Disclaimer: I sadly do not own the rights the rights to Noragami nor do I make profit off this fanfiction. Noragami belongs to the wonderful and talented Adachitoka. Please support the official release.
Rated M for a reason. If your virgin eyes can't handle what's to come I suggest you jump ship now ;)
"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself."
― George Bernard Shaw
The sweeping crescendo of colours that signaled the beginning of Fall whirled passed Hiyori as her father drove.
The three occupants of the vehicle stayed silent for most of the trip, but the anxious air surrounding her parents was so thick Hiyori could almost taste it. She couldn't blame her parents for being nervous, but she wished they would at least try to lighten the mood a little bit.
"It's nice to finally get a change of scenery for once." Her father spoke, slicing through the sickening silence. "It's been awhile since we've driven through the country."
Hiyori kept her eyes glued out the window, her head resting on her hand as she watched the colours blur as they sped passed.
"Yeah," she said, her voice cracking slightly after not being used for so long, "I kinda miss it already."
"Oh dear," Her mother said, craning her neck to look at her daughter over the front seat, "You'll love it!"
"Yeah! University is a big step, you should be excited!" Her father said, his tone of his voice didn't really match his words. Hiyori could tell he didn't want his little girl to leave.
"I am excited!" Hiyori broke her death stare with the window and turned towards her parents, "It's just such a big leap and it never really hit me until now that I'd be so far from home. I don't even know anyone..."
"You'll make friends. You're such a beautiful, kind-hearted woman, Hiyori. There's no reason you wouldn't." Her father said, this time his tone sincere as can be, "But boys are off limit, you hear me young lady?"
Her mother gave her husband a light slap on his shoulder, "Dear!"
Hiyori gave a soft giggle, "Don't worry Daddy, I don't plan on it. I need to make sure I get the best grade possible so I can take over your hospital one day."
"That's my girl." Her dad said with a smile.
Slowly the thick foliage began to thin out, revealing a large intricate masonry wall. Ivy draped over in thick patches. "Looks like we're here!" Hiyori's father exclaimed.
The school was well beyond city limits, deep in the country side. Rolling hills, rushing streams and towering mountains all came together to compose a scene that could have inspired many great epics and paintings.
The school was nothing to turn your nose on either. Cracked cobblestone pathways lead to weathered European style buildings, stone spirals seemed to pierce the very heavens. The school was old but well maintained, providing to the sense that Hiyori always pictured a higher institute of learning would hold - the air of mystery and discovery.
They followed the streams of cars to the entrance where they could say their goodbyes.
"You're sure you have everything you need?" Her mother fretted as her father handed Hiyori the last of her luggage.
"Yes Mother, I'm positive."
"Underwear? Toothbrush? Allowance?" A few students turned and giggled towards Hiyori.
"Yes, mom!" Hiyori blushed, embarrassed. It was her first day at university and her mother was treating her like a child.
"That's enough, dear," Hiyori's father said placing a hand on her shoulder.
"You know where to go from here right?" Her mother said, getting out the last of her nerves.
"Yes, it's right at the entrance of the learning commons." Hiyori answered. Without warning her mother swooped her up in a hug, nearly causing her to drop her carefully balanced luggage. She gave a quick kiss before stepping back, holding Hiyori at arms length. She looked her daughter up and down, tears welling up in her eyes. "You look so grown up. I'm so proud of you."
Her mother let go, allowing for her father to embrace her next. "I'm proud of you too. Remember to call tonight and tell us how it went." Her father said, kissing her on her forehead, "You know how much your mother is going to be looking forward to it."
"Yes Daddy," Hiyori said, kissing him on the cheek. "Drive safe!"
After saying their final goodbyes, Hiyori turned to look at the marvelous sight that was Takamagahara University. The school was a long ways from home, surrounded by expansive forests and lakes. Hiyori felt like she was transported out of Japan and into the deepest moors of Europe here. Everything about the campus was astoundingly gorgeous, like straight out of a fairy tale.
It was always her dream to attend, it seemed unreal that it was finally happening. This was her fresh start. She was hours away from home, no one knew her or her family. She was no longer "Hiyori Iki, rich daughter of the prestigious Iki name", but just "Hiyori, First year student".
Clutching her bags tightly, her head still turned towards the large spirals of the building, she started walking...
And immediately careened into someone.
Hiyori fell to the ground hard, her bags falling all around her.
"Oh my gosh I'm so so so sorry!" She said as she looked up, brushing her bangs out of her face and scurried to collect her things before the crowds of students trampled over them.
"Sheesh, what was that for?" the boy said, raising up so he was in a kneel. He scrubbed out the rocks that lodged themselves in his palms before helping Hiyori with her abundance of items.
"Here." He said, offering her his hand, her a small bag resting in his other hand.
Hiyori looked up at the boy, he looked completely ordinary, almost ethereal in that he seemed to blend in with his surroundings. His dark hair fell over his face in chunky tresses, he was dressed in black track pants, his sweater opened to show a crisp, white t-shirt underneath. The only thing truly extraordinary about him was his eyes. The blue of his eyes looked unearthly, yet seemed to look passed the world, seemed to look through her, gazing into her soul and unraveling her deepest secrets.
"Uh... thanks." Hiyori said, taking his hand. He pulled her up to her feet, handed her her things and left without another word.
"T-thank... you?" Hiyori said as he walked away, not looking back.
Hiyori's luggage clicked against the cracks in the pavement behind her as she trailed along the seemingly endless campus of the university. She gripped onto the slip of paper she was given tightly, repeating the room number scrawled out on it like a mantra.
Dorm building A, room 001, building A, room 001...
Where the heck is building A!
"Hey! You!" A perky voice cut in beside Hiyori. She jumped , nearly dropping her stuff again, gripping on to it just barely.
"Name's Kofuku!" The voice said again, "You look lost."
"Uh... yeah. You lost too?" Hiyori questioned. She was sure this girl was some sort of cosplayer. Her hair was dyed a bright pastel pink and she was wearing a high school uniform despite being in college. She had an over stuffed pink luggage bag that looked like it was about to explode any second now.
"Uh-huh! Where you heading to? Maybe we can help each other out." Kofuku said with a warm smile.
As it often happens when someone asks you something you've been rehearsing in your head, Hiyori suddenly stuttered on her destination. She held her piece of paper up for Kofuku to look at.
The pinkette took the scrap and laughed fondly. "We're in luck! I'm in A115."
"Oh, that's great!" Hiyori smiled, relieved that she had already met her dorm mate and she seemed to be friendly. "I'm Hiyori, by the way. I think I forgot to tell you, sorry."
"Hiyori, huh? That's a cute name." Kofuku chimed with enthusiasm, "Let's be friends!"
"Of course." Hiyori smiled warmly. "It really is lucky that I ran into you, huh?"
Kofuku looked at her wide eyed and oblivious, "I know right! This sort of thing never happens to me!"
The girls walked side by side, the gentle click click click of their luggage providing a steady beat as they traveled through the busy grounds.
The A building was just off of campus, almost entirely hidden by the surrounding forest. The elements had left it's mark on the building. Old radiators stuck out of windows, certain bricks seemed like they were on the verge of crumbling. Hiyori didn't mind, she felt it all added to the rustic beauty of it all.
"Wow!" Kofuku chirped, clapping her hands together in excitement. "Come on, Hiyorin, let's go!"
Kofuku skipped off, leaving Hiyori behind in her wake.
"Hey! Kofuku!" Hiyori pleaded after the pink haired girl, but she was already gone through the large double doors of the dorm.
All around her students began making their way into the dormitory, boxes and bags all balanced precariously in their hands. Hiyori hitched up her belongings to get a better grip, her arms begging for release from the heavy load. She would have to catch up with Kofuku after she was settled in.
Hiyori ended up wandering most of the six floor building looking for her room with no luck. There was no room number 001 in sight.
Wandering up and down the stairs when she came across a beat up door right by the entrance. It could easily be mistaken for a storage room or closet if not for the very faint basement etched into it's wooden surface.
She gulped down her fear as she opened the door, allowing for a slight cool, dusty breeze to whirl passed her.
The door opened directly to an old narrow stairwell. An exposed light bulb was all that was offered in terms of illumination since the windows were all blackened by caked on dust. The wood of the steps caved inwards from years of use.
Throwing her luggage in front of her so she could make her way down the steps, the door swung shut behind her. Everything was covered in a thin layer of dust. The scent of old wood and plaster filled her nose causing it to twitch.
The basement had a narrow hall, a small bathroom, what looked like an abandoned kitchenette, and one room.
Room 001.
Hiyori could make out the faintest of sounds from inside her room. 'Guess my roommate is already here.'
Now Hiyori really was nervous. This was the impression that mattered the most, seeing as she'd be living with her for the rest of the year. She quickly patted down her hair, prepping herself to meet the girl on the other side of the door.
Biting her lip, she gripped the door handle hard, pushing it open gingerly. "P-pardon the intrusion!"
She froze.
There, in the middle of the room was a boy with jet black hair. Hearing her enter he turned to face her, revealing his striking blue eyes.
"You're that guy from this morning..." she gasped, realization setting in. "What are you doing here?!" Hiyori yelled at the man in her confusion.
"I could ask you the same thing!" The man from the morning yelled right back.
"This is a girls dormitory you pervert!"
"I'm not a pervert! This is where I was told my room was, see!" the man retaliated, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a slip of paper.
Sure enough, there, written in the same loopy handwriting as Hiyori's own, Building A, room 001
"This has to be some kind of mistake." Hiyori sighed, handing him back the slip. He carelessly shoved it in his back pocket, never once breaking eye contact with the girl in the door frame.
Dropping all her items unceremoniously just inside the room. It was small and quaint with a single window. It had clearly not been used in a while as every surface seemed to be covered in a thin layer of dust. There were two beds besides each other, one of which already had a few of the man's belongings scattered atop it. Finally, there was a desk with a mini fridge underneath it, and an empty bookshelf.
It was bare, but nice. Just what Hiyori had imagined all those nights over the summer when she dreamed of university. She would hang a few posters, maybe get a nice rug. She'd spend her time off studying and laughing with her roommate.
Only her roommate was not at all what she had imagined.
She felt a twitch coming on. Of course things were going too well for her. She was bound to come across some small misfortune today, but not one this big.
"What are you doing?" The man asked once Hiyori was done setting down her things.
"There's no way I'm carrying this stuff any longer," Hiyori barked in annoyance. She spun on her heel, causing her hair to flip slightly in her face. "I'm going to the housing office." She said, brushing the offending tress back in place.
The man didn't move watched as she stormed off, his expression blank.
Hiyori returned not too long after, her face contorted in raw anger and gripping a piece of chalk tightly.
"Sooo, how'd it go?" The man asked sarcastically, giving her a small salute as she entered. He was laying down on the bed, one leg crossed over his knee. He bounced his foot rhythmically while he fiddled with his phone. All of his belongings had been stashed away and out of sight, leaving only Hiyori's items untouched in the corner by the door where she had left them.
Without saying a word she got to work. Hiyori recklessly scooped up her luggage, tossing it in the opposite corner of the room. The dark haired man watched as she pushed the bed he was not occupying next to her stuff.
"I'm taking that as a 'it didn't go well.'" He said sarcastically as Hiyori approached the center of the room, chalk in hand.
Leaing down, she drew a square by the door and desk, and a long line separating the two halves of the room straight down the middle.
Hiyori stood up to look over her handiwork, the man simply watched her with a stupefied expression.
"The door and the desk are neutral areas," Hiyori began, dusting off her hands as she spoke, "Do not cross the middle line." She ordered.
"Wow, I never thought I'd see the day I had a chalk line barrier drawn in my room." The man replied snidely, never once raising his gaze from his phone.
gripped the nearly spent piece of chalk, poised to throw it at the offending man, only stopping when she heard the sound of creaking wood rapidly approaching.
Within moments the door was violently swung open. There was a sound smack that reverberated through the room as wood collided into the drywall.
"Hiyori~n!" Kofuku shouted, leaping into Hiyori without warning. The two girls fell to the ground, the sudden intrusion finally gaining the attention of the man on the bed.
"K-Kofuku?!" The man gasped in shock, earning the pink haired girls attention.
"Yato!" Kofuku squealed, "what are you doing here!?"
"You two know each other?" Hiyori asked, semi dazed as she pushed herself up from her elbows from underneath Kofuku.
"Of course," Kofuku answered, turning her face quickly and almost bumping skulls with Hiyori. "We went to school together!"
Kofuku finally shifted her weight off of one struggling Hiyori and moved to sit upright, balancing on her knees. She flattened out her puffy skirt as Hiyori regained her barrings
"Anyways," Kofuku continued as soon as Hiyori was back on her feet again, "I was looking for you because I wanted to ask if you were coming to the welcoming dinner tonight, but now that Yato is here that makes it even better! All of us can go together!"
Hiyori looked over at the man in question. A part of her wanted to spend more time with him, seeing he was going to be her roommate and all. But, the other, stronger, half of her was fighting the urge to cringe at the thought of eating dinner with the man.
"Sorry, Kofuku," Yato said, looking at the girls and yet somehow passed them at the same time, "I got a shift tonight. I'll be out until late."
Kofuku gave a big pout, her eyes wide and teary as she turned to silently plead with Hiyori. Please Hiyorin her eyes were telling her, I was already turned down once, don't be heartless!
"Fine." Hiyori sighed "Classes don't start until the day after tomorrow anyways. I guess one night out couldn't hurt." Kofuku jumped at her once more, this time Hiyori retaining her balance at least minimally.
"Great!" Kofuku chirped through a wide grin, releasing Hiyori and skipping towards the door. "I'll leave you to it then! Be ready by 5! Bye Yatty! It was nice to finally see you again!"
Hiyori carefully brought her shirt down over her head, careful to avoid banging her elbows on the walls of the narrow stall. Due to a certain someone she had found herself changing in the bathroom across the hall.
The bathroom was small, consisting of a single shower room, two bathroom stalls and two small sinks. The mirror was cracked and grimy, and much like everything else in the basement almost everything was caked in a layer of dust.
Hiyori grabbed a large wad of toilet paper before exiting the stall. Wiping the mirror lean, she examined herself carefully in the now streaked mirror.
She flattened the wrinkles out of her coral pink shirt, examining to see how it fell compared to her beige shorts. Approving of her outfit, she quickly flattened out her hair and folded her previous outfit neatly before leaving.
Not bothering to knock this time, she stepped into her room to see that Yato leaning on the edge of his bed, his phone finally put away. He had changed into an ugly green striped work shirt, although he was still wearing his track pants.
Hiyori quickly stepped into her side of the room, careful to avoid making eye contact with her roommate as she placed her clothes on the end of the bed.
"Well, I'm gone." Yato said as he stood up. He stalked over to the door, almost as if he was expecting Hiyori to say something. "I... uh, won't be back until late."
"Alright." was all she said back in reply.
"Hey, do you mind if you pick up a few left overs from the dinner for me? It's free right, so it shouldn't be too much of a hassle."
Hiyori finally turned to look at him then. "I'll see what I can do." she said. She made no attempt to try to hide the annoyance in her tone.
Yato gave a wide toothy grin, his eyes lighting up impossibly bright at the prospect of being brought back food.
Hiyori was taken aback. Now that she finally got a good look at him, she couldn't lie, he truly was beautiful. His smile took years off of him, lighting up his entire face in a way that she could not put into words. But most of all, his eyes were so expressive - it was like she was swimming in oceans whenever he made eye contact with her. It felt like an eternity until he finally looked away, making his way up the stairs and out into the world.
She truly was cursed by having him room with her.
Hiyori made one last pass over her clothes and hair, smoothing out anything that was out of place just as there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," Hiyori called out as she stuffed her phone and wallet into a small purse.
The door flew open. Hiyori braced for impact, knowing full well how her new found friend liked to give her greetings, but to her surprise, she was not tackled to the ground. Hiyori gave a cautious glance towards the door to see the aforementioned woman being held back by her collar by a rather large and intimidating man.
"Forgive her, she's a bit of an idiot." The man apologized crudely, earning a moan in protest from the pinkette.
"Come on, Daikoku, how could I not! She's just so cute!" She struggled aimlessly in his arms, reaching out for Hiyori desperately.
"Anyways," the man Kofuku called Daikoku said, ignoring the squirming girl in his hands, "Are we going to this dinner or not?"
Hiyori gave a small nod as she giggled at their antics. Tossing her purse over her shoulder as she left her room behind Daikoku and Kofuku, resolving to herself that she would not let the events of the day spoil her first night at University.
Daikoku lead the way through the wide, twisting corridors that had all but cleared out from earlier. Kofuku skipped around him cheerfully, only stopping every now and then to tease the larger man or tell a small joke. She found it amazing how two people who seemed so opposite could get along so well. The two truly were like night and day. Daikoku rough and tense and Kofuku cheery and bubbly.
"Hey Daikoku," Hiyori finally heard Kofuku chime in between one of her skipping sprees, "Hiyorin is sharing a room with Yato! I had no idea he was going here!"
Well, there goes not thinking about him.
"No kidding," Daikoku replied, somewhat shocked, "that's a name I thought I'd never hear again."
"You know him?" Hiyori's interest piqued as Kofuku skipped ahead of them, humming to herself in an off beat tune.
"Known him awhile." His answer was short and to the point, Hiyori was starting to get the feeling that Daikoku wasn't much of a conversationalist. His body was rigid as he walked, his face stone cold.
"How'd you end up rooming with Yatty anyways, Hiyorin?" Kofuku skipped back around, grabbing onto Hiyori's shoulders lightly. She stopped skipping, walking slowly to hear her answer.
"They didn't really give me a straight answer," Hiyori sighed, "when I went to talk to them they just said that they had run out of housing space, and that Yato was a special case so there was nothing they could do."
"Yato certainly is a 'special case'" Daikoku chuckled, "Man, I feel sorry for you."
"Is he really that bad?" Hiyori ventured to ask, not sure if she really wanted to hear the answer.
"He's a freeloading, lazy, good for nothing moocher." Daikoku spat out without hesitation, harsh venom seeping from his tone. "I would keep trying to move out if I were you."
"Oh come'on Daikky," Kofuku whined playfully, pursing her lip, "He's not all bad. He's just had it a bit rougher in life than others."
"What do you mean by that?" Hiyori stopped. The floor shook from the beat of the music, they were close to the banquet hall.
Kofuku stopped skipping, her mood turning solemn. "He's always seemed so dejected from everyone around him. He would always miss a lot of school."
"Sometimes I'd find him on our days off sleeping on a bench somewhere. Eventually he just dropped out of school completely. I've heard some pretty bad rumors about him too; that he'd gotten into a few fights and got in trouble with the law."
Hiyori's stomach knotted in pity. Suddenly the hem of her shirt became very interesting as she worried away at it.
"Don't worry about that low-life." Daikoku offered a smile as he slung his arm around Hiyori. "Enough depressing shit already. The loser isn't even here, let's have fun!"
AN: this is my first time writing something with this kind of semi-lighthearted theme, so bare with me. Criticism is welcomed and encouraged.