Just Different
Li Chun x Tanaka Reina
A/N: Reina meets someone by chance as she walks the streets of Shinjuku.
=**=**=**=
A certain kitten walked at the wide lengths of Shinjuku wearing a simple rock fashion and a facemask as an attempt to conceal her face. Today was a precious day off and she had decided to go out of the house on her way to meeting the 9th and 10th gen children, since Sayu said she was gonna meet someone.
“That someone is most probably Eri anyway.” Reina sighed to herself as she walked, hands in her furry jacket’s pockets. “Well… babysitting the kids while doing karaoke shouldn’t be too bad.”
She continued walking the streets and passed by various stores and shops. She laid her eyes on a cute little panda stuffed toy holding a banana. She smiled to herself. “I think I know someone like that…” She let out a short giggle. Beside the little panda was a bit larger stuffed toy of an orange patterned kitten that looked like Garfield. Except it had small eyes and a large head and large paw, which made it, resemble a lot like Reina. She thought she’d buy it later before going home, then she turned around to leave when someone passed by her.
“How much is this?” The female with tall Asian blonde hair asked. Reina stopped on her tracks.
“That’s the last stock now miss! Only 800Yen!” The store clerk said.
Reina’s ears perked as she instinctively turned around to face the cute stuffed toy again. Did she want to buy it?
“Wa—“
“I’ll take it!” The female said and immediately fished for her wallet. “Eh?”
“Eh?” Reina said as she looked up at the female.
“I can’t find my wallet…”
“Junjun…?” Reina spoke; she immediately covered her mouth before her face gets too expressive of joy of seeing the panda she had just remembered.
“Tanaka-san?” The tall female returned the call as she looked at the short female beside her.
Reina wanted to cry. Of course she doesn’t want Junjun to see that’s why she kept her eyes on the ground. She’s here… Reina thought. She doesn’t remember when the last time she had seen the older woman was. She is here and Reina’s happy. But of course she won’t let her know.
“Did you become smaller?” Junjun asked with an innocent expression on her face. Forever that clueless expression.
“OF COURSE NOT! YOU JUST GREW TALLER YOU—“ Reina looked up at the taller female her right fist up in the air mid-way to hitting the girl. She was smiling at her. Reina realized she had just totally fallen for her trap. “I thought I told you I don’t want to see you again…”
“But you saw me.” Junjun answered and grinned.
“I—“ Reina blushed as she looked down on the ground again, pressing her balled fist lightly at Junjun’s arm. “I’m happy…” She murmured.
Junjun definitely heard, but she wasn’t letting up. “Eh? What did you say, Tanaka-san?”
Reina moved her fist back to plant it back again, “I won’t fall for that agai—“ She looked up to look at the female again only to be engulfed in a warm hug by the tall female.
“I’m happy too, Tanaka-san.” Junjun whispered onto her hair. Reina abruptly returned the hug and clutched onto the Chinese girl’s shirt.
“Baka…” Reina whispered as she hugged Junjun tighter.
“Tanaka-san, are you crying?” Junjun asked as she attempted to pull away from the hug but the kitten girl held her back.
“S- Stupid!! O- Of course not!” She shouted at Junjun’s chest who just laughed lightly. “What are yo—“
Before she could ask the panda what she’s doing in Japan a soft buzz emanated from her bag and their newest song one. two. three. started playing.
“Oh crap!” Reina immediately parted from Junjun’s hug and answered the phone. “H- Hello?” She silently cursed herself for stuttering.
“Reina?” Gaki’s voice echoed into the phone.
“Gaki-san?” Reina looked at the ground as she tried drying her tears with her hands when a handkerchief was offered to her. She blushed and took it and dried her tears.
“Ikuta called, she said she doesn’t have your number. You guys were supposed to go to Karaoke today? At 9.” Gaki explained. Reina’s eyebrow furrowed as the phone got filled with another voice which she knew is from a certain Takahashi but she briefly ignored it. She looked at her wrist watch and noticed it was already 9:25.
“Uh… yeah.” Reina answered quietly as she scratched her cheek. “I… uh… got caught up into something… tell Ikuta I’ll be there before ten.” She answered. She nodded a few times and then closed her phone. She sighed.
“Looks like our reunion isn’t going to last quite long.” Reina smiled wryly at the panda and sniffed. “How do I look?”
“Perfect.” Junjun answered. It was a fixed question. Reina would ask and Junjun would always remember the answer. It’s as if they hadn’t been apart from each other for a year and a half.
They stared at each other for a moment and smiled. Reina was about to walk past Junjun…
“Umm… Tanaka-san…” Junjun said. “I… kind of left my wallet at home…” She scratched her head.
“Eh?” Reina looked at her.
“Can I, uhh… borrow some money? I’ll return it tomorrow!” Junjun said as she clasped both of her hands in front of her into an “onegai” position.
Reina laughed. “You don’t have to pay me back.”
Junjun looked stubborn. “I’ll pay.”
“Okay, okay whatever ya want.” Reina said and chuckled. She lent the panda money and parted ways.
“Uh…” The store clerk scratched his as he looked at the empty space in front of him. “What just happened?”
“Oniichan! How much is the kawaii Neko-san!” A little girl asked as she tugged at her mom’s hand.
“The Neko-san is 800yen, jouchan.” The store clerk answered and smiled. “I’ll give it at 600yen for you.” He smiled at the little girl who looked at her parents.
“Ii ne?” The other spoke with a smile.
“Yeah. Thank you very much.” The one holding onto the little girl’s hand said and bowed.
“Take care of that Neko-san, alright?” The other spoke again as the little girl nodded enthusiastically.
“We should really have a child,”
“Ai-chan!”
=**=**=**=**=**=
“Tanaka-san seems a bit different today, doesn’t she?” Suzuki Kanon whispered to the girl beside her, Fukumura Mizuki as they watched their normally fierce looking tsukkomi and senpai sing to a very girly song. Fukuchan nodded and whispered the words to the person beside her until it got passed around.
The day continued on with the young members wondering as Reina kept on singing girly songs and she kept on chatting openly with all of them.
When the afternoon came, they went out of the karaoke place and walked out to find somewhere to eat dinner at.
“Excuse me; do you know the directions to this place?” A slightly low voice spoke from behind Reina who was talking to her juniors. Reina immediately turned around to look only to face white, as she looked up to find a familiar brunette standing before her.
“A foreigner!” Erina shouted as she looked at the person asking directions.
“Jun…jun...?” Reina looked up at the female as a familiar feeling of tears went over her. She immediately looked down to wipe her tears. She then held up a hand to push one of the other female’s shoulders away, “That’s my house, baka…”
“Junjun…” Fuku-chan whispered as she pondered for a moment. “Ah. Junjun-senpai!?” The kitten and the panda immediately shhh’d the surprised kouhai as the others wore the same surprised expression.
“Nice to meet you, Junjun-senpai!” Sato Masaki was first to step up and introduce herself as the others followed in pursuit.
“But I’m not part of the m-line nor am I part of UFA anymore.” Junjun explained as she held up both her hands in front of her.
“As long as you have been a part of Morning Musume, you would always stay as our senpai!” The youngest Kudou Haruka exclaimed as she jumped up and down in front of the taller lady who only patted her head.
“Okay, alright then.” Junjun answered with a smile and looked at Reina. “Hey.”
“You do have a knack for finding me, don’t you?” Reina told Jun with a smile, her fangs showing as they got crowded around by the children. Junjun just shrugged and smiled at the shorter girl.
=**=**=
“How did we end up in my house again?” Reina asked as she placed an index finger on her temple another hand on her waist, as if trying to fish out the answer to her own question.
“Because Jun-senpai came to meet you to find your house so we headed there.” Iikubo Haruna answered and tilted her head to one side.
“Well, I get that much but… why are you guys with me again?” Reina asked as she scratched her head, with Jun standing beside her doing nothing but look at the wide varieties of children in the short female’s small abode’s living room.
“Because it’s six in the evening and Tanaka-san said she’d treat us to dinner?” Ishida Ayumi answered with a question as realization came upon Reina’s face.
“I’ll cook for you guy then.” Junjun suddenly spoke, Reina turned to look up at her. “If Tanaka-san doesn’t mind of course.”
“I told you, Reina is fine.” The kitten grumbled as the panda grinned. She could feel her cheeks heating just by standing beside the female, and she didn’t know what was more embarrassing. That she blushes as Jun stands beside her, or the fact that she blushes as Jun stands beside her right in front of her juniors.
“Okay then, Reina.” Junjun answered her tone a bit more confident. “Did you change your house’s layout, or is everything’s the same.”
Reina could feel her heartbeat right under her ears as she nodded that the house is the same it was three years ago. “I- I’ll help!” She answered as she walked behind Junjun. “Shit, I stuttered.”
The children remained quiet as the adults talked, eyeing the two of them with their mouths open. They then both disappeared into the kitchen, when Reina’s head popped out again. “You better behave yourselves as we cook alright? You may touch everything but don’t break them okay?”
An enthusiastic “Haaaaii~!” was the reply as Reina nodded with a “yosh.” And went back into the kitchen.
“Umm… I…actually…” Reina grumbled as Jun suddenly fished out a plastic of groceries from under the counter. “OI, WHERE’D YOU GET THAT?!”
“The landlord allowed me to borrow a spare key when I asked for it.” Jun answered with a smiled and proceeded on taking putting out the contents of the bag. “The keyword was, ‘I’ll help her eat healthier,’ then the Obaasan immediately let me in.”
“Mou, that obaasan…” Reina rubbed her hands together as she looked at the ground shyly.
The children peered inside from the half-opened door to the kitchen.
“I’ve never seen Tanaka-san so shy and reserved… and girly before.” Sayashi Riho said as the rest nodded in agreement.
“They almost emit the same aura as Takahashi-san and Niigaki-san when they’re together.” Fukumura Mizuki mentioned as everyone nodded in agreement again.
“Look! A stuffed panda!” Erina’s voice emerged from behind them as they all smiled wryly towards their resident KY.
Some of the kids continued on watching the two cook as the rest started playing with the row of displays of stuffed toys in Reina’s living room. In a few minutes, Junjun finished cooking the ‘Chinese Style Dumplings’ that she always cooked when she was still a Musume.
The night passed by as the two accompanied the kids to their homes since it was past 8 in the evening already, good thing almost everyone are near the vicinity.
Around nine in the evening, there was only the two, Reina and Junjun left, as they stood in front of the Tanaka residence.
It was silent, but it wasn’t awkward. It was some sort of a comfortable silence that they always had.
“Umm… how long are you staying in Japan?” Reina asked discreetly as she looked at the door to her house.
“As long as you want me to stay.” Jun answered smoothly before receiving a soft smack on her arm.
“Don’t joke with me, I know ya here for a job, a’ight?” Reina answered with her signature Hakata-ben as Junjun laughed.
“I’m actually here with Linlin. I’m sure she’s off disrupting Niigaki-san and Takahashi-san’s house or something.” Junjun answered. “We’ll be here for a month; I have some things to take care of here. I actually have the month as a leave so… I’m not really busy.”
“So…”
“I can see you every day.” Jun answered with a smile.
Reina’s face immediately lit up as she looked at the female. Immediately, the kitten jumped into the panda’s arms, wrapping her arms around the taller female’s neck as she planted a kiss on Jun’s cheek.
“Arigatou, Junjun.” Reina said as Jun put a hand over the cheek the kitten had just kissed.
“Anytime, Reina.” Jun answered, Reina immediately blushed.
The younger female immediately ran inside her house in embarrassment and closed the door behind her.
Jun just stood in place her mouth wide open.
Seems like it was still the same old TsundeReina at work.
(Just Different/END)