Date Started: Friday, August 06, 2010
Title: The Journal of Memories
Author: Gin Nanashi
Creation Type: Fanfiction
Main Rating: K+
Main Genre: One-Shot Series; Fluff, Friendship
Disclaimer: Katekyo Hitman REBORN! belongs to Amano Akira; Sasaki Li, Sasaki Xue Fang, Sasaki Daisuke, Sasaki Kiyoshi and every other non-identifiable characters belongs to me (Gin Nanashi).
Summary: Sasaki Li came from a bloodline that allows her to gender-bend. Unfortunately, Li has yet to figure out how to control her ability. Fortunately, it leads to a whole bit of fun for the readers!
The Journal of Memories
Event 17: I...
A dark brunette ran her fingers through her spiky hair, growling softly to herself when they ran into a couple of obstacles.
A caret-shaped frown made its way onto her lips as she tugged the two barrettes from their position and stuffed them into her schoolbag.
A scowl plastered onto her face making the girl appear as either a spoiled brat or a troublemaking delinquent.
She breathed deeply and sighed softly as she thought back, making her shoulders drop in resignation as a dark cloud floated over her.
"Why do I have to go?" The girl had whined a few days prior to that fateful day.
A tall man with similar hair sweatdropped and gave an apologetic smile, "Sorry, Kyuu-chan, but it's compulsory education."
The signature frown made itself known as she gave the man a blank stare before a hand was placed on her head.
She looked up before pouting at the tall woman behind her, "Mama! Do I really have to go? 'Cause I don't want to."
The girl's mother raised an eyebrow at the protest before roughly messing the spiky locks, "Compulsory education means that it's required. So, in short, yes."
"But-!" The girl started as she waved her arms frantically, "What about Tsuna and Shou? I don't want to go if I can't see them!"
"Now, now, Kyuu-chan." The man tried to explain to the child, "Tsuna's born after the first of April so he'll be attending it next year. And, Shouichi-kun is going to another school."
The child opened her mouth to protest some more when her mother spoke up with a dangerous glint in her dark-brown eyes.
"Sasaki Li. You will be going to Namimori Shogakko lest you want to be permanently separated from your friends."
And so...
Li scowled at the copper plate that seemed to mock her with its contents spelling out the elementary school's name in clear and legible print.
Reluctantly, she began to trudge forward with her spring sailor outfit swaying in tune with her movements as her eyes clouded over.
The smiling faces of two boys crossed her mind's eye.
Dark-brown eyes slowly came to focus as she looked up at the cloudy sky and whispered softly.
"Ora wa…"
A redhead sat near the front of the classroom with his chin resting on a palm.
His green eyes were glazed over as he stared blankly at the chalkboard in front of him.
Shouichi barely registered the one-digit numbers and simple arithmetic symbols on the board as he thought back to his conversation.
"I won't be with Li-san?" The boy had questioned, completely baffled, "Why not?"
A woman with long brown hair gave an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry, Shou-chan, but Suimin Shogakko is much closer to home, especially in the case of an emergency."
"…" Shouichi frowned and crossed his arms, "Then, why does Onee-san get to go the school she wants?"
Said girl flicked her long red hair over her shoulders and stuck out her tongue, "Because, I'm older."
The boy twitched as a vein throbbed on his temple, "So? You're still in elementary school!"
Their mother sighed as the two began to argue before cutting in so that it doesn't get out of hand, "Shou-chan, your sister wanted to and was able to get into a ladder school."
"Besides, Shou-chan," The younger girl added in a mocking tone, "Namimori Shogakko isn't all that great."
(Somewhere in that named school, a certain black-haired boy felt the urge to pull out his pair of tonfa - despite being in class.)
Shouichi frowned as his eyes sharpened when the student next to him was called to the board.
It wasn't fair.
Just because his sister wanted to become a lawyer, she was able to go to wherever she wanted.
He, on the other hand…
Green eyes slid shut as he thought back to his birthday.
To the third of December.
The beating of drums and the stringing of guitars from the stereo still reverberated through him to this day.
A shiver trembled through his body.
He wanted to become a musician.
To soothe the distressed like how he was soothed.
By his friends and by the music that played.
The redhead startled out of his reverie as he was called to the board.
Shouichi sighed and got up to take the white chalk from his classmate.
Standing in front of the green surface, he frowned at the object in his hand before writing.
Why couldn't he be doing this with his friends behind him?
As he finished, the pressure on the object heightened and the chalk broke in half.
Shouichi jumped a bit in surprise at the sound before sighing and dumping the pieces onto the chalkboard ledge.
He returned to his seat and continued to muse, this time of his friends when the news was broken to.
"It's because of school, right?" He recalled asking the dark brunette when she posed her dilemma.
Dark-brown eyes met with his sympathetic green ones for a silent moment before she complained, "It's horrible~! I won't be able to see you two in the daytime anymore!"
He nodded in agreement before confessing, "Okaa-san told me yesterday about this."
A frown graced his lips as he recalled his sister, "She won't let me go to Namimori Shogakko since it's… not as high level."
Li blinked before scowling, "What's wrong with a school that shares the name of our home?"
The redhead sweatdropped and shook his head, "That's not what I meant…"
Shouichi sighed before looking up, "Either way, I'm stuck at Suimin and you at Namimori…"
He then shifted his gaze over to the dazed light brunette near him.
A weight fell onto his heart.
Tsuna was lucky.
Since he and Li knew each other longer, they were also that much closer.
Not only that...
In a year, he'll also be going to Namimori Shogakko so he and Li would be able to see each other despite the year difference.
Meanwhile, he would be stuck without them.
The bell rang as Shouichi mussed his red hair in irritation before placing his books into his bag as lunch soon arrived.
A glance at the apple rabbits on his tray brought forth the memory of the rabbit plush from the carnival.
He sighed as he poke the decorative fruit with yearning feelings.
"Boku wa…"
Sitting under a familiar cherry-blossom tree, a light brunette stared at the closed black gates of Acorn Daycare.
The boy sighed softly as he brought his knees to his chest and leaned his chin on them, "It's not the same…"
Silence fell over him as he continued to watch nothing in particular and reminisced.
"LI!" The light brunette called out happily to the other.
Said brunette lifted her head before a smile appeared on her once-frowning lips, "Tsuna-Fish!"
Tsuna nearly fell over at the familiar nickname before jogging over to the girl and pouting, "I'm not a fish."
Li merely grinned and ruffled the boy's soft locks, "I know. But, you're still my Tsuna-Fish!"
The light brunette sighed at the other's stubbornness before his eyes caught onto the faltering smile, "Li…?"
"Oh! There's Shou!" The girl pointed out as she waved ecstatically at the arriving redhead, "HEY~! SHOU~!"
Green eyes lit up upon recognition before Shouichi made his way towards the two.
Meanwhile, Tsuna gave the dark brunette a confused and worried look but turned to smile at the redhead, "Hey, Shouichi-kun."
The redhead grinned lightly back, "Good morning, Tsunayoshi-kun, Li-san!"
That day started out quite normally.
They met up in that same quaint park where he and Li had first met.
Where everything seemed to have started.
And, where the trio soon dubbed as their hangout spot.
"I bet that I can fly over that fence!" The dark brunette proclaimed as she swung higher and higher on the swings.
Tsuna paled as he gauged the long distance from the swing set to the small metal poles in front of them while the redhead stuttered out a warning.
"Th-That's not a very good idea, Li-san! You can get seriously hurt!"
Li merely grinned confidently, "When I make it, I'm claiming this park as ours!"
Alarm was evident on the two boys face as the girl released her grip at the greatest possible height.
Her body flew forward as the wind rushed pass her.
An excited grin made itself evident on her face.
Her dark-brown eyes sparkled brightly, a stark contrast to the horrified awe that was blatant in the boys' eyes.
Yet, as she soared across the bright blue sky, she looked as if she belonged there, free from restraint.
Almost as if a pair of wings guided her to safety, she landed in a crouch a few feet pass the fence.
Li slowly stood up and turned to give an accomplished grin and a thumbs-up.
"Told'ya I can do it!"
But, the days where they can all be together are beginning to thin.
As the sun began to sink in the distance, the three kids sat on top of the jungle gym.
The playground was beginning to empty as the other children left with their family and friends.
The light brunette kicked his feet lightly before looking up at the gender-bender near him.
Come to think of it...
Only months before, he had been a loner, always too afraid to wander too far from his parents.
Now, he's done things he otherwise would've never even dreamed of.
He bought a birthday gift for his best girl friend. (He's never even talked to a girl besides his mom.)
He spent Valentine's Day with said friend. (Well, actually, she, as a guy, bursted into his room in a panic.)
He went to the shrine on New Years without his family. (And actually got a good luck slip for once.)
He spent Christmas with not only his family, but also his friends. (Consequently, he received his first friendly kiss.)
A bright blush heated the boy's cheeks as he continued to remember before he vigorously shook it away, earning some strange looks from anyone bothering to look at him at that moment.
He sang without regard to his surroundings to cheer up his best boy friend. (And managed to do so without screwing up.)
He entered a Haunted House and even dared to attempt a rescue. (Despite his initial fear and later shock.)
His birthday was possibly the most elaborate and surprising one he had ever received. (As well as being the first birthday without his old man and with friends.)
He spoke vulgarly for the first time. (Granted, it wasn't as bad as how some others spoke.)
And, finally, the one thing that another person couldn't have possibly done… (Unless, they met someone like Sasaki Li.)
He, Sawada Tsunayoshi, befriended the most caring and weirdest girl who could switch between genders. (Even if she couldn't control it.)
Yeah, he's done things that few could imagine.
And, it's all because of Li (with some coincidence and luck, of course).
Tsuna buried his face into his knees and smiled secretly to himself with a faint blush.
Recollecting all of this now, it's weird to imagine life without the gender-bender and redhead by his side.
His smile faltered a bit.
Li and Shouichi aren't there by his side right now, but…
Would they ever leave him for good one day?
On that day in the park, Tsuna had the strangest feeling when he had first caught that frown on his friend's face.
It was like something was squirming in his guts, unpleasant and uncomfortable.
Even then, he pushed that feeling aside.
But, it never faded.
By the end of the day, it seemed to have gotten stronger.
More so when Li began to speak during their relaxation on top of the cool metal bars.
"Hey, guys?"
Tsuna blinked and looked over at the girl with confusion written over his face, "What is it, Li?"
A short pause before a long, exaggerated sigh was released by the gender-bender as she started, "I'm not going to the daycare this year."
The light brunette froze as the feeling reached its peak.
Did he jinx it with his recent thoughts on the writhing feeling inside of him?
Alarm was evident on the boy's face, but Shouichi merely blinked before he slowly nodded in understanding, "It's because of school, right?"
The light brunette furrowed his brows in confusion as he vaguely registered the two's conversation and actions.
Yes, he had heard of school and its function.
But, he didn't understand why they all wouldn't be in the same year.
Tsuna grabbed onto the gender-bender's sleeve and tugged on it, "I don't get it. Why aren't we still together?"
Dark-brown eyes met briefly with green ones before Li began to explain, "Because I was born of February 29 and Shou was born a year before on the third of December."
The tidbits didn't clarify much for the boy and it showed clearly on his face.
"Li-san and I were born before the first of April, which is the first day of school," Shouichi stated slowly as he worded it carefully, "So we have to start this year. You were born after so you'll start next year."
The information processed as light-brown eyes slowly widened before Tsuna whimpered softly, "So we really won't be together anymore?"
And, that was how it was to be.
Li would go to Namimori Elementary School while Shouichi would attend Suimin Elementary School.
And, Tsuna…
Tsuna was to be without them for a whole year at Acorn Daycare.
The light brunette bit the bottom of his lips as his eyes stung a bit.
He buried his face into his arms as his grip tightened around his upper arms.
"Ore wa…"
The three closed their eyes and sighed, unknowingly in stereo.
"… jissaini sorera wo ketsujou."
… really miss them.
Author's Note:
And, thus, it's revealed how horrible the first day of school (and school, in general) can be.
*GN sighs.*
Speaking of classes, I finally started my college courses. Nothing too horrible... yet. Just an overview, but the amount of exams that's coming up makes me nervous...
Anyway!
I made up Suimin Shogakko: it's a public elementary school, nothing fancy. The school that Shouichi's sister is going to, the ladder school, is basically a highly competitive school that focuses on academics and is supposed to allow its students to get into private schools easier. It may or may not be true, but I like the idea of a lazy person being smart. (Shikamaru, anyone?)
The part about school starting in April and who starts school that year is true if my research was correct.
I don't know Japanese, but I enjoy adding it. That translation is the one I got from a translator I downloaded on my IPod Touch.
I thank those who reviewed and such!
(And, one of these days, I've got to draw little Li in the sailor uniform...)
Preview:
For the most part, he was left alone - which was good.
For the other part, he was made fun of - which was bad.
If he were with him, then he wouldn't have felt out of place.
If she were with him, then the jeers would've lightened.
If both were with him, then no one would've messed with them.
Just, why was school invented, anyway?