Shiina 3

[LordDarknus]

"Should we throw these too?" I ask Shicchan, showing her the stack of files I'm carrying.

But Shicchan stares back at me blankly... and after a few moments, she signs, [You can dispose of those as well.]

Realising that she couldn't hear me just now, I laugh at myself and nod. "Okay, Shicchan~!"

I carry the stack of old files to the slowly-growing pile of old and re-dun-dant files beside the door, and then drop them with a big "Thud~!"

"Why did we create all these extra copies in the first place?" I say aloud as I sign to Shicchan, but she isn't looking at me... Oh well. I guess Shicchan is still upset about having to throw all our hard work away, and probably feeling embarrassed that she didn't know that the school only gave a limited amount of storage space for each year's Student Council.

But I guess no one expected the Student Council to end up with so many files anyway~ or for Shicchan to be so me~ti~cu~lous.

Just as I turn to get more extra old files, I hear someone coming down the hallway outside, so I quickly turn around again, but accidentally knock over the stack I just put down!

A photograph slips out from a folder and slides away into the hall as papers spill everywhere and I clumsily try to catch them.

Whining as I randomly put the files back together, I look up, and see Akira walking through the door, gazing at the photo in her hands.

"I remember this one," Akira says to me, "Lilly told me she had a lot of fun." She smiles charmingly at me, and hands me the picture.

"Yeah..." I remember that moment too, when Lilly, Shicchan and I were happy, running our booth and having a good time at the festival.

"You can keep that if you want," I tell Akira. "It's redundant, and we have to get rid of all these extra files, or we'll never fit them into the school's archives."

"Oh... well, alright." Akira looks at the picture again, and with a smile, she keeps it, tucking it safely into her jacket pocket.

"So, you two ready yet?" she asks.

"Hmmm~?" I tilt my head, as Shicchan comes closer and nods politely, acknowledging Akira.

"Hanako's birthday party at the Shanghai!" Akira says. "Or do you wanna spend the rest of the day sorting papers?"

I sign what Akira said for Shicchan, and Shicchan frowns a little. I think she really would prefer to go through more Student Council work, rather than go to a party that has Lilly there as well.

But Shicchan calmly signs back, [Yes. Let's go.]

* * *

Quietly, Shicchan, Akira, and I sit down at the table, beside Lilly who's in a casual dress, and Hanako-chan who is wearing a nice outfit and a neat hat.

Akira loosens her tie a little. I think she didn't have time to change her clothes either, like Shicchan and I still wearing our school uniforms.

"So..." Akira says. And I realise that Lilly and Shicchan are both struggling not to argue about something or another in front of Hanako-chan.

Hanako-chan notices it as well, and... it seems to be making her very unhappy...

Akira was probably expecting either Lilly or Shicchan to say something, since they both agreed to be friendly to each other today... And Shicchan decides to speak first: she looks to me and nods.

"Oh, uhh, okay..." I say. "*Ahem* Shicchan is very pleased to be here, and she wishes Hanako-chan Happy Birthday. Please forgive her, and me too~! for being slightly late, as we were occupied with Student Council matters. -- Happy Birthday, Hanako-chan~!"

Hanako nods, and quietly says, "I-I-It's okay... th- thank you... for c-coming." -- I sign her reply to Shicchan.

Lilly and Shicchan seem to relax a little, and it feels like we could all relax too. Akira looks relieved.

"Well, should we do presents first? Or have something to eat first?" Akira asks. -- I sign Akira's question, and Shicchan responds:

"Since this is technically NOT a real birthday party," I interpret as Shicchan signs, and immediately stop when Lilly frowns. Shicchan notices and stops too, and quickly signs instead as I interpret:

[Whatever Hanako likes.]

Lilly finally says, with a graceful voice, "Yes, we've already ordered a slice of cake for each of us, and tea." -- I sign it for Shicchan, who signs back quickly, and I translate:

[How thoughtful of you.]

Hanako-chan suddenly looks very upset, as if remembering something that made her very unhappy, and like she is regretting coming out tonight.

Did someone do something awful to Hanako-chan on her birthday? ... Is that why she really doesn't like celebrating it? ... Shicchan didn't mean to remind her of things like that...

So, I quickly say, "Hanako-chan, let's do presents first! I'm so excited to know what Lilly and Akira bought!"

Lilly almost says something, but Hanako-chan looks up to me, and timidly nods, whispering, "Umm... it-it-it... doesn't matter to me... w-w-we can... j-just d-d-d-do it now... b-b-before th-the... the tea and... c-c-cakes..."

Lilly gently says, "Oh... well, in that case..."

She takes a small, wrapped gift out from her bag, and hands it to Hanako, who takes it with trembling hands. Slowly, Hanako-chan unwraps her present on her lap, and then, with a little smile, she lifts it up.

Lilly's gift is a beautiful little doll, and it seems to make Hanako happy. -- Lilly is waiting eagerly for Hanako-chan to say something... she looks worried that Hanako might not like it.

I say, "Awww~! That's such a beautiful little doll, Hanako-chan!"

She nods, and says to Lilly, "Y-Y-Yes... Th-thank you, so much..."

Lilly looks relieved to hear how happy Hanako-chan is, as she says, "You're very welcome, Hanako."

Then, with a smile, she asks, "And... what about you, Shiina? What did you decide to give Hanako?"

I grin, and say "Well!" as I reach into my bag, and pull out my gift.

Hanako-chan accepts it, and slowly takes it out of the shiny golden wrapping paper. And I smile as she reveals my present:

"A-A-A curling iron, w-w-with a f-free bottle of... p-pink hair dye."

Shicchan rolls her eyes, while Akira and Lilly struggle with what to say...

Hanako-chan nods, and unsurely says, "Th-thank you...?"

"Oh don't worry, Hanako-chan, I'll teach you how to use it!"

* * *

Lilly, Hanako-chan and I spent the night in Lilly's room trying out the curling iron, turning our hair all wavy and spirally with it, and making Lilly's hair even curlier.

Hanako looked very pretty...

The next day, I walk through school with everyone staring at me. I had curled my hair into big cute drills, and it's making everybody, even the teachers, speechless.

Happily, I grin and take my seat next to Shicchan, who is staring fixedly at me.

She looks caught between being surprised and being offended. So I sign to her: [This was a great idea! Now everyone loves me and Lilly and Hanako-chan!]

I turn to look behind me, where Hanako-chan is... but, she's straightened her hair back... probably this morning too, from the look of it.

"Awwwwwww~"

I'm so disappointed, I end up frowning, and I sign to Shicchan, [You should have seen her last night, Shicchan... Hanako was really pretty...]

Shicchan still only stares at me, looking troubled and confused by my big drills.

* * *

Hanako eventually just gave me back the curling iron, after I kept borrowing it to keep my drills in shape.

Lilly even said that my new hair style is actually inadvertently helping Hanako-chan, since now everyone in class is so focused on my wonderful new drills, Hanako-chan feels a lot less noticed, and could bring herself to stay in class for much longer than before.

I didn't realise Hanako-chan was leaving class less and less in the middle of lessons...

I'm glad that Hanako-chan is becoming a little bit braver every day. In fact, I want her to be as brave as she can be. If it means that I have to be the centre of everyone's attention, then that's okay!

I'll do anything to help Hanako-chan be happier!

* * *

I reach class a little late today, with only a few of my classmates managing not to look completely shocked as I walk in.

Unable to control himself, one of the boys shouts, "P-P-Pink!! Her hair's pink!"

Alarmed and furious, Shicchan quickly gets up, and signs angrily at me:

[What... What have you done to yourself?] -- I translate aloud her words.

"Wah~hahaha~! What's the matter, Shicchan?" I sign and say for everyone to hear.

[Mikado Shiina!! Why?!] -- I say it aloud, with my name shortened to "Mi-Shi", like it is in sign.

"Mi-Shi!?" says another classmate, and I give a little laugh.

Then, with a big grin, I playfully ask, "How about...

"Misha~?"

[Oddball]

Interesting origin of Misha's nickname and hairstyle.

I also like the idea of Misha and Shizune trying to attend a birthday party for Hanako and the extra tension that caused, even if it doesn't really fit well with canon.

The nickname Hanako-chan feels overly long and clumsy though. I'm usually against stories where Misha gives everybody nicknames, but if she is going to do it, having her shorten it to Hana-chan of just Han-chan would probably work better.

[Mirage_GSM]

Just a technicality, but "Han-chan" would not work - because of how the Japanese syllables work:
Hanako is made up of Ha, Na and Ko, not of Ha, N, A and Ko, (an that is because the syllable "N" can only be used at the end of words, never in the middle), and you can't simply cut a syllable in two without changeing the meaning.
Thus it could only be Hana-chan or Hacchan.

[LordDarknus]

Interesting origin of Misha's nickname and hairstyle.

I also like the idea of Misha and Shizune trying to attend a birthday party for Hanako and the extra tension that caused, even if it doesn't really fit well with canon.

The nickname Hanako-chan feels overly long and clumsy though. I'm usually against stories where Misha gives everybody nicknames, but if she is going to do it, having her shorten it to Hana-chan of just Han-chan would probably work better.

Wow, sorry for this very very late reply.

Thanks! I wonder if anyone else has a different version...?

Well... I don't think it clashes with canon... I can't think of anything that contradicts it... I just thought it might be why Hanako is relatively relaxed around Misha and Shizune.

You know, since Hanako knows full well that Shizune doesn't like Lilly, yet is comfortable enough to play chess with her? Hmm... Well, I guess she could be just that much of a chess enthusiast.

"Han-chan"? Why am I suddenly thinking of Star Wars, but with a Wookie Misha?

Yeah, I guess? It just sounded right at the time...

Just a technicality, but "Han-chan" would not work - because of how the Japanese syllables work:
Hanako is made up of Ha, Na and Ko, not of Ha, N, A and Ko, (an that is because the syllable "N" can only be used at the end of words, never in the middle), and you can't simply cut a syllable in two without changeing the meaning.
Thus it could only be Hana-chan or Hacchan.

Thanks for that clarification! Yeah, I guess "Hacchan" might have been a better fit.

Thanks for your replies, Oddball and Mirage_GSM! Sorry I took so long to respond!