🌸Cherry Blossom Palette🎨
🌸Chapter 13: Helpful Words🎨
Written by EmtenDew
Edited by P. serrulata
Author's note:
ED: Hurray! We've moved past the beginning of the story. Now that it's established, things will move along a little faster, but still look forward to a detailed story. At the suggestion of my editor, I've started using a thesaurus to "come up with more interesting ways" to say "everyday and mundane things". It gets easier the more I do it, and it makes less work for him lol.
I was hoping to release this chapter in two parts, but neither side stood up too well on its own, so it's posted as one. The same thing happened with the sixth chapter. This chapter is also a little exposition heavy, but it serves as a transition moving into the end of the semester for the characters. Combining some chapters put us behind schedule a few weeks, but I don't think we'll have to do a "hiatus week" anytime soon.
Also, Chapter 91 was garbage IMO. My editor specifically warned me not to get too involved with my own story, but I am now convinced Nanashi has no respect for his fans, so it's becoming hard not to. That new chapter SUCKED, and Nagatoro's character has become mostly unlikable. She's been raising red flags the entire series, and Naoto should just run for it. If things don't improve, I may just drop the actual series. The fluff wore out its welcome last year. Maybe that's the point of the series, but there's a line.
Please look at the Q&A section I set up at the end of the chapter. Ask us anything and we'll add another section in the next chapter. I would be happy if you ask questions.
Please enjoy what I wrote.
July 1, 2018
As the students of Kazehaya High School entered the last three weeks of the semester, they were greeted with another hot day.
The cold weather front that had brought with it the sizeable storm the last weekend had since retreated, and the coolness from early the last week was gone, gone, gone. It was hot. And the heat might've been forgivable if it was a dry heat; their whole world felt like a jungle.
The school's air-conditioning was lackluster as usual, but it was better than nothing, and "better than nothing" still wasn't much.
It was currently lunchtime on Monday, and lively chatter, overlapping and multidimensional, hummed like electricity throughout the cafeteria. The students talked about the same things they always did, but for the last week, one specific thing was on the minds of most.
The school's gossip mill had seemingly been grinding out but a single product:
Nobuo Takata, one of the most eligible bachelors (he was single now, at least) at Kazehaya High, had ended his two-month relationship with the sought-after Sakura Inori.
Nobody seemed to know the details (if they even constituted enough to be called that), other than Takata had said the breakup was "amicable" and that Sakura had proven difficult to question, skillfully avoiding most students and their interrogations.
That wasn't much to go on…
But there was one person who knew. He knew about nearly all of it.
Naoto Hachioji's stomach-butterflies had been pestering him since the previous Tuesday, as he had to listen to the nearly nonstop babble concerning Sakura and Takata. Normally, he didn't give a rat's ass about such blather, but he'd inconveniently fallen in between those two, having a front row view of a real mess that could've ended in ways much worse than it had.
He'd hesitate to give himself credit, but the "clean break" involving Sakura and Takata was—in no small part—thanks to him.
After Sakura and Takata had "made up", though that wasn't the most appropriate thing to say about it, Naoto had acted as a sounding board for the disheartened Takata. He'd never dreamed of doing such a thing, but a small bit of fortune—in the form of a couple of bottles of juice coughed out by a busted vending machine—had presented him the opportunity.
Even stranger, Sakura had "ambushed" Naoto near the ice cream shop on his way home, incidentally roping him into her own powerful need for someone to hear her voice… to just listen to her.
And stranger still, it had occurred to him to entertain her at the park across the street like they were little kids again.
After ceaselessly pushing Sakura on that swing Monday night, Naoto felt about the same on Tuesday as he would after weight-lifting. They didn't do it often in P.E., but when they did, he felt it for a few days. Standing up that morning, he'd almost lost his balance, his stiff body reminding him of the stresses he'd endured. He didn't feel right until Thursday.
"…"
Then there was the entire episode with Gamo-chan, and he was still processing that.
Naoto knew there was more than one thing bothering her when she showed up to his clubroom in lieu of judo. She'd been upset with Nagatoro that day, and that feeling broke the dam, so the saying goes, a few things evidently already threatening to overflow the reservoir.
It was a fresh and slightly painful memory for him.
She's my best friend, and I'm jealous…
I really hate that about myself, Paisen…
Gamo-chan, in tears, had briefly gone to pieces in front of him. Sure, it was jarring to sit beside her through that—see and watch it happen—but it's not like he'd ever viewed her as being any more or less than a normal girl. At least once he got to know her a little.
He'd felt… helpless as her sounding board. About all he could think to do was offer her a pack of tissues.
You know how sometimes you just need to cry? It's just gonna happen, and there's nothing you can do to stop it?
He'd have rather not had her cry at all, but… she'd known she might break down at any time, and having it happen during Judo Club…? It was entirely possible it might have happened, and it was nearly unthinkable. And not because she depended on keeping up her tough image. It would be dreadfully mortifying for anyone.
Plus, it would've happened in front of Nagatoro, and he knew the idea of that ever happening alarmed Gamo-chan.
I haven't cried in front of a guy since I was a second grader…
Hearing Gamo-chan say that had immediately but briefly uncorked some ugly sentiments in Naoto… including the not entirely new inkling that she didn't view him as a man, but he only felt upset at himself when she'd fundamentally revealed that she trusted him enough to drag him behind the school, knowing she'd probably dissolve into a sobbing mess the moment she divulged to him what was bothering her so much.
I was sure you'd understand…
She was afraid, and she'd put her faith in him, an action unimaginable to her with just about any other guy on Earth. It was humbling.
Not thinking of him as a man and being able to express her great vulnerability in front of him—to him—weren't even on the same plane of existence. Naoto knew better than to fall for or into all the macho nonsense the world seemed to expect of men. He knew what made a real man, but lines did exist…
At least in his mind, they did.
But the hardest thing to hear was something he'd never even considered.
Sometimes… I… worry that you hate me…
Rotten… truly rotten was how he'd describe how he felt, learning she'd had something like that floating around in the back of her head… It wasn't his fault, and he knew that, but it was still a Godawful and wretched thing to learn.
Dwelling on this had his insides in knots, but at least she knew the truth; he liked her, and she was his friend.
And when they finally said goodbye…
For today… thanks, Senpai~…
The smile she gave him when she said that was enchanted. It was… beautiful, and he'd probably remember it until the day he died. He'd been so stunned, about all he could do was "totally go back to normal", painting that collage of wax fruit he'd been pulled from earlier, as if nothing had happened.
He hadn't seen Gamo-chan more than a few times in the last seven days, but he'd caught her eye a couple of those times… and with it came a milder rendition of the same smile she'd given him when they parted on that Monday.
Oftentimes… Naoto wondered just what kind of strange place he'd fallen into…
…
…
…
But…! That all happened the week prior, and the girls' valued senpai had been getting on as normally was possible, trying to keep his head down and prepare for the end of term.
On the subject of this certain senpai, Naoto was in the cafeteria, picking away at the homemade bento he'd gotten up early to slap together, listening to his friends, Shuu Aisho and Tohru Hijikata, rail on about video game levels they were struggling with, which girl had the best tits in their grade, how much dick the hot weather sucked, and it could be said neither had been immune to discourse of the present scuttlebutt.
Naoto hadn't been listening as closely as he might, but he could tell Tohru had just said something disparaging to Shuu.
"Hey, shut up!" Shuu, not quite as tall as Naoto (or as grounded, it seemed), scoffed. "I hear that Takata guy got, like, 15 love letters since Wednesday. I guess that stuff does happen in real life."
"You didn't already know that…?" Tohru, much shorter than his buddies, frowned at Shuu. "You gotta be the last person in the school to not hear about it."
"But did you hear about all the letters that showed up in the trash?" Shuu asked. "Some kohai I talked to had trash duty, and he said there were a lot more than 15 scattered throughout the entire floor's trashcans!"
Tohru blinked, admitting, "No… I didn't hear that…"
"Takata has so many girls after him, he's just tossing out their love," Shuu bemoaned. "It's not fair…"
"He's not the one throwing them out, Shuu," Tohru opined. "It's other girls doing that."
Shuu's eyes widened, dawning realization, "Like that 'cuckoo chicks' thing in Fruits Basket! Girls were throwing out all the Valentine's chocolate in Yuki Sohma's locker when they dropped off their own!"
"Exactly, but I don't need to reference some shojo series from 20 years ago to know that," Tohru almost felt embarrassed for his friend. "I've seen it happen here."
"Don't diss Fruba, you cockstain!" the excitable one didn't miss Tohru's disapproving tone, much less what he'd said. "I know that it happens with Valentine's Day gifts! It's just the first thing that popped into my head! Say what you will about the new one, but never speak an unkind word about classic Fruba!"
Tohru was unaffected by Shuu's rebuke, "I guess it's not that surprising the same thing happens with love letters."
Changing lanes—fast enough to cause whiplash—on the subject, Shuu fantasized, "I've dreamed about dating Sakura since last year…"
"You're not gonna ask Inori out…" Tohru declared matter-of-factly, an element of exasperation openly displayed.
Yeah, not happening… Naoto silently concurred.
Shuu was undaunted.
"Seriously, what do you think my chances are?" he asked them both.
Slim to none… Naoto deduced. Even if she'd go for a guy like Shuu, the gal was unlikely to hop into a new relationship anytime soon. She might be gun-shy or even done with guys for a while.
He knew with some accuracy that no guys had been bothering Sakura about dating. Whether they didn't have the resolve to talk to or write her, or someone or something was discouraging such behavior, he didn't know. He did, conversely, have a strong feeling that a certain girl—a mutual friend, 168 cm tall with blazing orange hair and eyes—was keeping Sakura's shoe locker clear of the detritus that were love letters, if any had cropped up.
Tohru, uninformed as Shuu of Naoto's various judgements, was a little more cynical regarding the idea of such teenage courtship, "You and Inori…? I think you'd have a better chance of getting one of your socks pregnant, Shuu."
Shuu balked at Tohru, the diminutive boy somehow having kept a straight face in saying what he'd just said; he hadn't liked that much, "That isn't funny!"
"You thought it was supposed to be?" the other boy stared blankly. "I'm serious."
"What do you know? It's not impossible!"
Oh, STFU! Naoto shut his eyes.
"Sure… … …she'd maybe… … …if you paid…"
"…sshole…! … …got no idea… …From Here to Eternity…!"
Naoto, as he often did, had begun to tune out the bickering of his two friends. He'd been occupying himself with visualizing the near future, mostly as far as he was concerned.
Much to his happiness, the art room has been designated "off-limits" for afterschool shenanigans until the end of term by the girls collectively, so it would be quiet that week and the next two. This was the main reason he'd seen so little of the girls the last week. Still, if they behaved, they were welcome in the clubroom to eat their lunch, have a snack, study…
They needed to study, and the whole world knew it. Gamo-chan and Yoshi he expected to struggle some, but Nagatoro was actually worried about a couple of subjects that semester.
Judo was taking up time Nagatoro had previously had to vegetate, harass her senpai, and do schoolwork, and she hadn't adjusted as well as she may have done. However, if she buckled down, she had more than a fighting chance of passing all of her classes.
Naoto missed seeing her, yearning for a little of her playfulness, but he could live with the relative tranquility.
Gamo-chan—busy with her family's business on top of school—had fared even poorer since beginning judo, and she was certainly looking at extra lessons that summer unless something big happened.
Yoshi… did whatever Yoshi did after school, not being in any clubs. Hopefully it involved academics.
He also missed seeing these two girls…
Shoot, again, Naoto would've been perfectly content if the girls showed up at the clubroom to sit quietly and diligently study, but he knew better than that. When they were together, they couldn't focus, so they were better off booking on their own. The art room was also his bastion of quietude, so he settled on the aforementioned happiness.
He wished he could help them, but he wasn't sure how he could and had himself to worry about.
· Exams…
· Art Club…
· His upcoming driving test…
· Maybe getting a job to pay for his maturing activities (not buying porn, but paying for gas and insurance when he used his parents' cars, preparing to possibly leave home, etc.)…
· Building his art portfolio…
· Entrance exams…
· Spending what dwindling time he had left with his friends…
· Possibly getting a proper date with Nagatoro… and finally letting her know how special she was to him…
Yes, Naoto had a few things on his plate. It was a lot, but it wasn't at all impossible if he used his time well.
He'd manage, other than possibly the last bullet point; the last was seemingly still a fantasy, the way things had been going.
…
And then there was Sakura.
Naoto hadn't seen more than a few glimpses of her—much less interacted with her—since the previous Monday, and neither had Nagatoro or the other girls. It seemed that Sakura showed up to school, did her classwork, quietly ate her lunch somewhere outside, and went home when the day was over. Apparently, she'd not shown up at the Video Games Club either—she'd not been there in ten days.
Nagatoro, Gamo-chan, Yoshi, and many others were slightly affected for Sakura. She, apparent to all, was taking this division harder than anyone had ever seen her take one, and there had been a few, though she'd never taken a breakup that hard to begin with… as she'd been playing most of the time.
But Naoto wasn't worried. He knew Sakura was having a hard time with it, but her behavior didn't concern him, knowing the details he did.
He knew she probably just had a lot on her mind. If several days of peace, quiet, and privacy were what the gal needed, then that was fine.
Knowing Sakura, Naoto knew she had study; her grades fell around Gamo-chan's—better than Yoshi's but not on par with Nagatoro's. Nagatoro's three best gal-pals had been swinging for bogies since middle school, and he didn't envy their position.
Hopefully all four of the girls would take things seriously.
Naoto had drifted away for a bit, but he came back to reality, absently chewing a morsel of rolled egg.
Shuu was still going on, "Really, Tohru, imagine it!"
"Imagining it's all you're ever gonna get, Shuu," Tohru was certain.
"She's Nao-kun's friend," Shuu reached. "Maybe he can give me a more educated answer."
Cripes… Naoto simmered, wanting no part.
"Leave me outta this…" he grumbled, swallowing his mouthful.
"C'mon, Nao-kun," Shuu insisted. "What do you think? I'm just batting it around."
Naoto didn't enjoy hearing the phrase "batting it around" in reference to befriending or dating Sakura.
The last thing she needed was someone not taking her seriously…
He thought of all the cruel but likely truthful things he could say.
Sakura needs someone that sees her as more than a piece of eye candy or just some girl for an easy screw!
Tohru's right; you might as well throw your socks in the laundry and fill up another pair!
You wouldn't know what to do with a girl, much less Sakura!
Whatever she's looking for, it ain't you!
Those were only a small number of such insults, but Naoto said none of these. He was informed, but that didn't give quite enough cause for him to be an asshole.
"I think she needs space right now," he settled. "And I think she needs her friends. She also needs to be ready for the end of the semester, just like everyone else. Leave her alone, and let her have her time."
He'd used such clout in his voice that the other two had no effective way to respond.
Shuu deflated, "Oh… okay."
The boy stared down at his empty lunch tray.
Tohru's momentum also diminished, and shrugging, he went back to his sandwich.
Neither would say more than a couple words the rest of their time sitting together.
Naoto felt ever so slightly guilty. He hadn't meant to shut his friends up. There were other things to talk about… their progress in their game's multiplayer campaign, the superhero movies from America coming to theaters in a few weeks, and more.
Still, without his to friends yacking about Sakura's breakup blues, the racket from the rest of the cafeteria—overly focused on the same topic—merely became a dull, unintelligible roar.
White noise—usually no more insufferable than quiet—was better than just noise, and they were almost done with lunch anyway, so he considered it a win.
…
…
…
Naoto, having spent a little time in the art room, headed for the entrance of the school. Besides eating lunch with Shuu and Tohru, he'd mostly kept to himself that day. He'd greeted the girls when he met them, but it didn't go much further than that.
It could be said, however, that he'd enjoyed his afternoon with Sunomiya, though she'd left fairly early that day. In fact, he'd enjoyed the last week with her immensely.
He'd brought in his old straw hat as he'd promised her, and she'd been having a gas working with it. She'd done several sketches with pencil, an acrylic painting, and one charcoal sketch she was really set on perfecting. His kohai had spent the entire week eking along at the charcoal sketch, and it looked incredible in its detail.
Sometimes, one finds inspiration—or at least something interesting—in the oddest places, and it didn't always need to make sense.
It was a wonderful thing for him, seeing his kohai… his friend… relishing their club activities that much.
Naoto resolved to attempt to build up the Art Club if he was able. He wanted Sunomiya to have something when she became the next president—and that was likely to happen—after he was gone.
Largely being alone the year prior as the only active member of the club… it had been hard. He'd had the occasional bit of support from Sunomiya's older cousin, Sana, the former president, but it was often a desolate thing… manning a stagnant club by his lonesome.
But it didn't have to be that way! Not for Sunomiya!
Regardless, any such ambitions had to wait until exams were over. He had to focus.
His evening wasn't looking bad at all.
His parents were going to be home early enough that they could eat as a family! They'd be eating leftover beef-pot, but they'd be together.
He had a couple hours of studying he wanted to get through, and given his chosen pace, he was on schedule with where he wanted to be in all his subjects.
He'd maybe even take the time to draw a bath… maybe listen to some music… read something for fun… get a full night of sleep…
Things were looking pretty good! Naoto smiled to himself as he reached the shoe lockers.
Opening his locker, on the other hand, he found something that wasn't supposed to be there.
There was a folded piece of paper sitting on the metatarsal of his tennis shoes.
Whoa!
Immediately, his eyes began to dart around the shoe lockers, but he realized no one was nearby. His breathing had quickened without his realizing it, and he tried to calm down.
This was easier said than done, and he felt his pulse thumping away in his chest and neck, his heart working overtime. He could almost hear it.
Oh, shit! A letter…?! For him?!
Looking over his shoulder again, he more carefully examined the offending item.
It was just a piece of paper, trifold, with nothing on the top flap. No name, no heart sticker, no greeting.
Was it even a letter?
Checking his back one last time, he knew he was alone.
No one's watching…
Naoto slipped the paper into his bag. Instead of trading his indoor shoes for his normal ones, he decided to head to the nearest boys' room, his thoughts gliding all over the place.
This can't be a love letter! Is it a challenge? Was someone gonna kick his ass?! Was he being set up?! Did someone else outside of Sakura, Takata, and himself know as much as he did about the mess pervading the last week-and-a-half?
Reaching the bathroom, it was totally vacant, but he still went into a stall and locked the door, just in case that situation changed.
Naoto opened his bag, and there was that flattened, rectangular sheet of wood-pulp, all white and folded and mysterious and terrifying…
Oh, damn it… his mind wailed.
What was this?!
Gulping, he decided whatever was in there couldn't itself harm him.
Unfolding the "letter", he realized it was a letter and began to read:
…
Hachioji,
This is Takata. I just wanted to let you know a few things. I wanted to tell you this in person, but it was easier for me to write it down than talk.
Considering everything that happened, things with Inori ended about as well as I think they could have. I cannot say if the two of us could ever be friends after what she did, but I think we can stay on okay terms. I expected the fallout to be a lot worse than it is, but I can honestly say the breakup was not ugly. I think things will be fine, and I feel better about it.
As far as you and me go, I want all this to stay between us. I do not want to sound douchey or anything, but we talked about things I would never say to anyone. I know you can understand, one man to another.
Anyway, thanks for hearing me out last week. This was not something I think I could have brought up to my friends or anyone else I know. I wish it was not that way, but it is. You really are something else. It means a lot that you listened to me. I thought I would be alone in this, but thanks to you, I was not.
Signed,
Nobuo Takata
PS: I hope that oil painting you started turned out well, even if it was just for practice. Based on what I saw in your clubroom, I think you and your kohai will have a lot of good things to show by the time the culture fest happens. I look forward to seeing it.
…
The contents of the brief letter were as surprising as its author.
It hadn't been a love letter or a challenge or a callout…
It was a heartfelt thanks from some guy he barely knew!
Naoto just stared at the modest piece of paper, recalling the preceding Monday…
"…"
She really did tell me a lot, Hachioji, but long story short… she said you knocked some sense into her.
Don't sell yourself short, Hachioji! The way you stood up for her… I've never seen that before.
That took balls, Hachioji… It really did.
I don't think I could've done that. Maybe ever… for anybody…
Hachioji… Thanks…
"…" Naoto was… shaken.
What had he done? Really?
Scare the life out of his kohai? The thought of those few awful moments on the night he'd spent with Sakura still made him sick to his stomach!
Flounder his way through a peacemaking deal between two people he'd once never thought himself worthy of even being around? Begging and bowing, unable to find words?
Talk with some guy that had previously scared the b'Jesus out of him? Listen to him pour his thoughts and feelings out?
Push Sakura on some kids' swing at the park until he couldn't stand up? Just because he wanted her to feel happy? Because he wanted to see her smile?
"…!"
Yes… he had…
He had.
Sakura was reexamining herself, for better or worse, Takata would probably be able to forgive her, and both of them knew they weren't alone.
He'd helped do that…
Naoto wasn't the worst person around when it came to jumping to conclusions, but… he knew better than anyone he was still guilty of doing it pretty often.
He'd work on that…
Moved, he felt his eyes heat up, and he had to get ahold of himself as not to cry. He managed, just barely.
Q&A Section
What is the hardest thing about writing fan fiction?
ED: This is my first fanfiction, but I've written original stuff in the past. I always found keeping things fresh and engaging were challenging. In fanfiction, I think the hardest thing is deciding how far characters can be out of character before the actual character is lost. Based on what I've read in the manga and input I've received, I think I can set appropriate limits.
I HOPE to keep this story fresh and engaging. Some readers seem to think it's a decent story, and I want to keep it interesting and worthwhile to read.
When you write emotional scenes, what do you do to "get in the mood"?
ED: Wow, that's a hard question to answer. Emotional scenes are the hardest for me. I don't do anything in particular to "get in the mood". I write out a general idea of how I want a scene to go (what leads to it, events during, how it plays out), and I go back and tweak it until it's what I want.
Then I hand it over to my editor and beg for his help lol. I'm not saying my "emotional scenes" are anything to write home about, but they wouldn't be very coherent or poignant without his input, and he says he takes a "light hand" with these scenes. I would be VERY interested in seeing how he could spin really heavy and tragic stuff. This story won't get full blown melodrama on you, but there will be a few rough patches for the characters in the future. He used the term "misery porn" to describe the kind of melodrama we don't want.
Please look forward to the next chapter! Thanks for reading!