This is a direct sequel to my fanfic, The 30th I: Phantom of Infinity.
Disclaimer: I do not own Date a Live and it's characters.
"Don't look for me."
The 30th II: Eden of Ornaments
Act 2: Fragile Heart
Chapter 6 - "Confrontation"
"Y-yoshino-chan? Is everything alright?" a concerned teacher said to the dumbfounded girl. "You've been staring at that piece of paper for a while now…"
Yoshino quickly snapped out of her daze, and stood up. "Please excuse me," she said, bolting out of the room.
Natsumi-chan… why? Yoshino thought, running through the halls. Many students eyed her with concern, and some were just plain confused. She couldn't even hear the distant call of her name from the classroom she ran from.
I thought… I thought… we were… no. There's something you're hiding. It's not Natsumi-chan's fault. She might be suffering…
… just like I did.
The Past: Natsumi Kyouno.
"You stupid child. That was expensive! Just wait 'til your father hears about this…" an angry woman shouted.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry!" Natsumi pleaded.
"Save it. You've been nothing but a pain in the ass!" the woman said as she angrily grabbed Natsumi's hair. "I let you go to school, and this is how you behave?!"
"I'm sorry, mom!"
"You ugly bitch…" her mother said as she kicked Natsumi who was on her knees, tearing up. "I never wanted you."
"What's the school serving today?" a student asked.
"Something gross, I reckon." another student answered.
"Really? That green-haired girl seemed pretty into it."
"Kyouno? She was always like that during lunch break." the student said. "Always eating a lot, like she never had good meals at home…"
They weren't too far off. This was the only real food she could eat.
"Mom… I'm hungry…" a weak Natsumi cried. "Is there anything I ca—"
Natsumi's request was cut off by her mother pulling her hair with an angry expression.
"You idiot! If we feed you, there won't be anything left for me and my husband!"
"B-but…" Natsumi tried to talk back, but promptly collapsed on the floor. "I only… wanted…"
Natsumi Kyouno realized how summer vacation was a matter of life and death.
How could I be so stupid? I should just run. Yes, run. Disappear for good. a troubled Natsumi thought. It's for the best.
"N…sumi!"
No one will know. No one will remember.
"W… it!"
No one cares…
… No one ever did.
"Mom, can I—"
"Get lost."
…
"Mom, look I—"
"I said, get the fuck out!"
…
That's right.
I shouldn't be here.
I'm just someone ugly.
Everything would be better if I…
… if I…
No…
I don't want it to end like this…
Someone, save me…
Please.
"Natsumi-chan!" a concerned yet familiar voice called out, catching the green-haired girl's attention. "Where are you going? Come on… let's go back!"
"There is nothing for me to go back to," she turns her head to the open sea. "Nothing anymore."
"But—"
"My own family neglected me," Natsumi interrupted, but Yoshino relaxed to listen. "They never wanted me and yet…"
Yoshino still stood there, in silence.
"I tried to be a good child!" Natsumi cried. "All I wanted was their love! But all they saw in me was this ugly child that shouldn't exist… a liability…" she wiped her tears.
"My mom doesn't care at all, and my dad is barely holding on for the family's finances," Natsumi explained through her tears. "They don't even feed me! They don't care enough!"
She pointed to Yoshino, who was still standing with an indifferent look. "HOW COULD YOU STILL CHASE AFTER SOMEONE WHO'S LONG GONE?!" Natsumi yelled. "And you… you—"
Natsumi's words stopped when she felt herself locked in an embrace. She realized that Yoshino took the moment to hug her, to comfort her.
"I lost my family too," Yoshino said, still holding Natsumi in her arms. "But… I still persisted. I wanted to give up there… I could have ended it all…" she said, beginning to tear up herself. "But! I wanted to give it my all. And so I did. Look where I am now. Eventually…" she let go. "I found myself a new family," she said while holding Natsumi's hand.
"Kurumi-neesan, Shinji-san, Mio… they are all my precious family," Yoshino takes a step back. "And now, so are you!"
"M-me…" Natsumi said, flabbergasted.
[Of course you are! You're the only one in the entire school Yoshino-chan wanted to be friends with!] Yoshinon, now on Yoshino's left hand, spoke. Natsumi was taken aback.
"Y-you…"
[Don't mind me~ I'm just the remaining family Yoshino-chan forgot to mention, I'm hurt…] said Yoshinon, with a fake hurt tone. Eventually, the girls began to laugh.
"Haha… you really are weird…"
Yoshino held out her hand for Natsumi to grab.
"Let's go home."
"N-no..." Natsumi said softly. "I can't. I shouldn't."
"Natsum—"
"Why are you... trying so hard for me?" Natsumi interrupted, her voice rising. "My family weren't the only people who neglected me!" she shouted. "They ignored me... all of them did. Like I never existed. School was the only place where I can hide from my parents... they can't hurt me, they can't be bothered to come if I get in trouble, they don't care what I eat. But... everyone looks down on me. It made me feel... uneasy. It's like everywhere I go, I felt the gazes of my mother. Her cold stare, ready to boil over, not sparing me from any form of pain. I can't escape. No matter where I go, I get the same treatment." she stopped.
Yoshino was about to speak up, but Natsumi glared at her and spoke first. "How can I be so sure that you aren't the same?!"
"I'm not, I—"
"I left a note, didn't I? 'Don't look for me,' I said. Why did you chase after me? You, of all people! The class star, younger sister of the 'amazing' Kurumi Tokisaki-senpai! Why are you associating with me?! There are so many people who wanted to be friends with you! Yet, you push them away just so you can hang out with me! Why..." Natsumi felt tears down her face, as she turned to run, leaving an astonished Yoshino.
Yoshino wandered through the town. School wasn't that far away, she could go back if she wanted to. She can explain to the teacher that Natsumi was nowhere to be found, and she will no longer be involved with her—a girl with problems that bore pain her entire life. Why need to even talk to her? There were so many other options.
But, Yoshino didn't think like that. Not at all. She didn't return to school. She continued the search for her friend. However, with no other leads on her whereabouts, the young girl aimlessly wandered around. It didn't take long until Yoshino ran into trouble.
"Hey boss, look at this! A high school girl! She looks damn adorable too," the tall thug approached the frightened Yoshino. "Come on, what's a hottie like you doin' out here!"
No! No... someone, please... Help me... Yoshino mentally begged.
Eventually, her wishes were granted, and someone came in to save her. She was worried at first, as this may be another threat. Yet, she couldn't help but grin a little when she glanced at her savior's face.
"She's with me. Come on, Yoshino," Shinji hurriedly took Yoshino away, who sighed in relief as the thug merely gritted his teeth and walked away in defeat. Somewhere in the middle of their little walk, Yoshino blushed a new shade of red after taking in Shinji's implications with the words he said to the thug earlier.
"Are you okay? You look a little red... a fever? You shouldn't be out here wandering alone, you know..." Shinji said and Yoshino snapped out of her state.
"I-I'm fine. Thank you, Shinji-san," Yoshino spoke up. "But, how—"
"Kurumi-san told me," Shinji answered before Yoshino finished. "She said that her oh so kawaii little sister ran out of the classroom after her friend went missing and the school can't find her."
"T-that's—"
"Don't worry," Shinji interrupted again. "Come with me."
Shinji led Yoshino over to a café, the one where the boy worked in as a part time job. Once they went inside, she immediately spotted Kurumi sitting on one of the tables, seemingly anticipating her arrival. But, that wasn't all. Yoshino also noticed that across Kurumi sat a familiar green-haired girl who wore the same uniform as her. There wasn't any doubt about it, this was Natsumi Kyouno, the missing student. Well, she only went missing a while ago. Still, Yoshino felt relieved and rushed over to the girl who flinched a little after seeing Yoshino approach her. Yoshino politely bowed and started to speak.
"I'm sorry," Yoshino started. "I thought I understood you but... I didn't. Not at all. Unlike me, you still had your real mother. W-whether you resent her or not, she's still your mother. You can't just simply move on from all that pain, because she's still there. I-I was wrong. Please forgive m-me, Natsumi-chan."
"Hey," Natsumi began to speak in her normal voice. "Look up," she said as Yoshino followed to find a smiling Natsumi. "See? I'm not mad. I'm sorry I snapped at you like that. I should be grateful that someone like you wanted to be friends with me. So... can we start again?" Natsumi held out one of her hands.
Yoshino took her up on that offer and took her hand in hers with a smile. "Yes! Let's be friends, Natsumi-chan!"
Shinji and Kurumi were quiet the entire time, but smiled at the interaction between the two. They grow up so fast.
"Yoshino-chan! Where did you go?" a concerned teacher asked as soon as the girl in question entered the classroom, followed by many students who were also concerned for Yoshino. "We were worried when you suddenly ran out!"
"S-sorry, sensei. I was just worried f-for her, that's all…" Yoshino said, pointing to Natsumi who was keeping her distance, afraid of showing her face again.
"I-I'm sorry…" Natsumi managed to mutter out.
The teacher approached the green-haired girl and placed a hand on her head. "I'm just glad you're back," she said with an understanding smile. "It seems your friend was really worried too…" she added, glancing over to Yoshino.
Natsumi turned to face Yoshino again and bowed. "I'm sorry for causing you trouble, Tokisaki-san. I got you involved in my personal matters, please forgive me," Natsumi apologized sincerely.
"Natsumi-chan, please raise your head. Look at me," Yoshino said, as Natsumi looked up to a smiling girl. "See? I'm not mad." Yoshino added. "If my friends are in trouble, t-then this is a normal thing to do…" Yoshino held Natsumi's hand. "A-and… please call me by my f-first name…"
Natsumi gazed into her eyes, finding comfort in her sweet, soft, and gentle voice. She didn't know why such an angel wanted to be friends with her so badly. But… she was grateful. For once, someone in her life had truly accepted her.
"F-fine… Yoshino?" Natsumi replied, while the girl in question smiled even more and nodded in response.
It was the start of an everlasting friendship.
Natsumi explained everything about her family's situation as she and Yoshino passed the school gates together. The latter's older sister, Kurumi, was following not too far behind. She tagged along, curious about her cute little sister's new friend.
"I-I see…" Yoshino responded, hearing quite the tragic tale from her friend. "Sorry, I didn't know anything."
"D-don't be. It's my fault for not telling you…" Natsumi quickly said after seeing her friend's sad expression. To her, Yoshino looked so fragile, ready to break into tears any second. She didn't really look anything like the class star that everyone else saw. God, she was just… So. Damn. Cute.
Yoshino and Natsumi lived in different directions, but Yoshino insisted she come walk her home before she heads back to hers. Kurumi gave her a caring nod to approve and continued to tag along. She was now curious if Natsumi's family were the cruel demons the young girl feared.
Not long, they arrived a few steps away from Natsumi's home. Yoshino felt her bag getting lighter and heard a thud hit the ground. She looked back, and saw Yoshinon on the sidewalk she just walked on.
"Go ahead, my place is not too far from here. See you tomorrow!" Natsumi said, skipping towards her home.
Yoshino saw that she was in high spirits, so she picked up Yoshinon and reluctantly prepared to leave along with Kurumi, until she heard a piercing scream coming from behind.
"N-no… NO! Get away… mom…"
Natsumi's voice from afar was filled with genuine fear.
Next: Natsumi's Family
AN: God, I hate making promises. I can't count on myself to keep them. I'm sorry this one took so long too.
Anyway, here is part 2 of 3 of the Natsumi arc. Don't know when the next one will come out. I'm hoping I can get it out before April ends, though.
Made a few changes to the story:
- Redid the story map and added it in here as a chapter. Changed some titles and changed the summaries.
- Chapters will now have their act numbers labeled.
That's it for now, see you in the next update,
– FlashTGB, author with poor time management.
