Disclaimer: I do not own Slam Dunk!! *boo hoo!* And, I certainly do not own Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata! ~_~ Life is just so unfair isn't it?? *pouts*
A big thank you to the reviewers! ^_^
Tensaispira: Yeaps! Purple eyes this time, not the silver ones :P hehe… Besides, don't you think silver eyes are un-human like?? O.o
Frozenfeamale: Ano… I made the prologue short intentionally. So… guess I got my effect after all, i.e. leaving the readers wondering what's going on. ^_~
Fiery-chan: Don't sweat it! You can take load on me or take out your gloominess on me anytime. ^_~ Hey, what are friends for, right? :D BTW, hope you get back to normal soon and you won't have to sneak around to use your compy anymore then :)
Mskitsune: Here's the next chappy for you, hope you'll enjoy reading. =^.^=
NB: … Thoughts
"…" Character's speech
(Numbers) Explanations in akane の teahouse
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Chapter 1 – Settling into A New Life
She exited the customs section and walked into the arrival hall of Narita International Airport, Tokyo. Someone called her as she stepped out from the glass doors.
"Shitsuki ojyosan?"
She looked up and saw a good looking young man dressed in tailored, grey casual suit walking her way. The man stopped in front of her and smiled politely, then bowed in courtesy. She bowed slightly in return.
"Shitsuki Hisae-san?" He asked.
Hisae nodded and he continued, "Watashi wa Yamada Akahito desu. You're brother had asked me to bring you to your new apartment and to show you to the school you're enrolled into."
"Doumo arigatou Yamada-san." Hisae replied softly.
He flashed her a friendly smile. "Here, let me deal with you luggage. Our transport is waiting outside."
Hisae nodded and followed Akahito after he picked up her small suitcase and her saxophone case.
o o o o o
"I trust you had a pleasant journey Hisae-chan?" Akahito asked as they traveled toward Kanagawa, the city which Hisae was to stay for a year.
Hisae smiled slightly. "It wasn't too bad, thank you for asking Yamada-san."
Akahito let out a cheerful laugh. "Please, call me Akahito. Yamada-san makes me sounded so old. Didn't your brother tell you that he and I used to be classmates?"
Hisae's brows crinkled slightly and gave him a questioning look. Akahito laughed more.
"Loosen up imouto-chan; you're in Japan now, so you don't have to worry anything anymore." He winked at her knowingly.
Hisae relaxed a little and let a smile crept up her face. "Arigatou Akahito-kun."
He beamed at her. "Now that's more like it."
Seeing his playful manner, Hisae let out a short laugh. She couldn't believe that her brother had a friend like Akahito because they had such different personalities. Her brother was always serious and straight-faced, but Akahito was so…so…light-hearted and playful. Wonder how they became good friends.
"Oh, are you hungry, Hisae-chan? I almost forgot you just stepped off the plane not long ago. Should we go and grab some breakfast?"
"It's alright, Akahito-kun. We were served breakfast just before we landed, so I'm not hungry. But thank you for your considerations."
Akahito raised an eyebrow to her reply. "Ano…do you always talk like this? I mean, so formally?"
"What do you mean, Akahito-kun?" She asked puzzlingly.
"Man, now I can really see that you and Eien are real siblings." He said exaggeratingly and laughingly.
"Huh?"
The expression on Hisae's face was priceless at that moment, so Akahito took the chance to laugh to his heart's content before he stopped. That left Hisae wondering if Akahito was a bit of a wacko.
Coughing a few times to regain his composure, Akahito smiled widely at Hisae. "Ne Hisae-chan, sumimasen…hehehe…"
Hisae shook her head. "Iie."
"Anyways, you're sure you don't want breakfast?"
She nodded.
"K then, let's see…" He turned to look outside the window. "We'll be in Kanagawa in about ten minutes or so. First thing first, we'll go to your new apartment then I'll show you to your new school."
He opened the folder he was holding and took out some documents. "Here's your apartment's lease contract, your enrolment details, and your class schedule."
She took the papers from him and looked over them briefly. "Kanagawa ken ritsu Shohoku koutougat-kou (1), san-nen roku-kumi (2)."
"Yeaps! Shohoku High. I went there during my senior high years, you know?" He winked at Hisae.
Hisae just smiled in return.
"Although you're only seventeen, but you're placed into the third year like most transferees are."
She nodded again whilst looking at her class schedule.
"You don't like to talk, do you?"
"Huh? What made you say that?" She looked up and asked.
"'Cause I can count how many words you've spoken since we've met this morning."
"Gomen, demo…"
Akahito held up a hand to stop her from saying further. "I know how you feel; you're in a whole new environment and all, right?"
"Thank you for understanding Akahito-kun." Her voice full of appreciation.
"Hey, don't sweat it." Akahito winked at her again. "Besides, you can call me onii-chan if you want. I've always wondered what it feels like to have an imouto."
Hisae let out a light, cheerful laugh. "I don't think so Akahito-kun, you're too mischievous. The role of an onii-san doesn't suit you." She stuck her tongue out cutely and playfully at him.
"Hey! I'm not immature!" He glowered at her playfully.
"I never said you weren't." She answered with a shrug of her shoulders, smiling.
"But you're implying that."
"No, I wasn't"
And, the little squabble continued for the rest of their journey…
o o o o o
"Well, this is it. Your very own apartment." Akahito announced when they entered one of the condominium situated on the top floor of Setsuge-ka En (3).
Hisae looked around and walked over to the baby grand placed next to the floor-length window. She opened the cover and pressed a few ivory keys of the piano and smiled.
She turned around slowly and bowed at Akahito with gratitude. "Arigatou Akahito-kun for finding such a nice apartment for me."
Akahito smiled. "I take that you like the place and the furnishings as well?"
She ran her spectacle-framed purple eyes over the furniture in their designed settings. "Hai, very much."
"Yokata!" He exclaimed happily. "You have no idea how tough it was to guess what you might like."
"Dakara, you did great Akahito-kun. I love this setting." She said with joy gleaming in her eyes.
"Glad that you like this place so much." He paused then continued as he pointed to one of the rooms. "By the way, your school uniforms are in your bedroom."
She nodded and walked to the said room. The bedroom, her bedroom was decorated in shades of buff and cream, giving it a very warm atmosphere. In the middle of the room was a wood-framed double bed, and two bed side tables were located on each sides of the bed with small lamps on each one. A small sofa ensemble was put at the far corner of the room, next to two huge panes of blue-tinted glass. A large walk-in wardrobe was situated to the right of the bed, and next to it was the en suite. A set of JVC sound system was put on top of the chest of drawers on the left side of the bed. All in all, the room was simple yet elegant, and cozy.
Akahito followed Hisae into the room and placed her suitcase beside her bed.
"Hisae-chan, your school uniforms, which include your summer and winter uniforms, and sports outfits are all in your wardrobe. If the sizes don't fit, you'll have to take them to the school's administration and ask them to change them for you."
Hisae turned and nodded at him.
"OK, now if you will please follow me, I'll show you how to get to Shohoku. Tomorrow is your first day, ne?"
"Hai."
o o o o o
Much to Hisae's surprise and delight, Shohoku was only a ten minute walk from Setsuge-ka En. Today was a Sunday, so the main gates were closed, but the side gates were left open however. Akahito explained that the side gates were opened for the various club members to access the school grounds for practice purposes.
"Akahito-kun, is there a saloon close by?" Hisae asked Akahito as they were walking back to Setsuge-ka En in the mild spring breeze. "I want to cut my hair."
Akahito looked at her in surprise. "You're only here for a few hours and you want to cut your hair?"
She nodded. He stopped and reached out a hand to stop her as well. He then looked over her from head to toe.
"I don't see any reason why you'd want to cut your hair. Besides, Shohoku allows its students to have long hair."
Hisae brushed a hand through her long brown hair and smiled weakly. "It's not the school I'm worry about. I…I don't want to be recognized easily."
"Aa. I see. You do have a point there. OK, I'll take you to the hair dresser and have them give you a total make over then."
Hisae laughed good-humouredly. "No need a make over, just a hair cut will do."
"Yosh! Let's go then."
With that, Akahito took Hisae by the arm and guided her toward the direction of a hair dressing saloon he frequented whenever he needed a hair cut.
"Yamada-san! Irashaimasen!" Greeted the girl at the counter of Tenga Hair Studio.
"Ohayou Echiko-san, is Nagai free today?" Akahito asked the counter girl.
"Chotto, let me check his schedule." Echiko quickly scanned the day's appointment schedule and smiled brightly at Akahito and Hisae. "You're in luck, Yamada-san; Nagai-san doesn't have any appointments until this afternoon. But he has just gone out to run an errand, so do you mind waiting for a while?"
"Sure, no problem! Can you arrange Nagai to do a make over for my young friend here when he returns?" He ushered Hisae to step up.
Echiko grinned at Akahito cheekily. "Is she your new girl friend, Yamada-san?"
"How I wish, but no she is not. She's a friend's sister."
"I see." Echiko walked around the counter and offered a hand to Hisae. "Konichiwa, watashi wa Okamodo Echiko desu, yoroshiku."
Hisae took her offered hand and shook it lightly. "Yoroshiku Okamodo-san. Watashi wa Shitsuki Hisae desu."
"You've got a nice name Hisae-chan." Echiko said lively and beamed at Hisae. "And, you're tall."
"Aa…ano..." Hisae blushed not knowing what to say.
"C'mon, you can wait for Nagai-san inside."
The shorter girl practically dragged Hisae into the saloon and seated her in one of the chairs.
"Just sit here and be comfy, I'll get Nagai-san to help you as soon as he gets back."
Echiko skipped back outside and left a bewildered Hisae sitting in her chair. Akahito followed in behind them and sat himself down in the empty chair on Hisae's left.
A girl who was sitting at the opposite end of the saloon came up to Hisae and Akahito suddenly.
"Konichiwa, how may I help you today?" She asked.
Hisae and Akahito looked up and saw a slim girl with yellow streaked, shoulder length brown hair standing behind Hisae. The girl started to comb Hisae's hair with her fingers.
"Ano, we're waiting for Nagai." Akahito said.
The girl stopped her actions. "Oh, but Nagai sensei won't be returning until later today. If you don't mind, I can do you hair for you, ojyosan."
Before Akahito could reply, Hisae said, "Can you cut my hair short for me please? To about chin-length?"
The girl grinned happily. "Sure, let's see," she started to comb Hisae's hair with her fingers again. "How about we make it a chin-length cut with layering? I think that'll suit you perfectly."
"OK."
The girl nodded went into a room behind the saloon.
"Are you sure you don't want to wait for Nagai?" Akahito asked uncertainly as he glanced in the direction the slim girl went. She looks too young for her job.
Hisae nodded. Akahito raised an eyebrow. "It's your call, but don't complain later if you're not happy with the result."
The girl returned with a trolley filled with hair dressing utensils. She stood behind the seated Hisae and went to work with her hair.
She seems to be professional enough, but something's amiss… Akahito frowned at the scene before him. Something didn't feel right, but he just couldn't put a finger on it.
In half an hour or so, a whole new Hisae emerged under the girl's skilled hands. Her now chin-length, layered hair framed her face nicely and gave her a livelier look. Akahito nodded in approval at the girl's work. But when Hisae put her black-rimmed glasses back onto her face, Akahito frowned.
"We need to do something about that spectacle of yours." With that, he pulled Hisae to her feet and thanked the girl as he dragged Hisae out of the saloon with him, not without paying of course.
The girl burst out laughing happily when the pair left.
Score one for me! Yes! She shouted mentally, grinning from ear to ear.
Echiko was confused when Akahito handed her a ¥10,000 note and told her to keep the change before he and Hisae hurried out of Tenga.
What the heck?
Then she realized something. Her boss's daughter was there.
"Ying!" She shouted in disbeliefs.
"Where are we going, Akahito-kun?" Hisae said while gasping for air.
Akahito didn't reply and keep dragging her around the shopping district. He then stopped in front of an optical boutique.
"Here we are." He announced.
Hisae looked at the shop then at him. "Ano, why are we here?"
He grinned then pushed the shop's door open and ushered her inside.
"Why would a person visit an optical shop?" He asked her a question instead.
"You're not thinking…"
"A huh." He nodded at Hisae who was rather bewildered.
Pushing her along, they sat down on the stools in front of the spectacle showcases. Akahito started to pick a new frame for her immediately.
"Ano, there's nothing wrong with my glasses ne, Akahito-kun." Hisae said uncomfortably, tugging his sleeve.
Ignoring her, Akahito looked up when he found a nice frame for her and smiled at the awestruck salesgirl. "Can we take a look at this frame here please?"
The salesgirl blushed and stuttered frantically. "Of…of co…of course sir…"
She opened the case clumsily and took out the frame Akahito asked for. "Here you are sir."
Akahito smiled at her which caused her to blush further. "Doumo."
He took the frame and turned to Hisae. "Try this on."
"Demo…"
"No buts, just try this on." He insisted.
"Hai…" She said weakly as she surrendered.
Hisae removed her glasses and took the frame Akahito chose and put it on. Now, gone was the pair of old fashioned black rimmed glasses and in with a pair of rimless spectacle, which sat nicely on her nose bridge. That made her looked younger instantly, and her face was no longer hidden by her glasses.
"That's it!" He exclaimed jovially. He reached across and took the frames off Hisae's face. "Miss, how long does it take to make a pair of glasses?"
"An hour for normal single vision prescription lenses."
"OK, can you make a copy of this prescription onto the new frame?" He asked holding Hisae's old glasses in one hand and the new frame in another.
"Of course sir, I'll just have to get her focal points and we go ahead with the job."
He nodded. "Go ahead then."
"Hai."
The salesgirl took out a marker pen and took the new frame from Akahito.
"Sumimasen, can you put this on for me please?" She asked Hisae.
Hisae looked at Akahito hesitantly before taking the frame and putting them on. The salesgirl then asked her to look at different parts of the room and marked down her focal points on the demonstration lenses the frame was fitted with.
"OK, that's fine." She took the frame off Hisae's face and placed it on the showcase. "Leave them with us and they should be ready in about an hour."
"Thanks. We'll come back later." Akahito said and he dragged Hisae off to somewhere else, to lunch.
This particular shopping area was the closest to Setsuge-ka En. Akahito showed Hisae around the whole shopping district after they had lunch, and Hisae was able to do some grocery shopping during this time.
When they returned to the optical shop, Hisae's new glasses were done and ready for her to wear.
The new glasses did not hide her features like her old ones did, and her purple eyes and soft features could be seen clearly through the new glasses. Although Akahito insisted on paying for her new glasses, Hisae refused and stood her ground. She took out a credit card and paid for the glasses herself.
"Onii-chan had opened a bank account for me here, so you don't have to worry about me having financial problems." She smiled at him sweetly.
Akahito put his hands into the air in defeat and let her be.
When they got back to Setsuge-ka En later that day, Akahito gave her one of his name cards.
"Here, keep this. The numbers on this card are for private use only, so you'll be able to find me when you need to. And, don't hesitate to call me when you need help, k?"
Hisae nodded and hugged him in thanks. "Arigatou Akahito nii-chan."
Akahito grinned stupidly at what he just heard. "Did I just hear you call me nii-chan?"
Hisae stepped back and smiled her first true smile for the day, and a cheeky one too. "Hai! You did hear what you heard, and because of that, you're now doomed to take care of me and spoil me as your imouto from now on."
"That'll be just fine with me. But don't complain about me breathing down your back or being overprotective ne." He flashed teasing smile at her.
"Don't worry, I won't. Ne, it's getting late and you still have to get back to Tokyo right? You better go then."
"OK, just remember to call me."
"Yes mother hen."
"Who are you calling a mother hen?" He yelped and pouted, making Hisae laughed. "I happened to be one of the finest violists in the Japan Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra ne!"
"Hai, hai. And, you need to get yourself back to Tokyo before you get fired ne?"
"Speaking of which," Akahito glanced at his watch and flinched. "I'm getting out of here, you take care of yourself, you hear?"
Hisae nodded and Akahito ran to the elevators. She closed the door behind her back and smiled.
So…this is what freedom tastes like. Hmm…not bad.
She hummed a vivo (4) melody as she walked into the kitchen to put away the groceries she'd just bought and to unpack her luggage later.
o o o o o
It was Hisae's second day in Japan, and today's her first day at school.
She was walking to Shohoku clad in its navy colored uniform, with a red bow just below her neckline. Just as she was going to step into the school grounds, someone tapped her shoulders. She turned around and saw a slim girl who was slightly shorter than her but clad in the same navy uniform. The girl had shoulder length brown hair with yellow streaks in between strands. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of cerulean blue and her skin was of the healthiest tan. Furthermore, she was on roller blades!
"Konichiwa!" The girl said cheerfully. The word mischief could be seen dancing in her blue eyes. "Remember me?!"
Hisae was startled and puzzled. Then, her eyes widened in realization and disbelief. "Kimi…"
"Yeaps, that's me!" The girl said while grinning like a sly cat.
"…" Hisae was speechless because she really didn't what to say or how to react to this seemingly hyperactive girl, who happened to be the hair dresser from yesterday.
"By the way, I'm Ying. Zhi Ying to be exact." Ying (5) introduced herself to Hisae in the most un-Japanese manner. "You're a new transferee right? You look like a gaijin, where are you from? What class are you allocated to?"
"Ano…a…I…" Hisae was lost for words. She didn't know how or where to begin with Ying's questions.
"Hmm?" Ying persisted
"You're the hair dresser from Tenga Hair Studio!" Hisae gasped.
"Yes, I am. But that's not the point. My questions! Answer them for me please?" Ying blinked mischievously.
After taking a deep breath, Hisae spoke slowly.
"Watashi wa Shitsuki Hisae desu, doumo yoroshiku Ying-san." She bowed slightly then continued, "Yes, I'm a transferee, and I'm a gaijin from Australia. I've been allocated Class 3 – 6."
"Great!" Ying squealed zealously. "We're in the same class."
Ying grabbed Hisae's arm and pulled her along with her. "Let's get you to the admin first since it's your first day …"
Hisae felt like she'd just been hit by a whirlwind and everything was a little wobbly. She didn't and couldn't react to what Ying said afterward. She just let the shorter girl dragged her along…
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akane の teahouse…
Explanation time ^_~
(1) Kanagawa ken ritsu Shohoku koutougat-kou ~ Kanagawa Prefecture founded, Shohoku Senior High School (for those who didn't
know)
(2) san-nen roku-kumi ~ Year 3, Class 6 (also for those who didn't know)
(3) Setsuge-ka En ~ Snow, Moon, Flower Garden (the name for the apartment block)
(4) vivo ~ a music term meaning lively
(5) Zhi Ying ~ another OC besides Shitsuki Hisae, who is in fact Moon Glow-san! :D
Okies… How was this chappy? :D Hope you guys like this introductory chapter :) So… Review pweese~~~ =^.^=
Arigatou gosaimashita! =^.^=
The lazy neko signing out…