Disclaimer: Refer to previous chapters. Thank you.
Author's Note: I am so happy right now. I finally got this writing application on my laptop. It was being a real b-tch during installation. Yay! Now I can write chapters while I'm not at home. You've no idea how euphoric I am.
Thanks to: Katrina. You're advice has always been helpful. Thank you so much!
Have a happy holiday everyone!
Chapter 10 (woo-hoo! Double digits, baby!)
Chiaki stared at the picture on her nightstand. It was of her and her parents, taken when they went to Hong Kong, China for summer vacation a few years back. They were all smiling brightly. She sighed and gazed at her alarm clock, which had been beeping for the last five minutes in response to the time she'd set for her little wake-up call. Throwing back the covers she hefted her way up and sat at the edge of the bed. Yawning, she lifted her hand to her mouth and reached over to turn off her alarm.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm up," she muttered as she fumbled with the switch. She stood and stretched, then walked into the bathroom. She looked intently at her reflection in the mirror; bed-head; groggy eyes; creases on her left cheek; cracked lips. She certainly didn't look her finest. She let out a large breath, followed by her undressing and stepping into the shower to finish her morning rituals.
Minutes later, Chiaki walked out of her room, closing her door behind her. Entering the empty dining area, she whispered, "I'm awake." She turned and looked in the pantry, pulling out a bagel and from the refrigerator a smoothie. Setting it down on the table she bent and began to eat silently. She glanced at the clock and, grabbing her schoolbag, pulled on her shoes and left the apartment.
Once again, her parents weren't home that morning.
--->--->--->
"Ohayou Nishishima-chan!"
She smiled in reply and said, "Ohayou," before turning away and sitting in her desk. Blankly staring at the swirling lines made in the wood, she thought of the morning.
Her parents, as usual, had not been there to greet her in the morning or to help make her breakfast. Oh well. It was to be expected. After all, they wouldn't have even realized she was there anyway. They're probably in some big fancy hotel and lavishing in the attention of the maitre'd of its oh-so-beautiful and fancy restaurant. It sickens me just thinking of it. She snapped her head up as the teacher walked in and started describing multiple items. It passed through her like garbled gibberish.
The bell rang, and she rose and walked out of the class. She made it through her first classes without comprehending anything said, and was caught in History not paying attention, to her utmost embarrassment.
Suddenly it was lunch, and staring blankly ahead of her, she made her way out the door to climb the cherry tree. Leaning back against the bark, Chiaki watched the leaves rustle in the wind, then pulled out her notebook.
Picking up her pen, she began writing. She'd long since stopped writing hateful and depressing words, having learned just what happened when someone did. She'd used to converse with a girl in another country during junior high. The girl wrote poems so violent and threatening that she'd been punished so severely it had effectively frightened Chiaki into stopping.
But it hadn't impeded on her want for writing. If anything, Chiaki now only wrote stories. They'd never see the light of day because she never touched her notebook when in class. The only times she wrote was during lunch and after school.
Her stories were strange and uncanny, sometimes even confusing to herself. Based on her dreams, they were mystical and fantastic, conjuring to life a reality full of the unexplained and the rebellious. She wrote until the end of the lunch period, acknowledging that she needed a new notebook. Her current one was almost full.
--->--->--->
Chiaki waited for the teacher to enter the classroom, watching Kitahoshi-chan rail about something to Matsui-chan. Kitahoshi's hands were flying in wild movements and her face was contorted in anger. I wonder what made her so angry. She seemed much more upbeat a few days ago. Hm. . . .
Turning her head, Chiaki looked out the window at the school courtyard. No one and nothing was there. She shifted her gaze to the sky, where dark clouds were forming on the horizon. A storm would be there soon. The sooner the better.
Chiaki turned her attention back to the classroom and shook her head as she saw Kitahoshi-chan glare at the boy behind her. She sifted through her memory for the name. That was right, he was Hayama Akito, one of the school's many juvenile delinquents. Well, she had her answer as to what had enraged Kitahoshi-chan.
In spite of the situation she gleaned from what she'd seen, Chiaki smiled. Kitahoshi-chan and Hayama-san were hilarious to watch, them being such polar opposites. Then again, Kitahoshi-chan could apparently go into a flying rage if provoked. Interesting.
She smiled as she saw Kitahoshi-chan smack Hayama-san upside the head, and Hayama-san in return glower and hit her right back.
Very interesting.
--->--->--->
Chiaki entered the auditorium tiredly, not really wanting to be there. But this was a rehearsal for their annual school play, and as technical manager, she was required to be there to provide guidance to lighting, music, sets, and so forth.
Grabbing her clipboard, she looked at her long list of what she needed to do. She sighed and went through looking for the simplest duties. "Mmm. I could just look over each scene and see which entrances make the best impact. . . ." she mumbled. "And then that way I can watch rehearsals. . . ."
Yawning lightly, Chiaki took a seat in the front row and leaned against the seat back. Taking her notepad and pen, she relaxed and watched the scenes. The majority of them flowed smoothly, but something about one of Val Jean's scenes nagged at her.
"Mihara-sensei!" she called out. The teacher turned to her. "I was wondering—could we run the scene where Val Jean is talking to Cosette again? I want to see something."
"Of course, Nishishima-san, but let's speed it up a bit. It's almost time for rehearsals to end." She turned around. "Mizumoto-san! Hatakenaka-san! We need you to redo a scene."
A handsome third-year and petite second-year walked back up to the stage. The third-year, Mizumoto Kai, rubbed his forehead before asking, "What scene?"
"The one where Val Jean has read the letter and goes to talk to Cosette," Mihara-sensei said.
The two nodded before assuming their positions. As the scene progressed, Chiaki scrutinized it for what was bothering her. Once the scene was finished, she stared pensively at the stage.
"Well, Nishishima-san?" Mihara-sensei questioned.
Chiaki rubbed her chin before putting a finger on her cheek. She snapped her fingers. "Mizumoto-san, can you go sit back down and Hatakenaka-san . . . instead of coming from right wing, can you come from the left wing? Don't worry about your lines. I just want to see how it looks." The two did so, and Chiaki smiled. The annoyance was gone, and it seemed the scene flowed much better. She nodded.
"Okay, thank you." The two walked off the stage and went to gather their things. Chiaki looked at Mihara-sensei. "What do you think? Should they come from left wing instead of right?"
Mihara-sensei nodded. "Okay minna-san! Rehearsals are over, so let's all get back home! We'll clean this up tomorrow."
The students participating in the play hurriedly left the auditorium, chatting with one another as they did. Outside, Chiaki watched as students drove themselves home or were picked up by their parents. Each time someone left with a mother or father, Chiaki's smile faded more. Sighing heavily, she turned to walk home.
She wasn't surprised that when she arrived at her apartment, no one was there. Retrieving a note from the kitchen table, she read 'Me and Dad have gone out. We'll be back in a few hours. Make yourself dinner, and don't wait up for us.'
"Psh, like I would." She let out a breath. "Well, might as well see what there is to eat." Searching the pantry and the refrigerator, she let out a frustrated yelp at finding nothing. Great, I have to go the store again. She pulled out her wallet—700 Yen. Oh well, I can buy a little with it.
She closed the door behind her, not bothering to look for any possible money left behind from her parents for her use. They never gave her anything, especially money. They expected her to take care of herself, and she did.
She was completely self-reliant.
Glossary of Translations:
minna--everyone; everybody.
Mizumoto--I honestly do not know. 'Mizu' means water though.
Hatakenaka--One of the top 500 most common surnames in Japan, but this one is most definitely near the bottom.
Author's Notes: This was more of a transition chapter, and a short one at that. I really want to include Chiaki in this story, so that's why this was so focused on her. Sigh. I'm not the proudest of this chapter, but it gives insight into Chiaki and kind of sets the stage. She's an unbiased observer of all that's going on with the gang, so it's necessary. Not to mention the fact she has a connection with Suzuno.
Thanks to: xXxOceanGlarexXx yaoilover13 blinkies76 yumichan808 mystery HYPERdingdong39 CoolGirlEmily crystal thewackonextdor rose miki lilangel shadow-mistress Amin Vanima Mellonea lavinia HPIY Fan slavina Sakura zaza knoitallchick starrlightlin7 may Meredith sakuralilystars Lil-Kudo allie-cat007 mimi-chan mlcxo nonamegirl PanPan cursedangel TheImaginator Matty Emily h3x4w12