Kodomo No Omocha Fan Fiction ❯ I Don't Hate You ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

A/N: Ok guys thanks so much for the feedback! I was surprised by how many reviews my last chapter got! To answer most of your questions, yes this is a MULTI-CHAPTER fanfiction so there will be more than just a few measly installments. I have caught a few problems in continuity in my own work though. Unfortunately, I find the timeline in the episodes 52-102 a little confusing. Turns out that they only cover one school year and that the kids are nearing the end of their 7th grade year by 102. Well I've already put down that they are now in eighth grade so I'm just gonna keep running with it and apologize to any Kodocha purists out there! As for the other question, no I have not actually sat down and read any real copies of the manga, HOWEVER, I have read online translations of the stuff and know how it ends. Manga is so expensive to buy here and I haven't yet run across and copies I've wanted to buy. I do like the characters in the manga, but usually when a new comic is turned into anime, it translates differently. The characters shift a little and the relationships interact in new ways. I really enjoy the anime version of Kodocha and am very attached to the characters. I hope in my little fanfic to provide closure for all those fans that couldn't stand leaving Hayama and Sana's relationship so open-ended at the end of episode 102. I'm also glad you guys think the chapters have been cute. My main goal in this fanfic is to try and be as in-character as possible, so I'm going for realism so to speak. That means I'm trying to add some humor into the story as well as some intense drama. As other fans of the series know, the show specialized in big surprises and a little angst in parts of the characters' lives. Expect this story to turn that way soon!

Hayama Akito walked down the street to his school the next morning, caught up in his own thoughts. He had been eating breakfast with his annoying older sister Natsumi when she had leaned over and pointed out an article in one of her useless teen magazines.

"Look Akito, this is an article about Sana-chan! It says here that fans are curious about what's keeping her out of the spotlight recently. Her new TV show has wrapped from shooting for a month and rumors say she hasn't signed on to do any movies or commercials. People are wondering what she's up to! I haven't seen her around our house recently either. Do you know what she's doing now, Akito?"

Akito had blushed slightly at the questions his sister was asking. Hayama wasn't easily disconcerted but he hadn't yet adjusted to the idea of dating his long-time crush. Not to mention he kept forgetting how famous she really was. He would have to get used to all these questions digging into her personal life from both strangers and friends and family.

"Tsuyoshi-kun asked her the same thing yesterday at school and she only said she was taking a break from work so she could get some schoolwork done. It is near the end of the year, idiot, and she needs all the time she can get to study for exams. She's not exactly the brightest kid in school," Hayama said, trying to recover his composure.

"Idiot??!! Why you little turd, I was just asking a question! I haven't talked to her since the hospital a couple weeks ago, and then it wasn't exactly idle conversation!" Natsumi replied heatedly, "And you shouldn't insult her so much. She may not be the best student but she's the nicest, cutest girl I've ever met and a very talented actress!"

"Hmph" was all that Hayama responded with. The irony of the situation didn't escape him. His own sister was lecturing him about his girlfriend's finer points. He didn't know if he could let other people know he was dating her. He definitely didn't care what other people thought about him, but he wasn't a very open person and he wasn't sure if he should make a public update on his love life to his family. The very thought abhorred him, but it might be better than having Natsumi catch him and Sana in an embarrassing moment and then having to endure her teasing for months. He was sure his old man would be just as bad. The guy adored Sana and he was sure he'd make a big deal about her new connection to the Hayama family. Well as big a deal as the calm even-keeled man could make. Then again, he definitely had his own set of quirks and eccentricities as Hayama recalled with a cringe how the man would talk to the TV if Sana was on, acting as if she were really there and could respond to his invitations for her to stop by for dinner.

Hayama sighed, the hot moisture from his breath condensing into a visible cloud as a result of the cold morning. He kept walking to school, a neutral expression on his face as he dealt with his inner frustrations. No one seeing him pass by on the street would have guessed that he was having a hard time adjusting to this new phase in his life. He just wasn't sure what to do now. He had always wanted her, desired her both physically and emotionally, but he was unsure about how to transition from friendship to something more. How was he supposed to act around her?

At that moment, someone walking in the opposite direction down the sidewalk bumped into Hayama. It hadn't hurt, but the young boy was irritated by being rudely disturbed from his reveries by some clumsy idiot.

"Hey!" he exclaimed looking behind him, searching for the offender. All he saw was the retreating back of a tall man with dark wavy hair, a hint of silver-grey twisting through it haphazardly. The stranger was also wearing slightly ruffled clothing that looked like he had slept in the same suit a few nights in a row. He had his hands stuck deep into his pants' pockets and was looking down at the sidewalk as he strolled carelessly down the street. The man didn't respond to Hayama's cry of indignation and kept walking, but the young 14 year-old thought he caught a glimpse of a camera swinging from around the man's neck.

Hayama was still gazing after the rude offender when he heard a voice calling him. Sana came shooting from around the corner on the opposite side of the street, waving frantically at him. She quickly crossed at the cross-walk and came jogging up to stand beside him, breathing heavily from the exertion.

"Hey," she gasped in between pants, "I woke up five minutes early this morning and ran the whole way here!" she said, obviously impressed with herself.

"Wow, I didn't know you had it in you," Hayama said sedately, his deadpan manner lending itself well to his own dry sense of humor.

"Hey idiot! I thought you would appreciate the work I did for you! I had a hard time getting out of the door. Rei-kun kept pestering me with job offers," she said angrily, offended by his veiled insult. "I guess I'll just go find someone who actually cares to talk to me in the morning," she said in a huff, starting to stomp off in the direction of Jinbo Junior High.

"Sana…" Hayama said quietly, catching her by the elbow before she marched out of his reach.

The red-head turned around in surprise, her pigtails swinging in the cold morning wind. "Huh?" she questioned, looking up at Hayama with her round hazel eyes.

Hayama responded by pulling her closer to him, intertwining his fingers with hers and giving her an intense, serious look.

Sana felt her insides melt at his actions, a deep pool of heat settling heavily somewhere in her middle and sending a rush of hot blood to her cheeks, staining them a deep red. "Akito…" she whispered in response.

Hayama suddenly realized how unimportant all those other worries were when he gazed down at the short girl before him. They would work through the other stuff, no matter how hard it was. They would adjust as best as they could, because everything was worth this new intimacy with her, the fulfillment of his heart's deepest desire. She was everything he wanted.

Hayama almost leaned down to give his new girlfriend a mind-blowing kiss, but the jostling crowd around him reminded him they were in public. He almost threw decorum to the wind, rationalizing that he didn't care what these people thought about what was proper or not, but he didn't think Sana would like making out in front of total strangers. He also needed to think about her reputation. She was a high-profile actress and she didn't need new tabloid headlines. Instead he pulled her close to him and wrapped his arm around her waist, so they could walk down the street with her small body pulled under his protection.

Sana was once again shocked at the depth of emotion Hayama could show in public. Then again, maybe most people wouldn't consider the hard expression on his face as particularly revealing, but she could see the change in him after knowing him for so long. It warmed her heart to realize that she was the one who inspired affectionate behavior from him, and it reassured her that their new relationship was a good change. She felt happiness welling up inside of her, bursting out in her usual cheerful, exuberant disposition. As the pair walked towards school, Sana was humming and singing to herself, her eyes bright with sincere joy.

Hayama glanced down at the bubbly girl walking pressed against his side. He smiled inwardly to himself that he could finally call the silly ditz his girlfriend. Her natural happy outlook on life did sometimes annoy him, but he had to admit, she was a ray of sunshine illuminating his dark brooding mind. They walked like that for a few blocks in content silence until Sana exclaimed, "Akito, today is Friday and I'm still on break from work! Do you want to do anything tonight? Or do you have karate practice?" she asked performing a few of her own punches and kicks.

Hayama looked down in thought for a few minutes, surprised at her uncharacteristic forwardness. The dense girl was actually suggesting they go on a date! He replied, "No, I don't have to go to the dojo today. If you want you can come home with me and eat dinner with us. Natsumi was asking about you this morning."

"Really?!" Sana said happily. "It's been awhile since I've talked with your sister and dad. That would be a lot of fun to eat with them. Hey, we can stop and get some sushi on our way to your house after school!" she said while reaching up to pat Hayama on the head affectionately with a silly look on her face.

"Sushi?" Hayama commented, an eyebrow rising in obvious interest.

"Yup! Really tasty sushi!" she replied, grabbing onto Hayama's arm and leaning against him.

"Hayama-san! Sana-chan!" A young delicate voice called out the couple's names and the duo turned around to discover its source.

"Oh, Nakao-kun!" Sana called out happily in reply. She broke from Hayama's grip and ran the short distance to the young boy who had called them. She jumped up and down, rambling incomprehensible gibberish in her excitement. Hayama walked up to join the two and greeted the boy with his usual short greeting, "Yo."

"Nakao-kun, I can't believe you're going to school already! I was so glad when you got out of the hospital! Are you really feeling better, we can't have you getting weak again!" Sana continued to chatter on as the shy boy blushed at all the heart-felt attention. He was so used to being passed over by his peers he didn't know quite how to react to the excited 13 year-old girl.

"Yes, I'm feeling almost as good as new. Today will be my first day back. I can't believe all the work I've missed," he replied in his quiet delicate manner.

"Nakao," Hayama said, ignoring the continuous conversation still spilling forth from his girlfriend, "when do you think you will be ready to attend karate club again?"

"Oh yes, we haven't had a meeting since you went to the hospital. We've been waiting for you to get better!" Sana added

"Really? Waiting for me?" the boy queried. "Well, my doctor said I need to get a little exercise but that I can't overexert myself," he said, silently a little embarrassed that he was so obviously weaker than Hayama-san. In his eyes, he seemed so strong and indestructible. Nothing appeared to phase the serious youth.

"We can start slow to fit your doctor's orders. You can regain your strength back gradually with exercise," Hayama replied, giving the timid young boy a serious look.

"Ok Hayama-san. I think Monday after school will be good. I need to catch up on homework this weekend," Nakao said.

"HOORAY!" Sana yelled, suddenly dressed in a cheerleader's outfit, jumping in the air and performing splits, "We'll help you get strong again Nakao-kun!" she chanted, waving her pom-poms in the air.

"Thanks Sana-chan!" the boy laughed, his hand behind his head in embarrassment.

The trio then walked the rest of the way to school, Sana a little behind the boys as she kept yelling, cheering, and doing cartwheels down the sidewalk, Hayama pretending he didn't know the eccentric girl following him. In the school courtyard, Sana caught back up to her stoic boyfriend, pulling him aside for a moment.

"Akito," she whispered happily, "I'll sit with you at lunch ok?"

Hayama only raised his eyebrow at Sana's comment, slipping his hand back around her waist and pulling her closer to him again. He slowly started stroking her lower back and ran his other hand through one of her red pigtails.

"Ahh, you pervert!" Sana responded with her usual comment to Hayama's touching. "Do your hands ever stop wandering!?"

Her insult was a typical reaction to his behavior, but Hayama noticed she didn't hit him over the head, but rather, leaned slightly into his touch, a blush creeping back into her pale cheeks. His blood started boiling again with an intense heat and he quickly ducked his head down to peck her on the lips.

Sana was very surprised by the quick kiss, amazed by his daring, but then again she knew Hayama cared very little for the opinions of others. The moment was too quick for her to enjoy it, but her heart was pounding furiously in her chest. Would she ever get used to having his lips against hers or his hands against her body?

"Let's go, I'll walk you to class," Hayama said keeping his arm wrapped around Sana's waist as they walked into the school. Sana craned her head to look up at her tall boyfriend, a happy smile on her face.

The rest of the school day passed fairly uneventfully. No one seemed surprised or impressed that Hayama and Kurata were now holding hands down the hall. It was true the pair seemed to have wildly different personalities, but everyone was aware of how close they were too. They always defended each other and seemed to spend a lot of their free time together. At lunch, Sana walked into the cafeteria a little late since she had fallen asleep, once again, in math class and had awoken a little after the bell had rung. She spotted her friends' table and slipped into a seat next to Hayama shouting her hellos to Aya-chan, Tsuyoshi-kun, and Fuka-chan.

"Hey guys, would you believe I fell asleep in class again?" she laughed loudly.

"Yes I would actually," Aya-chan said laughing in response.

"Akito, could you help me with my math homework this weekend. I slept through my teacher's lecture, but I don't think I would have understood it if I had been awake anyway," Sana said looking at Hayama beside her.

"Hmph, I have as much hope in tutoring a rock in math," he replied dryly.

"HEY! I just asked you a favor, and who are you calling a rock?!" Sana replied indignantly, trying to ignore the mental picture his words created of a large smiling rock with red pigtails.

"You know you are hopeless in math. You won't understand anything I try to teach you so what's the point?" he said back.

"Well you could at least TRY you idiot! I'm not that stupid you know!" she said offended at his insults. "C'mon Aya-chan, tell him I'm not THAT dumb!"

When Sana turned to the rest of the lunch table's occupants, pleading for Aya-chan to intervene in the argument, all she saw were the dumb-struck faces of her friends.

"S…Sana-chan…did you just call Akito-kun by his given name?" Tsuyoshi-kun asked, his eyes wide in surprise.

Sana blinked for a moment in confusion before she suddenly laughed, forgetting her anger, "Yeah, I guess I did."

"But what does it mean? You've never called him that before that I can remember!"

"Figure it out idiot," Hayama commented, turning his head away in secret embarrassment at the information that was quickly coming out into the open.

"REALLY??!!" Fuka-chan shrieked in sudden comprehension.

"What?" Sana asked, looking around at her friends, still confused at what they were implying.

"Is it true Sana-chan? Are you and Akki a couple now?" Fuka asked in excitement.

"OHHH!" Sana said, her face turning a bright tomato-red. "Well, I guess…I mean yes we are actually," she said a bit confused and surprised by the question. All she could do was look down at her hands, steam practically coming out of her ears from her intense discomfort. She almost screamed out loud in surprise when Hayama's arm snaked around her waist again to pull her closer to him on the lunch table bench.

Their three friends fell out of their seats from shock after witnessing Hayama's sudden physical confirmation of her words.

"You two ARE a couple," Fuka clapped and laughed happily when she finally recovered from her surprise at Hayama's bold move. Tsuyoshi could only point a single shaking finger at the pair, his mouth gaping open. Aya only stared with wide eyes. It was several minutes before they erupted at once into boisterous chatter, bombarding the two with questions on when and how. Sana laughed off most of their questions, not wanting to give away details of the intimate moment and feeling very inexperienced. Even though she had technically gone out with Naozumi-kun a few months ago, she now realized that that had been more of a close friendship on her part. Her feelings for him couldn't rival the deep longing she felt to be with Hayama. Despite this firm belief that their new relationship was right, she couldn't ignore the embarrassment of having her love life talked about by her friends, or shake the feelings of awkwardness that came with holding hands and thinking of the tall quiet boy sitting next to her as her boyfriend.

While the others continued to interrogate Sana, Hayama stared off into space, trying to ignore the conversation entirely. There was no way they would ever catch him talking about her in endearing terms so openly as he heard other couples do. He hated how they turned their relationships into spectacles for others to see. He valued Sana more than just a middle school crush and he would keep what they had together a sacred and private affair. Then again, if he felt the urge to kiss Sana, he wouldn't hesitate to do so unless it might expose her to some uncomfortable attention. Suddenly, a wicked thought entered the crafty leopard's brain. He slowly moved his hand north from where it rested around Sana's waist until he barely brushed the side of her breast.

Sana had been chatting with their friends when she had felt Hayama move his hand. She didn't have time to feel mortified that he had groped her right in the middle of their school cafeteria because anger was the first emotion to surge to the surface.

"YOU PERVERT!" she screamed while bringing her fist crashing down on top of her sneaky boyfriend's head. "WHY CAN'T YOU KEEP YOUR DIRTY HANDS TO YOURSELF??!!"

Hayama got caught by the first few hits she swung at him, but managed to dodge her after he gained his bearings, saying in his normal calm tone, "I think you have grown quite a bit over the past year. Shouldn't you be wearing a bra now?"

Lunch ended with Sana desperately trying to catch Hayama to deal him more physical abuse, he and their friends trying to avoid being caught by her wrath. Eventually the bell rung and Sana stomped back to class, grinding her teeth and flames raging in her eyes.

A/N: ok guys that's it for now! I know there wasn't a lot of action this time but I felt this chapter had gone on long enough, so believe me when I say Sana and Hayama's relationship will be coming under fire from outside sources soon! Mwahaha!