Happy Returns (Weekend at Hisao's Side Story).
Posted: Mon May 07, 2012 3:01 am
In honor of Shizune's birthday on 5-6-12, a short side story to my fic "Weekend at Hisao's."
-----
[Doing anything special for your birthday?] Akemi asks.
[Not really. . . how did you know it was my birthday, anyway?] I reply.
[I'm the club president. It's my job to know this sort of thing.]
I have to smile at that. It's exactly the sort of thing that I used to do when I was Student Council President back at Yamaku Academy. The difference, I suppose, is that when Akemi does it, people like her. When I did it, people hated me. I guess that's why Akemi's the president of the University Deaf Student's Association, and I'm just the secretary. People seem to respect my ability to get things done, but they don't necessarily want me being the face of the organization.
We each have our strengths, I suppose, as well as our weaknesses. Akemi's weakness seems to be teasing. For instance, continuing on--
[You're not going to spend it with your boyfriend?] Akemi asks me. She gives me a little eyebrow wag and a lick of the lips, conveying some lascivious intent.
[I don't have a boyfriend. I have a fiancé,] I point out, making sure that the ring on my finger is clearly visible as I sign this. My father might think it unworthy of gracing my finger, but I happen to like it a lot. Not only because of who it's from, or what it signifies: it's just a really nice ring. If nothing else, Hisao knows my taste in jewelry.
Thinking of Hisao makes me ache a little inside. It's been over two months since that memorable weekend trip I took to his home, after all, and since then, I've only been able to keep in touch with him through text messages and letters. None of it's the same as actually seeing him. . . touching him. . . being with him.
No, I'm not just talking about sex, either. Not that I'd pass that up either: there's only so much that I can do for myself, after all, and none of it has that special "touch" that Hisao always brought to the bedroom (when I finally got brave enough to let him, that is: I still feel embarassed about how absolutely nervous I was about that first time: most girls wait a while before tying their boyfriend to a chair).
Anyway, back to Akemi. . .
[Well, are you going to spend time with your fiancé?] Akemi asks.
[No,] I have to admit. [We're both busy. I'm afraid we're not able to take the time out].
[That's too bad. You were much more mellow after that weekend trip. You were practically radiating goodwill to the entire world. Much less crabby than usual.]
[I am not crabby!] I insist.
[If you insist,] Akemi signs back. Her mouth is open in laughter. It makes me smile too. [In any case, if you don't have any other plans, you should let me buy you some dinner.]
[You don't have to. . .] I point out.
[Don't get me wrong, it's just going to be food court food,] Akemi replies. [I'm not THAT rich. Not like you.]
I scoff at her and roll my eyes. Akemi laughs again. I like seeing her laugh. It reminds me a bit of someone I used to know.
I hope, wherever she is, that Misha's doing well.
[If you insist, then, sure. Let's go.]
I pack up my bag, and we leave the club offices together. Akemi locks the door behind her as I pull on a jacket against an unseasonal spring chill. [So,] Akemi asks. [Why didn't you tell anyone else that it was your birthday today?]
[I didn't think it was a big deal,] I point out to her. And it's not, after all. Just another day in another year of a life, after all.
[Really? I think that you were just afraid that no one would care,] Akemi points out.
I shrug to her as we cross the university quad together. [I'm not all that good with people, you know,] I point out. [I don't get along well with the others. I didn't want to seem like I was insisting on people doing something for me.]
[Would it really have been that bad?] Akemi asks.
[I think so. I don't want other people to feel obligated to do something nice on my behalf just because I happened to be born on this date. It's not a big deal, after all.]
Akemi pauses and shakes her head. [You know,] she points out, [I've known you to be a lot of things, but I never thought that Shizune Hakamichi would be bashful.]
[It's not bashfulness. It's just. . .] I pause in the middle of my signing, then shrug. [Okay, so maybe it is bashfulness. Does it make a difference?]
Akemi shrugs. [Maybe a little bit.] She holds open the door to the food court for me. [Ladies' first?]
I'm stepping through the doorway before I realize that something's wrong.
All the lights are out.
And then the lights turn on, revealing a big colorful banner hanging from the ceiling. It reads, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHIZUNE."
There's confetti flying through the air. People are applauding. All of the other members of the club are here, smiling at me as they clap.
There's a table set off to one side with a small buffet of various foods. At the end is a rather large-ish sheet cake, lavishly decorated in colored frosting.
And amidst all of this bright color and excitement, the only thing that I can see is a young man with messy light-brown hair standing off to one side, smiling at me as he applauds.
I race across the room and leap into Hisao's arms, grabbing onto him just to prove to myself that this is real, that he's actually here. I don't know how he's managed it. I don't know how he kept it a secret from me. All I know is that this is the only thing that I ever really wanted.
[Happy Birthday.]
-----
[Doing anything special for your birthday?] Akemi asks.
[Not really. . . how did you know it was my birthday, anyway?] I reply.
[I'm the club president. It's my job to know this sort of thing.]
I have to smile at that. It's exactly the sort of thing that I used to do when I was Student Council President back at Yamaku Academy. The difference, I suppose, is that when Akemi does it, people like her. When I did it, people hated me. I guess that's why Akemi's the president of the University Deaf Student's Association, and I'm just the secretary. People seem to respect my ability to get things done, but they don't necessarily want me being the face of the organization.
We each have our strengths, I suppose, as well as our weaknesses. Akemi's weakness seems to be teasing. For instance, continuing on--
[You're not going to spend it with your boyfriend?] Akemi asks me. She gives me a little eyebrow wag and a lick of the lips, conveying some lascivious intent.
[I don't have a boyfriend. I have a fiancé,] I point out, making sure that the ring on my finger is clearly visible as I sign this. My father might think it unworthy of gracing my finger, but I happen to like it a lot. Not only because of who it's from, or what it signifies: it's just a really nice ring. If nothing else, Hisao knows my taste in jewelry.
Thinking of Hisao makes me ache a little inside. It's been over two months since that memorable weekend trip I took to his home, after all, and since then, I've only been able to keep in touch with him through text messages and letters. None of it's the same as actually seeing him. . . touching him. . . being with him.
No, I'm not just talking about sex, either. Not that I'd pass that up either: there's only so much that I can do for myself, after all, and none of it has that special "touch" that Hisao always brought to the bedroom (when I finally got brave enough to let him, that is: I still feel embarassed about how absolutely nervous I was about that first time: most girls wait a while before tying their boyfriend to a chair).
Anyway, back to Akemi. . .
[Well, are you going to spend time with your fiancé?] Akemi asks.
[No,] I have to admit. [We're both busy. I'm afraid we're not able to take the time out].
[That's too bad. You were much more mellow after that weekend trip. You were practically radiating goodwill to the entire world. Much less crabby than usual.]
[I am not crabby!] I insist.
[If you insist,] Akemi signs back. Her mouth is open in laughter. It makes me smile too. [In any case, if you don't have any other plans, you should let me buy you some dinner.]
[You don't have to. . .] I point out.
[Don't get me wrong, it's just going to be food court food,] Akemi replies. [I'm not THAT rich. Not like you.]
I scoff at her and roll my eyes. Akemi laughs again. I like seeing her laugh. It reminds me a bit of someone I used to know.
I hope, wherever she is, that Misha's doing well.
[If you insist, then, sure. Let's go.]
I pack up my bag, and we leave the club offices together. Akemi locks the door behind her as I pull on a jacket against an unseasonal spring chill. [So,] Akemi asks. [Why didn't you tell anyone else that it was your birthday today?]
[I didn't think it was a big deal,] I point out to her. And it's not, after all. Just another day in another year of a life, after all.
[Really? I think that you were just afraid that no one would care,] Akemi points out.
I shrug to her as we cross the university quad together. [I'm not all that good with people, you know,] I point out. [I don't get along well with the others. I didn't want to seem like I was insisting on people doing something for me.]
[Would it really have been that bad?] Akemi asks.
[I think so. I don't want other people to feel obligated to do something nice on my behalf just because I happened to be born on this date. It's not a big deal, after all.]
Akemi pauses and shakes her head. [You know,] she points out, [I've known you to be a lot of things, but I never thought that Shizune Hakamichi would be bashful.]
[It's not bashfulness. It's just. . .] I pause in the middle of my signing, then shrug. [Okay, so maybe it is bashfulness. Does it make a difference?]
Akemi shrugs. [Maybe a little bit.] She holds open the door to the food court for me. [Ladies' first?]
I'm stepping through the doorway before I realize that something's wrong.
All the lights are out.
And then the lights turn on, revealing a big colorful banner hanging from the ceiling. It reads, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHIZUNE."
There's confetti flying through the air. People are applauding. All of the other members of the club are here, smiling at me as they clap.
There's a table set off to one side with a small buffet of various foods. At the end is a rather large-ish sheet cake, lavishly decorated in colored frosting.
And amidst all of this bright color and excitement, the only thing that I can see is a young man with messy light-brown hair standing off to one side, smiling at me as he applauds.
I race across the room and leap into Hisao's arms, grabbing onto him just to prove to myself that this is real, that he's actually here. I don't know how he's managed it. I don't know how he kept it a secret from me. All I know is that this is the only thing that I ever really wanted.
[Happy Birthday.]
. It felt a bit off when you used either twice but great side story! Happy Birthday Shizune!
