Shigure's Heart

Part 1

"You came." He said as he opened the door and I smiled.

"Of course. You need me." I walked in through the hallway, as he followed me.

"It happened again isnt it?" I asked, as I looked at the state of the kitchen and then to his room. "shigure-san?"

He came closer and I put my bag on the floor, unbuttoning my blouse.

His eyes watered, filled with sadness and loneliness and I smiled, taking his glasses off and pulled him into his room, closing the door behind him.

"You went back to Soma Estate huh?" I asked. He was lying next to me, 2 hours later, 3 times he changed into his zodiac form and I laughed heartily.

"hmm" He hummed and I sat up, reaching for my blouse.

"How do you know?" He asked and I looked at him, his bare chest lit by the moonlight. We barely have room on the floor with stacks of his books scattered around.

"Because I like you." I whispered and I smiled, and he pulled me in for another kiss.

I stood up, throwing his yukata at him as I pulled my panties up.

"Come lets get some konbini dinner" I held out my hand to him, as he snapped out of his thoughts.

"Why... do you stay with me?" He asked, as we were walking back from the 24 hours mart, with plastic bag of convenient food in towed.

"why huh?...." I thought to myself. "Shigure san you... know that I like you." I replied.

"But I cant return that feeling-"

"I know." I cut his words mid sentence. "I know.. you dont need to remind me of that"

"Then? I dont want.. to take advantage of you" He asked again, stopped in his track. I smiled.

The Shigure I used to know never hesitated to manipulate people. But with me, somehow, he became a completely different man.

"Because... you are a kind man, Shigure san" I said and the wind blew almost knowing that the moment is  eventful, the cold wind blew.

"Im weak, intolerrant and worthless. I am the worst kind of man" He whispered and I sighed, smiling.

Yet again, he muttered the same thing, yet again.

***************************

2 years ago

"Nice to meet you! I am your editor. Welcome to the company Kiritani sensei" I opened the meeting room door and saw a man wearing yukata reading a book sitting at the meeting table and I blinked.

"Hey.. I think I got the wrong room-" I closed the door slowly, before the man stood up and block the door from closing with his feet.

"I am Noa Kiritani" He answered and my eyes blinked faster.

A man??!! Noa Kiritani is a man???????

"Aaaaaah why are you so judgmental? How can you become my editor if you are like this" He said,folding his arms under his yukata, closing his eyes and thinking.

This guy is really something. a weirdo? is he crazy? is he...

"I was thinking that the company will get me an experienced editor that's why I agree to this" He complained and rolled his eyes.

Ah! the lightbulb flickered in my brain.

"Pervert"

He stopped talking and I realised I said it out loud.

"No, its my fault, please dont leave. Please stop." I said, panicking as I held his yukata when he tried to storm out of the room.

"So Kiritani sensei, for your information, I am highly experienced in this department"

"what department? erotic stuff department?" He asked and winked at me. "Can you... teach me?"

I held my breath in contempt. "Please dont make me throw this tea at you."

So that was when we started, 2 years ago. He was starting to write erotic series, while publishing a non fiction, serious book on another side, under a different editor, different nickname.

Since the other editor is a man, he often asked me to help hin in meeting Shigure san and handling the manuscript since Shigure san is always making things hard for male editors.

"Why do you like to tease him?" I asked, as he accompanied me to the train station, after a drinking session with the editors and other authors.

"hmmmm"He thinks hard.

"Why do you even need to think that hard." I frowned and he grinned

"Generally I treat everyone bad" He answered and I pursed my lips.

Theres no way I can get serious answer from this man.

"But I am serious with you" He continued.

"yes yes" I waived my hand as a goodbye.

"Im serious." He said, as he caught my wrist. "I think, I am very serious"

My heart fluttered and I frowned, searching for the truth in his pained eyes.

"I dont know your house is this close to the city." I said, as he wrapped his yukata around my naked body.

It was weird, I have never experience things like this but its weird.

I laughed so hard when he said he wanted to show me something, in the heat of the moment.

He suddenly pulled me towards his chest and suddenly he is gone, replaced by a black dog in his  yukata.

he said it was a curse in his family and I laughed out loud, shaking my head.

"You are interesting shigure san. I like that" I wiped my tears from the corner of my eyes.

"I like you" I said, placing my forehead on his, in his dog form. Suddenly a pink cloud burst and he is back to becoming human again.

"This is Soma's land. Ive been living here alone since I was in my early 20s." He set down a cup of tea on the table.

I looked at the calming view of the pond and the starry night.

Realising he is staring at me, I turned my head and smiled, and he reached out to held my face and kissed me.

" I am a weak, intolerrant and worthless. I am the worst kind of man" He suddenly said, as he pull away and I sighed, smiling.

I was surprised with his statement and he looked away, stressed out.

"Let me be the judge of that." I replied and his face reddened, "Because right now, I like this man" I smiled and I went in for another kiss.

******************

As we were standing surrounded by the bamboo trees, I shivered with the cold icy autumn wind. I felt the weight of the plastic bag and sighed, putting it on the ground.

I shook my head lightly and I pulled his hand and held it tight,placing them on my cheek.

" I'm just a bad man who is taking an advantage of you. And I am guilty for making you stay with me" His face gaunt and I sighed.

"Do you think, I care if you are a weak, intolerrant and worthless man?" I asked, tears welling up.

Yet again, he said that. Yet again, he questioned my feelings towards him.

His eyes was wide opened, as he realized my tears fell on my cheek.

"I love you, shigure san. No matter who you are" And I smiled.

His facial expression changed, and his eyes smiled, as he rested his head on my shoulder and he breathed raggedly.

"Thank you."