My, How We Have Grown

by Katerina Ehas

This story is a fan-fiction based on characters from the original fiction "Shoujoai ni Bokuen: The Adventures of Yuriko", copyright 2001,2002 by Erica Friedman. Any use of the characters contained herein should be cleared through Ms. Friedman, not through me. This is but a simple fanfic ^.^;

***

Yuriko looked around her, wondering just how she got to this point in her life. It didn’t seem all that long ago that she was at Mitsukawa High School; filming her "reality" program, meeting Midori, falling in love. But it was now more than five years since she enrolled at the school.

Sayaka had finished her writing degree a year earlier, and was now planning her wedding to Sato-san. Yuriko’s sempai had asked her to be a part of the wedding party. Yuri was all to happy to accept the invitation. She was glad that her sempai thought enough of her to extend the invitation to her. Her only hope is that Sayaka wouldn’t select one of those stereotypically awful bridesmaid dresses. But were there any that didn’t fall into that trap?

Aya was beginning her residence at the UCLA Medical Center. She and Yamazaki-kun had now been married for two years, and continued to enjoy life in the United States. No word just yet on whether or not there were plans for a family in the future. But given their 23 years of age, there was still time for such considerations.

It seemed strange to Yuri that the girls that she had known were now growing into young women; less surprising to her was that they were doing so with much grace. Yuri wondered why such opportunity to grow into one’s adulthood should be denied to one, simply because they are an idol star. But Yuri figured that her opportunity for such a flawless transition to adulthood was marred as much by that evening when her parents threw her out as it was by her status as an idol.

Now it seemed to Yuriko that she was beginning a new phase in life. She had turned 30 years of age a couple of weeks earlier. A year before, Yuri and Midori had decided that if they were going to live together, they needed to find a small home, rather than trying to crowd into one apartment. And Midori was now making some noises about starting a family.

Yuri looked at the house. It was a cute little home on the outskirts of Tokyo; close enough that one could still get into the city for work, far enough out to not have the constant noises of a vital city at night. She still was not sure that she preferred life in the "suburbs", even though she still did not require a car to get to most places.

She looked down at the short drive that she was clearing of the wet snow dumped by the unusual early-spring storm. Why was she doing this? Neither she nor Midori drove, they owned no cars, so what was the point. Perhaps she wished to keep up the appearances of the home, to blend in with the others nearby. The less conspicuous, the better; that way neighbours did not have reason to suspect that anyone important lived in the house.

Yuri was looking forward to that evening’s dinner with Hachi and Mariko. When Mari called to invite Midori and her to join them, there was an urgency in her voice. Yuri recognized that something was wrong from the tone, but Yuri could not put a finger on it. She knew that it could not be troubles between Mari and Hachi, since they would both be at dinner. Yuri hoped that all was well with her long-time best friend.

As Yuriko finished her task, she heard the front door open. Midori emerged from the house, a smile on her face. "Good job, Yuri! Now I have something else for you to do. Come in here, make some tea, and curl up with me to watch the basketball game." Yuriko smiled, knowing that Midori was referring to the big first game in Kaori-buchou’s professional career. Yuri was more excited about this premiere than she had been about those of any of her series or films. She quickly lifted the final shovel-full from the drive, then hurried inside.

***

Yuriko and Midori were in their bedroom, hurriedly finishing their preparations for that evening’s meal. Midori took the opportunity to open discussions with Yuri.

"Yuri, you wouldn’t happen to know what Mariko needs to tell us?" she asked.

"No idea. She sounded as if something is sticking at her, but she didn’t let on what it could be. I thought for a moment that something happened with Hachigoro, but since he’ll be with us, I don’t think that’s it. I wish that I knew, though."

"Yuri, you don’t suppose that it’s...," Midori said, letting the sentence hang for a moment before continuing. "I mean, they’ve been trying for almost a year now. Do you think that’s it?"

"I don’t think so. Mari wouldn’t have sounded as down if that were what she wanted to tell us, I don’t think. She wasn’t as happy on the phone as I think she would be."

"Then maybe they found out that one of them is infertile? Maybe it is that Mari, and they’re to ask you to be their surrogate mother," Midori suggested.

Yuri was turned away, looking for the perfect tie, unable to see Midori’s smile. She stopped cold, as Midori noticed in the mirror while she fixed an earring into place. "Well, I hope that isn’t the case. I mean, I would have to think hard about doing it, if it were. Mari is one of my dearest friends. I just don’t know that I would want to go through a pregnancy."

Midori stepped between Yuri and her ties, quickly picking one out, then beginning to tie it. "I’m sorry, my dear. I was joking with you. Whatever it is, I am sure that it is not as bad as you are anticipating. Let’s enjoy the evening, and worry about the news when Mari tells us." Midori finished fixing Yuri’s collar, then stood on her tiptoes to kiss Yuri on the nose. "Just give me a couple of minutes to fix my face."

"Okay. I’ll call for the car service and tell them that we are ready. Except for your face." Yuriko laughed, then left the bedroom, heading to the kitchen, and the phone.

***

The party was seated at their table. The restaurant was a new, trendy restaurant, catering to the well-off and the celebrity set in Tokyo, serving the finest in Italian cuisine. It was said that the chef had trained for five years as a sous-chef in Rome and Florence. The food critics fairly raved about the fare in their reviews.

"It’s been how long since your last album, Yuri? I am surprised that anyone still remembers you well enough for us to get into such a fashionable place," Mari dug in as Hachi pushed her chair under the table.

Yuriko gave her friend a look of false hurt as she guided Midori’s chair. "It’s only been 3 years, Mari. Besides, I have become one of the most popular seiyuu in the anime scene. Plenty of people still remember me. I’m still a big star."

"Unfortunately, most of your fan mail now comes from dormitories at United States universities." Mari giggled softly, then continued, "I am glad that you don’t find American otaku beneath you. I also hear that you have a rather big following among American lesbian anime fans. When you first started getting mail from otaku in the States, I figured that you would just dig a hole in the ground and pull the dirt over your head."

"Well, it’s the hazards of the job, I suppose," Yuriko commented off-handedly as she tried to become comfortable in her chair. "On the other hand, the benefits certainly outweigh the risks. Since I haven’t put out an album in a long time, I am able to spend more time with Midori, rather than touring the world. Now, I only have to give her up a couple of months every year or two so that she can be properly miserable." Yuriko looked over to her lover and smiled gently.

"But don’t let her convince you for one moment that she isn’t just as miserable when I am gone," Midori added. "I’m trying to convince her to accept some of these invitations to be an ‘honoured guest’ at North American anime cons." Then, changing the subject, she looked to Mariko and asked, "so, you had something urgent to discuss with us this evening, Mariko?"

"You don’t waste any time getting down to business do you, Midori-san?"

"Well, you know the way that Yuri worries about you whenever you become mysterious about something. This time is no different, and I’ve been trying to allay her fears. The sooner that the air is cleared, the better for us all. Then we can move on to more idle chatter," Midori said with a smile.

Smiling, Yuri retorted, "wasn’t it YOU who asked ME why Mari needed to talk to us?" Midori’s cheeks reddened as Yuri laughed softly.

The waiter then arrived at the table to fill everyone’s glasses with water. He quickly took their drink orders, then left them to their menus, and their conversation.

"Well," Mariko began. "As you both know, Hachi and I have been trying for about a year or so to get pregnant." Yuri nodded, while Midori smiled, both looking attentively to Mari. "Well, I went to the doctor’s this morning, after I had called to ask you both to join us. I wasn’t absolutely certain at the time, but I am now. How would you both feel about being ‘aunts’?" Mariko broke out in a smile that looked as though it had been restrained far too long.

"Well, you know that I am an aunt already, Mari." Yuriko smiled, then continued, "Fumie has a daughter, Momo-"

"Yuri, dear, I know this," Mariko interupted. "However, Momoko-chan is not the daughter of your best friend, either." Comprehension dawned on Yuriko’s face as Mariko asked again, "so, how does ‘Aunt Yuri’ sound?"

"I’d be honoured to be considered an aunt to any child that you and Hachi have. I hope that I will be the sort of example to your children that you have been to me, both of you," Yuri stated, a broad smile on her lips. Mariko and Hachi both blushed at the compliment.

"See, I had told you there was nothing to worry about Yuri," Midori said. "’All’s well that end’s well,’ as they say."

Yuri smiled at Midori, "You are right. I should not have doubted you." Yuri leaned over to her paramour and kissed her across the table. "And perhaps, one day, you two will be ‘aunt’ and ‘uncle’ to a child of ours."

After overcoming the initial shock at hearing Yuri suggest something as mature as the possibility of parenthood, Mari looked at the couple and asked, "and the ‘mother’ would be?"

Yuri and Midori looked at each other and quickly pointed at the other. Then everyone at the table broke into laughter. The waiter then arrived with their drinks. They asked for more time to look over their menus. The waiter again retreated.

Hachi then looked across the table to Yuriko. He smiled and said, "so, I understand that Yamamoto Kaori had a rather impressive debut today. And in a road game, too!"

Yuri smiled, "she certainly seems passionate about the game. She could be the next big star in Japan."

The conversation continued throughout dinner; a light, friendly, jovial tone to the evening. A quartet of adults, smiling and enjoying each others’ company. And throughout the entire evening one thought continued to pass through Yuriko’s mind, "my, how we have grown."

Back to the SnB Homepage