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1. Crush
As his partner for years, it went without saying that Aoyagi Touya was the person who had spent most time with Shinonome Akito. Touya got plenty of new information by being in this distance. From family issue to his fear for dogs that he tried to hide from other people, he was aware about them all. He might not be as perceptive as Akito in noticing what's wrong, but he could also notice a lot of things from his partner. For example, how Akito had been watching a certain someone a lot these days.
"Akito, is there anything wrong with Shiraishi?"
The guy blinked his eyes a few times when Touya suddenly asked a strange question in their walk home.
"Why are you asking that to me? If you want to know something about her, isn't it better to ask Kohane or Ken-san?"
"No, that's not it. Azusawa and Ken-san wouldn't know about this," Touya lightly shook his head. "I'm asking Akito because you've been staring at Shiraishi a lot."
"...Ha?" Akito tried to keep his expression neutral, but Touya didn't fail to catch how his shoulders tensed. As if he was a culprit that got caught in the act. "You must be imagining things... I'm just checking the condition of our team as usual."
"Is that so...? Hmm, I see. Yeah, that's very Akito."
The taller man just nodded to his words, despite actually not buying it at all. It even added more to his suspicion the way Akito visibly looked relieved when he didn't inquire more about it. Checking the team's condition, he repeated inside his mind. That might be true, but... did Akito really not notice?
Just a bit of test might not be so bad.
"Come to think of it, I think I saw Shiraishi looking gloom in the hallway today. Do you know anything, Akito?"
"Ah, yeah. She got a red mark in her math quiz today."
"Two days ago something good seemed to happen to Shiraishi, I didn't get to ask what it was though."
"That time her coffee brew was improving, so she got praised by Ken-san. She was standing behind the counter with this silly smile on her face all day while bragging about it nonstop."
"Shiraishi's favorite tea these days?"
"Spiced apple tea, she brew the spices herself."
"I see."
"Yeah."
"I see... that Akito knows a lot about Shiraishi. As I thought, you're paying attention to your surroundings, but you're paying even more extra attention to her. Maybe Akito is Shiraishipedia after all."
"Wha—!? What the hell are you even talking about, Touya!? I just answer because you asked in the first place! Oi, don't just walk away like that! Listen to me, I said!"
There were a lot of things that Aoyagi Touya noticed about Shinonome Akito while he was standing by his side as his partner.
One of them was how this partner of his seemed to finally experience the spring of youth in his life.
2. Confession
One night, Azusawa Kohane tilted her head at the massive amount of missed calls and messages notifications on her phone just after she was done with her school studies. The caller was none other than her partner, An. Worrying that there was something urgent, Kohane quickly called her back. Even before she said anything, the person in the other side of the call already cried out to her.
"Kohaneee..."
Her voice sounded like she was in need of help, Kohane panicked. "A-An-chan? What's wrong? Did something happen to you??"
There was silence for a while and the voice that came after that was strangely small compared to her cry from earlier. "Kohane... today..." She started slowly while Kohane waited in anticipation. "Today... Akito confessed to me. Since Kohane and Touya had club activities, we were practicing together... then suddenly Akito asked if I want to go out with him. The whole event felt so unreal that I was at lost of words... Kohane..."
"—!?"
It took a lot of effort for her to refrain from squealing out loud.
After all An had been telling her about her crush towards a certain orange-haired guy from a while now. Of course she was happy to hear her partner's feelings weren't one sided after all.
"Congratulations, An-chan!! So you guys are dating now?" Kohane congratulated her in genuine happiness, but there was no response from the other side. "An-chan...?"
"... I haven't given Akito an answer yet."
"Eh, why? You like Shinonome-kun, don't you... An-chan?"
We talked a lot about our own crush in our occasional girls talk, Kohane was sure of it. There was no way her partner who looked so cute talking about her crush while fumbling with the hem of her jacket and a faint blush on her face would have a change of heart so suddenly. I know you like Shinonome-kun a lot, so what's stopping you from giving him answer?
"Of course I want to say yes... I was about to scream 'I like you too' right at the spot and jumped to hug him earlier! ...But, then the thought of RAD WEEKEND, about our dream, comes to my mind... Is it really okay for us to think about relationship when we have our dream to chase?"
'I feel kind of bad' Kohane barely caught her muttering in a small voice.
I see, so that's it, Kohane clenched her fist over her chest. Even with only her voice, she could imagine clearly how An would be burying her face in her knees right now. A high school girl being trapped in dilemma over her first love and the choices between love and dream sounded like some shoujo manga that she liked to read, but there was never a need for her to make a choice.
"It's okay, An-chan," Kohane said, in the most reassuring voice that she could muster, hoping it would reach her clearly. "An-chan and Shinonome-kun... Even if you guys date each other, your effort for our dream won't change. You and Shinonome-kun aren't the kind of person who would change your priorities so easily, and on top of everything, I will always believe in An-chan!"
"Kohane..."
"That's why... if you like Shinonome-kun you should say it honestly to him, alright?
"Mhm... thank you, Kohane. I will fully support Kohane's feelings for Touya as well!!!"
"Wahh, An-chan! why are we suddenly talking about that now~!?"
Her partner would rely on her and it wasn't only about singing, Azusawa Kohane felt happy by the fact.
A girl in love was always cute, but her partner who consulted to her about her love matter in a flustered voice after getting confessed was the cutest.
3. Dating
Mita Kotaro had always kept his suspicion about the two of them to himself, fearing Akito would just look at him in disgust if he were to ask about it to him directly. That was why, when he happened to see the two familiar people in this unfamiliar sight with his own eyes, his jaw hung slack. Maybe if he was a character of some kids cartoon on the TV, his eyeballs would fall from their sockets right now.
His plan for today was just treating himself to some sweets in a newly-opened patisserie when he spotted Akito and An entering the store together in their school uniform. Kotaro unconsciously let out an impressed 'ooh~' as Akito was naturally holding the door open for An. They didn't seem to notice him as they walked to the counter, so Kotaro also didn't call out to them so he could observe them silently from his spot.
With the eye-catching hair color and piercings, they looked like some stylish couple on a date.
Maybe some people would even think that they were some delinquents skipping school to go on a date.
Either way, Kotaro was sure people who didn't know them would also agree that they looked good visually standing side by side like this.
So, Akito and Shiraishi are dating after all, Kotaro watched as he took a bite of his strawberry shortcake. There was a strange sense of satisfaction in him for having his suspicion confirmed. It was almost as if he was a father who felt proud of his son's successful love life. After all he already knew him from back when he was still going on solo until this point that he ended up turning into Vivid BAD SQUAD's fan. He was one of the people who had known Shinonome Akito for the longest in Vivid Street. He had watched him growing all this time.
To think that one-minded Akito would get a girlfriend before me, Kotaro scowled as he felt sorry for himself, before noticing something interesting that got him raising his brows.
Shiraishi An was bowing down a bit, looking around the cakes in the glass shelving. Naturally it would be a risky stance for such a short skirt like that since it could get hiked up, but Akito moved a bit to stand behind her, completely blocking the view without saying anything. When she finally decided on which cake to buy and stood normally, Akito returned to his initial spot again before An even noticed that he had changed position.
Whoa, Kotaro couldn't help but stare in awe as they left the store hand-in-hand. That Akito...
"...He's actually being a good boyfriend..."
The feeling of a proud guardian was really strong inside him right now.
4. Living Together
"Oh, Shinonome-kun? Hey, what a coincidence! Long time no see~"
"Geh..."
Touno Arata chuckled at the honest reaction he got from the guy in front of him. He didn't even put a quarter of effort to hide the annoyed look on his face. Haha, it's the usual shinonome-kun, Arata thought in amusement.
"It's been years, huh?" he chose to ignore Akito's reluctance to talk to him and continue talking, completely having fun of his easily-irritable personality. "The last time was... Four years ago when you guys beat me up on surpassing RAD WEEKEND, wasn't it? Yeah, that was such a great event. I admitted my defeat. Are you still singing frequently with the others now, Shinonome-kun?"
"We still sing for live houses sometimes... but yeah, not as often as before. We're in our last year of college after all."
"I see, I can understand that," the older man nodded in understanding. "Anyway, what are you doing here? I mean... it's the women pads aisle, you know?"
"Ah..." Akito blinked, realizing what he was doing before Arata approached him. From someone else's point of view it might look awkward for two grown men to exchange nostalgic greetings in front of the sanitary pads aisle. "An asked me to buy some for her."
A familiar name suddenly came out and Arata raised a brow. "Oh, so it's for An-chan?" The way Akito looked at him changed a bit, scarier than before, the moment he called her name in an intimate way, but he ignored it again. "That's a bit surprising... well, it's nice to know Vivid BAD SQUAD is still as close as ever even after years. Are you going to An-chan's place after this? I heard from Ken-san that she started living alone after going to college. Shinonome-kun can even go this far for your teammate, huh?"
"No, I'm not doing this for my teammate... and technically she isn't living alone."
Arata tilted his head, having a bit difficulty to process the response. "...Hmm? How about you then, Shinonome-kun? Are you living by yourself now? Maybe I can come crashing there sometimes, I will bring you some tasty snacks I got from overseas."
Akito didn't answer him for a while. He seemed to finally find the brand he was looking for and immediately took it from the shelf.
"It's the same."
"... Eh?"
"My place and An's place, they're the same. So, if you're going to come make sure you got something for her as well. It's the apartment near the station. You can just ask Ken-san for the details."
Before he could even reply to confirm the strange statement, a phone suddenly rang from somewhere. It wasn't his ringtone, so it must be from Akito's phone. He looked panicked after checking the caller ID. "Crap, An's already calling for me... I should get going now. Catch up with you next time, Touno."
Arata waved his hand as the other man started walking away while picking up his call.
"An? Yeah, yeah, I'm on my way right now. It's because you're very picky about the brand, so I have to check several stores to find it. Hm? Are you sure you don't need the painkiller? Your mood swings are the worst when you're in your period, you know? ...Alright, I get it. I will just get you your favorite tea then."
Even after he left, he could still catch the conversation between them faintly and the pieces of information that he was confused about finally got arranged with a click in his mind. The corner of his mouth raised into a grin. "Haha, so that's it," he muttered, letting out a small laugh. He didn't get to talk with them much the last time they met, so he wasn't aware there was this kind of interesting development.
Thinking about visiting WEEKEND GARAGE in near time, it would be nice to ask about their place while also congratulating Ken-san for having a soon-to-be son-in-law.
5. Proposal
For all the years of him knowing Shinonome Akito, Shiraishi Ken never once had a doubt that he was a good and capable guy. There was a time that he imagined a scene about him and his only daughter when he told him about how he wanted someone like him as his father. At that time he laughed his imagination off, thinking it was too much of stretch even for an imaginary scene.
Yet, who would've thought that this time would actually come.
"Please let me marry your daughter. I will surely treat her well for my whole life."
Him and his wife were currently sitting side by side, facing their only daughter and a man with a determined look in his eyes. His declaration came out in a crystal clear voice without an ounce of hesitation. He liked it a lot, how this man in front of him always had a strong resolution once he decided on something. After all there was no way he would give his only daughter to a man who would waver with every little shake.
If anything, Shinonome Akito would be the one he could trust the most to take care of his daughter.
The only answer he could give would be yes, then there was only one more problem left. He glanced at his wife, who was still giving Akito a judging stare.
"An," Mrs. Shiraishi finally spoke, calling on her daughter's name. He didn't fail to notice how Akito jumped a bit at her sudden voice. She continued after An looked up to her, "Are you sure about choosing him as someone you'll spend your life with?"
An nodded firmly, her hand was probably squeezing Akito's hand under the table. "You know I'm always sure about my choices!"
"Is that so? Even though you always complained to me about how he almost never gives you compliment? Or about how he's a two-faced who only keeps his nice face to strangers? Or... Ah, yeah, there was also time when you told me that he's almost comparable to me in terms of nagging you. Despite those things, are you really sure about choosing him?"
An's mother mentioned one by one while counting it with her fingers. Akito threw an accusing glance at An, looking at her in disbelief. 'You've been complaining about your boyfriend to your mother?' was written clearly on his face and An sweated.
"T-that's a different matter! I might've complained, but it's not like I'm actually unhappy about it," She quickly corrected before Akito gave her more of that accusing look and pricked guilt to her conscience. "Akito rarely tells me sweet things like giving me compliments or other verbal affection and there were times when it frustrated me, but he always shows it with his action. One time Akito mocked me for being excited about celebrating our anniversary, but then he gave me a gift that seemed to already be prepared beforehand. Not so honest, isn't he? Even though he was actually the one who already looked forward to it more."
The Shiraishis looked at him, Akito coughed.
"Akito might not be the most honest man, I know that more than anyone. Even so, he's always so caring and attentive. He doesn't always tell me that he loves me, but he shows me that I'm the only one for him. I've come to understand this side of him well and I'm confident to say I want to spend the rest of my life with Akito."
The room was silent for a while, both An and Akito seemed to be nervous while An's parents were exchanging glances with each other.
"Ah, as I thought... it's not good..."
Akito was about to get depressed but then Mrs. Shiraishi continued her words.
"As I thought... it's not good to delay the discussion any longer. Did you guys already decide on the date? I think it would be nice to hold the ceremony in Autumn."
Ken-san unconsciously let out a sigh of relief, while An jumped to hug Akito happily. After she let go of her hug, Akito bowed politely to the two of them.
"Thank you very much! I promise I'll make An happy!"
"Of course," Ken-san said. "If you make my precious daughter unhappy then you wouldn't be able to eat my pancakes anymore ever again, alright? Do you understand the dire situation you're in, Akito?"
"I-I understand!"
"Aren't you glad that your wish is granted in the end after all, Akito?" he teased a bit, and Akito turned red when he finally understood what he meant.
"K-ken-san! That was—!!"
"Wrong, call me father from now on."
"—!?"
As laughter filled the room, his wife nudged on his side lightly.
"Aren't you feeling lonely you're going to let go of your only daughter so soon?"
"Haha... that might be so," he stared at the happy couple in front of him. "But, I have my full faith on him."
I always wish the best for you, An, Akito.
6. Marriage
"Mizuki... you don't have to cry like that. Why are you crying even more than me?"
Akiyama Mizuki sobbed hard while Kohane helped them wiping the tears from the corner of their eyes. Seeing An looking so beautiful with the make up, dress, and hairdo that they coordinated together with Ena for her big life event really brought tears to their eyes, especially when they had always wanted to play makeover and dress her up back in high school.
To think the time when they were finally able to do that was for her wedding, and with Shinonome Akito on top of it.
The time when they used to tease the both of them for their dishonesty felt like fever dream now.
"But, An... You're so so so so pretty!" Mizuki once again held her face to admire their own work, careful as not to ruin the make up and the hairdo. "It's okay, right? Kohane-chan also had her crying session earlier, so it's my turn now!"
Ena nudged their side lightly while Kohane laughed awkwardly at their remark, "Hey, Mizuki... stop bothering my sister-in-law. You're gonna ruin her make up."
"It's okay, I'm being careful! After all it's the make up I worked so hard for... Otouto-kun will surely be lost of words at this! As expected of my skill~"
"I know, right? Even someone so dishonest like him will have no other choice but to compliment her if she's this pretty. As expected of my fashion sense."
"No, no, Ena. Of course it's because of my make up skill! Don't you see how I can bring out her charm by choosing the perfect color for her?"
"An already has a nice face to begin with so it's surely for my skill, isn't it?"
"The both of you have amazing skills!" Kohane said excitedly, easing the atmosphere. "The dress and accessories Shinonome-san picked look really great on An-chan, and Akiyama-san's make up looks very elegant. All of them match well because you both worked together to coordinate it! An-chan is really pretty~!!"
"Kohane's right... I really thank both of you. Thank you very much for your big help today, Mizuki, Onee-san. I'm right to trust this matter to you guys after all~"
Mizuki and Ena both went 'An~" before proceeded to hug her. Suddenly the door opened, it was her childhood friend holding the doorknob.
"An, are you done dressing? Your groom wants to come in."
"Oh, yeah. I'm done! Just let him in, Haruka!"
"She said you can enter now, Shinonome-san," Haruka said to the man behind the door, getting his thanks in response.
"An? I'm here to—"
Mizuki watched with their own eyes as Akito walked into the room then froze right away the moment he laid his eyes at his bride. His words were cut and left hanging in the air, unable to finish them. They exchanged a knowing look with Ena, confirming that they were thinking about the same thing. Mizuki clapped their hands to get the whole room attention.
"Alright! Since our work here is done, let's give some time for the couple!" They flashed an amused grin at An when she hissed 'Hey, Mizuki!' with a blushing face, totally enjoying it. Turned out there wasn't much change between now and then when they were still in high school, Mizuki silently thought while smiling. Walking past Akito, they gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder.
"Make her happy, Otouto-kun~"
"... It's obvious, isn't it? You don't have to tell me that."
Humming happily, Mizuki was glad to be able to catch his response before the door closed.
7. Marriage (2)
Even as a childhood friend who had known An for the longest time, there were only a small number of times that Kiritani Haruka was able to see her crying face.
After all she had always maintained the image of the ever so strong and confident Shiraishi An. A very considerate friend who could easily read right through her and never treated with discrimination even after she became an idol. There wasn't much occasion for her to see those brilliant honey-colored eyes got clouded with tears. Maybe only around three times? She could even count that with her fingers.
The first time was when they were in elementary school, she remembered how An cried because she couldn't participate in her favorite sport festival because of her cold. While the second time was when she consulted about her problem with her partner to her.
And the third time was, now.
"You may kiss the bride."
Shinonome Akito lifted her veil, revealing a very beautiful bride who gave him the happiest smile. Hot tears streamed down her face, slightly ruining the make up that her friend had worked so hard for her. Yet, she was still looking the prettiest, the groom must have also think like that. Since even though he was supposed to kiss her, he just stared at her happily crying face, his heart in his throat. Haruka and the others who watched the scene would agree that the groom was falling for the bride all over again.
So beautiful and beaming, a single drop of tear then suddenly trickled down his cheek.
He panicked when he realized this, frantically pressing the heel of his palm to the corner of his eyes to wipe his tears. An laughed, stroking the groom's face gently, "Ahaha... why are you crying too, Akito? Now both our faces are ruined with tears."
"Shut up... I don't know, it just came out."
"That's because you're happy, the same as me."
"...Ha," Akito let out a small laugh at his bride's confident grin. "You're always so confident in having your own say about my feelings, you know?"
"And I know I'm always right~"
There was nothing to deny from her words. Holding her chin, An closed her eyes as he slowly brought his face closer. The distance between them was finally reduced to zero and the sound of cheers from the audiences soon filled the room.
Haruka too, wiped a single tear from the corner of her eye.
She might not know Shinonome Akito that well except from the stories she heard from An sometimes, which were in the form of complaints most of the times. Even so, just by looking at them now Haruka was sure that he was the right person for her, to have and to hold, as they united and bonded their lives. There was no doubt about it anymore in her heart.
"Congratulations, An."
The third time Kiritani Haruka saw An's crying face was also the same time as the happiest look she ever saw on her childhood friend's face.
8. First Pregnancy
It was only yesterday when Shinonome Ena got a sudden call from her little brother. A small request of help to accompany his pregnant wife, which also meant her sister-in-law, for her checkup today. "Are you stupid? You're her husband," was what Ena about to say, before she sensed the sincerity in his voice.
"I suddenly got a call from my workplace, so I can't go. That's why I want you to go with An for her checkup tomorrow. Please, Ena."
That little brother of hers, who was usually too proud to ask for something from her, called her just to make a request for his wife's sake. There was no way she could say no to this kind of request even though she could just use her day off to get the sleep that she lost in her workdays, especially for the sake of her cute sister-in-law. Ena immediately agreed to the request.
That was how she ended up spending her day off with An today.
"I'm glad your baby is growing well, An."
"Yes, thank you! I'm sorry Onee-san has to go with me today. I told Akito it would be fine for me to go alone, but he wouldn't believe it."
"It's okay, it's okay. It's my day off anyway!" Ena waved her hands to ease An's worry about bothering her. "Besides, it'll be very worrying if you go to the checkup alone! Anyway, that idiot... to think he still has to go to work on his wife's checkup day..."
"Ahaha, he's busy too, so it can't be helped. Akito already apologized enough yesterday. He looked so guilty bowing his head like that, I almost mistook him as a scolded dog."
"Eh? You're lying... that Akito, for real?"
"Yes, that Akito!"
Ena gasped in awe while An laughed. Akito didn't just make a rare request to her for An's sake, but also bowing for forgiveness. 'Are you sure to choose Akito?' She used to tease An a few times together with Mizuki before, which An would reply with a firm 'Yes!'. So, that brat could actually change this much, Ena was still in disbelief. Hearing this, she was really impressed with Akito's support for An. He was really being a devoted husband.
Maybe some people really do change when they're gonna become a parent, she couldn't help but wonder.
It was only few months ago when the Shinonome household heard the news that their daughter-in-law was pregnant. Ena also heard from An afterwards that Akito was unusually shedding tears the moment she told him the happy news. If he already cried over the pregnant news, she wondered how that little brother of hers would react once the baby was born. Will he pass out? She heard some men really did pass out when they witnessed their wives giving birth.
It wasn't an easy thing to overcome for the both of them, but according to the checkup it seemed that the baby was growing healthily in her belly. Back in her first few months of pregnancy, An used to have a really bad morning sickness. Akito was very anxious when she started getting weaker day by day since she couldn't eat any food at all. Ena remembered how Akito would call their mother frequently around this time. The voice that she eavesdropped from the phone was really weak, like he was in the verge of collapsing because of the sense of helplessness.
Seeing how the woman next to her was laughing and smiling happily like this now, Ena was truly glad they managed to overcome it together.
"Are you going to go straight home now, An?"
"Oh, right... Maybe I wil—" Her phone suddenly rang, An quickly checked the caller ID. "Sorry, Onee-san. I'm gonna answer the call for a bit, it's from Akito."
"He must want to make sure that you're okay... he really can't stop worrying, can he? Then let's just take a rest over there," Ena lead her to a nearby bench, and they sat down on it as An answered the call.
"Hello, Akito? Mhm, I'm already done with the checkup. Did you just finish your work? Good work today. Yeah... I'm about to go home now. Hm? You're coming here? There's no need! Onee-san is accompanying me just fine! Eh, you're already near here? Me? I'm on the bench in front of the hospital. Ah, okay. I'll be waiting for you here then."
Ena listened silently to the conversation. It seemed Akito was already coming to pick her up. "Akito is coming here?" she asked after she ended the call which An responded with a nod. "Huum... there goes my outing with my sister-in-law. It got cut short because her husband is a bit too overprotective," Ena said, and An laughed at her sulky act.
Not long after she could see a familiar man running towards them.
"Is everything okay?" was what Akito asked his wife as soon as he arrived. There wasn't even a brief greeting for his own sister. He is setting his priorities right, isn't he? Ena thought to herself, but her slight annoyance about it soon all disappeared when she looked at the gentle look on his face as he worried about his wife. It was a look that she had never seen on her brother's face even though they lived in the same house for nineteen years.
There were a lot of surprises that Ena noticed today.
"Ena too, sorry for troubling you on your day off like this. Thank you for accompanying An today," Akito finally turned to her then bowed his head politely, it was a bit of a strange sight. "I will treat you as thanks later."
"Nah, there's no need for that. I'm happy to spend my day off with An as well. We're having fun, right~?" She exchanged smiles with An before getting up. "Since Akito is already here, I'll be excusing mysel—"
"Oi, where are you going? We're planning to grab a bite first, you should join us. I will also take you home later," Akito said as he took An's bag and helped her stand. "You guys still want to spend time together, right? So, don't just leave by yourself like that."
"Yes, please join us! I still want to talk with Onee-san, is that okay?"
"Eh... well, I guess it's fine."
"Hehe~"
An happily clung to her arm as she agreed, which wasn't for long before Akito gently pulled her towards him to hold her protectively by the shoulder. There was a small argument between them, with An saying she wasn't so weak anymore that she couldn't walk by herself. Yet, despite grumbling, she looked very happy while being held in his arm.
As they walked together, Ena stared at the scene.
In a few months there'd be a baby who would enter the picture, her niece, and despite not knowing why, somehow she was sure that they would be even more happy then they were now. Not all parents could do their role right, yet Ena believed they could do it right. After all if Akito made a mistake or even the small bad chance of him turning out like that father of theirs, An could just kick his ass to open his eyes. It was reassuring.
As a sister, it was probably her special privilege to be able to watch this growing bliss closely.