Chapter Text
Walk the Same Path
Epilogue
Monday afternoon, March 1 – Ohashi High School
Noto looked at his phone and frowned. It was the message he expected to see, but it was sad to see it nonetheless. Taiga was still asleep on the floor with her head in Minori's lap but most everyone else had left now and it was just Noto, Maya, Nanako, Hisako, and Yuri that remained. Noto handed his phone over to Minori to let her know.
Noto: Taiga came back today.
Ryuuji: It's good to know that she is okay.
Noto: Anything else?
Ryuuji: Not yet.
Noto: Understood. See you in a week.
Ryuuji: Thanks.
“What?” Minori's emotional state was a mess at the moment and she couldn't understand what it all meant.
“Ryuuji is glad she is okay, but he's not ready to see her yet.” Noto told Minori.
“Oh… okay.” Minori heard the words and understood their meaning a few moments later. Warm tears continued to roll down her cheeks as she smoothed out Taiga's hair in her lap.
“Do you need us to stay?” Maya asked.
“No,” Minori knew that the Hisamitsu clan was having a family event to celebrate Noto's graduation and he was probably already late for it. “I've got this.”
“I'll stay with you.” Yuri said. With the Major still in Okinawa, she hadn't made any plans for the rest of the day other than to get her things packed up for the move to Tokyo.
“Thanks,” Minori wiped her tears on her sleeve as her friends got up from the floor and quietly left the room.
.
A few minutes later, Taiga awoke and found herself looking at her old sensei. Why is she here? She was sitting on the floor near where Taiga was lying. Why am I lying on the floor? Her dazed mind tried to make sense of what her eyes were seeing and the terrible nightmare she had woken up from, but nothing was making sense. She felt a hand stroke through her hair and looked up into Minori's swollen and wet eyes. Why is Minorin crying? Oh no… it wasn't a dream!
“Oh, you're awake now?” Minori said as she gazed down into Taiga's haunted eyes. When she saw Taiga try to talk, she said, “Shhhhh, just rest for a minute. We can talk while we walk home.”
Yuri watched her former student roll over and bury her face in the pink haired girl’s lap. The sobbing was quiet but she could see the small girl’s shoulders shudder while emotional pain released itself in a rain of warm tears. As she got up to leave, she told Minori, “I’ll let the office know that you might be a while. I’m sure they’ll understand.”
“Thank you sensei.” Minori replied as she blotted her own eyes. Taiga had been unthinking and cruel. She had made horrible mistakes. But Taiga was still Minori’s friend and seeing her in so much pain was difficult to bear.
.
Monday afternoon, March 1 – The slow walk home (for Kushieda Minori)
Minori and Taiga had taken their time walking to the Kushieda home. It had been a slow and quiet walk that, in the end, only made Taiga feel worse. Without saying a word, Taiga had turned up the street that led to the two places where she and Ryuuji had lived next to each other as neighbors for a year. Knowing what she would find there, Minori said nothing but sighed and followed Taiga up the street. Without sobbing, the tears slid down her face as she looked at the place where Ryuuji used to live. The house was gone, replaced by a huge concrete foundation and metal girders rising into the air. A construction sign said that another condo would be built there soon. The only familiar thing that was left was the tall but cold building next door where Taiga had lived alone.
.
Minori's house hadn't changed much though. The walls of the living room were decorated with many years worth of pictures of a treasured son and daughter as they both seemingly grew up as sports prodigies. Crowding the walls were pictures of Minori and her brother, from the present day to back when they were barely old enough to hold a bat. Where there were no pictures, there were shelves full of trophies and awards. Every so often, you could find something that wasn't sport related along these walls, but it was rare. A family picture, her brother's high school graduation certificate, and a picture of Minori and her best friend from her first year in high school. Taiga looked so happy then…
On the floor of the living room, a comfortable kotatsu was set up between the couch and the big family television in the middle of the room. Even though the weather had been steadily warming, it hadn't been put away yet. On this chilly afternoon, Taiga was glad it was still there. She was tired and still in a state of shock from what had happened at the school. Leaning back against the couch, with her legs under the warm kotatsu, she watched the changing pictures on the television with uncomprehending eyes.
Minori arrived with a couple of cups of tea balanced on a photo album. Without saying a word, she put the cups on the table and slid the album over to Taiga. It had been something she had been putting together ever since a foul line drive had gone into the dugout and shattered her cell phone. Luckily, the repairman had been able to salvage all the contacts and pictures from the phone's memory. This was a photo album of pictures she had taken as well as pictures others had sent to her. There had been a lot of pictures stored on the old phone and they covered a lot of interests. After printing everything out, she had created several photo albums. There was one called 'Family' and another devoted entirely to softball. This one was called 'Classmates' but most of the pictures were of her friends from the class.
Taiga leafed through the pictures until she came across one of Ami and Ryuuji eating lunch in the classroom together. There was no-one else around them. Just the two of them… and in one of the shots Ami appeared to be feeding Ryuuji from her own chopsticks.
“What the hell?” Taiga asked, “Did Dumb-Chi loose a bet?”
“No,” Minori set the magazines she was carrying down on the kotatsu, then reached over and turned back a page and pointed at a couple of pictures of Ryuuji, “This is what he was looking like before Amin saved him. It may not come out in the pictures well, but look carefully at his face and eyes.”
“He… he looks dead.” Taiga wondered if someone had altered the picture to make Ryuuji look so awful. He looked all skin-and-bones with pale skin and dead eyes.
“Yeah,” Minori agreed but knew the truth was worse, “it's hard to believe, but he actually looks better in that picture than he did at the time.”
“Oh.” Taiga couldn't imagine that. Sure, she had seen Ryuuji look pathetic or stupid, but she had never seen him look so unhealthy before. She didn't ask why though. Minori's message back in the school room had been delivered loud and clear. He was depressed because Taiga disappeared and wouldn't return any calls. Nothing anyone did seemed to help… and Minori blamed Taiga for this. She wanted to scream that it wasn't her fault, but Minori's mind was already convinced that it was. Turning back to the page with Ami and Ryuuji eating lunch, she asked, “So, why is he eating lunch with Dumb-Chi?”
“Taiga,” Minori decided that there was no gentle way to tell her short friend this news, so she she went with blunt, “Ami is the one that saved him. They fell in love with each other not too long after.”
“What?” Taiga refrained from calling Ryuuji a mutt or a dog again. Her face still felt swollen where Minori had slapped her before.
“Yeah,” Minori flipped forward several pages in the album to the pictures from the wedding at the hotel.
“This…” Taiga didn't recognize the man in the uniform or some of the other people in the pictures, but she did see her old sensei and a lot of her classmates in their school uniforms. “… this is some kind of play or something, right?”
“No,” Minori didn't mean to smile in front of Taiga but it had been such a happy time, “They were married last November in Tokyo.”
A single tear ran down Taiga's cheek while she scanned through the pictures of all the happy people. She felt like she might go into another full on cry, but her descent into sorrow was halted abruptly when she saw something bizarre.
“Huh? What the…” Her eyes had fallen on a picture of the wedding party. In the picture, it appeared that a very happy Taiga was sitting in Ya-chan's lap and holding a small basket of flowers.
“Ah, that's Aiko-chan.” Minori smiled again at her memories of the cheerful little girl, “She was the flower girl.”
“She looks just like me.” Taiga was amazed at how similar they looked.
“She kinda did at the time, but not so much any more.” Minori told her.
“Why?” Taiga asked while still looking at the pictures her body-double was in.
“Well, she is now a bit taller than you and… “ Minori pointed at Taiga's chest, “bigger than you.”
“Urk!” Taiga now hated the girl in the pictures for being a better Taiga than Taiga. “What… was she a new first year?”
“She's in elementary school.” Minori told her friend.
“WHAT?” Aggravation, frustration, and humiliation were taking turns beating on Taiga's self-esteem as she looked at the cheerful, smiling, and apparently bustier, preteen in the pictures.
While Taiga flipped through a few more pages of the album, Minori picked up the television remote and searched for the station that would have the re-broadcast. Having found it, she selected the channel and turned up the volume. The announcers were talking about the weather in Kyoto and mentioned that it was currently raining there. After some commentary about how lovely it had been a little earlier in the day, they announced that they would soon be showing the re-broadcast of the Takasu – Kawashima wedding.
“What?” Taiga's head snapped up. “I thought you said they were married last November?”
“They were,” Minori answered while watching the ceremony on the television, “but that was a private wedding and it was kept a secret until today.”
“What… what happened today?” Taiga was almost afraid to ask.
“This.” Minori said as she handed over her copy of the March issue of the magazine to Taiga. On the cover of the magazine was a bust shot of Ryuuji in a tuxedo next to Ami in a wedding dress. Minori wasn’t trying to be cruel – there was simply no way to hide it. Since early that morning, the magazine was now at every convenience store, supermarket, mall, and news-stand. The cumulative disclosures since the previous December, and the weddings of Kawashima Ami and Ryuuji were being discussed on radio and television all over the country. Until the next big thing came along to distract the media, it was the news of the moment. How Taiga had failed to hear anything about it was a small wonder.
“No…” Taiga said softly as she looked at the picture of Ami and Ryuuji standing side by side in their western style wedding attire. “No…” She felt her jaw tremble a little as she put her hand over the picture of Ami to blot her out. With Ami hidden from view, she looked longingly at the image of a happy Ryuuji looking resplendent in a tuxedo. He wasn't smiling, of course. His smile could be a bit unnerving, but anyone could tell that he was happy. Looking back at the table, Taiga realized that her elbow had knocked the picture album onto the floor. When she put it back down on the table, it fell open to the pictures of Ami feeding a gaunt, and very miserable Ryuuji. As the tears welled up in her eyes once again, a thought finally occurred to her. Maybe… maybe this is my fault after all.
.
The Japanese ceremonial wedding of Ami and Ryuuji
Camera’s were allowed as long as they were unobtrusive, but there were no microphones that might interfere with the age old ceremony. Anna had warred with the utility of having microphones on everyone against the damage that something like that might do to such a traditional ceremony. In the end, she decided to trust to the professional commentators. They did their job well and described everything that was happening to such detail that the radio audience could imagine that they were seeing it too.
The Shinto priest entered the ceremony area first. Wearing his white vestments and tall black Eboshi headpiece, he washed his hands at the great stone purification font, then he made his way to the shrine at the back of the Haiden.
The camera’s swiveled to the big red torii gate at the entrance just as a group of people were approaching. A Shrine Maiden in her white Kimono and red Hakama solemnly led the wedding party to the purification font where they would all purify themselves before entering the peaked roofed Haiden where the wedding ceremony would take place.
Ryuuji and Ami followed behind the Shrine Maiden. Ryuuji wore a black Haori over a deep maroon Kimono. His Hakama was a dark blue with dark gray inside the pleats. The black Obi matched the Haori. When the camera’s were able to get a close up, the subtle embossing of branches and falcons could be seen in the formal Haori. The Kimono was similarly embossed with dragons, but they were currently hidden from view by the Haori over-garment. Ami was wearing a glimmering white Shirokakeshita Kimono with a matching white Obi. Over the Shirokakeshita, she wore a formal Uchikake of vivid red and gold with colorful imagery of a winding stream and flowers.
Kawashima Anna and Takasu Yasuko entered next. Both of them were wearing the Kurotomesode Kimonos of black with distinctive imagery below the Obis. Below Anna’s gold Obi was imagery of the stream and flowers similar to what her daughter wore on her Uchikake. Below Yasuko’s silver Obi were the branches and falcons similar to the design on her son’s Haori.
Ami’s Uncle and Kurosawa Hisako entered next. All of the camera’s zoomed in on Hisako and the commentators enjoyed bringing up the fact that the recent revelations about Kawashima Ami and Kurosawa Hisako’s friendship. They pointed out that the Kawashima family felt so comfortable with Hisako that she was filling the role of the Nakodo during the ceremony. Hisako wore a Furisode Kimono with long flowing sleeves. It was black at the bottom and purple at the top with colorful imagery of reeds, cranes, and flowers from hem to neck and flowing down the sleeves. Ami’s uncle wore a dark blue kimono over a Hakama of dark gray and black vertical stripes.
Ryuuji’s grandparents were the last to enter. When the camera’s focused on them, it was clear to see the pride in the grandmother’s face. She wore an Irotomesode Kimono of dark maroon with silver imagery of branches and falcons below a matching silver Obi. Her husband wore a dark maroon kimono with a Hakama of dark blue with dark gray that matched the one his grandson was wearing.
The camera’s that had been able to get the close up shots of the wedding party at the stone purification font followed them as they entered the Haiden where the rest of the ceremony would take place. Once inside the ancient wooden hall, Ryuuji and Ami stood alone in the center of the room as the Priest and the Miko purified the shrine and invited the Kami to come and bless the ceremony and the marriage.
The camera's couldn't see the nervousness that Ryuuji felt as he stood next to Ami in this place. It was different for him than the wedding in November. Shinto shrines were places he went as a child with his mother and that somehow made this event more real for him. Even though the November wedding had been a valid legal wedding and this one was really only for show, he was becoming overwhelmed at the reality of what he was doing. He tried to unravel the growing feeling of shock by rationalizing that he had already been married for four months and already had a child on the way, so this should be nothing… But it was. He remembered the embarrassment that Ami felt when she awoke from having passed out in front of her classmates during the wedding in November, and the fear gripped him that he might pass out and embarrass Ami and himself on national television. No! No! No! No! Ryuuji admonished himself and ran through the things that the Major had told him before his first wedding. Don't lock your knees while you are standing, and take deep and controlled breaths. Without moving your head, use your peripheral vision to notice as much as you can about the other people around you. How are they doing? Do any of them look like they might pass out. Listen to the words that are being said but don't lock your vision on any one thing and don't forget to breathe. Listen to the words that are being said… Ryuuji suddenly realized that the Priest had announced the san-san-ku-do and it was time for Ami and Ryuuji to approach the altar and pour the saké… Saké! We can't have saké! We're under-aged and Ami is pregnant! What do we do?
Ami could feel the sudden unease coming from Ryuuji. She knew that something was bothering him since a few minutes ago. Oh no, he doesn't want to marry me after all! Baka! Wait… we're already married, so that can't be it. He wasn't even upset when he found out I was pregnant, so that can't be… The saké! Ami suddenly realized that Ryuuji had not been in the room when she and their two mothers had been talking about this change to the ceremony. Neither of the mother's had a problem with their under-aged children having a few sips of alcohol but they understood Ami's reluctance given her… condition. To alleviate her fears, her mother had requested that non-alcoholic saké be used in the ceremony. He's worried about the baby and me! Ami felt her eyes become wet as she realized the reason for Ryuuji's fears. In her best hidden whisper, she quietly told him, “It's non-alcoholic.”
Ryuuji caught himself before automatically asking ‘what?’ to the almost unheard whisper. It had been as if he had heard it at a subconscious level and his brain needed a moment to reassemble the message. It's non-alcoholic. His mind repeated the message for him until he began to calm down. He looked down at his hands and realized that he was already pouring the saké into the third bowl. His memory flashed back to the previous Spring when she had saved him from depression, then to the wedding in November when he saved her from embarrassment, and finally to the winter night at the mountain shrine when they confronted, forgave, and accepted each other about the pregnancy. The nervousness slid away and a slight smile teased Ryuuji's lips as he continued to go through the ceremony with renewed confidence. Ami, you saved me again. If marriage is about saving each other, forgiving each other, and supporting each other, we are already pro's at this.
Ami could feel the almost instantaneous change in Ryuuji. In a tick of the clock, he seemed to go from a panicky rookie to a thespian veteran. When it came time for his vows, he held the crib card in his hand but he didn't read it. He recited the vows clearly and confidently to the room. His speech included the thanks to the Nakodo, who was being represented by Hisako. Ami and Hisako were both surprised when he deviated from the usual few lines of thanks and spoke to her directly.
“Kurosawa Hisako, you have been more than a Nakodo to us. You stuck by us when times were difficult as well as when times were good. Whether we needed a friend to laugh with, a shoulder to cry on, a good sound lecture for being stupid, or a cool head and emergency skills that saved the lives of some of our dearest friends – you were there. As a Nakodo, your job is done; as our friend…” Ryuuji took Ami's hand and told her, “our friendship will be never-ending.”
Hisako was stunned. She was only supposed to be the stand-in for the Nakodo. In all the scripts she had seen for the ceremony, her name wasn't even supposed to be mentioned. Now, all eyes were on her. She couldn't see the camera's but she knew they were on her now. How could he do this? How could he say such nice things about her when so many people could hear? So many people could see… It was too much; she had the overwhelming urge to flee. Long delicate fingers held her own hand and she could feel Kawashima Anna lean into her just a bit. It took all her control not to cry out or run now, but nothing could stop the blush. From the heat she felt on her own face, she knew her face must now look like a sunset.
“Kampai!” Ryuuji said as he held his cup of saké aloft.
“Kampai!” everyone else echoed with their cups held high.
Anna hugged Hisako and Yasuko hugged her mother as uncle and grandfather made their evergreen offerings to the altar with the priest. And finally, the married couple exchanged rings and kissed as the camera pulled back to catch everyone in the frame.
.
Monday late afternoon, March 1 – Kushieda residence
“What a beautiful wedding.” Minori sighed as she switched off the television.
“Kyoto huh?” Taiga asked with suppressed rage.
“Yeah,” Minori could tell that the wheels were turning in Taiga's mind. “But that was a re-broadcast from this morning. They're probably on their cruise ship by now.”
“Cruise ship?” Taiga gaped.
“Yeah,” Minori tried to remember the conversation, “I think it was a wedding gift from Ami's uncle.”
“Wow,” Taiga said with mounting anger, “looks like they're off to fame and fortune. No time for any of their old friends any more.”
“That's not true,” Minori said defensively, “they're going to be at Noto and Maya's wedding in a week.”
“Oh really?” Taiga grinned evilly.
“Erp!” Minori suddenly realized that she might have said too much.
.
Sunday morning, March 7 – Yamase Station, Tokushima
“This is our stop.” Minori said nervously to Taiga. Minori was wearing a pastel yellow Homongi with patterns of blossoming sakura branches running around the legs, up the chest and onto the left arm. It was the kind of cheerful pattern that one would expect from Minori but it didn’t match the worried look on her face at all.
Taiga was wearing a long heavy skirt and jacket suitable for the cold humid weather, but not appropriate for a wedding guest. If the look on Minori's face didn’t match her clothes, the look on Taiga’s face didn’t match anything you would want to be in the same room with. Anger, fear, sadness, and despair all took parts of Taiga’s face and twisted them into something terribly unpleasant. It was a look she had been wearing for several days now, even after Minori tried to reason with her and cheer her up. Minori had been concerned that Taiga might fall into a despair like Ryuuji did, but where he had been conquered by depression, Taiga seemed to be following the path toward rage.
When the doors opened up, both girls expression changed to surprise when they saw Nanako waiting for them with her patented enigmatic smile. She was wearing a deep purple Homongi with patterns of white and lavender flowers. In addition to her purse, she held a shopping bag as she greeted them.
“Good morning.” Nanako said with a polite bow, then looking at Taiga she said, “It’s good to see you again.”
“Bullshit.” Taiga grumped. “How did you know I was here.”
“I was in the classroom when you passed out.” Nanako explained, “I guessed you would be coming with Minori-chan since she was your best friend, so I came to the station when I knew Minori-chan would arrive.”
“You didn’t wait around for me to wake up…” Taiga continued to grump, but she was unaware of how aggressively open Nanako had become after her brush with death.
“No, I didn’t.” Nanako’s smile never faltered as she told the angry girl, “I didn’t feel it was necessary since I wasn’t a good enough of a friend for you to call while you were gone.”
Thwack! Taiga felt Nanako’s words impact her like an arrow through the chest.
“I… I didn’t…” Taiga had already explained to Minori how she had packed the phone away when she went to live with her mother so she would be forced to deal with her family instead of retreating to calls and texts with her former classmates. Then, after she was ready to come back, she discovered that the cell phone battery had failed while in that box and had leaked acid into the phone itself. She had never backed up the data in her phone, so she had lost all of her photo’s and contacts when the phone died.
“I’ve already heard the… explanations.” Nanako said as she waved off Taiga’s stuttering attempt to make her excuses again, “You wanted to prove yourself to be a reliable and responsible daughter to your mother. That was an admirable goal.”
“Uh… thank you.” Taiga hadn’t been expecting any praise and it took her by surprise.
“Given how difficult that must have been for you, I can understand why you wouldn't want any distractions.” Nanako said sympathetically.
Thwack! Another arrow of words pierced Taiga.
“What?” Taiga was angry again now. Her fists balled up as she demanded to know, “What makes you think it was so difficult for me to be a reliable and responsible person?”
“Your own admission.” Nanako said patiently, “If it had been easy, you wouldn't have needed to lock away your cell phone, right?”
Thud!
“I mean…” Nanako continued, “If becoming reliable and responsible had been easy for you and you turned your phone off anyway, that would just make you a heartless and cruel person, right?”
Thunk!
“Yes.” Taiga calmed down as she realized there was no answer that didn’t make her look like either an idiot or a monster. She looked at Nanako with amazed eyes. Has she always been like this? I thought she was just a mindless follower. “So… have you come to tell me not to make any trouble?”
“Huh?” Nanako seemed surprised at such a question. Holding out the shopping bag, she told Taiga, “No. I’m here to bring you your Kimono.”
“Eh?” Taiga was stunned as she reached out for the bag.
“For the wedding.” Nanako said, “Noto and Maya’s wedding will be in the traditional fashion so we are all wearing kimonos. I thought that you might not have anything with you, so I made you one for today.”
“You… you made me a kimono?” Taiga gaped.
“Amazing, isn’t it?,” Minori nervously laughed, “But, considering the other things she’s made recently, a kimono was probably easy for her.”
“Huh?” Taiga didn’t know anything about the dresses or costumes Nanako had been making. She pulled the garment out of the bag and saw a pastel orange base with faded black stripes in a tiger motif, but with swirls of cherry blossoms as if a tiger had been caught in a wind storm of pink petals.
“She made the wedding dresses for Ami and Yuri-sensei.” Minori said.
“Oh.” a bit of Taiga’s sour mood returned when she was reminded of Ami and Ryuuji’s wedding. “Wait… Yuri-sensei’s wedding? So, the single woman from the single homeroom isn't single anymore, huh?”
Minori and Nanako were stung by the harsh words for their beloved teacher, but they both remembered that Taiga had a history of tormenting Yuri about her loneliness. Both of them wondered if it was cruelty or karma that Taiga was the one now finding herself alone.
“Yeah…” Minori forced a laugh through the tense moment that Taiga had unknowingly created. “She and her husband will be at the wedding so… um… try to be nice to her, okay?”
“What do you mean?” Taiga looked up at Minori and Nanako from the garment in her hands. From the looks on their faces, she could tell that she had crossed a line and said, “Of course I’ll be nice. So, who else will be coming to this wedding?”
“Let’s talk about that while we get you changed.” Nanako took Taiga’s arm and started guiding her toward the exit.
.
The Hisamitsu family owned a shop near the train station. The shop had an upstairs residence and a guest room was made available for arriving guests to get changed into her wedding attire. When they got to the room, they found someone there. Standing at the room’s only window and gazing out past the distant river to the far off mountains, was a tall statuesque woman in a black and purple Furisode with patterns of reeds, cranes, and flowers. There was a moment of recognition and confusion as Taiga tried to remember where she had seen this woman and… this kimono before.
“Good morning, Hisako-chan.” Nanako said through a true smile.
“Eh?” Hisako was startled out of her reverie by the sound of her beloved Nanako’s voice and spun around to see the three girls standing at the entrance to the room. The heartbeat-skipping joy of seeing her Nanako was almost completely nullified by the presence of Taiga. The change in her demeanor was visible, as was the long breath she took before responding to all three girls, “Good morning.”
Taiga could feel the almost palpable increase of tension in the room when Hisako looked at her. Her hands automatically curled into fists, but the tall girl seemed to have her anger under control.
Hisako went back to looking out the window as Minori and Nanako helped Taiga get dressed in her Homongi. It was uncomfortable having that girl in the same room, so Hisako tried to think of pleasant thoughts. Gazing out the window at the far off mountains, she thought of the peaceful shrine near the estate, where they would be going soon. Friends were waiting for them there. Good friends that Hisako had made in the last half year. Better friends than she had ever had in her life. They were, for the most part, the same people that had been friends with Taiga the previous year. One of them had almost been destroyed by Taiga’s unthinking cruelty, but all of them had felt the pain of her abandonment. And yet, they all forgave her… at least they forgave her to the extent that they didn’t object to her coming to the wedding. But… there was a stipulation.
“Nanako. Minori-chan.” Hisako waited until after Taiga was fully dressed, “May I have a moment to speak with Aisaka-san.”
“Ah… okay. We'll be right outside.” Minori said as she picked up her purse and gave Taiga a be a good girl glance.
“Remember,” Nanako said as she took Hisako’s hands, “you promised not to kill her.”
“I promise,” Hisako reassured her girlfriend, “it’s just a talk.” After a reassuring kiss on the cheek, Nanako left the room with Minori. After the two girls were gone, Hisako turned to face the angry eyes of the diminutive Taiga.
“You…” Taiga said with clenched fists, “… promised not to kill me? What is that supposed to mean?”
“What do you know about me?” Hisako said as she took a chair so that she wasn’t looking down so unpleasantly. She had initially worried that she would be too filled with rage after seeing the girl that had caused Ryuuji-sama so much pain. But there was more sorrow than anger as she looked at Taiga now.
“I never heard of you before Minori showed me the articles about Dumb-chi… Ami.” Taiga corrected herself a little too late.
“Tch!” Hisako overlooked the insult to Ami. She had been warned about Taiga's acerbic nature so it had not come as a surprise. “You and I have a lot in common.”
“Huh?” Taiga hadn’t expected a comment like that. She looked at the tall model with the perfect breasts and the long straight black hair and couldn’t imagine how they could be any more different. “I don’t see it.”
“I’m not talking about how we look.” Hisako looked out the window as she remembered who she was just a year ago. “We’re both selfish people. We act out and hurt the people around us. We’ve both done… unforgivable things.”
Taiga was unable to respond. The words cut through her like a sharp knife through tofu.
…unforgivable things.
She remembered the horror she felt when Minori told her just how bad it had been for Ryuuji after she had walked out… and before Ami saved him. Can he ever really forgive me for that?
“They are all wonderful friends. Incredible really.” Hisako turned back to Taiga to see a different expression on the small girl's face. No longer the angry and defiant girl, she looked thoughtful now with just the beginnings of remorse. “They forgave me for things that I thought were unpardonable. They showered me with so much friendship that I had a hard time accepting that it was real… at first. Truly, they are the kinds of friends that you want to hold onto for the rest of your life.”
“Yeah.” Taiga was forced to remember back to the incredible year she had been with them. Had it all just been one year?
“Only a fool would throw that kind of friendship away, don't you think?” Hisako asked.
“Um… yeah.” Taiga was forced to think about how much she could possibly lose if she were to…
“I hope you know that no-one blames you for what you did.” Hisako saw Taiga's head snap up in surprise but she pushed on, “You had a good goal. It was the way you did it that caused so much grief… and hurt the very people that loved you. There may still be some rough feelings here or there but for the most part, they have all forgiven you.”
A shocked Taiga looked into Hisako’s purple eyes and desperately hoped that she was being told the truth.
“The real problem is…” Hisako said more softly, “when will you be able to forgive yourself?”
“Ah!” Taiga recoiled from the emotional blow caused by Hisako's words, “But… but I…” Taiga could feel the tears coming back as she was forced to consider the real root of all of her troubles.
“You didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I know.” Hisako almost felt sorry for the girl now, “But sooner or later, you are going to realize the tragic problem with burning the bridges behind you when you move forward. It will hurt people… and it will come back to haunt you.”
“No…” Taiga felt the truth in the words. The pain wracked her small body but there was no denying it. The cold fact was that she had brought this sadness upon herself. It wasn’t Ryuuji's fault. It wasn’t Ami’s fault. This was all her own doing… or, undoing. Still trying to hold back the tears, she turned to Hisako and asked, “What can I do?”
“Answer me truly,” Hisako’s voice became a little harder now. She knew these words would hurt the already emotionally injured girl, but they had to be asked, “Do you still love him? Are you really going to be able to see him now – knowing that he no longer loves you the way he once did. Knowing that he loves someone else now. Can you keep your baser emotions in check when you see Ami and you know that they truly love each other, they are happily married to each other, and that she is carrying his child?”
“AH!” Taiga cried out as if she had been slapped. Nothing could stop the tears now. Her already weakened defenses were shattered by Hisako’s questions. “No! I can’t do this! Not yet. I just… can’t… let go yet!”
Hisako looked over the head of the crying girl and saw Minori in the doorway. Hisako could tell that she wanted to help her distressed friend and Hisako nodded for her to come. As soon as Taiga had the support of her pink haired friend, Hisako stood to leave. But, before she left the room, she fished out a card from her purse and handed it to Taiga.
“I know I am probably the last person you would want to talk to any more, but that may change.” Hisako said, “If you ever want to talk… and Minori-chan isn’t available, you can call me.”
“I…” I don’t need you! Taiga almost screamed, but a year of growing up had at least given her the tools to restrain her natural self-destructive tendencies. Taking the card from Hisako, she was even able to reluctantly say, “Thank you.”
With Hisako gone, Taiga was now staring into the full length mirror on the closet door. She could see herself in the faded orange tiger themed Homongi kimono standing next to Minori wearing the pastel yellow. All dressed up and no place to go. Taiga thought as she gave herself a bitter smile.
“Are we wearing faded colors because we are the rejects from Ryuuji’s past?” Taiga glumly asked Minori.
“Not at all.” Nanako’s voice came from the doorway, “Homongi kimono’s are appropriate for friends of the bride and they use darker or more subdued colors and patterns.”
“Kurosawa-san’s wasn’t subdued.” Taiga pointed out.
“She’s wearing a Furisode because she is part of the wedding party.” Nanako said proudly.
“Oh.” Taiga let it drop. She knew that there were different kinds of kimonos but she didn’t know that they had different meanings or purposes. “I guess I should get out of this thing…”
“No no!” Nanako smiled, “I made it as a gift for you. Please accept it.”
“Oh… thank you.” Taiga still thought she should change clothes. After all, if she wasn’t going to the wedding then there would be no point in…
“Your mom and step-dad are coming to pick you up.” Minori told Taiga quietly.
“Huh?” Taiga thought she must have misheard her friend.
“I called her.” Minori admitted, “they were staying in a local hotel just in case…” Don’t hate me Taiga but I think this is for the best right now. It’s too soon for you to see Ryuuji, but I just didn’t want you to be alone.
“Oh…” Taiga looked down. She wasn’t shocked that Minori knew her well enough to anticipate this. Still, it was embarrassing that everyone had already guessed that she would chicken out. I’m such a klutz.
.
As Taiga was leaving the shop to walk back to the train station, she almost ran into a girl walking in. Before she could start fussing at this person to get out of her way, she glanced up into the surprised face of someone that looked just like her. Well, the face and the hair were the same, but this girl was a good ten centimeters taller and, unless she was wearing some special padding, she had a lot more on her chest as well.
“Taiga-san?” the surprised girl asked. There were also surprised expressions on the faces of her friends. A girl about the same height with long black hair and glasses, and another seriously tall girl with long red hair and sea-green eyes stood just behind the taller, bigger version of Taiga. Both of them looked like they were seeing a ghost.
“Um… Aiko-chan?” Taiga had seen the pictures of the girl in the magazines and had heard stories from Minori about how many classmates mistakenly thought that Taiga had come back the first time they saw her. Wow, she really does look like me. She could pass for an older sister… wait… didn’t Minori say she was really in elementary school?
“Are you really in elementary school?” Taiga automatically asked.
“Yup!” Aiko-chan said proudly, “I’m nine years old now, so I’m going into fourth grade!”
“Nine?” Taiga gasped as she looked up at the ten centimeters of difference between them. She hung her head and cursed the gods of fate as she thought, Life is truly unfair.
.
Sunday noon, March 7 – Tokushima Line train car
While her mother was trying to calm down a fussy baby, her step-father handed Taiga an envelope. She gave it a quick look and saw that it was a college acceptance packet.
“I told mother that I don’t want to go to college.” Taiga said in a bored voice.
“I know.” her step-father sighed, “But things change. You need to be able to adapt to the changes or you will not survive.”
“Oh.” Is that your way of telling me that you want me out of your house and out of your life?
“I had to pull some strings to make this happen for you.” he said, “But I though you deserved to have a good college life experience.”
“Oh?” Taiga flipped the packet open and looked at a few of the pictures, “What’s so good about this place?”
“Waseda University?” he pointed at the name and crest on the front of the packet, “That is where your friend Kushieda Minori is going.”
“What?” Taiga was suddenly excited. As soon as she heard him say the name of the place, she realized that she had heard the name before. But… “How? How did you know?”
“I asked her.” he answered with a raised eyebrow.
“Does she know…” Taiga lifted the packet, “about this?”
“No.” he smiled a little as he told her, “I thought you might want to surprise her a bit.”
“Yes!” Taiga looked forward to the first day of college, only a few weeks away now. Sure it would mean more school but, it hadn’t been all bad. In her last year of high school, she had shown that she could be a model student. Minorin and I will be in the same school in Tokyo! This could be a lot of fun. Then she remembered, Ami and Ryuuji will also be in Tokyo too… I wonder how far Tokyo University is from Waseda? If it’s not far, maybe we could hang out and… The crushing feelings hit her again. Ryuuji and Ami… not Ryuuji and me. Why not me? Why?
“Taiga?” her step father detected the change in her mood before she looked up at him with tears running down her grief stricken face.
“He’s gone. He picked someone else… instead of me! And… he’s gone now.” Taiga gave up on trying to rein in her emotions.
“I know.” he said as he pulled her into his chest where she could hide her tears, “This is going to hurt a lot for a while, but you will get over it.”
“When?” Taiga cried, “How long will I feel like this?” Like I just want to crawl into a hole and die.
“Sometimes... it took me years.” he answered.
“Huh?” it hadn’t occurred to Taiga that something like this had ever happened to someone like him.
“I know it’s awful. Each time I hurt so bad I swore that I would never fall in love again.” he told her, “But, inevitably I did.”
“So, there’s hope?” Taiga looked up and asked, “Even for someone like me, there’s hope?”
“Even for someone like you.” he told her with certainty.
.
Thursday afternoon, April 29 – Sudoh Bucks in Tokyo
Several friends and relatives had come into town for Golden Week and to visit. Suzume with her sister, and Umeki with her parents were camped out in the living room at the Major and Yuri’s house. It was a little tight, but no-one complained. Aiko-chan and her parents, had the living room at Ryuuji and Ami’s house. Yasuko was alone in the bedroom that she normally shared with Aiko-chan and she didn’t care for that at all. Nanako and Hisako had come into town with Noto and Maya. The four of them were staying at a Hisamitsu house in Tokyo that was only a few train stops from where everyone else was. They hadn’t been apart all that long, but it seemed like everyone had been looking forward to this like a reunion.
All the schools were out since it was the first day of the week long vacation, and Ami had accepted an invitation to meet up with a few friends and chat. Wearing her sunglasses and sun-hat disguise, she was seated at one of the umbrella covered tables on the terrace that overlooked the Koishikawa Botanical Garden. The gardens were now full of blooming cherry blossoms, as well as a hundred other variety of flowering plants. It was a cool but sunny day today and watching the falling pink petals while sitting in the afternoon sunlight did wonders to lift Ami’s mood. From her vantage point, she had been watching families with energetic children playing in the grassy areas and couples walking amongst the blooming sakura. Catching herself looking at some of the cute things the girls were wearing, she sighed that it would be a while before she could wear any of those fashions again.
At almost five months pregnant, Ami could no longer wear anything in her normal wardrobe, In fact, while she was recently out shopping for maternity wear with Yuri, her closet and drawers had been raided by Ryuuji, Yasuko, and Aiko-chan and almost everything had been packed away. At first she had been furious, but she had to face the facts that she wouldn’t be wearing any of those things again for at least another five months. The problem of hanging onto her favorite clothes was exacerbated since this house in Tokyo, near the University, had smaller bedrooms and closets than the house near the high school. There just wasn’t enough room! Ami was lost in the thoughts of how she would look in another four months and how long it would take Onee-chan to get her back into shape after the baby was born. She didn’t look forward to the strenuous workouts, but she never tired of spending more time with Yasuko. Her reverie was broken when she heard a familiar voice calling out her name.
“Ami-chan!” Maya’s smile gave away how happy she was to see her friend again. Just behind her, Koigakubo Yuri was doing her best to follow in Maya’s wake. Both of them joined Ami at her table and ordered a couple of café lattes. Seeing Ami’s gaze at something down below in the park, Maya asked, “What are you looking at?”
“Families… playing with their children in the park.” Ami sighed. Remembering how rarely her mother seemed to have time for her when she was a child, she said “I was just wondering if someday I’ll be able to…”
“Of course you will,” Yuri smiled and confidently told her former student, “You and Ryuuji will be wonderful parents. How could you have any doubts?”
“Thank you sensei.” Ami smiled at her former teacher's encouraging words.
“I’m not your sensei any more!” Yuri corrected, “We got married within a few months of each other and… uh… apparently we got pregnant within a few months of each other too.”
“You’re pregnant too, sensei?” Maya almost shouted her question.
“Shhhhh!” Yuri hissed her embarrassment, “Yes. The honeymoon in Hawaii was… magical.”
“Congratulations!” Ami took Yuri’s hands and squeezed them.
“Yes sensei, congratulations from me as well!” Maya added her hands to the handclasp.
“Thank you very much,” Yuri replied to both of them and tried to reiterate her earlier wish, “Our time as sensei and student is over. I’d rather you thought of me now as a friend, or…”
“Please don’t say Onee-chan!” Ami laughed, “I’ve got all the Onee-chan I could ever want… or need! If it’s okay with you, I would be honored to call you my friend.”
“Does that go for me too?” Maya asked.
“Of course!” Yuri smiled, “Even if you’re not in the married and pregnant club, I still want you to call me Yuri-chan or Yuri from now on. Whichever you feel comfortable with.”
“Um… yeah. About that club.” Maya blushed as she told her friends, “It seems that I am a member too.”
“Huh?” both Ami and Yuri gaped, “Whaaat?”
“Yeah, so… that thing we talked about before Ami?” Maya looked across at both Ami and Yuri, “In six years, our kids will all be in Kindergarten. It’s still my dream that they go to the same school.”
“Tokyo will be a hell of a commute from Tokushima.” Yuri reminded Maya.
“We’ll be done with school by then and living here as well.” Maya bit her lip and worried that she was going too far by suggesting this, “I’ve already talked this over with Noto and he knows that I want our children to go to the school where sensei… Yuri-chan is teaching. That is… if it is okay with you?”
“That sounds like a marvelous plan!” Ami agreed and turned to her former teacher, “Unless you object to becoming the teacher of our children?”
“No!” Yuri realized that both of the girls were turning to her for her approval, “That… that sounds wonderful, let’s all look forward to it!”
.
Thursday afternoon, April 29 – Koishikawa Botanical Garden
After seeing Ami off, at the entrance to the Sudoh Bucks where she was going to meet with the girls, he headed over to the botanical gardens across the street. Ami wasn’t with Ryuuji, but he certainly wasn’t alone when he got there. Noto, Hisako, and Nanako saw him first, but soon he was also surrounded by everyone else. So many of his friends had taken this opportunity to wear their kimono’s that it looked like a sequel to the Hisamitsu wedding reception. At first Ryuuji thought that they were all wearing the same kimono’s he had seen only a month before, but something looked different.
“You noticed, didn’t you?” Nanako smiled up at Ryuuji. Teasing him, she added, “Of course it would be expected of Ryuuji-sama.”
“Something is different.” Ryuuji looked hard at the Kimono that Nanako was wearing, then looked at a few of the others. “The sleeves are longer and they are all… brighter.”
“Very good,” Nanako took Ryuuji’s arm and walked with him while Hisako walked with Noto. “I’m trying something different. Long trailing sleeves with bright fabrics and colorful patterns like a Furisode, but made of a cotton blend, instead of silk.”
“Eh?” Ryuuji wondered why anyone would want that.
“Look,” Nanako gestured over to a stand of trees where Suzume and Umeki were chasing Aiko-chan under the blossom filled branches. All three of the girls were laughing merrily while their parents and older sibling watched with smiles. “Do you think their parents could remain calm if they thought their daughters were playing like that in an expensive silk Furisode?”
“Heh.” Ryuuji chuckled, “You have a point.” Studying the people he knew, he asked Nanako, “Is everyone wearing these Kimono’s that you made?”
“Not everyone…” Nanako sounded as if Ryuuji had figured out a closely guarded fetish, “its… its my hobby, you know. But I didn’t have measurements for Umeki-chan’s or Aiko-chan’s parents so…”
“I’m not criticizing,” Ryuuji said quickly to end Nanako’s unexpected embarrassment, “I think it’s amazing.”
“You do?” Nanako was surprised.
“Yeah,” he reassured her, “If you haven’t already chosen a major at Tokushima, I think something along the lines of clothing design or fashion would be a great idea.”
“Really?” Nanako asked as she looked back at Hisako.
Hisako only shook her head to let her girlfriend know that she hadn’t told him about the decision Nanako had recently been struggling with.
“Yes.” Ryuuji answered and went on to tell her, “Actually, if you’re going to be in town for the week, we need to get together and talk about costumes for the next performance.”
“Huh?” Nanako had worried that they would be switching to a professional costumer since Ryuuji’s charges were professional performers now.
“There’s no change to you retaining creativity control… as long as it’s not too risqué for the under-aged girls.” Ryuuji paused before telling her the really good news, “But, since we’re not all high school students any more, we can’t let you continue doing this for free. So, the agency sent me a contract to go over with you.”
“What?” Nanako was thrilled and stunned at the same time. “Oh Ryuuji!” she turned and kissed him several times on the cheek before he could react.
“Hey, careful now!” Ryuuji fended off another kiss, “Getting me killed by Hisako is not a good way to thank me!”
“Ack!” Ryuuji looked to Noto for help.
“Don’t look at me,” Noto put both hands up and took a step back, “I am not going to kiss you.”
Hisako stopped Nanako from any further attack by pulling her away from Ryuuji. At first, they worried that Hisako really was upset, but she silently pointed down the walkway that ran along the flowering hedges at the pair of girls that had been watching them.
Ryuuji looked up in surprise to see the equally stunned faces of Minori and Taiga.
.
“So, you’re going to the same college with Minori-chan?” Ryuuji awkwardly tried to make small talk in the difficult atmosphere. They were seated opposite each other at a park café table. Ryuuji was sipping a strong black coffee while Taiga sat looking into the swirls of her latte.
“Yeah… I got into a club too.” Taiga also tried to keep the conversation going.
Pffft! Ryuuji spit his mouthful of coffee onto the table, “You? Joined a club?”
“Hey, it’s not that weird!” Taiga replied angrily to Ryuuji’s reaction, “They have a Kendo club for girls.”
Both of them tried to ignore the snickering they heard from the next table over where Nanako, Hisako, Noto, and Minori were sipping their drinks and watching over the two.
“In that case, I bet you’re pretty good at it.” Ryuuji recalled the night after first meeting the Palm Top Tiger, when she almost killed him because she thought he read her love letter to Kitamura.
“You do?” Taiga was surprised to hear Ryuuji say that until she remembered the same night and frowned, “I am pretty good… but they have a lot of rules that make it more difficult for me.”
“The opponent has to play by the same rules, right?” Ryuuji asked.
“Yeah.” Taiga droned.
“Then you’ll be fine.” Ryuuji said confidently.
“I hope so. We have a competition coming up in three weeks and…” Taiga said with a bored voice until Ryuuji interrupted her.
“I want to see it.” Ryuuji said firmly.
“What?” Taiga’s boredom was gone and she was frantically trying to undo what she had just said, “No… I won’t be ready! It’s just a preliminary match!”
“Do I need tickets?” Ryuuji asked.
Taiga closed her mouth and refused to answer but Minori pulled out her cell phone.
“How many do you want?” Minori asked.
“Minorin!” Taiga squealed at her traitorous friend.
“Let’s see…” Ryuuji wanted to take everyone that would be available. He turned to Noto and asked, “Will you be in town?”
“Maybe,” Noto thought about it as he pulled out his cell phone to send out some texts, “Just get your own group. Shinako-san may want to join us so I’ll call Minori-chan later and get our tickets.”
“Eight for me then.” Ryuuji reconsidered, “Better make it ten. Aiko-chan, Suzume, or Umeki might want to bring a friend or two.”
“Oooooh! Thank you, Ryuuji-sama!” the younger girls chorused.
Ryuuji-sama? Taiga almost gagged on her latte. I will never get used to that.
“Go ahead and put me down for seven.” Noto decided that he would get the tickets now, since Shinako had already responded that she would be delighted to attend.
“Seven?” Nanako asked.
“I thought we would invite your mother and Maya’s aunt as well.” Noto explained while continuing to text, “Since they work in Tokyo, they’ll already be here. So, all I have to do is get them a hotel room and they’ll be set.” When he looked up, he found Nanako smiling at him.
“I’m so glad Maya found you.” Nanako leaned back into Hisako and took her girlfriends hand.
“Uh… thank you.” Noto blushed.
“Well then,” Ryuuji looked back to Taiga, “I guess that makes everyone happy.”
“I’m not!” Taiga hissed. I’m not a toy to perform for your amusement! Who the hell do you think you are…
“Taiga,” Minori said in a monotone as she finished making the ticket orders through her cell phone, “they are coming to see you because they are your friends.”
“Friends…” Taiga repeated. Her eyes focused on Ryuuji as the word echoed inside her mind.
“Yes Taiga. Friends.” Ryuuji confirmed Minori’s words.
“We… we can be friends?” Taiga asked as she fought to keep the tears back.
“Yes.” Ryuuji told her in a way that he hoped she would understand, “Just like you and Kitamura are now friends.”
“Ah!” Taiga recoiled inside. She had confessed to Kitamura once, only to be told that they could only be friends. She had fought hard to win his love anyway, but in the end it all came to nothing. He was in love with someone else and he would not be swayed. Now, Ryuuji was saying…
“Taiga…” Minori also understood the reference too. On the one hand, she wanted to hit Ryuuji for delivering such a solid blow to her fragile little friend. But on the other hand, this should put an end to any false hope that Taiga might be clinging to and let her begin to clear the slate. To start over.
“I… understand.” Taiga lowered her head and wiped away the few tears that had welled up. She took a deep breath while everyone waited to see if the Palm Top Tiger really could handle this. When she raised her head, there was a little redness around her eyes but the tears were gone and there was a look of determination on her face.
As soon as he saw that face, Ryuuji knew she would be okay. He had seen that face so many times before.
“All right then. Friends it is!” Taiga grasped Ryuuji’s hand in an arm-wrestling style handshake, “And in three weeks you’re all coming to watch me kick ass!”
To paraphrase one of my favorite historical figures:
Now, this is not The End.
It is not even the Beginning of The End.
But, for this rich cast of characters that we have come to love so much – it is perhaps,
The End of the Beginning.
Cast of Characters
At the point of the story that I put this together, the storyline date is 1 April, 2010 – the beginning of the new school year in Japan. Because of this, some of the characteristics may vary from published canon resources since they represent 2008 statistics. A year will not have affected the adults much, but many of the teenagers (and Aiko-chan) will have grown some in that time.
Aisaka Taiga (Taiga-chan)
female 145cm 34kg Birthday: 07/26/91 Amber eyes long orange-gold hair. She will be attending Waseda University in Tokyo, with Minori.
Takasu Ryuuji (Ryuuji, Takasu-kun, Taka-chan, Takasu, Ryu-chan, Ryuuji-kun, Takasu-san, Mr. Manager, Ryuuji-sama)
male 179cm 91kg Birthday: 04/11/91 black eyes shoulder length dark blue hair
After the wedding and honeymoon, he will be attending Tokyo U. with Ami.
This is a good place to explain names. Use of the first name suggests familiarity, so more to less familiar for him would be: Ryu – Ryuuji – Taka – Taskasu
Suffixes generally convey levels of respect, so childish to respectful would be: chan – kun – san - senpai – sama
Mr. Manager would have the familiarity and respect equivalence of Takasu-san.
Takasu Yasuko (Ya-chan, Yasuko, Onee-chan, Takasu-chan)
female 163cm 60kg Birthday: 06/04/76 brown eyes long blond hair
Mother of Takasu Ryuuji. Although there is a word for 'mother', Ryuuji never uses it because it makes Yasuko feel old. Onee-chan technically means 'big sister' but lots of people (Ami included) have made her their honorary big sister and she is thrilled with that. She will be moving to Tokyo to live with Ami & Ryuuji and take care of their child (children) while they attend college. If negotiations with the parents are successful, she will also be taking care of Aiko-chan while she lives with them in Tokyo.
Kawashima Ami (Ami-chan, Ami, Amin, Kawashima-san, Ami-senpai)
female 174cm 57kg Birthday: 11/14/91 violet eyes long blue hair
Ami is the daughter of a media star (Kawashima Anna). She is already a successful model and has aspirations to be a star herself. She is called 'senpai' (senior / mentor) by young Aiko-chan who aspires to be a model too. At the time of the wedding (graduation day), she is four months pregnant but does not appear so, when she wears the formal wedding kimono. After the wedding and honeymoon, she will be attending Tokyo U. with Ryuuji.
Kushieda Minori (Minorin, Kushieda, Minori-chan, Kushieda-san)
female 168cm 61kg Birthday: 01/18/92 purple eyes short pink hair
Highly energetic, dreams of being a softball player at the international level. Taiga's best friend and Ryuuji's original love interest, he gave her up for Taiga during the anime. She and Ryuuji are friends now. After graduation, she has a softball scholarship to Waseda U. in Tokyo. She may be living with her friend, Minami Umeko while attending college.
Kitamura Yusaku (Kitamura-kun, Kitamura, Maruo, Yusaku)
male 169cm 66kg Birthday: 08/30/91 dark blue-green eyes short dark blue-green hair
Ryuuji's first friend. Ami’s childhood friend. Maya and Taiga's original love interest in the anime. His love interest is Sumire Kano. It is because of his love for Sumire that he graduates early and follows her to the overseas university. Along with Ryuuji and Noto, they were some of the smartest students in their high school.
Currently attending a college in California with his fiancé Sumire.
Kihara Maya (Maya-chan, Maya, Kihara, Kihara-san)
female 161cm 44kg Birthday: 12/03/91 red-brown eyes long orange-brown hair
Currently in love with, and married to, Hisamitsu Noto. Best friends: Kashii Nanako, Kurosawa Hisako, and Kawashima Ami. Raised as an only child, has some issues with sharing. She is now winning the battle against childish behavior (sharing issues & jealousy), but still doesn't like change.
After graduation, she will be attending Tokushima U. with Noto and Nanako.
Kashii Nanako (Nanako, Kashii, Nanako-chan)
female 158cm 45kg Birthday: 05/24/91 purple eyes very long purple hair
Also raised as an only child, she is a childhood friend of Kihara Maya. Good at cooking and sewing, likes making costumes (cosplay outfits). Now in a relationship with Kurosawa Hisako.
After graduation, she will be attending Tokushima U. with Noto and Maya.
Haruta Koji (Haruta, Haruta-kun, Koji-san, Dude-san)
male 170cm 73kg Birthday: 04/20/91 blue eyes long dark blue hair
Childhood friend of Hisamitsu Noto. From a large family and is in an arranged marriage with someone he is in love with anyway. Dude! Happy-go-lucky attitude. His appearances are rare since he spends a lot of time with his fiancé (who appears only once in the anime and is unnamed).
After graduation and marrying his fiancé, he will be learning the family business from his uncle.
Hisamitsu Noto (Noto, Noto-kun, Hisamitsu-san, Noto-sama)
male 168cm 65kg Birthday: 02/17/92 brown eyes short sandy-brown hair
Childhood friend of Haruta Koji and also from a large and influential family. In love with and married to Kihara Maya. Studious and intelligent, he can be courageous when the situation requires it.
After graduation, she will be attending Tokushima U. with Maya and Nanako.
Hisamitsu Noriko (Noriko-chan, Noriko, Noriko-san) [Original Character]
female 168cm 66kg Birthday: 03/30/91 brown eyes short sandy-brown hair
Noto's biological sister. Deceased 09/12/2009.
Hisamitsu Shinako (Shinako, Shinako-san) [Original Character]
female 154cm 43kg Birthday: 11/22/88 brown eyes long dark brown hair
A second cousin of Noto's. She is the confidant and trusted lieutenant of the matriarch of the Hisamitsu family. She will assist Noto when his time comes to take the leadership of the Hisamitsu family.
Hisamitsu ‘Obasama’ (Obasama) [Original Character]
female 168cm 64kg Birthday: 01/16/44 brown eyes long white hair
Noto's grandmother. Matriarch of the Hisamitsu family, she is tasked with managing the family's affairs until Noto has finished college and is ready to take control.
Koigakubo Yuri (sensei, Yuri-chan, Koigakubo-san)
female 162cm 57kg Birthday: 08/12/78 red-brown eyes long red-brown hair
Sensei means 'teacher', and she was a teacher at the high school where Ryuuji, Ami, Noto, etc. just graduated. In the anime she was distressed about hitting thirty and not having a romantic interest. In WSP she is now married to Major Locke and is two months pregnant at the time of the graduation.
After graduation, she will move to Tokyo where she will begin teaching at the Meiji Affiliated HS.
Minami Umeko (Minami-san, Umeko-chan, Umeko) [Original Character]
female 161cm 48kg Birthday: 07/01/87 sea-green eyes black shoulder-length hair
Older sister of Minami Suzume, she met the main characters first as the stewardess on the Green Car (first-class, luxury, etc.) of the bullet train that took Ryuuji, Ami, Yasuko, and Yuri to Tokyo. She is responsible for her younger sister and worries about her traveling too far away. A former championship softball player, she is now one of Minori’s best friends.
Minami Suzume (Suzume-chan, Suzume-senpai) [Original character]
female 178cm 54kg Birthday: 10/11/94 sea-green eyes very long red hair
Just graduated from Kyujosho Middle School, Suzume will be a first year student in the Meiji Affiliated HS in Tokyo along with Ueda Umeki. She had long been a fan of Kawashima Ami and followed her lead in becoming a model. She is called 'senpai' (senior / mentor) by young Aiko-chan who aspires to be a model too. Suzume is in a more-than-friends relationship with Ueda Umeki.
Ueda Umeki (Umeki-chan, Ueda-san) [Original character]
female 152cm 42kg Birthday: 06/07/94 brown eyes long black hair
Originally bookish and introverted, she opened up to Minami Suzume and has dedicated herself to supporting Suzume in her dream in the entertainment business. Umeki just graduated from Kyujosho Middle School with Suzume, who she is now in a relationship with. Her parents were reluctant to let her associate with Ryuuji & Ami’s group at first, but have been amazed at her social development and drive to succeed with Suzume. After her middle school graduation, she will move to Tokyo where she will begin attending the Meiji Affiliated HS with Suzume.
Yamada Yukiko (Yuki-chan, Yamada-san) [Original Character]
female 162cm 50kg Birthday: 03/09/82 ice blue eyes long dark brown hair
Third (middle) Daughter of the influential Yamada family and likely to inherit the family leadership position. She is one of the few friends that is present at the formal Japanese wedding of Ami and Ryuuji.
Yamada Natsuko (Natsuko-chan, Yamada-san) [Original Character]
female 164cm 56kg Birthday: 07/14/84 gray-blue eyes long dark brown hair
Fourth Daughter of the influential Yamada family. Supports her older sister Yukiko’s bid to inherit the family’s leadership position.
Yamada Haruko (Haruko-chan, Yamada-san) [Original Character]
female 160cm 44kg Birthday: 04/21/87 hazel eyes very long dark brown hair
Fifth Daughter of the influential Yamada family. Supports her older sister Yukiko’s bid to inherit the family’s leadership position. She is one of the few friends that is present at the formal Japanese wedding of Ami and Ryuuji. Also enamored with Ryuuji.
Kurosawa Hisako (Hisako-chan, Hisako, Hisako-senpai) [Original Character]
female 176cm 54kg Birthday: 03/22/88 purple eyes long black hair
Originally believed to be the reason Ami dropped out of modeling, she is at the center of much controversy since the magazine articles have revealed the truth that she and Ami are actually good friends. She remains loyal to 'Ryuuji-sama' but has acknowledged that in her future (five years or so), she will be working with/for Hisamitsu Noto. Bisexual with a preference for women, she is currently in a relationship with Nanako. She will be moving to Tokushima to live with Noto, Maya, and Nanako as they go to college.
Aiko-chan (Aiko, Aiko-chan) [Original Character]
female 154cm 40kg Birthday: 08/08/00 Amber eyes long orange-gold hair
Aiko has finished her third year in grade school and is now much too tall to pass for a mirror image of Taiga. She is now 10cm taller and, since associating with her model friends, is now happy with her height. She has a spectacular singing voice and her first few songs (with Ami, Hisako, and Suzume) have been released. She still refers to all the models as 'senpai' and refers to Ryuuji as Mr. Manager or Ryuuji-sama. She does not like it when people have to leave. Yasuko and Ryuuji are negotiating with her parents to allow her to move to Tokyo with them to continue her entertainment career and attend either a local elementary school, or the Meiji Affiliated school with Suzume and Umeki.
Major Locke, United States Air Force (The Major, Major Charming) [Original Character]
male 187cm 101kg Birthday: 06/14/76 green eyes short blond hair
He met the group when they were on a photo shoot on Iejiima (near Okinawa) and Yuri's leg was broken when the equipment he was working on spooked her horse.
Now married to Koigakubo Yuri, he plans to move to Tokyo with her.
Corporal Deena Walker, Royal Australian Air Force (Deena-chan, Deena) [Original Character]
female 189cm 82kg Birthday: 09/22/87 blue eyes platinum blond hair
After the RAAF assigned her to Okinawa for training on new equipment, she was acquired by Major Locke for 'special projects'. She is a good friend of the models and was present for both Ami & Ryuuji’s wedding at the Le Dauphin Hotel, and the Major & Yuri’s wedding at Yakota Air Base. Having finished her original training mission, she returned to Australia after the Major’s wedding (26 December 2009), much to the sorrow of Aiko-chan who had taken to her as an older sister.