H A R D |< O R PRELUDE Edition K i m a g u r e O r a n g e R o a d P r e m i e r F a n f i c t i o n by Robert Kwong ver 1.0 Completed December 2, 1997 Based on characters from the Kimagure Orange Road Series created by the venerable Matsumoto Izumi. As you can see, this is fanfiction harkening back to the old Kimagure Orange Road Series. In the Prelude edition, it outlines the events following the breakup of Hikaru and Kyousuke which sets the stage for Shin Kor and HARD Kor series. These stories were written in the attempt to clarify certain details assumed and to provide clues for future Hard Kor episodes. HardKor Web Site (With Disclaimer and back-stories: Book A and Book B chapters) http://www-ucsee.eecs.berkeley.edu/~rk/HardKor.html My SuperPage for the General Kimagure Orange Road enthusiast http://www-ucsee.eecs.berkeley.edu/~rk/Kor.html My contact email address for comments or further correspondence: rk@soda.berkeley.edu Feel free to email me your impressions and suggestions for the series. Beta readers always welcome. If you want new stories emailed to you, please e-mail me at the above address. Thanks for reading my stories and making it one the most popular KOR fanfic on the web! 21000 visitors can't be wrong! I am just grateful that I have an audience to write for. It just goes to show you how entensible and how endearing the story of KOR is and the lasting impact it has. I just hope that I managed to capture that special "essence" which pervades KOR as I narrate the turn of events in their lives. Hope you appreciate my efforts and happy reading! Robert Kwong Ark Productions -97- Legend: H=Hikaru Hiyami Y=Hino, Yuusaku <> Indicates characters thinking to themselves * Denotes action [] Denotes change of events or next scene Prelude - Chapter NiJuNi (22) Showtime [Back at the temple] (As the menacing figure approaches the two of them, Yuusaku suddently and boldly steps out in front of Hikaru arms wide to shield her) Y: I'M NOT LETTING YOU HURT HER! (The figure stops dead in its tracks) "Ho ho ho! Tough guy you still are!" Y: Hey...who are you? "See for yourself!" (Shutters open and room brightens up. The figure lifts the hood to reveal... H & Y: Ojiisan?! "Oi kids! What are you doing here?" Y: We're about to ask you the same question. H: Is Kyousuke around? "No, no...just me and Obaasan." (Obaasan emerges from the shadows to reveal herself. She just nods in acknowledgement) Y: Shame on you for scaring us like that! First Kyosuke torments me and now his grandparents! "I wouldn't be speaking too strongly if I were you! H: Yeah Yuusaku! You need to speak to your elders with more respect! "Always a lady, aren't you? (eyes her lecherously) And you've grown since we last saw you at the lodge." H: Why thank you! (curtseys) "Much apologies. Didn't mean to frighten you kids. I thought you were some rogue hoolians defiling our shrine here so I wanted to teach them a lesson. Y: This is your shrine? "Yes. They do call it Kasuga shrine, don't they? Now what are you two doing here? Shouldn't you be in school? H: Well we're on a senior class trip and the theme is exploring this particular region. Unfortunately, we missed our tour bus. Now we're lost here! "Stuck? No problem. I can send you where you need to. Just tell me where and I'll just snap my fingers and..." "Old man. Don't be so senile that you forget they are the outside folk." "True, true, how silly of me to forget. We're help you another way to rejoin your friends. But since you're in this area, why don't you join us at the inn we're staying and spend the night?" H: We don't want to impose on your hospitatlity. "No trouble at all. Please come! Allow us to make up for scaring you." Y: (whispers to Hikaru) I'm not so sure Hikaru. This old guy's magic tricks seem far too real for me. I always thought Kyousuke and his whole family was hokey and weird! H: We accept. Y: What? "Goody. You can listen to all the exciting places we have visted on our sight-seeing tour so far." Y: (to Hikaru) Why did you do that for? H: Do you have a better idea? Besides, it will give you a chance to explain how you got on this trip anyway. [Back in Otaru, Hokkaido] (At a rundown car lot) "Ishizaki-san. Good to meet you again." "Likewise. What news do you bring me?" "Bad news I'm afraid. We had a sudden run-up in our stock, so we don't have any slack left. Gotta wait 3 weeks for the next shipment." "But I need more dust on my end now. There must be another way." "Listen. I'm in enough trouble as it is. Working with your cousin is treacherous enough. Do you know what he'll do to those who "cut" in on his stash? I'm already having the vibes that he's suspecting something. You have to make due with what you have." "If that's the way it's gonna be, I can't do anything. But at least cut me some more cheap synthetic mix. I'll dilute my current stash to make it last longer." "Sure. I'm sure they won't notice that. But first, my payment." "Of course." (takes out hundred thousand yen notes) Here. That should be enough." "That's only 3/4 of it!" "Only when you get me the additive will I give you the rest." "Then we leave it at that. Fine doing business with ya." "Likewise." [Back at the inn where Kasuga's grandparents are staying] H: Wow. I'm so thrilled to be meeting you two again. Obaasan: We are too. We enjoy you and Hino-chan's visits to our place when Kyosuke brought you along. Ojiisan: But lately, we haven't seen you kiddies for a while. Why haven't you come? H: I don't think it's appropiate now since we are in different provinces now. Y: How come you are here right now? Ojiisan: Oh, annual visit and sight-seeing of the Kasuga sites around the country. Part of the job of being the head of the Kasuga clan. Y: I thought the temple was suppose to be takened care of by the historical preservation board. Why should you be involved. Ojiisan: Questions, questions. Is that all you younguns know how to do? Please don't pester an old man such as me with details. Why don't we do something more fun. Y: Like what? Ojiisan: Since you seem to be a strong boy, how about a try at hand wrestling? Y: Are you kidding? Hand wrestling? Ojiisan: Yes! Kyosuke constaintly whines about how strong you are and how puny and weak when compared to you. Y: He did? No way? He told you that? Ojiisan: Nah! Of cousre not! I eavesdrop instead. Ojiisan: So what do you say sonny? (Yuusaku gazes upon his right hand) I don't think that would be a good idea for me now. Ojiisan: Forget the honorable elder and respect thing. We're not that type of Japanese. We follow a different code. So don't worry. Let's wrestle! (puts hands out) Y: But... H: Come on Yuusaku. You've always been so timid and shy. Why don't you humor the old man? Besides, it's your birthday. It should be your lucky day. Ojiisan: Birthday eh? Even better! Obaasan. Bring out the sake and let us celebrate. In the meantime...(grabs a hold of Yuusaku's arm) Y: Heh! I hurt my right arm! It's not feeling well. Ojiisan: A little wrestling will loosen your arm up. (The two locks hands) (A brief glow of light between the two combatants!) H: What was that? Obaasan: Sake here. Drink up! (after a few minutes,they are still at a standstill) Ojiisan: You doing well. Kyosuke didn't lie about your strenght. Y: I've been training before. Must be my youth. But I shouldn't be doing this well. Ojiisan: Ahh youth...raw power,...how I remember when I was your age. But that won't help you now. (*SMACK!*) (Ojiisan slams Yuusaku's fist into the table) Y: Finally. (rub arms) Ojiisan: Work at it some more. You gave a good effort. Let's toast and drink to that! "KUMPAI!" (The next morning...) "Wake up!" H: Hmmm? (slowly opens up her eyes) Sario? Sario: Yeah silly. You had her worried there when we left on the bus without you. We didn't know what happened to you. H: How did I get here? Sario: (Laughs) You're suppose to tell us! H: But I don't know how I got here. Sario: You smell of sake. You must had a fun time last night. You gotta tell us all about it! H: (on the other side of the inn for Class D) (Yuusaku is in bed still sleeping) [Flashback to Kaori and Yuusaku on the motorcycle] //see prelude #21 Y: So why are you here? I thought you left with Ryoga back to Tokyo? Kaori: Yeah. Originally we planned it that way. But we had a falling out. I didn't like his direction. So I decided to split. Y: But why are you working at a garage now? Kaori: Couldn't really go back to my old bar job. See too many friends and enemies. I didn't want to hassle with Ryo's business. Plus I hate those skimpy outfits! Y: They were quite revealing. Kaori: So that's why I'm disguising myself and working out here at the garage part-time. Don't want to attract attention. You're keep my secret right? Y: Sure. You're secret safe with me. Kaori: Thanks man! I knew I could count on you. You don't look like yourself though. Feeling down? Y: Tell me about it. Everything is going wrong. My karate-chopping days are over because of my stupidity. And now my bike's shot! Kaori: I heard about the fight. You did good, even though you got hurt. Y: Ah, but my bike will end up just like me; a piece of good for nothing junk. Kaori: You're right about your bike. That thing will be a major challenge to fix, if you could afford it. Y: I'm afraid I can't right now. My family is awfully tight with finances right now, so I know they won't give me the money to fix it. My poor bike; destined to be in a junk yard. Kaori: You sure love your bike, do you? Y: Yes I do. Lots of cherished memories. I hate to lose that. I would do practically anything to save it. Kaori: Really...anything? Y: Yes. I swear on it. Kaori: I think I can convince the boss to let me fix it for you at cost. You just pay for the parts. Y: Really? But what's the catch? Kaori: Just one minor thing. Y: Sure. What is it? Kaori. Just agree to be the new leader of the Sakurai gang. Y: WHAT? Are you out of your mind? Kaori: No way. I'm dead serious about this. Y: But why? Kaori: I have my reasons. And those guys aren't as bad as you think they are. Just juvenile at their age. But they need you as their leader to keep the peace in this side of town. Y: So you know about that too. How did you find out? Kaori: A woman always has her ways. So are you in? Y: I can't. I'm cannot do anything that gets me in trouble! Kaori: No one's asking you to. Just give the appearance that you're running things around here. Y: And how am I suppose to do that? Kaori: They'll help you out. Just agree to it. So is it a deal? Y: Hikaru always told me never to join a gang let alone be leader of it! But since she and I have gone on our separate ways, I don't see why not. And plus I get my beloved bike restored. Ok. You have a deal! Kaori: Great! I knew I could count on you. Y: But how am I going to get around until then? Kaori: Use my wheels. Drive me back during lunch. Y: Sure. "AHEM!" Y: (mumbling) I said I will take you back. "Sleepy-head talks in his sleep too." Y: Huh? (wakes up suddenly) Where am I? What am I doing here? "I ask me the same question but realize my turn to head senior class trip this year. Very unlucky." Y: Sensei! "Easy going for judo students this week." Y: Sensei. I've decided. I wish to finish the Kyushin Ryu training. "You do? Very surprising. But you on vacation now. You need rest. You cannot practice. Will injure internals more." Y: I've decided I had enough rest. And I don't care what's wrong with my body. Even if it kills me, I need to finish the training! "Foolish talk but honorable gesture. Why so?" Y: I had a wake-up call of sorts last night. "But no use. Not in condition. Not in time for tournament." Y: I just want to learn. Please show me the full technique. When I get well, I'll master each stroke. And I don't care how long it takes. And to hell with the tournament! Tournament doesn't matter to me. "Good! That's what I want to hear. Craft is more important than glory. Do you want to endure the danger?" Y: I feel I must in this case. Please teach me. (bows his head) "Im. No waste time now. Let us begin now." (Back to Class A) Ako: Whatcha doing now? Who are you tryin' to find? H: This is Class D isn't it? Saeko: Yeah but who cares about them? H: I need to find a friend of mine. Sario: Who is it? Maybe we can look for you. H: No. That's ok. It's best I look for him myself. Ako: Oh, so it's a he. Saeko: Oooh! So whose the lucky guy? H: Just some guy, that's all. Nothing major. Ako: But then why are you trying to find him? H: Something strange happened to me yesterday and I'm not sure if it was a dream or that I'm going delusional. Sario: I think the pressure from the play is starting to get to you. Saeko: Yeah! We're suppose to be relaxing and enjoying ourselves! It is our last year. Ako: Come on! We need to board the bus for the next stop! H: But... [On the last day of the senior class trip, they arrive at a sea faring town called Ayukawa] (Hikaru is more confused by her experiences the past few days. She doesn't know what is really happening. She can't find Yuusaku anywhere. And she can't figure out how she got back with the group.) (There is a celebration where all the senior classes gather together to mingle among each other. There is also a lot of alcohol brought along. Hikaru decides to drown herself in her troubles) H: (feeling a little bit disoriented)