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Author Topic: The Solitude of Ambiguous States - CH.4 (17/05/16) NatsuMado, Sakura, Jurina  (Read 13936 times)

Offline junrena

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Re: [HKT48] The Solitude of Ambiguous States - CHAPTER TWO (02/05/2016)
« Reply #20 on: May 03, 2016, 04:40:04 AM »
I hope natsumado ,,, :deco:

Offline ryo_heartkreuz

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Re: [HKT48] The Solitude of Ambiguous States - CHAPTER TWO (02/05/2016)
« Reply #21 on: May 03, 2016, 05:50:08 AM »
eh? jurina.. (゚O゚)
didn't expected it tho lol
but now it makes sense,
having to mention ’nagoya’ at the start of the chapters

and now I'm thinking on how it is related to madoka  :cathappy:

Listen to HKT's 10th single



♡ AmaAki is the 4th gen's Natsumado! ♡ though i secretly ship Amane with Nappi

✩ HKT48 - 4th Gen ✩ Unjo Hirona (Nappi) → ponkotsu but diligent, crybaby, funny (always does wierd faces backstage esp. with her fellow gen), can play piano, can cook, good at ski (she's from hokkaido), likes sweet things, is (little) weird, is a little tsundere, is a bit S, has a crush on Team T2's vice capt. Hokazono Hazuki, Team T2 capt. Yamashita Emiri's fave among the 4th gen, has a weird and 'flirty' relationship with 4th gen Tsukiashi Amane as told by (Team T2) Yamauchi Yuna, 4th gen's Sarcastic Center Jitoue Nene has a crush on her, Everyone's girlfriend, allegedly gets wild at night, is cute, is Super CuTE! ♡♡

HKT hako oshi Team H Akiyoshi Yuka (ゆかちゃん Yukachan) Ui Mashiro (ましろ Mashiro) Ueno Haruka (はるたん Harutan) Kojina Yui (じーな Jiina) Kodama Haruka (はるっぴ Haruppi) Komada Hiroka (ぴーちゃん Piichan) Sakaguchi Riko (りこぴ Rikopi) Sashihara Rino (さっしー Sasshi) Tashima Meru (める Meru) Tanaka Natsumi (なつみかん Natsumikan) Tanaka Miku (みくりん Mikurin) Matsuoka Natsumi (なつ Natsu) Yabuki Nako (なこ Nako) Yamada Marina (まりり Mariri) Yamamoto Mao (まお Mao) Team K4 Imada Mina (みな Mina) Iwahana Shino (しの Shino) Ueki Nao (なお Nao) Kumazawa Serina (せりーぬ Seriinu) Shimono Yuki (しなもん Shinamon) Tanaka Yuka (ゆうたん Yuutan) Tomiyoshi Asuka (あすか Asuka) Tomonaga Mio (みお Mio) Fukagawa Maiko (まいこむ、まいこ Maikomu) Fuchigami Mai (まいちゃん Maichan) Miyawaki Sakura (さくら Sakura) Murashige Anna (あーにゃ Aanya) Motomura Aoi (あおい Aoi) Moriyasu Madoka (まどか Madoka) Team T2 Aramaki Misaki (みるん Mirun) Imamura Maria (まーさん Maasan) Kurihara Sae (さえちゃん Saechan) Sakamoto Erena (えれたん Eretan) Hokazono Hazuki (はづき Hazuki) Matsuoka Hana (はなちゃん Hanachan) Murakawa Vivian (びびあん Bibian / Vivian) Yamauchi Yuna (ゆうな Yuuna) Yamashita Emiri (エミリー Emiri) KKS Unjo Hirona - 4th Generation (なっぴ Nappi) Jitoe Nene - 4th Generation (ねねちゃん Nenechan) Oda Ayaka - 4th Generation (おだちゃん Odachan) Sakai Moeka - 4th Generation (おいもちゃん Oimochan) Shimizu Rio - 4th Generation (りおちゃん Riochan) Takeda Tomoka - 4th Generation (もかちゃん Mokachan) Tsukiashi Amane - 4th Generation (あまちゃん Amachan) Toyonaga Aki - 4th Generation (あき Aki) Matsumoto Hinata - 4th Generation (ひなたん Hinatan) Miyazaki Sono - 4th Generation (そのちん Sonochin)
 

Electrochemistry [NatsuMado] (oneshot)
`Is it really one sided love?` [MerUme/UMeru] (oneshot)
[MerUme/UMeru] Love is when you realize it (oneshot)
Fall for me, will you? 「ChiNatsu/ChiHaru」 (genderbend)
--collab fics with yurin23mayuki:
Daily Life of MaYuki Family [ (HKT) Natsu x Madoka x Chihiro x Aoi x Jiina]
You and Me... and the Red thread ~ [Mayuki, Kojiyuu, Saeyaka, Wmatsui, Atsumina]

Offline gekikarabuACE

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Re: [HKT48] The Solitude of Ambiguous States - CHAPTER TWO (02/05/2016)
« Reply #22 on: May 07, 2016, 04:11:53 AM »
What?! Another update?!  Yeah, that's because I'm taking a break sometime in June. I might not be able to post a chapter until mid July. Though I'm trying to see if I can write a few chapters in advance and then just post them during that time. :nervous

And if you're wondering why these four characters... It's because I've always been fascinated by Natsu and Sakura's interactions from since way back into the old Hyakkaten episodes. I feel like they're someone who has an understatedly close relationship, like you don't really see it but feel it in their little interactions. Or at the very least, have the utmost respect for each other. Not to mention, I love all their concert duets.  :P And as for Madoka and Jurina... well, Jurina did mention about wanting to bring her back home to Nagoya once, so...  :yep:

Anyway, on to the next chapter.



CHAPTER THREE


“Ojiichan?”

“Yes, Madoka-chan?”

Who is she?”

Madoka continued to gaze outside window, her little fingers tapping absently on the glass while she watched the strange little girl through the sheer curtains.

“I caught her watching me practice the piano a few times, but she always runs away before I can talk to her.”

“Ah, gomen ne, Madoka-chan. This old man completely forgot to tell you.” Heavy, accented footsteps echoed throughout the dining room, and soon she felt a warm body sidle up next to her. Madoka looked up to see the old family butler. He took a quick peek through the window and showed her a kind smile.

“That’s my granddaughter, Natsumi-chan. I’m talking care of her now.”

“Is she alright? Is that why she won’t talk to me?” she curiously inquired, her attention caught on on the white cloth binding the girl’s right arm.

Don’t worry, Madoka-chan. She’ll be alright. Little Natsumi-chan is just really shy around people,” the old man assured with another smile. He gave her a small pat on the head before walking back to the table he was setting up.

“I’m sure she’ll talk to you soon enough.”

“Mou, then please tell her to hurry up, ojiichan.” Pressing her nose on the window, Madoka continued to observe the other girl as she absently wandered around the flower garden outside.

“I can’t wait to finally have a friend.”



******



“Today we have a new transfer student….”

The baritone voice of the homeroom teacher droned in the background, allowing Jurina’s attention to wander around the classroom. Although the old teacher in front was discussing something else, she could feel all eyes looking at her. Most students of class 3-B were looking on with curiosity, a number of them were looking at her admiringly, and someone… just looked surprised.

“… and since this is actually her first time in Fukuoka, I trust that you will all welcome her warmly and help her adjust to her new environment.”

Before she could process it further, the thin, balding man began wrapping up his long-winded introduction, breaking Jurina from her thoughts.

The teacher turned his attention to Jurina and motioned for her to come closer.

“Alright, then, Matsui-kun, please introduce yourself to the rest of class.”

Following his cue, Jurina walked over to the center of the room and drew herself to her full height. Everyone watched her intently. Taking a deep breath, she flashed them her most disarming smile and greeted, “Everyone, good morning! My name is Matsui Jurina. I actually came all the way from Nagoya. I know I transferred here suddenly, but I hope to get along with everyone. Yoroshiku onegashimasu!”

She finished her short introduction with a big bow. As expected, her greeting was received with much enthusiasm from the class. Replies of cheerful ‘yoroshiku onegaishimasu!’ bounced across the four walls of the room.

“Okay, let’s see… Ah, you can have that empty seat next to Moriyasu-kun right there,” the teacher finally declared after peering over his glasses to survey the room for a few seconds. He pointed to a seat at the back near the window, and nodded encouragingly at Jurina. “Moriyasu-kun, if you could please raise your hand.”

With a small nod of gratitude, Jurina made her way to where a slim, dainty hand had gracefully raised up into the air. She smiled and bowed cordially along the way, amidst the murmurs of awe and excitement coming from some of her classmates.

The hand, she pleasantly found out, belonged to a delicate-looking girl with long, dark locks that perfectly framed her elegant features.

“Thank you.”

“Not a problem, Matsui-san.” The beautiful girl smiled as Jurina settled into the seat beside her.

The teacher proceeded with the morning lessons as soon as the students had calmed down. And despite the lulling, monotonous voice of their teacher, Jurina was determined to make a good first impression and concentrated on the day’s lesson.

Which was something she was currently finding hard to do, because she could see it from the corner of her eyes and feel it at the back of her neck – someone was definitely staring.

She turned her head.

That person had looked away before she could meet her gaze.



*****



Madoka could only watch as Natsu shoot out of her seat soon as the school bell rang.

Despite Natsu’s downplay of yesterday’s event and the subsequent injury, she had really been a bit worried about the girl. At least enough to wake up earlier than usual in another attempt to talk further. But once again that proved to be a difficult task as she had soon discovered that the girl had also left earlier than usual.

Something which, Madoka reckoned, has always been the problem: Natsu was always a little too early, and Madoka was always a little too late. She often wondered if she would ever get the timing right.   

She let out a sigh. It seemed that it would have to wait until tonight. But then again, that in itself was still questionable, given the way Natsu had slowly grown more aloof and reticent as years went by.
   
The high-pitched voice of her friend broke her out of her reverie, redirecting her attention to the person who was sitting on her other side.

“Welcome to our school, Matsui-san!”

She noticed Chiichan and Haruppi approaching the transfer student, followed closely by Rikopi who had somehow appeared inside their classroom. By this time, most of their classmates had gone out to eat at the cafeteria or someplace else, except for a handful who had decided to take out their own bento and eat inside the classroom in peace.

“Hello, I’m sorry we didn’t get to introduce ourselves to you this morning. I’m Anai Chihiro, president of the student council.” Chiichan greeted their new classmate with a warm smile. She then signaled to the girl who was almost bouncing excitedly by her side. “And this girl right here is Kodama Haruka, she’s also in the council.”

“Nice to meet you~!” The short-haired girl cheerfully exclaimed. “Please call me Haruppi.”

“Nice to meet you, Haruppi-san.” Jurina returned the girl’s infectious greeting with a smile of her own.

Chiichan continued, “She’s in charge of public relations.”

“Yup, because she’s suitably friendly and chatty,” Rikopi suddenly piped up from behind, astutely bobbing her head a few times. Her nose then crinkled slightly. “Even though she bites her tongue often times.”

“Mou! Stop insulting me, Rikopi~!” Haruppi complained with a pout. Her frustration, however, was proven ineffective as it only earned her an indifferent look and a noncommittal shrug from the taller girl. 

“What do you mean? I said you were friendly.”

“That’s Sakaguchi Riko, from 3-A.” The student council president went on with the introductions without missing a beat. “She’s the treasurer.”

“The adult one in this council,” the tall girl stated matter-of-factly, much to Jurina’s visible amusement. She shuffled over and casually leaned against the adjacent seat. “Probably the only one, too. You can call me Rikopi.”

“Oh, of course we also have Madoka-chan here who’s working as the council’s vice-president.” Chiichan finally gestured towards Madoka, prompting Jurina to turn around and face her.

She smiled. “Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.”

“Nice to meet you.” Jurina’s eyes twinkled. There was something vaguely familiar about the way Jurina was grinning at her. “Please, call me Jurina.”

“We have one more member, Kojina Yui, also from 3-A. I sent her a message to meet us here for lunch, but I guess she’s still busy,” frowning slightly, Chiichan fished for cellphone. She tapped away on the keys and double-checked the message she had sent the girl.

“Busy checking herself in the mirror, you mean. She probably went to the washroom first.” Rikopi pointed out like it was the most obvious thing. “We were supposed to come over together but she disappeared before I could drag her here.”

“Jurina-san, if you have questions, feel free to ask any of us, okay?”Haruppi said. “We’ll all be happy to help you!”

“That reminds me, have you familiarized yourself with the campus yet? School grounds tend to be quite huge and confusing here Fukuoka, so it’s easy for someone new to get lost.”

“About that, I actually got a bit lost this morning,” rubbing the back of her neck, Jurina admitted with a sheepish grin. “Luckily, I came across another student who showed me the way.”

“Oh, then how about we tour you around the campus later this afternoon. I could –”

“Madoka-chan will do it!” the short-haired girl quickly interjected, eyes growing wide and head nodding vigorously.

Rikopi’s eyebrow shot up while Chiichan just looked thoroughly confused. “Eh, eh? Why are you suddenly volunteering Madoka-chan to do it?”

Meanwhile, Madoka stifled a giggle. She could clearly see the gears turning inside the girl’s head. Unlike Chiichan who seemed to have forgotten, she distinctly remembered about the plans Haruppi had concocted the day before – specifically, the one that didn’t include anyone but Chiichan and Haruppi.

Like a fish out of water, Haruppi opened and closed her mouth a few times before finding her voice.

“Well, she’s the only one free. Rikopi can’t do it because she has English club activities, Jiina also can’t because of her Kyudo activities, and you and I can’t because… we’re supposed to be finishing… some project… later,” the girl finished lamely. 

Rikopi rolled her eyes. “That’s just playing dirty, Haruppi.”

“No, it’s not!” Haruppi adamantly insisted, the slightest hint of blush lacing her cheeks. “In any case, I don’t think Madoka-chan would really mind. Would you?”

She shot Madoka her most hopeful gaze, eyes batting a hundred times a minute. Madoka considered teasing the girl for second and refuse, but one look into those sparkling, puppy-dog eyes and she relented.

“I can show you around later, Jurina-san.” She let out a soft chuckle. “I don’t mind.”

“But don’t you have school club activities as well, Madoka-san? I don’t want to impose.” Jurina looked almost apologetic.

“It’s okay. I usually spend the rest of lunch time in the music club room to practice, anyway.”

“It’s settled!” Haruppi clapped her hands with a triumphant grin, startling the few, unsuspecting souls who have remained inside the room. She looped one arm around Chiichan’s own, merrily oblivious to Chiichan’s bewilderment, Madoka’s amusement, and Rikopi’s disbelief. “Then how about it, Jurina-san? Join us for lunch?”



*****



Her hurried strides slowed down to a deliberate saunter once she had put a good distance between her and their classroom.

Both hands in her coat pockets, Natsu let her feet lead her to her destination, largely ignoring the occasional peals of childish laughter and mindless chatters of the other students that littered the halls. Any other day and she would’ve made a beeline towards the school cafeteria, maybe unwittingly scare off some kouhai who so much as glance her way.

But not today.

Today she wasn’t really in the mood, and that much was evident in her face.

The energetic buzz of the students turned into nothing more than muted noise as she reached the far end of the now desolate corridor, beyond the corner of which lay a set of dusty stairs. The steady staccato of her footsteps reverberated in the stale air.

The metal door protested loudly under her hands before finally giving way.

Natsu squinted her eyes, momentarily blinded by the sudden assault of light. She blinked a few times, and once she had cleared her sight, skipped down the couple of steps. The heat of the afternoon sun was offset by the cool breeze blowing on her skin.

She made a quick march towards the side of the rooftop access where an old, worn out bench rested under the shade casted by the access door. The wooden seat gave out a small squeak under her sudden weight. Placing both hands under her head, Natsu lied down and stretched herself out.

The next fifteen or so minutes were spent in silence as she languidly watched the azure sky. However, it wasn’t long before she heard the grate of the metal door yet again.

The bench whined slightly under the additional weight.

“Here again? Don’t you have any friends to eat lunch with?” Natsu questioned, not bothering to see who it was.

There was a brief pause, then came a short reply, “I don’t.”

An awkward silence settled thereafter, the weight of the girl’s words hanging in the air. It was a couple of minutes later when Natsu spoke once more, “Ne, Sakura… Aren’t you scared of me? Haven’t you heard their stories? It’s mostly true, you know.”

The question was thrown with no hints of malice, but instead just pure curiosity.

“No matter what the others say, senpai can’t be that bad.” Sakura chewed thoughtfully on her answer. “I should know. After all, senpai has helped me quite a few times.”

“Something’s definitely not right in your head." Natsu almost snorted.

“But it’s true, right? That’s why sometimes I wonder… don’t you hate it? Being made out into something you’re not?”

This time, it was Natsu who seemed to consider her answer. “It doesn’t really matter.”

From somewhere with an open window, she could hear the faint stirrings of a familiar tune blend playfully with the wind. With one last look at the clear blue skies, Natsu draped one arm over her face, and gently closed her eyes.

“I don’t care what everyone thinks, as long as that person believes in me….”



*****



“Sorry to keep you waiting, Madoka-san!”

Madoka turned from the school bulletin board she was skimming to find Jurina screeching to a halt beside her, slightly out of breath.

“Teramoto-sensei wanted to talk a few things over. I couldn’t exactly get out of it.”

“It’s okay, I haven’t been waiting here long.” Madoka smiled in reassurance. “Maeda-sensei wanted to give me something to practice at home. I had to get it from her after class. Shall we go?”

Jurina nodded. Madoka adjusted the bag she carried on her shoulder and led her away from spacious genkan she had been waiting at and deeper into halls of the building.

“You play the piano?” the other girl queried, referring to the sheets of music Madoka had waved around just moments before. “Eh. I won’t ask if you’re good because you obviously are, judging by how you even spend your lunch breaks to practice.”

Madoka responded with a question of her own. “Is there anything you’re good at, Jurina-san?”

“Sports, mostly,” Jurina readily answered, never breaking their leisurely strides.

“Ah, but of course you are.”

“Hey!” The other girl exclaimed in mock protest, narrowing her eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Well, you seem like exactly the type: cool looks, charming personality… see, you already even have the fangirls that come with the territory.” With a small chuckle, Madoka nodded towards the passing students who greeted the two of them with barely restrained giggles and bashful smiles. Briefly catching herself, she then shot Jurina an apologetic look. “I’m sorry; I’m being too blunt, aren’t I?”

“Not at all. My friends in Nagoya speak like that all the time.” Jurina’s Cheshire cat smile turned mischievous. “Minus the pretty face like yours, though.”

Exactly the type, indeed,” Madoka muttered under her breath and shook her head good-naturedly. The amount of confidence of the other girl was certainly not lacking. “Can I ask why you transferred, then?”

“My father is setting up a business here in Fukuoka. He wanted to personally oversee the preparations, but couldn’t leave me back home by myself for so long,” the girl lightly explained without preamble. “So he just brought me here as well.”

Madoka didn’t dare to broach the topic further after that, knowing full well how it might be a sensitive matter for the other girl, despite the light tone and the small smile Jurina had. It was, after all, something Madoka found in common with her.

So instead she focused back on the task at hand and proceeded to lead Jurina throughout the campus, pointing out important spots and shortcuts.

“Arts and crafts club rooms are on the second floor, which you can get to by using the set of stairs beyond that corridor. Student council room is also on that floor.

“If you take a left through there, you’ll find the short way towards the cafeteria.

“Administrative offices are mostly on the first floor. The school clinic is just on the other side of the wing.

“And that corridor leads to the other building, which is the library,” Madoka directed, lingering at the other end of an extensive hallway. They had been walking around for almost half an hour, and she was sure she had showed Jurina every place she needed know. “That leaves us with nothing but the sports complex outside.”

“Alright!”

“You sound a lot more enthusiastic now than how you were twenty minutes ago. That tour must have really bored you.” The tone was light and teasing.

Jurina chuckled. “Well, it’s just that I prefer playing around under the sunlight. That’s all.”

Madoka held up a hand over her eyes as they stepped out into the school grounds, the glare of the afternoon sun momentarily blinding her. She guided Jurina further towards the vast compound of open fields and small buildings. Dirt and gravel crunched under their feet as they walked through the beaten path leading to each spot.

“See that building? That’s the softball club room. The field is just beyond that. Shiraishi-san is this year’s captain, if you’re interested to join.

“The tennis courts are over there. Then that building adjacent to that the swimming pools.

“At the far end, you can reach the Kyudo. Jiina’s the co-captain of the team. She’s actually quite good at what she does, despite what the others say.”

“That’s the track club lockers up,” she gestured to the small, white building a few meters ahead. Their pace had slowed down considerably as they reached the track field. Briefly, Madoka let her gaze wander towards the group of students doing stretches at the far end of field, only not to find the face she was looking for.

Just then, the door to the locker room burst wide open. Madoka stopped dead in her tracks.

“Um, that’s the captain of the track team, Umemoto Izumi.”     

“Oi, oi! Matsuoka! Are you going to skip training again?!” A short, irate-looking girl in track shorts loudly called out to Natsu who has emerged from the building and, Madoka realized, was now marching straight towards their direction.

“I have things to do today, Chiizu.”

“You always have something to do,” the captain huffed. She continued to stand by the doorway, hands on her hips and looking very much annoyed. Natsu, however, just waved a hand and stayed on track without turning to look back. “When will you have time for training? Competitions are coming up soon, you know!”

“And, well that’s…” Before Madoka can say or do anything further, Jurina had planted herself right into the path of the other girl, effectively blocking her off. Whether it was deliberate or not on Jurina’s part, Madoka wasn’t so sure. What she was sure, though, was the way she saw Natsu’s lips thinned ever so slightly.

Not to mention the way Natsu’s cold gaze quickly flicked towards her before settling on the other girl.

“Hello. You’re in the same class with us, right?” Jurina’s greeting was cordial enough, but that did little to tamp down the apprehension Madoka was currently feeling. “My name is Matsui Jurina. I’m the transfer student.”

There was a silent plea in Madoka’s eyes. For a few nerve-wracking seconds, Natsu wordlessly stared at Jurina, looking highly unimpressed.

“Matsuoka Natsumi,” Natsu finally acknowledged the girl after what seemed like eternity.

“You look somewhat familiar. Have we meet before?”

“No,” she answered shortly, and offered nothing more.

“I see…. My mind must be playing tricks on me again.” Madoka slowly released the breath she didn’t know she was holding. So caught was she with the veiled tension that she failed to notice the strange glint in Jurina’s eyes. “It happens often, don’t worry. You see, I had an accident when I was kid and lost some of my memories. Sometimes I confuse myself with people and places.”

The seemingly casual revelation took Madoka by surprise. Natsu, however, remained silent.

“Anyway, you seem to be busy, so we won’t hold you any further,” stepping aside, Jurina gestured lightly at the open path. The corner of her lips tugged into a smile.

“See you in class, Natsumi-san.”       




REPLIES:
yurin23mayuki - Madoka is a secret dere  :heart:
Yuki88 - yes, Jurina because... well, why not?? hahaha
kuro_808 - i think she's the type who finds everything troublesome but still helps out at the same  :lol:
junrena - it is... kinda, lol!
ryo_heartkreuz - i really thought no one would realize that! it will all make sense in due time... i hope. :nervous

Offline kuro808

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That last part seems interesting that the two might know each other although I wonder the circumstances behind that
Random Thought:

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R.I.P. Jab!  Dad/friend

Offline yurin23mayuki

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I wonder if Natsu and Jurina is somewhat related to each other?  :? :?
Or is Natsu related to the accident that causes Jurina's amnesia?

And oh! I felt the same way regarding Sakura and Natsu :P
and also sakura placing Natsu as her no.1 in her wanna-be-girlfriend list  :D
that is something!  :heart: :heart:

Offline Yuki88

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Poor no-friend Sakura haahha. Also over-possessive Haruppi and oblivious Chihiro XD;

Jurina's character here is interesting. That part when she casually mentioned her amnesia condition haha.
Anai Chihiro is my one and only.


"Are we nothing more than the captain and her vice captain?"

My random OS Idea Center || Hakata Legend (HKT48 drabble fics) || Virgin Love (A TomoYuki Fluff) -hiatus?-

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Offline gekikarabuACE

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||CHAPTER FOUR||


“This is the third time Moriyasu-senpai has skipped her lunch time practice this week, hasn’t she?” Sakura mused out loud, chopsticks absently fiddling inside her almost-empty bento.

“I wonder if there’s something wrong.”

Her presence had been unobtrusive enough for the older girl to tolerate her frequent appearances at the rooftop. And she had somewhat gotten used to spending her lunch time in silence, listening to the melodious sound of piano playing in the distance. It was a routine that fit perfectly with their reclusive nature.

But now this silence – this lack of music – had been jarring, to say the least.

“Stop getting worked up over useless things.”

Beside her, Natsu had not moved a muscle since Sakura had sat down almost fifteen minutes ago, choosing to lie lazily on the old wooden bench while Sakura quietly ate her lunch. The onigiri she had brought her had also remained mostly untouched.

The older girl wouldn’t say a thing about this particular kind of silence, but her dour mood said just as much.

“Perhaps she’s just busy.”

Oh, is she?” Sakura put aside the lunch box and reached for the unopened juice can that she had found waiting for her when she arrived. The drink had expectedly turned almost warm from sitting under the scorching, cloudless sky.

“…I don’t know. Why are you even asking me?”

“But… aren’t the two of you friends?” The atmosphere visibly stilled, and at once Sakura knew there must have been some truth to the question that inevitably escaped her lips.

“I see her watching whenever I cover your competitions,” Sakura carefully considered her next words. “I was also there when you had that fight with Matsumoto-senpai last week. Moriyasu-senpai often looks worried about you, you know.”

A thoughtful passed on her face.

“At first I thought she’s just her usual self, being too kind to a troublemaker like you –”

“Oi, Miyawaki!!!”

“– but then I realized… you’re here every day to listen to her play. To silently support each other like that... Even though you two don’t interact much, you’re probably friends, right?”

Friendless as she may have been, Sakura firmly believed she always knew better than what most people would give her credit for. After all, actions still speak louder than words. And the actions she captured with the lenses of her camera had never lied before.

“Or did I get that wrong?” She anchored one hand and leaned forward, turning her head as if to take a good look at the older girl. There was another, unasked question left hanging in the air, but Sakura figured she’d leave it for another day.

“Whatever. That’s nobody’s business.” With a small grunt, Natsu pulled herself up.

Sakura watched her disappear through the metal door without another word. Gazing at the unopened drink she firmly held in her other hand, she sighed.

“Thanks for the juice, senpai.”



*****



She distractedly wandered through the halls of the school building.

Break time wasn’t over for another ten minutes, but Natsu found herself skipping lunch and heading back to class earlier than usual. She had considered taking the food Sakura had offered her, only to reject the idea in the end. Today she just had no appetite.

Sakura’s questions certainly didn’t help her dampened mood either, no matter how innocent it may have been.

She hadn’t even made it far when she heard a mellifluous tinkle of laughter. It stopped her in her tracks. Natsu could recognize it anywhere – it was something that she heard even in her sleep. She could also recognize the other voice it came with.

Against her better judgement, Natsu peered down the nearby open window. True enough, what she saw was two very familiar figure, talking and laughing animatedly as they stroll along the school grounds right below.

“Thanks for sharing your bento, Madoka-chan.” Jurina stopped and flashed the other girl her distinct cat-smile. “And sorry for not believing you earlier. I didn’t really think Meru-chan could really wipe out the cafeteria food that fast.”

“Now you know better than to arrive late during lunch time.” Madoka chuckled. Her cheeks were absolutely glowing under the heat of the midday sun, Natsu thought.

“Mou, I was only twenty minutes late. And it wasn’t my fault. Jiina-san asked for my help.” came Jurina’s weak protestations. “By the way, the food was delicious. Did you make it yourself?”

“No…. Someone did.”

“Your maid, then. I imagine an ojou-sama like you will have a personal attendant ready to fulfill all your needs.”

Natsu finally tore her gaze from the two. She turned around and leaned back on windowed wall, her face breaking into a small, wry smile despite herself.

“I’m sorry I can’t come with you to that dessert shop later.” She could almost see the apologetic look on Madoka’s face just by hearing the tone of her voice. “The council is having a meeting later to discuss the upcoming sports meet, then after that I still have piano practice with Maeda-sensei.”

“It’s okay. We can always come next time. My surprise can still wait. But I guess this means I’ll have to amuse myself later by actually doing errands for my father.”

Natsu walked away without a second glance back.



*****


“I’m in real trouble now,” Sakura mumbled to herself as she glanced at her phone for the umpteenth time. She hadn’t expected the school paper’s weekly meeting to last as long as it did, and now here she was, on her way to her appointment, in serious danger of being late.   

The sun was starting to turn ochre. More and more people were starting head home. She quickened her pace some more, generously doling out ‘excuse me’ and ‘I’m sorry’ to whoever had the unfortunate luck of coming across her way.

Sakura turned sharply into the next corner, vaguely remembering a shorter way through the side streets leading to her destination. Along the way she passed by small business establishments: from a laundry shop to a snack store, a couple of izakayas, a ramen shop, and – 

“Natsumi-senpai…?” She almost tripped on her foot in surprise. Once, twice, thrice, Sakura blinked at the person who looked just as surprised as her. No doubt, the figure standing in that small alleyway, dressed in an all-black uniform, was none other than the older girl she was talking to just few hours ago.

“This isn’t stalking… is it?”

Natsu was clearly not amused. She dumped the tightly wrapped garbage bag into the bin and wiped her hands on the apron tied to her waist, not once taking her eyes off her.

“Isn’t that supposed to be my line?”

“Sorry. I just didn’t expect to see you. That’s all,” Sakura hastily amended, shaking her head. She adjusted the straps of her bag sheepishly, taking the older girl’s appearance. Black shirt, black pants, hair tied neatly underneath a black cap and with a flushed face – it was not a look Sakura had expected to see.

“What are you even doing, wandering around here?” Natsu questioned, wiping the trickle of sweat on her face on the sleeves of her shirt. She cocked an eyebrow, and crossed her arms across her chest.

“Oh, that. I was on my way to that dessert shop near the station, for a part-time job. I need to replace the lens on my camera, and I didn’t want to ask my parents for money.” Sakura noticed the logo on the older girl’s cap. It was the same one she saw on the fairly busy ramen shop she had passed by not a minute before.

And it was just then wen something else clicked. Sakura’s eyes went wide as saucers. “But that might not actually happen as I’m running late. See you later, senpai!”

Not waiting for answer, Sakura scampered away, leaving the older girl behind.

It took her a few good minutes of running before she saw the telltale signage of the shop she was headed to. With the last ounce of strength, Sakura sprinted towards the brightly-lit place that stood at the corner of the street. She could hear the heavy hum of trains coming and going from the station nearby.

“Good afternoon! My name is Miyawaki Sakura. I’m here for the part-time job. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!”

Sakura bowed down low as soon as she reached the shop, not a second to spare. To her mild surprise, the shop was mostly empty, and there was only a girl standing behind the counter.

“You’re Sakura-chan? My name is Motomura Aoi,” the girl introduced herself with a bright smile and returned her bow. With her pink uniform and short stature, she looked even younger, but Sakura guessed the girl was about the same age as her. “But you can call me Aoitan like everyone does.”

“H-hai.”

“Take a moment to catch your breath, Sakura-chan.” Aoi giggled, offering Sakura the glass of water she had just poured. She leaned on the countertop and propped her head on one elbow. “Looks like manager-san is running a little late. She doesn’t come often but she said she will be here, so I guess that means we’ll just have to wait.”

“Thanks.” Hesitantly, Sakura slid into a seat by the counter, accepting the drink with a grateful smile. She let her gaze wander around the store. The display cabinet was neatly lined up with slices of intricately decorated cakes and cupcakes. At the far end of the counter was a fridge filled with tubs and tubs of ice cream of different flavors. The whole place looked fairly new.

“Um, and the others?” she questioned, puzzled by the seeming lack of employees.

“Shinoda-san is stocking the walk-in freezer at the back. Just the three of us today. Weekdays are kind of slow days, but it does pick up on the weekends. Even manager-san picks up the slack. Anyway, here, if you’re done with that I can show you around.” Aoi took the empty glass with a smile, but before she could put it away, her eyes drifted towards the shop’s entrance. “On second thought, here comes the manager.”

The glass door jingled opened. As quickly as possible, Sakura slid down her seat and turned around to bow low, going along with the cheerful greeting Aoi had called to welcome the manager.

Slowly she lifted her head, gaze trailing up the pristine figure of the manager in her silver heels, crimson skirt, immaculately white blouse... and stared at a pair of equally surprised eyes.

“Eh?? Matsui-senpai?”



*****


“It’s not even raining, Maachan. And I’m sleepy.”

Madoka watched the other girl deftly maneuver her way around despite the darkness that shrouded the entire room. She had sent another message not more than five minutes ago, requesting the other girl to come over. And just like clockwork, Natsu quietly made an appearance, never mind her weak protests.

“Yet, here you are,” she lightly teased, idly fiddling with the sheets. Grasping the edge of her thick blanket, Madoka tugged the cover off her body and patted the empty space to her left. “Just get in the bed.”

“You know I’d do anything for you,” Natsu continued to grumble, but slid in beside her nevertheless.

“I know.” The answer was automatic to a statement that was often thrown around between them. But even then, Madoka had lately found herself counting on such a response just to spend some time with the girl.

She waited for Natsu to settle in. The other girl pulled the covers over their bodies then proceeded to lie down on her side. Madoka’s eyebrows crinkled slightly into a frown. She inched closer to Natsu and prodded her arm lightly. “Mou, why do you always face away from me? Come on, just turn over. How are we supposed to talk if you’re like that?”

“I told you, I’m sleepy.” Natsu finally relented upon Madoka’s incessant prodding and turned, their faces ending up mere inches away from each other. They were close enough for Madoka to smell the girl’s warm vanilla scent wafting in the air.

“Fine, you can keep your eyes closed like you always do. But I’m still going to talk to you. And if you fall asleep on me, I’m going to pinch you.”

Her empty threat went largely ignored. Eyes still tightly shut, Natsu instead muttered, “See, this is why Sasshi keeps on saying we’re always just playing around.”

“That’s just nonsense.” Madoka shivered lightly as felt Natsu’s warm breath tickle her face. “We are not playing around. This…” she earnestly went on, waving a hand between them, “this is Madoka and Natsu’s quality time, okay?”

“If you say so….”

“I know so. Anyway, you can always sleep in class in the morning, like you often do,” she quietly retorted, already resigned to having this kind of conversation – with Natsu shunning any form of eye contact between them. “You have to bear with this because I don’t often get to see you anymore. You’re always running around somewhere. I mean, where do you even go? What do you do?”

“Places. Things,” came Natsu’s cryptic answer, not once opening her eyes.

“If that’s how you want to play.”

Natsu’s nose crinkled at the two, soft fingers that pinched it. Giggling, Madoka released it from her grasp and let her fingers absently roam all over the other girl’s face.

“You know you’re only putting me to sleep, right?”

“Hmm.” Her tone was dismissive. Taking the chance, Madoka continued to wordlessly observe her friend and trace the pads of her fingers ever so lightly against her cool skin.

A curtain of rich, raven locks cascaded down the girl’s face, the faint light from the moon outside casting her features in an ethereal frame. Seeing her like this – a peaceful, almost Elysian figure – it was hard to imagine that this was the same person who stubbornly maintained an unpleasant reputation at school.

She brushed away the stray hair and tucked it behind the girl’s ear, eyes drifting towards a particular spot on the girl’s face.

“I hope this doesn’t leave a mark,” Madoka murmured. Her touch lingered on Natsu’s cheek. The wound had almost completely healed by now, leaving nothing more than a pink, thin line in its wake. “I’d hate to see a scar mar this beautiful face….”

Madoka’s eyes slightly widened at the warm hand that suddenly covered hers.

“Not all wounds leave visible scars, Maachan,” Natsu faintly reminded, giving the hand that was ghosting on her face a lingering squeeze before releasing it.

“I suppose so.” A blanket of comfortable silence soon covered the room. From her eyes, to her nose, down to her thin lips, Madoka continued to trace Natsu’s face, fingers skimming around like it was playing some Beethovian masterpiece.

Her ministrations went on as she go about describing her day, from the important things that happened to the most mundane.

“You should just ask Teramoto-sensei to install a full-length mirror inside the council room,” Natsu flippantly suggested after Madoka recounted an incident involving Haruppi, Jiina, and the mysterious case of the missing mirror that occurred earlier that day. “That way, you will always know where to find her.”

“Not that Teramoto-sensei will actually agree to that, but I don’t think Haruppi will be happy if that really happens.” Madoka absently tapped on Natsu’s nose. “Conversely, Jiina will just probably be too distracted by her own reflection and ignore us altogether.”

“Hmm… The possibility of that happening is quite high, actually.”

“She’s one of those people who is too pretty for her own good,” she added with a nod.

“Good thing you aren’t much of a narcissist like her, then.”

Taken aback, Madoka pondered on Natsu’s statement for a moment, her hand frozen in midair. A pair of suspicious eyes narrowed into thin slits. “I feel like there’s an insult there somewhere. You’re not making fun of me, are you?”

“…I’m not.”

“Then what does that mean, exactly?”

“Just as I said.”

The meaning behind Natsu’s words was completely lost on her. Lips pursed, Madoka lightly pulled on Natsu’s cheek in mock retaliation before completely giving up. It was no use pressing on the subject any further, as she had discovered long ago. The other girl could be stubborn and ambiguous when she wanted to be.

The room once again fell into comfortable silence.

“Ne, Natsu… what do you think of Jurina?” she asked, changing the subject a few minutes after. 

Natsu hummed without saying a word.

Madoka figured it was as much of a response she was going to get, given the two’s less than ideal first meeting almost a week ago. Not that the few interactions they have had since then had been stellar, either. Natsu seemed to have somewhat developed a great aversion to the transfer student, although she wasn’t completely sure if it was because Jurina had a playful habit of getting into the other girl’s business.

Nonetheless, she continued to carefully approach the topic that had been weighing on her mind as of late. “We’ve been talking a lot these past few days. I think she’s nice.”

“You’re too easily charmed.” If Natsu wasn’t half-asleep, Madoka was quite sure that the other girl would be rolling her eyes by now. The corners of her lips tugged at the thought.

“Everyone keeps on saying how cool she looks, but when I talk to her, it’s somewhat different. She’s more laidback and silly than what I imagined.”

There was a deliberate pause.

“Do you like her?”

“She’s nice,” Madoka thoughtfully repeated once more. Her gaze distantly wandered, fingers absently hovering on Natsu’s face as she carefully put more thoughts into her next words. “She’s actually funny with all her puns, failed delivery or not. And her smile reminds me of someone. I just can’t figure out who….”

The other girl remained silent, prompting Madoka to turn her attention back to her friend. “Natsu? Did you fall asleep on me?” No further response came. Contrary to her earlier threat, she instead traced the dark bags under the girl’s eyes and, with a sigh, whispered to herself, “You must be really tired. Sorry for trying to keep you awake.

“Good night, Natsu,” Madoka breathed before closing her own eyes.

She completely missed Natsu tightening her grip on the sheets.



*****



Madoka sat on sat in front of the piano, hand tightly clutching a small, rectangular piece of equipment. She had prepared a lot for today, even going as far as asking her unsuspecting piano instructor as well as Goto-san for help days before.

At the corner of her eyes, she saw a tuft of dark hair peeking from the window, quickly disappearing from view as soon as she turned to look.

She smiled to herself, counting to ten before she pressed the tiny button of the remote she had been holding. Almost immediately, a recording of her playing resounded throughout the room.

Madoka got out of her seat as noiselessly as possible, and left the small remote on top of the piano, letting the recorded music continue to play in the background. Checking the window one last time, she exited the room and dashed straight for the garden.

Expectedly, she found her sitting idly underneath the huge, oak tree, still listening to the faint melody coming from the music room. With lithe steps she approached her, carefully sidestepping the old leaves and branches that littered ground. When she was close enough, Madoka leapt in front of her and smiled.

“Found you, Natsumi-chan!”

The moon-eyed girl almost jumped back in alarm, arms automatically raising to her chest. For a second, Madoka’s surprise appearance seemed to stun her into silence. But before Madoka can say anything else, the little girl stood up and bolted towards the other direction.

Her triumphant grin quickly turned into a disappointed frown. “Hey, wait a minute!”

With an indignant huff, Madoka pumped her short legs as quickly as possible, hurrying after the other girl who was fleeing deeper into the garden.

“S-stop running!” she called out, and willed herself to run faster. So desperate was she on trying to prevent their distance from growing any further that she didn’t notice the small tree root protruding from the ground. Next thing she knew, there was a feeling of momentary weightlessness, then –

“Ita~i!”

Madoka tumbled down with a small yelp.

With both hands planted firmly on the ground, she pushed herself into a sitting position and stared at her smarting knee. Droplets of blood begin to form where she had scraped her skin. Wet, hot tears started to cloud her vision. She sniffed a few times, trying to blink away her tears from falling, but ended up crying quietly in earnest just the same.

“Don’t cry.”

Madoka hadn’t even noticed that the other girl had stopped running and was now standing a few feet beside her. She glanced up to see the other girl peering over her with a doleful look in her eyes.

“It’s alright.” Natsumi stopped in front of her and crouched down to her level. She blew a few gentle breaths on Madoka’s scraped knee, then took out a piece of pristine handkerchief from her pockets. Timidly, Madoka watched the girl tend carefully to her knee, positively mesmerized by the tender expression on Natsumi’s face as the girl gingerly wrapped the cloth around the bleeding wound. 

“You’re alright, Madoka-chan,” she repeated as she gently tied the final knot on her makeshift bandage. Looking up at her tear-stained face, Natsumi smiled sadly and brushed away the falling tears on Madoka’s cheeks. “So don’t cry anymore, okay?”

“You know my name?” Madoka hiccupped in between her tears.

The girl nodded slowly. “Un, ojiichan has told me about you.”

“Then why do you always run?! I only want to be friends with you.” Madoka’s frown only deepened. “Do you hate me that much?”

“Gomen ne, I wasn’t expecting you would… I didn’t think it was allowed... I never really had a friend before,” Natsumi stammered out an answer, looking panic-stricken as fresh tears threatened to fall from Madoka’s eyes once more. She tugged nervously on her ear a couple of times and lower her gaze to the ground. “Moriyasu-sama might not want that.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Madoka sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands. “Otousan and okaasan leave me home alone most of the time. You can be my friend.”

“If… you say so,” the other girl conceded after a while. Standing up, Natsumi gazed into the distance and noticed the skies beginning to turn a deeper shade of blue and amber. “But we should go back or we’ll really get into trouble. Ojiichan and Goto-san might be looking for us.”

Madoka mutely nodded and tried to stand up, only to stop, however, as soon as she extended her wounded leg. A pained hiss escaped her lips. Noticing her obvious discomfort, Natsumi crouched in front of her again.

“Here, get on. I’ll carry you back to your house.” She patted her own back encouragingly. “Go on. I promise I won’t let you fall.”

Carefully, Madoka stepped closer and got on Natsumi’s back, wrapping her arms around the girl’s body. She rested her chin on Natsumi’s shoulder as the girl secured both her arms underneath Madoka’s legs. The two girls went through their journey in silence, punctuated only by the crunch of the fallen dried leaves under Natsumi’s feet, and the intermittent hiccups coming from the injured girl.

Soon enough, the occasional sniffles had somehow turned into quiet giggles.

Natsumi tilted her head slightly in confusion.

“Eh? Just a while ago you were crying. Now you’re laughing? Are you sure you didn’t hit your head when you fall?”

Shaking her head, Madoka buried her face deeper into the crook of Natsumi’s neck and let out another muffled laughter, realization completely dawning on her. “You were going to run away again but I finally caught you.”

“You didn’t catch me. I came back,” Natsumi corrected, amused.

“But you only came back because I
made you come back.” Her arms tightened around the other girl. Despite getting hurt in the process, Madoka was sure that this plan was nothing but a success.

She could not hide her triumphant smile even if she wanted to.

“I definitely caught you.”




A/N:
Sorry I can't do replies right now; I'm in a bit of a rush. Didn't even have the time to edit this properly, so sorry for all the mistakes. I do appreciate all the comments and the thank-yous you left. This is the last of my expository chapter, I hope. It's been pretty boring until know. Hopefully it picks up on the succeeding chapters. As to when that will come out... it's another matter. I'll try to squeeze out another one by next week. After that, it's going to be irregular for a couple of weeks. I'll be quite busy by time so I'm taking a break.

Anyways, thank you for reading! Comments/suggestions/critiques are much appreciated!  :twothumbs

Offline Yuki88

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I figure I'd do the comment later as i'm outside and my brain's frozen ;(

So hey, another update at last~!

Jurina occupying Madoka's time... And Sakura hitting the bull's eye of Natsu... Then NatsuMado's close relationship, makes me wonder what happened that caused them to have such distance when they're at school.
« Last Edit: May 17, 2016, 08:40:26 PM by Yuki88 »
Anai Chihiro is my one and only.


"Are we nothing more than the captain and her vice captain?"

My random OS Idea Center || Hakata Legend (HKT48 drabble fics) || Virgin Love (A TomoYuki Fluff) -hiatus?-

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Offline kuro808

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It is that small world that surrounds them.  They are in the middle Kent of swirling, waiting for the swift moment where it gets broken down. :nervous

Waiting forever he next chapter
Random Thought:

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R.I.P. Jab!  Dad/friend

Offline Keiyuu

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Heeeeyyyy! Sorry I haven't been replying, been a bit busy with school and when I have free time time I end up writing, drawing or some other thing  :sweatdrop:

But dang four chapters already! I'm loving this story and it's definitely not 'boring' because 'boring' wouldn't make me smile while I read or fangirl when there's fluffy moments XD

Ooh that Sakura tho, pretty perceptive isn't she? :lol: That was really well incorporated because I wouldn't have come up with the fact that Natsu goes to the roof to listen to Madoka's playing :P But that was just so cute I can't XD

Oh and I guess I didn't guess the transfer student correctly because I originally thought it'd be Sakura. But then Sakura showed up so it couldn't be her haha :P and then all of a sudden charming Jurina comes in and just dang I don't know what to say :lol:
Ugh but I can't wait to see what kind of past she has with Natsu and Madoka cuz ya obviously they have a past together judging from those few hints you dropped. I like how Jurina pointed out how she had an 'accident' which was a knowing jab at Natsu as far as I can tell XD

I LOVE how much faith Natsu has in Madoka tho! ' Madoka and Natsu's quality time' XD Even thought Maachan's a little clueless sometimes :lol: But I hope something doesn't happen where Natsu leaves her or something cuz that would kill me :cry: But hey if Jurina gets her a little jealous or something then that is perfectly fine XD

Hope Madoka 'catches' Natsu soon tho (again)! Really waitin for that!  XD

Well I can't really think of anything else at the moment but I hope I've said enough and properly conveyed how happy this story makes me and also how eagerly I'm waiting for updates  XD

Keep up the good work! :thumbsup

Offline eel_96

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Read natsumado fics for the first time and unexpected it's really cute  XD
Please make them spend time more often together
Wait for your update :D


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