[Sanazawa] Year after Year
Year after Year
Sanada Yuma / Nozawa Yuki (or, as my sister puts so eloquently Sanadameo / Nozawaliet)
1421 words
Summary: Nozawa wished Sanada would just tell him where they were going.
Author’s notes: AHAHAHAHA I WROTE CORNY FIC! I seriously contemplated naming this fic “Soba ni iru yo”, which is the corniest title on the face of this earth but I didn’t. I digress. Un-betaed.
Year after Year
On the last Thursday of winter break, Nozawa awoke to the sound of his cell phone ringing. He reached blindly for it in the dark, flipping the phone open and murmuring a “Hello?” into it.
“Nokkun?”
Nozawa blinked and yawned before the voice registered in his mind. “Yuma?” he mumbled, sitting up on his bed. “What… what on earth…”
“I’m freezing,” Sanada’s trembling voice said over the phone. “I’ve been throwing stones at your window for twenty minutes. You’re that deep of a sleeper, huh?”
“What?” Nozawa threw the covers off and sat up, squinting at the digital clock next to his bed. “It’s five AM in the morning. What are you…”
“Do I have to ask Juliet to come to her window? I’d sing a sonnet but I don’t really want to wake the neighbours.”
Nozawa jumped out of bed and walked over to the window. Pulling the curtains apart, he saw Sanada really outside his window, standing at the edge of the street. He had a scarf wrapped over his face. “What…” Nozawa started; confused.
“Nice pajamas.”
Nozawa looked down at the yellow-striped shirt he was wearing and sighed. These were his oldest pajamas; the hem of his pants was at his shin now. He really needed to ask his mom to throw them away. “Yuma,” he frowned.
“Let’s go to the temple,” Sanada grinned, waving from where he was. “You know, to start the New Year. I want to wish that you’ll stop growing.”
“Is that supposed to convince me to come out and freeze together with you?” Nozawa grinned.
“Yes. C’mon, it’d be fun.”
Nozawa thought for a moment, but really there was no real need to decide- “Okay. I’ll be down in ten minutes.”
“Wear good shoes,” Sanada said, before disconnecting the call.
* * *
“Idiot,” Nozawa murmured to himself.
After changing in record time and sneaking out of the house, Sanada led him to Tokyo Station and before Nozawa could protest, bundled them both onto the Shinkansen bound for Nagano. After they found seats Sanada promptly fell asleep, jaw slack with his head on Nozawa’s shoulder.
Watching Sanada sleep for another moment, Nozawa sighed softly and leaned back on his seat, watching the scenery outside the window.
* * *
Nozawa trudged after Sanada, hands in his pockets. “But where are we going?” he called.
“Just follow me, okay?” Sanada grinned.
“Are you sure we’re not lost?” Nozawa frowned, looking at the unfamiliar surroundings. They had gotten off the train at Nagano station and Sanada still had not said a word about where they were going. Then he bundled them both onto a bus and was unusually quiet for the ride. They got off in the middle of what looked like nowhere and Sanada started walking in what looked like a random direction- Nozawa wasn’t quite sure he wanted to get lost without at least a map.
“Trust me!” Sanada called.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Nozawa winced, knowing fully well how great Sanada’s navigational skills were.
They finally came to a stop in front of a large building- Sanada grinned and grabbed Nozawa’s arms before leading him inside. The warmth in the building undid Nozawa’s nerves instantaneously, the scent of pinewood strong in the air.
“Obasan!” Sanada called out.
“Ahhhh Yuma-kun you’re back and… oh, you brought your friend along,” a middle-aged lady walked out from behind the doors, smiling. “Good morning!”
“Go… od morning,” Nozawa nodded. Sanada pushed him further into the room, and Nozawa realized it opened up into a large restaurant. Obasan, whom Nozawa later would realize was the wife of the soba chef, led them both to a table and asked them to put down their coats before going to get tea for them.
“What’s going on?” Nozawa looked confused.
Sanada draped his coat and scarf over the chair and rubbed his hands softly together. “We’re here to eat soba, of course.”
“We traveled two and a half hours to eat soba?” Nozawa asked in shock. “You’re crazier than I thought you were!”
“… are you upset?” Sanada frowned.
Nozawa frowned in response to Sanada’s frown, and sighed. He was about to say something when Obasan returned with tea. All of Nozawa’s initial wariness at Sanada bringing him all the way to Nagano for soba (of all things!) dissipated at his first bite- the soba was very fresh and even the negi, which Nozawa usually never ate, tasted really good.
He finished everything on his plate and looked up to see Sanada grinning at him. “What?” he laughed back, feeling a little embarrassed that Sanada was looking at him like that. “Is there something on my face?” he asked, reaching up reflexively to wipe the edges of his mouth.
Sanada shook his head. Obasan came back and said one of the boys in the kitchen wanted to talk to Sanada, and the boy grinned before running to the back. Obasan took the seat next to Nozawa- it was still early in the morning, just almost ten AM. Nozawa was just thinking about how he’d never had soba for breakfast, when Obasan asked, “Was it good?”
“Yes,” Nozawa nodded. “Yes, yes it was. Thank you for the meal, Obasan.”
“Don’t thank me,” Obasan laughed. “Yuma-kun came suddenly two days ago and asked if he could make some soba. And he’s terrible at it, really, but what you ate was what Yuma-kun made.”
Nozawa stared at Obasan, surprised. “Oh. So he… didn’t burn the kitchen down?”
Obasan started laughing. “He did have some problems with kneading the dough… but no that’s not the point,” she smiled, amused. “Having someone make soba for you is good luck. I’ll tell you something I told Yuma-kun before… My husband proposed to me with soba,” Obasan looked a little nostalgic as she begun her tale.
“Eh?”
“I thought he was being ridiculous, but he said he wanted to make toshikoshi soba for me, every year, for the rest of my life,” Obasan grinned. “Yuma-kun said there was someone important he was making this soba for… so you two must be very good friends, ne?”
Nozawa grinned sheepishly. “We are… I guess.”
“Good friends should stick together,” Obasan laughed. “And soba does that too, you know. Friends who eat soba together stick together. I’ve been married to my husband for fifteen years… and I guess it must be all that soba!”
Nozawa grinned, just as Sanada burst out of the kitchen, the right side of his body covered in flour. Someone yelled, “SANADA!” as Sanada squeaked back, “I’M SO SORRY!”
Nozawa couldn’t help laughing with Obasan at the sight.
After they got all the flour off Sanada, Obasan sent them off with a snack for the bus ride back to Nagano. The sun was out so it was a relatively warm day for winter, and Sanada kept the conversation going they shared fried soba chips during the ride. Nozawa couldn’t think of a time he’s been this relaxed, just enjoying his best friend’s company.
The boys visited Zenkoji, Sanada keeping his promise by making his wish to stop Nozawa from growing, and Nozawa wished that Sanada would overcome his fear of haunted houses. That earned him a kick in the shin, after which Sanada yelped and started praying for forgiveness for kicking someone in front of a deity.
“Yuma,” Nozawa said. Sanada stopped mid step and turned around to look at Nozawa with a dazzling grin. Momentarily distracted, Nozawa cleared his throat and regain his composure before he continued, “Thanks for… you know.”
Sanada grinned. “You’re welcome. Obasan said, eating soba together means we’re going to be together for the rest of the year,” he nodded, before he paused. “Maybe we should have had soba with Hasshi then, but…” he trailed off, obviously thinking about the logistics of getting Hasshi to join them next time.
“But we’ll eat it together every year from now, right?” Nozawa asked, unable to keep the urgency out of his voice. “Right?” he repeated.
Sanada nodded. “Of course,” he said, holding his fingers out in a ‘V’ sign. “Every year.”
Nozawa grinned. He returned the ‘V’ sign, and squawked when Sanada ran to him and grabbed him by the shoulders, laughing as he dragged him towards the train station.
* * *
Sanada fell asleep on the train ride back. Nozawa grinned as Sanada’s head fell on his shoulder again. He sat up a little straighter before he dropped his head on Sanada’s, and closed his eyes.
It was going to be a good year.
(more) Author’s Notes:
Soba - Buckwheat noodles. The soba eaten during New Year’s Eve is toshikoshi soba.
Negi - leek, a condiment used with soba together with wasabi and shichimi (a mixture of 7 spices).
Zenkoji - The most prominent shrine in Nagano, well know for a Hidden Buddha that shows its face once every six years. I would like to visit it someday.
Hyakushiki - In the year ending program of Hyakushiki in 2008, Sanada and Keito (HSJ) visited Shinshuu in Nagano to make soba, in which Sanada failed so immensely that I believe even the coldest of hearts will love him for his efforts. This is where Sanada brings Nozawa.
Also, a mini pic-spam because I like these two kids so darn much-
obviously, we know who’s more in tuned with this relationship.
koyama ask them, “so you guys are like, good friends outside of work as well?”
sanazawa, “yes yes, of course!”
SO CUTE.
*squee*
Sanada Yuma / Nozawa Yuki (or, as my sister puts so eloquently Sanadameo / Nozawaliet)
1421 words
Summary: Nozawa wished Sanada would just tell him where they were going.
Author’s notes: AHAHAHAHA I WROTE CORNY FIC! I seriously contemplated naming this fic “Soba ni iru yo”, which is the corniest title on the face of this earth but I didn’t. I digress. Un-betaed.
Year after Year
On the last Thursday of winter break, Nozawa awoke to the sound of his cell phone ringing. He reached blindly for it in the dark, flipping the phone open and murmuring a “Hello?” into it.
“Nokkun?”
Nozawa blinked and yawned before the voice registered in his mind. “Yuma?” he mumbled, sitting up on his bed. “What… what on earth…”
“I’m freezing,” Sanada’s trembling voice said over the phone. “I’ve been throwing stones at your window for twenty minutes. You’re that deep of a sleeper, huh?”
“What?” Nozawa threw the covers off and sat up, squinting at the digital clock next to his bed. “It’s five AM in the morning. What are you…”
“Do I have to ask Juliet to come to her window? I’d sing a sonnet but I don’t really want to wake the neighbours.”
Nozawa jumped out of bed and walked over to the window. Pulling the curtains apart, he saw Sanada really outside his window, standing at the edge of the street. He had a scarf wrapped over his face. “What…” Nozawa started; confused.
“Nice pajamas.”
Nozawa looked down at the yellow-striped shirt he was wearing and sighed. These were his oldest pajamas; the hem of his pants was at his shin now. He really needed to ask his mom to throw them away. “Yuma,” he frowned.
“Let’s go to the temple,” Sanada grinned, waving from where he was. “You know, to start the New Year. I want to wish that you’ll stop growing.”
“Is that supposed to convince me to come out and freeze together with you?” Nozawa grinned.
“Yes. C’mon, it’d be fun.”
Nozawa thought for a moment, but really there was no real need to decide- “Okay. I’ll be down in ten minutes.”
“Wear good shoes,” Sanada said, before disconnecting the call.
* * *
“Idiot,” Nozawa murmured to himself.
After changing in record time and sneaking out of the house, Sanada led him to Tokyo Station and before Nozawa could protest, bundled them both onto the Shinkansen bound for Nagano. After they found seats Sanada promptly fell asleep, jaw slack with his head on Nozawa’s shoulder.
Watching Sanada sleep for another moment, Nozawa sighed softly and leaned back on his seat, watching the scenery outside the window.
* * *
Nozawa trudged after Sanada, hands in his pockets. “But where are we going?” he called.
“Just follow me, okay?” Sanada grinned.
“Are you sure we’re not lost?” Nozawa frowned, looking at the unfamiliar surroundings. They had gotten off the train at Nagano station and Sanada still had not said a word about where they were going. Then he bundled them both onto a bus and was unusually quiet for the ride. They got off in the middle of what looked like nowhere and Sanada started walking in what looked like a random direction- Nozawa wasn’t quite sure he wanted to get lost without at least a map.
“Trust me!” Sanada called.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Nozawa winced, knowing fully well how great Sanada’s navigational skills were.
They finally came to a stop in front of a large building- Sanada grinned and grabbed Nozawa’s arms before leading him inside. The warmth in the building undid Nozawa’s nerves instantaneously, the scent of pinewood strong in the air.
“Obasan!” Sanada called out.
“Ahhhh Yuma-kun you’re back and… oh, you brought your friend along,” a middle-aged lady walked out from behind the doors, smiling. “Good morning!”
“Go… od morning,” Nozawa nodded. Sanada pushed him further into the room, and Nozawa realized it opened up into a large restaurant. Obasan, whom Nozawa later would realize was the wife of the soba chef, led them both to a table and asked them to put down their coats before going to get tea for them.
“What’s going on?” Nozawa looked confused.
Sanada draped his coat and scarf over the chair and rubbed his hands softly together. “We’re here to eat soba, of course.”
“We traveled two and a half hours to eat soba?” Nozawa asked in shock. “You’re crazier than I thought you were!”
“… are you upset?” Sanada frowned.
Nozawa frowned in response to Sanada’s frown, and sighed. He was about to say something when Obasan returned with tea. All of Nozawa’s initial wariness at Sanada bringing him all the way to Nagano for soba (of all things!) dissipated at his first bite- the soba was very fresh and even the negi, which Nozawa usually never ate, tasted really good.
He finished everything on his plate and looked up to see Sanada grinning at him. “What?” he laughed back, feeling a little embarrassed that Sanada was looking at him like that. “Is there something on my face?” he asked, reaching up reflexively to wipe the edges of his mouth.
Sanada shook his head. Obasan came back and said one of the boys in the kitchen wanted to talk to Sanada, and the boy grinned before running to the back. Obasan took the seat next to Nozawa- it was still early in the morning, just almost ten AM. Nozawa was just thinking about how he’d never had soba for breakfast, when Obasan asked, “Was it good?”
“Yes,” Nozawa nodded. “Yes, yes it was. Thank you for the meal, Obasan.”
“Don’t thank me,” Obasan laughed. “Yuma-kun came suddenly two days ago and asked if he could make some soba. And he’s terrible at it, really, but what you ate was what Yuma-kun made.”
Nozawa stared at Obasan, surprised. “Oh. So he… didn’t burn the kitchen down?”
Obasan started laughing. “He did have some problems with kneading the dough… but no that’s not the point,” she smiled, amused. “Having someone make soba for you is good luck. I’ll tell you something I told Yuma-kun before… My husband proposed to me with soba,” Obasan looked a little nostalgic as she begun her tale.
“Eh?”
“I thought he was being ridiculous, but he said he wanted to make toshikoshi soba for me, every year, for the rest of my life,” Obasan grinned. “Yuma-kun said there was someone important he was making this soba for… so you two must be very good friends, ne?”
Nozawa grinned sheepishly. “We are… I guess.”
“Good friends should stick together,” Obasan laughed. “And soba does that too, you know. Friends who eat soba together stick together. I’ve been married to my husband for fifteen years… and I guess it must be all that soba!”
Nozawa grinned, just as Sanada burst out of the kitchen, the right side of his body covered in flour. Someone yelled, “SANADA!” as Sanada squeaked back, “I’M SO SORRY!”
Nozawa couldn’t help laughing with Obasan at the sight.
After they got all the flour off Sanada, Obasan sent them off with a snack for the bus ride back to Nagano. The sun was out so it was a relatively warm day for winter, and Sanada kept the conversation going they shared fried soba chips during the ride. Nozawa couldn’t think of a time he’s been this relaxed, just enjoying his best friend’s company.
The boys visited Zenkoji, Sanada keeping his promise by making his wish to stop Nozawa from growing, and Nozawa wished that Sanada would overcome his fear of haunted houses. That earned him a kick in the shin, after which Sanada yelped and started praying for forgiveness for kicking someone in front of a deity.
“Yuma,” Nozawa said. Sanada stopped mid step and turned around to look at Nozawa with a dazzling grin. Momentarily distracted, Nozawa cleared his throat and regain his composure before he continued, “Thanks for… you know.”
Sanada grinned. “You’re welcome. Obasan said, eating soba together means we’re going to be together for the rest of the year,” he nodded, before he paused. “Maybe we should have had soba with Hasshi then, but…” he trailed off, obviously thinking about the logistics of getting Hasshi to join them next time.
“But we’ll eat it together every year from now, right?” Nozawa asked, unable to keep the urgency out of his voice. “Right?” he repeated.
Sanada nodded. “Of course,” he said, holding his fingers out in a ‘V’ sign. “Every year.”
Nozawa grinned. He returned the ‘V’ sign, and squawked when Sanada ran to him and grabbed him by the shoulders, laughing as he dragged him towards the train station.
* * *
Sanada fell asleep on the train ride back. Nozawa grinned as Sanada’s head fell on his shoulder again. He sat up a little straighter before he dropped his head on Sanada’s, and closed his eyes.
It was going to be a good year.
(more) Author’s Notes:
Soba - Buckwheat noodles. The soba eaten during New Year’s Eve is toshikoshi soba.
Negi - leek, a condiment used with soba together with wasabi and shichimi (a mixture of 7 spices).
Zenkoji - The most prominent shrine in Nagano, well know for a Hidden Buddha that shows its face once every six years. I would like to visit it someday.
Hyakushiki - In the year ending program of Hyakushiki in 2008, Sanada and Keito (HSJ) visited Shinshuu in Nagano to make soba, in which Sanada failed so immensely that I believe even the coldest of hearts will love him for his efforts. This is where Sanada brings Nozawa.
Also, a mini pic-spam because I like these two kids so darn much-
obviously, we know who’s more in tuned with this relationship.
koyama ask them, “so you guys are like, good friends outside of work as well?”
sanazawa, “yes yes, of course!”
SO CUTE.
*squee*