Hello, I am here with some random... stuff. I read a script by a writer pen-named edgiscript and I was like, "I need to turn this into a full story." With their permission, here I am!
Recently, I have been learning a lot about Japan and the language (it's hard to learn!) so that's how this is themed. Yeah. So-and-so san and you-chan and yelling DAMARE BAKA! Y'know, the works.
It was a particularly warm, early fall afternoon; nestled beside towering, snow capped mountains was a town full of activity. Bakers in their shops let the mouthwatering scent of delicious breads and pastries waft from the open windows of their shops and into the blue sky. In the vibrant parks, children ran, giggled, and shrieked in excitement as children tend to be inclined to do, frolicking and leaping about in games rooted deep in their imaginations, meanwhile their parents occupied the benches or lounged on blankets upon the green grass, watching after their little ones and engaging in lively conversations with one another. The markets were alive and busy, vendors hawking their wares, goods, and street foods to passersby. Cafés were the scenes of happy meetups between friends and the blossoming of romantic couples. The sun was shining brilliantly, gracing those below it with shining golden rays.
It was on that particular afternoon that the school bell rang loudly, allowing a deluge of teenaged students to spill forth from the doors, chattering excitedly amongst themselves as they were released. It was officially the weekend, and each boy and girl was elated to be able to have a break from school and work, to have fun and relax, especially on such a beautiful day.
Yet, within the throngs of uniformed students, there was a dark presence. There was a shadow that darted about, weaving in between people, unnoticed. For a pair of observant eyes, a dark, shaggy mop of hair could be occasionally seen at about chin level for most people. It bobbed, dodged, and disappeared.
Oftentimes, that was the first thing noticed about Kaito Tanaka because that was the closest thing to eye level; his scruffy hair. Beneath that, a pair of equally dark eyes shifted back and forth, scanning the crowd encompassing him. He held the collar of his deep blue coat high in an attempt to remain inconspicuous, though most of the other students paid him little mind due to his shortness of stature. He was negligible in the crowd.
Worming his way past a group of upperclassmen in a mathematical discussion, Kaito exited the school grounds and onto the sidewalk. After a few minutes, he found himself no longer in a crowd but alone as he walked the quiet neighbourhood street. He looked around quickly before halting, checking himself.
'Brilliant,' Kaito groaned internally, tentatively probing his throbbing side with the tips of his fingers; he could tell that the bruise was already forming. Far from his only injury, his lip was slightly swollen and bloody. Grimacing, Kaito smoothed out his coat and sighed, shouldering his school rucksack and trudging down the sidewalk. 'Just brilliant.'
He had sustained the injury earlier that day when several other guys had ganged up on him, attacking him fiercely while heckling him for his height disadvantage. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence. To most of the insecure bullies in the school, Kaito was a convenient target. He did little to dissuade them, only putting up a token resistance against their actions whenever they came to harass him.
There was a loud revving sound of an engine in desperate need of a tune up as a dirty, dusky red American muscle car roared its way down the street, slowing to a crawl beside the sidewalk where Kaito walked.
"Hey, Shorty!" Leaning from the front passenger side was a teen that grinned like a shark, his coat collar lazily unbuttoned and his hair a wild mess. His brown eyes glinted with malice. In the other seats were individuals alike in disposition, all large and devilish. "You disappeared so fast earlier, we never got to help you clean up after that accident!"
Before Kaito even blinked, he was suddenly the subject of a downpour of liquid, soaking his hair and shirt. Dripping with water thrown from a bucket, he glared daggers as the bullies, cackling like crows, motored away down the road.
Shaking droplets from his head, he shoved his hands into his pockets and continued onward, eyes on the ground.
He could do something about it. Oftentimes, Kaito had contemplated fighting them many times, playing out scenario after scenario in his head where he put his foot down and acted with some spine. It was tempting to exercise his abilities and satisfy his need for justice, but he never acted upon his temptations for fear of hurting someone, even if they deserved it.
"Excuse me."
Despite the voice being soft, Kaito nearly jumped out of his skin with the suddenness of the words. Whipping around, he came face to face with a girl about an inch and a half taller than he was. She peered at him with curious, bright blue eyes which were accented by long, soft lashes. She was dressed in a sailor style dress with a skirt and accents of the same blue that Kaito's uniform was coloured. She wore tall, white socks and neat violet tennis shoes, and a school bag with flowery designs was slung across her shoulder. With one hand, she tugged nervously at her braided deep pink hair which came down against the left side of her neck.
Relaxing his stance, Kaito flashed her a half smile. "Hey."
"Um," she started, fidgeting a little. "Would it be okay if… I mean, could I… maybe, walk with you?"
Blinking, he took a moment to process her request. He found it odd that anyone- especially a girl, would ask him such a thing. Discreetly, he flicked his gaze about, trying to perceive any hidden people watching, in case this was some sort of set up. When he identified none, he nodded slightly. "Sure."
"Thank you," she said, relief filling her voice for some reason as she took up a stride beside him.
And so, they walked, side by side, down the sidewalk. Silence reigned uncomfortably, and Kaito stared at his shoelaces, counting every time one of the aglets of his untied right one hit the cement.
"Excuse me," the girl spoke again just as Kaito counted twenty-two. "Is it alright if I spoke to you as we walked? If we could... hold a conversation?"
"Yeah?" Kaito found the request a little odd, as usually that wasn't something that needed permission to commence. "You can."
"Alright, that's good. I wanted to ask you something and that would have been kind of hard if I could not speak with you."
"I guess it would be," he agreed. "You know, you're really polite."
"Thank you for noticing. I take care to always be respectful and courteous. My mother always taught me that being respectful is how you show someone that you care about them." The pink haired girl rummaged in her bag, producing a nicely pressed white hand towel. "Here. I saw when those guys in the car got you wet. It is not much, but at least you can dry your face."
"Oh, thanks!" Kaito accepted it with genuine gratitude, surprised by her spontaneous kindness. He pressed it against his face, dabbing up droplets of water. The cloth smelled like lavender. He stopped when he heard the girl make an odd sighing sound, and he looked to find her staring at him. When their eyes met, she shied away from his gaze. "Who are you?"
She smiled softly, cheeks colouring. "Oh, forgive me. My name is Yuna Suzuki. I am a second year student."
"Ah, so am I."
"I know, Tanaka-san."
Kaito slowed his pace. "Do I know you?"
She giggled shyly. "I guess not, though we do share World History class with Nakayama-sensei. You sit in the third row, right in front of me by the window you like to lean against. I know you because, well…" she bit her lip before continuing in a small voice. "I… like you."
"Huh?" Kaito nearly dropped the towel. "You… what?"
Flushing, the girl stammered. "I like you, as in… romantically. I have b-been crushing on you for quite a while now."
"Me? Are you sure? Why me?"
"Well, you are kind and thoughtful to everyone around you, even though not many people pay you mind. You study hard and are really smart… and you look good as well," she added in a voice barely above a whisper. "I… your eyes are so pretty and your face is good looking. Your hair is so nice, especially now that it is wet."
Kaito felt his face glowing with heat. He was unfamiliar with a girl saying any of this to him. Usually, he would've guessed she was talking over his head to someone behind him, but in this situation, there was no doubt that the compliments were meant for him. "Uh, thank you, Suzuki-san. I didn't expect anyone to think so."
"I have always thought that you look cute, er, handsome." She scrunched her brow. "Do guys like it when they are called cute? Or is that diminutive? I would not want to offend you. Would you prefer handsome?"
"You can call me cute. That's fine with me."
She looked relieved again, smiling. "Okay then, I will continue to call you cute, Tanaka-san."
Kaito felt warm inside. The girl, though gentle and shy in demeanor, somehow had a cheerful and bubbly aura about her, lifting his spirits. "You're quite cute yourself, Suzuki-san."
Her cheeks coloured a bright red. "Really? I had hoped you would say that. Well, that is, you did not need to tell me that, as you can say what you want, but I would be happy if you thought that, er, rather, I am happy that you think that currently… oh, and you can call me Yuna, if you would like to."
"And you can call me Kaito," he replied. Some water ran down his face from his hair, so he wiped his brow with the towel. "Anyway, you said you have a question for me?"
"Oh, yes, thank you! You are so polite; that is another thing I like about you." Yuna smiled sweetly. "Would you mind if I kidnap you?"