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middledumpling · 6 years

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i like the way you smile

fandom: gekkan shoujo nozaki-kun

summary: everyday he walked past the dim windows of the tattoo shop next door and wondered about the owner with the bright orange hair and the beautiful smile

notes: soulmate!au for day 3 of @gsnkfandomweek

The sun was just beginning to break over the mountains but Mikoshiba had already been up for hours. Truth be told, he hated getting up early, but there was something about the stillness in the air as the world was waking up, like it was holding its breath in anticipation of something, that made it worth it. He tilted the spout of his watering can back and stood up from where he was crouching on the ground. Those were the last of his various indoor plants and flowers watered. All that was left was to decorate the sign board and set the displays outside his door before he could officially open for the day. Mikoshiba rummaged through the top drawer for his chalk pen. Uncapping the pen, he began to outline some daffodils that would serve as a border to the text he’d add in later. Drawing flowers had always been a special skill of his and required almost no concentration, so inevitably his mind began to wander to the store next door, as it was wont to do these days. His small flower shop was unfortunately located right next to a tattoo parlour. It hadn’t been an ideal location for him. Mikoshiba was terrified of illicit yakuza activity and scary people in general, so he had always hurried past the tinted windows with averted eyes in order to avoid seeing any of the store’s employees or clients. But one day he had seen a small girl, at least a head shorter than him, stride confidently into the store. She had been wearing a long sleeved, poofy dress with two large ribbons in her hair. The sight was so odd that he stopped right there in the sidewalk to see what would happen. Nothing happened, of course. It wasn’t until later than he found out she was the owner of the store. But what had started as mere curiosity had slowly evolved into interest and then into a small crush. “You don’t even know her name,” his friend Kashima had pointed out. She had even offered to go and find out for him, but Mikoshiba had staunchly refused. Even if he knew her name, he was too much of a coward to do anything about it. He knew himself too well. Mikoshiba placed his chalkboard pen back down on the table and leaned back against his chair, staring at the way the early morning sunlight filtered through the store. The world didn’t feel beautiful anymore but terribly, terribly lonely. ... The bell over his front door jingled. “Welcome to Mikoto’s Flowers!” Mikoshiba greeted. “Oh—it’s just you.” Kashima laughed and brushed her windblown hair back into place. “Don’t sound so disappointed,” she said. Before he could say anything else, she went on. “Anyways, I know you told me not to talk to the tattoo girl but—” Mikoshiba heart lodged itself firmly into his throat and he leapt to his feet. “What?” he yelped. Kashima’s hands flew up in defence. “I just talked to her that’s all! I didn’t even say your name. I just mentioned I was interested in getting a tattoo.” Mikoshiba stared at her. Since when was she interested in getting a tattoo? Suddenly the pieces clicked as he watched her absently run a hand over her bare wrist. It was still strange to see it blank, when for the past however many years he’d known her it had been scrawled with lines of text. He flopped back into his chair and ran a hand through his hair, sighing. “You’re a hopeless romantic,” he complained half-heartedly. Mikoshiba glanced up just in time to see a soft smile spread across her usual charming face. “Hori-chan-senpai said that it wasn’t necessary, but I think I’d still like it as a momento,” she said decisively. “And besides, it was just lines of script anyways. Nothing to be embarrassed about!” Yeah, it was nothing like his. Mikoshiba’s face burned as he tugged down the sleeve of his sweater so it covered the black line of ink on the inside of his wrist. It was only one sentence, but it sure made an impact.

Too late, Kashima seemed to realize her blunder. “Not that having an embarrassing line is completely awful! It’ll fade either way once you meet them.” Mikoshiba sighs, running an hand through his hair. “Yeah, I know. But still. If I meet my soulmate and want this line tattooed on me again, promise me you’ll stop me.” Kashima nodded solemnly. “I won’t stop you.” “Thanks—hey!” While they tussled, Kashima put him into a headlock and grinned down at him. “I found out her name by the way,” she said. Mikoshiba glanced up, suitably distracted. “It’s Chiyo. Sakura Chiyo.” Mikoshiba mouthed the name to himself. Sakura Chiyo. The name suited her. ... It was still dark outside. Mikoshiba walked down the silent street, breathing in the crisp air of the morning.

As usual, he passed by the tattoo parlour on his way to the store. Before he realized it, Mikoshiba was hovering just outside the glass window of her storefront, watching her putter about the store, cleaning this or shifting that. There was no other way to describe it. She was just so… adorable.

But she walked around with a quiet confidence, with the kind of presence that had caught his attention in the first place. Their eyes met through the tinted glass. The girl—no, Chiyo—looked startled at first. Mikoshiba froze in place, embarrassed at having been caught staring in the first place. Then her lips quirked up into a smile as she waved at him. Mikoshiba had enough presence of mind to let out a quiet eep and wave back before ducking into his own store, blushing all the while. ... It was Valentine’s Day. Regardless of the fact that it was his birthday, his shop was swarming with people. Roses, lilies, chrysanthemums, assorted bouquets—everything was being sold at a rapid fire pace the way it did every year. The bell above his door jingled, signalling the arrival of yet another customer. “Welcome!” he yelled in the general direction of the front door. Milkoshiba rang the customer in and when glanced up, his heart nearly stopped in his chest. The customer that had just entered was Chiyo from next door, and when she caught his eye from the front of the store she wiggled her fingers at him in greeting. Adorable.

I’ll come back later, she mouthed sheepishly, pointing at the door. Mikoshiba nodded and waved back before his attention was completely seized again by a customer asking his opinion on flower languages. Later, after the chaos, Mikoshiba bemoaned the fact to Kashima. “I could have talked to her!” he exclaimed. “What would you have said?” she asked, eyebrows raised in question while perched on a nearby stool. “I would’ve, I dunno, introduced myself or something,” Mikoshiba groaned. “Or like, been all suave and given her a flower while saying ‘This is just for you, it’s on the house’.” “Maybe it’s better that you didn’t talk to her then,” Hori piped in, leaning casually against Kashima’s back. “Or you could always go next door you know, and introduce yourself like a normal person?” Kashima asked. “No, that’s not an option. I’ll just pine here until I die I guess.” “Please don’t,” Hori said.“You’ll ruin the linoleum.”

“I hate you both,” he complained. ... His phone rang once, twice, and then a third time before he picked up. “Hey, are you free right now?” she asks, her tone peppy even through the static

“Yeah, what’s up?” Mikoshiba asked, phone cradled between his ear and shoulder during one of his only days off. “We just got our new script and we need some extra people to help read. You down?”

Mikoshiba hesitated. He stared at the screen of his TV, where Yukino was waiting for him to ask her on a date.

“I’ll buy you that new figure that came out. Limited edition, right?” Kashima wheedled.

His decision was made in an instance. “I’ll be there in five. Where are you?”

“Nozaki’s house! We’ll leave the door unlocked so just come right in.” And with that, she hung up. Mikoshiba grabbed his wallet and keys and headed out for the day. He stepped out into the sunshine, only mourning his cool and darkened room for a brief moment before he was cheered up by the thought of the limited edition figurine waiting for him at the end of the night.

It was a quick train ride to Nozaki’s house.

Nozaki was a bit of an eccentric mangaka, but then again, weren’t they all? Mikoshiba helped pen in flowers for him to make a little extra cash on the side and so he could tentatively call them friends.

Mikoshiba cautiously pushed open the door.The house was already alive with yelling and impassioned monologuing. Mikoshiba’s stomach twisted a little at the thought of how many people would be in the room, but he had to do this.

For Yukino, he decided, and pushed open the door.

He opened the door to total chaos. Hori had his back to him and was yelling his lines impassionately at a girl standing in front of him. Kashima was clearly long gone, her admiration for her senpai’s acting throwing her sanity out the window. And Nozaki was sitting back near the window, obviously enjoying the scene before him.

Hori moved to the side at his arrival, and Mikoshiba looked down at the girl, making eye contact with dizzyingly familiar purple eyes.

“Hey,” Sakura Chiyo, owner and tattoo artist of Ribbon & Ink Tattoos, said determinedly. “I know I cheated but I just can’t decide who I love more! You’ll forgive me right?”

Mikoshiba choked. His jaw dropped as he tried to process not only the turn of events, but his entire perspective on the concept of soulmates. There’s a burning sensation on his wrist and he glances down to see the black ink that had accompanied him for most of his life fading into unblemished skin.

“Your line!” Sakura snapped, and Mikoshiba jolted.

“Um,” he stammered, and suddenly a script was deposited in his hands. Mikoshiba scanned the page desperately. “The world may burn and the stars might twinkle out of existence, but I will always love you and therefore, I will always forgive you.”

He peeked up at Chiyo. The realization of what he just said registers in his mind and he feels his cheeks blaze red at the cheesy and embarrassing line. She stared up at him, wide-eyed and shocked, only breaking eye contact to glance down at her arm.

Hori, who had already finished his next line, trailed off to stare at the silent couple.

“...huh,” was all he said. Mikoshiba’s face burst into flames.

At this point, even Nozaki, hopeless in any type of romantic matters, caught on. “Oh ho,” he said, the statement made worse somehow by his usual deadpan face.

Kashima was beaming.

Mikoshiba targeted her, because he’s blushing so hard he can’t keep his gaze on Chiyo—his soulmate. Lord, even the thought of it was crazy.

“You set this up,” he hissed at her. She shrugged haplessly at the accusation, seemingly unable to keep a smile off her face.

“Let’s give them some privacy,” Hori interjected, dragging Kashima off by the back of her collar. “Nozaki, you too.”

In an instant the room was clear. Mikoshiba simultaneously loved and hated Hori-senpai at that moment.

There was a light touch on his arm, and he turned to see Chiyo holding her hand out. Up close, she was even tinier than he thought she was.

“I’m Sakura Chiyo,” she said, smiling bashfully at him. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

#gsnk #gsnk fandom week #gekkan shoujo nozaki kun #Sakura Chiyo #mikoshiba Mikoto #my stuff

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kateywlo · 6 years

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Ceremonies

@gsnkfandomweek GSNK FANDOM WEEK 2018 DAY 4: Time — Ceremonies Words: 2064 Characters: Kashima Yuu, Hori Masayuki, Sakura Chiyo (only mentioned) — OOC again. Ships: HoriKashi Summary: The end of the year is approaching, signifying new meetings and partings. The third year of Roman Academy, Hori Masayuki, is officially leaving the drama club and the academy, seeing himself to the graduation ceremony. However, his most problematic underclassman is still constantly bothering him about his nonexistent wish to be a heroine.

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If anything, Hori was the absolute personification of the word ‘done’ if he had to describe his relationship with Kashima. However, that was before… and this was now. His opinion of her had slightly improved, especially since she had started attending club practice regularly and was no longer playing hooky. It was surprising when it had first happened that he was extremely prepared to go ‘escort’ her after school again but she had constantly come.

He had been standing in contemplation, leaning against the wall of the train station’s interior as he flipped open his phone, seeing an incoming message from Nozaki. He quickly skimmed through the message before pausing, hearing Kashima’s familiar, light yet swift footsteps.

“Hori-senpai!” she exclaimed, waving to him from afar and instantaneously dashing towards him.

Almost in an instant, he turned on his heel, “Let’s go Kashima.”

“Ok!” she exclaimed, stretching out her hands spontaneously and followed him eagerly. “You still haven’t gro—”

In an instant, he slapped the back of her head to reprimand her, heaving a sigh. For a while, she had constantly been tactless and mentioned his height of 164cm. If anything, he could at least reassure himself that he was taller than Chiyo, even though she was a girl. Pushing that fact aside, he could’ve at least taken pride on being taller than someone for once. In middle school, he had felt fairly tall in comparison to the rest of his year but that glory ended all too soon with everyone’s transitions to high school. Puberty had smacked everyone like a boulder while it had basically only thrown a few stones at him, growing a remaining 2cm. He intended to become the lead by this year but now, he mastered the creation of backgrounds and clenched his fist victoriously.

Meanwhile, Kashima stared at Hori, cupping her chin. It was near the end of the year and Hori had never been given the role of the heroine yet. Feeling herself tear up about how pitiful he was about never being able to fulfil his yearning to be a heroine, she pat his shoulder. Kneeling down, she slid her own hand under his and placed her other hand over his.

“Prince—” she began before he slapped her across the face.

“Nice to know you’re so eager about being the prince of the drama club,” he laughed. “Soon, no one is going to escort you to the drama club.”

She quickly slapped him across the back, interrupting him“Hori-senpai, why don’t you try wearing a skirt?” she suggested eagerly before beginning to hold the hem of her skirt, “You can wear my skirt if you’d like.”

Pausing in his tracks, he turned to gaze at her and she met his gaze happily, wondering whether he’d accept the proposal or not. After all, she’d left him his skirt earlier but he never wore it and left him a set two piece with accessories and he didn’t wear that either.

“I’m not interested in wearing your clothes,” he admitted bluntly, facepalming.

“Even though you’re wearing briefs?” she inquired curiously.

“Sexual harassment!” he shouted, throwing his bag at her. “Oh, we’re at school already. I’ll see you after school Kashima.”

Kashima paused, almost in an instant as he began to distance himself away from her, “Hori-senpai!” she exclaimed. He paused, turning to face her, waiting for her to speak. She parted her lips in an attempt to speak. Running up to him, she raised a finger, “Hori-senpai, you should repeat a year.”

He kicked her in the side instinctively like how he had used to when he ‘escorted’ her. “What would be the point of me repeating a year?” he grunted, scratching the back of his head.

“You haven’t fulfilled your dreams of becoming a heroine yet, right Hori-senpai?!” she exclaimed.

He honestly had no idea where she got the idea that he wanted to be a heroine from but he needed to clear her delusions. “Kashima, I don’t want to be a heroine.”

“Don’t lie to yourself, Hori-senpai,” she breathed, taking his hand as she knelt down, her eyes glittering, “I will make your dream come true, princes—”

He punched her across the face, sighing to himself and massaging his temples, deciding to leave her behind as he headed to the third year building. What was with Kashima today? Shrugging it off as no big deal, he’d decide to look over the play that had been given to him by Nozaki. What sorts of backgrounds would he have to build? Fishing around for the script within his bag, he took it out and began flipping the pages, wondering where the prince character would’ve been this time.

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“Kashima, your posture!” Hori corrected for the 100th time as he tapped the rolled up script on his shoulder impatiently. Had he been mistaken in her taking practice seriously? He didn’t think he was wrong but she was making an unbelievable amount of mistakes today.

“Sorry Hori-senpai,” she replied, beginning to fix her posture.

“Enough. Everyone, we’re taking a 5 minute break!” he exclaimed, raising himself from his chair and storming over to Kashima, “What’s with you today Kashima? Your performance is usually flawless but today you’re stumbling around like some outsider.”

“I didn’t want to disappoint you senpai,” she breathed.

“Well, you are disappointing me,” he stated bluntly, “What’s on your mind?”

Hori pondered to himself, maybe he should’ve retracted that statement. Kashima being worried about something was an impossible reality.

“Why can’t you be honest with yourself and be the heroine?!” she insisted, “You can ever wear my skirt or I could get a corset for you senpai! I can even ask sensei to lend you her clothes! She’s just 1 cm shorter than you. You can fit her clothes!”

“Kashima,” Hori reprimanded, “If you don’t want to take practice seriously, go back home. While I’m wasting my time with you, I could be doing the backgrounds.”

She fell silent, heading back to the drama prop room, deciding to change back into her school clothes. Glancing at Hori’s locker, she wondered whether to leave her skirt with him or not, recalling the day she had worn his pants back home. He was ‘pissed’ but it must’ve been his bashfulness from seeing the skirt that he longed to wear for so long. Chuckling to herself, she decided to wear her own skirt nonetheless and grabbed her bag, heading out casually.

“Bye, Hori-senpai!”

He didn’t reply, seemingly ignoring her but she smiled, watching his small figure sitting on the stage, sticking on page tags as he cupped his chin. That was the president she so happily admired. Exiting the room, she proceeded to head towards the shoe lockers and swapped out her indoor shoes with her outdoor shoes.

Soon enough, she returned back home and laid herself out lazily on her bed, deciding not to change just yet. Rolling on her side and accidentally hitting her hand on her table and heard the sound of something fall to the floor. Bending downwards to retrieve the object, she wondered just what exactly had fallen. Picking up the object, her eyes had widened. Fake flower petals adorned only a strip of thin paper that had written ‘Welcome’. Past memories began to resurface as she clutched the object.

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During the opening ceremony, a brown haired man wearing a white shirt had run over to her instantly, holding a large amount of flyers. Strangely enough, his red tie was within his pocket. Almost in an instant, he gripped her shoulders, his eyes glowing and his face beaming.

“You can become the prince of the drama club!” he exclaimed enthusiastically.

“What, really?! Cool!” she replied.

“Please come see the drama club!” he replied, handing her another flyer and gazed at her for only a few moments, as though he were examining her face. Nodding to himself, he decided to leave her, handing out flyers to other students that were entering. Although in comparison, his enthusiasm with her was the greatest. Smiling to herself, she glanced at the flyer. Of course she’d go see the drama club. After all, he was the reason she enrolled into Roman Academy.

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Before she knew it, she felt herself stumbling out her door, attempting to throw on her shoes. Hori-senpai’s graduating, she thought to herself. She had been so sullen about it the whole day, constantly trying to avoid the topic yet even if she wanted him to stay, he wouldn’t have done so. He couldn’t stay at Roman Academy. He wasn’t repeating a year. It felt so frustrating. His constant kicking and reprimanding of her was something unique, she’d never forget the day she first saw his exceptional acting. Running back to the academy, she felt her breath coming in quick, short pants. Finally reaching the front gates and seeing her said person she was searching for about to exit as he flipped open his phone, she attempted to tackle him until he reflexively deflected her by kicking her away.

Raising herself upwards groggily from the injury, she gazed at him. She could see herself reflected within his hazel brown eyes. They had only spent 2 years together but she parted her lips, feeling the volume in her voice rise.

“I can become the prince of the drama club?! Right?!” she exclaimed. That’s what he told her and she decided to believe in those words.

“With a face like yours, of course you can,” he said bluntly before continuing, “What’s on your mind, Kashima?”

“Hori-senpai,” she said, clasping his hands, “Won’t you be the heroine of my story?”

“Why do I have to be the heroine?” he grunted, swatting her hands off.

Proceeding to lift him upwards, she grinned, “Don’t lie Hori-senpai! You like it when I carry you like this, don—”

He kicked her in the stomach, allowing himself to fall back onto the ground, sighing. He had to help Nozaki with backgrounds today and Kashima was only a distraction right now. “Hurry up and say what you want,” he sighed.

“I don’t want you to leave Roman Academy! I’m going to miss you and no one is going to lecture me as much as you do and I won’t ever be able to act with someone as great as you again! After all, you’re the reason I went to Roman Academy!” she admitted.

“Really…?” he murmured.

Feeling his cheeks beginning to flare, he decided no further comment was needed. Of course he’d be missed by his underclassmen, how could he have forgotten about that? He’d been more preoccupied about the single fact that he was leaving rather than thinking about the external factors. Turning to face her, he smiled, wondering whether he’d miss her too. He probably would’ve but he refused to admit it.

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Hori felt his heart beating as he received his scroll on the graduation ceremony before applause broke out. All the other third years had received their scrolls and soon began scattering outside the school hall, trying to say goodbye to all of their underclassmen. He ought to do the same and wondered where to go first.

“Hori-senpai!” Kashima shouted. She had been waving to him enthusiastically, wearing the prince costume from the drama club’s storeroom. She stood there silently, grinning until he paused, hit with the sudden realisation of something. He never found out who those legs belonged to, he... kind of wanted to look and touch them at least once. Reluctantly and hesitantly, he decided to forget about it considering it had been his last day here.

“Kashima, I’m thinking of being a professional in creating backgrounds for plays,” he admitted. “If you’re going to do acting again. Maybe I’ll see you on the stage again one day.”

She parted her lips in an attempt to speak but fell silent, contemplating her response before grinning, “Is it because you’re too short to be the main lead?”

“KASHIMA!” he shouted angrily, taking her legs and swinging her around furiously.

He decided not to make any further comment. One day, would all of this become a fleeting memory for him? Would he grow taller than Kashima? Who would do backgrounds for Nozaki when his schedule became full with university and a part-time job? Closing his eyes and smiling to himself, he’d leave that thought for another day. For now, he just wanted to live in the moment.

#gsnkfandomweek #gsnkweek #fandomweek #hori masayuki #kashima yuu #day 4 #day 4: time

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