Hey There,
And welcome fellow Kimi ni Todoke enthusiasts. DarcyBeDippy85 here with my SECOND ever Kimi ni Todoke Fanfiction. That I just had to share, this one like my other will feature the whole gang as much as possible. Only this one at it's core is a Chizuru and Ryu tale. It popped into my head ages ago and won't leave me alone till I've written it all down. I will incorporate the others as much as possible too, I never shy away from that. I hope you enjoy it and it takes you back to these characters and their lovely series. Even if just for a minute.
Standard Disclaimers Apply - I don't own Kimi ni Todoke at all, I am just borrowing these characters for my own plot and promptly returning them afterwards.
Dedicated to my friend Rose-Aki for inspiring me to write for these guys in the first place. All of our conversations about Ayane&Pin as well as these two were SUCH an inspiration too! Bless you! Happy Fall! Much Love, my friend!
Enjoy!
"A Champion's Heart"
A Chizuru and Ryu tale!
Chapter 1 - Good Luck from Chizu
(Ryu's Perspective)
"Hey!? Does anyone else smell cake batter or vanilla? Are we getting a victory cake? For making it to the championship?! Can we all have a piece before practice, so we can burn it off-OWW!"
My youngest and dumbest teammate asked the whole team.
Getting all kinds of things thrown at him by the other guys.
Not only is he always asking questions like these, he's also a motormouth.
Asking all of these things before anyone could say anything.
"What?! No one else smells that?" He asks.
I didn't tell anyone that the cakey smell was the cap-stick in my back pocket.
"Birthday cake" scented, I'd stolen it from Chizu's bag and never gave it back on purpose.
I'd wanted it for my collection, of things that remind me of her (She'd kill me if she knew I'd taken it and lied about it… but it's still worth it) …
But the whole idea was kinda hers, since the box she'd started for me.
While she's away at cooking school getting certified to be a professional chef, and I'm stuck here at my college, at the end of my sophomore year.
That's also far away from home… (thank goodness summer break starts when we finish this game tomorrow night).
I didn't just want a chapstick, new, from a package either.
I'd wanted one of hers that she'd used at least ten times that I'd seen, hopefully, more.
It was the closest thing I had to a kiss from her right now.
It was my good luck charm, and it could be how I've managed to play this well, for this long.
I was gonna need all the luck I could get today and tomorrow.
Today was our last practice before the championship game, against a tough team.
Happening tomorrow, I was still the clean up hitter and catcher of my team.
Just like I was in high school.
Only my number wasn't '2' anymore, that number belonged to an older player.
So did '12' which is my other choice, normally.
Because my birthday is December the 2nd.
I'd used '6' instead because it was one of Chizu's numbers (Her birthday is June 1st).
I should have known using her birthday would bring me endless luck.
Anything tied to her is usually like this.
I don't know if I ever told her I was wearing one of her numbers now…
She's far away so she's never been to a game.
If Chizu were here and saw the guys we were up against.
She'd swear that they weren't college students, "They couldn't be!" She'd insist.
"They look like cavemen, they've even got clubs! LOOK! That one even just scratched himself and said 'uhgg!' I heard him! That's a CAVE man!"
I laugh everytime I think about it.
It's exactly how she'd react, and I'd be trying not to laugh all the time.
So maybe it's for the best that she's not here now.
I would creep out my teammates… they've never seen me laugh or be that happy.
I'm practically the Kuronuma of this team, I've just realized.
Making it to this clash title was the best our school's team had done in two decades.
And there was even more pressure, on us players, then there ever was in any other championship I've played in.
It was a lot…
Why hadn't I told Chizu the truth?
Why hadn't I told her how much I've missed her since spring break?
How much I needed her, win or lose?
When she'd asked if I wanted her to come see this game?
Why hadn't I told her to, "Come if she could?"
What would have been wrong with that?
Why did I have to say, "No, don't come."
Why did I use those words? Exactly?
Even if she had her own championships to win…
And cook through at her school…
And that had been my reasoning at the time.
She had her own goals and her own wins to seize.
I would never stand in her way like that... not for anything.
She's seen me play baseball all through growing up together, this is just another game for me.
Another day I get to play.
But I knew if I'd even given a hint or whif of my true feelings during that call.
She would be here, no matter what I said or what it cost her.
And she was a rising star in her classes too… Which were ending almost the same time as mine.
For her summer break too.
She should be there now… not here.
I know that, but it doesn't make me miss her any less.
Even if we lost, I would get to see more of her than the contents of the box she'd given me last Christmas.
The box (I mentioned earlier) that is full of things that reminded me of her.
Whenever I missed her.
Which I've been relying on every single day since I came back from spending spring break at home with her.
She'd made it for me as a Christmas present last winter…
Even refilled it during spring break, and gave me all sorts of new things to get me through the rest of our time apart.
If I'm not snacking on things we used to eat together all the time.
Or mooning over photos, or rocks we collected (even carrying them in my pockets).
I tend to pick out a different memory of her everyday…
Then I go over every detail in my mind till it's all fresh again in my head.
Today the memory I'd picked and thought of till I was here… and had to think of baseball non-stop again.
Had come from a picture, also in my back pocket.
Shota's girlfriend Kuronuma once asked me, "How did I know it was Chizu I had feelings for?"
And I'd lied and told her the easiest answer.
Claiming "I didn't know when it happened… before I knew it she was just the most important person."
Because truthfully there were so many times...
Too many really...
That I felt that way…
Over so many years of knowing her.
Somedays it was soft and quietly at the back of my mind.
Other days it was like getting hit by lightning.
And each time I'd felt it, it grew stronger, and tougher to push down or deny even whenwe were small.
What started out a tiny tug, became a vacuum-sucking pull, like a black hole.
Powerful and undeniable… But happy too.
But one of those moments happened one day during middle school.
When Chizu had forgotten her keys, so she was locked outta her house, and in the cold.
I must have asked her nine times, "Why didn't she just come to my house?"
"Why didn't she just stay with me?"
"Or come get our spare key for her house?"
But for some reason, she had been mad at me at the time.
Wasn't talking to me, so she hadn't come over and she'd sat outside of her house in the snow.
She's always so stubborn, like this… and that time she nearly froze to death.
When I first started to remember it, I couldn't remember what she'd been so mad about?
But as I kept thinking about it and remembering her mad little face from back then.
And it all came back to me… she'd heard a group of guys talking about her.
And when she'd overheard me telling them all what a 'girl' she was.
She thought I meant that she was a girl in a bad way.
Like she was beatable, or breakable like she was weaker or something.
When what had really happened was those guys were asking me 'Was I sure she was a girl at all.'
And I had to tell them all "YES!" she's a girl… how could they question it?!
She was always so proud of her legs… for a reason, even back then.
She was so pretty too, no matter what she did.
Even when all she could seem to do was get into trouble.
Wearing the same uniform as all the other girls, and she still managed to stand out.
And be so much prettier than all of the rest.
I had been wondering if something was wrong with all of their eyes, honestly.
But leave it to Chizuru to overhear the wrong thing and misinterpret the whole thing.
Even after clearing the air with her finally, I kept smiling as I remembered her angry little pink face… yelling at me when I was trying to help her warm up in a hurry.
"YOU'RE - TOO - CLOSE!" She'd complain.
"STOP - HUGGING - ME, RYU! YOU'RE - A - BOY! Don't all boys HATE hugs like this?"
And I wasn't a huge fan of hugging just anyone.
But it was something we'd just learned in health class.
Body heat like mine would help her warm up quicker since she wouldn't even think about taking a shower to help herself.
I think she'd said something like, "No way she was getting naked in a house of all boys."
Even though it was just me and Dad, and she'd taken baths there a million times when she was little.
But she wouldn't even stand under the spray to warm herself, we ended up sitting super close and by the fireplace with our arms around each other.
I was so worried she would get sick and she was all worried about any of the guys seeing us like that.
Again, even though we were inside of the living space in my house.
It wasn't like we were in the restaurant part downstairs or something.
No one peeks in there much from the restaurant, not even Dad till he's done for the day.
She knows that!
But still she said she was worried for "me, and my rep as a cool guy."
But her face stayed pink if not red… that whole time… and she was cuter than ever to me.
And it had been just the greatest day… I didn't want to let her go.
Not only cause I finally got her to talk to me again and quit being mad… FINALLY.
But just because it had felt so nice getting to hold on to her like that.
So nice that we fell asleep like that sitting on the floor by the fireplace.
In front of my family's sofa, still holding on to each other tight wrapped together in blankets.
When her mom came and took her home…
I missed the way she'd been squeezing me back…
It had made my chest ache… when I woke up and she was gone.
And I just knew… I absolutely love her and no one else could ever effect me like she does.
If I had to pick out one moment, when I knew that I loved her…
That one's tough to beat.
I feel like that's even more true now than it was then.
I'm never happy about letting her go again.
As our team walked out on the field in our uniforms…
And the rival team was just finishing up their practice, on their home turf.
They really did look prehistoric... even to me.
Shota had let me know he was gonna be the head waterboy for this practice and the big game.
You know the guys who walk around with squirt bottles, hydrating the team.
But he hadn't warned me that Pin would be tagging along.
I didn't even know he'd be here, but Shota was too angry sounding when he said, "ME either!"
He couldn't be lying, he was way too pissed.
Pin hadn't told a soul, he'd just shown up… like usual.
My friend and old coach was slapping me on the back, letting me know.
"You've got this game in the bag, Sanada! That's my professional opinion! Worth it's weight in gold. I've also been sitting in the stands listening to some of those talent scouts and the only person they're watching on your entire team is you… So don't worry, they weren't even talking about any of your teammates. They know you're carrying this team! You're gonna get some offers at the PROS, man! Even if this game goes south."
I tried not to laugh when Shota was apologizing, again for letting this animal loose.
Swearing, "I told him, when he appeared, to sit in the stands with your brother and his wife during the game tomorrow. I didn't know he'd push himself in by letting your new coaches know he was your former one. I would have made him stay outside the stadium if I'd known THAT!"
I hope I assured Shota, "It's fine."
He seemed really bent outta shape about it.
It really was nice to see Pin again in person.
He and Yano had started dating over Christmas break and are still together.
Since that happened, we've all grown a bit closer than we already were.
Even thought nearly all of us live apart, only Shota and I get to be near one another (we're even roommates in our dorm).
I asked Pin, "How's Yano doing?" Even though I've been keeping up with all of these friends better lately (Chizu makes me).
But he surprised me by saying, "Ask her yourself after practice. She's right over there with your bro and sis in law."
That was unexpected, even when I thought that Ayane must have just followed Pin here.
But what I should have realized, looking back at it now, was that it should have been my first sign…
That more than Shota, Toru, and Haruka would be rooting for me.
That more than just Pin and Yano had slipped into this practice.
My next sign… that also escaped my notice.
Was that the waterboy duties for the other team were being carried out by Kuronuma.
Clearly an excuse Shota had made just to spend more time with his girlfriend.
But the whole team of barbarians was sure she'd cursed the water she was offering them.
And all of those huge players were terrified of her… I really had to fight back a laugh…
Why was everyone always so scared of her… she's such a petite and kind person.
You know, when you actually talk to her.
Pin cheered Kuronuma on, "That's a friend! Making your enemies think she cursed them. All in hopes of helping you succeed!"
Shota let Pin know, "I hate it when people treat her like that! Why'd you suggest it to her, Pin!"
"You said it yourself, it was a suggestion, I didn't make her do it! She decided that for herself." Pin grinned almost evily…
Till some of our players started hitting on Yano from that hometeam dugout loaded with flirts… not that she was impressed.
Pin was back up into those stands SO fast, marking her taken… it was comical.
And the answer to Shota's prayers almost as much as Sawako heading back to the hydration station where he was waiting for her.
I made sure to thank her before I got back to having my brain on the game…
But it still never even crossed my mind…
Kuronuma's here…
Yano's here…
Chizu's usually never too far from those two…
Especially when they're together…
I was still completely focused on bringing my 'A game.'
I almost missed my name when coach called it out for coming up soon to bat.
Before I sat in the seat of upcoming hitters, I caught a whif of what smelt like Chizu's perfume…
She usually only wore that when she was trying to dress up nice… Or for special occasions.
It seemed to have come from one of the girls helping hydrate the team with Shota… besides Kuronuma.
But I still just thought it must be someone who's wearing the same perfume…
It couldn't be…
Not till I was sitting and waiting for my chance up at bat.
And the outfielder asked the 2nd baseman next to me…
"Did you see that new girl? Helping out Kazehaya?"
The second baseman asked, "That's a girl? Are you sure?"
"Sure, I'm sure. She's HOT. Check out those nice strong legs. I wouldn't mind getting wrapped in those babies."
But as I looked at where they were pointing…
I realized, I knew those legs.
I was up and running at her before I could even think of stopping.
She must have glanced back at me and saw me coming.
Cause she made a break for it claiming she was "all out of water."
Before she hightailed it heading back to Shota's water station off to the side of the field… sitting between both dugouts (ours and the home team).
But I recognized the run too.
There wasn't any doubt now, that was Chizu!
She's here!
She came!
Even though I was so cold to her, and told her not to.
She probably saw right through my lie…
And knew I needed her.
I always needed her.
But now that I knew it was her, now that there was no doubt anymore.
And she was on the field, so I didn't even have to climb up into the stands to see her.
I was a maniac running after her, outta my dugout.
Even though I'm not supposed to till it's my turn up at bat.
I could see Shota's and Kuronuma's smiling faces as they realized I'd caught her.
They knew what was happening.
But as I called, "Chizu! CHIZU!"
She pulled her cap down, and her shirt collar up… trying to hide her face.
She even tried to gruff her voice.
Like I wouldn't still know who she was.
She said, "Sorry, =((fake)) cough, cough= uh, you must have me confused with somebody else, pal-"
She's fast but I was faster.
She maybe a chef soon but I have been running track for months preparing for baseball season.
Not to mention all of the running I did in baseball too…
I caught her arm easily and spun her back to me
I didn't even bother with "Hi."
Or anything, really.
I just went for it and kissed her smack on the mouth…
In front of all my teammates, classmates, coaches and anyone else watching.
Toru, Haruka, Shota, Pin, Ayane and Sawako all swore that there were mixed reactions from the crowd.
Most people were surprised, some were even happy for me… but a good chunk of the cheer-squad was pissed.
And Shota explained to our outta town friends and family ((later at the dinner that followed this game practice turned get-together)).
That those girls have all been crushing on me since I started college.
And no matter how many times I've told them I have a girlfriend back home I'm crazy about.
They all thought she was made up and they still had a shot at me…
Till today, when Chizu finally shut all of that down for me.
I didn't hear any of it.
I didn't even hear my coaches flipping out on me for disrupting their practice by sucking face with one of the water distributors.
All I heard was the familiar roar in my ears whenever her lips met mine…
That's home to me more than any base or house could ever be.
Especially when she smiles like that the whole time it's happening.
Or when she stops failing and pulls me closer.
The minute I pulled away and we rested our heads together.
She said, "Dammit, I knew it."
"What?" I asked, still flipping out that she's here.
I practically chuckled out, "What did you know?"
And she hit me, hard saying.
"I KNEW you stole my birthday cake flavored chapstick! You little THIEF! Even thought I told you that you couldn't have it, and it was mine! You LIAR!" She seethed, but smiled too.
This was what I'd missed.
Why even waste any other girls time, when this girl has always had my heart... without question.
I shrugged at her, "I told you I needed it."
She reamed me, "Yeah! And I told you, no! That's mine! But you're wearing it right now! So I KNOW you took it!"
"For good luck," I laughed even as my coaches yells were starting to break through to me.
And I waved at them to give me a minute (it's not like it was my turn yet).
"It got me to this championship too, so you know I was right." I reasoned.
But she stomped both of her feet as she asked, "Why are you so WERID! How does someone's used chapstick bring any kinda luck, CRAZY?!"
I let her know by placing a gentle finger across her lips, and she froze.
"Because it had been here… I needed this one-"
"Why!" She demanded around my finger.
"Because I wanted to feel like I was getting a kiss from you… even if that was impossible."
She shook her head at me and maintained, "there are other ways you could have done this. Ways that don't involve stealing my favorite chapstick from my purse. When you go looking for gum, too."
So I tried a different approach.
And whispered in her ear, while I still had time…
"Yeah, but that birthday cake kind had been what you were wearing all spring break too."
She gripped my shoulders tightly and stuttered, "Wh-wh-what has that to do with anything."
And I'd teased, "Let's just say that taste lasted throughout some of my favorite times during that break, with you Chizu."
She hit me even harder than before, but I smiled wider as she blushed.
She knew the moments I was getting at had been moments we were all alone…
And it hadn't been all kissing during some of those times either.
And she said, "I know you did not just mention such things here, to the side of this baseball diamond."
I owned up, "But I did, and you can't deny they were great."
"I know what you're saying and you're a sick man!" She accused… but it's still not the worst thing she'd said to me.
And it was my turn to hit, up at bat, so I had to go.
But I told her to "Wish me luck."
But she yelled, "Apparently my chapstick already DID! You LUNATIC!"
"It's better from the source." I tried.
And she pushed me in the right direction telling me, "Go before you give your poor coaches matching coronaries, we'll talk after practice!"
I can't remember the last time I was this stoked for any practice to be over.
My teammates heckled me, left and right the rest of practice.
I may have laughed a little too hard when the outfielder who had been talking about Chizu's legs had taken a ball to the face.
But he's lucky that's all he got really.
But my coaches didn't lecture me… Like I'd expected either.
Since they'd never seen me react to anyone like I did Chizu or smirk as much as I did since kissing her.
I think my coaches may have even been happy for me… believe it or not.
Even though they caught us making eyes at each other too.
The assistant coach had even commented, "So he is human, and really has a girl back home. ANd he can smile too, i didn't know you had all of those teeth in your head, boy! Nice!"
Apparently even the coaches thought I was a little bit of a robot, I was so locked into the game and serious… Again, not the worst thing I've been called or compared to.
None of it mattered, all of it was a haze till I was back with my friends and family.
I hope I thanked everyone for coming, and how much I appreciated them all.
But I can't remember a thing I'd said to Toru or Haruka, after practice.
Same with Ayane, I know she'd hugged me and gushed over how good our chances of winning were.
She's been learning more about the sport since she's been dating a coach who takes the game almost as serious as I do.
But I feel like it was all a blur till I was back with Chizu again and her hand was in mine.
We even went out to eat, as a group, and I couldn't stop staring at her… Pulling her closer whenever she tried to sit anyplace normally.
If I hadn't had to drive to the restaurant, I probably would have found a way to seatbelt her to me in the back seat.
But since I had to drive I just MADE her take the passenger seat in my car.
It had been so hard keeping my eyes on the road and hands on the steering wheel.
She was just so much prettier in person, than she was in all of her pictures, or video chats.
The first thing I remember her saying, once we were in the car alone together was…
"Well, for someone who told me not to come, you sure seem glad I did."
"I am," I admitted, how could I not?
And she sassed me, "So why did you lie then? Why did you tell me not to come if you wanted me here?"
"Because I want you all the time." I said honestly.
I don't trust myself to judge any time right, that I'm away from her anymore.
But it wasn't lost on me that my words had a double meaning… Since our relationship has grown up with us a bit.
And I meant that both ways it could be taken.
She'd gotten all of that and turned so bright red, I could see it in the dark…too cute!
Damn this steering wheel, why couldn't we ahve just hitched a ride with the others?
She was saved from having to say anything else cause we pulled up to the meetup spot.
As soon as we were seated in the restaurant.
I pulled her into my lap.
Even letting her sit in her own chair felt too far away right now.
And she shot a dirty look past my shoulder… probably at Ayane, since I'd heard her make a noise behind me.
But she was on Pin's lap, so I knew she'd just been teasing.
Chizu let me hold her close and she'd hugged me even closer to her…
As the world around us started to fade again, she tried to remind me… "Food's coming soon…"
"I know." I said adjusting us so I could hold her better.
She sounded like she was trying to convince herself. "I haven't eaten anything I didn't cook in a long time. Or something one of my classmates cooked, so this is exciting for me."
"Not when everything you make is so much better than everything else." I reasoned against the soft skin of her neck.
Last Christmas I'd gifted her a necklace for her to keep with her.
Two hearts meeting at their points making a figure 8.
She'd swore she'd never take it off, and I realized the chain was glittering back at me now.
That she's kept this promise, and she's been wearing it everytime I've seen her since then.
It just made me that little bit even more crazy for her…
Even with all of these other people here for me right now.
As happy as I was to see them all, and know they were here for me…
It was just a whole other happiness getting to hold her like this…
And know summer time was finally here...
So when this game was over tomorrow, I wouldn't have to let her go.
We would get to go home together and be together all summer.
She made me stop so she could eat, but let me pull her back to me when we were all still talking with everyone afterward.
After that it felt like I'd blinked and she was trying to tell me 'goodnight.'
Like she was planning on going anywhere besides where I was going to sleep.
So I had to catch her before she disappeared and say, "No, where are you going?"
She explained, "The girls and I are sharing a room, at the same place as Tooru and Haruka."
I asked pathetically, "Why can't you come with me?"
And she reasoned, "Because you NEED sleep, you need to rest. You've got you're big game tomorrow."
But I was still saying, "What's that have to do with anything?"
And she'd said quieter… "Come on, if I go with you… you know there's no way you'll get any sleep."
I'd grinned as I told her, "That's the idea." Even if I knew better.
I couldn't help it, she was outright saying we'd end up making love and honestly, I needed that more than sleep.
But she was like, "Nope, goodnight. That's not happening till this game is behind you. I won't be the reason you weren't one hundred percent baseball freak that you are. Uh AH! You're sleeping in your dorm and I'm gonna share with the girls."
But Sawako looking at her phone said, "Oh no! Chizu! I just got a text from Ayane saying we've gotta bunk with the boys tonight. Because she and Mr Arai have taken over our room for the night. Something about his room not being ready till tomorrow night-"
"WHAT?!" Chizu flipped out while she took Sawako's phone from her and read the message for herself.
I was already thanking God, thanking Pin and Ayane!
Fistbumping Shota on the sly.
Neither one of us wanted to say goodnight to our girlfriends.
We both were gonna do everything we could to keep them with us.
And neither of these girls realized, Shota and I are roomates…
It's not like anything can really happen like Chizu's thinking, (No matter how much I want it to).
Not with Sawako and Shota both right in the same room with us.
Sharing the other twin bed on the other side of the small dorm room.
No, we really will just sleep…
I just needed her with me…
No matter what.
And I was lucky enough to convince her to follow us back.
I apologized for the narrow twin bed.
But mid apology Chizu had stopped me, and said, "How is this any different than sharing your old twin back home?"
She's right.
But she went on, "Like we probably will all summer long? If you and me are ever getting to share a full or queen size bed. THAT's when we won't know what to do with ourselves… this is always our setup."
That's true, but Shota and Sawako looked just as complacent and comfortable on their side of the room.
Snoodled just as close and holding on like we had to.
But when I laid down flat and Chizu snuggled close to me.
I really didn't care if we won or lost.
This was my win, right here, if not knowing i would get to spend summer with her.
In a place where we don't have to just sleep too.
As much as I love the game and another chance to play it.
I love Chizuru more, and having her beside me now.
I felt like I could have taken on the world, and not broke a sweat.
She did that thing she always does to when we sleep together.
Since we shared nap times...
Where her face pressed into my neck and her breath kept me warmer than the blankets.
This was heaven...
And it was only the beginning.
For the millionth time I thanked GOD that we were still together.
Chizu had almost ended this between us last Christmas.
And I'd fought to keep her with me.
I knew this was all only possible because she was still with me.
She was still my girlfriend and whenever college was over and I got to go home.
I knew where ever we ended up, it would only be where we could end up together.
Before I was completely asleep, I'd pressed one last kiss to her hair.
And thanked God for letting me keep her, letting us stay together, and for giving us these friends we have too.
And as I drifted off to sleep I couldn't wait for the morning to come.
And for the Championship to be played...
Win or lose I'd give it my all, because I knew I had a champion's heart beating inside of me.
It was all Chizu's, so it's a warrior's heart too.
Like the one beating against it from inside of her chest was all mine.
Whatever tomorrow dishes out, it'll be fun for both of us.
Although I did hope for a room alone with her next time we're like this.
Goodnight.
That's all folks…
Well, for this chapter anyways! I will break into the other perspectives and thoughts next time too. But Ryu's take on things happened so organically on the page for this part. I couldn't stop writing for him. This felt like a nice place to stop for now, before we break out into all of these other beautiful characters. Hope you liked it, please write in if you get a chance. I would love to hear from you. I'll try to have the next chapter up soon! Hope you're having a GREAT day and FALL so far! Take Care and Much Love!
~DarcyBeDippy85!