Someone actually requested that I write a headcanon.  Whoa!  I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a request before, so thank you to tumblr user: hi-im-hatsuyo-and-i-think-i

I hope I do you proud  :)  And who knows, maybe I can take more requests?

When Naoto first arrives at the school his locker is filled to the brim with love letters.  Sealed with hearts, scented with perfume, it’s annoying and he trashes every single one of them.

This doesn’t deter the female population at all.  The letters continue, declaring their love and devotion despite the fact that they’re in high school and speaking from the deepest reaches of their hormones.

There’s one letter, though, in particular.

It doesn’t smell like anything.  It’s not sealed with a heart.  It’s a bit crumbled at the edges, as if it had been hastily stuffed inside.  The handwriting is neat, precise, and-

Naoto.

Uh… hey, yeah so…

I…

… that is…

Nevermind, this is stupid.

Neat penmanship and… unclear messages.  Still, it has peaked his interest, and he does not toss this one in the garbage.

***

When the big reveal happens, Naoto expects the letters to stop. He is no longer a he, but a she, so she fully expects for the letters to vanish.

They double in size. 

She at least expects the girls to stop trying, but they don’t.  They believe her to be cool and are still willing to shower her with their hormonal praises. 

It’s hard to get to the letter she actually cares about.

Naoto.

Hey, so uh… you’re a girl, huh?

That’s cool.  Yeah… I mean…

… well I’ve liked you since you were a boy, so it doesn’t really make a difference.  You’re still Naoto.

These words make her smile you’re still Naoto and she carefully tucks the letter in with her books, not wanting to damage it in anyway.

***

“What’s that you got there, Naoto-kun?”

“Oooooh, is it a love letter?”

Naoto sighs and refrains from rolling her eyes.  Why in the world does she torment herself by hanging out with girls, particularly girls who have seen her naked under a hot steam of water?

“Who’s it from?”

“I do not know,” Naoto says, looking at the envelope, “I just know that I have been receiving them from this person since I arrived at this school.  I can tell from the handwriting.”

“How romantic!"  This comes from Rise Kujikawa who plucks the letter away from Naoto, reading over it.  She frowns, "Actually… this is kinda lame.”

“Hey!"  Naoto takes the letter back, defensively, "It is a fine letter!”

“Hey, so uh… you’re a girl, huh? How is that romantic?  That’s terrible!”

“It is genuine,” Naoto says, reading over it again you’re still Naoto,“It comes from the heart.”

“Awwwwwwww!"  This comes from both Chie and Yukiko-senpai.  Naoto blushes, pulling the brim of her hat over her eyes.

"You know what you should do?"  Rise says, grinning, "Write a letter back!”

“And just who do I write it to?”

“Just leave it in your locker,” Yukiko says, “This person always comes by with a letter, right, just leave it for them.”

“Yeah!"  Great, now Chie’s fired up, "Just say, ‘to my secret admirer.’”

“The one who thinks it’s cool that I’m a girl,” Rise says with a giggle.

“… you all are ridiculous.”

Which, of course, means that Naoto sits at her desk that night, trying to come up with an appropriate response.

To my secret admirer,

To my admirer,

Dear friend,

Hello,

To the one who thinks that I am, indeed, still Naoto,

To whom it may concern,

To… “ARGH!”

Perhaps she should not have written in pen.

To the one who left me the letter that said that I am still Naoto,I appreciate your kind words.  I do not think that you understand how much they meant to me.  You see, I have been going through a lot lately, trying to identify who I-There is no need for me to go into detail about what your words meant to-Perhaps I should explain a little bit.  You see, recently, I-The letter was rather nice, you have my thanks.

***

“The letter was rather nice, thanks?  Really, Naoto-kun?”

“S-shut up, Rise.”

The two are walking to Naoto’s locker after school, Naoto still looking displeased with the letter she had left for her admirer.  It had been on her mind the entire day, distracting her as she wondered if she could, perhaps, write a better letter, or maybe hire a wordsmith to write the words for her.  Reports and documents, she could handle.  Emotional segments of the heart?  Not so much.

To Naoto’s surprise – under the mountain of letters in her locker – there is a return response from her admirer.  She doesn’t mean to open it so quickly, despite Rise’s chorus of open it open it open it!  However, she rips open the envelope, her heart beating against her chest as she anxiously reasons it.

Wow.

I-I didn’t expect you to ever write me back.

That’s just… I mean… I’ve been liking you for so long, to have you actually write me back……

w-what am I gushin’ for?  This shouldn’t be about me right now.

Look, I know that some shit has gone on in your life, and it happens to everyone.  I’ve been down that road before, too.  It’s best to just face it, head on, but it’s hard to do, yeah?  That’s why you always have me to count on.  When stuff gets tough, I’ll be there. 

… oh shit, I probably just said too much.  Um… just ignore all of that, o.k.?!

“… no way,” Rise whispers, reading over Naoto’s shoulder, “That’s totally Kan-”

“T-that is irrelevant,” Naoto says, carefully folding the letter and tucking it in her book, “I just… he… has been writing these letters since I got here.  Has he… all this time?”

“Duh, Naoto!  Now go and talk to him!”

“… no.  I have a better idea.”

***
To my dearest Kanji-kun,

You did not say too much at all in that last letter.  Your words mean a lot to me, as they always have.  I realize that you have been sending me these letters for months now, I believe it is time we move past that.

I would like you meet you.  On the roof, during lunch.  Please, do not keep me waiting.  I wish to properly thank you, Kanji-kun.

With all of my sincerest feelings,

Naoto

And Kanji has never run up the stairs so quickly in his life.