Voices
March 4: 21st-27th
16/03/21
Monday
Takenouchi Sora
We're taking finals, so I don't have too much time to write. But I wanted to write one last entry, just for the sake of completion and reflection.
But first, let me say that our first dance lesson was so fun! At first, Yamato was stiff and uncomfortable. But eventually, his focus shifted from being self-conscious to dancing, and that's when everything clicked. I've mentioned this before, but he's very... gentlemanly. He focuses on making sure I'm happy, and on presenting his best self. That makes him a great dancing partner in itself. I'm not much of a judge, but once he got into that head space, I think he was great. I can't wait to learn all kinds of dances with him. I hope I'm doing alright! Yamato said I did well, but you know how that is.
It's mind-blowing to compare myself in April 2015 to myself now. I only knew a few people in my class, there was so much friction at home with Mom, and I had never shown anyone my design sketches or mentioned making clothing. Now, my Mom and I are on friendly terms, and although I'm still struggling to understand her, it's a huge improvement. I have lots of friends in my class, in tennis club, and in the fashion club, too. And I've never had a closer friend than Mimi-chan.
My clothing line is doing really well, and I've saved up a lot of money already. I'm even investing with Mom's guidance! I'm hoping to save it for college, although I won't lie- I've bought a lot of sewing materials and fashion books. I never used to have any confidence that I could make my dream of designing clothing come true, but now... Well, it may be small scale, but I'm already making my own lines! And I held my own fashion show, too, with lots of help from my friends. I really believe I can do this now, which is such a wonderful feeling.
I want to make some new designs over break, plus the blazer for Dad. I'm really looking forward to introducing him to Yamato... Which is another new aspect to my life this year.
I'm not sure what to say about that. I never thought about having a boyfriend before, and suddenly I have one. Because of how young we are, we can't spend that much time alone together, and we're at the age where figuring ourselves out is the priority. But still, he's so important to me, and his support and love mean so much. It's more than just having fun together. I'm always looking forward to what comes next with him.
There are four classes per grade level, so the odds of all of us being in the same class next year are low. I really hope I can be with Yamato and Mimi-chan. Whichever class has her in it is sure to be the most fun! And I prayed for her exam success over the weekend, since so much is riding on her scores. Please let Mimi-chan pass! She's worked so hard, and she's done so much for me, I want to see her be happy.
If I can be even half as blessed next year as I was this year, I'll be set for happiness. I'm going to keep enjoying my present with an eye towards my future. When we finish our exams, I have to be sure to thank my friends, my family, and my club mates for a wonderful year.
16.03.22
Tuesday
Kido Jyou
Mimi-chan and I studied all weekend for our finals, and we prayed at a shrine for exam success, too. I really hope she does well. She's worked so hard and learned so much about studying and note-taking and concentration. It would be such a blow for her if she's not rewarded for all of that work. And obviously I want to be in the same year as her.
Even though we're together now, we've been too focused on exam prep these last few days to think about it. That's fine; frankly, I still don't believe it myself. Still, I was annoyed when my family and friends didn't believe that we're together. Sora-chan and Eimi-chan were the only ones to calmly accept it without questions or teasing. At least they congratulated us... Koushiro-kun had the nerve to ask me if I wasn't sure that I was mistaken somehow, and don't get me started on Taichi-kun. And my brothers! Hmph.
Anyway... I guess we're all splitting up next year. I hope Mimi-chan, Eimi-chan, and Koushiro-kun can be in my class, at least, but there's no telling how we'll be distributed. What's most important is that Mimi-chan should be with Sora-chan. She cares about her so much, I know she'd miss her.
I made a lot more friends than I've had in the past this year, and we did a lot of fun things. I found that I enjoy group study, as well. It's a great way to learn while avoiding being a complete hermit. And then there's Mimi-chan... I still don't know how this happened, and what will happen next, but I'm so happy about it that sometimes it's like I can't believe it myself, either. I told Mimi-chan that when she asked me why I was suddenly turning red and having trouble talking to her. The next day, she brought me a framed picture of her. She wrote, "I love you, Jyou" on it with a pink marker. She's... she's so frank. How does she just say things like that?
I keep it on my desk. It helps, but I'm still wrapping my head around things.
Next year, I want to maintain my friendships and relax a little more. But not too much! College entrance exams are a year closer. Anyway, I think I'll be forced to take it a little easier, regardless. Mimi-chan will want to go on dates. That's fine, as long as some of them are study dates. I wonder how I can negotiate that...
I'm starting to realize that I'm in over my head with Mimi-chan. Oh, boy...
Well, my immediate concern is to survive my lab practical with Taichi-kun, and to see Mimi-chan pass. I need to go so I can study, get to bed, and stop by a shrine early in the morning to get one last prayer in for her.
March 23, 2016
Wednesday
Anami Eimi
Dear Kitty,
I can't believe it's been a whole school year already. Last April, I could barely read kanji, and I was a stranger in Japan. I remember having days when I fell into bed after my club meetings and cried, because I felt so alone and lost.
Now, I've never felt more happy and at home. So much has happened and changed, and... I made so many incredible friends, and I have a great relationship with my Grandma. I've never felt so peaceful and at ease in my living space before, and it's all thanks to her. I learned so much about music and playing guitar, and I navigated the emotions and whims of four teenage boys and watched them become a contest-winning band. Oh, and I dealt with the Yamato fan girls with Taichi at my back, and then I made peace with them, which was such a relief. I went on summer group activities, got my first job, and learned so much about Japan.
And then there's Koushiro... We should have studied on Sunday, but we went on a date- a real date this time!- and then studied together in the late afternoon and evening. And Zeus above, I know this sounds like I'm making it up, but he brought me flowers and asked me to go out with him- he wore a suit and everything! I swear! It was so awkward and so perfect, and those were my first flowers ever, and Sora-chan pressed one for me so I can frame it and keep it, and I'm deliriously happy, and I spent hours pointing out what skeletal structures and teeth shapes imply for the behaviors of extinct animals at the natural history museum to Koushiro on Sunday, and he was interested, can you even believe it? I mean, yes, I guess you can, but... He wore his fashion show outfit, even the glasses with the blank lenses, he was so cute and I held his arm and he got me lunch and a pretty amethyst chunk at the museum and I don't even know what's happening, but I'm his girlfriend, and a girlfriend gets to kiss her boyfriend's cute nerdy face, and good lord is there no end to this sentence.
Okay. Okay, I'm good. Look, obviously I'm freaking out, but I'm trying to remember that we're just kids, and we're years away from knowing where we'll end up. But I can't... I love him more than I should. I keep telling myself to be careful and wise, but I know I already handed my heart over to him. Maybe I should talk to Sora-chan about this... I feel like she'll know what I mean, somehow.
I'm so sad that our group will be split up soon. I know we can all hang out and study together, but it won't be quite the same. I really hope I can be with Koushiro and Jyou-kun, but... Geez, I can't imagine being without any of them. At least I know I'll keep seeing the Teenage Wolves every day.
Jyou-kun and Mimi-chan mentioned going to a shrine to pray for exam success. Since Koushiro and I missed some studying for our date, we studied instead. But before school on Monday, I went to a shrine and prayed for Mimi-chan's success. But... Well, I was greedy and asked to continue to grow, to spend time with my friends and Koushiro, to be good to Grandma, to learn new recipes with Izumi-san... I asked for so much. But that's because there's so much to look forward to!
I want to thank everyone I met here from the bottom of my heart. I wish I knew how! Maybe if I make something really good for the hanami party? How about a strawberry shortcake?
Yours,
Eimi
16/03/24
Thursday
Ishida Yamato
Finals ended today, so I guess that's it, really. Just a day and a half of ceremonies for the graduating class and hanging out for everyone else. I can't believe the year is over.
It's surreal to think that, when I started this school year, I hardly knew anyone, and I was struggling to form a band. People were showing up with violins, and I needed a fifth member to qualify as a club. Man, now we have a fan club, some merchandise, a contest win, and we're saving and working towards recording a studio-quality CD. That's crazy- I can't believe we did so much.
I'm not sure if I've ever had this many close friends, either. It's trying sometimes, especially when you're dealing with over-sized personalities like Hiro, Mimi-chan, and Taichi, but it's been fun. I saw Takeru a lot this year, which is great, but also a little alarming. Did I mention that he brought about six female friends to our last show? Sometimes I feel like I can't get my bearings with him. What happened to that kid who used to build intricate block fortresses with me?
Anyway, things are going much better with Mom, too. She wasn't really in my life at all last April, but now I see her once a month, and I'm almost able to talk comfortably with her. It's a process, I guess. Sometimes I wonder if it would have been easier to continue as we were, but... When I see Sora growing closer to her Mom and being so happy about it, I know I'm doing the right thing, too.
Speaking of Sora... I never could have anticipated what was coming with her. If someone told me that I would meet someone else I cared for like Takeru and Dad, I would have shook my head and ignored them. Making friends like the Teenage Wolves and the others was a slight stretch already, but Sora? Every time I'm alone with her, I end up letting her in more and more, telling her things I've never told anyone, trusting her to help bridge the gap between myself and my mother, and asking for her advice with Takeru. Even letting her dress the band up for the concert is something I never would have allowed in the past. I mean, where is this going to go? I know we're only high schoolers, but I just... I can't imagine stepping back from her.
Dancing with her was amazing, and we hardly know what we're doing. At first I felt a little awkward, since there were other couples and I didn't know the steps, like I did with the folk dance on Sports Day. But seeing her smiling in my arms like that was... I'd say that I'm worried about how bad I have it for her, but I'm not. I trust her, end of story.
So next year, I want to spend a lot of time with Sora, stay close to my family, and feel completely comfortable with Mom, even if that takes all year. I want to hang out with Takeru and make sure no more neon purple hats end up on his head. And we're hoping to record our first CD somewhere around autumn. Maybe we can have some kind of band retreat over summer break? I want to keep moving forward as a band; we can't get complacent because we accomplished a lot this year.
But first, I have Mimi-chan's hanami party to think of. Maybe I could convince Sora to help me cook something for it...
16.03.25
Friday
Izumi Koushiro
Finals have ended, and the student body is breathing a collective sigh of relief. I believe I did well, and a break from studying is welcome. I was able to program at home directly after my club meeting today.
My date with Eimi went well. We were at the museum for hours, teaching one another whatever we knew about the exhibits. I was impressed by Eimi's knowledge and enthusiasm for animals and evolutionary history. She seemed to enjoy it so much that I suggested visiting an airspace or technology museum next, which she readily agreed to.
Taichi-san suggested that she might prefer something more stimulating. I assumed he meant 'anything but more museums,' but he specified a theme park. That sounds enjoyable, too. I told him that I'm in no rush; Eimi and I will get to everything in time.
Now that my parents know we're together, they're offering advice. Mom promised to remind me of important dates in the future, and Dad's been telling me things like, "Make sure you tell her she looks nice if you have that thought." I'm trying to remember everything they tell me, but it's overwhelming. Fortunately, Eimi is patient with me.
The rising computer club president spoke to me today about planning presentations, discussions, and an outing for next year. I don't want to become fully responsible for those matters, as I value time with my personal projects, my parents, and Eimi, but I do want to help.
I'm looking forward to having time alone over break, but Mimi-san's hanami party will be enjoyable, I'm sure. Eimi asked me if we could prepare something for it with Mom. I'm sure Eimi will appear at my apartment over spring break regardless, but I'll be sure to ask her out, as well.
I believe I mentioned this previously, so I won't expound here, but... I hope I can continue to improve my relationships with my family and friends. I've come a long way recently, but there's still plenty of room to grow. This year, I hope to approach it more willingly, to offer my time without resentment, but to also value my needs and health. Balance is key, it would seem.
I suspect my parents, Eimi, and Jyou-san won't allow me to neglect my health, regardless. Strange how easy it is to forget that they're here for me, along with the others. Despite everything, I've found myself surrounded and supported by friends and family.
I'll endeavor to be more cognizant of that.
16/03/26
Saturday
Tachikawa Mimi
Dear Diary,
I did it! I passed! I'm going to move on to year two with my friends! I'm so happy!
I studied so much for so long, it was awful! All of those pretty, perfect Sundays when I had to sit at a desk and study, ugh. But Jyou and my friends made it tolerable, and I learned stuff from them that will keep me out of this situation in the future, I hope.
My parents have met Jyou, but I introduced him to them as my boyfriend today, and I told them about everything he's done to help me pass. They were so grateful to him and supportive of us. Haha, I can see where they would like him more than any other boy I've shown them. Poor Jyou didn't know how to act, especially when my parents invited him out to a fancy dinner! I have the best parents ever.
Today was our last day of school as first years. I cried! I mean, my friends are going to be split up in different classes, and the third years left my club, and ahhhh, it's so sad. I want to play with everyone every day!
But I'll make sure we have lots of fun together, no matter what! That's what you do for friends like these. We really came together this year, you know? I made friends with Sora-chan, and she's been my best friend ever, so sweet and amazing and perfect and cute. I drew Eimi-chan out of her shell, patched things up with Koushiro-kun to the point where he sat still while I did his makeup (hehe!), scoped out Yamato-kun and decided he might just almost deserve Sora-chan, and planned events and schemes with Taichi-kun. And that doesn't even touch on my fashion club friends and everyone I knew before I left Japan! It's been a fun time, except for all of the studying.
I feel pumped just thinking of things like our beach trip, cheer leading with Eimi-chan, running the class bazaar for the culture festival, my New Year's party, and putting together Sora-chan's fashion show. We're gonna go even bigger next year! Watch out!
I wish I could be with all of my friends next year, but at least give me Sora-chan and Jyou! Either way, I'll make lots of friends and keep playing with the old ones.
I gotta call the others about the hanami party! Don't worry! This assignment might be over, but I'll keep writing in you, diary. How else will I remember all of the fun stuff I do with my friends and Jyou?
XOXOXO,
Mimi
16/03/27
Sunday
Yagami Taichi
Yes, spring break! The weather's fine, we're free, and it's time to play soccer and hang out!
I've been talking a lot with the captain about becoming the new captain next year. I'm a little nervous, but mostly pumped. I want to help the team work to our strengths and be at our best, and thankfully I have Koushiro, Momoe, and the team to help me. As long as I keep everyone in the loop, it will work out, right? I'm trying not to sweat it.
I'm bummed about our class splitting up. We got along really well, and our group stuff was successful. But we can always hang out- actually, I think Mimi-chan will force us, regardless.
Speaking of, I want to organize a soccer game with my friends and some teammates over the break. And I should talk to our nerd herd. If Koushiro and the others help me out, I might actually complete my homework assignments. Or, you know. Maybe not.
My friends did so many awesome things this year... Fashion shows, band contests, software development, first aid demonstrations... I hate to go there, but maybe I should think about what I want to do in the future. I have no clue, man. Pro athlete? Am I good enough? I bet my friends have more certain answers. Maybe I should talk to them. Haha, what does Koushiro want to do? Take over the world? (I'm not entirely joking. Kid's one step away from mad scientist territory. I'd better stay on his good side, haha).
As I thought, Mimi-chan is completely loading me up on things to carry to the hanami party. Yamato's helping me haul it all, and I'm enlisting Jyou, too. I asked Momoe to bring some drinks, and I'm sending Takeru and Hikari to help her carry them. The more the merrier, yeah? Plus, Hikari wants to meet Momoe. I wonder if she's protective of me, too? It feels kind of weird to write that.
This year was hard in some spots, but a lot of good stuff happened, too. I'm looking forward to having a great time as a second year student.
And hey, I'm sure our group can keep things interesting.
Author's notes: And there you have it! Thanks for reading, and an enormous thank you to everyone who sent me reviews! I appreciate them so much. Somehow, this story grew to be over 100,000 words long! If you enjoyed the story, please leave me feedback. I put a lot of work into this one, week in and week out for a year.
It was really weird how this story didn't have, you know… A clean conclusion or closing arc. It just hit the time of the year when the journal assignment ended. I tried to give it a sense of closure, but it's just the nature of the story I set up, I guess.
If you're wondering what to read next, check out my other Digimon stories! They all feature the Adventure 01 and 02 cast, and Eimi is around in most of them, too. I have a story set in an American college, a story that is not an AU (gasp), a story featuring the Chosen as adults, and some Daiken stuff. Something for everyone!
Thanks again for reading, and have an awesome day!
