Kana: WAFFO! #1: Happy birthday, imouto-chan!

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Premise
Kana's fifteenth birthday is a couple of weeks away, and Taka doesn't know what to do. What should he buy her? Where should he take her? Will she be well enough to go out with him on the day? Does Yuta already have plans to ask her out? Will Masa try to look up her skirt? And what does Miki keep trying to tell him?

Tone
Light-hearted. May be comedic at times. Likely to get emotional later on.

Direction
I don't mind if people want to write first- or third-person. I'd like to keep it in present tense, if possible. I think it would be nice if there were a running gag about Miki trying to tell something to Taka, but constantly getting interrupted. Whatever she has to tell him can be revealed towards the end of the story. (I don't know what it is, so it's up for grabs - funny, dramatic, sexy, whatever!)

Continuity
Slightly alternate universe, for the sake of drama. For instance, Yuta can demonstrate an interest in Kana early. Likewise, Yumi can show up and interact briefly with Taka. (It's a year before she'll ask for his button on graduation day.)

* Kana's birthday is in late February (late winter), so the weather is cold.

* Kana is currently sick and at the hospital. She's been there for at least a month.

* Kana and Yuta have already met.

* In early spring, Kana will be held back and be forced to repeat the third year of junior high because of poor attendance. Yuta will start first year at Taka's high school. Taka will start third year of high school.

* I'd like to see the Big Four play a role.

* Aunt Sumako is dead. Cana can appear, if anyone wants.

Reminders

* Start your instalment with the instalment number - in bold. Set the font size to 'Huge'. Make it a pretty colour, if you like (but not red or green).

* Keep the instalments separate - don't include discussion in the same post. Hopefully this will make it easier for people to read back over the story so far.

Edit: changed 'in the spring' to 'in early spring', regarding the start of the new school year. The current school year will be over soon - probably before Kana's birthday.

1.

"Catch you later, guys!"

I unchain my bicycle from the rack and wheel it out from underneath the bike shelter. Tomoki and Masa are standing at the school gate, waiting to see me off.

"Don't forget the history test tomorrow," Tomoki reminds me. "Third period."

Masa groans. "Don't remind me!"

I can't even remember what the test's supposed to be about. Ah well. I'll figure it out when I get home tonight. For now, I have somewhere else to be.

"Sure thing," I say. "I'm sure I'll do better than Masa, even if I do forget."

"Hey!" Masa blurts.

I look at him and raise my eyebrows. "You don't agree?"

Masa just looks at me for a moment, then grins. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Hey! Say hi to Kana for me!"

"Sure," I deadpan. "And I'll bring you back a pair of her panties, too."

"Really?" Masa brightens, and I just shake my head, groaning.

"I'm leaving! See ya!"

"Later!"

The air is cold and sharp in my face as I pedal down the street, bent forward over the handlebars. At least it's not raining, though. Kana always hates it when it rains when we're on our way to or from school. I grin slightly as I strain harder to keep the bicycle moving up the slope. Thoughts of Kana, blushing at me in a wet school uniform, keep me occupied all the way to the hospital.

***

The fifth floor never seems to be busy. As I emerge from the elevator, there's just a couple of nurses loitering at the duty station, and a ubiquitous old man hobbling down the corridor with his IV stand. It seems he's always either coming from or going to the bathroom. The price of getting old, I guess.

I feel a bit weird as I walk past the men's toilets. I'm not sure why, exactly, but occasionally the door with its frosted glass panel just reminds me of--

"Taka!"

"Eh?" I shift my gaze to the nurse's station, where Miki Kondo is standing there with a clipboard under her arm. She looks more pleased than usual to see me. I wave, casually. "Hey, Miki!"

"Taka, I'm glad you're here!" she calls, her voice much too loud for a hospital. "I'll come and see you in a minute, okay?"

"Um, sure," I tell her, mildly puzzled. Why the sudden fuss?

A slight shiver runs down my back as a thought occurs to me. Maybe it's something to do with Kana. Maybe Kana's gotten worse today. She's been fine the past few weeks, but it hardly seems to take anything to tip her over the edge these days. I want to ask Miki what it is now, but she's been accosted by the head duty nurse and is busy discussing one of the charts on her clipboard.

I sigh and shake my head. She'll come find me when she's ready.

I settle my satchel firmly on my shoulder and put my hand on the door to room 512. A little ritual, every afternoon.

I push the door open and walk in. "Hey, Kana, I'm back!"

2.


It's cold today.

The naked branches of the tree shiver outside in the wind, longing for spring, just like me.

It's the longest I've been here for a while and everything is white; the sheets, the curtains, my pajamas...and oh...my skin is turning whiter as well. At least that's what the old man down the hall told me. He calls me 'Snowflake', no matter how many times I tell him my name.

Grey skies today again, and I've caught myself drumming my fingers on the window pane for the fifth time. Snow's beautiful when it falls, but it makes it harder for Onii-Chan to visit me. And still he comes, every day about this time, without fail. Yes, snow's even more beautiful to watch with Onii-Chan, even if it is nothing more than a foggy blur at times.

It makes me warm inside just to think about his daily visit and I smile just wondering what we'll talk about. There's that new book that Miki-san's lent me...I wonder if he'll like to hear about it. Oh! And that cute little kitten I saw by the flower beds earlier...although...it reminds me of...uhm...But there's school! Just thinking of all the time we can spend together during our lunches next term makes me want to dance!

A moment to catch my breath after bouncing back on the bed and the knock at the door reminds me that the magazines are out of place, the box of tissues on the counter is lopsided and...oh! Where did I put Miki-san's book!?

I almost knock over the vase of flowers in my haste to clear up and my head misses the counter by inches as I dive back under the covers, fluff the pillows (There's the book!) and sit up right.

Squeezing my eyes for a split second clears the dizzy spell after another deep breath and I call out. "Yes?"

The door swings open and I give my guest my best smile as he deserves nothing less...only to have it fade from dissapointment.

"I-Ito-Kun?" My hands have drawn the sheets higher by themselves and with good reason; The room seems to have gotten colder again.

"Hey Kana." Yuta starts on closing the door. He's brought fresh flowers, what looks like a bundle of notes and oh my...a square melon in a box that would have cost a small fortune. "I finished school early so I could drop these class notes off. Do you like melons?"

"Uhm...y-yes. I m-mean...uhmm..you shouldn't have...ah..." The stutter on my tongue changes to a whimper that I'm powerless to stop as I hear Miki-san's voice in the hall...and the one voice that I know and love replying to it.

Onii-Chan's home...

Whoo, a plot twist already. I love it. =)

The old man calling Kana 'Snowflake' is a cute little in-joke. Kana's anticipation of going to the same school as Taka is poignant - and an angle I hadn't thought of. (Which is weird, because it offers the potential for angst later on and you'd think I would've picked up on that, like Yumi picking up on the opportunity to get someone drunk and hit on them.) LOL, and trust Yuta to bring something expensive and 'cool' as a present.

I'm looking forward to seeing where all this is going to go.

3.

"Afternoon, Kan-Yuta?" I blinked as I crossed the threshold, looking to Kana, then to Yuta. Kana had an almost painful blush painted across her cheeks, Yuta smiled pleasantly as I walked in.

"'Ello there, Taka." Yuta took a step back so I could walk in. I took note of the rather expensive box melon he'd surely brought. Well...this is awkward enough. Kana, my poor Kana, looked about as helpless as a mouse. She looked between us both, mouth working to speak and saying nothing.

Take the initative.

"How have you been today, Kana?" She smiled bashfully, looking up at me.

"I-I've been well, just watching the weather outside...I-Ito-kun came to visit just a few minu-utes before you walked in. He-he brought my class notes and th-that melon for me." I swore her face turned another shade of pink, finding her covers terribly interesting to look at. I realize some snow had fallen when I biked here, the snow had melted on my shirt.

Wet clothes+Yuta+uncomfortable silence= bad day.

"Thanks for bringing those notes, Yuta." I said suddenly, knocking even him from the daze of silence. He smiled a little, nodding.

"No problem at all, I figured it would be a good idea since Kana'll join us next term." He looked to the distracted Kana, still doing her absolute best to not look at either of us.

"Well, I suppose I should go, just wanted to drop by and give a small gift and a few words to Kana. I feel it hardly right to impose on your visiting hours. I'll catch you around Takamishi-kun." Yuta took toward the door, waving back, "See you around, Kana."

"Hai!" She jerked her head up in nervousness, waving slightly, "Bye..." He was gone before the final syllable left her lips. I stood there, just staring at the melon and the fresh flowers for a moment.

I had no idea what to make of his visit...

"Bro...?" Kana stared at me with an odd light in her eyes, she looked all too relieved and yet apprehensive as I took my usual seat...

4.

For a moment, I have no idea what to say to her. I sit there numbly on the chair, staring at the items on Kana's little trolley table. The things that Yuta brought.

You shouldn't have brought flowers, I think, harshly. Kana doesn't like flowers. They remind her of how fast time passes in here; they live and they die while she remains the same. You don't bring Kana flowers.

And the melon... Kana's never been to the beach! I can't even remember the last time she was home on a summer night to enjoy watermelon with the rest of us.

What is it with you, Yuta - do you do these things to taunt her? Do you... do you do them to hurt her?

Or do you just not think?

That's it, isn't it. You don't know what Kana's life is like in here. You're just... you're just trying to be nice.

I shake my head, swallowing the bitter taste of jealousy. It's nice. It's nice that someone else wants to do these things for Kana.

It's nice.

"Oniichan?" Kana asks, hesitantly. "I'm sorry. I didn't know Ito-san would be visiting. He... he doesn't normally come on Tuesdays."

"It's all right." I take a deep breath and lift my gaze, looking up at her and forcing a smile. "It's a long way to come in the cold. We should be grateful."

"He's been... catching a taxi, the past few weeks," Kana says. "It makes me feel awkward, since he's doing all these things for me and... and there's no way for me to repay him for any of it. He wouldn't take money even if I had any."

"Maybe I should get Mom and Dad to give me cab fare too," I mutter, into my jacket. "It was freezing riding here today, and the snow made things all slippery. I knew I should've walked today."

"You..." Kana bites her lip, the corners of her eyes creasing slightly. "You don't have to come when it's this cold, oniichan. I... I'll understand."

I smile, shaking my head. "Don't be silly. I'd go crazy sitting at home all afternoon by myself - you know that."

She blushes slightly. "You mean... you like it here?"

"I like being with you," I tell her. "It'll take more than the cold and a bit of snow to keep me away."

"I'm glad." The look in her eyes is enough to drive away the lingering chill in my fingers and toes - or at least that's the way it feels. I get up and move the chair closer to Kana's bedside.

"Yuta brought you the notes from school, did he?"

"Hai," Kana says, softly. "There isn't as much new material lately, since the term is almost over. But I still want to try to keep up with the curriculum. I..." Her voice trails off as she looks almost wistfully at the sheaf of paper sitting on the table in front of her. "I'm going to do my best," she finishes.

"Do you want to go over the notes together?" I ask.

"What?" Kana looks startled. "Oh, no. I wouldn't want to waste your time here like that. I'll look over them later tonight, after dinner. It'll give me something to do when you... when you're not..." She trails off again.

"I understand." I reach over and cover her hand with mine. It's so small and so warm. "Do you want some watermelon? I can cut you a piece..."

She giggles slightly, her breath wheezing quietly in her throat. Her hand turns over in my grasp, and her fingers close around mine. "It's all right, oniichan," she says. "I don't really like watermelon."

5.

I gaze down at our interlaced fingers with a smile on my face. My thumb idly tracing her hand. "I figured you didn't like it. Just...odd that he came by with all that. I can understand the sentiment, but he should know different with you..." I sighed, shaking my head, looking up at her slightly pained face.

"It's ok, no wrong done you know." I simply sat with her, looking at her for a time, just enjoying a comfortable silence. Snow flakes started falling outside more, Kana was almost overjoyed. She turned, yanking me toward the bed some to watch for a bit.

The little flakes fluttered to the earth, blanketing all in a new coat of snow.

"Isn't it nice?" Kana squeezed my hand. I merely smiled.

"Yes," I stared at her for a moment before looking back out to the snows. "Soooo, soon to be birthday girl, excited?"

She turned with a smile and faint tracing of pink on her face, nodding.

"You should be! Growing a to a fine young woman!" Her eyes shone.

"You think?" I nodded.

"Absolutely."

LOL, a bit overeager - the current rule is that you have to wait for two instalments before posting another instalment yourself. We'll let this one slide, though. It's good to see the story actually moving. =)

^^;;; I thought so, didn't remember >.> It just came to me!

6.

A smile grows across Kana's face as I return her squeeze. It's not often I get to see her smile, but each time I do... it's as if a flower is greeted by the sun for the first time.

"So, what would you like this year?", I ask not wanting this expression on Kana's face to disapear.

"E-Eh?", Kana stutters as she is suprised by my question.

"What would you like for your birthday this year? I am sure such a fine young woman has something in mind that she would like this year."

Suddenly a rapping can be heard at the door. Unsure who would be knocking, I gently lay Kana's hand onto the bed as I make my way towards the door.

"M-Miki-san?", Kana says as Miki enters the room behind me.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your visit with Taka, but would you mind if I borrowed him for just a moment?", Miki says holding her clipboard close to her bosom.

"Don't worry Kana, I won't be but a moment. And I am sure that Miki will let me stay a little later today than normal for interrupting our visit. Right Miki?", I say with a slight smirk outlined on my face as I ask in hopes to gain abit of extra time with Kana this evening.

I'm not sure about this 'fine young woman' thing that Taka's got going. It doesn't seem like the sort of phrase that Taka would use. He's a modern Japanese teenager, after all.

Then again, it's not as if he's going to say "You're growing up to be really really hot, Kana", either.

Maybe he's just flattering her.

Heh, and it amuses me to hear Taka and Kana sounding British (to my ears) when Sideris writes them. =)

Hehe, I didn't buy the "fine young woman" thing either at first. But I just saw it as he's trying to keep her spirits up and despite what "may" come out in the end, I couldn't see him calling her a total hottie in the hospital either.

Don't knock those Brits ;P Lot of my friends are, and Irish as well

Well, she's not even fifteen yet. I don't think Taka even thinks of her that way yet (apart from in a bishoujo-game-esque "you've got nice buns" / "your breasts are getting bigger" kind of teasing manner). He thinks she's pretty, sure, but he doesn't want her yet.

And so he doesn't think that his love is inappropriate - other than the fact that he thinks Kana 'should' have other friends (hence his tolerance for Yuta).

I understand that but I still think he'd be a bit odded out by the 'gifts' as you pointed out in your story. So...*poke prod* who's next?