7 ~ Satchiko

Nana walked into the apartment and ignored the fact that Akio was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper. She went straight to her room, got changed into her uniform, looked at the time on her clock, and cussed. It was almost seven.

     She was about to dash out of the front door when she remembered her bag was in the kitchen, where Akio was. Nana took a deep breath and calmly walked in there, picking her schoolbag off of the table, and walking back to the front door.

     "Don't you want a ride?" she heard Akio ask behind his newspaper.

     "I'm walking," Nana said. "with Hayate."

     "Fine," Akio grumbled. "and you're walking home after school. I won't be here."

     "Fine," Nana grumbled back. She opened the front door to the apartment and walked down the hall, down the two sets of staircases to the lobby, said a quick hello to Mr. Lupe, and left the building.

 

"Looks like Hachi's a little late," Hayate said when Nana finally reached him. He had been waiting outside his house.

     "I had a late night last night," Nana said, not wanting to discuss the little scuffle with Akio.

     "We all have those nights," Hayate said. They were about to start walking, when they heard a girl's voice shouting, "Hayate! Hayate, you forgot this!" Midori Ibuki, Hayate's little sister, shouted, her words a bit slurred, as she scurried quickly out of the house with a paper.

     "Oh, thanks, Midori," Hayate said as he took the paper from her. He patted her head, and she giggled. Nana saw a gleam in her eyes and knew immediately that Midori was mentally impaired. She didn't say anything about it, and instead switched her gaze to the paper in Hayate's hand.

     "What's that?" Nana asked.

     "Yesterday's math assignment," Hayate said, folding it and slipping it into his pocket. Something sparked in Nana's head, and she realized she forgot to do her own math assignment.

     "Crap," she muttered.

     "Oh, dang, I forgot my textbook," Hayate said. "Nana, wait here, I'll be right back." Hayate jogged back to the house, leaving Nana alone with Midori.

     "So, you're Nana," she said, looking her up and down and crossing her arms.

     "Uh, yeah, that's me," Nana said, feeling a little stupid and uncomfortable.

     "My name's Midori," she said. "Hayate talks about you lots."

     "R-Really...?" Nana found that as a surprise.

     "Yes," Midori replied. "You're the first friend he's had in a long time. Hayate isn't sad anymore. Keep it that way, Missus Nana." Hayate came back, and said, "Thanks for finding my homework, MiMi."

     "You're welcome, Hayate," she replied, giving him a big hug. He grinned and hugged her back. He bent down to her eye level and said, "Mom wants you inside so you can get ready for school. Be a good girl and I'll see you this afternoon. Dig?"

     "Dig," she said, punching him in the shoulder. She laughed a cute laugh and ran inside.

     "Found my book," Hayate said, patting his bag. "That was my little sister, Midori."

     "She's cute," Nana found herself saying. Hayate laughed and said, "Most people think that. She has down syndrome, so people tend to treat her differently. I hope she didn't say or do anything inappropriate when I went to find my book?"

     "Nope," Nana said. "All she said was that you talk about me lots!"

     "Sh-She did?!" Hayate shouted, getting red in the face.

     "Never mind that," Nana said, grinning. "We're going to be late, Hayate. Let's get a move on."

 

"So, you didn't do your math assignment?" Hayate asked once they got walking.

     "I forgot in the midst of what was going on," Nana said. "Sue me."

     "Who's your math teacher?"

     "Mr. Zetsubou."

     "I have him, too," Hayate said. "You can copy my homework in Homeroom."

     "I can't copy your work, Hayate," Nana said.

     "Sure you can, I don't care," he replied. "So, what was so bad that went on at your house?"

     "I thought I already told you," Nana said.

     "All you said was that your dad asked one of his hookers to come over," Hayate said. "What happened after that?"

     "Well, after you dropped me off back at my building," Nana started, walking slower and staring at the ground. "my apartment door was locked and the b*****d never came to open the door. So, I asked my doorman to buzz Akio to get his lazy a*s to the door and unlock it. That's when Junko, the hooker, came down the stairs and told me that Akio fell asleep, so she was going on home." Nana stopped walking altogether. "Her face was red, and when I confronted my dad...."

     "You don't have to say any more, Nana," Hayate said, standing next to her and putting a hand on her shoulder. "I get it. I'm sorry."

     "You have nothing to be sorry for," Nana said, sounding colder than she meant to. "Don't be an idiot."

     "You know what I think?" Hayate said, taking a few steps forward with his hands in his pockets. "I think despite what you say about him, you love your dad. And your mom. You aren't accepting that they're no longer married. Am I right?"

     Nana's stomach tightened into a knot, and the cold realization of it tightened her chest. For a moment, she was afraid she couldn't breathe.

     "Nana," Hayate said, snapping his fingers in front of her face. "you okay? Nana!" Nana continued walking, her arms hugging herself tight.

     "I'm fine," she said, staring at her feet as she walked.

     "Do you want me to take you home?"

     "No. We're going to school."

     Hayate seemed hesitant to let her go, but he caught up to her and kept a close eye on her as they made their way to their high school.

 

Nana finished copying Hayate's math homework and handed it back to him when Ms. Anko wasn't looking.

     "Thanks," she said.

     "No prob," he replied, taking his assignment and sticking it in his folder. "What're friends for?"

     "And you're seriously asking me that question?" Nana replied with a snort. Hayate grinned. "You're right. Stupid question."

     Something caught Nana's eye: a girl from across the room with brown hair in a long braid. Her shining topaz eyes were in Nana and Hayate's direction.

     "Look," Nana said, tilting her head to the right. "that girl over there is looking at you."

     Hayate looked to his left, and then behind him, catching sight of the girl. She caught Hayate's gaze and flinched away, back to staring at her desk.

     "Oh, yeah," Hayate said. "Satchiko Hinamori. She's in my science class." He snorted, and then said, "Hey, her name rhymes with Hatchiko."

     "I like Hachi better, anyway," Nana said, her eyes moving to her math, which she stuffed in her folder. "I think she likes you."

     "No way, I hang out with you, remember?" Hayate said with a laugh.

     "Then she sees me as an obstacle."

     "Doubt it."

     "We'll see." Nana caught Satchiko looking again, and immediately didn't like this girl.

     "Has a girl ever liked you before?" Nana found herself asking him.

     "Well, only one," Hayate said. "This girl who went to my old school. I think her name was Tsubaki or something. And, Tsubaki means Camilia Blossom, which is a really boring and insignificant flower. It has no color, no smell, and it's not a really pretty flower."

     "I'm guessing her personality matched her name?"

     "To a T," Hayate replied. "She was a very normal person with nothing special about her. She rarely talked, but then again, no one at that school did. I remember....that she confessed her attraction to me. And then she disappeared. I never saw her again."

     "What did you say to her to make her go into hiding?" Nana asked. "Are you that harsh of a rejector?"

     "All I said to her was that I wasn't interested in being in a relationship," Hayate said. "I was...going through a tough time. She just had a blank stare, nodded, and walked away."

     "You're so dense," Nana said, trying not to linger and pry about what he said about "going through a tough time". "She probably took it really bad and killed herself or something."

     "Maybe," Hayate said, leaning on his elbow and staring at the front of the room. He had that look in his eyes that Nana saw a lot more of. The same look from when he talked about his old school. When she yelled at him after classes the previous day.

     Nana decided that he got very depressed when he lingered on old memories or felt bad.

     "Hayate," Nana said, snapping her fingers in front of him. He blinked and looked at her. "What is it, Hachi?"

     "If you have homework tonight," Nana started, wondering why she was saying this. "you can come back to my place with me and we can work on it."

     "I have a better idea," Hayate said smiling. "You come over to my place. My mom already said she wants to meet you."

     There was something about Hayate's smile that made Nana's heart leap, and she didn't know why. She didn't have time to think about it when the bell rang and everyone had to go to first hour.

Author's Note

EDIT: This has nothing to do with the chapter, but there's a pen in front of me that says "HYATT". :/

Reviews

[Angie Diane♥&hea..]

I think this was a good chapter. I liked it. Hayate is a good person...and Nana needs a good person in her life. Thanks for sharing.

[halflives]

Amazing! Amazing! I'm in LUV with this. Write more NOW!

[Sweet Little Bunny]

This story is beast :) im gonna cry when it ends. U should get this published

[Emunah June.]

I KNEW IT! LOVE! THERE IS LOVE! Which means that something bad is going to happen to Hayate...uh oh....

[Alexis]

*applause* Another AWESOME chapter! I can't wait for the next one! This story is moving along very nicely. You're keeping my attention!!