Katawa Shoujo Forums

So, first of all hello to everyone! I've been lurking the forums for quite a while and I've finally decided to join the forums. I started writing Fan Fictions and I've been posting them in various places, so I think it's about time I would share them here, too. Keep in mind that I'm still new in this, english is not my main language and here I'll post my oneshots, so that I don't fill this section with them. With that being said, I give to you my small (let's hope in the future it gets bigger) collection!

Note: Before you read anything, I want to give credit to @AmITheSky as well as all of the KS Writing Group (Xilirite, OneManArmy77 and PaperAirship and /u/TheDwarfLard) for bearing with me and helping me with my works!
Index

• 1. The long night (This post)
  2. Hisao at the E3 (This post)
  3. Monday Musing #1 Submission (This post)
  4. A day off
  5. Truly yours
  6. Monday Musing #5 Submission
  7. Just another birthday
  8. An eventful evening
  9. Kenji's event (prt.1)
  10. Monday Musing #12 Submission
  11. Kenji's event (prt.2)

• 1. The long night

It's been a long winter, filled with cold nights, dark memories and terrifying ghosts of my past that were always waiting for me to go to bed, and then cut my hours of sleep with nightmares. I was never a brave person, so sometimes instead of facing these ghosts and their influence on me, I would just choose to not sleep and lay down in my bed, staring at my wall surrounded by the darkness of my room. This night is no different.

I'm young, 18 to be precise, but in my lifespan I lived through some very hard moments that I bet very few people have faced during their lives as a high school student. One of these moments are my meeting with Iwanako and the following accident, the trauma of me moving to Yamaku and then, the worst memory of them all, that day of July that would change my life forever. It's been months since that event and things got better, since me and Hanako somehow made peace and now even spend time together... but that doesn't change a single damn thing. Whenever I remind myself of what I did on her birthday, I feel like someone just kicked me in the stomach. The hatred towards myself grows, like the lava of a volcano that is about to erupt. Why, why was I so stupid? My chance of having at my side the love of my life, I threw it away because of my idiocy and now I have to deal with the consequences. A life filled with solitude? Perhaps, damned if I know something about it, since now the only thing I can do is live a mundane routine. Eat, sleep, study, repeat. Pretty boring, I know, but if there's one thing that drives me in completing these cycles, that is the chance of me seeing her face every day. That beautiful, candid face adorned with those amethyst-colored eyes and that long, black hair that stole my heart from the first moment we met. I didn't know that my heart belonged to her from the first time we saw each other, since I thought we could just be friends. As days went on, I knew that my feelings towards her were not one of friendships, but of something more... and of course, at her birthday, I had to fuck everything up.

The chance of meeting her, to spend some time with her at Lilly's room drinking tea, sharing laughs, beautiful moments and even tears of joy, these are the moments that bring some color in my gray life, that of course I brought to myself with my own two hands. I enjoy them, a lot, and some may think that without them I would be just a hollowed man. That's true, they indeed save me from myself, but regardless of how much I love them, during these sessions my thoughts very rarely are fully focused on my surroundings. Instead, I think about how Hanako seems distant to me, regardless of how I tried to make her forgive me. She did, but only a fool may think that things are back to their usual. Me and her now are like two protons that wish to meet each other. As hard as they try, they will never touch themselves and the same goes for me and her. Her heart no longer sees me as her only love, as the boy she fell in love with. Now, I'm for her only a friend. No more, no less. There's no more chances for me to reach her, to conquer her heart. I failed, and so I deserve the suffering of staying alone. So close, yet so far, this is my new life. Filled with regret, sadness and fake happiness. Regardless of how much I try to shake things up, for now the only thing I know for real is that I want to sleep. My body no longer obeys me, so I decide to give myself to the darkness that surrounds me, readying myself to yet another day that will remind me of the biggest failure of my life and, let's hope, the last I'll ever make.

• 2. Hisao and the E3!(please, forgive me for screwing up the whole timezone deal, but the idea was so good in my head, that I just had to write it! That being said and knowing that the announcements are not in chronological order, I hope you enjoy it regardless.)

02:00, June 15th, 2015. Nakai residence, Japan.

"OH FUCK YEAH!!"
At times, I occasionally question if this Hisao is the same one that buys me flowers, takes me out for dinner and makes me feel like a princess, because in June, especially from the 15th to the 21st, he changes completely. Why? It’s simple. It’s because of that damn E3. He usually brings Kenji to our home so that they can enjoy it together, and usually spending entire nights watching the livestream, eating junk food and being complete nerds (although it’s an aspect of him I’m fond of). But what about me? To be honest, seeing them having a good time makes me happy, but I’d appreciate it if he’d stop waking me up every thirty minutes or so his shouting.
Yesterday I tried to address this, since I don’t want this to happen anymore, and to my surprise I somehow managed to get him to agree to calm down. Not only did he agree, he also promised that he wouldn't make a mess with Kenji when they spent time together. I mean, I usually don't mind him staying up so late, as long as he is quiet and comes to bed at a reasonable time. So it’s frustrating to hear him piping up every now and again, completely forgetting our agreement. Tonight though, things are going to play out differently. Hisao will get a piece of my mind and he'll learn that Hanako Nakai can show her claws.
I get up, comb my hair and start walking to his office. My stomps echo through the hall, giving away my frustration. Upon hearing the commotion, smarter creatures would try to flee for their life, but nothing will save my husband today. He’ll be lucky if he wakes up tomorrow in one piece.

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I've waited so long for this week, the whole damn year to be precise. Videogames have always been one of my biggest passions, maybe even bigger then reading books. In Yamaku I had to give up on it, but it wasn't too bad since literature was an amazing companion during that fleeting year filled with change for my life. Not only that, in the years that followed I graduated from university, got a job in a medical laboratory, found a home for Hanako and I and, most importantly, married this beautiful woman.
It’s been two years since we got married and I couldn't be happier with how things turned out. Especially today, since I get to watch the livestream of the E3 with one of my best friends, Kenji. Who would have guessed that I’d actually become friends with that weirdo that used to live across the hall from me, much less go the entire year without kicking his ass or going insane (or both). When I left Yamaku and signed up for my university course, I was surprised to find that he had enrolled in the same university. Apart from Hanako, I knew no one there so I was almost forced to make peace with our past encounters and give him a chance. To be honest, as time passed I've found myself enjoying spending time with him, mostly because over the years he finally gave up on his idea of a feminist conspiracy going on, instead becoming a big follower of the theory of the existence of the Illuminati, UFO's and those sorts of things. Some might get annoyed by hearing his constant rambling, but after spending five years with him one gets used to it. Not only that, but his speeches about the "Higher Power" are also an amazing tool for when I want to go to sleep.
Anyway, tonight I do not have to worry about those things. No conspiracy theories, since this evening we're embracing our gaming passion and let our mind return to the state of fifteen year olds. The hours flew by, and we witnessed the amazing games that were being presented. One thing that almost made us jump out of our seats was the Bethesda presentation and the announcement of Fallout 4 and the following gameplay footage. After that, more games were presented and so our excitement grew, up until one single trailer aired. We tried to stay calm, to still act like adults, but when we saw the name of the game, we couldn't contain ourselves. "OH FUCK YEAH!" we just couldn't hold it in, it was impossible. The fact that Dark Souls 3 was announced made me the happiest man on Earth, and I think that Kenji shared the same opinion. We were laughing out of pure excitement, looking at each other with joy in our eyes. After a couple of seconds we decide to open a conversation, mostly to vent out our hype.
"Can you believe it? I don't think this is real, man!" is what I say to my pal, whom in the meantime was trying to formulate a sentence that made at least some sense. He opened his mouth, but before he managed to answer me we heard the opening of a door. Loud, angry steps followed, telling us that party time was over and so might be our very lives.
I cursed, remembering that I promised to Hanako that we would be quiet, but how could we have stopped ourselves? The sequel of my favorite gaming series had been announced! I couldn’t just sit there indifferently. I desperately hoped that my mind was working with me, since in these moments I usually need all of my diplomatic skills in order to calm her down. I prayed that my charm would work on her, since usually I manage to calm her with some witty jokes and some smiles. By the sound of her steps, she sounded pretty pissed, which was a very rare thing to witness but I’d be lying if I said that this was the first time I saw her like this. The last time she was this mad, I had to spend two entire nights sleeping on the couch, cook lunch and dinner for myself and clean my office with my own two hands. I tried to make her forgive me by buying her flowers and telling how sorry I was. Somehow, I managed to bring a smile to her face, although this time I am worried that things will not be so easy. God only knows what she has in store for me, since for now I can only brace myself for the impact.

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"What were you thinking? Do you even know w-what time it is? Do you have any consideration for those who d-don't care about this E3?!"

Regardless of how much progress I've made lately when it comes to my stuttering, extreme emotions still manage to bring it out. I hate it. it makes me think of my past and of how scared I was up until the university, and the poitn where my life took a positive turn. Now I consider myself a happy woman, with a happy life, a loving husband and everything that I dreamt of when I was a child. I'm living my dream, but regardless of what I say about my life, this current situation ignores that fact. We can strike out the being happy part, and let's say that my anger took him by surprise. I can feel my face going red, not from of blushing but because of how I am annoyed by the way my husband was acting. I swear, sometimes I feel like his mother more than his partner. I try to put on my best angry face, while I continue to tell him how disappointed I am at the fact that he broke his promise. Maybe I am just overreacting, but I really want to show him that I can be dominant, too. It's not like I dislike him being the male in our relationship, but a part of me really wants to see him in my shoes. Strangely enough, my lashing out at him has the effects I had hoped for, since Hisao now isn’t even looking at me in the eyes. A part of me hates to see him in this condition, but I just can't back off, not until I vent every last bit my frustration.
"L-Look, I'm really tired of-" I begin, but as I speak my husband decides to stand up for himself, opening his mouth and interrupting my speech.
"Look Hana, I'm really sorry for what happened, but try to look at it from my perspective! We're not talking about a common game, but about Dark Souls! You know how much I love that series, c'mon! It was natural that I would freak out like this!".
Dammit Hisao, you know how much I like when you defend your passions, especially when you know it's a lost cause. For a second a smile appears on my face, only to be replaced by anger and disappointment. I try to continue, but I get interrupted for the second time by him, in what it looks like it has turned out to be a heated argument.
"I know you are angry, and rightly so, just don't repeat what happened 2 months ago, please. I really don't want to spend the night on the couch... Or cook lunch alone... Or play videogames with an empty place at my side," he says with a weak smile, trying to break through my defenses by assuming a puppy face, possibly as an attempt to defuse the situation and get out of a potential argument. I can't. As hard as I try I just can't keep up staying angry with him. I remain silent for a while, staring at him with a frown, that is soon enough replaced by an expression of reluctant acceptance. I throw my arms around his neck and hug him tightly, proving once again that I just can't show anger to the man I love the most. As hard as it might annoy me, he saved me with his presence. Not only that, with him at my side I found someone else that I can trust blindly, the first one being Lilly. We complement each other and our marriage proves that, showing that we're indeed made for each other. We know that we were meant to be together, so regardless of how much we might argue, we always end up in this situation. It’s not that I hate it, it's just that I, for once, would like to be the one who teases him.
"You dummy," I punch him lightly on the shoulder, making him chuckle. I look up and notice him smiling, so in order to defend myself from further teasing I make a pout, a lethal weapon that proved useful more than once.
"Hey, is it my fault that I'm good at diplomacy?" Damn your charm, Hisao!
"You know you’re even cuter when you pout?" he adds on, passing one hand through my hair with a loving smile on his face. I feel an arm on my shoulder, as if a certain someone is trying to make me abandon my plan of being offended. No, this time! I want to make him feel guilty! I try to make a sound with my mouth that indicates that I'm still disappointed in him, hoping that he changes his attitude. I like it when he comforts me, but at the moment I really feel teasing him, so I try to continue my act.
" I hoped that you would join us, but it seems like someone prefers to sleep alone," as he says that he tries to detach himself from the embrace. Out of pure instinct, my first response to this is to hug him tighter, letting him know that I don't want him to go.
"Well then let's go, shall we?" We leave our bedroom and head towards his office, where Kenji is waiting with his arms crossed, seemingly impatient and tired of waiting for us. "So, you two done with your discussion?" he asks with a slightly disgruntled tone, to which Hisao answers, "Yup, and I also managed to find another audience member." As he says that, I blush a little, probably because as hard as I try, I will never be able to control the warmth that his love and affection provoke in my body. "And here I thought this would be a ‘guys only ni-OH GOD, LOOK AT THIS!" Kenji shouts, pointing at the monitor.
"What the hell you're shouting f-OH GOD THEY ANNOUNCED A FINAL FANTASY SEVEN REMAKE!!"
All I can do as soon as I notice this reaction is sigh and hug him, which causes him to break off of his ecstasy and focus on me. The look of confusion in his eyes is obvious and makes me even more happy to make him feel better by speaking up. "Don't worry, I'm not mad." I say as I give him a brief peck on his lips.
"I just remembered why I love this dork so much."

• 3. Monday Musing 1 submission! Prompt #2(Thanks to /u/OneManArmy77 for creating M.M. and the prompts! Check it out here: https://www.reddit.com/r/katawashoujo/c ... se_thread/

"A cold wind cut through Hisao's jacket, causing him to shiver. Although its only been a year since Iwanako confessed to him at this spot, its felt more like a lifetime ago. A gentle tug on his arm brings Hisao back to attention as he is reminded that the girl hanging on his arm doesnt share his memory."

It has been almost a year, yet some things never truly change. During this year I had so many events that shaped my life, but I feel like there's one single immovable object in my mind that keeps me from embracing this new life. The stars above make me feel somewhat safe, in contrast to the cold breeze that's almost freezing my bones. The only thing I can do is endure this cold embrace and try not to fall victim to mother Nature. Now that I think about it, how could I be hurt by her? I mean, not only I'm spending my vacation on my parents place, but I am also enjoying this time with the love of my life. Her long dark hair blends with the night, almost making her look like something nature itself would create. Yet, the combination of this winter's night and the color of her hair make me feel uncomfortable.

This memory almost comes to my mind out of instinct, without me noticing it, and so making my body rigid out of the sheer pain that I feel by remembering this event. I also see long and dark hair on a winter's day, but this time these are my girlfriends locks of hair, but of a ghost of my past that haunts me to this day. Her name was Iwanako. It almost feels like as her name became the representation of my history then a real person itself, which is very strange now that I think of it. Her confession, the words that echo in my head to this day remember me that I'm no longer normal, I don't live the life of every other human and that I will no longer enjoy the fine things in life that before that accident were so normal to me. I never thought about how lucky I was, until the moment I woke up after the pain in my chest that followed me hearing her words. Those soft and candid words that told me how much she likes me. I know that I should feel happy about this, yet I can't.

Maybe that's because I can't see her anymore as a person I would love, but instead I see her as the harbinger of the biggest change of my life. For weeks I've been thinking that she cursed me with her confession, but when I met Hanako everything changed. I had a purpose in life and when we both confessed to each other, we both knew that we've found our paths.

As I keep talking to myself, I feel a light tug on my arm that teleports my mind back to the real world. It seems that she noticed my nervousness and wanted my attention, maybe to comfort me? It looks like it, given the look in her eyes. A look filled with love, worry but that at the same time makes me feel at peace with myself. The expression in those eyes makes me feel at home and it reminds me why I love her so much. No longer I feel remorse nor am I sad about what happened a year ago.

As I put an arm on her shoulders, in order to draw her closer to me, I know that as long as I'm with Hana I know that nothing can go wrong and if it does, we know that we can count on each other. The biting cold of the night no longer stings, since I feel the warmth that accompanied me since that day in the park. The frigid breeze no longer exists for me, since with this girl I can face even the coldest nights. All we need is each other, and as long as this remains true, nothing else matters.


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Edit(s):

• 1. Grammar and overall improvement of the second one-shot

Your spelling and grammar are not bad, mind your uses of then and than.

As for the stories themselves...

#1 is interesting since I haven't seen many stories set after the neutral ending - at least I assume it's her neutral ending, I'm not 100% sure...

#2 is a story about a husband who gets into trouble with his wife over his hobby. Coincidentally the husband is named Hisao and the wife is named Hanako, but other than that there's not much to connect the story to KS.
And is it really that much of a surprise that they'd announce a sequel to Dark Souls? …Now the FF VII remake was a surprise

#3 Not really sure what to say about it other than that it's the final confirmation that Hanako X Hisao is your OTP...

Mirage_GSM wrote: #2 is a story about a husband who gets into trouble with his wife over his hobby. Coincidentally the husband is named Hisao and the wife is named Hanako, but other than that there's not much to connect the story to KS.
And is it really that much of a surprise that they'd announce a sequel to Dark Souls? …Now the FF VII remake was a surprise

To be honest, I was planning on putting the story in the future, after the KS events and with both Hisao and Hanako being adults (sort-of) that overcame their fears (mostly Hanako). I'm a bit sad that I managed to make them OOC, but oh well, next time it'll be better... Or at least I'll try x:

First of all, welcome to the forums! Please enjoy your stay, try not to make too much of a mess or the Cook will fry you

Anyway, stories. I'm going to echo Mirage's opinions on them - the writing's pretty good, even if the concepts aren't the best you could have used. However, I gotta say, man

Decadent Albatross wrote:Dark Souls

Even if it probably shouldn't have been much of a surprise that DS III was announced, Hisao and Kenji get me

Something that I noticed, though:

Decadent Albatros wrote:There's no more chances

You seem to confuse when to use "is" and "are" - "are" is used when you have a plural (like in this sentence) and "is" is used for singular.
Also:

Decadent Albatros wrote:One of these moments are my meeting

This is an exception, because you say that it is "one of" the moments, but it's in past tense, so you should use "was" instead of "are". sorry if that's a little confusing

Also, to Mirage - nice to see that somebody else uses Grammar Monster

Alpacalypse wrote:First of all, welcome to the forums! Please enjoy your stay, try not to make too much of a mess or the Cook will fry you

Anyway, stories. I'm going to echo Mirage's opinions on them - the writing's pretty good, even if the concepts aren't the best you could have used. However, I gotta say, man

Decadent Albatross wrote:Dark Souls

Even if it probably shouldn't have been much of a surprise that DS III was announced, Hisao and Kenji get me

Something that I noticed, though:

Decadent Albatros wrote:There's no more chances

You seem to confuse when to use "is" and "are" - "are" is used when you have a plural (like in this sentence) and "is" is used for singular.
Also:

Decadent Albatros wrote:One of these moments are my meeting

This is an exception, because you say that it is "one of" the moments, but it's in past tense, so you should use "was" instead of "are". sorry if that's a little confusing

Also, to Mirage - nice to see that somebody else uses Grammar Monster

Thanks bunches (props to whoever gets the reference) for the comment! I know the concepts are not the best, and I know they're very simple, but at the moment I'm mostly trying to get a good grip on the basics and then evolve in doing more complex things. In the future you'll see better stories, that's a promise!

Always good to see new writers and have so much to read!

However, paragraphing is important so that readers don't get confronted with dense slabs of text. As my mother used to say: one paragraph, one key point.

And also, I've noticed that most people put one story per post; in future if someone wants to refer to a particular story, it means each one has its own pointer URL.

Thanks!

brythain wrote:Always good to see new writers and have so much to read!

However, paragraphing is important so that readers don't get confronted with dense slabs of text. As my mother used to say: one paragraph, one key point.

And also, I've noticed that most people put one story per post; in future if someone wants to refer to a particular story, it means each one has its own pointer URL.

Thanks!

For the paragraphing fear not, I'm on my way to get it together. As for the pointer URL, I'm still not used to the formatting of the forums, so I might need some help with this xD

Loved the E3 story, can't say I've read the others yet though.

Only thing I can comment on is the blocking. It needs to be broken up a little bit, the huge bulks of text were a little hard to read without any spaces.

You've got some good writing chops, Albatross! I echo Mirage and brythain's comments about know your than and there's and paragraphing but you can definitely sort those out in short order.

As for the stories themselves, none really clicked with me but that's just my personal taste, you've obviously put a lot of heart into them and I can really appreciate that. Keep up the good work and I look forward to your future fics

Ok, so... I was unable to post this yesterday, just to please bestgirl during her birthday (please don't burn me alive x_x). About the fanfic, well it's nothing too major, just a slice of life (or however these type of FFs are called) so don't expect angst or anything of the sorts. I have another, less fuzzy and romantic, work in the backlog, so look forward to it! I'll talk about it in due time. Anyway, hope you enjoy 'A day off' and please be forgiving, english is not my main language x_x

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(credit to /u/TheDwarfLard for reviewing this!)

A day off

The fact that the exams are over feels almost surreal to me. After a month of preparation and pure hell, I can finally enjoy myself in the upcoming holidays. I hope that the pain that I've felt while studying and giving lessons to my friends was worth it, since now I can't wait to give my entire attention to Hanako.

I've waited for her in the park near our apartment for almost fifteen minutes, but I can't bring myself to be mad at her. Something about her (or the fact that the exams are over) prevents me from showing any anger or frustration.

The mixed sounds of the bird's' song and win passing through the leaves gives me a newfound sense of peace. As I look around, I can feel that everything feels right in the world the moment when I spot the love of my life. She has her typical going-out clothes, almost identical to the ones she wore three years ago at Yamaku.

That name alone brings back lots of memories, both good and bad ones. I don't mind them too much, since I know that without them I wouldn't be in this place. My feet spring to life as soon as I spot Hanako walking towards me, causing me to rush onwards and embrace her in a tight hug. She does the same, squeezing her whole body against mine and making me forget about everything that surrounds me. She tends to have this effect on me.
"So, shall we go?" I ask as soon as she lets go of me. She nods. Following this exchange of courtesies, I grab her hand and start to leave the park. I give her a loving smile, which immediately causes one of her typical blushes. I'll never grow tired of this girl, no matter how much time we spend together.

Even though it's been three years already, it feels as if just yesterday we broke down in tears in the middle of the park in the town outside of Yamaku. Now I look at it as an important event in my life, since after that day I knew I would always have someone that would be here for me, as I would be there for her. Our hands being held together only confirms this fact, as if it was a visual proof of the trust that's between us, no matter the obstacles that we face.

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"Ok, since when you've become so good at this?"

We're making our way out of the arcade as I ask that question with an annoyed tone. I always thought that I was pretty good at Street Fighter 4, especially given the times I beat Kenji with Dudley, but after today I feel like I've been lying to myself! It wasn't a 1-0 and not even a 2-0, but a whooping 4-0 immediately cut my pride in half.

As I glance towards Hanako, I can read her expression perfectly: her eyes are beaming with joy, enthusiasm and pride.

"I suppose that you owe me an explanation for your newfound skills, right?" I ask her, hoping to make myself feel better with her answer. She looks at me with a playful expression, which immediately makes me regret asking anything in the first place.

"Well... when you were at Kenji's place, I might've played a little bit with Cammy..."

I sigh. A part of me is surprised to find out that it took her only an evening to get better than me, while the other is proud at her. My expression changes, giving place to a joyous smile.

"Well, a bet is a bet," I say as I put my hand on her shoulders, drawing her closer to me, "C'mon, show me that plushie toy that you wanted to much."

As I pronounce those words, her eyes are filled with a childlike wonder that makes me almost melt from the inside. This girl never fails to make me feel warm, especially when she shows me her genuine reactions. I'm not even surprised that she's like this, after all she never had the luck to have a family and had to spend the majority of her childhood in an orphanage. When we graduated from Yamaku and I told her that I wanted her at my side even through college, she began to cry out of sheer happiness.

In Yamaku we had our own family, composed of Lilly, her and myself. When our beloved blonde Amazon left for Scotland, we felt like we had to built something anew, together. It was then that I knew what I was supposed to do. I wasn't sure before, but after saying goodbye to Lilly, I was convinced that I wanted to be Hanako's family. Saying that at eighteen is sort of weird, but I was sure that I wanted her at my side as long as I can walk this green Earth.
It's still true three years later, and I couldn't be more happy about my decision. My parents and I tried, and we still do, our best to show to my girlfriend all the love that she lacked ever since her parents died. I was thankful that Mom and Dad accepted her so quickly, almost as if she was their lost child.
All of this leads us today, where the love between me and Hanako is stronger than ever and it feels like it never stops growing.

I could go on for hours rethinking about our past, but thankfully a slight tug on my sleeve brings me back to reality. Hana points with her head forwards, showing me the toy shop where she found the plushie-toy that caught her attention. I let out a sigh, but this time it's one of sheer love, happiness and affection. Before we enter, I give her one last kiss on the lips to which she responds with a puzzled expression.

"Don't worry about it, everything's perfect," I say with a smile on my face. Soon after her cheeks assume a rosy color, showing that my words just hit the mark. "Let's go inside, shall we?"
She answers me with another kiss. After that, we enter the shop, hand in hand. We don't know what the future holds for us, but we sure as hell know that we'll face it head on, together.

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While walking to the park where we met up hours ago, Hanako and her new friend catch my attention. The plushie rabbit that I bought to her is being squeezed so hard that if it were alive I'd be concerned.. She's holding it just slightly above her chest, not afraid of showing it off and not letting him go not even for a second. It's adorable. I assume an almost idiotic smile, but I don't care. The fact that she is relishing my gift makes me warm and unable to be affected by the stares of the people around us.
Soon after we arrive at the park, where our next goal is a bench that is located close by. It's around 5 o'clock, but the sun keeps shining as if it was midday. We walk to our destination at a slow pace, enjoying every moment of each other's presence.

As we finally arrive to the bench, we sit down and rest. Walking or standing still for the majority of the way can be tiring, so taking a small break won't hurt.

Hanako lowers her head on my shoulder, as I lower mine onto her own head. The scent of strawberries asphyxiates my mind, relaxing me. As we're like that, one next to the other, every doubt fades and every problem is put on stand-by. I cherish these moments so much, and whenever I get to enjoy them, there's nothing in this world that could inter-
"Oooh, oooh, ooh! Look at them! Aren't they adorable?"
Scratch that. There is a thing that could interrupt these moments, and that is the voice of a certain Ibarazaki that happens to be jogging in that area.

"Slacking off, aren't we? Let me guess, you didn't even bother running during the period of the exams!"

My eyes analyze the 'fastest thing on no legs' that stands there, her hands on her hips and a disappointed look on her face. I try to make my best hurt puppy expression, but to no avail. As hard as I try, I'll never be able to beat Emi in that.
"Well excuse me if I had every other person asking me for repetitions, plus the fact that I had to study like a madman for the exams," I try to add an self-deprecating tone to my voice, that makes Emi assume a slightly too big smile.
"Excuses!" After that, she bring her arms to her chest and crosses them, while looking at us with her teasing expression. "Jokes aside, it's good to see you! You two look adorable as always!"

Both of us blush and then look at each other. The fact that our reaction was the same makes the three of us laugh, especially Emi who almost falls down. Noticing that, I try to move to the side and create some space for her, that is immediately occupied.
We were very surprised when we found out that Emi was in the same university as us. Not that we were the best of friends in the first place, but we all knew that she wasn't Yamaku's brightest star, so finding out that she chose to come here was very surprising. Still, as soon as we found out about her being here, we began hanging out more.

Now that I think about it, it's a damn shame that we didn't talk much during high school, since now I'm very happy that I can count her amongst the people I can trust. The same goes for Hanako, which is weird because her past-self would never hang around someone as loud and extroverted as Emi. Thankfully, within these three years she became much more self-confident, allowing her to be able to call Emi a good friend.
"You know, it's nice that this big mess is over. I can't wait to travel, hike and go outside!" Emi spurts, filled with her typical excitement.

"Well, I hope that your exams went well in the first place," is all I'm able to come up with, given that a big part of my brain is busy enjoying the sleepy Hanako on my shoulder.

"You sound like Mutou now, you know? And yes, my exams went well, thank you very much!" she says, making sure that she looks directly at my face with her best pout. Now that she mentions it, she's not the first one that says that I'm similar to Mutou at times. It both amuses me and scares me...
My eyes seem to have gotten pretty wary, since Emi is looking at me with an amused look. I glare her, which causes little to no effect.

"Oh c'mon! I'm kidding! The fact that you have someone like Hana with you makes it REALLY hard to look like him," she says with a reassuring tone that makes both me and the purple-haired beauty chuckle. In a way she's right. Mutou never striked me as someone who would be very successful with women, as cynical and harsh as it may sound. A part of me is glad that this is the case, since I shudder at the idea of living my life alone.

"Yeah, I'm glad to have her too," I answer, passing my hand through the hair of the girl in question. "Though, I would be even more glad that If a certain Ibarazaki wouldn't bother me every second day." Teasing was never my forte, but today I feel playful... plus it's Emi, she knows how much I care about her, regardless of how I try to hide this fact.
She clearly understands my efforts because she immediately puts on her best hurt expression, which draws a small laugh from Hana, who decided to bless us with her presence.

"Oh, good morning sleeping beauty," Emi and I say simultaneously, making Hanako blush and forcing her to put on her best pout, which both melts my heart and cuts it in two. Dammit, one day she will give me a heart attack with that expression, literally.

"Anyway, where you're off to now, Emi?" I ask her just to kill time, since without that question I can bet an awkward silence was about to fall.

"Oh, I was headed to the gym and then to the supermarket! Can't you see my rucksack?"

"Right... it was nice talking to you! Care to come to our place one of these days?"

"Sure, I would love to! I love spending time with my favorite science teacher!" At that, a confused expression begins to form on my face. She notices it and gives me one of her typical laughs.

"With how many times you bothered helping me at Yamaku with science, I can't not call you teacher from time to time! Oh and yeah, I'll make sure to call ya, teach'!"

She waves and bids us farewell soon after. Hanako and I say 'Goodbye!' back at her just as she starts to gain speed and continue on her path.
After our little encounter with Emi, we stay on the bench for a little while, enjoying the silence that surrounds us and the presence of each other. Meanwhile, the sun was starting to set and the whole sky is taking on an orange hue, telling us that it's about time we move on. As always, I'm the one to get Hanako to stand up, since if it were up to her, we would be sitting here until night time.

We don't say a word to each other, there's no need to. It's enough for us to hold hands, to exchange expressions and stand one next to the other. These are the small things that mean to us more than a thousand words. We don't need to keep telling to each other 'I love you' or similar expressions to show our affection, we're past that by now. We're together and long as things stay like that and, I'm sure that we're both happy.

We give one last glance at the park before leaving for our place. We might not know what awaits us in the future, but we’re not worried, because as long as we’re together we know we’ll make it through.

A very nice story, Deca! Even though English isn't your first language, you're very proficient

Sharp-O wrote:A very nice story, Deca! Even though English isn't your first language, you're very proficient

Thanks! One of the worst things about it is that I have to nag others to revise my works, since I can't be trusted xD
Anyway, glad you like it! ^^

So, finally I can post this piece, too! As the previous one, this is pretty old (so no, I didn't do it in a evening). Anyway, I must say this is one of my weakest works, but it's also something new to me, so please bear with me. As some might notice, I got inspired by various works, so I'll admit I was inspired by many of them. The theme of this FF is not something I do often, so there will be more mistakes then usual, so I would be even more glad to receive constructive criticism. With that being said, please enjoy 'Truly yours'!

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(credits to @AmITheSky and OneManArmy77 to review this!)

Truly Yours

The sound of my steps is the only thing that keeps the silence at bay. The inky darkness of the latte night streets comforts me, unlike the lights that decorate the face of the buildings that, one by one, I pass. Every so often a car passes, breaking the silence further. Whenever this happens, I hope that it's someone searching for me, someone who came looking for me, to take me away from my current situation.

I remember it very clearly. It was night then too, but I wasn't alone. In front of Yamaku's main gates, with Hanako, I gave one last farewell to Lilly. At the time I never knew how much she meant to me. I never thanked her for being there, since by that point it seemed completely natural. I expected her to stay in my daily life, with her usual composure, her graceful movement and her reserved smile. Everything about her made me feel safe - at home. Then she left.

The following days were hell. I was in denial, I hoped that she would come back like in those clichéd romantic stories; I was wrong, it never happened. I tried to be there for Hanako, but I was of no use. She met Natsume and Naomi, which soon filled – yet not completely - the void that Lilly left in her life. She traveled, laughed and became almost a new person.

As for me, I studied and tried to not let myself become too influenced by my pessimism. My marks were okay, I talked from time to time with Hanako, Emi and I did some chores for the Student Council. They said that I was a top student, someone who did well during his short period in Yamaku; but they were wrong. Part of me was dead, yet somehow I always had the ability to move on.

I'm not sure what was driving me onwards. In Yamaku, Lilly's presence invigorated me , made me feel like I could overcome everything as long as she was at my side. When she left, I had to fill the void with something, anything. The only choices I had left were reading and studying; and so I did. Through the final months of Yamaku and even now, in university, the only thing that was keeping me going was my survival instinct. I lost almost everything, but I knew I could rebuild something new. It's not much, certain wounds won't heal, but at least if I keep going like this, I know I'll have a spot in this world. I'll be alone, but at least I'll be sure that I didn't screw everything up because the love of my life left me.


Today though, it was different. Kenji and I went out, to ‘have some fun' as he said.

“It'll be all right, you worry too much!” he said to me, forcing me to drown my sorrows in his usual scotch. After a moment of hesitation I finally started drinking, and boy do I regret it. At first I felt okay, almost as if nothing in my life was wrong.

Then the other side effects started to kick in.

I punched the wall beside me. I swore at the past, at the present and at the possible future. My mind was again filled with images of Lilly. That field... that damn field that changed my life forever. Hokkaido, the train, the origami. Everything could go to hell!

Then I cried, with Kenji reassuring me in whatever way he could, given his not-so-sober state at the time. Time passed, I emptied myself of the negativity that I was holding. Finally we left that bar, in the dark of the night. Kenji checked that I was all right, then went to his apartment, leaving me to my current situation.

Alone, as always.


I suppose that I deserve this. After all, I was the one who lied to her, denying her to be able to see into my past, to reassure me. As I said before, I also never thanked her for being at my side. She wanted me, yet I somehow managed to fuck it up. I never deserved her, not with my past attitude. I was never truly hers, I was too busy burying myself in my past.

Somehow I salvaged my situation, I managed to make it several days without falling on the ground and throwing a tantrum about my past, as I did hours ago. My exams are going well, I know some people to which I talk every so often... but I'm still empty. One and a half years after that event and that void still exists. Am I a sad person? In the past I would deny to that question. Now? I'm not so sure.

My feet continue on, with my hands at my side and my mind everywhere but here. I continue daydreaming, drowning myself in self-pity. The next thing I feel is the cold ground. Something, someone forces my whole body to fall, hurting my head as it bounces off the sidewalk, and a voice shatters the calm I got accustomed to.

Not being able to recognize the gender, I focus on getting up. My eyes are closed, and my whole focus is set on trying to not fall down again. Meanwhile, the same voice once again draws my attention. A voice from the past, something that lay in the deepest parts of my mind.

"S-S-SORRY! I-I didn't want to cause this mess and I'm sorry pleasedon'tyellatmeplease!"

I open my eyes and I'm taken aback by who I see in front of me. That long, dark hair that caught my attention during my first day of school at Yamaku. The hair that I thought I would no longer see, somehow managed to come back in my life. She seems to be talking to me, but I can't hear her. My mind is still processing this moment. Everything feels so surreal to me.

I'm standing still, but out of nowhere my hands lunge forward, embracing Hanako in a tight hug. I feel tears well up in the corner of my eyes, but I try to hold them off for now. She watches me, shocked and confused by my sudden reaction. She doesn’t realise that this Hisao is no longer the boy she knew. It's a Hisao that thought his life was gone, up until a he spotted a chance to get his life back together.

In the dark of the night, I manage to utter a whisper which she manages to hear "You don't know how much I'm glad to see you," is all I say.

My life might not be done. A dark-haired savior, by sheer chance, saved me from myself and showed me a light at the end of the tunnel. I never thought I would say this, but I feel like in this moment I am truly hers.


"No excuse I will destroy. Am I tired? No I'm not, enjoy
evidence that I've been legit of what kept in the dark cracks and crevices within
and I mean this truly yours, what is it that I've become
dwindling to nothing again the filling up the ink pen with everything." - 'Truly Yours', Windmills, 2011

That was nice, a little short, but still gets the message across.

Great job!

Not bad, Deca! Short and sweet