6/17/2012 (Last edited on 11/04/2019 – Added quite a bit of stuff to make it feel a little more fleshed out.) – Happy Father's Day, everyone! ^_^ With that said…
Hello, people of FanFiction dot net. I'm back again with the next chapter of my very first fanfic. Thank you for all the reviews, everyone! (16 as of this chapter) ^_^ As the author of this story, I'm happy to see reviews being left behind. It motivates me to continue on with this story of mine. ^_^ For those who don't already know, I do personally respond to every single review that is left behind for my story. I figure that it's the least I can do as the author of this fanfic and communicate with my readers. Even though some of the character's personalities might/will be slightly altered for the sake of my fanfic, I'll try to remain faithful to their overall "spirit" that was portrayed in the anime series. Clannad is my favorite anime series of all time, so I felt compelled to write a story of my own. I hope you enjoy it. And once again, any feedback that you can provide would be nice and very appreciated. ^_^ And with that, here is chapter 5:
Paragraphs in italics denote a flashback. Single words in italics / single words in regular print during a flashback denote emphasis and should be read as such.
Chapter rated T for: Mild language and mild sexual themes.
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance/Slice of Life
Pairing(s): None at the moment (Tomoya x Tomoyo/Kyou/Nagisa/Fuko/Kotomi/Ryou has been teased, though...)
Crossover(s): None at the moment...
Author's Note #1: The entirety of this chapter takes place between 7:24 and 10:23 minutes of episode 18 of the first season. I've added some original scenes of my own before and after that for the sake of my fanfic.
Author's Note #2: Tomoya x ?, Sunohara x ?. The final pairing is still undecided. I'll consider feedback from people who have left a review on my story, but at the same time, I can't make any promises either. I've now included a poll on my profile page. You can go vote for your choice there. ;) As of this chapter, 5 votes for Harem, 3 votes for Tomoyo Sakagami, 1 vote for Ryou Fujibayashi. Interesting…
Author's Note #3: Perspectives will be jumping around quite a bit in this chapter. I'll make it easy for you: Kyou, Tomoyo, Kotomi, Tomoya
Author's Note#4: I'm not going to lie to you. I had some serious trouble writing this chapter…for some strange reason. It's partly the reason why it's taken this long for me to get it uploaded. It originally was going to be a longer chapter (in fact, the longest chapter I would've written so far), but I had to trim and axe several things in the editing and revising process. I'll probably re-insert some of those things back in some time in the future in future edits. Forgive me if certain parts of this chapter feels like it's missing stuff. If it does, then it means something was there to begin with...
Disclaimer: I do not own anything Clannad-related, even though I wished I did...And from here on out, I do not own any series/movies/video games that I might make references to or decide to make any crossovers with as well.
Clannad ~Different Days~
-The Everyday Arc-
Vague Synopsis - It's not quite the same story that you might remember, even if it feels strangely familiar. A different world, different relationships, different events...different days...
Chapter 5 – A Man Possessed of Some Radical Notions, Part 1
The rain was cold, soaking my entire body.
"Kyou…" I turned around slowly, my eyes huge, now aware of the presence of a certain guy. "…Tell me what's wrong."
I stared at him in disbelief. "What? Th-There's nothing wrong. Weren't you supposed to be on a date with Ryou right now?"
I could tell that he could hear the stammer in my voice.
"Kyou, you're soaking wet." He pointed out the obvious to me, not wanting me to get sick from the water pouring down from the sky. He was always nice, too nice to me and everyone else, a blessing and curse in disguise. The two of us just stood there, staring at each other, not caring about the fact that we were being drenched by this pitiful rain. He then began to walk towards me.
"Stay away." He stopped dead in his tracks, his gaze never leaving my body. "Please, just stay away. I... I mean, you don't have to worry about me. Just worry about Ryou. She's your girlfriend, not me."
"Who cares? You're still my friend and you're about to catch a cold." He kept walking forward towards me.
"Stop! I said no!" The volume of my voice became louder. I just wanted him to stay away from me, but he wouldn't. "Leave me alone! Just go away! Don't bother with me anymore, all right?" I turned to the right, my face now hidden from him, my gaze downcast towards the wet ground.
"Kyou, listen."
"Go away!" I pushed him away with my left hand, and slowly began to walk away from him in the opposite direction, the one where he had just come from.
"Hold on!" He instinctively grabbed my left wrist.
"Come on, stop it!" I struggled to break free from his grasp but to no avail. He positioned my body so that his was behind mine. Continuing to struggle for a few moments more, his arms embraced my body from behind. I could feel his chin now resting on the top of my head, wanting to shield her from the rain. My tears, however long they had lain dormant inside of me, finally came out in the open.
"Please, don't be nice to me anymore. I'm an idiot, all right? If you're nice to me, I'll get the wrong idea… I was afraid. I didn't wanna tell you how I felt. Because... If I told you I loved you, and you turned me down, then maybe we wouldn't be able to be friends anymore. But even if you did like me and we did go out, then it would just make Ryou miserable. That's why I thought it would be best if I just gave up on you. That way, at least nobody would get hurt. But now, I just regret it. Now I don't know what I want. I'm so stupid. This was all my decision in the first place..."
"Kyou... listen-" Before he could even continue, I interrupted him mid-sentence…
"Tomoya… I'm Kyou, all right? I'm not my sister. I'm not your girlfriend... You're too late. Goodbye, Tomoya." The last thing I remembered was walking away from him, the cold rain drenching my entire body, and an overwhelming sadness washing over my soul, before everything turned to black…
"Onee-chan, it's time to wake up." I felt someone tugging at my arm as my eyes awoke from the darkness. I opened my eyes and turned to see that it was Ryou who was trying to wake me up.
"Huh, it's already 5 in the morning?"
"Yep." I turned my head to the drawer next to the bed and silently gazed at the clock resting on top. It was a few minutes past 5 AM.
"Ugh, I don't believe it. Okay, okay, I'm getting up." My voice was an annoyed groaning as I lazily got up from my bed, staring absentmindedly with my eyes still half-closed, half-opened.
"I'll be waiting downstairs in the kitchen, okay, onee-chan?"
"Yeah, I won't be long." I proceeded to the bathroom where I brushed my teeth. Filling the tip of my toothbrush with a blot of toothpaste, I filled a cup with water from the faucet. Taking the cup up to my lips, I rinsed my mouth with the water before proceeding to brush my teeth. I stared at the mirror that was in front of me, a dazed indifference evident on my face, but with a small trace of lingering sadness. I thought back to the dream that I had just awoken from. I didn't know what to make of that dream at all. Was that… what awaited me before this entire mess was over? Heartache and suffering? I closed my eyes defiantly, continuing to brush my teeth in silent frustration. I didn't want to believe things would eventually become that bad.
Or maybe I was lying to myself.
After spending a few minutes with that, I went back to my bed and laid down a bit. My little sister Ryou was going on a date with Tomoya. Okay, technically, it wasn't a real date, but it was the closest my sister had gotten, and that was good enough for me. For some reason that Tomoya hadn't told me yet, he needed to talk to Ryou about… something. I could only imagine… what that something could possibly be. My mind thought back on the moment that Tomoya shared with my sister last night after he dropped Ryou off back home. I had walked inside and was about to close the door, but curiosity stopped me at the last second, as I couldn't help but wonder what those two were going to talk about. Turning around swiftly, I kept the door slightly open with the gap small enough for me to be discreet and big enough for my eyes and ears to be able to witness the scene before me, my grip on the door firm but steady. My eyes widened the moment I saw those two embracing each other like that. I'd admit that those two rarely interacted with one another. They might exchange a few words here and there, but as terrible as I might sound here, Tomoya and my sister… weren't exactly the closest of friends. And yet, all of a sudden, I saw those two… willingly embrace one another. Now, I didn't mind if two friends simply embraced one another in a quick hug, but there was something… different about the hug that my younger sister and Tomoya shared. I saw… a romantic subtext in their action. My mind couldn't help but wonder… what exactly happened when I left those two alone yesterday? I had to do a little grocery shopping for my parents, so I couldn't keep a watchful eye on them, but there was no way that something… romantic happened between the two of them… right?
I felt happy and proud for her but there was also a sense… of jealousy growing inside of me. I felt uneasy; Ryou was my sister. I couldn't be jealous of her. I shouldn't be jealous of her. Confliction was starting to pervade my thoughts, but I didn't want anyone else to worry about me. I was the one who put aside my own feelings for Tomoya so that Ryou could pursue him herself. I shouldn't have any second thoughts about my decision at all, but…
Regret… was the very last thing that I wanted to feel.
To give in to my own self-doubt now would undermine all of my efforts so far to put those two together. I couldn't let it all go to waste. My negative thoughts were brushed aside when Ryou came to my bedside. "Onee-chan, I thought you were awake."
"I… kinda dozed off again. Sorry about that." There was an exasperated understanding in my sister's smile as she gently pulled me out of bed. The two of us were walking down the stairs, with Ryou's left hand guiding me as my right hand held the wooden railing of the stairs. It was funny… how I was relying on Ryou right now, when she was the one who was usually relying on me for support. It was times like these that I thought… maybe the two of us… weren't so very different at all.
"Did you not get enough sleep, onee-chan? Usually, you don't have any trouble getting up this early."
"Most likely not." It might have something to do with that… weird dream I had. I don't want to imagine what it could possibly mean… or foreshadow.
We got two aprons out from the pantry in the kitchen as we made our way over to the counter.
"Hehe, I'm ready, onee-chan."
"You think you'll have any luck today?" I don't want to brag or anything, but I was the superior cook between the two of us Fujibayashi sisters. Ryou… still had a long way to go, but I would like to believe that she's steadily improving bit by bit.
"Maybe. There's only one way to find out."
"Guess I'm gonna need to get a huge glass of water first…just in case." I couldn't help but grin, teasing my little sister like that.
"Um, I don't think a glass is gonna help if I accidentally set the kitchen on fire." Ryou's cheeks were puffed out as her lips curled into a pout, obviously offended
"Oh, this? Nah, this is for when I need help swallowing your food." I couldn't help but burst into laughter after saying that.
"That's mean, onee-chan!"
"I only tease you because I care."
"I know, onee-chan, but still..."
"I'm sorry."
"No, I should apologize. I'm just... kind of sensitive about this. I've been trying my hardest to improve upon my cooking."
"I know that you are, really. That's why your big sister is here to help you, right?"
"Right." There was no telling when mom or dad would wake up, so I figured now would've been the ideal time for Ryou to practice her cooking without any... distractions.
I woke up to the sound of my brother's voice. The comforter was still covering most of my body, keeping me cool and asleep. He was tugging at my left shoulder, trying to awake me from my slumber. Groggily looking up at my brother half-consciously, I yawned in tired exhaustion, my eyes still trying to straighten the sight of Takafumi from its blurry mess.
"Hey, nee-chan, wake up."
"Is that you, Takafumi?"
"Of course, who else would it be?"
"Okay, I'm getting up now. I usually try to catch up on my sleep on Sundays, you know?"
"Mom and dad will be waiting for you downstairs, okay?"
"Yes, I got it, little brother."
I went to go brush my teeth and soon headed downstairs shortly afterwards. The four of us were sitting at the table and ate our breakfast.
"Good morning, mom. Good morning, dad."
"Good morning, dear. When will you be leaving for Okazaki's house?" My mother had been noticing that I was stopping by his house every morning lately. She was probably curious about what kind of guy would have that effect on her daughter.
"In about an hour or so. I'll probably eat something light before I go over to his house."
"How long will you be over there?" I heard a teasing tone in my father's voice.
"Most likely, all morning." All I could do was muster up a stoic response. Knowing how my dad was, he would have kept teasing me.
"Are you sure Okazaki isn't your boyfriend, nee-chan?" My younger brother's attempt at hiding his laugh was starting to prove fruitless. He certainly learned his teasing abilities from my dad. "I mean, you've been visiting his house every morning for the past several days now."
"Takafumi, he's just my friend, nothing more. I'm worried about him, that's all." I wonder if my brother could hear the growing irritation in my voice.
"Heh, I wish I had a friend who was as dedicated as you are, onee-chan." He particularly made sure to echo the same emphasis I placed on "friend" there.
"You know, you should bring over Okazaki-san some time. I would love to meet him, as would your father."
Seeing my family gang up on me like this, I conceded for the time being, a small, wistful smile gradually forming on my face. "Maybe, just maybe."
The four of us ate breakfast with the occasional chatter to break up the silence. When I finished, my mom told me to just leave the bento box where it was. I thanked her as I made my way back to my room and into the shower. I stripped myself of my clothes and underwear as I went inside the shower stall, opening and closing the door. I turned the knob for the hot water to come out of the shower head. Once the water really got hot, I turned the knob for the cold water to balance out the temperature. When I found a happy medium, I closed my eyes as I allowed the water to soak my entire body.
"Tomoya…" I didn't realize that I uttered his name under the pattering of the water, but I couldn't help but think about him right now. He was most likely sleeping at the moment. I grabbed the bottle of shampoo and squeezed some of it out. I lathered it into my long silver hair and allowed the water to slowly rinse my hair out. The soap suds trailed down my back and my legs. I grabbed some body wash and lathered it on my entire body, repeating the same process as before. I stayed in the shower for several more moments, letting the warm water ease my mind and body. I turned the water off and opened the door. I grabbed a nearby towel and wrapped it around my entire body. I went into the closet and grabbed a second towel to dry my hair out. I made my way towards my bed, gently sitting down. I grabbed the other towel in my hand and proceeded to slowly wring out the dampness in my hair. When I felt that my hair was a little less moist, I used the same towel to dry up any remaining water that was still lingering on my arms and legs. When that was done, I proceeded to unwrap the towel surrounding my chest and waist. My lithe body was now naked from head to toe, exposed to the cool air in my room. The air sent a chill down my spine that echoed throughout my entire being. I began to dress myself, slipping on my pair of white panties. As I slowly slipped my white bra on, the right strap lightly grazed an old scar that still hadn't completely healed over. My eyes turned to look at the upper part of my arm. There was a diagonal white line that was still clearly visible to my own sapphire eyes. I couldn't help but smile at the…awkward and unpleasant memory of how I got this scar to begin with.
"The 'time' that is not the present… That which we call the future… Have I… found it? Has anything… really changed?" [2]
I went over to my drawer and got out a black blouse and a gray skirt. After dressing myself, I grabbed my wallet and stuffed it into my skirt pocket. Making my way downstairs again, I made my way towards the front door. While I was slipping on my shoes, my brother Takafumi silently walked up to me.
"Nee-chan?"
"Yes, Takafumi?"
"…Have fun. See you later."
"Heh, I will." My arms slowly found their way around my little brother as I brought his body close to mine.
"Nee-chan…your breasts are pressing up against me." He sounded really nervous. I couldn't help but laugh at the awkwardness that he now found himself in.
"Hehe, I guess we're even now…little brother." I softly whispered aloud to him.
The two of us separated from our embrace as I noticed that my brother's cheeks were ablaze as his eyes darted off to the side, clearly unable to look me in the eye. I couldn't help but smile at him. He was so adorable right then and there. I lightly patted him on his head, my fingers softly running through his brown hair. He hurriedly ran off after that, clearly not enjoying my teasing of him.
"This isn't over, nee-chan!"
"It never will be, will it?" I couldn't help but quietly grin at my brother's rambunctiousness. It was hard to believe that at one point, my brother was a quiet and humble person. Well, he still is, for the most part anyway, but over the past two years, he's opened up quite a bit. I could actually see his smiling face now. There was a time where my little brother hardly smiled at all. I was glad...that things in my life had changed for the better.
Tomoya's house wasn't too far from mine. It was a little past 7 am. The spring air gently rustled through my hair, cooling and blowing it. I thought about the fact that he was still sleeping right now. He really needs to improve his sleeping schedule. Twenty minutes of silent walking, Tomoya's house came into view. I sprinted towards the front door, eager to get inside. When I reached the front door, I saw Tomoya's father walking out.
"Ah, good morning, Tomoyo-san."
"Hello, and a good morning to you, too, Naoyuki-san. Is Okazaki still sleeping?"
"I'm afraid so. I guess you'll have to be the one to wake him up again."
"It's no trouble at all. That's one reason why I'm over here in the mornings nowadays."
"And what might the other reason be, if you don't mind me asking?" I felt my cheeks slowly burning at Naoyuki-san's words.
"Um...well..." He simply laughed at my flustered face.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have teased you like that. I'm glad Tomoya-kun has a friend like you looking over him."
"It's okay. I'm glad I could be of some help for Okazaki. Will you be leaving now?"
"Yes, I have an old friend that I have to meet. I'll see you later, Tomoyo-san."
"Okay, see you later, Naoyuki-san."
I made my way over to Tomoya's room. Unsurprisingly, Tomoya was still sleeping. I slowly went over to his desk which was adjacent to his bed. I grabbed the chair and quietly picked it up, moving it over to the side of his bed where he was slumbering. Quietly sitting down, and making sure not to disturb his sleeping form, I couldn't help but smile at the sight of a sleeping Tomoya. I wondered what he was dreaming about. He looked so peaceful as his body gently rose and fell with his rhythmic breathing. I couldn't help but serenely smile at the sight before me. I didn't want to wake him up so soon. I decided to let him have some more time to rest while I enjoyed the view while I could.
Tomoya Okazaki… it was hard to believe that I first met the guy several weeks ago. There were still a lot of things about him that I didn't know. One thing that I did know for certain was that he and his dad don't get along at all. Naoyuki-san seemed like a nice man, but from the way that I had seen Tomoya react towards his presence, there was definitely something that I wasn't aware of. A part of me wondered whether or not Tomoya will ever tell me the whole story. I couldn't help but worry about him. I know what it was like to come from a dysfunctional family. At one point in my life, I was no different from Tomoya himself. Maybe that was why I could relate to his situation well. I… I considered Tomoya a close friend of mine. Aside from the times that I had seen him with Sunohara at school, I'd been spending time with him for the past few days now. While there were still some things about Tomoya that remained a mystery to me, I would like to believe that he trusted me. For certain, I definitely trusted him. And yet, there was a part of my mind that couldn't help but feel some sense of doubt.
Who is Tomoya Okazaki? If someone were to ask me such a question, I would answer that he was a third-year student at Hikarizaka High School. I was a year younger than he was, so the two of us weren't even in the same class or the same grade. Most of my meetings with him occurred either before or after school. And the few times that I have seen him at school were those instances where I see him with Sunohara. He was Tomoya's best friend, a blonde-haired boy with a petty grudge against me. I guess he still couldn't fathom that a girl could possess so much physical strength. He would usually try to attack me, but his efforts have always proved fruitless. Even so, he still came at me time and time again. If anything, I had to give Sunohara credit for being... persistent.
If I had to describe his personality, I would say that Tomoya was a generously kind person, even if he did come across as a prankster often. He and Sunohara usually liked to mess with me in their own way. Well, it was usually Sunohara who physically tries to attack me; Tomoya always stood a few feet back from him to watch the spectacle unfold to his own amusement. But I couldn't help but wonder if Tomoya would do the same if no one else was around. Would he… do something perverted? Was he that kind of person? From the time that I'd spent with him, he didn't come across as a pervert at all. But then again, how much did I really know about Tomoya to begin with? Why would a guy like Tomoya call a person like Sunohara, a ridiculously silly goofball, his best friend? I could infer that the two of them have some common interests that kept one around the other. Did those interests... involve perversion? I wondered… if Tomoya would try anything… if I gave him the opportunity.
I couldn't help but smile at that… bizarre thought that I just had. If it was Sunohara, I wouldn't have considered such an idea. A part of me was genuinely curious as to what Tomoya would do in such a situation. If he didn't do anything of that sort of nature, then I guess I was right… Tomoya… really was a decent guy after all. If he actually did, then… I think I'd probably forgive him. He was a guy after all. It was only natural for him to lust after the opposite sex...
Wait, what the hell was I thinking?!
I think… in that one moment, I had gone soft. I deeply sighed in exasperation, wondering why rational logic goes out the window... when a person slowly begins to fall for someone.
I was in my room, slowly getting dressed to go over to Tomoya-kun's house. It was 7:30 am in the morning. I wanted to go over to his house early in the morning and surprise him with some food that I had made for him. Considering everything that Tomoya-kun has done for me for the past several days, I felt the need to properly repay him. Cooking some food for him was the least I could do for Tomoya-kun. I put on my orange halterneck top, slipping my head through the loop and sliding the fabric down the rest of my body till it covered my stomach. I went over to my drawer and pulled out a long pale yellow skirt. I slipped my legs through it, slowly pulling it up to my waist. I drew the two drawstrings around the skirt and tied them into a neat knot. I glanced at the mirror in the room as I twirled my body around a full 360 degrees. I smiled at myself, happy that I was going over to Tomoya-kun's house soon. A part of me wondered what he would think when he saw me in this outfit. A small blush crept onto my face as I hastily shook my head, realizing that I probably shouldn't be thinking such things. Tomoya-kun has been my friend since we were little kids. He couldn't… see me as anything else… right?
After realizing that my pondering wouldn't give me any clear answers anytime soon, I decided to head downstairs into the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, I pulled out a bento box that I had prepared from last night. At that moment, my ears picked up the sound of the doorbell ringing, so I swiftly made my way over to the front door. Upon opening the door, I noticed a familiar old sight.
"Good morning, Kotomi."
I bowed deeply, greeting him with a bright smile. "Good morning, Aoyama-san. [1] What brings you over here this early in the morning?"
"I just came to check up on you, that's all."
"Um, there's something that I wanted to ask you."
"What is it, Kotomi?"
"Well…you see…"
Rays of sunlight greeted my eyes as they opened from the darkness. I was now sitting upright as I scanned my surroundings. I had to blink my eyes several times before they decided to stay opened. Staring at the clock on the wall, I noticed that it was around 8 o'clock. It took me a few moments to remember that today was Sunday. I sluggishly moved my body out of my own bed, lazily making my way over to the drawer. I got a pair of pants on before quietly making my way over to the bathroom where I brushed my teeth. As soon as I was done with that, I made my way over to the kitchen, where Tomoyo was busily cooking something, her back facing towards me. I was surprised to see her here even on the weekend.
"You don't have to come here on Sundays, too." I admit; I was surprised at her dedication to come over on the weekends like this.
"If I wanna come here on Sunday, then it's my choice." That was putting it bluntly. I couldn't help but quietly chortle to myself as I realized that I hadn't properly greeted her yet.
"…Good morning, Tomoyo."
"Heh, I was wondering when you were going to properly greet me. Good morning, Okazaki." She turned around to briefly greet me before resuming work on breakfast.
"Where's my dad?" I couldn't help but wonder where he was at the moment. He was usually off from work on Sundays.
"He went out a little while ago. I guess you don't get along with him very well, do you?" I was surprised to see her mention my father in such a casual manner as that. I guess those two have been talking to each other when I was still asleep. What they talked about, I couldn't fathom, but a part of me didn't want to know either. I didn't want to talk about my father, not at a time like this and possibly not anytime soon. Sensing that she must've said something that would upset me, Tomoyo hastily apologized to me. "I'm... I'm sorry, that's none of my business, is it?"
A dreadfully uncomfortable silence had befallen the both of us. I wonder what was going through Tomoyo's mind right now. Her back was still facing me as she was busily preparing breakfast for the both of us, so I couldn't even see her face at all. I was worried that there was a frown upon her face. Worst case scenario, Tomoyo was holding back tears over a tiny little mistake like that. Concern was beginning to build up inside of me as I just stood there, silent in thought. The quietness probably gave Tomoyo the wrong impression, where she most likely thought that I was angry at her.
I peered over to see what Tomoyo was doing exactly. She was stirring a huge pot with a ladle that she was holding in her right hand, while her left hand was firmly holding the pot with an orange oven mitten. I slowly walked up right behind her and wrapped my arms around her body. My left arm wrapped around her waist while my right arm wrapped around her upper torso, resting snugly beneath her ample bosom. I could faintly feel the pounding of her beating heart beginning to quicken at my touch.
"O-Okazaki? What are you doing?" I was surprised that Tomoyo barely flinched from my sudden embrace.
"I thought you were sad."
"To be honest, I was. I… I shouldn't have said anything in the first place, considering how you and your father don't get along. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, you don't need to apologize. Tomoyo?"
"Yes?"
I took a deep breath before continuing. "I'll… I'll tell you the whole story… someday… when I'm ready."
"You don't have to rush things. I'm sure you'll tell me everything… whenever you feel comfortable enough to do so."
"Thanks."
"Um, Okazaki, as much as I like…having you close to me like this, could you…"
"Oh, right. Sorry." I separated from our embrace and stood a few paces away fromo Tomoyo to give us both some distance. "I'm sorry for hugging you from out of nowhere as well. I probably shouldn't have done that."
"I… really do appreciate the thought, though. Thank you… for the hug, Okazaki."
"Yeah, no problem, just helping out a friend, that's all. So, how's the student council campaign going? It's almost election day, right?"
"It's going well. Don't worry." The doorbell suddenly rang as Tomoyo and I took notice. I made my way towards the front door. Opening it, I was greeted with the sight of the Fujibayashi twins. Kyou was standing to the left of Ryou. The older sister was wearing a purple top and long blue jeans. I briefly turned my attention towards Ryou, eyeing her entire body from head to toe. She was wearing a white dress with a cropped denim jacket over it.
"Morning, Tomoya! Thought you might appreciate a little snack!" Kyou was the one to speak up as she held up a bento box to me, smiling widely at me.
"Puhi~! Puhi~!" Her pet boar Botan happily grunted on the ground nearby, sharing her master's sentiments.
"Thank you." I graciously accepted the bento from her. It was wrapped in a red cloth, neatly tied into a knot at the very top. Judging from its weight, I came to the conclusion that there were two bento boxes inside.
"I'm sorry, but onee-chan insisted on coming." Ryou looked away from me out of flustered nervousness for a brief moment before returning to meet my gaze, a small blush forming on his face. I guess she became self-conscious at her body now that I was able to see the outfit she decided to wear onto our date later today.
"Oh, yeah, well, whatever, it's fine." As long as Kyou didn't actually tag along with Ryou and me, things should be fine.
"Okazaki, what's going on?" My attention turned towards Tomoyo's incoming presence. I forgot that she was still in the kitchen before I came out here to open the front door. Tomoyo's face lit up with surprise when she saw the Fujibayashi twins. "Visitors? I wasn't expecting company."
"It's you?" Judging from the way Kyou reacted, I assumed that she thought it was just going to be me, Ryou, and herself eating together. Guess Tomoyo being over here at my house in the morning put a damper in her plans.
"Tomoya-kun. Kyou-chan, Ryou-chan, it's a lovely morning, isn't it?" Kotomi mysteriously appeared from behind the corner of the street. The four of us didn't even realize she was nearby until she spoke up. She gave a small bow to all of us as a welcoming gesture.
"No offense, Kotomi-chan, but what are you doing here?" Judging by what Kotomi was holding in her hands, I already knew how she was going to respond to Ryou's question…
"I thought Tomoya-kun must be hungry with no one to cook for him. So I thought I would stop by and bring him some lunch." …and I was correct.
"Ah..." The Fujibayashi twins simply whispered in understanding. This…wasn't going to end well for me…at all.
"Why does everyone look so gloomy now? The air in here is rather…heavy."
"Puhi~!" Before I knew it, I was sitting at the table on the floor, with the Fujibayashi sisters to the right of me, Kotomi directly across from me, and Tomoyo sitting on the left. Botan was resting on the floor between Kotomi and Ryou. We were all just sitting there in silence, staring intently at the food just sitting there on the table. Nobody dared to speak a single word to anyone else. The silence in the room was eerie and eating away at my mind. I didn't want to be the first one to talk, but nobody else was willing to budge. My patience finally yielded.
"N-No offense, but there's no way I can eat all this food." It was the simple truth of the matter, a truth that none of the girls were willingly going to accept so easily.
"Ryou and I got up at 5 AM to prepare this. You will eat it now, won't you?" My attention turned towards Kyou. The awkward smile on her face did nothing to alleviate my concerns for this situation I was unfortunately wrapped up in.
"Since I'm the reason Okazaki was suspended, I'm the only one involved. It's my duty to take care of his food..." My head quickly darted over to Tomoyo after hearing her respond to Kyou's words. Out of the corner of my eyes, I happened to notice that Kotomi was mimicking my own actions.
"What do you mean 'only one involved?' Are you trying to say we have nothing to do with this?"
"To be perfectly blunt, no you don't. As far as this incident is concerned, you're all outsiders."
"My sister and I have known Tomoya since his junior year. Hell, Kotomi over there has known him since she was a little kid! Are you saying the Drama Club doesn't count for anything?"
"Time and titles don't determine the strength of someone's friendship."
"Ugh...What kind of logic is that?"
"The sensible kind of logic, of course. Let me ask you this: in the year that you've known Okazaki, how much do you know about him?"
"And let me ask you the same question, Sakagami. In the weeks that you've known Tomoya, how much can you say that you know about him anyway?"
"Well, I can tell you that he and his father don't get along very well. Do you know what he constantly has to deal with every day?"
"If Tomoya hasn't mentioned anything about his personal life to any of his close friends, then that's his decision. We have no business butting into it. Have you ever considered that possibility, Sakagami?"
"Yes, I have. But it makes me wonder, how can you call yourself a close friend of Okazaki if you aren't even aware of the problems that emotionally affect him?"
"Like you're one to talk. You still call Tomoya by his family name."
"And I bet you never asked to call him by his given name. I assume you just called him by his first name on a whim."
"I've never been a stickler for formality. And besides, Tomoya is an easygoing guy. The fact that he has never once raised an issue on that means he most likely doesn't care either way."
"Going by your logic, then it doesn't matter if I call him Okazaki or Tomoya…now does it?"
My eyes kept darting back and forth between Kyou and Tomoyo. Things were getting worse by the minute. Those two were going at each other like a pack of rabid dogs wanting to kill each other. But what frightened me even more than that… was how relatively… calm… those two were bickering among each other. I do want to emphasize the word relatively… because at the rate things were going at, their current verbal tongue lashing would eventually evolve into a yelling spree… and me, Kotomi, Ryou, and Botan would be caught in the crossfire. There was a subdued growl that escaped from the elder Fujibayashi sibling, teeth subtly clenched in anger, as her eyes narrowed slightly, focusing on the silver-haired girl. Tomoyo was just staring back at Kyou with a quiet but deadly intensity. Her facial expression hadn't changed one single bit since her argument with Kyou began. It didn't take a genius to figure out who had more resolve at the moment. Hoping to diffuse the situation at hand, I decided to speak up... for better or for worse. "N-Now, come on, you guys. There's no need to get so riled up."
"It's because you won't make up your mind!" Hearing them bicker back and forth was already dreadful. Hearing them chastising me in unison was even worse. At least you could say I tried.
"But that would be even worse! Ryou, please say something to these two." My face was pleading with Ryou for a solution to this entire debacle unfolding in my living room. Her face was staring at the table with a serious look on her face, her mind obviously lost in thought.
"Tomoya-kun..." She immediately turned towards me with a look of conviction that was not the norm for the timid Ryou. "…I want you to eat my cooking as well!"
"Argh!" I couldn't help but groan at the fact that Despite the fierce determination that was now on her face, I thought I saw… an apologetic smile slowly forming on her face. Considering the argument that was brewing between her sister Kyou and Tomoyo, she probably wasn't in a position to be taking sides.
"Puhi~!" Botan shared the same sense of dread that I felt.
My attention turned towards the girl sitting across from me at the table. "Uh, Kotomi..."
"Yes, Tomoya-kun?"
"Kotomi..." With Ryou unable to help me in this situation, Kotomi was my last chance.
"You know I started prepping last night, so I put a lot of work into cooking all this." And my last hope of salvation has been screwed over. I couldn't help but groan at that fact. I was slowly beginning to panic. And then, something unbelievable occurred.
"Fuko has…arrived!" Fuko Ibuki… arrived from out of thin air… literally. Her right arm was holding up a wooden starfish carving up into the air.
"Who are you supposed to be?" It made sense for Kyou to say something like that since she, and everyone else here, didn't remember who Fuko was. It appeared that I was really the only one who has any recollection of the starfish girl. I couldn't help but find that thought depressing in a way. Ironically, Fuko was anything but sad.
"I brought my home cooking for you to eat, too. Leave it to me! My food will make everything better, Okazaki!"
"No, seriously, stop!" I had to close my eyes and put my head down, wanting to hide away from this moment, futile my efforts might had been.
"Of course, I understand how you must feel. But unfortunately, my home cooking is the only choice for you, Okazaki! Starfish pastries! Starfish cupcakes! Starfish cream puffs!"
"That's gross..." That was one thing that I would agree with Kyou. All that sugar would give me diabetes and a heart attack simultaneously.
"Tomoya-kun, please eat my box lunch. I made it just for you!"
"You won't let my work go to waste, will you?"
"Make up your mind already!"
"Take my food or else!"
"Puhi~! Puhi~!"
"Mine is the obvious choice, Okazaki!
"Puhi~!"
"The obvious choice!"
All the voices yelling out at me simultaneously was making me feel so mentally exhausted. I let out an audible groan of displeasure as I buried my face into my hands, knowing that today was going to be a very long day. No matter how I saw it, no matter which girl's cooking I ended up favoring, I was so screwed either way.
I was laying down with my back on the floor of the living room, clutching my now-aching stomach. Through some miracle, I was able to eat most of the food that was on that table earlier.
"Tomoya-kun, you still haven't eaten my apple pie yet." Well, I did say most…
"Kotomi-chan, I think… if I ate any more, I'm gonna vomit. Could you stick it in the fridge for me? I'll probably eat it later when I want a snack." Kotomi simply nodded my head as she got up from her seiza-style position with the box of apple pie in hand.
"Hey, Tomoya?" My attention now turned towards the older Fujibayashi twin.
"Yeah, Kyou?"
"Come over here for a moment." I gave her a befuddled look, but before I realized it, Kyou dragged my body off of the ground and onto my feet, forcibly dragging me towards the front door. My right hand was still clutching my stomach out of mild pain and discomfort. "You better be on your best behavior. If I hear one word from Ryou about you trying something funny on her, your ass is dead, you got that?" Kyou was whispering aloud with grated irritation. Arriving at the conclusion that she didn't want anyone else to hear what she was telling me, I adjusted my voice accordingly.
"I know. You don't have to remind me of that!" Despite the fact that my volume was now lower, my whisper still came out a little harsh. Kyou must have really been concerned that I would try something… perverted on Ryou. She said the exact same thing last night, too.
"I'm just giving you a fair warning, that's all. It's my duty as an older sister to look after her."
"You know, Ryou is a lot stronger than you think. You should give her some more credit."
My comment drew a surprised look from her face, as a defeated smile formed on her face, full of reluctant but knowing understanding. "Heh, I know that, Tomoya. Even if a part of me still refuses to believe that, I think… she's become a little more… bolder ever since she started hanging around you these past several days." She closed her amethyst eyes for a few moments before opening them again as she stared at me with a sincere smile on her face, a small and faint red blush forming. "Thanks… for letting my younger sister hang out with you today. It really means a lot to her… and to me, too. I know you two aren't really going out on an actual date or anything, but she's always wanted to spend some quality time with you all by herself, and I'm glad she's finally getting the opportunity to do so."
"Glad I could help a friend, out. There's something I've been wanting to ask Ryou as well, so it works to my own benefit as well."
"Oh really? What about?"
"It's… personal. You'll have to ask her when she gets back home later today."
"Ugh, are you serious, Tomoya?" A look of disgusted disappointment filled her face.
"Yes, I'm serious. Now, if she decides to tell you later on, then that's her decision, not mine."
"…Fine, I guess I'll ask her when she gets back." She softly sighed in defeat, clearly wanting an immediate answer from me.
"Thanks, Kyou."
"Yeah, no problem. Just make sure she gets home safely in one piece like last time, okay?"
"Will do." I gave her a muted smile and a thumbs up.
"Well, I'll be leaving now. You two have fun on your… little date now." I dryly stared at Kyou in slight annoyance as she opened the front door to leave. I followed her outside onto the pavement as my eyes followed her down the street. She turned around once, waving goodbye to me, with a seemingly genuine smile on her face. At least, that's it how it looked like from my end. I couldn't say for certain, considering the distance between us, but I waved back at Kyou with a smile of my own.
Just when I was about to head back inside my house, I felt a firm but familiar tug at my arm from behind me.
"Okazaki-san."
"Gah! Where the heck did you come from, Fuko?!" Her abrupt presence startled me to death; I don't think I would ever get used to her appearing and disappearing on a whim like that.
"Strange person is strange, as always." Comments like those… always unnerved me, and hearing them from Fuko now of all times… didn't change my opinion one bit. Calming myself down, I resolved myself to ask the obvious.
"Anyway, was there something you wanted?"
"If it's not too asking too much, could you… come visit Fuko later?"
"I can come visit you later today. I'll be busy for the next few hours or so."
"That's fine with Fuko. Do you know the way back there?"
I gave her in an incredulous glare, feeling sleighted that she thought my memory was that bad. "I might've only been to that hospital once, but I think I can find my way back there."
"You better not get lost, Okazaki-san!" So much for Fuko having any shred of confidence in me.
"You honestly think I will?! Well, if I can't find my way, I can always ask your sister."
Fuko merely nodded fervently. "I'll be waiting then."
As I turned my way to head back inside my house, I realized that there was something I wanted to ask Fuko. Turning my head back around, the small girl was no longer by my side. There wasn't even a single sign that she was physically there to begin with. A small empty breeze brushed against my bangs and face as my ruffled hair. My eyes blinked several times in rapid succession, making sure that I was still in reality. I knew that I wasn't imagining things. I knew that I talked with Fuko, even if there wasn't any physical evidence to prove it. Even if the world forgot about her, I knew that I never would. Thinking about Fuko's unusual request, my mind wondered why she wanted me to visit her. Was there something on her mind, which would require the two of us to be alone? Was she just lonely? It was pointless to worry about it when I had other immediate things to do with. I silently made my way back towards the living room where Ryou and Kotomi were silently sitting at the table where we were all eating breakfast earlier.
"Hey, where's Tomoyo?" I couldn't help but wonder where she was.
"She's in the kitchen right now, cleaning up. Tomoya-kun, if… you don't mind, could I stay here for a bit? I want to help Tomoyo-chan for a bit."
"Um, sure, I don't mind." I found Kotomi's request to be a little strange to say the least, but I didn't see the harm in letting her stay here for a bit. "Let's go ask her." I quickly rushed over to the kitchen where I saw Tomoyo cleaning the dishes and pots she used for breakfast with Kotomi slowly coming in from behind.
"Hey Tomoyo, for some reason, Kotomi over here wants to help you clean up. Think you could oblige her request? I'm gonna head out with a friend for a little bit." Kotomi bowed deeply after I was done asking Tomoyo.
"Sure, I don't mind. How long will you be gone?"
"Can't say for certain. Should I rush back here later?"
"No, it's okay. Take all the time you need. Besides, your father gave me a spare set of keys. I can come and go as I please. You don't need to come back here immediately on my behalf."
"Wait, my dad gave you a spare set of keys?" I found it hard to believe that my father has trusted Tomoyo that much…
"Yeah, he did. Why, is there a problem?"
"No, it's nothing. I'll uh… see you in a bit, okay, Tomoyo?" She simply nodded her head as her attention returned to the sink with Kotomi joining her. I made my way back over to the living room where Ryou was staring off into space.
"You ready to go, Ryou?" She simply nodded her head. We made our way out to the front door. I locked the door with the keys in my hand before jamming them into the right pocket of my jeans as we started walking down the streets. We didn't get too far before Ryou decided to speak up all of a sudden.
"I'm... really nervous. I've never been on a date with anyone before."
"Same here. I've never dated anyone, either. I have some ideas about the basics, but that's about it."
Ryou looked relieved from hearing me confess that little fact about myself. "I'm glad... that I'm not the only one... who's in the same boat then."
"You're not, so try not to stress over it too much, okay?"
"Okay, I'll try." Her response was muted as she averted her gaze away from my mine, a small blush spread across her face.
I thought about a nice place where we could go for a bit and a thought came into my mind. "Hmm, wanna head to the park, Ryou?"
"Sayama Park, you mean?"
"Yeah, there's something that I've been wanting to talk to you about. That's the main reason why we're hanging out together right now. But, I certainly don't mind spending time with you, either." I smiled at the timid girl, who was blushing at my remark. "Is that okay with you?"
"Mhmm." It was a muted response but I could sense that she was happy with the proposal.
The two of us continued walking in silence. It was about 9 am in the morning, but despite the early time, the sun was already bearing down on us both, the occasional spring air blowing past us being our only respite. As I was walking, I turned my head over to my left, looking at Ryou. Her eyes were focused on the ground as the two of us walked in silence. She was probably nervous, probably ever since she woke up this morning. I decided to strike up some idle conversation to ease her mind.
"Ryou?" I came to an abrupt stop in my tracks. It wasn't until Ryou turned her head rightward to the sound of my voice that she realized that I was now behind her.
"Yes, Tomoya-kun?"
"Your dress... it looks really beautiful on you." And at that moment, either by sheer coincidence… or divine intervention, a gentle breeze rustled Ryou's hair and her white dress. The white bow that was tied to the left side of her head swayed in the wind. Her right hand covered her mouth in disbelief as my compliment sent her into a blushing fury.
"Really? You're not kidding?"
"I wouldn't joke about something like that."
My reassurance drew a smile from Ryou. "Onee-chan recommended that I wear this dress today. I thought it wasn't a good idea at first, though."
"Huh, why? It looks really good on you."
"Well... I'll tell you later, okay?" I silently nod my head. Clearly, for whatever reason, she didn't want me to know at the moment. I guess she had her reasons. It wasn't that big of a concern to me, at least, not enough for me to push the matter any further, but my curiosity was raised nonetheless.
The two of us eventually reached the park. Being here at 9:30 am on a Sunday morning meant that there was barely anyone around at all. I didn't want anyone possibly spying on the two of us. We sat on one of the benches that overlooked the huge pond. I sat on the left while Ryou occupied the right half, just like last time.
"So... we're finally alone, Tomoya-kun. What's been on your mind?"
"I've been thinking...this whole love triangle...or is it a square...pentagon?" I found myself wondering what exactly I should call it. Ryou couldn't help but quietly giggle at my own confusion. Can't say that I blame her. "Anyway, the point is...I know this issue isn't going to resolve itself."
"Unfortunately not. Do you have a plan or something?"
"I might. I don't know if it's a good one, though."
"I'm all ears, Tomoya-kun. That's what I'm here for. We're friends after all."
I couldn't help but laugh a little at Ryou's choice of words. "Friends...interesting choice of words there."
"Why's that?" She tilted her head to the side in confusion.
It ended up being my turn to blush. "Did you want to be… more than just friends?"
There was a moment of silence before Ryou was able to put two and two together and figured out what I was about to insinuate with my question. "W-w-w-wait, what?!"
"Well, I was thinking of something here."
"T-thinking of what exactly?"
"Well, I know that you're not the only one who likes me. And I can sense that things are just gonna get worse for me the longer things go on like this if earlier today was any indication."
"Hmm, you make a good point there. What are you trying to plan here, Tomoya-kun?"
"I don't know whether or not this plan will actually work… but here's what I'm thinking. If I'm already seen with you in a relationship, then Kyou, Tomoyo, Kotomi, and Nagisa will either do one of two things. They'll either accept us as a couple or they'll confess their feelings to me. Regardless of what happens, leaving things as they are right now won't fix anything. In fact, dragging this entire mess out will hurt everyone more in the long run. I… I just want this to end quickly... with as little damage as possible, you know?"
"Yes, I understand. But, what happens if this plan backfires on us both? I'm worried that all of our friends, onee-chan especially, might begin to distance themselves from us if we started dating."
"It's a risk I feel like I have to take. But if you're not comfortable with the idea, then we don't have to go through with this."
Ryou sat there in silence for a while, letting all of my words sink in. "To be honest with you, a part of me is afraid, of what could happen if I go through with this. And yet, at the same time, I know that I'll regret it if I don't take this opportunity… to try to be someone who's more than just… your friend. I want... I want to take a leap of faith… with you, Tomoya-kun."
"Heh, with a delinquent? You do remember that I have the reputation of a bad boy, remember?"
"Hehe, I know. Even so, the past year has taught me that there was more to you than meets the eye."
I couldn't help but feel a little flattered by her compliment. Ryou sat there for a few moments in silence before speaking up again. "I wonder if it might be better for us both in the long run if we stay quiet about this. Rumors spread throughout Hikarizaka pretty quickly. The last thing I would want is for you to be the subject of any rumors going through the hallways."
"And what about you, Ryou? Aren't you worried that you'll be part of the rumors, too?"
"If worst comes to worst, onee-chan could dispel it...through force."
"I suppose that's one good thing about having an older sister who's...violent."
"Onee-chan will really hurt you if you said that in front of her."
"Yeah, no kidding." I couldn't help but find Ryou's words amusing, obvious as it was. "But I still feel that people will whisper about us regardless if Kyou bullies everyone into silence."
"Most likely." Ryou closed her eyes momentarily before turning to face me, with a smile. "But no matter what people may say about you, I'll always love you, Tomoya-kun, no matter what."
"Thank you, Ryou. In that case, let's keep quiet…. about us, until the time is right then. I'd feel guilty if we kept our relationship a secret forever from everyone. It wouldn't be fair for you. I'm sure you'd want to be able to say that you have a boyfriend, right?"
Ryou nodded her head, a blush visible on her face. "We're each other's first, right? You've never had a girlfriend before? Not even a secret crush."
"Nope, can't say that I have. And you? No boyfriend before? You gotta have a crush on someone at some point though, right?"
Ryou looked off into the distance with a gentle but melancholic smile. "To be honest with you, I've never really had any guy who I felt attracted to, until you came along, Tomoya-kun. I don't really know why, to be honest with you. I've always liked reading romance novels and manga, and always wondered what it felt like to fall in love, but I never really imagined myself actually being in a relationship in general."
"Really? Why's that?"
"I guess... if I had to put it into words, I felt like it was beyond my grasp this whole time, that there was no guy that I truly felt comfortable with being around."
"What makes me different from other guys? I don't think I'm anything special."
"There's just something… different about you, Tomoya-kun. It's hard to put into words what those differences are exactly though."
"Regardless as to how I may be different, I'm flattered by the compliment. Thanks, Ryou." She merely nodded and smiled at me, a faint trace of tears in her eyes. "Well then… I guess there's one last thing we need to do before we make things official."
"Huh? And what's that exactly?"
"I guess if you really want to go through with this crazy idea of mine, I'll fully commit to it, to this relationship... if you ask me out."
Ryou immediately turned away from me as her two hands were clasped over her mouth, her mind in absolute shock at the words that I had uttered to her. I could only imagine what was running through her mind then and there. She must had been wondering all of the possible ramifications of her asking me to be her boyfriend, and the potential fallout this could cause for all of us. Moments passed by in silence and I was starting to doubt that this was a good idea to begin with. But by the time I finally decided to say something, Ryou had already beaten me to the punch.
"Tomoya-kun..." She turned to look at me again directly. Despite the smile that she was wearing now, it couldn't hide the tears that she had been suppressing from earlier. Even so, she still managed to push on and asked me those words that I felt she had wanted to say for the longest time. "...will you please... go out with me?"
Despite the fact that Ryou Fujibayashi had always come across as a ridiculously shy girl, ever since the other day, she had been mustering some unknown source of courage from deep inside her. I wondered what finally gave her the push that she had always lacked until now. But regardless of the reason, I could tell she was trying her hardest, and that in itself was admirable to me.
All I could do... was reciprocate her smile back. "Yeah, I'll go out with you, Ryou."
Her eyes were wide, finding the thought of us becoming a couple inconceivable. "R-really? It's not a joke? You're being serious?"
I nodded my head resolutely. "Yes, I am. I guess starting today, we're officially… boyfriend and girlfriend. Hard to believe, huh?" It felt a little surreal, to say that I had a girlfriend now, and it was Ryou Fujibayashi of all people, too. It was a matter of time before we would see whether we were a compatible match as a couple or not, but I didn't dwell on that for too long, for I noticed those tears were beginning to stream down Ryou's face.
"I... I'm sorry... I... I can't help it… It's like a dream come true… I'm so happy... Thank you… Thank you..."
"I should be the one thanking you… and apologizing to you as well."
"Huh, why?"
"Even though we're in a relationship now, there's no guarantee that things will last forever, you know?"
"I'm… fully aware of that, Tomoya-kun. Even so, I…want to cherish this time that I have with you now. It's funny. I never thought that I would ever become your girlfriend. I knew onee-chan had her eye on you. I knew she was in love with you, just like I was. But even though I knew, I still... ended up asking you out. I asked her to help me so that I could get closer to you. She seemed a little surprised at first, but then a big smile spread across her face. 'Just leave it to me,' she said. That's what she told me. Of course, I knew how she'd react, and I knew I wasn't being fair to her. It was an awful thing to do, to go along with her, but I still did it because… I wanted to be with you. I know… that I'm being really selfish, but I can't help it." She turned to me, a pleading sadness on her face as she struggled through her tears. "If you want, I… I can try to be more like my sister if you like. I know I'm kinda shy, but I can learn to be more outgoing if you give me some time. I'll grow out my hair, since I know you like girls with longer hair. I know that I'm not the best cook, but I'm practicing with onee-chan's help. I'll…I'll be anything you want! Just please-"
"No. That's terrible. I would never ask for that!" Shock overcame her face as I just now realized just how slightly loud my voice had become in that instance. I took a small breath before continuing on, making sure to keep the volume of my voice in check. "All I want… is for you to be yourself. You're Ryou Fujibayashi. You're your own person. I know that you can never be what your older sister is… but I don't want you to, either. You're fine just the way you are. I wouldn't want you to change any of it for the world. So just… please, stay as you are."
"Do you… do you really mean that?"
"Yes, I do. You and Kyou are complete opposites. You're both different, in your own… unique way." I hesitated a little bit at the end of the statement, wondering if I had phrased that properly. I must've had a weird expression on my face right then and there since Ryou was quietly giggling under her breath. "You've been a little more bold being around me since yesterday, right?"
"A little, perhaps. I think you have that kind of effect on people, Tomoya-kun."
"You really think so?"
"Nagisa-chan would agree with me. So would Kotomi-chan, too."
"They might. They just might. Your hair, I think you should just leave it the way it is. Long hair is a personal preference of mine, no offense. But, it isn't a deal breaker, either. I think your short hair suits you just fine, Ryou."
"Thank you, Tomoya-kun. I certainly wouldn't mind growing my hair out… if it made you happy."
"I'm happy just the way you are. I think I would probably find you with long hair a little jarring at first. I might get used to it after a while, but I think you look much cuter with your shorter hair." My compliment sent her into a silent frenzy as her face was blushing once more.
"…Tomoya-kun?"
"Yes, Ryou?"
"Is it… all right… if we… k-kissed?" I felt a sudden rise of heat on my entire face the moment Ryou finished her question. I slowly turned my head around all in directions to observe my surroundings. For the most part, the park was empty, give or take a few kids off on the other side of the pond. I turned back towards Ryou, who had a confused look on her face.
"Well, since we're pretty much alone, I guess… it'll be… all right… if we kissed."
"A-a-are you sure?" I silently nodded my head, a gentle smile adorning my face to reassure her that I was okay with her request. I scooted my body closer to Ryou by a few inches as she did the same as well. Her right hand reached out for me as my left hand subconsciously grabbed it, our fingers lacing together. My right hand slowly cupped Ryou's left cheek, my thumb gently caressing it. Her right hand reached around towards the back of my neck, her fingers running through my hair, pushing my head closer to hers until our foreheads were touching. We were staring each other in the eyes once again. I could feel the warm breath emanating from her mouth. My cheeks were flushed. Her cheeks were flushed. I couldn't help but quietly chuckle at how embarrassed the both of us were. Ryou closed her eyes as a small laugh escaped from her lips. We didn't know what we were doing exactly. The two of us did kiss yesterday, but that was unintentional. It just…kinda happened. Now that Ryou and I now found ourselves in a situation where we wanted to kiss each other, we…were simply at a loss. The two of us were alone, sitting under a bench, underneath a tree, on a brisk Sunday afternoon, with our foreheads pressed against one another, quietly laughing to ourselves all the while. We were alone together in our awkwardness.
"Thanks, Ryou… for helping me." My eyes were slowly closing to greet the darkness.
"You're welcome… Tomoya-kun. We're friends after all... as well as boyfriend and girlfriend." With each spoken word, her voice faded into a mere whisper. My head titled slightly towards the right… as our lips touched. I felt the tip her tongue trying to pry my lips apart in order to get inside my mouth. I was surprised that the timid Ryou Fujibayashi could be this bold. My mind was slowly drowning in the euphoria of the kiss. I wanted to enjoy this fleeting moment while it lasted. My lips slightly opened to allow her tongue inside my mouth. The kiss lasted for about a minute until the both of us had to part from each other for air. We were quietly grasping for oxygen, clearly new to the experience of kissing.
"Have… have you… done this before?" Curiosity got the better of me, so I felt compelled to ask.
"Um… well…" She broke eye contact with me as her eyes were now facing her lap where her two hands were now resting. Judging from her reaction and the fact that she was hesitant in answering my question, I would assume that she has kissed someone before. But then, that raised an even bigger question: who has she kissed anyway?
"If it's troubling you this much, then you don't have to tell me, okay? I can just use my imagination."
"Thank you... for being so considerate for me, Tomoya-kun. But… I want to tell you. I… I trust you. It wouldn't be right to keep a secret from you."
"Thanks, Ryou." She smiled at me, nodding her head.
"You have to promise… not to tell anyone else, please?"
"Yeah, I'll keep my mouth shut."
"Okay… well…" After a period of long silence, Ryou finally continued on. "…onee-chan."
"What about Kyou?"
"…I've… kissed onee-chan… before." I was at a loss. Did I hear her words correctly?
"Wait, repeat that for me again."
"…I've kissed onee-chan before." Wait… what?
"When you say kiss…do you mean… on the lips?"
"Yes… I've kissed her…on the lips."
At this point, Ryou couldn't even look in my general direction anymore. Upon hearing those words a second time, my face immediately turned red, as perverted thoughts began swirling around in my head. Ryou must've noticed it and began panicking. "N-n-n-n-n-no, it's not what you think, Tomoya-kun!"
"Is it safe to assume that there's more to this than what you've told me so far?" She simply nodded her head, too embarrassed to meet my gaze.
"Well, you already know that onee-chan has been helping me get closer to you these past few days now. O-one of the things that she's done for me… is to help me with kissing. I've… never really kissed anyone before, at least, not on the lips anyway. I would… sometimes practice with her. It's usually onee-chan's idea to do it; I just usually agree to go with it since I didn't want to hurt her feelings… and I figured, if onee-chan is willing to go this far to help me, it would be very rude of me to reject her help... and I needed the practice too, just in case... the day came where I finally would kiss someone."
"Ah, I see, that explains everything then. Kyou… really loves you, huh?" Ryou looked at me with a shocked expression. "N-n-n-no, what I meant was… she really loves you... as a sibling would, not in a romantic sense!" Ryou's face calmed down once more as she gently smiled.
"Onee-chan… has been looking out for me my entire life. I… depend upon her…for so many things. I'm very grateful to have an older sister like her. I love her… so very much."
"Kyou's lucky… to have a younger sister like you who thinks so highly of her. I wish I could understand the bond that siblings share. I'm just an only child." It was at that moment that I noticed that Ryou's mouth opened, but no sound came out. It looked like she wanted to ask me something, but decided against it at the last second.
"Tomoya-kun, do you want to eat lunch now?" I had the feeling that she wanted to ask something else entirely, but I chose to remain quiet. I was starting to get a little hungry, so my mind immediately found her question ideal.
"Yeah, sounds good to me."
Ryou silently nodded in agreement at my statement. "Um, I know you're still full and all from this morning… but…do you want to share the bento that I brought along with us?" Ryou grabbed a bento box from out of tote bag that she was carrying.
"I'll eat some of the rice. You can have everything else. I'm… still full from earlier."
"Hehe, okay." Ryou opened the bento box. She handed me a pair of chopsticks while she grabbed a pair of her own.
We clasped our hands together in thanks for the food that we were now eating. "Thanks for the food."
Ryou placed the bento onto the wooden bench as the two of us began to eat. I was still full from earlier, so I just settled for the rice. Ryou's chopsticks were heading towards the fried eggs.
"Your sister made this, right?"
"Yes, I tried to make it, but… it didn't turn out so well, I'm afraid. Onee-chan insisted that we use the bento that she made for us instead. You know… to make sure that our 'date' didn't end up a disaster."
"Yeah, I can understand her reasoning, but you know… you should have more confidence in your cooking."
"I'll keep that in mind… Thank you."
As we continued eating in peace, Ryou randomly decided to bring up a question.
"Tomoya-kun?"
"Yes, Ryou?"
"Will this plan… really work?"
"To be honest with you… I really don't know, but one thing that I do know for certain… is that I can't expect things to resolve by itself. I feel like… I have to do something… or else, it'll just get worse from here on out. It's not fair to Nagisa, to Kyou, to Kotomi, or Tomoyo."
"Hmm, does this mean that I'll be spending more time with you?"
"Yes, we are dating now, so it'd only make sense."
"I have an idea. Maybe we can keep this going up until the school festival comes around. Assuming that Sakagami-san is able to win the election and Nagisa-chan manages to reestablish the Drama Club, that would give us a few weeks to see if anything happens between now and then. If…nothing happens by the time the school festival comes, then…I think the two of us should break up. That might be the final push everyone needs in order to confess their feelings to you."
"That… might work. It just might, but there's no way to know for sure."
"Yes, the future… is certainly unpredictable. What happens when everyone else has admitted their feelings for you?"
"That's... what I'm trying to figure out right now. We're dating now so it wouldn't be right of me to break up with you just to be with any one of them. You were the first one to ask me to be your boyfriend. I wouldn't just abandon you like that."
I could feel Ryou's arms wrapping around my body as her head rested on my shoulder. "I don't want to lose you, Tomoya-kun."
"You won't, not that easily. Hopefully, I don't get strapped to a chair by the time this is all said and done. I guess we'll figure out when we'll go public with our relationship in due time."
As we gazed around the park, admiring the silence and beauty around us, a quiet yawn involuntarily escaped from my mouth.
"Are you tired, Tomoya-kun?"
"Yeah, I'm not used to waking up this early on a Sunday morning."
"Well, if you want… you could lean on my body. I'm not sure if a person's shoulder is the best place to take a nap, though."
"Nah, don't worry about that. You sure you don't mind?"
"I'm sure."
"Okay then, guess I'll take you up on your offer then."
I found myself leaning towards the left half of Ryou's body, my right cheek firmly pressing against her head.
"Are you really sure about this?" My eyelids were starting to droop as darkness was slowly overtaking my vision.
"Yes, I'm sure… Tomoya-kun."
"Heh, thanks, Ryou."
As my eyes accustomed itself to the darkness, my other senses took over as I tried to focus on falling asleep. My ears could hear the swaying of the leaves above me. My skin could feel the light silent breeze gently caressing against me. My nose…my sense of smell is the weakest of my five senses, but…my nose couldn't help but noticed…the scent of Ryou's hair. It was very subtle, but I know it smelled of a certain kind of citrus, lime or lemon perhaps? Either way, the smell was pleasing to my nostrils as it gradually coaxed me back into slumber once more.
Next day I had off to myself, I needed to catch up on some sleep.
Footnotes:
[1] – The old gentleman aka Kotomi's legal guardian/godfather, as far as I can tell, was never given a name to begin with. So, I decided to give him one for convenience's sake: Aoyama, named after his Japanese voice actor, Yutaka Aoyama.
[2] – A reference to "Me From Before", a short story from Official Another Story Clannad: On the Hill that Light Watches Over (Official Another Story Clannad 光見守る坂道で)
Well, that's the end of chapter 5. If you actually made it to the end of this chapter, then I salute you for being able to put up with my story for this long. If it's not asking too much, any kind of feedback, be it pointing out spelling/grammar mistakes, suggestions, or just your thoughts and feelings on this chapter, anything would be great. All I ask is that you remain civil and keep things constructive. That's all. ^_^'
Remember to check my profile page every day to see how much progress I have made on the next chapter. It will go up the moment that number hits 100%.
And don't worry, I'm never going to drop this story, so long as there is continued interest from readers for my fanfic. For personal reasons, I want to see this story through to the very end, even if it takes a long time to get there...