SURPRISE!

Your guys' reaction to the first two chapters told me to keep going. This was a late present for my birthday earlier this month by Music Chick. I'm just posting it up since she wrote all of it. I asked her to do something that highlighted how Itsuha and Tohma, the boy she liked, got together by the end when the family moved to Sapporo. I was thinking about splitting it into its own story, but I thought it was better just to attach it to this one since the flow was still there. Hope you guys like it.

Think of the story as a non-linear structure. The first two just set the table for what happened and now we get into the nitty-gritty.

Some elements of "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" as well as "5 Centimeters Per Second" in the story, but I think it still could work within the universe of "Your Name".

"Hurry up, Wabisuke!" cried Itsuha Tachibana as she waved with irritation while waiting in front of the new school she was currently attending - Sapporo Shiritsu Miyanomori Junior High School.

Her brother, sixteen-year-old Wabisuke, readjusted the schoolbag strap over his shoulders and unzipped the bag. After retrieving a wrapped sandwich, he handed it over to his sister when he reached her.

Itsuha yelped with glee and snatched the sandwich away as her brother wrapped an arm around her shoulders, guiding her on the walk from the school. As she unwrapped the sandwich, she paused in the midst of taking a bite. Where was he taking her?

"Wabisuke?" the twelve-year-old middle child of Taki and Mitsuha Tachibana asked her older brother with her mouth full. "We're supposed to turn left."

Wabisuke smirked. "Today, we go right. We need to get going."

"Get going? Why?"

"We're going to Hokkaido Jingu Shinto Shrine."

She swallowed her bite. "What the heck? Why? I have a bunch of homework I need to get started on. I don't wanna -"

"Even if it had something to do with Tohma?" he smirked.

She stopped walking. Tohma? Why would he be here all the way from Tokyo? What did he have to do with a shrine?

Despite spending her last weeks with her friends, Itsuha never found the courage to talk to Tohma. The one time she almost did, one of his friends ran in front of her as if she was invisible and stole his attention away. It didn't look like Tohma realized what had happened. That destroyed any courage she had left.

It was true when she told her father that, before they moved, Tohma was trying to make an effort to talk with her. The shame and guilt grew so much from what she did to him in the past that whenever he tried, she'd either run away or excuse herself.

To anyone else looking from the outside in, it looked like Itsuha was a snob towards Tohma. Only she and Tohma knew of the truth from fourth grade and how she wished she could take it back. It was probably best that people believed it. What was the point of confessing to your crush only to say that you were moving away? It was almost cruel. Some types of loves were best not meant to be felt.

That was why it was called a crush: When it's not reciprocated, you're left feeling, well, crushed.

"Wabi," she whined. "I know what you're trying to do, but I'm trying to forget about him. There's no point in making a wish at the shrine. What's done is done."

Her older brother took her hand and pulled her across the street as the crosswalk light gave the okay. "That's right. What's done is done, but I still can't stand you moping around the house all day. That's all you've done since we've came here."

"That's not true!" she protested.

"It is and you know it. It's getting to be too much. Yeah, it sucks, but Dad did this for us and your moping is getting disrespectful."

She groaned as they walked along the sidewalk. "I don't mean to."

He sighed while putting an arm around her shoulders again. He gave her a smile. "I know you don't. That's why we're going to make peace with this move at the shrine."

Why? What was the point? That's what Itsuha wanted to tell her brother, but all that would do would hurt his feelings.

"Fine," she moaned. "I'll do it for you."

"No," Wabisuke said. "You'll do it for Mom and Dad. You're almost thirteen, sis. It's time to grow up."

Itsuha frowned silently as she gave in. Normally, she'd give her brother a piece of her mind. As much as she wanted to, she knew he'd turn it around and use that as an example that she was still childish.

She wasn't being childish. She was mourning. Not like he ever dated or had a serious crush before. He wouldn't understand.

Why couldn't Tohma and she have the same story that her parents had? The one that she felt she was waiting for something her whole life. The one that she felt incomplete and empty every morning until one fateful morning she caught a glimpse of "the one" on passing trains.

Or even the more romantic version her mother told her about. The one where she awoke one morning a month after dating Taki with the strangest dream of switching bodies when they were teens, time travel, falling in love, using the magic hour to finally meet, then tragically sacrificing their memories to save her mother's town.

To anyone else, it sounded ridiculous. To Itsuha, it was plausible.

The more she thought about it during her and her brother's journey to the shrine, the more she ached for something similar. Itsuha told her father after she found out they were moving that she thought they were meant to be together. Looking back, it was more like wishful thinking.

If only she could have that same experience. Itsuha didn't need to save a town. She just needed, no wanted, Tohma to acknowledge her with a 'hello'. Actually, what she really needed was to allow herself to let Tohma tell her 'hello', and if it included that he liked her the same way that she did him, even better. At this point, the only way she could see him was if they traveled back to visit family. Starting a friendship with Tohma now, or even considering a relationship with him, wasn't even realistic at this point.

They did derive from a family of Shinto priests and priestesses. She firmly believed the supernatural was constantly at work and the future would always find a way to fix itself. So what if the gods intervened because Tohma and she had a purpose?

Itsuha held her brother's waist, took another bite of her sandwich, then sighed. Wabisuke was right. She was almost thirteen. It was time to grow up and make peace.

Tohma was just a silly crush. A one-sided, unrequited crush that left her shattered into tiny pieces on the inside.

It was decided: As soon as she and her brother arrived at Hokkaido Jingu Shinto Shrine, she'd ask the gods to help her forget about Tohma. Forget about his caring nature to others no matter how popular or not the other person was. Forget about how they liked the same mangas and how talented he was with his own drawings. Forget how wonderful the crepes at his family's shop tasted. Forget that shy, gorgeous smile he gave her when they cleaned the classroom together that one time. Forget about his existence and move on.

No more crushes for Itsuha Tachibana. She was now and forever a student at Sapporo Shiritsu Miyanomori Junior High School, a citizen of Sapporo––not Tokyo––and there were other guys she'll meet in the future that could be just as caring as Tohma.

There had to be.

"The omikuji box?" Itsuha wrinkled her nose as she and her brother stared at the wooden box before them inside the grounds of Hokkaido Jingu Shinto Shrine.

Wabisuke nodded. "Yeah."

"But I already prayed to the kami and wrote my wish on an ema. We've had our fortunes read back on New Years."

"So what? Aren't you a little curious? We're new here. It'd be good to get a heads up and ward off any bad luck. That's the last thing either of us need."

She held the straps of her backpack and agreed with a 'Hmm'. Being extra cautious wouldn't hurt anyone.

An omikuji box held fortunes written on a piece of paper. For five yen, a person could draw from the lot of fortunes to see if they were given good luck, great good luck, bad luck, or great bad luck. Itsuha's fortune was bad luck when she drew from the omikuji on New Year's Day. She tied her bad luck fortune on the pine tree branch that was designated to draw bad luck away, but it didn't look like it worked.

Or maybe it did and that's what helped her dad get the promotion he always wanted. Still, Tohma…

Giving in, Itsuha placed a five yen coin in the slot and drew a fortune from the wooden omikuji box. She waited until Wabisuke collected his fortune.

"What does yours say?" Itsuha asked.

She was too nervous to read hers yet.

"Great good luck! Woo-hoo!" Wabisuke pumped a fist in the air.

It was Itsuha's turn. Taking a deep breath in, she opened her fortune. It was far from what she expected.

"It's fake," she whispered in disbelief, reading the words over and over again.

"Huh? Give me that."

Wabisuke took the fortune and read it. His face turned bright red in anger and without another word went to find someone who worked on the grounds to get to the bottom of it. Itsuha liked to think of her brother as a peaceful bull, like their father. Not many things upset him, but the minute something did trigger him, he'd stop at nothing to get to the bottom of the issue.

Itsuha wasn't sure what to think of it. What would possess someone to add a fake fortune that read:

"Great good luck or Great bad luck. Your choice."

"Psst. Psst!"

Itsuha turned around looking for who was calling out to her. She saw no one.

"PSST! By the guardian dog and guardian lion!"

There was an elderly gentleman, standing by at most five foot one, near the guardian dogs not far off, dressed in a montsuki, a formal black silk kimono worn over a white under-kimono, and a black striped hakama, traditional Japanese trousers. The elderly gentleman was bald, saved for white hair lining the sides and back of his head that was pulled into a low ponytail which stopped at the end of his neck. His right hand had a slight tremble as he gripped the wooden walking cane with both hands and used it to lean forward with interest. He waved a hand beckoning for her to come near. His voice was strained and gravelly.

"Come here, child. I have a solution to your confusion."

She raised an eyebrow and turned her back to face him crossing her arms at her chest. "No thanks, Grandpa. I don't talk to strangers."

"Pity. To think I had a gift from kami to offer you. I'll be sure to tell him you rejected it."

That struck a nerve with Itsuha. She marched over to the elderly gentleman who giggled. She could only imagine it was at the expense of her reaction and, boy, did that agitate her more.

"Listen, old man -"

"Old man? My, did your parents raise you to be that disrespectful to your elders?"

He was giggling again!

"Yeah! Old man! When my brother gets back, he's going to - Hey! What are you doing?"

Itsuha immediately took a few steps back in confusion as she watched the elderly gentleman lower himself to his knees and bowed to the floor in reverence. He wept with joy as he spoke.

"I am but your faithful, humble servant, Priestess Itsuha. I have waited two lifetimes to meet you once more."

"Whoa! Hold on!" Itsuha shook her hands denying the claim. "I'm not a priestess. I'm a twelve-year-old girl in middle school." She geestured to her clothes. "See my school uniform and school bag? You've got the wrong person."

The elderly gentleman chuckled sitting up. "Your future self did say you'd be surprised to hear that claim."

"Future...self? Oh, boy."

Itsuha turned to look for her brother. Where was he? Shouldn't he be back by now, or at least hear him arguing with someone? She gasped as her world turned pitch black within the blink of an eye. The only light source available acted as a spotlight that shined down over them from above.

The elderly man spoke using the cane to stand once more. "I understand your fear and confusion. Please allow me to explain. There isn't much time. For centuries, your family has been blessed with the humble gift to serve and protect many gods and shrines. That same gift resided in your mother, and now it resides in you."

Hypnotized by the gentleman's explanation, Itsuha stilled, listening to what other information he had to offer. Not to say she wasn't frightened in the slightest. Itsuha's hands were shaking as she gripped the straps of her school bag. Wasn't this what she always longed for? Something supernatural to happen to her? Was she really missing out on something until now?

"Evil spirits have tried to take out your ancestors in fear of the immense power they had. The last attempt was with your mother."

"My mother?" That piqued her interest. "What do you mean?"

A coy smile played on the gentleman's lips. "Oh, are you now willing to listen to this old man?"

The ground shook beneath their feet. It was for a few seconds, but it was enough to have them each hold their arms out to balance.

"Where are we?" Itsuha cried, searching the pitch dark place they were in after the shaking ceased.

The gentleman nodded his head with his eyes closed. "Ah, yes. This is the In-Between."

"The In-Between?"

"Yes. What serves between the real world and the next life. Some call it the veil that serves as the crossing grounds of the dead into the next life and yet keeps those that have already crossed over from escaping."

Itsuha's eyes brightened as a thought came to light. "Except during the magic hour."

"That's correct," the gentleman's eyes squinted with delight. "Though I will add that if any visitations during that magic hour do occur, the dead are returned to their rightful place afterwards."

The dead. The In-Between. The Veil. Hold on.

She panicked. "Are you saying I'm dead?"

"Goodness, no!" his forehead wrinkled with concern.

The ground shook again, this time a few seconds longer and with more strength.

"We're running out of time," the old man urgently said. "The In-Between has discovered that you're here and is trying to return you to where you belong. Time is constantly fixing itself so that it returns to the right path. Time will do whatever it needs to accomplish this, but make no mistake. If you don't accept this offer from kami and from your future self, Time will find a way with someone else and the blessing that was given to your ancestors will cease with you."

This was getting scary. The idea of something supernatural was exciting. However, now that it was happening, she changed her mind. Blessing or not, ancestors or not, this wasn't something she wanted. How come her mother never told her about an evil spirit attacking her?

"What happened when that evil spirit attacked my mother?"

"Priestess Itsuha, Time waits for no one and I fear we'll part without giving you the information you need to help on your journey. Please listen."

"Time's going to have to wait because I'm not going anywhere!" she demanded. "What happened to my mother?"

The elderly gentleman gave her a knowing look. "She's told you the story countless times, despite having her memory erased. There is no doubt in my mind that she still has some spark of power left inside her in order to remember what was supposed to be sacrificed. Finding Taki Tachibana on a passing train was a gracious gift from kami as his gratitude for her bravery. Mitsuha had immense power that was cut short from that comet the evil spirit sent, yet she was given a second chance all for you. You're the hope for the future to prevent a tragic event that will happen once you become the head priestess of Hokkaido Jingu Shinto Shrine."

This was becoming overwhelming.

"I-I don't know if I want this gift."

"Kami has heard your request of wanting to forget that Tohma Shirukashi existed to ease your pain of leaving Tokyo and would like to offer you the gift of time travel. You'll have one chance, and one chance only, to make this happen. However, your future self has sent a message to you."

"No!" Itsuha turned away and marched off in no particular direction away from the spotlight and further into the darkness. "I want out of here! Take me home now!"

Except the next thing she knew, she somehow ended up walking towards the elderly gentleman standing in the spotlight. That was unnerving. She turned around and headed back to the pitch dark area only to find herself walking towards the old man once more. She stopped short this time, cautiously giving him a once over look.

The elderly gentleman crossed his arms not pleased with her actions. "Priestess Itsuha."

"Stop calling me that!"

"I will not!" his voice boomed in the empty air.

The floor shook violently as she cowered in fear.

After the man and Itsuha recovered from the quake, he slowly stepped towards her. His speech held a desperate, yet commanding tone.

"Your future self sends you this message: Great good luck or great bad luck. The choice is yours. Ignore the gift that Kami has given you, and you'll change the future to experience great destruction that you'll be unable to neutralize.

"Accept it, and you'll not only avert the destruction, but also experience a similar story that your parents had, what you've always craved to experience. The legacy and blessing will extend into your family with generations to come and continue to save people's lives."

Itsuha's voice shook, afraid of what was expected of her to do. "What is it that I need to do?"

"When you travel to the past, you will choose your destiny of whether it is best to forget Tohma or not. Bear in mind, your choices will have consequences to those around you. How you choose to act on these choices will affect time. No matter which path you choose, your father is still destined to accept his promotion. Priestess Itsuha, I implore you," the elderly gentleman bowed as he begged, "please choose the path your heart so desperately wants. Don't repeat the past!"

The ground shook violently causing both to lose their balance and fall to the ground. The world spun as Itsuha screamed out for help.

"Follow your heart, Priestess Itsuha!" The elderly gentleman's yells grew faint as Itsuha felt her consciousness drift off. "Remember: Time waits for no one!"

The last image that Itsuha saw was a blinding light until she landed on what felt like a soft mattress - then nothing.

"Tachibana...Tachibana...Maeda, can you check if Tachibana is sleeping or feeling sick?"

Itsuha Tachibana heard her instructor calling her name, but was too exhausted to raise her head from her desk, let alone answer. What a crazy dream! It was like her body went through such intense emotions that it drained her of all energy. Must be that new protein bar that morning for breakfast. She'll never eat it again.

"Itsuha?" Hikari Maeda lightly tapped her back as she sat behind Itsuha. "Do you need to go to the nurse?"

Itsuha moaned sitting up. Her eyes readjusted as she blinked.

Why did this classroom look different? Why did her school uniform have a different color than her new one from Sapporo Shiritsu Miyanomori Junior High School? Why was she hearing her best friend from Tokyo speak as if she was next to her? She gasped looking around the classroom only to find her old classmates, especially Tohma, staring back at her with concern.

She was sitting in her old school in Tokyo: Aoyama Gakuin Junior High School!

The instructor approached her and felt Itsuha's forehead. "I don't feel a fever, but you're clammy and pale. I'd like you to go to the nurse's office."

It wasn't a dream after all? Kami really did send her back in time? She looked to her right to see Tohma was still watching with a concerned expression.

It really happened!

How far into the past was she sent? Going to the nurse's office sounded like a good idea. There was no way she could concentrate on the lesson and she needed to figure out what day it was, or how to even get back to the present. This was something she never agreed to. She didn't want to relive the pain of everything again.

"Yes, sensei," Itsuha said. Her arms shook as she leaned on her desk to stand.

"I'll take her," Hikari volunteered and retrieved Itsuha's schoolbag.

"Hikari, what day is it?" Itsuha asked under the bed covers of an infirmary bed in the nurse's office.

"Oh, um, I think April twenty-ninth. Or, the thirtieth?" Hikari held a finger to the side of her lips, trying to recall. "No. The twenty-ninth."

"Hikari," Itsuha groaned as her patience grew thin.

"Definitely the thirtieth. Yeah, the thirtieth. Why? Did your period come? Is it achy this time?"

"Girl, you wouldn't believe me even if I tried to explain."

"Try me. I'm your best friend, right? I live for mysteries."

What could Itsuha say? The truth? That a freakish, short, old man that's been alive for two lifetimes said her future self sent him to relay a message that she was the head priestess of a shrine destined to protect something...the world? The city? The country? Who knows. She was destined to protect something from grave destruction.

It was even inferred that she wasn't supposed to forget about Tohma, but what did that even mean? How did that even make sense?

She never found the courage to talk to him before she moved the last time. Even if she changed the future by talking to him, what was the point? He didn't notice or acknowledge her until everyone found out she was moving. If she managed to change that, in almost a month from now she'd have to move again.

She never agreed to this! This was forced on her. Who cares about the future. Didn't her feelings matter?

"Soooo, is that a no on the period?" Hikari tried to pry for answers.

Itsuha sighed, trying to think of an excuse. Hikari would believe just about anything regarding the supernatural, but what happened moments before was too insane for even herself to say out loud.

"Food poisoning," Itsuha lied. It was the best idea she had. "I think the protein bar I had earlier expired."

"Ooohhh. That sucks."

"Yeah."

"Want me to tell the nurse?"

"Sure. Wait," Itsuha held her best friend's arm to keep her from leaving. "I need to talk about something."

"Itsuha," Hikari whined with an exaggerated sigh, "your hair's on point and every girl in this school is wearing the same kind of ponytail barrette. You're a fashion trendsetter like you wanted to be and super popular. What else do you need to know?"

Itsuha blushed in embarrassment. There was a time that Itsuha did care about the latest clothes, fashion, and being the most popular girl in school. Ever since the move, that was the last thing on her mind. If she was going to survive being in the past, she would have to pretend to care about that again.

"Pfft, yeah! Of course I am!" she faked a laugh.

Hikari raised an eyebrow, not convinced from the laugh.

Itsuha paused, then sighed. "It's...It's about Tohma."

Hikari slumped in her chair crossing her arms against her chest. "That again?"

She winced from her best friend's reaction. "It's just that I don't think I've ever asked you if you think I should talk to him."

"Talk? Itsuha. He's all you talk about. Whenever we're together, if it isn't about fashion, it's about how much you like Tohma, or that you chickened out again."

A sheepish grin grew as she turned to look at the ceiling. "Right. Yeah. Never mind then."

"Oh heck no. Tell me what's up."

"But you just…" Itsuha rolled her eyes, giving up on Hikari logic. "Do you think he sees me?"

"Girl, everyone saw you just now."

"Hikari!" she pleaded.

Hikari shrugged. "We're in the same classroom. He knows you exist. I don't know why he doesn't talk to you since he's so nice to everyone, but you know, you don't actually make the effort either."

"Yes I do!" Itsuha sat up in a flash.

"When?" Hikari did the same.

"I…" Her confidence faultered. "Well, I don't remember when it last happened, but anytime I try talking to him, a friend of his always cuts in."

"Then speak up. Do something. At this rate he may end up going to a different high school than you because you were too chicken to confess or even ask if he wanted to hang out."

Itsuha threw herself back in bed frustrated. If only Hikari knew how much those words were true in the future, but speaking to her crush was easier said than done.

"He thinks I'm a snob, doesn't he?"

Hikari grinned. "No, he doesn't."

"How do you know?"

"I just know."

"Now you're just making stuff up," groaned Itsuha.

"I'm not," her best friend grinned and stood to her feet. "Listen, when you're done throwing a pity party, I'll help you try to get Tohma to notice you." She walked backwards from the bed towards the separating curtain. "Anything to get you to stop this back and forth 'does he like me or not' thing," she teased.

She'd help? Why didn't this happen in the past when she desperately needed it? Anger filled Itsuha's eyes as she sat up in disbelief.

"Hold on! You've known I've liked him since fourth grade and you've never offered before. Why now?"

Hikari stopped walking and guilt filled her facial expression. "Um, I guess because hearing yourself think he thinks you're a snob struck a nerve. I don't think he thinks that's true, but if it is, it might be a case of misunderstanding from you both because neither of you talk."

She couldn't believe it! After all this time Hikari felt like she could've helped, but didn't? She let her move away without helping? What kind of best friend was that? Before Itsuha could give her a piece of her mind, Hikari continued talking.

"Besides, I know a few days ago that it was yours and Tohma's turn cleaning the classroom. You said he smiled at you. Doesn't that count? I can't imagine how weird it was cleaning in complete silence."

That's right! So that day happened recently. If she remembered correctly, it was about this time that Tohma started acknowledging her with a smile whenever they saw each other. It was something she tried to forget, because what was the point now?

"Hikari?" It was a shot in the dark, but if she'd trust only one other person in the world than her family, it was Hikari. "You think that your dreams can give you messages from the other side?"

Hikari's eyes grew wide with excitement as she rushed back to the seat next to Itsuha's bed. "Spiritual stuff? Did you have a dream? Was it about Tohma? Tell me friggin everything!"

A nervous chuckle came out uncontrollably. That was probably the best way to describe what happened without saying it.

"Sort of? It said I was destined to save something––who knows if it's a city or Japan––from disaster in the future, but that I needed to decide if I was going to remember Tohma or not."

"What? Why? You're going somewhere?"

The only thing Itsuha could do was shrug. She didn't know much etiquette about time travel, but saw enough movies to know the premise of not revealing much about the future.

Her best friend answered like it was a simple solution. "Why make it complicated? You like Tohma. I can try to help get you two to talk. Tell whatever spirit that visited you that you're going to remember Tohma, whatever that means, and go for it. Besides, someone told me something recently that's pretty cool: Time waits for no one."

Itsuha forgot to breathe for a few seconds. That was the same thing the elderly gentleman said to her before this whole mess. "Say that again?"

"Yeah. It's so deep and romantic, isn't it? Life is short because time waits for no one. Let's try to get Tohma to notice you together."

"Hikari, who told you that?"

No way. She really hoped that elderly gentleman wasn't here lurking in the past with her.

"Hmm? Why? I don't know. Some old man as I was walking to school this morning told me that and then said for me to study hard. It was weird, but whatever. I'm glad he said it! I got to tell you the same because it makes sense." She finished with a smile.

Kami. That elderly gentleman was here with her. She wasn't sure whether to be nervous or happy.

Hikari took Itsuha's hand and said with a comforting voice, " Let's do this together. If Tohma turns you down, then he's just another dumb boy who can't see how sweet of a person you really are. If you weren't supposed to do this, then you wouldn't have had that dream, right?" Her eyes grew with excitement. "You know how much I live for anything supernatural and that dream had to of meant something. Say it with me: Time waits for no one."

Itsuha wanted to cry happy tears. Hikari really was the best friend any girl wished they had. She was going to miss her when they moved in a month. Itsuha wanted to say 'no' to avoid the pain of missing Tohma again, but Kami gave her this gift and that elderly gentleman was looking out for her. It didn't feel fair, but something greater had to be at work if every sign was pointing to having her reach out to Tohma. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to get Tohma to notice her in a romantic way or at least friends, but she figured she'd be a fool to argue with a kami, much less her future self.

"Come on," Hikari urged, squeezing Itsuha's hands. "Say it with me."

Fine. It was settled. She'd do it. For her current and future self. For her future servant. For Kami. For whatever she was supposed to protect in future.

Itsuha squeezed her best friend's hand and nodded.

"Time waits for no one."

Plenty more where that came from. There are three more chapters to go with this one. Hope you guys enjoyed it. I'll be updating those other ones over the next several days so you do not want to miss out. Leave a review too telling me what you think.

I hoped this would be a wonderful surprise for you guys.

Happy Halloween.