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Manami
-x-StaarGiirl-o-

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Disclaimer
It is rather unfortunate, but I do not own Kairi. She belongs to Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts. However, I do own her last name! (:
Nor do I own the movies Aquamarine, Exorcism of Emily Rose, How to Eat Fried Worms,and The Illusionist.
Also, I do not own MovieOnDemand, owned by Rogers cable. Yet, something else I do not own.
There are a lot of things I do not own.

Summary
Kairi Manami is a highschool girl dealing with her parents' divorce. Living with her dad is awesome, but things start to get a little hectic when her dad meets a new woman who has a son that is the king of cool with a best friend that starts a band.

Author's Note
I really cannot remember how I came up with this story. I think I had another idea in mind, but when I started writing I didn't quite like it. I was intrigued by the thought of putting these characters in a rock band, an idea that probably came to mind from my new love of Paramore. As for Kairi's parents' divorce? Well, I needed a way for Kairi to move into the home of .. ahh, you'll see! (: Anyways, that idea kind of struck me when I came across an episode of "Life With Derek". Ugh, lame, I know, but I'm making the best out of it! So bare with me, considering this is my first fanfic! Mucho loves to y'all who enjoy this!
.xoxo.

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I never wanted to say this.
You never wanted to stay.
I put my faith in you, so much faith,
And then you just threw it away.
.:For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic:.
.:Paramore:.

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ChapterONE:

Home, Sweet Home

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Well, that was it. Done deal. Bye bye mother, hello two bedroom apartment with dad.

It had started a while back, when Kairi was still in elementary school, too young to set her mind on important issues. She had just hopped off the big yellow school bus and proudly opened the white painted wooden door with her newly entrusted key when she heard her father's voice coming from the kitchen. She was overjoyed with the thought of her father finally back home again. You see, her father was an author and he had just released a children's book about a princess being rescued by a dashing young fellow and then living happily ever after on a tropical beach. Yes, an odd story, but the very favourite of little Kairi. No, it wasn't only because her father wrote it, but because her father wrote it especially for her.

However, little Kairi's joy was soon dismissed when she heard her father's voice rise. Then she heard her mother's voice. They were at it ... again, and poor Kairi was too afraid to interrupt. She quietly took off her light up Sailor Moon shoes and tiptoed halfway up the stairs to keep an ear open to the fight, but have an easy escape in case her parents decided to move into the living room.

"I come all the way back here early for you and Kairi because I missed you both so much. Then I find that the house is empty and there is a message left on the phone by a stranger, who is a man, saying very ... inappropriate ... things! I thought to myself that maybe he had the wrong number, but then at the end of the message he goes 'I miss you already Hanako'. Explain!"

"There is nothing to explain because there is nothing going on."

"Nothing going on? 'I miss you already' as in from last time he saw you, which can't be too long ago, since he used the word 'already'! What is going on? Who is this man?"

"He's just a -"

"Just a friend?"

"Yes. He's .. just a friend."

"You better not be lying to me Hanako ..."

"I'm not! This man is just an old friend of mine. I'll even .. I'll even not reply to his message if you're really that upset about this."

"Hana .. Look .. If you swear this man is just a friend, I will allow you to contact him."

"Thank you Isamu."

"I .. I am sorry I overreacted."

"Do not worry about it. I am sorry you had to hear that message. I promise you he is just an old friend that used to have feelings for me ..."

"Well as long as he stays an old friend and as long as those feelings are not returned, I am a happy man."

"So much for dad being a happy man," Kairi muttered to herself as she carried the last of the boxes out onto her front lawn. Or rather ... Her mother's front lawn.

Kairi and her father were moving out of their beloved house due to the divorce between the Manami couple. Although any teenager would be upset over a parents' divorce, Kairi was also relieved. No more mother, no more fighting. She would be lying if she said she wasn't upset over it, but only because she had always wished her parents would put aside their egos and attitudes and actually solve their conflicts. But no, they never did, never will and Kairi will never let anyone know how worked up she is about never having a happy mother and father .. together. Those thoughts would stay locked up in her mind, forever collecting cobwebs.

"Hey Kai, you ready to leave?"

Kairi took one last look at the house she used to call home, ignoring the woman she used to call her mother walk down the path to say goodbye and announced,

"Yeah, Dad, I'm ready to head home."

Kairi quickly jumped into her father's red convertible as he turned on the engine and raced down the neighbourhood streets. Who cares if she left without saying goodbye to that annoying woman?

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"Home, sweet home!" Isamu Manami exclaimed when he opened the door to their two bedroom apartment. It was located downtown, closer to Isamu's publisher's office. Isamu himself worked where he pleased, wrote what he wanted. Kairi had helped her dad pick an apartment and her reason of choice was the beautiful overview of the city from the large windows in her claimed bedroom. The bedroom also held a decent sized closet and room for a double bed. A girl needs room for her stuffed animal kingdom, no?

"Sweetie, before we unpack .. Wanna grab something to eat? I'm starving .."

"Sure! I'm kinda hungry myself .. Sushi?"

"Shrimp Tempura .."

"Ramen!"

"And a jug o' Coke!"

"Hah .. Are we ordering in?"

"Why not? We can test out this new TV! I also was able to get Rogers cable so we can dine with a movie from that MovieOnDemand service .."

"Sounds awesome Dad."

"Hmm .. On second thought, start to unpack while I order and we wait for it to arrive."

Kairi opened the door once again to her bedroom. A few days before they had officially moved in, the owner of the building allowed them to paint the walls and do whatever fix up or set up they needed to get done before bringing in the furniture. Kairi took a while to decide which colour to use to paint her walls, being her indecisive self. So, unable to decide, she compromised with painting the wall with the window and the wall opposite pink and the other two walls purple. Both were a nice pastel shade, softening the look of the room. After seeing her naked, white ceiling, she also decided to paint that. This time it was a baby blue colour, like the colour of the sky. Kairi loved the look of her room and was glad that this time, she had a say in how it was decorated.

All their boxes had been brought to them by the moving truck a few minutes after they arrived. Kairi began to open the box closest to her. It contained her bed sheets and pillow cases. When the walls had dried, the furniture had been moved in so her bed was already positioned against the wall furthest from the window. She decided to keep her pastel colour scheme going so she had bought plain white bed sheets, a light purple blanket and a light pink pillow case. Her bed was wooden, but sturdy, with two drawers built in under the mattress. Kairi also took the honor of painting her bed a baby blue colour to match her ceiling.

So after setting her bed and then piling the extra sheets on the top shelf of her closet, Kairi opened the next box. Here, she found her stuffed animals. She pulled out a skinny brown dog and laid it beside her pillow. One after one, the animal kingdom came out of the box and got accustomed to their new home on her bed. Kairi wasn't a baby or anything, but she still loved her stuffed animals. After all, who would refuse something that's always there to listen and give hugs, not expecting anything back in return?

After opening a few more boxes filled with clothes, Kairi neatly hung them in her closet. She also lined up her shoes on the floor of the closet and then finally shut the door. Her other clothing, such as her pajamas, went into a white dresser located near her bed. The dresser had a mirror and room on the counter for Kairi's little whatnots.

Just as she was about to go back and open another box, someone knocked on her bedroom door.

"Come in!" Kairi called.

"Kai, the food's here," her father said.

"Thanks dad."

Kairi left her bedroom and joined her father in front of the TV. While they plopped everything they desired to eat onto their plates and poured themselves a nice glass of Coke, they surfed through the movies provided by MovieOnDemand.

Aquamarine
A mermaid flees her controlling father and ends up ashore where two girls, hoping to be granted a wish, decide to help her with a romantic conundrum.

"Ugh, Dad .. That's little princess stuff."

"Well, you were once interested in that kind of stuff."

"Too bad, I'm not watching that."

"Fine, how about something scary?"

Exorcism of Emily Rose
After the church officially recognizes the demonic possession of a young woman, a priest stands accused of negligence in her death, leading to a heated and controversial court battle.

"That's rated PG! That isn't scary enough."

"Jeez .. Someone's being picky today."

How to Eat Fried Worms
When an eleven year old kid new in town accidentally challenges the town's bully he must make good on a heroic and disgusting bet in order to save life and limb.

"That was so Grade 5. Dad, let me surf through please."

"Fine Ms. Picky."

The Illusionist
A hugely talented magician attempts to sidestep the rigid class structure of Vienna in the early 1900's in order to win the love of his upper class childhood love.

"Eh .. This one sounds okay. What do you think Dad?"

"Oh, just play a movie already."

"'The Illusionist' is it then," Kairi stated, satisfied.

After an hour and fifty minutes, the movie was over and both Manami stomachs were full with Japanese food. It was just passed 8:00 when the take out was cleared and the TV was turned off. Suddenly, a phone began ringing. It wasn't their home line because they hadn't hooked it up yet. Kairi didn't recognize the ringer as her's either.

"Dad? Is that your cell ringing?"

"Uhh .. Yes, I think so .. If only I could find it .. AHA!" Isamu cried, triumphant. He had found the ringing cell phone and flipped it open.

"Hello? .. Good, good, how are you? .. Yes, it's great .. Really now? .. That's amazing! .. Thanks bud! .. Yes, I'll be there .. Goodbye."

"Who was that Dad?"

"My publisher of course! My newest story has just received an award I am to meet the company tomorrow."

"Congrats Dad. But what exactly am I gonna do while you're gone?"

"How about I leave you some money for food and one of my credit cards so you can go shopping downtown?"

"One of your credit cards .. ?" Kairi asked again with a gleam in her eye.

"Trusting that you will return the credit card with a fair amount of money still on it."

"Aww, you know you can trust me Dad!"

"I know, I'm just reminding you so that if you were to spend more money than needed, it will forever be on your conscience."

"Very funny Dad."

"Well, I've always been the one to joke."

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Another Author's Note
Well, I hope you guys took interest in this chapter ... I know this one isn't that interesting, but keep in mind it's only the first. Hopefully the next one I write will be much better. (:
Oh, and please be patient ... The SoKainess of this fanfic will come eventually ...
TTFN!
tah tah for now!
.xoxo.

P.S. It would be greatly appreciated if one took the time to review. What do you think of this chapter? Have any predictions based on the summary? Write what you please!
That lonely little button would be a little less lonely if you just clicked on it ..

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