Tokimeki Memorial Fan Fiction ❯ Toki Days ❯ A Fresh Start ( Chapter 12 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Toki Days

A Tokimeki Memorial - Happy Days Crossover / Slightly AU, Romance, Comedy, Drama, Parody

by Sailor Enlil

Tokimeki Memorial: Forever With You story with a flavor of Happy Days

Synopsis: Shiori Fujisaki starts her 2nd year in Kirameki Highschool with vague memories of her childhood. On the first day of school when she arrives at the gate, Rei Ijuuin, the Principal's grandson, makes his usual grand entrance via a limousine and cheering girls, a routine he's gone through since junior high. However, a new male transfer student in a black leather jacket arrives as a passenger on a motorcycle, and when he removes his helmet, he's dashingly handsome with a greased hairdo and carries himself like a debonair gentleman, effectively drawing the girls away from Rei. Meanwhile, as Shiori looks at him, she gets a nagging feeling in her heart that there's something strangely familiar about him.

Tokimeki Memorial is property of Konami; Happy Days is the creation of Garry Marshall and property of the American Broadcasting Company

Chapter prologue

(Tuesday, April 15, 1997, Lunchbreak, School Building Roof)

Shiori excused herself from the gang and opted to have lunch alone at the school building roof. She was still upset from yesterday's incident, and even after finishing her lunch she felt like staying at the roof a bit longer and was in deep thought, sitting against the railing. However her solitude didn't last long, as Yuko stepped into area from the stairwell.

“Shiori-chan?” she called.

“Uh?” piped Shiori, who snapped out of her reverie.

“Daijoubu?”

“I- I'm okay”

“I heard”

Shiori fell silent, and looked down.

“I'm sorry to hear about your problem. Want some company?”

“Yeah. I guess so.” replied Shiori.

Opening Theme

Nichi, Tsuki, Toki Days

Ka, Sui, Toki Days

Moku, Kana, Toki Days

Tsuchi, what a day

Groovin' all week with you

These days are all,

Tokimeki (Those Toki Days)

These days are all

Share them with me (Itoshii)

Sayonara grey sky, hello aoi.

When I hold you it's so sugoi.

Feels so right, it can't be wrong.

Rockin' and rollin' all week long.

These days are all,

Share them with me (Those Toki Days)

These days are all

Tokimeki (Itoshii)

These Toki Days are yours and mine (These Toki Days are yours and mine), Toki Days

Opening Theme Ends

Chapter 12: A Fresh Start

Yuko approached Shiori and sat next to her. “I know what it's like to have something not go your way.”

“Um, you mean you and Yoshio-kun?”

“Eh?”

“Um, I overheard, at the library.”

“Yeah. I, thought I could have another chance with him. I guess we're not meant to be.”

“And you're just accepting it?”

“I guess so.”

“I- I don't know if I could accept my, uh, situation.”

“I know what you mean. At first, I didn't want to believe that Yoshio-kun was over me, and that he'd already fallen for someone else.”

Shiori tensed, wondering if Yoshio's temporary crush on her came to Yuko's knowledge.

“I guess Yoshio-kun's moved on. I think he's got it bad for Kisaragi-san.”

“I see.” said Shiori, feeling relieved. “I wish I could simply move on myself.”

“It took me awhile, and a bit of, crying.” said Yuko bashfully.

Shiori looked at Yuko. She recalled Yoshio holding Yuko in his arms letting her cry on his chest.

“I guess letting it out helped. It's like, it just left me, sort of. Yumi-chan helped too.”

Shiori turned away looking down again. She loathed at having another outburst like the previous day because of her pride. “At least Fonzu-kun understood me,” she thought. “Maybe...” she was interrupted by a sigh.

“Life sucks sometimes doesn't it?”

“Um, yeah.”

“Well, maybe I'm rambling too much. If you'd rather be alone for awhile...”

“Uh, well, yeah. Sorry...” Shiori said hesitantly.

“Oh no, it's okay.” said Yuko reassuringly. “Sometimes I need to be alone too.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I'll just head back to class.”

“Okay.”

“Ja!”

With that, Yuko headed back downstairs, leaving Shiori back in solitude.

“I wonder.” thought Shiori. “Fonzu-kun, what should I do?” she found herself thinking about her greasehaired friend.

“Shiori-chan!” called another girl's voice, surprising Shiori.

“Eh? Megu?”

“What are you doing here? What's wrong?” asked Shiori's best friend as she approached and sat next to Shiori.

“Oh, uh, just a little problem. Nothing to worry about.” said Shiori, trying to keep a straight face.

“Oh?”

“Megu...” Shiori paused, then she recalled Yuko's words: “Yumi-chan helped too.”

“What's wrong?”

“Megu...” Shiori whimpered, then started crying.

“Shiori-chan...” said Megumi, taking Shiori into a hug.

(At the Music Room)

“I wonder how Shiori-chan is doing?” asked Yoshio as he tuned his electric guitar.

“Yeah. She still upset?” wondered Potsu.

“Give her time. It seems her problem is more pressing than I thought” said Fonzu, helping Kaji set up his Drumkit.

“If you say so” said Kaji.

“Alright that should do it” said Fonzu, after assisting Kaji set up the Drumkit.

“Thanks, Fonzu-niisan” said Kaji.

“All done here too.” said Yoshio.

“Same here” said Potsu.

“Okay, how about we start with this?” said Fonzu, holding up a CD. The other guys felt a little nervous about Fonzu's choice of song.

(Back at the rooftop)

“Arigato, Megu.” said Shiori, who was feeling better by now.

“It's okay. Maybe, if you told me before, I could have been there” said Megumi

“I just didn't want to trouble you with my problems, since you're already having problems of your own...”

“Hey, what are best friends for?”

“Ehehe. You're right Megu”

“Let's go back to class?”

“Yeah”

(After School Hours, at the Music Room)

“Okay, you ready for this Saotome-san?” said Fonzu, standing a few paces from the band's place.

“I dunno, I mean I've sung before, but not in English.” said Yoshio hesitantly. Fonzu insisted Yoshio do the lead vocals at the first practice performance of the band. Fonzu's choice of an English Rock Song made Yoshio nervous.

“Hey don't sweat it! You can do it. The words will come out if you just go with the flow of the song.” said Fonzu.

“If you say so.” said Yoshio.

“Do you best, Yoshio-kun!” said Yuko, sitting on a bench set in front of the band alongside Yumi and Shiori. The three girls came over to watch the band's first performance. Fortunately for everyone, Shiori was able to put her problems behind her by now.

“Come on, onii-chan!” said Yumi.

“Good luck Yoshio-kun, guys!” said Shiori.

“Alright, from the top” said Kaji, as he clapped his drumsticks together to initiate the rhythm, prompting Yoshio to begin his guitar tunes, and Kaji and Potsu followed with their parts.

“Looking good guys!” said Fonzu, as the song's intro played on. Finally, Yoshio began singing.

I want to tell if I am or am not myself

It's hard to know

How far or if at all could go

I've waited far too long

For something I forgot was wrong

“Sugoi!” murmured Yuko.

“Not bad onii-chan” said Yumi.

“Impressive” said Shiori quietly.

I don't know all the answers

I think that I'll find

Or have it within the time

But it's all that I'll have in mind

As the song got to the chorus, Potsu and Kaji joined in providing the backing vocals.

Until I fall away (Until I Fall Away)

I won't keep you waiting long

Until I fall away (Until I Fall Away)

I don't know what to do anymore

Until I fall away (Until I Fall Away)

Yuko couldn't help but gyrate her body a bit, following the song's rhythm, while seated. Even Yumi and Shiori felt like doing the same. Meantime Yoshio went to the second stanza.

My fear pretend that I'll never be in love again

It's real to me but not like these fools

And not like this scene

I won't find or have it within the time

Nobody noticed that someone entered the room unannounced, apparently drawn in by the performance. The newcomer just watched silently standing next to the door. Yoshio was so into his singing even he didn't notice despite having a good view. He went on.

If it's all rusted and fade

In the spot where we fell

Where I thought I'd left behind

It's loose now but we could try

Kaji felt really fired up this time, banging the drums more enthusiastically as they reached the chorus the second time.

Until I fall away (Until I Fall Away)

I won't keep you waiting long

Until I fall away (Until I Fall Away)

I don't know what to do anymore

Until I fall away (Until I Fall Away)

Yoshio turned his guitar upwards to emphasize the song's bridge. Fonzu meanwhile grinned at the band's peformance and danced slightly to the rhythm.

When there's no good answers

And no new questions

Another personal disaster

There's nowhere to go but down

Yoshio then did the song's guitar lead tunes during the instrumental part, wowing the girls. Then the final part of the song came and the band wrapped it up.

Until I fall away (Until I Fall Away)

I won't keep you waiting long

Until I fall away (Until I Fall Away)

I don't know what to do anymore

Until I fall away (Until I Fall Away, Until I Fall Away)

Until I fall away (Until I Fall Away)

Finally, Yoshio and Potsu put in the last tunes, while Kaji crashed the cymbals, ending the song.

Ending theme

Sayonara grey sky, hello aoi.

When I hold you it's so sugoi.

Feels so right, it can't be wrong.

Rockin' and rollin' all week long.

These days are all,

Share them with me (Those Toki Days)

These days are all

Tokimeki (Itoshii)

These Toki Days are yours and mine (These Toki Days are yours and mine), Toki Days

Ending Theme Ends

Chapter Epiloge

Fonzu and the girls clapped after the band's performance. “Good work guys!” he said.

“That was great!” said Yuko.

“Wow you did really good onii-chan!” said Yumi.

“I agree, that was wonderful guys!” said Shiori.

It was only at this point that they heard the clapping from someone else in the room. The band members looked ahead while Fonzu and the girls turned around to see who was behind.

“Hello!” said a girl with grey hair tied in a bun, in English. “Konnichiwa!” she then greeted in Japanese.

“Eh? Ayako Katagiri-san?” said Yoshio in surprise.

-TBC

Song credits: Until I Fall Away by Gin Blossoms

A/N: That song is one of my favorites in Rock Music. Soft, but with a good rhythm, and is one of the few songs I know with no keyboard playing, making this a good starting song for the “Toki Days Band”. Some of you will be wondering how the heck Yoshio would be able to sing in English so well the first time. Well let's say Fonzu took the time to write a special lyric sheet where the words are rewritten using Katakana (the Japanese character set used for foreign words). So the first line of the first stanza, when Romanized (Japanese text rewritten using English Alphabet) might end up sounding like “Ai wan tuu te ri fai a mo ra notu mai seh” and Yoshio would pronounce it that way.

Some might thing I'm still putting too much drama in the story. But I think the chapter's title is also appropriate for Shiori's beginning recovery from her buried depression, as well as the band's first performance.

And as you can see, Ayako makes her appearance.

Stay Tuned!