Date Her Instead

Two girls woke up one morning with the same thought in mind:

"Okay, today's the day..."

"Today I'm going to confess!"

First there was Haruna Endo. After hitting snooze for about the fifth time, she finally rose up out of bed like a zombie and prepared to step onto the floor. However, what she wasn't expecting was a sharp object greeting the sole of her foot.

"Ow! Damn it, what the hell was that?" Haruna complained groggily. Looking down, she saw the source of her pain had been an old broken phone strap. Part of the plastic had snapped off, creating quite the dangerous edge. "Geez, I didn't even know this thing was still in here. I should probably get rid of that piece of junk." As Haruna bent over to pick it up, she took a look at the state of her room.

If there was only one way to describe the condition Haruna's room was in, it would be that a tornado came through it, threw all of the stuff around, and then looters came through to grab what they wanted, leaving a mess of random clothes, papers and other worthless knick-knacks scattered about. "I hope mom didn't hear me earlier. If she did, she'll probably lecture me again about cleaning all of this up," Haruna sighed to herself.

With all the hazards moved out of the way, Haruna finally stood up from her bed, stretched, threw on a pair of blue short-shorts and a thin, white tank-top, and proceeded to head downstairs where her mother was making breakfast.

"Morning mom," Haruna said as she rubbed her eyes. "Well good morning. It's about time you got up. I heard that alarm of yours go off so much I was about to wade through that mess you call a bedroom and drag you out of bed," her mom scolded her. "Even without bringing it up I still get yelled at..." Haruna thought, annoyed.

"You better start getting ready for school now while I finish cooking because you won't have time after you eat," Haruna's mom said. "Yeah, yeah," Haruna responded, turning around to lazily carry herself back upstairs. With each step, Haruna began to feel more and more awake, until finally, a resolution she had made to herself came to settle into the forefront of her mind.

"Oh, right, I said I was going to confess today..." Haruna said softly as she stopped walking at her doorway. "Ah God, what the hell was I thinking proclaiming something like that?! There's no way I can do this! Confess?! Me?! What kinda sick joke am I trying to pull on myself?!" Haruna said all of this as she put on her school's uniform and shoved her textbooks into her bag.

Stopping in front of the mirror near her bed, she stared at herself. There Haruna stood, wearing the uniform of Iwanai Municipal High School. The uniform itself was pretty simple. Everyone was required to wear a white t-shirt for the summer uniform with the attached blue sailor-style collar. Guys had to wear grey pants while girls wore navy blue, flannel-patterned skirts that rested just above their knees. The most glitzy thing about the uniform were the bows.

Each year had its own color. A yellow bow indicated a first year, a lavender-colored one showed someone was a third year, and the one Haruna currently wore was a deep green color that closely resembled the color in her eyes. Those bows were for the second years. Guys followed the same system, but with ties instead, although they weren't required to wear them.

Picking up a comb, Haruna tried to tame her very floofy and unruly long black hair, but to no avail. "I appreciate that I'm not bald or anything, but why can't it just cooperate?" Haruna thought as she angrily combed one part that resisted her efforts and kept popping back up. "Today of all days too..."

Once Haruna had given up on the war on her hair, she looked to her right at her desk where the final piece of Haruna's plan sat. It was the letter she intended on putting into Akio Miyashita's locker, asking him to meet her behind the school when classes were over. She had actually had this letter for several weeks, but it was only until the start of her second year that Haruna had suddenly gotten a burst of confidence, hence her proclamation that she would confess. With a mix of both excitement and worry, Haruna grabbed the letter and stuffed it into her bag.

"Haruna, hurry up before your breakfast gets cold. You have to leave in 10 minutes you know?" her mom called. "Yeah I know, I'm coming!" Haruna said, feeling annoyed once again at her mother's constant reminders. Rushing back downstairs with her bag, Haruna quickly ate her scrambled eggs, waffle and a piece of toast, downed it all with a glass of orange juice and then headed out for school.

It was only about a block into her walk that Haruna felt an impact that wrapped around her shoulders. "Morning Haru-chi!" a cheery girl beamed at her. The girl's name was Chiyo Wakabayashi and she's what people liked to call a "gal-type" or "gyaru-type" of girl. Everything about this girl stood out, from her dyed auburn colored hair with gold highlights at the end of her side ponytail, to the way she wore, well, really anything. In this instance, it was her uniform. The top of Chiyo's collar had been intentionally stretched out, nearly revealing her sizeable breasts and bra (if she decided to wear one that day). Her bow hung loosely tied and of course her skirt was only allowed to be far enough down so that it covered her panties (at least while she was standing).

The two biggest things that Chiyo wore that weren't school regulation were her big fluffy white socks that covered her ankles and halfway up her shins, and her school-issued jacket, which she had elected to dyed a brilliant red and decorate it with glitter. It wasn't like Iwanai Municipal had a strict uniform policy per se, but they definitely didn't approve of Chiyo's style. However, after punishing her multiple times and it having no effect at all, the school decided that as long as she was showing up, it was good enough.

"Chiyo, that hurts! How many times to I have to tell you to not do that!" Haruna exclaimed. "You're always so sensitive Haru-chi. A little skinship never hurt anyone!" Chiyo said. "Yeah, maybe it doesn't hurt you," Haruna said. Chiyo laughed. "Hey, anyways, today's the big day right girl?" "Y-yeah. Look, you don't need to make a big deal out of it or anything," Haruna said quietly. "Aw c'mon! My girl's finally coming into the world of love! Out of all the years I've known you, this has literally never happened! I'm ready to celebrate!" Chiyo said all giddy. "Be quiet! I don't need the whole neighborhood knowing about my cr-... crus... mmm..." Haruna's face turned a deep shade of red. "That's adorable," Chiyo said smugly with a hand over her mouth to cover a snicker. "Gah, just shut up!" Haruna shouted before storming ahead. "Hey, wait up!" Chiyo called.

"In all seriousness, you shouldn't be wound so tight girl. It's bad for your head, heart and the goods, if you know what I mean," Chiyo said. "Why do you have to say it like that? Haruna sighed. "Besides," Chiyo continued, ignoring her. "A cute girl like you should be a shoo-in!" "I'm not really all that cute..." Haruna muttered. "Hm? Whaddya mean you're not cute? C'mon, you've got that long, silky black hair, those deep green eyes and your legs are so shapely because of that height of yours. Y'know some guys really dig tall girls. Heck, I might too," Chiyo said that last part with a wink directed to Haruna. "Yeah, thanks but no thanks. I don't swing that way," Haruna said flatly. "Hey, I don't either, but it doesn't hurt any to admire the scenery," Chiyo said.

As the two girls talked, it wasn't long before they reached the school due to them both living fairly close by. While Chiyo continued to chat away, Haruna became silent from nerves. Once they both got inside and in front of the lockers, Haruna froze. "C'mon girl, don't get cold feet now!" Chiyo loudly whispered to her while giving her a shove forward.

The momentum given to Haruna carried her all the way to Akio's locker. "W-well, here goes nothing..." Haruna muttered to herself. Taking a quick look around her to make sure no one was watching, Haruna swiftly opened Akio's locker, threw her letter inside and then slammed it shut before rushing off to her classroom.

*****

"Kanako! It's time to go!"

The mother of Kanako Nakatomi was yelling for her daughter, but to no avail. With only five minutes until she was supposed to be at school, the girl was still fast asleep. "Oh, this is ridiculous. I need to leave too," the mother said as she looked at her watch. "Alright, have it your way! It's not my fault if you're late!" she called before heading out the door.

"...late...?"

The sleepy girl picked up her phone to look at the time. It read 8:40 a.m. "Oh no!" Kanako exclaimed, now suddenly 100 percent awake. "I'm in so much trouble!"

Quickly Kanako rocketed out of bed and tried to get her pajamas off, but she got her hair caught on one of the buttons. "Owwie! Please let go, I'm in a hurry!" she pleaded. Once she freed herself, the rush continued with Kanako throwing on her uniform. For as much of a hurry as she was in, Kanako still took the time to take a quick glance at herself in the mirror. "Guess I still haven't grown overnight..." she sighed, lamenting her height as she put her light brown hair into a small ponytail. Once the look was complete, she grabbed her bag and then went running out the door.

"Oh man, I can't believe this! Why today of all days?" Kanako whined to no one as she ran to school. Luckily she lived nearby, but it didn't really matter how close she was when it was already time for school to begin by the time she left. "It's a good thing that I remembered to put my letter in my bag last night!"

For several years now, Kanako had had a crush on Akio Miyashita. After giving it a lot of thought toward the end of her first year, she decided that she'd start fresh and confess to him at the beginning of her second year. She was up all night trying to think of exactly what she wanted to write in her letter, which is why she ended up oversleeping.

When Kanako got to the school gates, she found the burly and imposing P.E. teacher, Mr. Sugiwara, waiting at the gate. "State your name, year and class," he said. "U-um, K-Kanako Nakatomi. I-I'm a second year and u-um my class is u-uh, class 2-B." she stumbled out. "I see. Well Nakatomi-san, I'm afraid you are marked as tardy and are now given the choice of extra cleaning duty today or turning in an essay reflecting on your actions that will be due promptly by tomorrow morning." "I really can't afford to be held up today," Kanako thought. Taking a deep breath and then letting it out, Kanako reluctantly said: "I'll do the essay."

After an explanation for the essay and a little more lecturing, Kanako was finally able to head into the school. "Geez Mr. Sugiwara is scary!" Kanako thought nervously. Before she knew it, Kanako had reached the lockers. "It's now or never," she said to herself to pump herself up. Timidly, Kanako approached Akio's locker and opened it.

"Huh? Is that a letter?" Kanako said aloud. Sitting on top of Akio's shoes was, of course, the first letter delivered that day. "I wonder who it's from. Or what it's about... Oh no, don't tell me he's getting two confession letters in the same day?!" Kanako panicked internally. Then she took another deep breath and shook her head. "No, that's ridiculous. What're the odds of that happening anyways?" So, having convinced herself the first letter wasn't what she thought it was, Kanako put hers in Akio's locker and headed to class.

*****

It was finally time for lunch and Haruna and Chiyo had made their way up to their usual spot, which was the roof. However, Haruna didn't have much of an appetite. "Hey, I know you're worried, but it's not good to skip out on food y'know," Chiyo said as she bit into her melon bread. "Yeah, I know. I'm just not that hungry..." Haruna said. "You're just saying that. Take one bite and I bet you'll be starrrving," Chiyo said as she picked up an egg roll with a toothpick. "C'mon, say 'aah,'" "I'm not a kid or one of your boy toys Chiyo," Haruna said, annoyed by her friend trying to feed her. "Aw, you're so mean Haru-chi," Chiyo said with a pout. "Sorry, I just-mmph!" "Gotcha!" Chiyo said with a smile as she shoved the egg roll into Haruna's mouth. "Chi-o!" Haruna said through a mouthful. But, after having a bite, it turned out Chiyo was right and Haruna began stuffing her face with the food she had bought. "Told ya," Chiyo said with a smirk.

"Besides Haru-chi," Chiyo continued. "You shouldn't be so worried. I bet Akio-kun will feel pretty special havin' a girl like you confess n' all. He'll say yes without a second thought!" "I just hope I don't end up looking like an idiot..." Haruna sighed. "You'll be fiiiine girl! Have some confidence!" Chiyo said as she slapped Haruna on the back. "*Cough!* Ow! Damn it Chiyo, you're going to make me choke doing that!" "Sorry, sorry!"

The rest of the day felt like it dragged on for an eternity. Haruna sat through her classes feeling a huge mix of dread and uncertainty, but also excitement. It was her first time ever confessing to someone so it was only natural that she felt nervous.

When the clock finally hit 3:00 p.m., Haruna hurriedly grabbed her stuff and, after a look of reassurance from Chiyo, quickly made her way to the spot behind the school where she had told Akio to meet her in her letter.

*****

"You're late, Nakatomi-san," the teacher said. "I-I know! I'm very sorry!" Kanako said with a bow. "Well, take your seat." Kanako did as her teacher instructed, sitting down at her desk in the back. "Did you oversleep or something?" the girl next to Kanako asked.

The girl in question was Michi Fukuhara, Kanako's best friend. She was a girl on the shorter side, but still at least barely taller than Kanako. Michi's golden yellow hair was always up in a sort of fluffy bun, but no matter how hard she tried, two long strands that reached down to her back always managed to stick out. Along with her looks, Michi was also one of the smartest people in Kanako's grade, typically ranking in the top 10 for exams.

"I was up all night trying to figure out what I wanted to say to Akio-kun..." Kanako whispered back. "Seriously? I told you to figure all that out a long time ago so this wouldn't happen!" Michi whisper-yelled. "I know..." Kanako said. "Well whatever. You at least put your letter in Miyashita-san's locker right?" Michi asked. "O-of course! I'm not completely helpless you know," Kanako pouted.

As morning classes continued, Kanako became fidgety. She couldn't focus at all, knowing what she was planning on doing. "I'm going to confess... to Akio-kun..." Kanako kept thinking. Perhaps for your average girl, this sort of moment would simply be met with flutters. But, for a girl like Kanako who was more naturally shy than others, the prospect of telling a guy her inner-most feelings was, well, scary, to say the least.

"...tomi-san,"

"Nakatomi-san!" the teacher continued to call.

"Huh?!" Kanako exclaimed, suddenly being pulled back to reality. "Would you please read the next part?" her teacher asked, exasperated. "R-right!" Kanako answered. "Wait, what part are we on?" she panicked. Suddenly a book landed on Kanako's desk with an annoyed Michi pointing at the spot on the page where Kanako was supposed to read from. "Thank you Mi-chan!" Kanako cried inside.

The rest of the morning went by without further incident and soon enough, it was lunch time. Kanako and Michi were joined by two other girls from a different class. The first was Itsuki Yukimura, a girl that was the very definition of a tomboy with her pixie-cut black hair and her tanned skin from playing outside so much and running for the track team. Tacking on her height, she was naturally a standout.

The other girl that joined them was Mayu Kawaguchi. To be honest, everything about her was fairly average, from her looks to her smarts. What made the glasses-clad and double-braided girl stand out though was her pleasantness. The simplistic Mayu thrived in situations where her kindness was required. No one had any problems with her.

"Heya Kana-chan, Mi-chan!" Itsuki exclaimed as she and Mayu walked through the door. "Hi Itsuki-chan, Mayu-chan!" Kanako said happily. After having the good fortune of being in the same classes for the last three years, their luck ran out and the group was split in their second year of high school, with Kanako and Michi in classroom 2-B and the two others in 2-A.

"Hm? Kana-chan, you look a little tense," Mayu said. "H-Huh? I do?" Kanako said. "Hey, she's right. You look like me before a meet!" Itsuki said. "Oh geez, is it that bad?" Kanako said as she checked her expressions in the nearby window. "Is everything alright?" Mayu asked. "Well, the thing is..." Kanako began.

"WHAT?! YOU'RE CONFESSING TO MIYASHITA-SAN?! FOR REAL?!" Itsuki shouted. "Shh! P-please Itsuki-chan, not so loud!" Kanako pleaded. "*Sigh* I told you you should've told them earlier," Michi said. "W-well, I meant to, b-but I didn't want them to make a big fuss over it..." Kanako said quietly. "Kana-chan, you've liked Miyashita-san for a while now haven't you? Of course we'd be happy for you," Mayu said nicely.

Kanako smiled. She was happy to have friends like the one she had now. Before, she had really only had one friend and she was... not always so nice. But now, Kanako was surrounded by girls that she really gotten along well with and that made her happy.

After lunch was over, Kanako settled down some and made sure to focus on her afternoon lessons. Though, despite her efforts, she kept finding herself constantly glancing at the clock. "I wish it was 3 already..." Kanako thought. But, once that final bell rang and the teacher dismissed the class, Kanako grabbed her stuff and fit it nicely into her bag, then went to head to the back of the school where she had asked Akio to meet her via letter.

*****

The two girls, both Haruna and Kanako, were headed to the same place, though Haruna was moving a little faster. "I need to make sure I'm there before him," she thought. Haruna kept rushing through the halls, until finally she reached the doors that led out to the back.

All that was there was the spring green grass, a tree next to the school's fence and a singular picnic table under its shade. Deciding she'd sit and wait for Akio, Haruna moved over to the table and took a nervous seat. "I hope he shows up..."

At the same time, Kanako found herself slowing down more and more as she approached the same place. "I'm so scared. What if he doesn't show? What if he does? What if... he says no...?" Kanako stopped in her tracks. Then, she clapped her hands to her cheeks. "No! I've come this far! I'm going to do it!" Kanako thought to pump herself up. With a boost of confidence now, she continued on toward her destination.

When Kanako opened the back door, she found someone she wasn't expecting. And when Haruna looked up in anticipation of seeing Akio, she saw the last person she wanted to see. The two girls stared at each other, Kanako with a look of anxious surprise, and Haruna with a look of surprise and utter disgust.

"H-Haruna?" Kanako said. "W-what are you doing here...?" she asked as she walked toward the table Haruna was at. Standing up, the angry girl marched toward the other until they were only inches apart. Then, Haruna opened her mouth.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

End of Chapter One.