Hanako/Hisao post-Yamaku (Updated 1/2/14)

[Shail]

I have to learn Japanese.. not going do well...

[Sea]

Hey, so I'm re-reading this for the 100th time trying to keep my mind off being sick and found a small typo

The time she'd joining the newspaper club.

It's 'joined' no? At the bottom of page 7, 4 paragraphs from the bottom.

I shall go grammar Nazi somewhere else now.

[Etokie]

I think it's rather a typo of the kind; She's. I haven't read that scene in a while though so don't take my word for it.

[pandaphil]

Wow, I hadn't realized it had been so long since my writing muse abandoned me. But, here I am with the next chapter if anyones still interested. This one takes place the following morning from the previous chapter, as we find Hisao on a train...


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"Attention. The next stop is Hamamatsu. All passengers whose destination is Hamamatsu, please remain in your seats and exit to the right when the train comes to a full stop. Hamamatsu Station, next stop."

The recorded voice on the intercom jolts me from my nap and I quickly pull myself upright in my seat, trying to hide a yawn. I hadn't even realized I was asleep. I glance around quickly, but no one in the crowded railcar seems to have even taken notice of me. Most are busy closing their laptops, putting away books or smartphones, folding newspapers, or otherwise getting their things together. I follow suit, marking my place in the book lying open on my knee.

I hadn't intended to snooze on the ninety-minute train ride but the droning rumble of the metal wheels on the track as it zoomed across the landscape, the monotonous view of fields out the window, burnt brown by the late summer sun, and nearly identical small towns seemed to lull me to sleep. Even the paperback on American serial killers I'd picked at the station before I boarded—which I thought would have kept me riveted—didn't help. Good thing I was only lightly napping and didn't miss my stop.

The train's definitely slowing now. I mark my page and rub my eyes as I watch the buildings and parking lots of downtown Hamamatsu slip by the window. Several tracks run alongside ours, where various lines converge toward the station. I jump as another train rushes past the window in a blur, seemingly inches away from my nose going in the opposite direction. It's gone in a moment, leaving me blinking, but at least more awake than I was.

I catch myself yawning. It's already ten AM; I shouldn't normally be this sleepy. Most days I'm just getting into work right about now. But today is a day off, and Hanako and I were up pretty late last night. After her reticence of the past few days, I was really caught off guard by her passionate response to my goodnight kiss after we'd gone to bed early. Having her actually initiate things was a very new and unexpected surprise. So, even though I had to be up early, I sure as hell wasn't going to just roll over and go to sleep.

Maybe she felt guilty for pushing me away the evening before. Maybe she was trying to drive away the lingering unhappiness that her birthday had brought about. Or hell, maybe it was a sign of her growing self-confidence. But as soon as I'd shut off my light, she was out of her nightgown and on top of me, her mouth against mine. Returning her kisses seemed to raise a passion inside her that swept away all traces the shy, self-effacing girl I was used to. She was gentle, and very quiet as always, but words weren't really been necessary. I was perfectly content with the weight of her body pressing down on me, and the growing passion building between us as she moved against me in the darkness. I loved feeling her tremble with excitement as I slid my hand along her left side. Even the rough, uneven texture of her scars beneath my fingers was exciting. And she no longer flinched self-comsciously like she used to when I touched them.
I remember quite clearly the pounding of my heart, now thankfully so much stronger, as she gently stroked me toward an explosive climax. Followed shortly by her own cries, muffled for fear of Lilly overhearing, as my fingers returned the favor. You'd think we'd have worn one another out, but instead, after getting cleaned up, we'd held each other, talking in hushed whispers about our thoughts and hopes. Lying in bed after lovemaking was one of the few times when she really seemed to be relaxed and willing to open up to me, to actually trust me. In a lot of ways, I enjoyed this even more than the physical pleasure, and it made me love her all that much more. Neither of us had fallen asleep until well after midnight.

When the alarm went off five hours later I'd had to rush to get ready. Stumbling out of bed, barely having time to catch a shower. A sleepy Hanako had gotten up long enough to make sure I took my meds before she collapsed back in bed.

Rushing out the door, I'd jogged to my bus and had just made it in time, gasping and out of breath as I stumbled on board. Staying up half the night hadn't been the smartest move. But in hindsight it was sure as hell worth it.

The sudden squeal of airbrakes as the train pulls into the station jerks me back to the present. Like the working people and early shoppers that share the car with me, I gather my things, which thankfully aren't much: my book, of course, and a light jacket against the early morning chill. It's still late summer, but you can already feel Autumn coming on. The fact that it's an overcast day doesn't help.

Others are getting out of their seats as all the right-hand doors open with a mechanical rumble. I keep my place for as long as I can to let the crowd thin.

As the last few passengers depart, I finally rise from my seat. Standing, I pull my old leather briefcase, holding the precious magazine clipping, down from the overhead rack. Daydreaming about what happened in the dark with Hanako last night has had the expected side effect, and I find I have to hold my briefcase awkwardly in front of me as I try to walk casually out onto the platform. Stupid hormones.

It's a busy, modern station. Shiny marble floors, concrete and brick walls. It's fairly packed with travelers even though rush hours nearly over. The crowd of workers from the surrounding shops and markets, summertime students (and a few who are probably blowing off classes for the day), salarymen, what look like vacationers, and even a handful of foreigners move steadily propelling me up a wide flight of stairs toward the huge exits. I pass wall-sized banks of orange digital displays showing train arrivals and departures, and wall sized advertising posters. From some unseen speaker, classical music wafts through the station, audible even above the shuffle of a hundred feet. Just outside the main gate, I'm able to break free of the stream of people and duck into the doorway of an emergency exit so I can check my directions on my phone.

According to the online map, my destination is out in the suburbs of the city. There isn't a subway line, so I'll be taking the #46 bus. I just need to find the stop.

It turns out to be easier than I expected. There's a crosswalk right outside the main station entrance, and a line of bus bays just across the street. Thankfully, they're departing in more frequent intervals than usual, due to the fact that they're still on a morning rush hour schedule.

I scan the line of shiny parked buses until my eye catches the one with a glowing green #46 sign. I don't waste any time and climb aboard, getting my ticket as I pass the bored-looking driver. Since there are only a handful of passengers going outbound from the city this time of day, I easily find a seat near the back where I have a clear view out the huge tinted window so I can keep an eye out for street signs.

The e-mail from the photographer, Mr. Yisagi, had come through yesterday afternoon. The timing couldn't have been more perfect, as today is my last day off before our anniversary on Wednesday. This is the only chance I'd have to get Hanako her present. After exchanging a few brief instant messages, he invited me to his home to talk business and arrange the purchase of the photo. I had to scramble to get a train ticket and find his address on Google Maps. It was a long trip by train, but that couldn't be helped. Nothing was going to make me miss this opportunity.

Hanako and Lilly had both seemed almost pleased when I mentioned that I'd be away most of the day, "tending to family business". I think they saw right through my lie, but didn't question me on it at all, which raised my suspicion that they had their own secret plans for the day, judging by their conspiratorial whispers on the walk home from dinner. Obviously I wasn't the only one making last minute preparations.

Well, fine. Let them keep their secrets too. It's all for a good cause after all, and it just adds to the anticipation.

There's a hiss of brakes, and bus pulls out into traffic, making good time through the downtown area, since thankfully traffic is light. It's almost 10:30 now. Within a few minutes the tall office blocks start to thin out as we go through an area of industrial complexes, then out into the suburbs, with streets lined with the usual stores and restaurants. It's all rather boring. Just the usual chain and franchise businesses that you see everywhere else in Japan. I look at my phone's map and compare street names. It's my first time in this city and I don't want to miss my stop. I promised to meet Mr. Yisagi at 11.

Time passes at a snail's pace as the landscape gradually gives way to grassy fields. There start to be more and more trees than buildings, interrupted occasionally by quiet streets lined with small houses. There's even a rice field, of all things. While we're not exactly in the country, this definitely isn't the bustle of the big city. Keeping alert for street names, I finally spot a familiar name and pull the signal. I pay my fare and get off.

It's a quiet, upper-class neighborhood. The families who live here obviously have money, but unlike the fairly modern street where Lilly lives, this seems to be a very old, settled neighborhood, lined with tall spreading trees. Old-style tiled rooftops peek from behind tan, concrete privacy walls. Each home has its own locked wooden or metal gate, and an intercom.

I walk casually along the sidewalk following the numbers impressed on small concrete or heavy metal signs outside each entrance. It seems to take forever, and I'm starting to feel a little overheated, to the point where I have to take off my jacket to keep myself from sweating.

Finally I find the address. Number 1274. Like the others, the view of the house is blocked from the street by a tall wall, with the tops of large bamboo plants peeking over the top, and a gate of worn brown wood. I peek inside and can make out the house through the shrubbery. It's a modest, very traditional Japanese dark brown wooden home with a grey tiled roof. From what I can see, it doesn't look like it's been maintained all that well, with untrimmed hedges, an overgrown gravel path, and a lawn in need of cutting.

I pull my eyes away from the interior and find the intercom beside the locked gate. Like everything about this place, it's an old fashioned design: a small metal grille and a square button underneath. A small tarnished nameplate reading "Yisagi Family" in Japanese is under the button. At least I know I'm at the right place, though I'm feeling more than a little shy about disturbing the quiet of this place. But, it has to be done. Overcoming my sudden shyness, I take a breath and, press the buzzer. The small button alights and I tense up as I wait for some response.

Nothing happens for at least a minute, and I'm about to press it again when there's a raspy click on the speaker that catches me by surprise.

"Yes? Who is it?" The male voice sounds very old, and a little irritated.

"Oh...umm...it's Hisao Nakai, sir. I apologize for disturbing you. I have an appointment?"

"Oh. Yes. You're very prompt, young man. Let yourself in and come up to the house."

"Thank you, sir."

Despite the heaviness of the gate, I discover it isn't locked. It actually swings open with just a push. It's obviously meant to give the appearance of privacy rather than offer any kind of security.

My footsteps crunch beneath me as I walk up the gravel walk and get my first good look at the place. As I thought, it looks a little run down and is obviously old. It's the sort of place that's probably been in the family for generations. The yard is overgrown with bamboo, azalea bushes, and small red maple trees, with the path leading up to a wide shaded porch. The building itself is made from stone, trimmed in dark, reddish-brown wood in an old-fashioned style. I could easily believe it's been here for a hundred years. All that's missing is a wooden bridge and a Koi pond. It's not really shabby, but there are signs that it hasn't been really well cared for, at least not anymore. The yard needs tending, and as I get closer, I can see the woodwork is quite faded, with the paint peeling badly in places. Some of the clay tiles from the roof have fallen and broken on the pathway and one gutter along the rooftop sags down. The signs of neglect seem rather sad. This is the sort of place that deserves to be taken care of. And It would only take a little work to bring back its previous splendor.

I bet Lilly and Hanako would love it here. They both love old things, even though the condition of the place would break their hearts.

I mount the steps onto the porch and am met at the dark wooden door by an older gentleman, dressed conservatively in a buttoned shirt, pants, and a dull brown sweater. He's balding, and his leathery face folds over lines traced by fine wrinkles around his mouth and eyes. His expression seems rather bland.

I bow respectfully, which seems to please him. "Thank you for seeing me."

He bows in return. "It's good to meet a young man who's so well mannered. Come in."

As I expected, there's a row of shoes in the entryway. It's obviously a traditional household. He watches me as I slip off my shoes and put on the pair of slippers left there for visitors, which seems to meet his approval. The interior is well furnished, but has that slightly musty smell of a place that hasn't been aired out in too long. Only a few small lamps light the interior. The old gentleman leads me down a carpeted hallway, lined with old wooden desks and tables holding books, old clay urns, and statues. Just the sort of decor you'd expect in a house like this. There's also quite a collection of framed photos. Small formal portraits, nature photos, animals...

He catches me looking. "A patron of the photographic arts Mr Nakai?"

"I don't really follow it. Though I used to know a painter in high school. These are really good though." I wonder if I could possibly sound more stilted and awkward.

"I've been taking photos since high school in 1970. My first paying job was for Toho studios, shooting publicity photos". He points out a faded photo of a man in a finned red helmet and leather jacket posing with a gaudy looking sword and flanked by a pair of bug-eyed rubber monsters.

"But I'm sure you're not here to hear about Samurai Rider V, are you?"

"No sir." I try to keep my expression as serious as I can. "It's about the magazine photo that I e-mailed you?"

"Hmmm, straight to business then." He scowls a little."You're a serious one, aren't you? Well, this way then."

He leads me into a small office. Like the rest of the house, it's full of shelves of books, all neat and organized with a small desk half-taken up by an old white CRT monitor. Taking a seat at the desk, he motions me towards one of the two chairs.

"You'll have to remind me which photo you mean, young man. I have my computer turned off."

I carefully open the briefcase I've laid in my lap, pulling the magazine clipping from the folder and passsing it across the desk to him.

He digs into a shirt pocket, producing a pair of spectacles which he balances on his nose, examining the clipping in detail.

"Well judging by the lighting, and reproduction, I believe this is from my Metro-Life days."

"Yes sir. I found it in an old copy. I hoped perhaps you might still have a print, or a negative that I might buy from you? It's very important."

"Is it now? Well, I haven't worked for them in eight, or nine years. But you're in luck. I learned a long time ago to always save my negatives, so assuming it hasn't deteriorated, I may still have it in my files. But, why so much interest in an old, forgotten photo? You should have all the pictures you need on that internet thing."

I'm not sure how to react to all this. He's certainly direct, that's for sure. I can't say I blame him for his suspicion. I'd probably want to know what I was up to if I were in his shoes. But how much should I really tell him?

I decide to go for it. What am I afraid of? Lying about it won't do any good. He's a little gruff, but doesn't seem like such a bad person. He might even be sympathetic.

"It's a present for a friend, sir." I briefly tell my story, doing my best to be discreet about Hanako's situation. I explain how I found the photo by chance, and much I think it would mean to her.

He clasps his hands in front of him, looking at me directly, his face unreadable. "And she couldn't be bothered to come on her own then?"

"She's very shy, sir. I don't think she'd be able to. And it's my one year anniversary gift." By now my heart's pounding nervously at having to explain myself in such detail. This is starting to feel more like an interview. "I'm sorry to be a bother. If you could help me, I'd be very grateful." I look at him hopefully, bowing my head respectfully. He seems to study me for briefly, then nods in return.

"That's quite a story. And this Hanako. When you say friend, I assume you mean girlfriend?"

I blush in spite of myself. "Ummm, yes sir."

Again he goes quiet, studying me to the point where I have to force myself not to turn away. Is this how Hanako feels when she talks to someone?

"You, young man, are very lucky that I'm just an old romantic idiot at heart," he says at last. The confession isn't what I expected to hear. "Normally I don't sell my work to individuals. But, I think your Hanako deserves to be an exception."

Before I can respond, he gets up from his seat and moves into an adjacent door, switching on a light that reveals a sort of storeroom filled with nothing but shelves of boxes and a few filing cabinets. "I believe this shot was from around 1996. Not many assignments came in then. Rough time for me, but lucky for you. This still may take a while, young man, so make yourself at home. There are some albums and books there on the shelf if you need something to pass the time."

It does end up taking a while as he browses. I decide to stay in my seat, listening to the silence in the house, interrupted by the occasional rustle of cardboard boxes being opened. And occasionally a filing cabinet drawer sliding open or closing with a metallic clack.

Suddenly there's a short bark of laughter and he appears in the doorway, carefully holding up a negative to the small ceiling light."I believe I've found it. Yes, right where it was supposed to be!"

"That's great!" I reply, feeling my heart lift. Yes!

He holds the negative up the the ceiling light, studying it in great detail. "It seems to be in good condition. If you're willing to wait an hour or so, I can make a print of this."

"That's very kind sir. Thank you."

"Hmmm." He just nods and disappears back into the room. I hear a door in the back open and close, and then silence again.

After sitting there a few minutes, the stillness finally starts to get to me, to the point where even looking at old photo albums sounds interesting. I pull a white leather-bound book down from the end of a shelf, being careful not to stir up the thin accumulation of dust that coats the top. It turns out there's more of these than I'd thought. Two whole shelves, in fact, each book marked with a date on the spine. This one is labeled 1975. I flip through casually, studying the various subjects, all laid out in categories. I see a bunch of American soldiers in uniform. Wasn't the Vietnam War going on about this time? There's photos of every sort of flower you can imagine, many shots of Mt Fuji, and not surprisingly, an almost endless collection of Kaiju and kid's show photos. All those bug-eyed rubber monsters, and people in gaudy colored costumes with floppy antennae, long capes and lots of huge shoulder spikes. It's hard not to laugh. Hard to believe anybody, even kids, could watch this stuff.

I browse absentmindedly through several more albums, pulling down one after the other only paying partial attention to their contents. The fashion collection finally gets my attention, especially the collection of hot swimsuit models. It makes me wish I could convince Hanako to wear a bikini.

As I make my way steadily down the row of albums, (is he ever going to come out of the back room?!) I start to notice one particular teenaged girl with short brown hair, glasses, and a very sweet smile appearing more and more frequently in his work. I check the chapter headings that feature her. Tochigi Kotori. A pretty name, for a really cute girl. She's dressed in every way imaginable. Posing in Kimonos, school uniforms, formal gowns, swimwear, skirts both long and short, and in every setting imaginable, from city streets, to the beach and the country. It's obvious they worked together quite a bit. I even find a few casual shots where she's laughing, or hiding her face in embarrassment. The collection of her photos seem to go on and on, through the 80's as she gradually grows older. There isn't another model who's as extensively and lovingly photographed as this young lady. By now my curiosity about this girl is definitely piqued. Was she was someone special to the old man? His girlfriend? His wife, maybe? The last photos I find of her are toward the end of the shelf, from the late 90's. The photos from this period are very formal, I notice. Her hair is starting to show just a hint of grey, but, as always, she has the same sweet expression as she looks at the camera.

I hear the sound of the back room door opening, and the old man enters the room as I quickly slide the album back into place. I give the clock on the wall a quick glance. It's nearly noon.

The old photographer emerges out into the light, gently carrying a large photo in a clear plastic cover.

"I see you found Kotori." He says with a slightly amused tone.

"I did. I didn't mean to pry."

He waves his hand dismissively. "I did give you permission, young man."

"T-Thank you." I'm not sure what else to say at this point. "She's very beautiful, sir."

He smiles wistfully. "Ah, yes she was. She was. You're not the only one with a lady friend young fellow."

He gazes off into space for a moment. "But enough of that. I'm a bit out of practice I'm afraid, so that took a bit longer than I was expecting. I've taken the liberty of enlarging it to 28 x 33. I hope it meets your approval."

He lays it carefully on the desk under a lamp so I can get a good look. The detail is incredible. It's so much clearer and more colorful than the poorly printed magazine image. I'm really impressed. "Wow, that's amazing, thank you sir!" I stand up and bow deeply, which actually makes him smile. "I'll be happy to pay whatever you like." I feel a sudden sense of dread. This is going to cost a fortune.

"Oh of course, money." He rolls his eyes at my suddenly change of mood. "Feh, I know how poor you young people are. So, how about 7500 Yen. Does that sound reasonable?"

I'd actually hoped it wouldn't be quite this much, but I'd brought a large chunk of my savings along just in case. This man is a professional after all. And he deserves to be paid like one. I pull out my wallet, count out the notes and hand them over. He takes the money and casually stuffs it into one pocket. Then to my surprise, he takes back the photo, disappearing back into his darkroom. A few minutes pass before he reappears carrying a thick folder of heavy cardboard, tied with cloth ribbons. He hands it to me carefully with both hands.

"To make sure your prize makes it home safely," he says with an unexpected grin. I open my briefcase and find to my relief that the package just fits inside.

"Now, time for you to go, young fellow. I have far too much work to do to waste the whole day chatting. It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Nakai. My regards to your lady friend. I hope my work makes her very happy."

I thank him profusely, assuring him that I'm sure she'll love it as he walks me to the door I retrieve my shoes and step out through the front door, turning and bowing to him politely. He flashes me another unexpected smile as he closes the door.

And that's it. I've got it! After all that stress and worry, I can hardly believe it. I hold my head high in the air and almost let out a whoop and a fist pump as I walk down the path and out the main gate, shutting it behind me and jogging down the street in the noon day sun to the closest bus stop.

The #46 bus runs less frequently than it did during rush hour, and although there's less traffic to deal with, it's nearly forty minutes before I'm back at the train station. It doesn't occur to me until I get off the bus that I've still got three hours until the train home arrives. Well, I still have a book, and lunch might not be a bad idea. There's bound to be a noodle shop around here someplace where I can get a quick bite. And I wonder what my chances are of finding a frame shop nearby?



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It's after dinner before I step off the bus near home. I'm worn out, and considerably poorer, but happy to be back. All that traveling really takes it out of you. But I have Hanako's gift, safe and secure inside its brand new frame. That's made the whole day worth it.

The living room lights are turned on against the growing darkness as I step onto the porch. Fishing out my key, I let myself in. I'd remembered to call ahead so at least the girls wouldn't be worried or annoyed. I can hear Lilly and Hanako's soft voices as they chat and laugh softly together in the living room.

"Hisao?" Lilly looks up from her seat at the foot of the couch as I open the door. I just catch sight of a flash of pink disappearing around the corner into the kitchen. Did I startle Hanako?

"Yeah, hi." I'm careful to hide my excitement as I push the door shut with my heel. I arch my back, stretching. "Oh man, it's good to be home."

"Did you finish your errand?" Lilly replies calmly.

"Yep, mission accomplished." I avoid going into details. Don't want to spoil the surprise in case Hanako's listening. I'm sure Lilly knows what my "mission" was anyway.

"Are you hungry? Hanako outdid herself tonight. Sweet and sour pork. The leftovers are in the oven."

Yes! I'm starving, and I say as much.

"All right." She smiles, amused by my enthusiasm. "But ah...if you could wait a moment, Hanako wants to show you something." She raises her tone somewhat, loud enough for someone in the next room to hear. She starts to pull herself to her feet.

I tense up in spite of myself, looking around curiously. I don't know what I'm so nervous about. Maybe I'm just tired.

Then Hanako steps shyly around the corner from the kitchen, dressed in her old pink nightgown, her hands clasped in front of her, the way she she always does when she's uneasy about something. Her long dark hair is pulled back from both sides of her face and is done up in a long braid that falls down her back. It's a pretty look for her. My heart skips a beat as soon as I see her. I'm still feeling intoxicated from our night together.

I take a few steps toward her, trying to reassure her with a friendly smile. "Hey there. What's up?"

"H-Hi." She says quietly.

"You guys get your shopping done?" I continue, trying to coax her into talking.

She smiles timidly. "Yes, all finished. E-Everything went really well. Umm...how about you?"

"It was okay. But that was a long train trip to Hamamatsu. I hope I don't have to do that again soon."

"I've made that trip myself. I don't envy you." I hear Lilly reply from behind me. Trying to lighten the mood I guess. The room lapses into silence.

"Hanako? Didn't you have something you wanted to show off?" Lilly coaxes Hanako.

"You do?" I turn back to face Hanako, playing innocent. She blushes right on cue. You'd think after knowing each other for so long, and sharing so much that she'd stop getting so flustered at a simple question.

"Ummmm...uh...uh huh." She stammers nervously. Reaching hesitantly up with both hand, she brushes locks of hair back from her ears. At first I'm confused, not sure what I'm supposed to be looking at. Then she moves her head slightly and I see a soft red glimmer of light from her earlobe. A tiny red jewel catches the light.

"Oh. Is that...You got your ears pierced?!"

"Uh-huh." Hanako bobs her head nervously up and down, breaking our brief eye contact.

"Wow Hanako, that's great!"

"R-Really? You're not just saying that to humor me?" She sounds suspicious.

I shake my head for emphasis. "Hell no! You know I don't do that."

"You don't think they look slutty?" I almost laugh, but I realize she's serious. This is obviously important to her, and I can tell she still isn't totally convinced she's done the right thing. Pierced ears aren't really that common in Japan after all, but I really do like her look. With her braided hair, she looks sexy and exotic.

"Of course not. What makes you think that? They make you look grown up and sexy." I grin widely, wondering how she's going to take that.

"T-T-They do?" I can tell she's downright flustered by my comment, trapped between happiness at the compliment, and embarrassment at my being so blatant in front of Lilly. Happiness seems to win finally, and, like the sun coming from behind a rain cloud, her expression becomes radiant, a picture of happiness and relief. It's an amazing transformation. I glance at Lilly who also looks relieved and smile gratefully at me. Hanako had probably been making her miserable, fussing and worrying about this all day.

Time to bring the mood a little more down to Earth. "So did it hurt?" I ask.

She smiles, seemingly relieved at such a mundane question. "This side did. Just a little." she lifts her right hand, gingerly touching her lobe on that side. "I-I didn't feel anything on the right side, of course. I was a little s-scared but Lilly came with me."

I hear Lilly chuckle softly. "Don't try to give me any of the credit. This was all Hanako's idea. She's talked about it in the past, and with your anniversary coming up, she finally made the decision to go through with it. I just came along to keep her company. She picked out the style and the color, and sat quietly through the procedure. She was very brave. I don't believe I'd have had the courage."

"Me either!" I chime in without thinking.

"Oh really? I think you'd be quite dashing with a gold ring, Hisao. We could take you this weekend? What do you think Hanako?"

"I-I don't know." she stammers, caught off guard.

"Oh no, no way Lilly!"

A moment later she's laughing behind her hand. Shit, she got me again. Even Hanako is hiding a smile.

I want to get mad at the both of them, but that's not going to happen. I'm exhausted, but it's been a good day. So instead I take Hanako's hands in mine, smiling, my thoughts only on our big date, now only two days off.

"So congratulations, you've officially surprised me." I step toward my girlfriend and wrap her in a tight embrace, following up with a small kiss. Hanako just beams, while Lilly stands nearby, looking wistful. Her expression makes me pull away. Does Hanako and I being together like this bother her? It's something I never actually considered.

Hanako looks a little startled as I abruptly break our hug."W-what's wrong?"

I try to think of an excuse quickly, one that'll reassure Hanako that no, it's not her, when on cue, my aching stomach growls loudly. That garners a giggle of understanding from both women, and easing the mood.

"Ummm. So...can I eat now?"

[Minion of Chaos]

Saw the email for the update on this a bit ago and I'm glad you decided to continue this fic! I had to reread it (not a complaint ) since I hadn't really read it since before I created my account, but it was worth it! I always liked this fic, was like the second or third one I began reading when I stumbled across the forums.

Anyways, keep it up the good work dude (there are still people interested!)

[pandaphil]

Thank you so much!

Btw, this story comes about as close to having a sex scene as I'm ever likely to get.

Oh, and I think I found a pic that pretty much sums up how I see this story.

[Sea]

*Sees update*
*Locks self in room for 2 days*

Thank you so much.

Btw, this story has about the closest thing to a sex scene as I'm ever likely to get.

I'm ready.


Completely unrelated, hot damn I love it!
You're writing is probably the most consistent of anybody here, (No offense meant to the interwebs) And it really keeps me reading on. Not only that but I like how your Hisao is not all that OOC, he keeps to what my headcanon Hisao would do. It's nice to see you expand out your characters, I've got the picture of the shopkeeper in my head for what the photographer looks like though. I can't say I saw any spelling errors, so kudos to you proofreader. (Don't be mad silentcook, you're petty great too) Eagerly awaiting the next chapter, this photo cliffhanger has me on the edge of my seat. Hope to read more soon!
(I'm stuck in that terible moment where I want to express how great you are but cant find the words. Suffice to say you have made my week.)

Oh, and I think I found a pic that pretty much sums up this fic.

Just about, yeah

[pandaphil]

Me gusta. Will there be more of this coming?

Yes. I hope to do one, maybe two more chapters. I still have the dinner date, and the exchange of gifts back home, with hopefully an emotional ending. Sorry I took so long to get this last one up. Thanks to lots of RL crap I just wasn't feeling it.

Of course, getting feedback really helps keep my motivation going. So I need you guys help.


Basically my thought on this is, they're the same people from the VN, just a little more mature. Hanako is still shy, but having Hisao bu her side is giving her the confidence to push herself out of her shell. Its still a slow, painful process, but she's trying. My only regret is not developing Lilly more. She needs to be more than just the faithful friend/advisor.

[Sea]

Basically my thought on this is, they're the same people from the VN, just a little more mature. Hanako is still shy, but having Hisao bu her side is giving her the confidence to push herself out of her shell. Its still a slow, painful process, but she's trying. My only regret is not developing Lilly more. She needs to be more than just the faithful friend/advisor.

For Lily, she could help Hanako with . . . certain . . . things . . . .

[Negativedarke]

Okay the pierced ears was a surprise. Of course I'm waiting for the big reveal of what exactly that photo is of. Well I have a very good general idea, but the specifics.

And what has Hanako gotten Hisao? Lets see, she's getting more confident in bed. She spent the day out shopping with Lily. And something else that has been talked about in various places... I have a pretty good idea. And don't let your mind go wandering into the gutter, it's not sex.

Speaking of Sex, it's nice to see Hanako getting more comfortable in that area.

[pandaphil]

Just so you know, I'm still making adjustments to the story. So it might be worth re-reading a week from now.

For Lily, she could help Hanako with . . . certain . . . things . . . .

Hmmm, care to expand on that?

Okay the pierced ears was a surprise. Of course I'm waiting for the big reveal of what exactly that photo is of. Well I have a very good general idea, but the specifics.

And what has Hanako gotten Hisao? Lets see, she's getting more confident in bed. She spent the day out shopping with Lily. And something else that has been talked about in various places... I have a pretty good idea. And don't let your mind go wandering into the gutter, it's not sex.

Speaking of Sex, it's nice to see Hanako getting more comfortable in that area.

Well, hope the photo will be a nice surprise then. I'm still not sure what Hanako's gift is going to be yet to be honest. Hisao doesn't seem to really need anything obvious right now. I'm with you though. Sex would be boring, especially since they already seem to have a pretty comfortable physical relationship. Letting him put things in her seems like kind of a lame 'gift'.

I've gotten a little more confortable with it too, which is why i was able to go there in this chapter. Even if it's more like mutual masterbation than standard sex. Thats another aspect I took from Sisterhood. I think it this case, her frustration with herself for being moody, letting herself get depressed about her birthday, and upsetting Hisao and Lilly got translated into sexual arousal and even made her a bit assertive. So as soon as it was dark, she went for it. Its another sign that she's coming a bit further out of her shell.

[Sea]

Just so you know, I'm still making adjustments to the story. So it might be worth re-reading a week from now.

Lookin forward to it

For Lily, she could help Hanako with . . . certain . . . things . . . .

Hmmm, care to expand on that?

For the sake for the winky face I shall only say pointers
(alternatively, have her get kidnapped and Hisao and Hanako go all ninja. Just a thought.

Okay the pierced ears was a surprise. Of course I'm waiting for the big reveal of what exactly that photo is of. Well I have a very good general idea, but the specifics.
And what has Hanako gotten Hisao? Lets see, she's getting more confident in bed. She spent the day out shopping with Lily. And something else that has been talked about in various places... I have a pretty good idea. And don't let your mind go wandering into the gutter, it's not sex.

Speaking of Sex, it's nice to see Hanako getting more comfortable in that area.

Well, hope the photo will be a nice surprise then. I'm still not sure what Hanako's gift is going to be. Hisao doesn't seem to really need anything right now, but I have a couple of ideas. I'm with you though. Sex would be boring.

Agreed, that whole plot line is a bit overdone, by some pretty well-to-do peoples.

[pandaphil]

Works begun on the next chapter, and Negativedarke was kind enough to send me an idea for what Hanako's anniversary present to Hisao would be. I'm still open to ideas though, so if you have suggestions. IM me, I'm all ears.

[monkeywitha6pack]

This is another one of those fics I can't read without smiling the hole time, I really enjoy it

[pandaphil]

This is another one of those fics I can't read without smiling the hole time, I really enjoy it

And that make sme feel great. Thanks!

As I've said before, I'm not really a serious writer. I'm writing this mainly to make myself feel good, and to exorcise a lot of those annoying Feels that th VN left me with. I want to think that Hanako, despite all her suffering, does go on to have a happy life, with someone who cares for her. If she can find someone, then maybe theres a chance, however slim, that the rest of us can too.