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Shinobu is many things, but she isn’t stupid.
Clever, dedicated, ambitious, they were all words she’d heard people use to describe her in the past. She’d say it would have to do with her stellar academic career, from consistent high grades since elementary to the Master’s degree she’s currently pursuing at The University of Tokyo.
It’s not that she could really disagree with them either; stupid is something she’s rarely ever felt.
Until now that is.
Never before has she felt so incredibly and mind-numbingly stupid that she’s almost tempted to dig herself a hole and jump right in. At least that way, she would never have to show her face in public ever again. Maybe she’d even still be thought of as that clever girl who was taken away too soon.
Either way, the hole is looking more and more like a tempting idea if it meant not having to deal with her stupid mistake.
And as though the universe is letting her know that it’s very much not on her side, the phone in her hand chimes again. She’s almost scared to look at what else he’s sent her, but that’s when she reminds herself.
This is Giyuu. There’s no reason for her to be afraid of an airhead.
So she takes the chance to look at her screen again, only to be filled with that same strong urge to bury herself alive, and maybe slam her head against the wall while she’s at it. But the only thing she can do is throw her phone across the room and slide down the side of her bed, head in her hands.
‘I’ll pick you up at 3?’ is what the text reads, and Shinobu hopes that three never comes.
Unfortunately, three o’clock does come, and far too soon for her liking.
It’s been two days since she’s texted him about the situation, yet it’s all she’s been thinking about (and deeply regretting). Shinobu isn’t normally one to backtrack on a decision; it’s one of the reasons why she finds ‘dedicated’ so befitting for her. Once a decision is made, she always goes through it.
Yet no decision has ever been quite as asinine as this one.
But then again, no decision has ever led her into having to go dress shopping with someone who was so facepalmingly hopeless. Knowing how empty his brain is, she’s sure that if she had left him to pick a tuxedo without her watchful eye, she’d be seen as the embarrassment of the night.
And she couldn’t let that happen, especially on a night as important as this.
Speaking of which, if she had the heart to, she’d blame her older sister for this situation. If Kanae hadn’t been so insistent that she bring someone to accompany her to her wedding, then perhaps she wouldn’t have been so desperate to seek him out for help. Though, she never once expected he would agree so willingly.
He should’ve been so easy for her to read; he’s always been so predictable. In all the years she’s known him, there’s never been much going on inside Giyuu’s brain, nor his face, and it irritates her. But the one time she thought she knew what to expect, he goes ahead and pulls the wool over her eyes.
What in the world is he thinking?
“Kochou,” a voice suddenly greets just as she locks the front door behind her. Shinobu almost jumps, but her reflexes work fast enough that she’s able to recover instantaneously.
She spins around on her heel to face him, plastering a smile on her face in greeting. He’s not dressed too awfully today: a pair of washed-out jeans, a black shirt, and a dark blue jacket, though it’s still quite plain.
“Tomioka-san,” she acknowledges, “You’re here quite early.”
He raises a brow in confusion, rolling up his sleeve to check his watch.
“It’s three?”
Shinobu resists the urge to roll her eyes. In all honesty, he’s much more punctual than she’d expected. He never usually comes on time, always arriving a little later than her that tardiness is a trait she’s come to associate him with.
“It is.” She nods, starting to walking past him to get him to follow. “But we should start moving now. I don’t want to miss my appointment later.”
It’s a lie, but she really doesn’t want to spend more time in his presence than necessary. The longer she’s left alone with him, the quicker she is to lose her composure, a feat that somehow only he can trigger. Normally, Shinobu prides herself on being quite calm, growing out of her brash personality as a teenager.
But around Giyuu, all of that flies out the window without a second thought.
And it irritates her to no end. It’s unfair that someone like him can have this much of an effect on her.
Giyuu follows her without complaint, the pair walking out of the apartment building in silence. She’s seen him drive a couple of times already that she recognises his car immediately, walking straight toward the white vehicle parked nearby.
He unlocks the doors, Shinobu ready to open her side when a hand comes to clutch the door handle in front of her. She blinks, the door opening as Giyuu motions for her to step inside.
“Thank you,” she mutters after a short moment. Has he always been this courteous?
She steps inside to take her seat, uncertainty pooling in her stomach. It’s barely been ten minutes and already she doesn’t know how she’s supposed to act. She’s supposed to have known him for five years now, so why does it feel as though she’s only just met him?
Once they’re both settled in the car, Shinobu is quick to start navigating. It would’ve been easier to use the GPS but she desperately needs a distraction. Music isn’t helping much, and she doubts there’d be something to stir a conversation before they’ve arrived.
“Take a left on the next street,” she says, inching forward in her seat to look for the street sign. Giyuu isn’t too bad at following her directions; in fact, she only needs to say something once and he easily understands.
After a few more minutes of driving, they find themselves at the formalwear shop Mitsuri had recommended she checks out. She hadn’t told the girl yet of her upcoming companion to the wedding, only mentioning that she would be going tux shopping with him, and she’d all but leapt at the opportunity to suggest a few places. All of the places she’d recommended were a bit too far and on the pricey side, with this one being the only one she found decent enough to visit.
Shinobu only hopes they find the right suit in there without needing to look elsewhere.
She exits the car without waiting for Giyuu to help her out, refusing to experience his courteous actions again. It still unsettles her to find out chivalric he can be, not when he doesn’t find any qualms in criticising her so bluntly.
This cannot be the same person. She refuses to believe it.
The pair make their way into ‘Wisteria Modern Tailoring’, finding themselves greeted by an extensive array of tuxedos and suits in all various shades and sizes. Shinobu had managed to buy her dress a few months back, but the collection of formal gowns they also have on display look tempting enough for her to want to browse.
It’s only when she hears Giyuu’s soft sputter that she’s able to tear her eyes away from some of the beautiful dresses, turning to see the male speaking to an elderly woman. She looks up at him softly, the male sheepish as he scratches his temple.
Shinobu softly sighs, making her way toward the pair with a brow raised.
“Is something the matter, Tomioka-san?”
Giyuu turns to look at her, remnants of relief flashing in his eyes as he nods. “She’s asking for the style I’m looking for.”
She nods in understanding, bowing her head in greeting toward the elderly shopkeeper. “My apologies for the inconvenience, obaa-san. We’re looking for a sleek but simple tuxedo, something worthy for a wedding.”
At the mention of a wedding, the lady’s eyes light up as she nods in understanding. She starts to shuffle toward a section near the back right of the store, the pair quick to follow in surprise. Honestly, she’s still not quite sure as to how much she wants Giyuu to match her dress. They may be attending together, but not necessarily as a pair.
Though, would it look weird if they weren’t looking somewhat complementary? Does his tie need to match her dress? She doesn’t know if she can quite imagine him wearing a dark purple tie, however. Dark blue is more his style.
The elderly lady points toward three tuxes in particular, neatly lined next to each other as she turns to look at the two. Shinobu raises a brow, walking forward to examine the pieces closely. They may all be black in colour, but she can already imagine how different each set would look on him.
She reaches up to take them off the rack, turning around to push them into Giyuu’s arms. He blinks, almost dropping one of them as he takes it from her in a haphazard fashion.
“Go change inside those dressing rooms, Tomioka-san. I’ll wait out here,” she orders, pointing to the change room nearby.
He nods mutely, following her pointed finger. Shinobu sighs, turning to look at the elderly shopkeeper. It appears she’s been watching the two observantly, much closer than she would’ve liked.
“Obaa-san, where can I find the ties?”
She figures that she could probably settle on a scheme while he’s in there, killing two birds with one stone. The lady motions for her to follow, leading her across the shop toward a large rack of ties and bow ties alike. It’s possibly the most extensive collection she’s ever seen, and immediately she steps forward to take a look.
A bow tie would probably look a little… juvenile on Giyuu, no matter how good the tie itself looks, so she skips that section completely. He probably would’ve chosen it for himself and it’s another reason why she doesn’t dare take a look.
Instead, her eyes roam the array of neckties neatly hanging above. Kanae never specified a colour scheme for her guests, meaning she had as much freedom as she liked picking the right colour for him.
Admittedly, blue has always looked good on him, complementing the midnight blue of his irises. It’s usually the colour she unintentionally associates with him, and (un)fortunately, blue is the perfect match to dark purple.
She scans the racks for the blue neckties, her eyes quickly discarding each choice until they land on one near the end. It’s an indigo navy colour, lined with blue polka dots almost reminiscent of honeycombs. But from afar, it mimics a faint ripple in the ocean under a faint shine of light.
Shinobu immediately grabs it without hesitation, fingers lightly trailing its ridges. This is exactly the kind of tie she can imagine him wearing. It’s just so Giyuu, it puts all the other ties to shame.
Just as she picks out the necktie, the curtain from the change room opens. She turns around, ready to greet him with a sceptical appraising look, but all her thoughts immediately fly out the window.
There have only been two instances in the five years of knowing him that Shinobu has ever seen him in a tuxedo: during his father’s funeral, and for a job interview, he never succeeded in. Neither was particularly happy events, but neither had him dressed in a tuxedo like this one.
Begrudgingly, she has to admit that Giyuu is just as attractive as people have said he was. Despite all her complaints about him (the lack of anything in his head in particular), he is very easy on the eyes. His sharp jawline and pointed nose are particularly striking, but Shinobu has always felt that it’s his eyes that are the most enrapturing. So deep and blue, just like the ocean he so loves, they engrain themselves into her mind.
Now coupled with the elegant tuxedo picked out for him, bringing out the broadness of his shoulders and his lean frame, it’s impossible not to stare. The tuxedo may be quite simple, but that is where its charm lies. It’s Giyuu who makes the tuxedo look more elegant than it is, and it’s almost painful to admit it.
She couldn’t believe her eyes. A tuxedo isn’t supposed to suit him so well. Not like this.
“How is it?” he asks after not hearing a word from her, one of his hands tucked into the pant pockets.
She immediately snaps out of her momentary daze, the bumpy texture of the tie alerting her of her reality. Shinobu blinks, clearing her throat softly to regain an ounce of her previous composure. Her cheeks are probably dusted with a small twinge of pink, but she doubts he’ll notice in any case.
Shinobu tears her gaze away from his tuxedo-clad form, fixing her eyes on his. “It’s missing something.”
Giyuu raises a brow. “Missing something?”
She nods, walking across the floor to hand him the tie. “You need a tie too, Tomioka-san.”
Just as she’s about to give it to him, she feels a small prod in her side. Shinobu flinches, whipping her head down to see the elderly shopkeeper smile at her.
“You should put it on him, dear.”
She freezes, violet eyes blinking in confusion.
“Put it on him?”
The lady nods, motioning to the tie in her hand. “Poor thing probably doesn’t know how to tie a tie.”
At this, she lets out a small snicker, turning to look at Giyuu. He’s giving the lady a frown, almost offended at her remark, and it only makes her snicker some more. It isn’t every day she gets to witness a little teasing remark directed toward him that isn’t from her.
Shinobu plasters a smile on her face, loosening the tie. “I suppose I have no choice, Tomioka-san. Allow me.”
Before he can even protest, she pushes herself up on her tiptoes to wrap the tie around his neck. Unfortunately, he’s a lot taller than she calculated (a fact that makes her huff inside) and she almost falls into him if not for his hands that reach up to steady her immediately.
She stiffens under his touch, not used to being in such proximity with the male. If this is just the tuxedo fitting, she can’t even bear to figure out what the wedding night is going to look like.
“Are you okay, Kochou?” he asks, looking down at her.
But she refuses to meet his gaze, trying to relax under his touch as she nods. Her smile becomes tight as she pulls the necktie down to an appropriate length.
Her nimble fingers work quickly to create the perfect Windsor knot, but as she does so, she realises that Giyuu never takes his hands away. Instead, he keeps them on her shoulders, the steady warmth emanating from his hands doing strange things to her. She wants him to let go, but at the same time, if he does, she feels like her knees will give way.
So she focuses on the tie instead, pulling the final knot up to his neck. Just as she does so, she instinctively looks up, only to meet Giyuu’s piercing gaze, his eyes never once leaving her.
She gasps, startled by how intently he’d been watching her, and immediately steps away from him. His hands fall back to his sides as she tries to regain her composure, still not refusing to make eye contact with him.
“Kochou?” Giyuu calls out, evident concern in his voice.
But she doesn’t listen, turning to the elderly tailor with a polite, yet forced smile on her face.
“We’ll take it,” she says, walking to the counter without a word. She doesn’t even want to look at the final ensemble, not with the way her cheeks are unfairly set aflame.
This is such a stupid idea.
So stupid in fact that while Shinobu may be many things, stupid is probably the best word to describe her right now.
She is so stupid, very stupid.
“Onee-san? What is it?”
Shinobu holds the phone to her ear as she finishes putting away her books, trying to clean up her study space. It’s not unusual that Kanae calls her every night, but she hadn’t expected one so late.
“Did you have fun today?” she hears her older sister ask, a strangely mischievous tone evident in her voice.
“Fun? What do you mean?”
She hears her giggle over the phone. “I heard from Mitsuri-chan that you went tuxedo shopping for your date today. I can’t wait to meet the guy that’s captured my cute little sister’s heart.”
Shinobu almost drops the book she’s holding on her foot, freezing in place. While she hadn’t told Kanae that she was bringing anyone yet, she didn’t think it would travel to her this quickly.
But knowing Mitsuri, of course, she wouldn’t have kept it from her. She almost regrets ever telling her about it in the first place.
The younger Kochou grips her phone, a tight smile on her face. “There’s no date, onee-san. He’s just--”
Well, he isn’t a friend, that’s for sure. Rival? More fitting, but not something she can say to Kanae. Classmate? Inaccurate and far too long ago.
“...an acquaintance,” she finishes lamely, unable to figure out how to address him.
Kanae giggles some more. “Mhm, if that’s what you say so Shinobu.”
She scowls, “Onee-san!”
“Even so, I’m excited to meet him! I can’t wait to see you both.”
And that’s exactly what she’s dreading.
It’d been such a whirlwind of a week that Shinobu had almost forgotten all about it. While she had been agonising over her wedding guest situation for an (embarrassing) good three days, it had only taken a few wedding preparation errands to take her mind off it. Kanae had trusted her to overlook a few things, and as her reliable younger sister, she was determined to ensure her sister had the best wedding possible.
It also helped that she hadn’t seen him for the past week, not since their little tuxedo shopping adventure together. She was quite certain that if she had seen him before the wedding, she would do something… uncharacteristic of her.
And the thought had almost made her nauseous.
“Shinobu-nee?”
She almost jumps at the sudden call, snapping her head around to see Kanao address her worriedly. Had she spaced off for that long?
“Ah, Kanao. What is it?”
The younger girl bites her lip, her head tilted to the side. “Is something worrying you? You’ve been slightly out of it all morning.”
Shinobu scratches her temple sheepishly, feeling a bit of warmth rise in her cheeks. If Kanao was worried then she really must’ve been out of it. She was supposed to be the one worrying over her, not the other way around.
“It’s nothing. I’m just thinking about the wedding again.”
At this, she feels a comforting hand placed on her shoulder. Kanao offers her a small smile, gently squeezing her.
“Shinazugawa-san will treat onee-san well. He always has.”
He’s not exactly the person she’s thinking about, but Shinobu nods along. She places a hand over hers, offering a soft smile of her own. It’s not often that Kanao shares her thoughts on matters concerning her sisters’ hearts, but it’s always still pleasant to hear.
“I know,” she agrees. “I’m happy for her.”
Kanao hums in agreement, squeezing her hand. Yet just as Shinobu is about to ask her a question, she feels her phone vibrate in her back pocket. She blinks, pulling her hand away to reach for her device.
She’d half-expected a text from Kanae herself, but what greets her instead immediately triggers her flight or fight response.
From: Tomioka-san
What time do I meet you tomorrow? - 9:11pm
It’s as though he hadn’t just been radio silent the entire week, his message greeting her out of the blue. Deep down, she’d been hoping he forgot about the entire ordeal. The dread had only kept piling the closer the date to the wedding got.
Kanao notices her stiffen, eyeing her older sister in concern.
“Shinobu-nee? Is something wrong?”
She blinks, tearing her gaze away from the message quickly. Shinobu shakes her head, plastering a small smile on her face.
“It’s nothing, Kanao. Don’t worry about it.”
Kanao stares at her for a moment longer, trying to figure out whether to believe her. But she’s quick to pat her on the shoulder lightly, dispelling her worries. She can see the internal struggle in the younger girl’s eyes, only to surrender at her slightly pleading look.
When Kanao turns away, she quickly types back a message, pocketing her phone. For now, she’ll focus on the last-minute details she needed to cover. Worrying about Giyuu can be saved for tomorrow.
To: Tomioka-san
The wedding starts at noon, but meet me at 11:30. - 9:18pm
Try not to be late, Tomioka-san. - 9:18pm.
After a sneaky cup of coffee, two hours of getting ready, a few more hours of checking everything was going well, an emotional outburst from her mother, and an inspirational speech by her father, they were all finally ready.
A quick look at her phone tells her that it’s almost 11:30, just half an hour before the ceremony is supposed to start. The rest of her immediate family is already seated inside, but she’d opted to wait outside the chapel for now.
She’s filled with a plethora of different emotions she can’t explain, but overall she’s nervous. Anxious even. She wants this to go so well for her. Shinobu loves her sister dearly, and she’d do anything to ensure that she had the wedding she’d always dreamed of.
She’d frankly almost cried at the sight of her older sister in her wedding gown, even Kanao had started getting teary-eyed. Sometimes it still hasn’t hit her that her older sister will soon be a married woman. It’s surreal to think about.
“Kochou.”
Her musings are halted by that familiar timbre, the other source of her worries. A light breeze brushes past her and she feels the cool wind under the velvet fabric of her dress. Somehow it makes her even more anxious.
She turns around to see him, and it’s as though time has stopped.
Shinobu knew it was a bad idea to see his full ensemble that day at the tailor. But it’s quickly proving to be an even worse idea to see it all for the first time, just moments before the ceremony was supposed to start.
She didn’t know what she’d been expecting, but she had to admit, Giyuu had really cleaned up well. The tuxedo she’d picked out for him only seemed to accentuate his form even better than last time, his shoulders still looking as broad as ever.
Moreover, the tie she’d also picked out complemented his eyes even better than she’d envisioned. His eyes, always so piercing blue, seem brighter, livelier even. He’d gone ahead to match the handkerchief in his upper breast pocket with the same navy blue of his tie, completing the entire look.
Except with closer inspection, she could see that he’d done a messy job at the Windsor knot she’d shown him last time. Without even thinking, Shinobu steps forward to loosen his tie. Her fingers work quickly as she fixes the knot in a few swift motions, making it a bit more centred.
It’s only when she feels his breath against her fingers that she realises what she’d been doing, jumping away from him as though she’d been burned. Her cheeks flush in embarrassment, her hands clasped together as she refuses to look him straight in the eye.
What had she been thinking? Obviously, she hadn’t been.
It scares her to think that she’d done this so instinctively, without giving it a second longer of thought. Already this isn’t going well.
Shinobu clears her throat, trying to regain a semblance of her previous composure.
“Tomioka-san, you’re punctual again.” It’s meant to be a pointed jab, but it falls flat. Even she can sense the nervousness in her tone.
He appears to take in stride, raising a brow at her.
“Was I not meant to be?”
That’s another thing. What made Giyuu look so different today, aside from that darned tuxedo, was his hair. It’d been the first thing she noticed, but she’d fought herself against staring for too long.
He’d cut his hair.
Gone was the long mess of raven hair that cascaded down his back. It always seemed as though he’d never brushed his hair properly, and it had been one of her pet peeves. She could count the number of times when she’d playfully pulled the end of his ponytail, or made a few offhanded remarks about it.
But now it’s all gone. The lack of hair down his shoulders had made him look even more youthful. It brought all the attention to his eyes, their focus no longer taken by the shagginess of his hair.
Dare she say it made him look even more attractive (unfortunately).
Shinobu shakes her head, trying to banish the thoughts. There’s no time for that now. Her sister is about to be married.
“It doesn’t matter.” She looks inside the chapel to see Kanao trying to look for her. “In any case, we’d better get going. The ceremony is about to start.”
She motions to the chapel, already starting to walk inside when Giyuu suddenly steps in front of her.
“Wait.”
She frowns, looking up at him.
“What is it, Tomioka-san?”
Then he does the strangest thing. He holds his arm out, bending it slightly as he waits for her.
She eyes his outstretched arm, gaze flicking to his eyes again in confusion.
“What are you doing?”
Giyuu tilts his head to the side. “Waiting for you?”
“For me to do what?”
He blinks slowly, patting his arm.
“Are you not going to take it?”
Her frown deepens even more, staring at his bent arm. This is perhaps the strangest thing she’s ever heard from him.
“But why should I take it?”
“I thought I was supposed to be your d-”
Shinobu suddenly spots a familiar white car approaching in the distance, and immediately she knows they’ve got to get moving.
“We’re late! Let’s go, Tomioka-san!” she cries in panic, forgoing grabbing his arm and taking his hand instead. He lets out a small sound but she ignores him, leading him inside the chapel quickly.
The wedding is about to start.
There are several times during the ceremony she is close to crying, but none hits her more than when her sister begins to say her vows. Her voice is as soft and gentle as ever, but it’s firm with her affirmations of love and promises to the man in front of her.
She speaks with such conviction that if she hadn’t known just how much she loved Sanemi, Shinobu would’ve been convinced from her words alone. She can feel the love all the way from where she’s standing, so potent and pure. It has her somewhat wishing that she was lucky enough to have someone; to have what Kanae had with Sanemi.
“Shinazugawa Sanemi, you are about to take this woman and become her partner. Do you vow to love her, respect her, comfort her, save her, and protect her with your life?”
She watches as Sanemi nods, holding Kanae’s hands tightly.
“Yes, I vow.”
The minister turns to Kanae, repeating the same vows as before.
She smiles beneath her veil, squeezing his hand. “Yes, I vow.”
The tears come before she can stop them. She’s not crying as hard as her mother is right now, but she sniffles all the same. Shinobu instinctively reaches out to grab the closest thing to her, the feeling of wool soft against her touch. She tightens her hold, not caring to look at what it is she’s grabbed, a few stray tears running down her face.
She hears a soft clearing of the throat next to her, but her eyes are glued to the happy couple the minister has just announced as husband and wife. Just as she reaches to wipe away some of the tears she knows has ruined a bit of her makeup, a navy blue handkerchief is offered to her.
Shinobu blinks, staring at the fabric blankly.
“Take it,” she hears him softly whisper, gently pushing it toward her.
His soft prodding prompts her to take it, lightly dabbing under her eyes with her free hand. The other is still tightly attached to the wool beside her, no sign of letting go any time soon.
Sanemi lifts the wedding veil, revealing her sister’s beautiful face to him. Shinobu watches intently as they smile at each other, a soft moment shared before they close the gap between them.
She sniffles once more, her grip tightening around the handkerchief. Have weddings always been this emotional? And beautiful? She can’t remember the last time she’s been to one, but this ceremony is undoubtedly the best one.
A sudden warmth presses against her back lightly, but Shinobu doesn’t flinch away. She tears her gaze away from the newly wedded couple, looking up to see Giyuu gazing down at her in concern. It makes her sniffle again, but the warmth on her back intensifies.
She feels his hand move up and down in slow, comforting movements. Normally she would’ve edged away at his touch without question. But has he always been so gentle? So warm?
It’s that thought that has her leaning into him, letting him continue with his ministrations. He doesn’t pause, even as Kanae and Sanemi pull away, even as they walk down the aisle and out the chapel, and even as the guests begin to file out. Giyuu doesn’t leave her side one moment, his gaze on her.
It’s comforting.
“Don’t worry, Kochou. Shinazugawa is a good man.”
She looks up at him, only to see his earnest expression. It’s hard not to believe him when he says it like that.
“Shinobu-chan!”
She whirls around at the familiar voice, placing her glass down at the sight of her best friend approaching. She’d been so busy with the wedding preparations that she hadn’t had a moment to properly talk to the girl. But now that she has time, she’s looking forward to chatting as much as possible.
Mitsuri walks over quickly, excited to see her as Shinobu stands up in her seat. The two share a hug before settling down on their seats again, Mitsuri sporting an especially bright smile. It appears she’d enjoyed the wedding as much as she had. She had noticed her crying across the hall, both during the ceremony and her family’s wedding reception speeches.
“Mitsuri-san, hello,” she warmly greets, leaning back against her chair.
She watches as her best friend almost bounces in her seat, her hands clasped together as she not so discreetly hides her enthusiasm. Shinobu raises a brow, urging her to open up.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she finally blurts, her eyes wide in curiosity.
“Tell you what?”
Mitsuri inches closer, “That you’d be bringing Tomioka-san as your date! Did you finally tell him about your feelings?”
If Shinobu had still been drinking her wine, she’s certain that she would’ve almost choked on it from the sudden question.
“What?”
Feelings? What feelings? Had Mitsuri seen a misleading moment of ‘love’ again?
But she doesn’t seem to notice the shock she’s put her in, Mitsuri grabbing her hands. She squeezes them, her smile growing wide in excitement.
“I’m so happy for you, Shinobu-chan! I always knew you two would end up together!”
Shinobu coughs, her face growing bright red in mortification. She looks around, trying to see if anyone else had heard. But Mitsuri had an especially loud voice and judging from the curious gazes directed her way, likely, she’s already being misunderstood.
“Wait Mitsuri-san, what are you talking about? I didn’t bring Tomioka-san as my date,” she hurries to explain, noticing the eyes still on her. “And I don’t have feelings for him either,” she hisses lowly, the thought making her cheeks warm.
How could anyone think that she liked Giyuu? The very same guy who teased her about her height daily? The one without a single drop of intelligence? And the one who had no clue how to tie a tie?
Are they talking about the same person?
Mitsuri blinks, her hands still gripping hers tightly.
“Huh? But you always talk about him?”
Shinobu frowns, shaking her head. “Not because I want to.”
“Then why are you always together?”
Now she’s certain that Mitsuri has really been seeing something completely different. There’s nothing about their relationship that screams potential romance.
“No, we’re not? I don’t see him often.”
The denial only leaves Mitsuri directing her a knowing smile, one that has Shinobu wanting to pull her hands away. But it’s futile engaging in some sort of battle of strength with the girl. She’s extraordinarily strong, stronger than most people she’s met.
“You are, Shinobu-chan. Remember Kyojuro-kun’s party a few months ago? You were the only one he talked to, and you both came together!” she exclaims, nodding her head.
She digs into her memory, trying to remember. Rengoku is an old classmate of theirs from high school, and one of Mitsuri’s best friends. He’s very passionate and charismatic, and his party a few months back had been a great reflection of his personality.
He’d had a house party, inviting only close friends but he’d made it lively enough to make it seem as though there were more than forty people there. She remembers how Giyuu had looked so out of place, sitting on one of the couches awkwardly as everyone around him chatted away.
She could only take pity on him. Socialising had never been one of his strong suits, especially with large groups of people. It was a wonder he’d managed to befriend Rengoku in the first place, considering they had such opposing personalities, but she could see that they really cared about each other.
“That was only a coincidence.”
She shakes her head, remembering exactly what Mitsuri had been talking about. After seeing him sitting so alone, she had made it her mission to annoy him the entire night, never leaving his side.
She could see how Mitsuri misread it completely, but it’s still so wrong.
“Tomioka-san also got lost on the way trying to find Rengoku-san’s apartment, and I found him on the way there.”
“Mm, that doesn’t explain why you never left his side the entire night.”
She sighs. “Yes I did, but-”
“Even though you came to greet me and talk a bit to the others, you still went back to Tomioka-san anyway,” Mitsuri teases, grinning widely.
“He was looking like a sad, lonely puppy. I was being nice.”
“Even though you say that he irritates you? He didn’t look like he was irritating you that night. You were smiling a lot, Shinobu-chan. I know what your polite smile looks like, and that wasn’t it.”
Mitsuri’s emerald eyes bore into hers, challenging her to protest. Sometimes she hates how much she really knows her. It’s true that despite her initial intentions that night, she had actually enjoyed herself. But that didn’t mean anything, did it? There were plenty of people she enjoyed the company of, Giyuu not included.
Yet speaking of him, he decides to make his appearance now, having quickly gone to the bathroom. Mitsuri sees him approach before she even does, her smile growing wider in greeting.
“Hello again, Tomioka-san! It’s nice to see you here.”
Giyuu blinks, before bowing his head slightly in acknowledgement.
“Kanroji,” he says, “It’s nice to see you too. Kochou invited me.”
Immediately, Mitsuri’s eyes are on her, staring almost too intently, and she wishes that they hadn’t been in such a public area. One’s she’s convinced on something, it’s incredibly difficult to get her to change her mind. In her case, even worse considering it had something to do with her love life.
“You must be Shinobu-chan’s special someone then,” she teases innocently, smiling wide.
He raises a brow, obviously confused. “Kanae-chan said we could only invite our ‘special someones’, so you must definitely be Shinobu-chan’s special someone.”
“Is ‘special someone’ supposed to mean a date?”
Mitsuri’s eyes widen, letting go of Shinobu’s hands to clap, nodding. “Yes! Exactly that. I brought Obanai-kun with me,” she says, her cheeks a little pink.
“Iguro is here?”
“He’s talking to Shinazugawa-san. But I can call him over if you want to talk to him?”
Giyuu scratches his temple, looking a little sheepish. “I don’t think Iguro likes me very much.”
“How could he not? He’ll definitely like you more hearing that you’re Shinobu-chan’s date!”
Shinobu reaches out to grab Mitsuri’s hand, shaking her head. This is going too far. She hadn’t invited him as her special someone, nor as her date. Her sister said she needed to bring someone, and he was the only one available. Definitely not that twisted narrative she’s telling.
“Who’s Kochou’s date?”
They look up to see Obanai approaching, Mitsuri looking especially excited at his appearance. She stands up, reaching over to grab him by the hand as she motions to the pair.
“Shinobu-chan brought Tomioka-san here as her date! Isn’t that great?”
“He’s not my-”
“I always knew you had weird taste, Kochou,” Obanai remarks, eyeing Giyuu in distaste. Mitsuri softly gasps, lightly slapping his shoulder. But he doesn’t react, a small smirk beginning to form on his lips.
Shinobu stands up from her chair. “It’s not like that, Iguro-san,” she protests, glaring at him.
“What’s wrong with me?”
They all turn to see Giyuu tilting his head to his side, waiting patiently for their answers. She really wants to smack her forehead, or cover her face, or anything, as the regrets of bringing him continue to pile up. He really isn’t helping. In fact, he’s fanning all the flames.
“There’s nothing wrong with you, Tomioka-san! You’re a great guy,” Mitsuri reassures, smiling at him.
“You don’t have to be so nice to him, Mitsuri. Tomioka is a weirdo.”
“Obanai-kun!”
The shorter male looks him up and down, shaking his head. “That haircut makes him look even weirder.”
Giyuu’s hands immediately go to his short hair, running a hand through it as he looks away. It’s obvious that he’s feeling embarrassed by the comments, possibly even hurt, and it bugs her. While she doesn’t mind Iguro most of the time (he makes Mitsuri happy so she can’t complain), he really is too harsh with his words sometimes.
“It doesn’t look weird, Iguro-san. It suits him,” Shinobu firmly cuts in, standing a little in front of him.
Obanai eyes her unimpressively. “That’s why I say you have weird taste.”
She scowls, crossing her arms. “Tomioka-san isn’t weird, nor is my taste. He’s a good person. A little airheaded sometimes, but his heart is always in the right place.”
She turns around to look at Giyuu, who’d let go of his hair as he stares down at her, eyes wide in amazement. Honestly, sometimes it’s like she’s looking at a stray puppy.
“I like your haircut, Tomioka-san. Don’t listen to what Iguro-san says. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
“You mean that?”
She nods firmly. “I do.”
When she turns back to face Obanai and Mitsuri again, she finds herself looking at an empty space, the couple nowhere to be seen. She blinks in confusion, her gaze sweeping around.
“Where did they go?”
Giyuu shrugs, rubbing the back of his neck. “I didn’t see them leave.”
“Neither did I.”
She sighs, deciding to take a seat back down. Who knew that a small conversation with her best friend could’ve spiralled into that? Never had she faced so many misunderstandings at once. It had tired her out.
“Are you tired, Kochou?”
Shinobu sees that Giyuu had occupied the seat Mitsuri had just been in, eyeing her intently. Again, his eyes are just so blue, it’s difficult for her not to stare. He may not have been much of a speaker, but she’s come to learn that he does share a lot of his emotion through his gaze.
And he’s staring at her with a lot of genuine concern, it makes her cheeks warm up.
“Just a little bit. I haven’t had the chance to take a break today,” she admits, sighing.
“You can take your break now then.”
“Now?”
He nods firmly. “Just stay here and rest your legs. They’ll understand.”
She doesn’t argue, deciding to listen to him. She’d been craving to sit down for a long while now, everyone too busy talking to each other to pay her any attention. It had been such a long day, she can’t believe it’s not even five yet.
Giyuu’s gaze sweeps over her, never once leaving.
“What is it?”
He shrugs, scratching his temple. “I think you did a great job with the wedding.”
She blinks, turning to face him fully. No one has actually complimented her for the work she’d put into the wedding yet, aside from her sisters, and it feels nice seeing her work appreciated.
“You do?”
Giyuu nods, looking around. “It’s one of the best weddings I’ve been to.”
“Have you been to a lot Tomioka-san?”
“Only three actually,” he admits, looking a little sheepish. “My sister’s one was my favourite.”
“How was it?”
“She opted for a traditional wedding. I did cry a little bit.”
She looks at him, a small smile creeping its way onto her lips. It’s not every day she hears him admit to crying. She’s never actually seen it happen before, but she is quite curious.
“You did?”
He nods, “I did. She is my older sister after all.”
That, she can relate to. The ceremony itself had been breathtaking. While the decorations weren’t too extravagant, she felt as though it’d captured her sister perfectly. There had been so much love radiating inside that one chapel, it had made her emotional.
But moreso the fact that her older sister had really grown up. It feels as though it’d been just yesterday when Kanae had been talking to her about her dream wedding. To think it’s actually happened now still doesn’t feel real.
“But she’s happy, and I’m happy for her,” he continues, smiling to himself.
“I am too. I know onee-san is really happy.”
“Shinazugawa is really happy too.”
She smiles to herself. “He is, they both are. I look at them, and I feel amazed that I get to witness something like this. To have such a strong connection is something rare to come by.”
“Do you have one yet?”
Shinobu raises a brow, “Have what?”
“A strong connection?”
Honestly, not yet. She’s dated a few people in the past sure, but never did her feelings reach the levels her sister has for Sanemi. Kanae has told her that someone is out there for her, and while she likes to entertain her and agree, it’s difficult waiting.
“No, not at the moment. It’s difficult finding someone like that.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
Her brows crease together, not knowing where he’s going. They’ve never had a conversation along these lines before, so she’s not too sure what he thinks of romance. She suspects he’s a bit of an idiot with matters of the heart; he does seem like the very dense type.
But as far as she knows, he’s had dates in the past. So maybe, he’s blown away all her expectations again?
“Why? Have you found someone you share that strong connection with yet?”
“Maybe.”
Her eyes widen. Shinobu immediately inches closer, eager to what else he has to say next. Giyuu? Telling her about his romantic experiences? She didn’t think she’d need this till now.
“Maybe? Explain it to me, Tomioka-san. I have time.”
Giyuu avoids her gaze, his fingers playing with the ends of his tuxedo sleeves. If she looks closely enough, she can see him sporting a faint blush. But that’s the least of her concern right now.
“There is someone I want to connect with.”
“There is?”
He nods. “But I don’t know if it’s mutual.”
“May I ask who it is?”
He scratches the back of his head, shuffling in his seat. She’s never seen him so nervous before. It’s quite a strange sight.
But also rather endearing.
“It’s, um, it’s you, Kochou.”
Maybe she’s actually the dense one after all.