Period 2: Literature
a. Books
Words: 252
The sight was a strange one.
“Odango, are you reading an actual book?”
She didn’t turn to look at him as he attempted to read a page over her shoulder, “What are you saying, baka, I read all the time!”
“Mangas don’t count,” he shook a finger at her as he slid onto the stool beside her, finally catching a glimpse at the book’s cover, “Ah, no I understand. That is exactly the kind of book you would read. Do you really think a book can tell you how make someone fall in love with you?”
He took the book from her and closed it despite her protests, holding it easily out of her reach by keeping his body between her and the book until at last she gave up, face flushed crimson in what he could only assume was effort and fury.
“Love doesn’t have a rule book. You don’t love someone because they,” he flipped to a random page and read, “’compliment your smile.’ You love them because you have no choice, because you see that person and they make you want to smile and to be a better person and to learn to stop calling them Odango when you know they don’t like it.”
“What?!” Usagi spluttered.
“What?” Mamoru repeated, eyes wide. He quickly shoved the book at her face and rushed from the Arcade before she could recover, thinking furiously to himself that he should write his own book: How NOT to Confess to the Girl You Love.
b. Romance
Words: 238
“I’m done,” Usagi declared, stretching her fingers to the Arcade’s ceiling, “Summer vacation! Yay!”
Motoki held back his laughter at the young girl’s exuberance, but still smiled joyfully as he handed her a chocolate milkshake in exchange for some bills, “Congratulations on completing another year. What are your summer plans?”
Usagi suddenly became serious, glancing around she crooked a finger to motion Motoki closer, who obeyed, curiosity evident on his face.
“My plan is Usagi’s Summer of Romance!” She whispered loud enough for those across the Arcade to here her.
Motoki rubbed at his now sore ear, “Usagi’s Summer of Romance?”
“Yes,” Usagi nodded firmly, “This summer I’m going to have a super summer romance with my boyfriend! We’re going to visit the beach and go to the fair and eat ice cream and watch the stars!” She sighed dreamily, staring off at the wall behind Motoki.
“That sounds like fun. I didn’t know you had a boyfriend, Usagi-chan.”
“I don’t,” the girl chirped cheerfully.
“Then how--”
“Not important,” Usagi cut him off with a dismissive wave and then finished her milkshake in one long slurp, “Well, I’m off to find a boyfriend. I’d ask you, Motoki-nii-san, but I know you already have a girlfrien. Unless that’s changed?”
“Sorry, Usagi-chan, it hasn’t.”
“Ah well, worth a shot, “she smiled widely, “See you.”
“Good luck,” he called after her, chuckling at the plan that only Usagi-chan could have invented.
c. Classic
Words: 156
“Morning, Motoki-nii-san and Mamo-baka,” Usagi greeted cheerfully.
“It’s not morning, Odango,” Mamoru returned without missing a beat, “it’s 3PM.”
Usagi pretended she did not hear him and instead pointed at his shirt, “You’ve got something on your shirt, baka.”
Mamoru looked down. He did not see a stain, but he did see Usagi’s finger a moment before it flicked him on the nose.
He leaned backwards, startled as Usagi began laughing loudly, clapping her hands in glee, “I can’t believe you fell for that. It’s the oldest trick in the book!”
Mamoru rubbed his sore nose and glanced outside the Arcade window, “Oh my God, it’s Tuxedo Kamen!”
“Where!” Cried Usagi, spinning around to look, “I can’t see him!”
Mamoru returned to his coffee, “That’s because that is the oldest trick in the book.”
Usagi turned back to him, “Huh? Just tell me where Tuxedo Kamen-sama is already!”
Mamoru shook his head, “You, Odango, are hopeless.”
d. Poem
Words: 248
Usagi slumped into the Crown Arcade, mentally and physically exhausted from the previous night’s ferocious battle. When swinging her to safety, she and Tuxedo Kamen had been hit by the youma’s attack and now every time she spoke…
“Good morning, Usagi-chan,” Motoki greeted her with a sunny smile, “the usual today?”
“Yes please. And here are the yen with which I’ll pay.
…it rhymed.
“Usagi-chan,” Motoki chuckled handing her a milkshake, “Are you becoming a poet?”
Apparently,” Usagi returned tiredly, “And I didn’t even know it.”
The Arcade’s bells rang announcing the arrival of a new customer and Motoki instinctively turned to greet them, “Ah, Chiba-kun. I’ll have your coffee coming right up.”
“Please don’t put it in a paper cup,” returned Mamoru, sounding just as exhausted as Usagi.
Usagi turned and stared at him wide eyed, though he had not yet acknowledged her, while Motoki handed over the mug, “Are you and Usagi-chan doing one of those ‘trick Motoki days’ again?”
Before Mamoru could answer Usagi interrupted, “Could I borrow a pen?”
Motoki gave her a strange look but nodded and went to the back to find the writing instrument.
Usagi turned her attention back to Mamoru who was looking at her as if he had never seen her before.
“So,” she murmured, “it was you all along. God must be punishing me for something I did wrong.”
Mamoru did not reply, unable to find the rhyming words to convey his complete surprise at this discovery.
e. Tragedy
Words: 109
(alternate)
She wasn’t going to make it out alive.
She had known that the moment Jupiter had fallen. Mako-chan had always been so strong but had been no match for the Doom sisters. Minako-chan, Ami-chan, they had both been defeated and now she was the only one left. The last protector of the world’s final hope.
She smiled at Sailormoon, showing more courage than she felt, trying not to think about all two people she was leaving behind, all the things she had not done, focusing only on what she must do.
Because it was her duty.
Because she loved her princess.
She wasn’t going to make it out alive.
f. Conflict
Words: 100
I had two options.
Option 1: Tell Usagi that I like her. A lot. That the reason why I had teased her all this time about her hair and her grades was because I wanted her to notice me. Tell her that she is my entire world. Freak her out completely.
Option 2: Don’t tell her. Continue to live the lie that is my life as if every time one of my insults hits my mark it doesn’t hurt me too Pretend that she means nothing to me.
“Good morning, Usagi-chan. The usual?”
“Yes, thank you, Motoki-nii-san.”
I had two options.
g. Essay
Words: 180
He would not look up until he wrote his introductory paragraph. Now what was the question he was supposed to be working on? He checks his assignment paper to remind himself.
He would not look away from his screen to see if she was looking at him. Now what had he decided to argue? He has to check his notes to remember.
He would definitely not look up to see what it was she was whispering and laughing about. He puts his fingers to the keys and he types, eyes fixed on the screen because he will not look up, not even though all he can see is her beautiful eyes looking back at him.
He will be focussed. School is important. He will write this essay!
He blinks and realizes he has finished his introductory paragraph. He reads it over, quickly realizing that this is not the introduction to a biology essay…it is the introduction to a love letter.
He deletes it all and decides that he would be better off trying to write his essay in the library.
Words: 252
The sight was a strange one.
“Odango, are you reading an actual book?”
She didn’t turn to look at him as he attempted to read a page over her shoulder, “What are you saying, baka, I read all the time!”
“Mangas don’t count,” he shook a finger at her as he slid onto the stool beside her, finally catching a glimpse at the book’s cover, “Ah, no I understand. That is exactly the kind of book you would read. Do you really think a book can tell you how make someone fall in love with you?”
He took the book from her and closed it despite her protests, holding it easily out of her reach by keeping his body between her and the book until at last she gave up, face flushed crimson in what he could only assume was effort and fury.
“Love doesn’t have a rule book. You don’t love someone because they,” he flipped to a random page and read, “’compliment your smile.’ You love them because you have no choice, because you see that person and they make you want to smile and to be a better person and to learn to stop calling them Odango when you know they don’t like it.”
“What?!” Usagi spluttered.
“What?” Mamoru repeated, eyes wide. He quickly shoved the book at her face and rushed from the Arcade before she could recover, thinking furiously to himself that he should write his own book: How NOT to Confess to the Girl You Love.
b. Romance
Words: 238
“I’m done,” Usagi declared, stretching her fingers to the Arcade’s ceiling, “Summer vacation! Yay!”
Motoki held back his laughter at the young girl’s exuberance, but still smiled joyfully as he handed her a chocolate milkshake in exchange for some bills, “Congratulations on completing another year. What are your summer plans?”
Usagi suddenly became serious, glancing around she crooked a finger to motion Motoki closer, who obeyed, curiosity evident on his face.
“My plan is Usagi’s Summer of Romance!” She whispered loud enough for those across the Arcade to here her.
Motoki rubbed at his now sore ear, “Usagi’s Summer of Romance?”
“Yes,” Usagi nodded firmly, “This summer I’m going to have a super summer romance with my boyfriend! We’re going to visit the beach and go to the fair and eat ice cream and watch the stars!” She sighed dreamily, staring off at the wall behind Motoki.
“That sounds like fun. I didn’t know you had a boyfriend, Usagi-chan.”
“I don’t,” the girl chirped cheerfully.
“Then how--”
“Not important,” Usagi cut him off with a dismissive wave and then finished her milkshake in one long slurp, “Well, I’m off to find a boyfriend. I’d ask you, Motoki-nii-san, but I know you already have a girlfrien. Unless that’s changed?”
“Sorry, Usagi-chan, it hasn’t.”
“Ah well, worth a shot, “she smiled widely, “See you.”
“Good luck,” he called after her, chuckling at the plan that only Usagi-chan could have invented.
c. Classic
Words: 156
“Morning, Motoki-nii-san and Mamo-baka,” Usagi greeted cheerfully.
“It’s not morning, Odango,” Mamoru returned without missing a beat, “it’s 3PM.”
Usagi pretended she did not hear him and instead pointed at his shirt, “You’ve got something on your shirt, baka.”
Mamoru looked down. He did not see a stain, but he did see Usagi’s finger a moment before it flicked him on the nose.
He leaned backwards, startled as Usagi began laughing loudly, clapping her hands in glee, “I can’t believe you fell for that. It’s the oldest trick in the book!”
Mamoru rubbed his sore nose and glanced outside the Arcade window, “Oh my God, it’s Tuxedo Kamen!”
“Where!” Cried Usagi, spinning around to look, “I can’t see him!”
Mamoru returned to his coffee, “That’s because that is the oldest trick in the book.”
Usagi turned back to him, “Huh? Just tell me where Tuxedo Kamen-sama is already!”
Mamoru shook his head, “You, Odango, are hopeless.”
d. Poem
Words: 248
Usagi slumped into the Crown Arcade, mentally and physically exhausted from the previous night’s ferocious battle. When swinging her to safety, she and Tuxedo Kamen had been hit by the youma’s attack and now every time she spoke…
“Good morning, Usagi-chan,” Motoki greeted her with a sunny smile, “the usual today?”
“Yes please. And here are the yen with which I’ll pay.
…it rhymed.
“Usagi-chan,” Motoki chuckled handing her a milkshake, “Are you becoming a poet?”
Apparently,” Usagi returned tiredly, “And I didn’t even know it.”
The Arcade’s bells rang announcing the arrival of a new customer and Motoki instinctively turned to greet them, “Ah, Chiba-kun. I’ll have your coffee coming right up.”
“Please don’t put it in a paper cup,” returned Mamoru, sounding just as exhausted as Usagi.
Usagi turned and stared at him wide eyed, though he had not yet acknowledged her, while Motoki handed over the mug, “Are you and Usagi-chan doing one of those ‘trick Motoki days’ again?”
Before Mamoru could answer Usagi interrupted, “Could I borrow a pen?”
Motoki gave her a strange look but nodded and went to the back to find the writing instrument.
Usagi turned her attention back to Mamoru who was looking at her as if he had never seen her before.
“So,” she murmured, “it was you all along. God must be punishing me for something I did wrong.”
Mamoru did not reply, unable to find the rhyming words to convey his complete surprise at this discovery.
e. Tragedy
Words: 109
(alternate)
She wasn’t going to make it out alive.
She had known that the moment Jupiter had fallen. Mako-chan had always been so strong but had been no match for the Doom sisters. Minako-chan, Ami-chan, they had both been defeated and now she was the only one left. The last protector of the world’s final hope.
She smiled at Sailormoon, showing more courage than she felt, trying not to think about all two people she was leaving behind, all the things she had not done, focusing only on what she must do.
Because it was her duty.
Because she loved her princess.
She wasn’t going to make it out alive.
f. Conflict
Words: 100
I had two options.
Option 1: Tell Usagi that I like her. A lot. That the reason why I had teased her all this time about her hair and her grades was because I wanted her to notice me. Tell her that she is my entire world. Freak her out completely.
Option 2: Don’t tell her. Continue to live the lie that is my life as if every time one of my insults hits my mark it doesn’t hurt me too Pretend that she means nothing to me.
“Good morning, Usagi-chan. The usual?”
“Yes, thank you, Motoki-nii-san.”
I had two options.
g. Essay
Words: 180
He would not look up until he wrote his introductory paragraph. Now what was the question he was supposed to be working on? He checks his assignment paper to remind himself.
He would not look away from his screen to see if she was looking at him. Now what had he decided to argue? He has to check his notes to remember.
He would definitely not look up to see what it was she was whispering and laughing about. He puts his fingers to the keys and he types, eyes fixed on the screen because he will not look up, not even though all he can see is her beautiful eyes looking back at him.
He will be focussed. School is important. He will write this essay!
He blinks and realizes he has finished his introductory paragraph. He reads it over, quickly realizing that this is not the introduction to a biology essay…it is the introduction to a love letter.
He deletes it all and decides that he would be better off trying to write his essay in the library.