ajisai | s. shinichiro

二十八 x 5k reads special

A few weeks later,

One fine Saturday morning of September 10, 1998, one hand holding onto a box filled with desserts and drinks, Airi walks down the familiar path leading up to the Sano household with the sun shining and the flurry clouds painted up on the blue sky. Clad in a pink dress and red bolero jacket, she couldn't wait to spend time with Shinichiro despite knowing that Izana and Mikey would take a hold on each of her hand and argue between themselves on who'd get her attention first.

"Where did Takemichi go?" She heard a boy ask.

Blinking her eyes and turning left in a corner, Airi had caught sight of a boy with black hair with a prominent scar running from the back of his head to the left side of his face. He walked around the corner she turned with a confused expression clouding on his face while one hand scratched the back of his head.

As a concerned person, she couldn't help but walk closer to him. "Are you lost?" She asks him.

The boy seemed startled by her appearance that he immediately shook his head. "Not really!" He replies. "I'm actually looking for my friend...I lost him on the way since he was running a bit fast." He tells her.

Airi makes a face. "But do you remember where he went to?"

"I think so" He says, pointing a finger forward. "I remember seeing him running over there but then I lost sight of him!"

"That's okay!" She beams to him. "I'm actually on my way there too. Let's go over there together, shall we?"

"Okay!" The boy beams, together they walk side by side in the sidewalk.

"What's your name?" Airi asks, casting her eyes down at him.

"I'm Kakucho!" Kakucho responded, smiling brightly to her. "What about you?"

The older girl couldn't help but mirror the smile he has on his face. "I'm Airi." She introduces. "I'm going this way to meet up with my boyfriend."

"That's so cool!" Kakucho beams. "But I wish I was ten years older so I could meet a pretty girl like you too!"

Chortling, Airi placed a hand on top of his head. "A few years from now, you'll meet someone for you too."

One step, two step, three step, both Kakucho and Airi continued to walk down the same path until they could hear a voice shouting so early in the morning. Upon hearing that voice, Airi couldn't help but be familiarized about it.

"You're not trying to pick a fight are you?!" It was Baji, shouting in the morning as he threw a punch at another child's face.

"Hey Keisuke!" Emma spoke, pointing a finger at Baji. "Don't pick fights in front of other people's houses!"

"Takemichi!" Kakucho shouted, immediately running over to use himself as a shield in front of Takemichi.

"So noisy." Shinichiro mutters to himself, a lollipop stick sticking out of his lips. "Oh, Airi chan, I didn't know you're here already."

"I met this one on my way here." She responded, pertaining to Kakucho. "Who's this kid?" She asks, looking at Takemichi.

Shinichiro shrugs nonchalantly. "No clue." He says, taking the plastic bags from her hands.

"Older sister!" Emma greets, happily skipping in front of her before raising her arms up at her. Airi was more than happy to bend down and carry the little girl in her arms.

"Hey Izana" Shinichiro says, looking at him as he walked out past their gate. "Do you know who this is?"

Turning his head to look at the other three, he shook his head in response. "Nope. Never saw that one before." He says, taking note of the one who had a scar on his face, thinking it was so cool of him for having one.

"Good morning, Shin nii and Airi nee." Sanzu greets, coming from the same direction as Airi and Kakucho walked down earlier.

"Hello Sanzu" Airi greets, still holding onto Emma. "Do you mind telling Baji to bug off?"

Sanzu stops in his tracks, taking a look past the two teenagers. "Oh no, that's so troublesome. I'll leave them be." He responded. "But where's Mikey?"

"Oi Manjiro" Shinichiro calls, watching Mikey as he too walks out past their gate. "Do you know who this kid is?"

Humming, Mikey turns his head to the side, eyes widening before gasping out. "Takemichi?"

"Mikey!" A boy named Takemichi responded, immediately getting up from the ground as both he and Mikey run off to a different direction.

Left alone in the same spot, Airi couldn't help but look after them. "What just happened?"

"Huh?" Baji quizzes

"What are they talking about?" Shinichiro asks

"No clue" Izana responded, turning his attention to Kakucho. "Hey" he begins to say, "That's a really cool scar!" He remarks, turning his head to look at both Shinichiro and Airi. "We'll go play together in the park near here!" He bids.

"At least Izana's making friends!" Airi beams, looking at Shinichiro before turning to look at Emma, Baji and Sanzu. "Let's go inside! I brought desserts enough for everyone!"

Sitting down in one of the benches at the park, both Airi and Shinichiro watched as the children play before them, minus Emma who is currently sitting on top of Airi's lap.

"Look!" Shinichiro points out, "That Kakucho kid is making a sand castle! He's really good at it too..." He remarks. Only to suddenly frown when Izana kicked the sand castle.

"That's...." Airi's words trails off

"That's Izana for you." Shinichiro finishes. Laughing as he watches Kakucho storm off and Izana follow after him.

"Mikey's really good at climbing." Airi comments, watching him stand tall and proud on top of the jungle gym bar. "I'd probably have a hard time climbing that one myself!" She chuckles softly.

A small yet proud smile paints Shinichiro's lips as he watches Mikey have fun with his friends. Humming in content. "Yep." He confirms. "They're all having fun." He says, turning his head to face her. "Hey, since we still have a lot of time for ourselves, let's go to my grandpa's dojo! He should be finished teaching the other children there."

"Hm?" Airi hums, looking at him. "What are we going to do over there?"

"I'll teach you basic self defense!" Shinichiro responded. "So when I'm not around you, which will likely not happen, I'll teach you how to kick and punch by yourself." He says. "Don't worry, most first timers fall in kicking. But I'll be there to catch you!"

"That's so cheesy." Emma suddenly chimes in, looking at Shinichiro.

"You think so too, Emma?" Airi asks, turning her head to look down at the little girl. "I thought so too!"

"Oi, you two stop ganging up on me!"