(A/N: Well, what can I say? Watched the Hana Kimi Japanese drama adaption and fell in love. I just couldn't resist writing for this fandom, especially since through browsing the fanfics for this I saw that there aren't many. And there are almost none about Nakatsu, who happens to be my favorite character. Saying that, there are only about one or two FRIENDSHIP fics about him. So, I decided to write one. Easy as that :)

On that note, I was inspired to write this by the wonderful characterization of the three main characters in Hana Kimi and their wonderful relationship. It's really rare that a show like this has two guys fighting over a girl while still remaining friends. Even at the end, all three keep that wonderful friendship of theirs. It's just amazing and so cute.

Therefore, here is a strictly friendship fic that is told in oneshots. It mostly focuses on Nakatsu and Sano, but there is some Mizuki thrown in here and there along with a few others. All pairings are canon (Sano/Mizuki) and some unrequited pairings are also mentioned (Nakatsu/Mizuki, Nakatsu/Komari, Sano/Hibari, etc…)However, some plot stuff is AU, considering the fact that I haven't finished watching the drama and that I wanted to change some things around. What's below is from my knowledge only.

Keep in mind that this is based only on the Japanese drama adaptation. I haven't ever read the manga before, so please go easy on me. Also, I will repeat that this is meant to be a Sano and Nakatsu FRIENDSHIP fic. Nothing more, nothing less.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Hana Kimi. I don't even know who actually owns it, and am too lazy to check. So just take my word for it when I say that it's not mine.

Because Friends are Forever

Sano on the first day of kindergarten was like Sano every other day of his life: quiet and moody. He'd watched his parents drive off in their car, glancing back up him occasionally, in silence. He hadn't shed a tear, even when he saw his mother's eyes glisten as she hurriedly rushed down the steps of the old, kindergarten building.

He hadn't said a thing after that, not even when his teacher asked him kindly. Just because Sano hadn't cried on the outside didn't mean he wasn't sad on the inside. But nobody could see that, and nobody understood that he didn't want to talk. People were really stupid sometimes.

And that was how he ended up where he was now: sitting on the swing in the playground during recess. Alone, staring at the other kids as they ran around, laughing and kicking around soccer balls. He didn't understand why his teacher wanted him to talk to these idiots. They weren't even able to run properly. He should know, his dad always practiced sports with him. These people were amateurs.

A soccer ball thudded into the side of his face, knocking Sano off the swing and onto the hard, dusty ground. His vision went blurry for a few seconds. He sat up with a slight gasp, clutching at his pounding cheek. "Oww…"

"Oh! I'm sorry! Are you ok? Did I hit your head? Do you have a concussion? Is that why you're still on the ground? How many fingers am I holding up?"

As Sano's eyes regained their full sight, the blurry face that loomed above him swam into focus. A tattered, disheveled redhead boy stood before him, eyes concerned and hand held out in three fingers.

Sano blinked, assimilating the sight and registering the many questions that had been spouted off. "Three?"

The boy grinned, all traces of concern suddenly disappearing of his face. "That's good. I thought I'd broken your head or something!" The extended hand uncurled into a palm and was waved in front of his face. "I'm Nakatsu Shuichi. You wanna be my friend?"

The abrupt question brought Sano back to his full senses. He started critically at the newcomer's messy hair, bruised cheek and dirty clothing. He was holding a soccer ball in his other hand, newly rescued from its previous meeting with his head. He noticed the laughing face and bright, happy eyes.

He turned away. "No."

Sano Izumi learned a few things in his first days at school. First of all, the classes were harder than he'd thought. He actually had to learn how to read and write, and it was just too annoying.

Another thing was that he was different than the others. Nakatsu Shuichi had been the first and last to make him talk. Everybody else was too loud, too dirty, too annoying to even attempt to befriend. Not to mention he could beat all of them in any sport ever.

The final thing he learned was that when Nakatsu Shuichi put his mind to something, he never let it go. Like trying to be his friend.

That kid pestered him day in and day out. Endless questions filled his head and disturbed his silence, and shouted admissions of his dream ("I'm going to be the best soccer player ever!") and constant demands for a match in something or other.

Two weeks into school and he'd had enough. That morning recess Nakatsu was ranting off to him once again, and when he mentioned how easily he could win in a race and hopefully asked "Wanna race?" Sano replied with a simple "Yes."

Nakatsu paused for a few seconds, confusion taking over his face. Then he smiled. "Let's go!"

They lined up at the track on the school soccer field. A few classmates had followed, hoping to watch, but Sano put all his focus into his posture and ignored them. He would show this kid exactly what he could do.

A stir next to him showed Nakatsu was ready. "When I count to three!" Shouted one of the boys on the sidelines. "One…"

Sano tensed, adjusting his position.

"Two…"

A chuckle sounded from Nakatsu as he pulled himself into the correct stance.

"THREE!"

Sano shot off like a cannon, running with all his might and reveling in the way the air pushed against his face as he ran. Predictably, he reached the finish line first, and spun around to watch Nakatsu cover the last few meters. To his surprise, it had been closer than he had expected. Much closer.

Nakatsu huffed, staring right into his face. "Rematch."

Sano complied with a roll of his eyes. Maybe this would take the kid off his case once and for all. He was a sure a double-win would be enough.

They repeated the process, this time both ignoring the growing crowd and focusing on their objective: Beating the other at all costs.

"…THREE!"

They took off, running with all their might, confidence leaking out from Sano like dripping pipe.

Nakatsu won.

"Hey Sano! How's it going?"

Sano gave a non-committal grunt. He'd learned over the past five years that this was the best way to deal with Nakatsu: let him speak and bear with it. If he opened his mouth at all, he was rewarded with double the amount of words he usually received.

"We have P.E. now, you know! I am so going to beat you in this track and field unit. We're starting high jump now! Aren't you excited?"

Sano almost smiled. Almost. "Yeah."

Minutes later, he did have a great reason to smile. He'd made the first jump, as expected, by a mile. High jump was his forte, he loved it because his dad did and it was now his way of life.

He didn't miss the way the rest of his third-grade peers were staring at him, open-mouthed. A few minutes of silence later, a very specific voice yelped out "Oh my GOD…"

Sano smirked internally, waiting for it…

"You SMILED!"

Maybe not.

When fourth grade began, Sano began to receive invitations to practice on sports after school with Nakatsu, Sekime, Kayashima, and some others. Wanting the practice, he showed up to the surprise of his many classmates. He slowly began to tolerate their presence and admit that most had improved greatly from when they were all in kindergarten. It was clear that this group was going somewhere.

It was also clear that Nakatsu wasn't planning on giving up. Every day the redhead bugged him, challenging him in something. The rule for this was as follows: Nakatsu always won in soccer, Sano always won in high jump, and they were evenly matched in everything else. Sano had grudgingly admitted to himself that Nakatsu wasn't bad at sports, and it was maddening.

What also began during these after-school practices were invitations to Sano to come over to someone's house. He always declined, of course, until one afternoon:

"Hah! Beat you again Sano!"

"Che. Whatever."

"Don't 'whatever' me! I practice at home too, you know. It's the only way I'll be able to reach the World Cup, right?"

Sano looked right into his face. "Show me."

Nakatsu grinned. "From five to seven this afternoon? My place. There's a park right outside my house that…"

Sano sighed.

That was how the weekly visits had begun. They steadily became daily, with one coming to visit the other, Nakatsu usually dragging some other friends with him. It always ended at the same time, with Nakatsu sheepishly admitting that he needed to be home by seven-thirty to greet his father.

It was also during one of these visits, almost a year later, that Sano found out.

On a solo trip to Sano's house, Nakatsu stayed until eight-thirty. They were practicing track, running around the park several times to build up stamina. Sano hadn't noticed the time until he wiped his sweaty forehead with his arm, catching sight of his arm and widening his eyes. "Nakatsu, it's eight thirty. You should be going home."

Nakatsu looked at him, taking another sip of water. "Never mind. You don't have to worry about that anymore."

Sano was puzzled. "Isn't your father home by now?"

Nakatsu shrugged, a smile slowly making its way across his face. "He left. And he's never coming back."

Sano blinked. "Oh."

He didn't know what to say to that, to Nakatsu's painfully smiling face, obviously forced. He didn't know what to say for a very long time.

But after that, he always kept a closer watch on Nakatsu. Just in case.

A year later was the worst in his life. The impossible had happened: his parents were involved in a car accident. His kind, beautiful mother, who loved him with all her heart: dead.

He couldn't bear it.

After that, everything at fallen apart. The relationship between him and his father deteriorated, his brother was slowly becoming and stranger and Sano was watching his life fall apart for his eyes.

So it was no surprise that he eventually gave up on the life he was currently leading.

Nakatsu's eyes widened. "You're moving out?"

Sano nodded. "I can't take it anymore. I have to lead my own life."

One eyebrow went up. "You're fourteen, man! Do you actually think you can get your own place? Look, whatever is going wrong will solve itself, I'm sure. Just…don't do this."

Sano shook his head. "I've already rented an apartment. I have a part-time job and my dad's leant me the money I need to get started. It's all taken care of already."

Nakatsu winced. "How 'bout…" He glanced behind him, into his tiny apartment. "You wanna move in with us? I'm sure mom wouldn't mind, and…"

Sano shot him down. "No. You guys are barely getting by as it is. Don't worry, I'll be fine. Anyway, I just stopped by to give you the address of my new apartment." He took out a piece of paper from his pocket. "Here."

Nakatsu stared at the scribbled address with something akin to shock. "Sano?"

Sano stopped, but didn't turn. "Yeah?"

"It's going to be all right."

Sano didn't have to be looking to know that he was smiling.

Later, when everything was at its worst, his classmates held him a surprise birthday party. It had certainly surprised him to see the whole class surrounding a huge cake, presents piled up on the large cafeteria table.

They had all come to his mother's funeral, Nakatsu running to stand right next to him amidst some glares. They had all helped him out with school, homework, rent, sports, everything. And he was only just noticing it.

"Happy birthday, Sano!" Rang from the room as the boys began to sing, all of them being really tone-deaf.

For the first time in a long while, Sano smiled.

The day after was also the first time he'd cried in a very long time. He didn't know what had set it off, but when he'd tripped trying to jump in P.E., the tears just started to come out.

Nakatsu took him to the nurse and had stayed with him while she had bandaged up his leg, chattering the whole time. When Sano told him to go back, Nakatsu looked shocked. "Eh? This is a sure-fire way to get out of class, you know! Plus, it wouldn't be any fun without you. I'd just beat everyone too easily." He settled into his easy grin. "What are best friends for, anyway?"

Sano snorted. "Shut up. Sekime is pretty good at high jump too, you moron." But the words had hit hard.

And that was the day Sano Izumi and Nakatsu Shuichi became best friends.

TBC

(A/N: Well, what do you think? I know it's almost scarily AU, but bear with it. I'd like to think that some of this actually happened. I'm also playing off some of the events in the drama and changing things around. How 'bout it? Should I continue?

Please leave a REVIEW! They are much appreciated :)

See you all next time! :D)

Next chapter: High school, pre-Mizuki.