HSJ Fanfic: I Loved You Under the Tree
Title: I Loved You Under the Tree
Author: Yours truly
Pairing: Nakajima Yuto x OC
Genre: Romance, School
A/N: Sorry~! I know this is soooo late!>_< I've been actually done with this a long time ago, but I never got to type it. Been soooo busy!>_< Anyhow, here's your fic, lovekattun29! (^o^) I was gonna do a Valentine theme since I wrote this during the Valentine season. But I had no better plot. Then I thought of spring xD So there~! I hope you like spring xD Hahaha! Hope you like it!:3
P.S. Sorry for the bad spacing and typos. I didn't proof-read them >u<
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I Loved You Under the Tree
The streets were covered with cherry blossom petals and the weather was just perfect for a picnic; it wasn’t too cold, it wasn’t too hot. It was the start of spring and high school students in their uniforms walked down the streets excitedly.
“Uwah~! Look at that huge cherry blossom tree! The petals all over the place were probably from this tree.” Ihara Kagami muttered to herself, overwhelmed by the big cherry blossom tree that stood on the side of the walkway that led to her school. She kept walking until she noticed a tall, thin boy standing in front of the cherry blossom tree. He was taking a photo of the cherry blossom tree. Because the boy noticed Kagami staring at him, he put his camera down to look at her. This time, Kagami was able to take a closer look at the boy’s face. As their eyes met, Kagami began to feel like her heart skipped a beat for a moment. She was stunned by how his dark, brown eyes sparkled against the sunlight. His soft, dark hair was blown gently by the wind, placed neatly on his forehead. He smiled softly at her. “The cherry blossoms are so pretty, ne?”
“Uh… Oh! Yes, it is.” Kagami smiled. She was mesmerized by how he smiled handsomely at her and became lost for a moment.
“This tree specifically is a good subject. The lighting here is good.” The tall boy said wisely like a professional photographer. Kagami nodded and smiled in response. “Oh! You must be from the same school, ne?” The boy noticed Kagami’s uniform and realized they were schoolmates.
“Yeah, I’m in first year.”
“Oh! Welcome to the school! Hehe.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m Nakajima Yuto! I’m in third year. Nice to meet you!” The boy said, offering his hand for a handshake.
“Oh, nice to meet you. My name’s Ihara Kagami.” Kagami took Yuto’s hand shyly and shook hands.
Kagami got to school and saw a crowd of students in front of the bulletin board.
“Kagami! Kagami!” Miyuki Kagami’s best friend called out to her. “We’re classmates!”
“Really? Yeeey!!” Kagami and Miyuki jumped around.
Among the crowd of people, Kagami noticed a familiar head sticking out among the other people’s heads. She noticed Yuto talking to his friends. “I wonder if he’s our cla… Oh, he’s in senior.” She thought to herself, feeling a little upset.
They all went to their classrooms to kill time until the opening ceremony started.
“Kagami! Let’s sit here!” Miyuki excitedly ran to the two seats on the corner next to the window. The view of the tree is great here. Miyuki said, pointing out at the cherry blossom tree that was right in front of the window. Kagami went to see the tree and widened her eyes in surprise. It was the tree where she had met Yuto. She slowly sat down on the seat by the window, still looking at the tree. Miyuki was called out by one of her friends, leaving Kagami alone for awhile. “I’ll be back in a bit, okay?” Miyuki excused herself as Kagami gave her approval. Kagami’s attention was on the tree again. She stared at the tree as she relived her first meeting with Yuto. All she thought of was how their eyes met and how Yuto smiled at her. Every time she remembered his long and warm fingers touching her hand, she felt chills down her spine.
After classes, Kagami walked to the school ground, hoping to see Yuto. There he was, taking photos of some flowers. Kagami was urged to approach him, but something was holding her back. Her mind hesitated while her heart said ‘Go for it.’ But out of fear, she took a few steps backwards until Yuto called out to her, “Kagami-chan!” He ran to her quickly. Kagami wasn’t sure what to say or do. She smiled in response. “I saw a really pretty butterfly, but I couldn’t catch it. So I took a picture of it instead.” Yuto showed Kagami a picture of a blue with black pattern-winged butterfly from his camera. Because Kagami couldn’t admit to Yuto that she didn’t like insects, she smiled again in response.
“Ah…” But she found it pretty.
“Oh, what brings you here?” Yuto curiously inquired.
“Uhm… well…” Kagami had to quickly make up an excuse because she couldn’t tell him that she just wanted to see him. “Well… I saw you here. So I… wondered what you were doing here.
“Oh~. It’s getting late. We should get going.” Yuto said, noticing the sun about to set.
“Yeah,” Kagami nodded.
For days, all Kagami could think of was Yuto and how he would smile at her every time they saw each other. She realized she was beginning to fall for him. Her heart throbbed every time she made an eye contact with him. But because Yuto was in senior, she didn’t get to see him all the time. She only watched him from a distance without getting the chance to talk to him or get close to him.
Weeks after school started passed, spring was over and summer came. The cherry blossom tree became a plain tree with green, healthy leaves and the weather was hot every day. Kagami became upset, not being able to see the cherry blossom tree - the one thing that kept her feelings going more and more towards Yuto and the one that allowed her to picture her first meeting with Yuto to relive it.
Time kept passing without Kagami getting close to Yuto. She only saw him from a distance when she got lucky. Every so often, she would watch him from her classroom during Yuto’s PE class in the school ground. Occasionally, she would see him taking pictures in school. Frequently, she would see him after classes, but too scared to approach him. She holds back.
Months passed and Kagami was still hesitating to talk to Yuto and befriend him. She realized Yuto was graduating in a few months. “Kagami, it’s been almost a year since we came to this school, ne?” Miyuki stated over their lunch break.
“Yeah,” Kagami sighed.
“So have you found anyone you like yet?” Miyuki said with a smug on her face.
“Eeeeh? Uhh…” Kagami poked on to her sandwich out of tension/
“That reaction! You like someone, don’t you?!”
“Well, uhm…”
“Come on!! We’re best friends! Who is it?”
“Alright, alright!” Kagami surrendered. She sat close to Miyuki. “Do you know Nakajima Yuto?” Kagami said in a small voice.
“Yeah… Oh! You like him?! Since when!? Ssssh! I met him on the opening of class.”
“So you liked him for almost a year now?” Kagami nodded in response. Miyuki gasped. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“I just didn’t have the courage to talk about it to anyone.”
“Why not? But isn’t Nakajima-senpai a senior?”
”Yeah…” Kagami’s heart sank, picturing in her head Yuto walking away from the school fate after graduation.
“So are you guys close enough for you to confess to him?”
“What? I don’t even have any plans to tell him. Besides, we’re not even that close.”
“why aren’t you talking to him? He seems really friendly.”
Kagami was reading a book in the library one random afternoon. She went towards one of the shelves in the corner to grab a book until she heard a sound of a book slammed to the floor from the other side of the shelf and was startled by the abrupt sound. “Aaaah~!” Kagami heard a whining, hoarse voice from where the sound came from. “Sorry!” The voice apologized to the librarian and to a few other students in the library. Kagami peeked from in between the books through the bookshelf to see who it was. But a hand grabbed the book in front of her. “Oh, Kagami-chan! You’re here!” Yuto greeted her from the other side of the bookshelf. Kagami was surprised, unexpectedly seeing Yuto in the library. “I’m looking for this book for a research paper. But I couldn’t seem to find it here.” Yuto explained, looking troubled. Then Kagami found the book Yuto was looking for in the shelf on the side where Kagami was.
“Senpai, is this the book you’re looking for?”
“Hm?” Yuto went to the other side of the shelf and went next to Kagami while Kagami held the book to show it to the latter. “Yeah! That’s it! But there’s still more.” So they walked around the library to search for more books.
When they found the last one, she grabbed the book and Yuto attempted to take the book as well. Then, their hands touched. They were both surprised by the touch and held back as soon as they felt each other’s hands. “S-Sorry!” Yuto shyly apologized. Kagami looked away, hiding her burned up face out of embarrassment. “I-It’s okay…” kagami grabbed the book again, handing it over to Yuto. “Here…” She was still looking away. Her face was all red and her heart pounded so fast. “T-Thanks!” Yuto stuttered as he took the book in his hands. Yuto finished his paper an hour later. “Thanks for helping me, Kagami-chan!” Yuto smiled at Kagami who was sitting in front of him, reading a book as Yuto put his pen down and stretched.
“Eh? I didn’t do anything.”
“Yes, you did~! You helped me find the books I needed and merely being here with me motivated me to finish my paper.” Yuto grinned.
“Eh?” Kagami widened her eyes, shocked by what he said.
“Oh! N-No! What I mean is… I like working with someone around like this.” Yuto tried to explain it in a more comprehensible way.
“Ah…” Kagami lightly laughed.
“I owe you lots!”
“But it was nothing.”
“No, I should give you something in return.” Yuto thought for awhile. “I know! I should treat you out!”
“Eh?”
“Are you free this weekend? I’ll treat you out for lunch!”
“Uhm, I’m free this weekend, but you don’t…”
“That’s great! Okay! This Saturday, ne?” Yuto grabbed Kagami’s shoulders with excitement. He stared at her straight in the eyes and Kagami noticed his eyes twinkling. Her heart skipped a beat, losing her focus. “Kagami-chan?” Yuto became puzzled. Kagami continued staring into his eyes without a word. She spaced out into his eyes. “Kagami-chan, are you okay?” Yuto leaned closer and waved his hand in front of her. They were only about two feet away this time.
“OH! Ah, yes, I’m sorry. Saturday’s fine.” Kagami snapped out. As soon as she gave Yuto a reply, Yuto grinned.
“Great! I’ll see you on Saturday then!” Yuto grabbed his things on the table and returned the books. As he quickly walked out of the library, he bid his goodbye to Kagami, who was still on her seat. “Bye, Kagami-chan! Thanks for helping out!”
“Uh… Bye, senpai…” She watched him leave. She heard running footsteps fade away. But I didn’t really do anything, did I? Kagami thought to herself as she stood up to leave as well.
Kagami woke up in her bed and got up to think, “What day is it today?” She grabbed the calendar on her side table to realize that it was Saturday. “Oh, gosh! It’s Saturday today!” Kagami freaked out in her head, realizing she was going to have lunch with Yuto.
Kagami got up and readied herself. She grabbed a cute sky blue one piece and a white cardigan and white flats to go with the dress. She headed out of her house as soon as she got dressed.
She took a train on her way and thought, “We’re just the two of us. This feels like we’re going on a date.” The thought made her nervous.
Before she knew it, she was at an Italian restaurant where she was meeting with Yuto. She bagan to feel anxious and hesitated to go in. She took a deep breath and nervously went inside the restaurant. When she got in, she was astonished by how sophisticated the restaurant was. The tables were covered in white cloth like the ones in the hotel. There were candle holders hanging by the white wall and by the appearance of the restaurant, there was no doubt that the restaurant was a first class. Overwhelmed, Kagami froze in the entrance of the restaurant. A waitress in black polo shirt and knee-high skirt approached the astonished Kagami. “Good afternoon, ma’am! Table for how many?”
“Two, please.” A man said from behind.
“Eh?” Kagami was surprised and turned behind her to see Yuto standing in front of her. “Senpai?”
“Hi, Kagami-chan! I’m glad I wasn’t late.” Yuto grinned.
:Senpai! Kagami grabbed Yuto by the arm towards the door. “W-We can’t eat here! This restaurant’s for the elite!” Kagami whispered.
“Relax, I’m treating you, so you don’t have to worry.”
“No! You don’t have to do this!”
“I’m treating you!” Yuto grabbed Kagami’s hand and followed the waitress. Kagami’s heart pounded so fast. It was the same feeling when he first held her hand that day when they shook hands when they first met. But this time, it was tighter.
Ever since the lunch date, Kagami found herself getting very close to Yuto. She spent months with him.
“Kagami, you seem to be really close to Nakajima-senpai, ne?” Miyuki said to Kagami, who was walking next to her on their way home from school.
“Ah, yeah,”
“Don’t you have plans to tell him?” Miyuki asked, sounding persuasive. But Kagami wasn’t convinced. She shook her head.
“We only got to know each other recently. I can’t do that.”
“He’s graduating! You won’t be able to see him anymore!”
“That won’t make me confess. I’ll just let it pass.” Kagami stopped walking. “Besides, we can still be friends even after he graduates, right?”
Another spring came and Kagami stood in front of the window of her classroom while her classmates were out in the auditorium, watching the graduation ceremony. Kagami sighed. She didn’t have the courage to show up in the ceremony because it broke her to see Yuto go. I know it’s all ending here. He’ll be gone and he wouldn’t even remember me. It’s all over after the ceremony.
Kagami broke into tears, reliving every moment she had spent with Yuto from the time she met him, when she watched him from a distance and finally got close. Her heart shattered when she heard the graduation song playing from a distance. She stared at the cherry blossom tree where she first met Yuto as the graduation song went on and on. Tears just kept running down her cheeks and she wouldn’t stop sobbing. She had no courage to not end it this way. She wasn’t ready to confess, but she wasn’t ready to end everything.
“Kagami!” Miyuki barged in to the classroom and ran straight towards Kagami. “Kagami! The ceremony’s over! You have to tell Nakajima-senpai about how you feel!”
“I can’t… I just can’t…” Kagami sobbed and more tears filled her eyes.
“Kagami!” Miyuki held Kagami’s cheeks so she would look at her. “You can’t let this end here. You liked him for a year and you finally got close to him. You have to tell him.” Kagami was sobbing and didn’t say a word. “Kagami, it’ll be too late if you don’t tell him now. It’s not ending here. It shouldn’t end here.”
They both fell into silence for awhile until Kagami finally calmed down. Without a word, she dashed out fo the room to make her way to Yuto. “Good luck, Kagami!” Miyuki cheered.
Kagami went out of the school to see students going out too. She ran to the cherry blossom tree, where Yuto was standing.
“Nakajima-senpai!” Kagami called out. Yuto turned around and before he could say a word, Kagami spoke. “Senpai… I… ever since we first met here, I’ve always liked you. And…” Kagami’s voice shook in anxiety, pain and nervousness. Yuto widened his eyes in shock. “I… it hurts to see you go.” Kagami broke into tears again. Yuto watched her cry for a moment, then weapped his arms around Kagami.
“We can still see each other even when I’m gone.” He patted her head gently as Kagami kept sobbing in his chest. “I like you too.” Yuto said in a soft voice. Kagami looked at Yuto with surprise. She widened her eyes and stared at him. Yuto grinned. “That’s why you’ll still get to see me even after I leave. So don’t cry.” Kagami shyly nodded.
“Can I have your button?”
“Eh? Oh, right. It’s something girls do when the guy they like graduates, ne?” Yuto took off one the buttons of his uniform and handed it over to Kagami. Kagami smiled and tip-toed to reach for a kiss to Yuto.
“Congratulations.”