"I'll be fine mom. Yes, I have everything. Yes, the map is in my bag. Of course I have an umbrella. I can't call you again until they set up my phone tomorrow. I know, I know. You worry too much. I know. I love you too. Say hi to dad for me. Bye."

I sighed lightly as I put the payphone back in its place. It was my first day in Shibuya since picking out my apartment four months ago. I'd thought waiting to move was a smart idea for financial reasons, but now, looking at the rain pouring a foot away from me, I was beginning to have my doubts.

I picked up the duffel bag sitting at my feet. It held the few necessities I'd need until the moving van would be able to make it to my new home. I opened my pink umbrella before stepping out of the small shelter that surrounded the phone and onto the wet sidewalk. I stopped at a crosswalk close by and unzipped the duffel's outer pocket as I waited for the light to change to walk. "I cross here..." I opened the sheet of paper that had my directions on it. "Left here, and..." A large truck zoomed by and hit the puddle of water in front of me.

I lifted my directions just in time to avoid it getting soaked, but the lower half of me wasn't so lucky. The bottom half of my skirt was sticking to me, which wouldn't have been so bad if I knew that I could change into something dry when I got home...but my bag was now drenched too.

"Today is not my day." I mumbled to myself as I crossed the street. Soon after I ended up ducking under a shop's canopy. The front of the shop was wide open, but a drain nearby kept the inside from getting too wet. To the sides I could see the edges of sliding doors that were probably used when it was time to close for the night. An employee with her hair pulled into a ponytail bounced over to me. She looked to be a year or two younger than me, with a cheerful smile. "Oh, you poor thing. How did you get so wet even with an umbrella?"

I returned her smile with a half-hearted one of my own. "It just seems to be my luck today."

I placed my umbrella in a stand near the entrance so the floor didn't end up wet. I looked at my bag. Not only was it wet, but I was sure the store wouldn't appreciate me dragging it near the merchandise. "Um...can I leave this here for a bit?" I gestured to a spot near the umbrella stand.

The girl seemed surprised. "Of course. Are you here to shop? I thought you were just ducking out of the rain for a bit."

"Well," I looked down at my skirt and bag. "All of my things ended up covered in water, so I thought I'd buy something to change into and something dry to sleep in tonight."

The shop-girl looked at the bag. "Oh no. That's all you have? Feel free to grab anything you need."

I was confused as to what the expression on her face was, but when I placed it as sympathy, I quickly shook my head. "No no, it's not everything I have. It's just all I have access to right now. I'm in the middle of moving."

She seemed to cheer up at that. "Oh! Are you close by?"

I answered her as I started browsing through a garment rack. "I'm...actually, I'm not really sure. It's harder to navigate in the rain than you'd think it would be. It's an apartment complex off of Tomigaya Street."

"Tomigaya? Why, you're almost there. Looks like your luck is turning around."

I hm'd in response. "I sure hope so. It hasn't been a very promising start to university life so far."

The girl went to the counter and dug around for something I couldn't see. "So you're a student? Are you going to the University of Tokyo? I know the Komaba campus is nearby." She pulled out a box of items and started to tag them as we spoke.

I gave my head a light shake. "No, I've just enrolled in Tokai University." She gave a nod as though that were acceptable, and I brought the clothes I'd picked to the counter as I fished out my wallet. I was careful to set them away from what she was tagging.

"I've got a couple of regular customers who'll start there this semester too. Actually, I think one of them lives off Tomigaya too." She scanned the items and handed them back to me, accurately guessing which ones I wanted to wear out of the store. She bagged the rest and tied it so the rain wouldn't make it through. I paid, and she pointed me in the direction of the fitting room.

I glanced back at my duffel bag, wondering if I really wanted to leave it unattended with the luck I was having today. The shop-girl noticed and laughed lightly. "Don't worry, I'll keep it safe."

I smiled at her. "Thank you." I bowed to her appropriately and retreated to the fitting room.

About halfway into changing, I heard the girl greet more customers as they came in. "Ah, Hirose-san, Sometani-san, welcome! Oh, be caref-" I heard a thud followed by some girlish laughter that didn't sound like the employees. "Eh?" The shop-girl continued. "How can you be as cool as you are and be tripped by a bag?"

I frowned deeply and popped part way out from behind the changing rooms curtain. "If my bag is broken, I'll-" I paused as I realized the three others in the shop-the employee and the two newcomers, a girl and a very tall boy-were definitely staring at me. For a moment I thought it was due to my outburst, but after a very long second I realized it was because more of me appeared from the curtain than it should have. I quickly hid myself. How could I do something so embarrassing?

After scolding myself, I considered hiding there until the other customers left, but in the end the need to make it home before it got too late won out. I finished changing and approached my bag to put away the wet clothes, realizing with dismay that the two people from before were still near it. The girl approached me and knelt down with me as I crouched to put away my items. "We're sorry about...before." She had a slightly sympathetic tone that told me she definitely meant about the curtain and not about knocking the bag over.

I could feel my cheeks heat up, but I chose to ignore it as I zipped the bag up and stood. "It's alright. It was already soaked anyway."

The shop-girl smiled at me apologetically. "I really was keeping an eye on it. I just couldn't keep Sometani-san from knocking it over." She gestured to the tall boy from before. He was dressed in a white button-up shirt that might have given him a professional look, if it weren't for the mess of shaggy black hair on his head. The sheepish look he gave as he glanced my way reminded me a little of Sohei, and I gave him a smile to show I didn't mind. He gave me a lopsided smile in return that said maybe he wasn't comfortable around strangers.

After a moment I turned my gaze back to the girl. She was an inch or so shorter than I was, with her brown hair cropped short. She wore a navy blazer with a knee length pleated skirt of the same color. Beneath the blazer was a collared white shirt, but unlike her companion, it was button-less. I assumed she was Hirose.

My new outfit matched hers fairly well. I'd chosen a skirt the same shade and length as hers, and I found myself wondering if she bought hers here too. I'd forgone the matching blazer in favor of a sky blue sweater, since it was a little chilly outside. "Oh!" The shop-girl startled me from my observations. "These are the two I was telling you about!" She looked to Hirose. "This is...oh." She turned her gaze back to me. "I didn't get your name."

I bowed to the three of them. "Miyazaki Yuki. It's nice to meet you."

The boy stiffly copied my bow, and I found myself wondering how often he introduced himself. "Ren."

I waited a moment for him to continue, but when he didn't I decided it couldn't be very often. I wondered how the employee managed to get his last name.

The girl in turn bowed with practiced grace. "Hirose Kaede. Please, call me Kaede."

I nodded at them. "Kaede-san, Ren-san," I looked to the girl at the counter and she smiled.

"Chiba Ayame." She turned her attention back to Kaede. "Miyazaki-san is moving in near Tomigaya and will be going to school with you guys. She's had a rough day so far, so be nice to her, okay?" She winked at me. How can someone act so informal but still be respectful? The look Ren was giving Ayame told me he might be thinking the same thing.

Kaede nodded in response to Ayame. "Of course." She turned to me. "Ren has to pick up a few things, but we'll be heading to his apartment soon after. Do you want to come with us?"

I was a little taken aback at her casual use of his name, but it quickly dawned on me that they must be a couple. "I'd love to." I didn't know many people yet, and it seemed as good a time as any to try and make friends.

Soon I found myself walking with them from store front to store front. A part of me hoped I wasn't interrupting a date, but I assured myself that no one would go on a date in this weather. At one store, Ren asked Kaede and I to wait at the entrance while he grabbed what he needed. Well, it was more of a command, but the lack of reaction on his part told me he had no idea that it was rude. The lack of reaction on Kaede's end, however, told me this probably happened often. "Kaede-san?"

"Hm?" She looked to me. "You don't have to do that, really. I'm used to going by my given name only." She looked at the shocked expression on my face and laughed lightly. "I know, it's unusual. But Ren grew up in a place where no one went by their family name. So its been hard on him, getting used to some of the things we do here." She smiled fondly in the direction Ren was shopping, and it was easy to see the two were very close. "Oh, you had something to say, didn't you?"

"Actually," I started, "You answered my question...but now there's something else I'm curious about."

"Oh?"

"Well I thought...but since you ask everyone to call you by name..." I hesitated, unsure how to phrase my question without seeming nosy.

But it seemed I didn't have to. Kaede blushed softly. "We are. We started dating very recently." I nodded in understanding, but she wasn't finished. "But I don't ask everyone to call me Kaede. Just people I know will be good friends." She smiled in a teasing way that didn't quite fit on her innocent seeming face. "So, can I call you by name too?"

I laughed lightly. "I guess it would be weird to be the only one that didn't, hanging around you guys."

She smiled back at me, and Ren chose that moment to rejoin us. "Looks like it's time to get going, Yuki."

Despite giving her permission, I blushed. But I'd made new friends already, and that was all that really mattered.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A/N So here is the first official chapter.

Some notes: Both schools mentioned here are actual schools in Shibuya.
Ayame is sort of an OC, sort of not an OC. She was meant to be the shopkeeper that talks to Ren's father in the movie, but she remained unnamed, so I named her. Don't worry, she won't have a huge role.
This takes place after the end of both movies. Several years after Wolf Children, but almost directly after the Boy and the Beast. Because of this, I decided Ren wouldn't be super accustomed to the formalities that were largely absent in his childhood. Since we don't get to see a lot of things, I am taking a few liberties, but it is fiction.
Ayame is a year or two younger than our protagonist, but because she is currently at work, I chose to have her refer to every customer with -san. This goes for ones she doesn't know the name of as well. Sir, Ma'am, customer-san. XD

This will be a slowgoing fanfic, but you'll see Jutengai eventually, I promise. I also apologize because Kyuta/Ren is not actually going to have a huge role.