🌸Cherry Blossom Palette🎨
🌸Chapter 48: Fides, or "Will You…?"🎨
Written by EmtenDew
Edited by P. serrulata
Author's note:
ED: This time, Naoto finally "pops the question" and asks Nagatoro to help him with something he's been working towards.
Sorry that the chapter's late than planned. We decided to rearrange a few events in the story. A few things will now come later, and a few things have been pushed up. Doing it this way made sense.
I struggled with this chapter in coming up with interactions between Naoto and Nagatoro. Phone conversations are hard to write in the first place. I found a way around it by making it more "visual". There isn't much trust between them or a mutual respect, but there is affection.
If the chapter seems weird, just go with it, and hope for better next time. It was destined to be awkward. The next chapters came a lot easier.
I want to give a huge thank you to Shamastus, a fic writer on (not sure of other places) and Reddit user. Shamastus has done fan art for Nagatoro and other franchises, and one work is based on the Cherry Blossom Palette chapters where Naoto, Sakura, and Hana go to brunch. For those of you that use a site for this story that supports images, you saw it above, and the rest of you can follow this link. It's just so cute and I adore it! r/nagatoro/comments/v56puk/three_of_a_kind_art_for_cherry_blossom_palette/ Make sure to check out the other art posted on the profile.
A few readers have asked me what my favorite character interactions are to write. It's hard to pick a favorite, but I like them for different reasons. I like the effortlessness between Sakura and Hana, I like the growing confidence between Naoto and Gamo-chan, and I like Naoto and Sakura's naturalness.
To add one more thing, my editor will not be able to promote this story on Reddit until July. If anyone with Reddit would be willing to promote new chapters when they come out until then, I'd appreciate it. I certainly don't expect it, but it doesn't hurt to ask. If you're interested, let me know, but don't post without my go ahead. Spam posts for the same chapter of the story wouldn't be appreciated by the Nagatoro sub.
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.
Sunday, July 14, 2018
*Ring…*
*Ring…*
*Click*
**"Senpai~?"** Hayase Nagatoro picked up.
Alright! Naoto Hachioji grinned ear to ear. "Hi, Nagatoro."
Oh, is it good to hear your voice!
**"Hey~,"** she said.
Great… she's in a good mood, it seems… And she seems glad I called!
"How have you been today?" he asked.
**"I've been okay. I just got back from a run. I was in the house all day studying, and I needed to get out for a while."**
Okay… let's see how far I can get with small talk.
He thought, and he thought quickly.
I didn't really study today… I can't say that. But it's not like I'm gonna tell her I had brunch with Sakura-san and Sunomiya!
"I haven't done much today; I've mostly been relaxing."
**"Oh, ho! You didn't play tutor today~?"** she simpered.
Yeah, here comes the teasing…
Thankfully, the truth was the best answer anyway, or at least the partial truth was.
"No, we're done with all that," he dismissed. "We finished up with the study group yesterday. Sakura-san took Sunomiya shopping today."
Immediately, Naoto regretted his words. Crap, the "shopping" thing is one reason she's so pissed.
It was pretty much the opposite of secret that the two girls were going swimsuit shopping at some point, and it could be assumed that's what they were up to, having gone earlier than planned!
Envisioning Nagatoro smoldering over this, he added, trying to sound like he didn't care very much, "I guess Sunomiya's having trouble finding beauty supplies she likes, so that's what they were planning to do."
If they had in fact gone shopping for makeup, as originally intended, he didn't know!
All he'd seen of their trip was a new pair of boots for Hana and the girls playing dress-up, not that he was complaining about seeing a Victorian Sakura or a goth-loli Hana.
Don't give her anything to use against you, Naoto…
**"You three sure studied a lot."** Nagatoro sounded slightly annoyed but not angry. **"You've been working with those two every day for almost two weeks."**
"…?" It seemed to him that response was a little out of character for her.
Could she…? She is!
He realized that she was "ill-prepared". Why?
The other half of Naoto's brain had an inkling. Why do you think, dumbass?
Right…
It was more than surmisable that she was off-kilter, still in the throes of her cold-shoulder game, the other, unheeded girls her opponents.
Perhaps it was wrong to "take advantage of her" when she wasn't at "her best", but it's not like he was trying to hurt her… which was more than he could say of her, their positions reversed around 97% of the time, when she took advantage of him.
Looks like you caught her by surprise, Naoto… Maybe you can keep the ball in your court.
He tried, "I thought I might be calling you a little late, but I guess it's only a little after 8:00 p.m."
Again, he caught himself. Damn it! She can prolly use THAT, me talking about it being late.
And he'd just resolved to stay at the helm!
But he didn't quite lose the ship.
**"Yeah, it's not like we're elementary schoolers anymore~."**
"…!" It seemed to him she really was ill-prepared.
He felt a little more confident. I can do this!
**"So… what's up?"**
Zoink! That was the big question!
"…" He took a few seconds.
How about this weather?
…
Have you gotten all the studying done that you wanted? Do you feel ready?
…
How's your running time these days?
"…" He took a few more seconds.
Yeah, none of that will really work… Naoto wasn't great with small talk anyway, and he didn't care about how fast she could run the kilometer.
"…" He took yet longer.
Do you know how good it was to hear your voice just now?
…
So, what's your opinion on the existence of ghosts and stuff?
…
Would you rather live in the ascendency of a civilization or during its decline?
…
Hey, uh, there's something I've really been meaning to tell you…
…
… …
… … …
… …
…
"…!"
Shit! He wasn't great with "big talk" either!
**"Uh, Senpai, are you there?"**
He nearly dropped his phone, his thoughts disrupted.
"Y-yeah, I'm here!" He fumbled for something worth saying. "Sorry, just got distracted a minute…"
**"Oh. So, what's going on?"**
"…!" He wished he knew!
Wait…
He realized something.
I… don't know what to say to her… There's… nothing I really wanna say…! I don't know what to talk about!
He thought it would be easy! This wasn't a problem with the other girls (probably including Yoshi, but he had little experience alone with her)!
**"Senpai? Are you okay?"**
She's being unusually chill right now!
It was a good thing too; he was floundering!
Damn it, Naoto! He wished he'd had a plan before hitting the call-button. You gotta say something!
"Yes, I'm okay."
Was he?!
**"…?"**
"…" He'd been better.
**"…It sounds like you're busy with something, Senpai. I have to shower and look over a few notes. Maybe we should just talk tomorrow."**
No! Naoto panicked, but not to the point of losing it. "Nagatoro."
Her name wasn't said with force, but it was pronounced with a little backbone to it.
**"Senpai?"** she bid. **"What is it?"**
Now, no beating around the bush! No kicking the can! I can do this!
It occurred to him that he was falling back on something he was trying to stay away from.
You're overthinking all this, you idiot! Naoto lectured himself. You're a man! At least you were five minutes ago! Don't think so hard, and just say why you called!
He did exactly that.
"Nagatoro, there's something I need to ask."
He could swear he heard her fumbling on the other end; she stabilized herself, or she tried to, and she said, **"Something you need to ask?"**
She sounded like she was caught unaware.
He was ready. Okay, now's your chance, Naoto!
"Could you please go to video call?" he asked.
**"Eek…!"** she made a noise she wasn't quite able to stop.
Keep it up! Naoto encouraged himself along. "I have something to ask you. I'd like to ask you on video call."
He sounded a lot more certain than he was; his palms had gone to water, and he'd already soaked the collar of his shirt.
**"I just got back from a run."**
"…I don't mind if you don't…" He said before thinking.
Whoops!
Nagatoro found a small amount of traction.
**"I'm all sweaty and dirty. You wanna see me like that~?"**
Urk! He balked.
He hadn't thought about that!
But it wasn't about to slow him down. I'm not letting you catch your balance!
"I'd like to talk to you on a video call." He refused to let her dictate this!
She persisted, **"I'm a real mess~! Are you sure, Senpai~?"**
Naoto was sure. "Please, Nagatoro."
**"…!"**
Even on the opposite end of the line from her, Naoto sensed a big change.
"…" He held his breath.
Something… something was happening…!
**"…"** she inhaled and exhaled. **"Okay. I'm doing it."**
"…!" Naoto checked himself, trying to settle his appearance.
He sat up on the edge of his bed, not willing to face her lying down.
Fulfilling her side of things, Nagatoro must've switched over.
After all, he could see her.
There you are!
For a few seconds, he took her in.
She was definitely a little disheveled, and she seemed to be sitting at the chair in her room, if memory served.
Maybe I should've let her clean up first…
But he knew he had her in a good position.
And… it had to be said that she looked far from unattractive.
Naoto… wasn't huge on ogling girls when they were a sweaty, dirty mess, but seeing Nagatoro as such got his juices flowing.
Why he felt this way, he wasn't sure, but he knew she was at her best—her actual best—when she was directing her energy and feeling towards something constructive and not being an asshole.
He thought running for the sake of running was for the birds! It was as stupid as sitting on a toilet with a plunger still in the bowl!
But… this sort of thing brought out the best in Nagatoro, and if it did, then he was just fine with it.
"So… what is it, Senpai?" Nagatoro asked.
He startled.
Is she blushing? Or just hot from exercising? He couldn't be sure, but was she ever red!
She also held an air of… expectancy.
Expectant of what? It was more than recognizable to him.
He couldn't figure she'd determined he was going to ask her to model for him.
But he knew he had her on the ropes. Okay, Naoto, you've practiced this…!
Wait…
"…!" No, he hadn't.
Shit… Maybe he didn't have this in the bag…
…
However, it wasn't like he hadn't done this before.
He could at least get started. "I wanted to ask you…"
"'Ask me'?" She lit up.
What is she expecting?
There was no doubt given the heat he felt radiating from his face meant he was blushing.
Naoto got it out, "I… uh, wanted to ask you to model for me."
Poof! The expectancy Nagatoro had just been showing fell by more than half.
"…!" The ruddy revolution jarred him slightly.
That look…!
It was best described as… disappointed… but—in some way—relieved.
Odd… He contended this in the noggin.
She bounced back quickly. "That's what you wanted to ask me? You didn't have to be so formal~! I thought you were gonna ask me to go with you to a movie, sneaky Senpai~…!"
I wanna do that at some point, but not now! He managed to keep his composure. "I'd like you to model for me… I have… something I need to work on."
"You'd like? You'd need?" She found an anchor-point, keeping things "neutral".
Naoto puzzled, "What do you mean?"
She glowed, saying, "You said you wanted to ask~."
Oh, this again? He'd dealt with this before…
Just more games…
He wasn't about to let her take any ground from him, but he didn't hesitate long. "Nagatoro, will you please model for me? I have something I need to work on… that I'd like to add to my portfolio… Actually, I need it in my portfolio."
Naoto had forced all that into the open without missing a beat.
Nagatoro had anticipated more latitude; he could see her figuratively fall on her figurative ass, the figurative rug yanked out from under her.
She was floored, sure, but she had a few tricks left. "…Your portfolio?"
"For my portfolio," he purified.
"For your portfolio?" she copied.
The old "that aside" parroting crap she liked to do! This was close to it, it seemed!
Naoto kept moving forward. "Yes, I need samples of the human body in my portfolio."
"The human body?!" she almost cried out, her phone rattling at her fairly violent reaction.
Don't overthink it! He knew it sounded depraved—it was inevitable to someone who refused to keep her mind out of the gutter—but HE WASN'T GIVING UP GROUND.
"Are you finally asking me to model in the nude~?" Not surprisingly, she tried to advance the line in her favor, squealing and cerise. "Like without any clothes on~?"
Let her have this… Naoto centered himself. Keep cool…
It did piss him off some… recalling her verbal assault on him at the sporting goods store eight days before his "here and now".
But she wasn't attacking him… Right now, she was forced to defend!
He'd come to know the difference.
"No wonder you're acting so uptight and stuck up about this~!" Nagatoro trumpeted. "Senpai wants me to draw me nekkid~!"
"…" He could tell she was reaching; it wouldn't be long.
"Ooh!" she squalled. "Somebody'd better call the cops! I'm only 16~!"
Fuck, I hope the rest of her family isn't hearing this! That would probably force an "abort" on this whole thing, if those assholes decided to barge in.
That said, Naoto had been through quite a bit recently. He wouldn't let this faze him, unless he had to take a powder.
What did faze him was going forward with his line of questioning!
That, though, was yet to be seen.
In the meantime—
Nagatoro pushed a few other routines, none of them anything he hadn't heard some variation of, but she finally realized he wasn't responding as she wanted.
Her drivel petered off, like some small engine running out of gas, and she eventually stopped.
"…Senpai?" Glassy in the eyes, she'd been stifled.
Naoto had dreamed of this moment.
It was working!
But he wouldn't celebrate; he had to keep moving.
He sighed, his sureness far from an all-time low, "Yes, I'd like you to model for me… sometime soon, if you're willing to help me."
Nagatoro's eyes widened. "…Okay…"
Naoto wanted to explain this professionally; it might've been the only way to get what he desired.
He expounded, "Drawing the whole body is a challenge in and of itself, but it affords a few benefits, namely, you don't have to be so detailed in some things. But there are times you need to work on details, like when I sketch your face, up close. Ears can be difficult, for example."
She seemed to follow. "Right."
He continued, "If I want my portfolio to have more diversity, I need it to be more complete."
"Sure…" She was definitely listening.
"But I… struggle with some details," he admitted. "It's not uncommon to have trouble drawing certain things… body parts and stuff."
"So, you're saying…" Nagatoro eyeballed him.
Just get on with it, Naoto! He willed himself along.
"I need to practice drawing hands," physically standing up, he stated. "I'd like to use yours… for practice and to eventually put in my portfolio. My portfolio wouldn't be complete without examples of the human hand."
"…!"
"…"
Nagatoro gawked, flummoxed. "That's… all? Then what's up with this whole, big thing you're doing, Senpai? What are you trying to pull?!"
He didn't not anticipate her reaction, though he could've lived without the pain in her voice.
But she was annoyed, to be certain, pulled along, being guided into compliance, only to be met with something so mundane. It really wasn't a big deal, sketching someone's hands.
Naoto could understand her vexation. After all, she'd done this kind of thing to him more times than he could count.
It doesn't feel good, does it? Being strung along?
Be that as it may, he had a reason for the "formality".
This was… a big step, no way around it.
"Sorry for making a big deal about it." He was; as frustrated as he could get, he didn't want to hurt her. "But there's more to it than that."
"More?" Nagatoro blinked, still a little stunned.
"Yes," he said. Yes, there's a lot more to it…
It wasn't out of the question that she'd been so jolted by this that she might get (more) upset, call him a name, and hang up on him, not wanting to talk for a couple days.
That could happen, but he wouldn't have done what he did any other way.
Really, he didn't know what else he could do.
If it had been only hand-modeling, he would've simply texted her, gotten a little grief, and she would've probably gone for it once she got the bullshit directed towards him out of her system.
Since that wasn't the case, Naoto needed to be completely in on this.
After all, it was, putting it mildly, a rough subject for him, given his proclivities.
Giving her face a final onceover, he was as ready as he'd ever be.
Here goes nothing!
Making the best eye-contact he could, he stated, sweat pouring out the entirety of his back, from the base of his neck to the crack of his ass, "I'm not very good at drawing feet. I… struggle with it; it's difficult. I need to practice, and I need that kind of subject-matter in my portfolio. Please… I'm… asking you to help me with this."
His legs finally going to jelly on him, he sat down. Holy shit, I said it! I wanna curl up and die! This is scary! She's gonna laugh! She's gonna tease me forever!
It certainly got her attention.
Frankly, it shocked her.
"S-s-s-s-s…" she spluttered, crimsoning. "Senpai! Are you—?!"
He tightened his jaw. Yeah, I'm saying it.
The question now was how she'd try to deflect this.
"…" Naoto didn't say anything.
"…" Nagatoro didn't say anything.
Memories of Thursday night/Friday morning, not long after having one of the best evenings of his life, his time spent having fun with Sakura, trickled into Naoto's psyche.
In particular, he could recall of her exactly what he'd seen, heard, and felt in his mind's eye, ear, and skin.
It was easy to remember because it had upset him so.
Senpai, your arms are so skinny! No wonder a girl like me can overpower you… Senpai~…
But Naoto wouldn't let it bother him this night!
…Senpai, you creep~…!
He wasn't a creep, at least not the kind she insinuated.
…Senpai… is this too much for a virgin like you~?!
Yeah, he was definitely a virgin, but he doubted she'd even broken her own hymen, whether with a tampon or a giggle-stick.
Senpai, you're a boy… and yet, you're so weak~…
Maybe he was.
Oh? Senpai, are you crying~?
People sometimes did that when they were hurting.
*Giggle~*
Unlike her, he didn't revel in seeing people suffer. It hurt him to see others suffer.
…
No…
No, I can't look at things this way… Naoto again told himself. She's just as scared as I am… and over what?!
What did she have to fear?!
Nothing! …Or at least, not as much as ME!
…
Stop it, Naoto! He couldn't let himself be pulled in.
He couldn't judge her so harshly.
Whatever that might've said about him, he didn't care at the moment.
He tried for understanding; he knew what he was asking was beyond their experience.
Nagatoro was still staring at him, astounded into silence.
This allowed him to restart their conversation.
"I can understand if you're not up for it, believe me." He thought it was important to acknowledge this. "I know this is a lot to ask."
Naoto expected her to dither before getting any real answer of any substance, and it wasn't a tough bet where she'd lead him.
As has been very well established, it was no secret between them that Naoto enjoyed the lower extremities of a girl. Nagatoro knew it as well as she knew anything, and she wasn't going to let him forget it.
He could still count his blessings, in that she didn't know just how much he enjoyed hers. Or how many billions of wrigglers had ridden the bleachy parabola, arcing high into the wild unknown, her leggy actions and inactions driving them with the spirit—though not necessarily the pressure—of a commie watercannon propelling a bunch of famished, unwashed, screaming demonstrators back into the street-gutters.
Be that as it may—
"So, Senpai, after my 'curtain-call' last time, you've finally surrendered to it~?" she vaunted, her face right up next to her own camera. "You're finally asking for a closeup of my footsies~?"
"…?!" Naoto… did not like that; he didn't like it one bit.
She'd gone for the "leg/foot" thing, just as anticipated, but she'd chosen a painful avenue.
How dare you bring up last Saturday?! He seethed, but he kept his mouth shut.
He didn't quite hear what she said next; he was upstairs, lost in his own gray matter.
The things she'd said to him that afternoon, a week and a day gone by, oozed into his consciousness… like seeping from some… some great hole in a lobe of the brain of the Universe!
Oh, my Gawd! You're such a pervert~!
He wasn't a pervert.
You were so amped up, Senpai~! You came at me like an animal! I was almost scared! Almost!
He shouldn't have behaved so aggressively; he knew this.
I'll bet you've got a woody and everything~!
He got woodies over her every day. And every few days, he acted on them, once or twice clearing his laptop and scoring a hit on the wall.
Lewd! So, so lewd!
This had gotten tiresome.
So, so gross~!
This was worthless to him.
…
Nagatoro had ceased her tirade a few seconds, and Naoto took advantage of the girl, stuck on what to say next.
"It's not anything dirty…" he assured. "I just need to practice."
As with the gamble that she'd mock him for his partialities, there was a high probability she'd refer to him or his request as "dirty", if she already hadn't, unsure for his inattentiveness.
He'd assumed, and he wasn't thwarted.
"Sounds pretty dirty to me~!" she broadcasted. "Dirty Senpai~~…"
Instead of discomfiting Naoto, it just irritated him.
He corrected, "This is a totally normal thing any artist needs to get a grasp on…"
"What makes you think I'd ever let you do something so dirty to me~?!" She leered.
"…" He wasn't sure why, but this line in particular… for reasons unclear… it rubbed him the wrong way.
There wasn't a better way to put it into words:
Naoto… he experienced a great settling… a lurch deep in his viscera, as if some great mass had ground to a halt, coming to rest in the pit of his stomach.
He was losing his patience.
…
Nagatoro hadn't stopped. "I'd maaaaaybe do it, but only if I could see both of your hands the whole time~!"
Would you cut this out…?
"Creepy~!"
Would it kill you to be serious? To listen?!
"Gross~!"
I know this is "your way"…
"That's so icky, Senpai~!"
But I don't care!
"If you don't wanna do it, just say so." The sharpened words slipped out, propelled by the larger-than-life disturbance he'd just known inside. "Don't jerk me around with this one."
He almost clapped his hand over his mouth, but he stopped himself.
Nagatoro jumped at that.
And Naoto knew he'd wounded her, a strange brokenness falling across her.
He'd used some real balls in those sentences. Perhaps he should've checked his own filter.
And she was just sitting there, framed in his screen, dazed.
It pissed him off. Yeah, you've never had someone talk to you like THAT, have you?
…
… … …
… …
…
No… No, no, no, no, no…
Naoto had been treating this whole travesty as a competition.
He didn't want to compete.
He wanted her help.
He wanted her.
Swallowing hard, Nagatoro's troubled expression likely mirroring what he knew his had fallen to.
Pulling his phone to a distance, his whole body visible to her, he bowed. "Sorry…"
"…?!" she breathed, a pitiful confusion still hanging about her.
"I'm sorry, Nagatoro," Naoto emphasized. "That wasn't what I wanted to say…"
…
… …
…
What did he really want?
It wasn't complicated.
He wanted to see some bona fide sincerity out of the girl he was head-over-heels for!
…
For that, that high rung, he needed to give of himself. If he wanted to even see it in her, he needed to live it!
He needed to throw himself at the vacuum.
It was one of the scariest things he'd ever done.
…
"Nagatoro…" Naoto sighed, bowing his head. "I have a few things I wanna say… I want to explain myself. Please… would you please listen?"
Her dumbfoundedness was clearing up. "Senpai…?"
"Please, Nagatoro…" he begged. "I just wanna say a few things… Please…"
His voice had broken on the last "please". He braced for "impact", knowing he was opening himself up to ridicule…
But it didn't come.
Raising his eyes, Naoto was met with a thoughtful, receptive girl.
He couldn't say he felt any different. At this point, it probably wouldn't have changed a thing.
She hadn't responded, but she didn't really need to. He knew she was listening.
Steeling himself, shutting his eyes, he opened up, "I'm serious about this, Nagatoro. I'm nervous about it. I can't tell you how nervous I feel about this, but this is something I need to really work on. It's necessary for what I wanna do."
And you're nervous about this too!
Naoto wanted to look her in the eye, but he simply couldn't find the strength.
He moved along, "I know it's kinda selfish… It's… really selfish, but you're the one I wanna work with… You're the only one I wanna ask. I think I'd feel… comfortable with you. It wouldn't be the same with anyone else."
I wish I could say more…
…
"Nagatoro… you've always been able to inspire me… You bring out the best in me… in my art. Please help me. I know this is a lot to ask… It is weird—it is—and I wish it wasn't. I just can't help it… If you're not willing to sit for this, please believe me when I say I understand.
"I understand… I DO! And it wouldn't stop me from wanting to work with you on other things in the future. That won't happen! But if you're willing to help me, I would never be able to thank you enough. Even if it's just hands, it'd still be very, very, very helpful.
"I can't imagine how it feels to hear a question like that… If you can give me an answer now, that's fine. If you need to think a little while… that's fine too. I just… need to know."
Heaving a copious, rattling exhalation, he himself came to rest, far more peacefully than that miserable lurch he'd experienced moments ago.
He didn't want to look up.
Looking up… seeing Nagatoro's face—whatever she was going through—seemed just as scary as what he'd just done.
But he was a man, and he looked up.
"…!" He saw her, alright.
Nagaotoro was quivering, a shy smile barely curbed.
"You really are serious…" she tripped over her words.
"…!" He straightened his back. "Yes… I am."
"…" She fidgeted.
"…" He waited.
After what seemed like an eternity, she yielded, "I still think it's weird, but… yes, I'll help you. Definitely."
"…!" Naoto's soul did a backflip. "…You will…?"
"…Yes…" She had to look away, flushed.
I did it! He really had.
"This really means a lot to me, Nagatoro." Tears formed at the corners of his eyes. "Thank you so much."
She improved a degree. "Yeah… I'll help you…"
"No rush!" He was unable to contain his excitement. "Whenever it's convenient for you, we can figure it out."
"…Yeah…" She shuddered.
Naoto had no trouble recognizing it:
She was done. She'd had all the "excitement" she could handle for one phone call.
As if his thoughts had been transcribed into her, she managed, shaking, "Well… I need to shower and stuff… I'll see you tomorrow…"
"Sure!" he spouted, his excitement blowing past his ceiling.
"…"
"…"
"Okay, so if there's nothing else…" Her voice contained a smidge of sadness.
Naoto's spirit reared up like a cobra.
The girls are still fighting! He'd put that out of his mind for several minutes. But I couldn't possibly…
Her eyes focused elsewhere, Nagatoro finalized, "If that's all, then I'd better—"
"…!" He had to do it. "Nagatoro!"
"Yip!" she yelped. "Senpai?!"
You've done it now… Naoto faced this awareness.
…
He hadn't planned to say anything, but now he wanted to.
Hearing the melancholy in her voice stoked the fire in him, and he felt obligated to pursue.
Nagatoro was hurting… The other girls were hurting…
They were stuck in the midst of a girl-fight that might have been in the works for weeks, and he knew it.
"Nagatoro, there's something else I need to say." His demonstrability wasn't lacking. "I think you need to hear this."
"…" She shrank. "Senpai…?"
…
Okay… we just went through this…Naoto had to be cautious.
Prior to this, Nagatoro had an aura of expectancy, her breath bated.
Now, she just seemed overwhelmed, but it didn't mean she didn't need to take note.
…
He didn't want to scold or confront. He just wanted to say what he had to say.
…
…His line, "things are gonna be better"… the others like it…?
That was enough of that. He'd make it better.
…
Fuck her brother and sister. Fuck my worries and stupid anxieties!
They didn't matter.
Forget holding the advantage and overthinking all this crap.
That wasn't honest.
You're a man, Naoto.
He was!
Be yourself! Just let it happen!
He could!
…
However she chose to react, he could say what he knew to be his duty.
…
Things won't be the same. Fine!
…
Have faith. You must!
…
You're not anyone else. You're Naoto Hachioji.
…
You just asked her the hardest question you've ever asked her up to this point. You can do this!
He could, and he would!
…
"Nagatoro…" Naoto threw himself into the Void. "Please listen."
Her mien hinted at nothing he could identify, but he knew how he felt.
He was ready.
"Nagatoro, please give Sunomiya a chance."
"Huh?" She goggled.
Keep it up…
"Nagatoro, she's been loving the time she's shared with all of you. She loves the girls… The girls love her too… and she wants to be friends with you."
He didn't even bother pausing.
"Until just a couple weeks ago, I was worried about her. She's… never had friends that I know of… besides me, and I didn't even see that. I was so stupid for that… I know how nuts it seems that she and Sakura-san have become such good friends, but they have. Sakura-san's changing… and so is Sunomiya. The girls really do love Sunomiya.
"I don't know why you're upset over Sunomiya being around… why you don't seem to like her. If it's the same reason you didn't like the Prez, don't think that way; it's below you… Or… I don't know… if you think she's butting in or if she's somehow… replacing you… No one can replace you! None of you are replaceable!
"I don't know if you're… jealous of how much time I've been spending studying with Sakura-san and Sunomiya, but I wish you wouldn't feel that way, if you actually are… I've missed seeing you too…"
And nothing bad's happened between me and Sakura-san… or Sunomiya!
"Gamo-chan loves you more than anything! She's worried about you… Everyone's worried about you… I am… So… I want you to…"
He trailed off, and he still hadn't bothered to face her.
But she sounded just as out-of-sorts as him.
She had questions, "You want me to what? What are you saying…?"
…
Naoto answered with a little more clout, chancing to look at her a couple seconds, "Don't ignore the girls. Talk to them. They know they went too far on Friday… and other times. They're worried about you."
Nagatoro immediately went sour. "…!"
In response to her ugly countenance, he put forward, "I've been wanting to talk to you about it all weekend, but I just didn't know what to say! It's why I didn't call… I just hope you're okay. The girls were mean to you, but they didn't mean to go so far. Do you hear me?"
"Yes," she huffed. "…I know."
She didn't sound like it.
Moreover, can you relate…? This was also in him. I know you can't take it…
…
… …
…
Naoto decided to pull out the big guns.
It was a crapshoot to him. Would she laugh?
She might.
But he really hoped she wouldn't!
Either way, it hurt to not say it, and he decided to have faith.
The way she was looking at him still didn't say much.
Even so, he chose faith… or maybe he was just letting go.
…
Naoto reminded himself of Sakura's words.
She'd told him to love himself more.
…
He wanted to. He really did!
But he couldn't go all in that.
It wasn't honest.
…
"…" Naoto cleared his mind of all other base things. "Nagatoro, listen."
He'd said this a half-dozen times, and hopefully, she was.
He didn't even know what she was up to. He'd kept his gaze low.
"Nagatoro, I don't know how it all wound up like this. I keep expecting to wake up… to find out the entire last year was a dream!"
I truly don't know how!
"Really, it's been a dream come true!"
…
If she laughs now… after this…
"I want you to know something…" He fought to keep his grip. "My life's been better with you in it… It's been better with all of you in it! I don't know what I did right or what I did wrong or… what I did to be here."
What if I start crying?
"I can't stand to see all of you hurt like this, over something so stupid," he laid bare. "I don't want this to go on any longer. You're my friends… Please… Please at least try talking to the girls."
It had to be coming.
If she laughs… then maybe it's…
He was sure she'd tease him!
If she laughs… then maybe…
What had possessed him to do this, he didn't know!
But…
He'd just deal with it, whatever happened next!
Mustering up all he had, he met the camera. "…"
However, Nagatoro wasn't meeting him.
She couldn't look him in the eye, crimson in the cheeks.
Whether she'd just turned away or if she'd been doing it as long as he had, he had no idea.
It didn't really matter…
Nothing really happened for a few seconds.
"…" Nagatoro's jaw tightened.
"…" Naoto had chills, the cold sweat pouring down his back.
…
"Senpai…?"
He gave his full attention. "Nagatoro?"
She didn't rotate more than a few degrees, but she peered out of the corner of her eye. "I'll try talking to the girls…"
Instead of greeting this with disbelief, Naoto said, "Good… I'm happy to hear that…"
That's unusually cool of me!
"Senpai…?"
"…Yes?"
"We have an extra-long lunch period tomorrow between the exams." Nagatoro showed a little more of her face, but not much. "I… wanna visit you at the Art Club. Would that be okay?"
"…!"
"…Would it?" she asked, full of hope.
"That sounds great~!" he ejaculated.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
Finally—
"How about Friday afternoon?" she asked.
"Friday?" He didn't know what she was talking about.
"We could meet after school… Friday afternoon… …The modeling…"
This was too good to be true!
"Yeah, sure…" Naoto breathed.
Was this really happening?!
"…"
"…"
"… Senpai…?" Nagatoro susurrated.
"Yes?" His heart was somewhere near his tonsils.
"Y'know… I kinda like it when you know what you want~…"
Whoa! This time, his soul did a front-flip.
"I… I really gotta go…" Her tone floated somewhere in the Stratosphere.
All Naoto could get out was, "Uh… right…"
"Goodnight," Nagatoro eked.
Wasting no more time, she ended the call.
The young artist stared at his phone for a long time, long after the call had ended and brought him home, and after it had gone to sleep.
There wasn't a whole Helluva lot going on between his ears; he'd gone into something of a mental stall.
Q&A Section
By nature, fanfiction is a departure from canon. What specific departure do you think best lends itself to your story?
ED: How eloquent~. But really, I like this question. If I had to pick one "departure", it would be the fact that Sakura and Hana are becoming best friends in my story. I think it's turned out well, their relationship. They're two peculiar but earnest girls, and they can learn a lot from each other and find fun in anything.
I'm pretty sure I've said it before, but I think Sakura and Hana are the kind of people that can get along with anyone if they and the other party are willing to give each other a chance.
What did you initially like about the Nagatoro series that made you decide on writing such a large story about it?
ED: It was more what I didn't like about the story. I guess I wanted better for Naoto after watching him for a year from his perspective and a couple from mine. Blame the pandemic for some of it too. I actually began to brainstorm the story in late 2020, but it was daunting.
I learned that P. serrulata used to do editing for fanfiction when chatting with him and other people on Reddit. I keep talking about his essays too. I ended up taking more ideas from his stuff than is probably fair. I wanted to write a fanfic, and he "read between the lines" and thought there was so much potential in the story and its characters. Some of his ideas sounded crazy, but they made sense to me when I thought about what might realistically happen in the situations.
I thought that he'd say no when I asked him to help me or at least steer me in the right direction. We talked a few times, and I pitched some of my ideas to him and got advice back. When I constructed an outline with an ending and everything in between, I straight up asked him if he would be willing to help me. He said yes.
The story didn't seem it would be nearly as long as it has become, but I quickly saw that details were important. That's how it got so big. PS called it "outlining without boundaries". "Make things as long or as short as they need to be to accomplish the goal at hand." He does remove a lot of content and tries to streamline the story. Content he removes is either something the story doesn't really need or things that can be used in different places.
I do remember reading that you are an avid fan of One Piece, but are there other romantic comedies that you enjoy as well?
ED: Wotakoi and Living Room Matsunaga-san are series I like that could be called romantic comedies. Other series I like are dramas that have funny elements. Sweat and Soap is one I like that fits that. Perfect World is far from being a comedy, but it still has funny elements, mostly from relatable situations.
Please look forward to the next chapter! Thanks for reading! Questions and comments are welcome!