enough for Natsuki? Natsuki must be thinking that I'm ugly."
"No! No! Please stop crying! You're not ugly! You are the most beautiful girl that I have seen, I swear!" I said in panick to pacify her and to stop her from crying. Did I just admit that she is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen?
"Ara, thank you Na-tsu-ki." the crying stopped instantly and she beamed a smile at me. That's when I realized that she tricked me and my eyebrow twitched in annoyance.
"Y-you-you tricked me!" I can't believe her. It's the first time I met her and she's already treating me like we've been friends for so long…and with the teasing, Oh God, I think I wouldn't last long when I'm with her.
"Kannin na, Natsuki. You're just too cute." I sighed when I heard her giggle. I walked to her table and sat on the corner of it. I'm standing for so long and my legs are getting tired. A comfortable silence followed but not for too long.
"Anyway, have we met before? I don't…" I'm really curious as to who she is, where she met me or rather where and how we met, and how the hell she knew me. I'm curious as to who is this person who is smiling at me, even if I'm not at my best with my hair slightly disheveled and me wearing only my school 'uniform' which is creased from all the running I made, as if I am the most beautiful person in the world.
She stood from her seat and walked over me. She took my hands in her and I tensed up in response. Never in my short life had someone held my hands with all the love in the world except for my mother. She almost immediately let go of my hands just as I was getting used to the feeling. I mentally sighed in disappointment.
"I'm Fujino Shizuru. I knew you when I was a little girl." I tried to search my memory. Anything about a Fujino Shizuru. None came. And I realized that some future self of me has met her. Oh no. What if I did something horrible to her? Or what if she turns me to the police? I stood up and brushed my skirt.
"I'm sorry but I need to go now. I…" I want to get away as quickly as possible from her. I need to think of things.
"W-wait! Meet me later for tea or something?" she asked me before I was completely out of the room. I looked at her weirdly like she has gone out of her mind. First, no one has asked me out before except for my closest friends and that idiot of a boy named Takeda something. Second, she does not seem to be the type of person who would stammer. In fact, she seemed to be an ideal Janpanese woman. I saw the hope and fear replaced the adoration in her eyes. Fear of what? I asked myself. I couldn't just destroy the hope in her eyes and something in the back of my mind is drawing me to her.
"Yes," my mouth said even before my mind could think. And I left.
I was standing out of the Student Council room for about ten minutes now. I couldn't seem to move from my spot. I realized that I want to know more about Shizuru. There's no use in denying the fact that I am captivated by her...not just by her beauty but by her. And there was no way I would admit that to anybody.
I heard some movements from the inside of the room and I scurried to the corner of the hall way, praying to whoever is listening that she wouldn't see me. Thank God she did not but something inside of me wished that she did.
When I was sure that the coast is clear, I went in the room. Somehow, being here makes me at peace so I decided to stay there for a little while. "She did not say when and where…" I said to myself. Lunch was fast approaching so I decided to take my leave but not before leaving her a note.
I smiled to myself in satisfaction and went to find Mai and Mikoto. I can feel that today will turn out to be a good one.
And here's the first chapter of MTTH :) I have done a little editing and..yeah -_- I'm sure you would have not gotten at the bottom of the page if you did not read this so if it would not bother you so much, kindly click the Review button below and leave a review :D your review/criticism would be of great help. Thanks! :)
