Another night went by. Somehow Nanaki survived another day and now is
looking out the window watching the morning sun rising up from the horizon.
"Nanaki!!! What are you doing? Get changed, quick!"
It was her mother from downstairs. She's cooking her some waffles, perhaps.
"Okay, Kaasan." She seized the piled uniform on top of her desk and walked straight into her bedrooms' shower. The reflection of her own self in the mirror, it starts to bug her a lot. She hadn't sleep well last night. Her eyes were getting puffy and her facial skin were all pale. Somehow yesterday were her worst, yet come what may, it was considered to be a lucky day.
Why should she go to school, even in a situation like this. No matter how hard she tried to cover her face with make-ups and foundations, it still looks out of place. Well, it's no time to complain about anything right now. It's time to get dressed.
When her white blouse had been tucked in carefully into her mini school shirt, her hands raked through her drawers and closets to find her tie. Then all was done; she was properly clothed and was ready to school. "I'm going, Kaasan," Nanaki uttered out to her mother that was busy with the dishes in the kitchen.
"Are…? This soon? Aren't you going to wait for Rumiko, my dear?"
She hadn't forget about the incident yesterday. After all that had happened, how can Rumiko be there before her doorsteps and wait for her to walk the paths to school together? She couldn't stop thinking how her brain was so numb yesterday. They're best friends since elementary school, and still on the previous day she just couldn't trust her own words. How dull is that? She understands thoroughly that she has a crush on Fujima and so as her. But… well, guess that love blinds every single person, huh?
It's boring. She had to walk all the long way to school all by herself. There were students coming in her way to, though. But to her they were just heaps of strangers, even though they're wearing the Shoyo uniform. She never imagined that this kinds of thing would happen to her. And she never know that being so alone could be so boring and empty.
Thank goodness time flies so fast, she hadn't notice it much. Now all the long roads she had taken all by herself had ended right here. Right before her are the entrance gates that leads to the famous Shoyo High School, one of the top-ranked schools around Kanagawa.
Nanaki looked around, hoping to see anyone that she knows, and even Fujima. But there in front of her stood Rumiko. Her eyes were piercing through her sharply. Somehow Nanaki herself felt uneasy about the looks, but she wished that her best friend could just forget everything. But things just don't go back normally, Rumiko threw her face away when Nanaki parted her lips to greet her.
'Mou… I guess today's gonna be hell…'
***
The lunch bell rang. Students inside the classroom delighted out aloud except for Nanaki. She kept sitting down to her desk on the one of the corners of the room, her hands were bearing her chin up. Bored of her loneliness, she raised up from her seat and exit the class. Where could she possibly go now? Certainly she lost her appetite and she wished to be nowhere around the cafeteria. Something bursted out in her head. An idea.
'I'll go the library…'
And there she goes.
The school's library is one of the places that she didn't want to be in. All were filled with those bookworms who came to school to focus on education. Absolutely unlike herself, who just want to enjoy her teenage life in a happy social circle of friendship. As she stepped into the huge room and stared up at the high-raised ceilings, she shivered silently to herself. The atmosphere around her just feels different. Every faces she met were unfamiliar. Most were wearing glasses.
"Aa? Nanaki-san? What brings you here? It's kinda rare to see you hanging 'round here…" A familiar voice greeted her. Who could it be? Is there anyone she knew that's in the library? She turned her back to see for herself.
"Hanagata-san?" Surprising to see him around. What is he doing here himself?
"Konnichiwa, Nanaki-san," he acknowledged her formally.
"Why are you here, Hanagata-san?"
"Me?" Hanagata scrubbed his head with his fingernails nimbly, "Maa, I'm helping the librarian for a while. It's for socialization points. Ya know, those things that we are supposed to do…"
Nanaki's face flushed red slightly as she lowered down her head. How embarassing it was. Hanagata was here because he has a task to fulfill. Yet she herself are just around to avoid Rumiko and the others. "Oh…"
Seeing that Nanaki gave peculiar responses to his declaration, Hanagata tried to change the topic. He had a bit of thinking of the previous catastrophe between her and her friends yesterday, so he decided not to bother about it anymore. He rolled his eyes and tried to think of something, something to soothe her agitation. "So, Nanaki-san. Can I help you? Looking for a particular book?"
Lightly, she shook her head, making her long tresses bounce. "Not quite, Hanagata-san…"
"Then why here?"
Nanaki tilted her shoulders lightly and then heaved deep air. "Shiranai na… Well, perhaps you could find me a good cooking book. It's my Otouto's birthday tomorrow, and I ought to make him some special dish to increase his mood. I don't have anything planned in mind, though. Therefore I need one."
"Cookbook, huh," Hanagata rubbed his chin, "Yeah. There sure are loads of them."
"Sou ka?! I never really thought that they were some cookbooks in school library!" Nanaki almost jumped in excitement. Hanagata was eased to see the sudden change on her face, though. Come what may, she had regained the light of her charming face.
Hanagata laughed to himself. "Ya know, Shoyo has the best libraries around the prefecture. It's even bigger than the public ones downtown." He detailed her proudly.
"Sou ka? Even bigger than that famous Kainan's? I can't believe it! Yatta~! I felt glad to be a Shoyo student!"
And then the librarian, with her infuriated looks, hushed them stridently. Both of them looked at each other. Each has a sheepish grin on their face. Immediately Hanagata grabbed her tiny arms and then darted away from the crowded places. With him, he took Nanaki to the empty and unoccupied corners of the library and then sat down on the floor. He tapped the empty spot, layered with carpet, instructing her to sit down there beside him. "Sugoi yo, Hanagata-san. I never knew there were such places like this here."
"I can find a certain place like this because I'm quite familiar with the library itself, Nanaki-san. Oh yeah," the tall center then was reminded of something quite important. "Wait here and I'll go fetch the books you wanted, alright?"
He strode off and slipped into the gaps of the large wooden bookshelves. Nanaki only sat there beside the piles of unscathed new books. It's quite dim in there; the only thing that gives brightness are the lights that shone through the glass windows. After a while waiting for Hanagata's return, Nanaki kept crawling there on the corner. What took him so long? "Hanagata-san.. nani yattenda…?"
It was like a wish come true, Hanagata reappeared before his very eyes. It's like Superman, being on time whenever Louise calls for help. In his arms were the great piles of hardcover cooking recipe books. "Sumimasen, Nanaki-san. I'm sorry if it took quite a long time. Hora," cautiosly Hanagata put them on the ground, trying his best not to make it plunge down. On the other hand, Nanaki herself was caught bewildered by the amount of cookbooks that the school has.
"Sugoi yo…" She plainly whispered to herself in awe.
Hanagata dusted his pants as he sit down beside her. "Sou sou," he kept chuckling to himself, admiring her face that were nailed in wonder. "So, which do you want? I found books about Chinese dishes, soups, pastas, and many other things. With his hands, he lifted them up to show the covers to Nanaki.
"Umm," the medium-length-brownish-haired girl were busy making up choices. What would Kenta want on his birthday. Perhaps just like ordinary kids; birthday cakes. But Nanaki could tell that her brother was bored off any common birthday cakes, since last year he threw it up in the middle of the party. Therefore today she got to make something that's terrificly different than before. But what? "Ano… Do you have a book on cakes?"
"Sure!" From the mounds of books, Hanagata searched around for one pink- coated, thick book. "Here!" His hands were finally clutching onto the one that he meant. Gradually he shoved the book onto Nanaki's hand.
"Waa… Arigatou, Hanagata-san."
"No prob!"
Soon after that, Nanaki began browsing for an ideal type of cake inside the book as she flipped the papers over, page by page. "I kinda look for some unordinary cake, you know… My brother, he's just sick of those Black Forests and any those with strawberry icing and creams. Well I could imagine that. Every year we celebrated his birthday by giving him those kinds of birthday cakes. He's 10 years old right now, no wonder he's kinda ill to that. 10 years eating the same cakes? Not to mention the ones he ate while he attends his friends' parties."
Hanagata listened patiently to her words. "Sou…" He then budged closer towards her, completely closing the space between them. Her arms were now leaning against his. Their face were so close even their bangs touched each others. Both didn't notice about the proximity, though, they were busy gazing onto the pictures of bakeries in the book. "Hey what about that? Cinnamon cake? That doesn't sound like a common thing."
"Cinnamon cake? Interesting! Where?"
"Here," Hanagata placed his finger onto the page with the image of an light- brownish layered cakes with dark russet sprinkles on top to spice it up. "See, Cool Cinnamon Cake."
"Kewl!" Nanaki pasted a satisfied smile on her lips. "Arigato, Hanagata- san! Now I know what to do when I get back home!" She knelt and then trudged slowly and faced him. Hanagata only beamed back at her.
"Tooru!" A voice called out.
"Shimatta, it's Kenji."
"You mean Fujima-kun?" Nanaki asked distinctly in an fascinated tone. Hearing about his presence just makes his heart skipped a beat. Her face lightens up and her eyes were glimmering in glee.
"Yup. He often joins in with me here too."
"Sou ka? So will he be here too now?"
"Sure do. He won't be here without any other reason."
"Tooru." Fujima cried once more.
"Oi I'm here." Replied Hanagata. "Wait here, okay?" Softer he simply said to Nanaki who's holding onto the cake books on her hands tightly. He then rose off his empty spot on the floor and then walks over to greet Fujima. Meanwhile Nanaki was busy fixing her hair and her face. She began to blush. And then shortly Hanagata turned up with Fujima on his side. He was carrying his small bowling bag on his hand and was wearing the casual Shoyo Basketball Team jacket with the sign 'coach' written on the back.
"Nanaki-san! Good to see you around." He had made a good start. Nanaki was too tense to reply.
"Well, Kenji. Nanaki was looking for a cookbook to make her brother a birthday cake as a present."
"How sweet," he said modestly as he searched for a unfilled flooring around them. He then sat down and placed his bag on his laps. "Mind if I join you, Nanaki-san?"
In her mind, Nanaki worked out a few things for reply. "Aa," she commenced off with a stammer. "Of course not, F-fujima-kun…"
"Eaten lunch, Nanaki-san? What about you yourself, Tooru?," inquired Fujima as he pulled out his bento that are covered with a cloth, bearing many little images of cows jumping over the moon. He then realized that it was not one of the things they call 'appropriate' for a grown-up highschool student for him to bring to school. Immediately his face turned red. "Kusso… Heheh, don't think nasty, Nanaki-san. This is my stupid Aneki's work."
Tooru bursted out laughing, even harder when he saw what's inside. Well if you want to know, it is certainly looking like one of the kids' lunches. There were tiny mice-shaped riceballs and then sausages cropped and formed as octopus. There were also decorations such as ribbons on top of the head of the octopus-like sausages. The rice itself were marked with a smiley face, formed with tomato sauce. "Fujima Kenji!!! Hahahahahaha!!!" Hanagata then rubbed of the tears on the corners of his eyes that came out of laughing, and then tried to sit still after Fujima had given him those threatening looks. "…Nice lunch, Kenji." He then went off laughing like crazy again.
"Kusso!!!!! Ano baka!!!" He then looked furiously at Nanaki who was blushing to herself. "Don't Nanaki-san!! This is… This is… This is all because of my stupid sister!!!!!!" Nanaki couldn't bear it anymore, she even starts giggling raucously, joining Hanagata's own mirth. "I'm not gonna fogive you two!!"
Meanwhile, nearby, there were one of Rumiko's friend who's busy probing for her research book. Then the noise caught her ears. Who could that be? And then over some openings between books, she saw the figures of Hanagata, Fujima and Nanaki herself. "Are… Isn't that Houjou Nanaki? And what on earth is she doing with Fujima?!" She sharpened her eyes, causing her freckled nose to wrinkle. "Perhaps what Rumiko-chan said about her is true. I better go inform her as soon as possible about this." And with that she grabbed two thick books from the shelves and ran outside after she checked the books out officially from he librarian.
a.n : what do u think will happen? Yes…. Some stupid probs… neways, I'll tell u one thing, this story's not quite getting into the main idea yet… huhuh… I'm a slow writer, gomen ne, minnaa~~ T__T
"Nanaki!!! What are you doing? Get changed, quick!"
It was her mother from downstairs. She's cooking her some waffles, perhaps.
"Okay, Kaasan." She seized the piled uniform on top of her desk and walked straight into her bedrooms' shower. The reflection of her own self in the mirror, it starts to bug her a lot. She hadn't sleep well last night. Her eyes were getting puffy and her facial skin were all pale. Somehow yesterday were her worst, yet come what may, it was considered to be a lucky day.
Why should she go to school, even in a situation like this. No matter how hard she tried to cover her face with make-ups and foundations, it still looks out of place. Well, it's no time to complain about anything right now. It's time to get dressed.
When her white blouse had been tucked in carefully into her mini school shirt, her hands raked through her drawers and closets to find her tie. Then all was done; she was properly clothed and was ready to school. "I'm going, Kaasan," Nanaki uttered out to her mother that was busy with the dishes in the kitchen.
"Are…? This soon? Aren't you going to wait for Rumiko, my dear?"
She hadn't forget about the incident yesterday. After all that had happened, how can Rumiko be there before her doorsteps and wait for her to walk the paths to school together? She couldn't stop thinking how her brain was so numb yesterday. They're best friends since elementary school, and still on the previous day she just couldn't trust her own words. How dull is that? She understands thoroughly that she has a crush on Fujima and so as her. But… well, guess that love blinds every single person, huh?
It's boring. She had to walk all the long way to school all by herself. There were students coming in her way to, though. But to her they were just heaps of strangers, even though they're wearing the Shoyo uniform. She never imagined that this kinds of thing would happen to her. And she never know that being so alone could be so boring and empty.
Thank goodness time flies so fast, she hadn't notice it much. Now all the long roads she had taken all by herself had ended right here. Right before her are the entrance gates that leads to the famous Shoyo High School, one of the top-ranked schools around Kanagawa.
Nanaki looked around, hoping to see anyone that she knows, and even Fujima. But there in front of her stood Rumiko. Her eyes were piercing through her sharply. Somehow Nanaki herself felt uneasy about the looks, but she wished that her best friend could just forget everything. But things just don't go back normally, Rumiko threw her face away when Nanaki parted her lips to greet her.
'Mou… I guess today's gonna be hell…'
***
The lunch bell rang. Students inside the classroom delighted out aloud except for Nanaki. She kept sitting down to her desk on the one of the corners of the room, her hands were bearing her chin up. Bored of her loneliness, she raised up from her seat and exit the class. Where could she possibly go now? Certainly she lost her appetite and she wished to be nowhere around the cafeteria. Something bursted out in her head. An idea.
'I'll go the library…'
And there she goes.
The school's library is one of the places that she didn't want to be in. All were filled with those bookworms who came to school to focus on education. Absolutely unlike herself, who just want to enjoy her teenage life in a happy social circle of friendship. As she stepped into the huge room and stared up at the high-raised ceilings, she shivered silently to herself. The atmosphere around her just feels different. Every faces she met were unfamiliar. Most were wearing glasses.
"Aa? Nanaki-san? What brings you here? It's kinda rare to see you hanging 'round here…" A familiar voice greeted her. Who could it be? Is there anyone she knew that's in the library? She turned her back to see for herself.
"Hanagata-san?" Surprising to see him around. What is he doing here himself?
"Konnichiwa, Nanaki-san," he acknowledged her formally.
"Why are you here, Hanagata-san?"
"Me?" Hanagata scrubbed his head with his fingernails nimbly, "Maa, I'm helping the librarian for a while. It's for socialization points. Ya know, those things that we are supposed to do…"
Nanaki's face flushed red slightly as she lowered down her head. How embarassing it was. Hanagata was here because he has a task to fulfill. Yet she herself are just around to avoid Rumiko and the others. "Oh…"
Seeing that Nanaki gave peculiar responses to his declaration, Hanagata tried to change the topic. He had a bit of thinking of the previous catastrophe between her and her friends yesterday, so he decided not to bother about it anymore. He rolled his eyes and tried to think of something, something to soothe her agitation. "So, Nanaki-san. Can I help you? Looking for a particular book?"
Lightly, she shook her head, making her long tresses bounce. "Not quite, Hanagata-san…"
"Then why here?"
Nanaki tilted her shoulders lightly and then heaved deep air. "Shiranai na… Well, perhaps you could find me a good cooking book. It's my Otouto's birthday tomorrow, and I ought to make him some special dish to increase his mood. I don't have anything planned in mind, though. Therefore I need one."
"Cookbook, huh," Hanagata rubbed his chin, "Yeah. There sure are loads of them."
"Sou ka?! I never really thought that they were some cookbooks in school library!" Nanaki almost jumped in excitement. Hanagata was eased to see the sudden change on her face, though. Come what may, she had regained the light of her charming face.
Hanagata laughed to himself. "Ya know, Shoyo has the best libraries around the prefecture. It's even bigger than the public ones downtown." He detailed her proudly.
"Sou ka? Even bigger than that famous Kainan's? I can't believe it! Yatta~! I felt glad to be a Shoyo student!"
And then the librarian, with her infuriated looks, hushed them stridently. Both of them looked at each other. Each has a sheepish grin on their face. Immediately Hanagata grabbed her tiny arms and then darted away from the crowded places. With him, he took Nanaki to the empty and unoccupied corners of the library and then sat down on the floor. He tapped the empty spot, layered with carpet, instructing her to sit down there beside him. "Sugoi yo, Hanagata-san. I never knew there were such places like this here."
"I can find a certain place like this because I'm quite familiar with the library itself, Nanaki-san. Oh yeah," the tall center then was reminded of something quite important. "Wait here and I'll go fetch the books you wanted, alright?"
He strode off and slipped into the gaps of the large wooden bookshelves. Nanaki only sat there beside the piles of unscathed new books. It's quite dim in there; the only thing that gives brightness are the lights that shone through the glass windows. After a while waiting for Hanagata's return, Nanaki kept crawling there on the corner. What took him so long? "Hanagata-san.. nani yattenda…?"
It was like a wish come true, Hanagata reappeared before his very eyes. It's like Superman, being on time whenever Louise calls for help. In his arms were the great piles of hardcover cooking recipe books. "Sumimasen, Nanaki-san. I'm sorry if it took quite a long time. Hora," cautiosly Hanagata put them on the ground, trying his best not to make it plunge down. On the other hand, Nanaki herself was caught bewildered by the amount of cookbooks that the school has.
"Sugoi yo…" She plainly whispered to herself in awe.
Hanagata dusted his pants as he sit down beside her. "Sou sou," he kept chuckling to himself, admiring her face that were nailed in wonder. "So, which do you want? I found books about Chinese dishes, soups, pastas, and many other things. With his hands, he lifted them up to show the covers to Nanaki.
"Umm," the medium-length-brownish-haired girl were busy making up choices. What would Kenta want on his birthday. Perhaps just like ordinary kids; birthday cakes. But Nanaki could tell that her brother was bored off any common birthday cakes, since last year he threw it up in the middle of the party. Therefore today she got to make something that's terrificly different than before. But what? "Ano… Do you have a book on cakes?"
"Sure!" From the mounds of books, Hanagata searched around for one pink- coated, thick book. "Here!" His hands were finally clutching onto the one that he meant. Gradually he shoved the book onto Nanaki's hand.
"Waa… Arigatou, Hanagata-san."
"No prob!"
Soon after that, Nanaki began browsing for an ideal type of cake inside the book as she flipped the papers over, page by page. "I kinda look for some unordinary cake, you know… My brother, he's just sick of those Black Forests and any those with strawberry icing and creams. Well I could imagine that. Every year we celebrated his birthday by giving him those kinds of birthday cakes. He's 10 years old right now, no wonder he's kinda ill to that. 10 years eating the same cakes? Not to mention the ones he ate while he attends his friends' parties."
Hanagata listened patiently to her words. "Sou…" He then budged closer towards her, completely closing the space between them. Her arms were now leaning against his. Their face were so close even their bangs touched each others. Both didn't notice about the proximity, though, they were busy gazing onto the pictures of bakeries in the book. "Hey what about that? Cinnamon cake? That doesn't sound like a common thing."
"Cinnamon cake? Interesting! Where?"
"Here," Hanagata placed his finger onto the page with the image of an light- brownish layered cakes with dark russet sprinkles on top to spice it up. "See, Cool Cinnamon Cake."
"Kewl!" Nanaki pasted a satisfied smile on her lips. "Arigato, Hanagata- san! Now I know what to do when I get back home!" She knelt and then trudged slowly and faced him. Hanagata only beamed back at her.
"Tooru!" A voice called out.
"Shimatta, it's Kenji."
"You mean Fujima-kun?" Nanaki asked distinctly in an fascinated tone. Hearing about his presence just makes his heart skipped a beat. Her face lightens up and her eyes were glimmering in glee.
"Yup. He often joins in with me here too."
"Sou ka? So will he be here too now?"
"Sure do. He won't be here without any other reason."
"Tooru." Fujima cried once more.
"Oi I'm here." Replied Hanagata. "Wait here, okay?" Softer he simply said to Nanaki who's holding onto the cake books on her hands tightly. He then rose off his empty spot on the floor and then walks over to greet Fujima. Meanwhile Nanaki was busy fixing her hair and her face. She began to blush. And then shortly Hanagata turned up with Fujima on his side. He was carrying his small bowling bag on his hand and was wearing the casual Shoyo Basketball Team jacket with the sign 'coach' written on the back.
"Nanaki-san! Good to see you around." He had made a good start. Nanaki was too tense to reply.
"Well, Kenji. Nanaki was looking for a cookbook to make her brother a birthday cake as a present."
"How sweet," he said modestly as he searched for a unfilled flooring around them. He then sat down and placed his bag on his laps. "Mind if I join you, Nanaki-san?"
In her mind, Nanaki worked out a few things for reply. "Aa," she commenced off with a stammer. "Of course not, F-fujima-kun…"
"Eaten lunch, Nanaki-san? What about you yourself, Tooru?," inquired Fujima as he pulled out his bento that are covered with a cloth, bearing many little images of cows jumping over the moon. He then realized that it was not one of the things they call 'appropriate' for a grown-up highschool student for him to bring to school. Immediately his face turned red. "Kusso… Heheh, don't think nasty, Nanaki-san. This is my stupid Aneki's work."
Tooru bursted out laughing, even harder when he saw what's inside. Well if you want to know, it is certainly looking like one of the kids' lunches. There were tiny mice-shaped riceballs and then sausages cropped and formed as octopus. There were also decorations such as ribbons on top of the head of the octopus-like sausages. The rice itself were marked with a smiley face, formed with tomato sauce. "Fujima Kenji!!! Hahahahahaha!!!" Hanagata then rubbed of the tears on the corners of his eyes that came out of laughing, and then tried to sit still after Fujima had given him those threatening looks. "…Nice lunch, Kenji." He then went off laughing like crazy again.
"Kusso!!!!! Ano baka!!!" He then looked furiously at Nanaki who was blushing to herself. "Don't Nanaki-san!! This is… This is… This is all because of my stupid sister!!!!!!" Nanaki couldn't bear it anymore, she even starts giggling raucously, joining Hanagata's own mirth. "I'm not gonna fogive you two!!"
Meanwhile, nearby, there were one of Rumiko's friend who's busy probing for her research book. Then the noise caught her ears. Who could that be? And then over some openings between books, she saw the figures of Hanagata, Fujima and Nanaki herself. "Are… Isn't that Houjou Nanaki? And what on earth is she doing with Fujima?!" She sharpened her eyes, causing her freckled nose to wrinkle. "Perhaps what Rumiko-chan said about her is true. I better go inform her as soon as possible about this." And with that she grabbed two thick books from the shelves and ran outside after she checked the books out officially from he librarian.
a.n : what do u think will happen? Yes…. Some stupid probs… neways, I'll tell u one thing, this story's not quite getting into the main idea yet… huhuh… I'm a slow writer, gomen ne, minnaa~~ T__T