Fic-Nobuta wo Produce

[walkwithheroes]

I had to split this up into two parts, because it's so darn long. 

Title: Separately, Together- Part 2
Author: 
Rated: It's no worse than what you'd see on tv
Word Count: 4,238 (14 pages)
Summary: Some key moments in the relationship of Akira and Nobuta, post high school. 
Disclaimer: If I owned it, why would I write fan fiction about it? 
Notes: I had no beta, sorry. I thought this would take a day, but it's been a week and a half. I really got the idea from some James Wendt songs – blame him. 
A/N: Okay, is it 'Shuji' or 'Shuuji'? Because, I've seen it spelled one way in press releases and show summaries and another way in fic. I used the spelling found in press releases and show summaries.

 

 

XVI. Moved On

Akira Kusano is twenty-five, freshly back from America, and living in Tokyo when he receives a call from Shuji. His old college friend, now living in Kyoto, happily announces: “Mariko's had a girl! We're going to call her Aki.”

“Because its November?”

“No. What? No...eh?”

“It's...never mind. Are they well?”

There's a long pause over the phone line, “Nobuta came to visit during the summer break. She didn't say anything, but I think she has a boyfriend.”

Akira hangs up. He does not answer his phone for the next three weeks.

XVII. Time

Akira is twenty-five and living in Tokyo.

He spends his days as a journalist for a popular magazine and his nights alone in his tiny apartment. The Akira of his high school days, the Akira that loved a girl called Nobuta is slowly fading as well.

He'll be over her in ten years or so.

He broke up with her. There were a hundred reasons, too. She was moving away. He was moving away. You're supposed to date around in your twenties. He was becoming too possessive of her; she was becoming too needy. They had too much sex. She probably didn't love him as much as he loved her; he was probably her second choice. You can't have a wife called 'Nobuta'.

He was an idiot.

No...

She was supposed to wait. They were supposed to get back together when he returned to Japan.

She...

He...

They...

Time heals all wounds, expect for those caused by love.

Four months pass, than two more, and suddenly Akira finds himself wondering Tokyo University in late May. When he finds himself wondering toward the building he lived in with Nobuta, he stops himself.

The past is the past and the future is the future.

The next day, Akira buys a ticket to Otaru.

XIX. Home Coming

He sees her before he even knows that it is her.

She's standing in the school yard of a high school. Gone is the uniform with the too long skirt. It's been replaced by a long, flowing, sun-dress. The ratty tennis shoes are now heels. The long, messy hair, is now tied back with a light blue ribbon. She is not Nobuta, but rather the adult Nobuko of his dreams.

Students walk past her, all saying: “Good morning.”

She replies softly, intimately with: “Good morning.”

Akira wants her to say those simple words to him. He straightens his suite's jacket, and mouths “Good morning.” from his spot at the gate.

They are, sadly, no longer high school students. And, he's sure no one calls her 'Nobuta' anymore.

Finally, he finds himself shuffling forward. Before Akira is aware of what he's doing, he finds himself standing just to Nobuta's right. With a shaky breathe, he says her name: “Nobuta.”

Slowly, she turns her gaze to him. If she's surprised or angry, she doesn't show it. She simply smiles warmly at him and tells whispers, “Akira.” Nobuta stills says his name like a prayer.

Akira feels like he's come home.

He has to wait for her – they're always waiting for one another – to finish teaching her morning classes. She's the homeroom teacher of class 2-A, and she teaches art. The kids, especially the boys, all seem to adore her. Everyone loves her, and she appears completely happy. She's...moved on. He's now just a fond memory of her college sweetheart or first (second? third?) love.

“I'm sorry you waited.” Akira looks up from his hands, to see Nobuta standing over him. She's closed the unused classroom's door. It's just them now.

He stands from the desk, and shakes his head. “It's okay.”

She moves uncomfortably under his gaze. “I was surprised...that you came.”

“I wanted to...see if you're...okay. Because, I'm sorry. I don't...I shouldn't have left you. I should have come back sooner. I messed it all up.” It's all out in one breath, and he feels like a total idiot the moment it's all out.

“It was something you had wanted for years, and when you finally had it you got scared. So, you ruined it before it could break.” As always, she's right on the mark. As always, she says her words with a maturely beyond her years.

“We shouldn't have broken up.” He tells her softly, so softly he's scared she hasn't heard him.

“Maybe it was good for us.”

“Nobuta...” she smiles at the name. “What?”

“No one's called me that since college.”

“Shuji...?”

“He calls me by my name, now. He told me that I graduated from that name.” Nobuta glances at him, longing for the old days. “But...I felt glad when you said it. I've been Nobuko for years. I...I liked being Nobuta more than I like being Nobuko.”

Feeling awkward, Akira grins and shrugs. “I like either one, Nobuta or Nobuko.”

There's only a school desk between them now; Akira, more than anything, wants the school desk to disappear. When did he turn into such a coward?

“Thank you.” Nobuta tells him softly. “Akira, you don't look like you.”

He grins, “Neither do you. We...” Akira trails off in his own thoughts.

“Grew up?” Nobuta suggests with a small, private, smile.

“One day we were Akira and Nobuta, and the next we were adults. Things are different for us, but they're still the same in some ways.” He tries to move toward her, but hits his leg on the desk. “Ouch. Nobuta...”

“I'm getting married this summer.” It just comes rushing out of her mouth, she can't stop herself. “I don't have a ring, yet. But...”

“Stop!” Akira feels like his heart's been ripped out of his chest. He doesn't much care for whatever words of comfort Nobuta tries to tell him. “Stop.”

“Akira...”

He doesn't stop, he just heads out the door and doesn't look back. She calls his name and begins to sob, but he doesn't look back.

XX. So Much More to Say

Akira is twenty-six when he gets the call. It's been seven months since his visit with Nobuta, and he's almost to the point where thinking about her doesn't hurt. That all changes with the call. The December snow is falling, when Mariko's voice shouts at him over his cell.

“She's called off the wedding! Her parents set it up, and she was against it. But...she agreed to make her mother and stepfather happy. You didn't get in touch with her, and she thought you'd forgotten.”

Playing it cool, Akira answers with a: “So?”

“If you asked her to marry you... if you just asked to get back together, she'd say yes.” With that, Mariko hangs up.

Nobuta. Nobuta, never wanted to marry her finance.

She wanted...

Sitting together in their room, Nobuta lays her head on his shoulder. Her body's curled up next to his and she feels warm. “It was a nice wedding. Mariko was beautiful.”

“Yeah. But, Nobuta...you're more beautiful.”

“Mm?” she's already half-way asleep.

“Nobuta, I love you. I love...everything you do and everything you are.” Akira places his hands on hers. “You'll never leave me?”

“Forever. I'll be your Nobuta forever.”

She wanted to be with him forever. So, how did they end up so far apart?

“I love you, Nobuta.” Akira whispers it a thousand times in the darkness of his bed room, and every time he says it, his heart breaks.

He goes to the ocean, stands on the beach in the middle of the night and shouts:

“Nobuta, I like you! I love the books you read. I love the classroom you teach in. I love the roads you walk on. I love the city where you are. I like everything about you and everywhere you are. Nobuta, I love you! Nobuta, I love you! Nobuta! Nobuta, I'll love you forever.”

When he goes back to Otaru, Akira is only slightly shocked to find that Nobuta has gone. Her stepfather's ill, so she's gone off to be with him and her mother. Defeated, Akira goes home.

A day later, he makes a call to a cell phone and leaves a message:

“It's January seventh. I want to see you, when you have time.”

Afterward: Together, Moving Separately

Nearly a year later, Akira finds himself standing outside the gates of his old high school. It's been a long time since he stood outside the school, and though he's older he knows for a fact that he isn't that much wiser.

Dressed in an outfit that looks like it's come out of his high school closet, Akira feels more like himself than he has in nearly four years. No matter what happens, today will be a good day. Why? Because, he's Akira again. No more fear, no more stupid mistakes.

He hears the shuffle of heels before he even sees her. The hot August sun's beating down and blinding him, but Akira knows Nobuta's walk.

Akira makes the fox sign with his fingers and smiles crocked. “Kon. Go-od Morning, No-buta.”

Stopping a few feet away, Nobuta raises her gaze to met his. “It's the evening.”

His crocked smile never leaves his face. “Good evening, Nobuko.” They share a look, and Akira moves to Nobuta. He places his hands on either side of her face, smiles again, and whispers: “Pretty.”

She smiles. “You're you again.”

“Mm.” He lets his hands fall from her face, and slips one of his hands in hers. “Let's go.”

Akira leads Nobuta to the roof of their old high school. There's still a couple of unused chairs and desks, just sitting in a corner of the roof. It's almost like...like there's still groups of students who come to the roof to talk in secret.

“Nobuta?” She squeezes his hand in response. “Don't go anywhere, okay? Stay with me, forever.”

“You too. Don't leave again.”

“Mm.”

Together, they stand hand in hand and watch the setting sun.

-End-

 

Comments

[kitsune714.livejournal.com]

Oh, oh, oh, you have sapped me of all coherence -- I think there was a point where you reduced me to near-tears, and I mean that in the best possible way. This was such a lovely story and I really liked how you structured the entire tale, breaking the series of events into separate, tight little chunks. It was so simply written, leaving a lot to my imagination, but it also did such a great job of showcasing Akira's mindset, which I think can be so challenging. Thank you for writing this -- I truly enjoyed reading. ♥

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I think there was a point where you reduced me to near-tears, and I mean that in the best possible way.

Sorry about that. But, thank you for saying so. I'm just happy that my story had that kind of effect on someone.

This was such a lovely story and I really liked how you structured the entire tale, breaking the series of events into separate, tight little chunks.

:) Again, thank you. I love writing stories in little 'event chunks', because I think it makes everything tighter and it also lets the reader imagine what happens between Chunk A that leads to Chunk B.

, but it also did such a great job of showcasing Akira's mindset, which I think can be so challenging.

Akira's mindset was a little hard to work through. He has to mature, but he's Akira, so he'll be a bit silly and make mistakes. Don't even get me started on writing Nobuta. Now, she can be hard to write as she's so quite, but she says so much through her movements and expressions.


Again, glad you enjoyed it and thanks for reading.

[animefreak42.livejournal.com]

Just... guh. Oh, Akira. Oh, Nobuta. Oh, Mariko and Shuji getting married and Akira messing everything up and oh, Nobuta! This was amazing, people definitely need to write more Akira/Nobuta fic. <3 Thank you.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

:) Yes, people do need to write more Akira/Nobuta fic. They need to write more fic for this series in general. Maybe I'll write something else for these characters...soon.

And, thank you for reading.

[mellowdee.livejournal.com]

SIGH. LOVE. I FORGIVE YOU FOR THE SADNESS FROM PART 1. Because Akira and Nobuta should always just BE Akira and Nobuta. THIS IS WONDERFUL. I don't think I can say it enough.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I FORGIVE YOU FOR THE SADNESS FROM PART 1.

Thank you. But, you know...you have to have the sad, before you can get to the happy.

Because Akira and Nobuta should always just BE Akira and Nobuta.

Yes, they should. They can get older and mature a little. They can learn about the world. They can even grow up. BUT, they should stay Akira and Nobuta...because they're just happier that way.


Thanks for reading!

[partypaprika.livejournal.com]

I was linked here by kitsune714 and I really really really (x a million) liked your story. The format, the repetition, the rhythm--it made each segment so poignant. After the first part of the story, I thought it ended and wanted to weep at the insanely good angst. But then, the second part was even better and made me want to cry as well. Thank you for posting it, because it was such a joy to read!

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

kitsune714 linked to my story? Very cool.

I really really really (x a million) liked your story. The format, the repetition, the rhythm--it made each segment so poignant.

Thank you very much! I was unsure about the story, so it's great to hear that so many have enjoyed it.

After the first part of the story, I thought it ended and wanted to weep at the insanely good angst. But then, the second part was even better and made me want to cry as well.

I adore angst. Angst and fluff. So, I tend to write something angsty, but throw in a bit of hope/happiness at the end. Again, I'm glad you liked it.


Thanks for reading!

kawaii!

[colorful-blade.livejournal.com]

~~and just so sad! It was very fluffy, and you can make it fluffy so that it's sweet but not unbearable ^_^ which is something I have yet to master...pretty!

Re: kawaii!

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reading. I'm happy to hear that it wasn't too fluffy. :)

BTW: Love the icon!

[dr-crgirl.livejournal.com]

yay, I was so sad, I was like, OMG she's getting married to someone else, realistic...it's akira and nobuta, happy ending is more realistic, lol. Thank you for the lovely ending.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

:) And thank you so much for reading.

[inevitabilityy.livejournal.com]

God, this was amazing. I just. I don't even have words. This -- how can I describe this? This is so completely Akira (and I think he is the hardest person to write, he's so weird), from his strangeness when younger, he matures nicely in your fic, it's amazing.

The Shuji/Mariko interaction is beautiful and God, your Nobuta. Amazing.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Firstly, I'd like to thank you for reading. It's always great to hear that my fic has touched someone. Also, it's wonderful to hear that you like my Akira and my Nobuta. And, Shuji/Mariko don't get enough love.

Your review has really made my day. Thanks so much!

[madannekidd.livejournal.com]

Oh god, just such supreme happiness. LOVE. I have no words, just full of squee.

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

:) Happy to hear you enjoyed the story.

[emeraude-jade.livejournal.com]

I just got to read Part 2 now because school is up to no good again and, and, and... jadkfhlakjhjfjakdhlkhdajkl!!!!111!! It is a very pretty ending. I could honestly see Akira messing up his chances because well, he's Akira, and Akira wouldn't be Akira if he was as in-control of the situation as Shuji. ;Dv

Write more, please! ^__^

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your review. I agree that Akira would mess up ans miss chances, because he's Akira. But, he's also mature and he knows when he's done wrong, so he'd end up fixing it all. And Nobuta? She'd just stand back and wait for him to be ready.

[xbriyeon.livejournal.com]

*whimpers*

You are shockingly good at writing Akira/Nobuta.. ♥

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

:) Thank you!

[rukiko-chan.livejournal.com]

What can I say?... Love the story.It make me tear at the end and.
I like how you place every momment and the structure of it, love the way they grew up but still having those teenage acts.

great story! ♥

ps: I'm sorry if I had some mistakes on my writting, english isn't my first language

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

Personally, I think moments are the most important part of a story - that's where the characters and best lines are. I wanted them to grow up, because really that's the only way they could truly work, but I love their innocence and just had to keep that.


Oh, don't worry - your english is really good. :)

[tala-emerging.livejournal.com]

You write the best Akira & Nobuta fanfictions. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I hope you'll write more about them!

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

You write the best Akira & Nobuta fanfictions.


Aw, thank you very much!

I love Nobuta and Akria and enjoy writing about them. I have lots of ideas in my head for fic,so hopefully I will be able to write more soon.


Thanks for reading and commenting. Please enjoy my other a/n fics.

[hanmie7227.livejournal.com]

awesome...
oh my...
i have been searching fanfiction about akira n nobuta since i watched them in nbw.both of them looked perfect to be together.
oh my....
thank you for such lovely story.
sorry for not commening the first one.
i could not wait to read the second part

[walkwithheroes.livejournal.com]

I agree that Nobuta and Akira would have been perfect together. They both had that "extra" something and he was very sweet with her.


Thank you for reading this story. I'm glad you enjoyed both parts.