ajisai | s. shinichiro

二十九

"Left, right. Left, right." Airi repeats, extending her arms then legs out just like how Shinichiro's teaching her. All the while Airi memorizes and copies his actions, he pretends to dodge her attacks.

"You're doing great!" Shinichiro says. "But you're still slow. You should do it faster this time." He adds.

All the while Shinichiro and Airi are standing in the middle of the dojo room, the children sat in one line on the side.

"I never thought I'd never see the day that Shinichiro would step into the dojo again." Grandpa Sano comments, still wearing his uniform, hands resting on top of his hips.

"He usually avoids the dojo, doesn't he?" Mikey asks

"He does." Grandpa Sano confirms. "He goes outside to avoid being in the dojo." He then turns his head to look at Baji. "You have no reason to end like him. You got that, Keisuke?!"

"Yes teacher!"

"But Shin nii's doing things he doesn't like to do before" Emma chimes in. "He doesn't do chores nor step into the kitchen, but he does those things now!"

"Yeah" Izana says. "One time I caught him wiping the floors of the living room and dusting off the furniture"

"He even asked me how to cook rice!" Emma says, chuckling softly. "But Shin nii only does the cleaning when he knows that older sister is coming over!"

Grandpa Sano huffs, watching the two older teenagers inside the dojo. "Let's have her move in with us so Shinichiro does house chores more often."

"What if I hurt you?" Airi expresses, hesitating to throw a punch at him.

"You won't hurt me, love." Shinichiro says, assuring her. "Before you can even throw a punch I'll-" Whatever he was about to say, he didn't finished as Airi extended her left hand out to throw a punch at him, followed by another punch with her right hand then a kick with her left then right feet.

Laying flat down on the ground with his arms and legs sprawled over, Airi takes a step closer to him, hovering above his head. "Sorry." She says, frowning at him.

As the scene unfolds to the children and Grandpa Sano, they couldn't help but gawk, gasp and have their eyes widen in surprise.

. . . . . . . . . . ♡

"I'll be going home now" Airi bids, squatting while waving her hand at them. "I'll bring them these two first" She adds, referring to Kakucho and Takemichi.

"I'll come with you!" Shinichiro offers, getting up from the floor and on his feet.

"I want to come along!" Mikey says, raising his hand up in the air.

"I want to come too!" said Emma

"Dibs on getting to hold Airi nee's hand!" Izana responded, immediately rushing to Airi's side.

"Oi!" Mikey shouts, rushing over to get to Airi's other side.

Shinichiro could only let out a huff. "Maybe next time you come over, I'll lock up these two in their room or something!"

As Shinichiro holds Emma's hand, Airi holds onto both Izana's and Mikey's while Kakucho and Takemichi walk forward. Despite being ahead of Shinichiro, the older male is glaring at his two younger brothers, he wanted to hold Airi's hand for himself.

"Me and Kaku chan live in one house!" Takemichi shares, turning around to look at them.

"Really?" Airi asks

Takemichi nods his head eagerly. "My parents were kind enough to take him in! We even sleep in the same bedroom!"

"What do you mean?" It was Shinichiro's turn to ask.

It was Kakucho's turn to turn around, walking backwards. "The reason why I got this scar is because we got into an accident. I was the only one left alive after." He replies, shrugging his shoulders afterwards. "Or so I would like to believe."

"Don't you have any siblings?" Airi asks again

"I don't remember" Kakucho responded. "But if ever I knew I have a brother...I guess I'll give him lots of love!"

Hearing his answer warmed Airi, a smile painting on her lips as she gently swings both her hands holding onto Mikey's and Izana's.

"This is our house now!" Takemichi beams, pointing at his house.

"Thank you for taking us home!" Both Takemichi and Kakucho says, bowing their heads to them.

"I had fun playing with you, Kakucho!" Izana says, "Let's play again sometime!"

"I don't want to play with you anymore!" Kakucho huffs, stomping away. "You put sand in my shoes and ice inside my clothes!" He reasons, leaving Izana laughing to himself.

"Bye bye, Takemichi!" Mikey bids, waving his hands to him. "Come over to my house again and I'll introduce you to my other friends!"

. . . . . . . . . . ♡

"Hooray! Luna is already beginning to learn how to walk!" Airi beams, a bright smile on her face as Luna waddles and wanders around their house in her own little walker.

"She is, isn't she?" Her mother asks, watching Luna follow Takashi in her walker. "And you've been working so hard, you deserve to take a rest!"

"Not that I can" Airi responded, raising her knees up to her chest. "There's a few months left until the entrance exams. I have to be ready for that."

"Who says you can't unwind?" Her mother says. "Enjoy the calm before the storm! Go to a water park or a carnival!"

"I'll try to remember that!" Airi says, chuckling softly to herself.

As the clock strikes t three in the morning, Airi is asleep on her bed, sleeping in one side with her mouth slightly parted and her phone just within her reach. The lilac haired girl is sleeping soundly until her phone begins to ring, disrupting her sleep as she reaches out to answer it. Seeing Shinichiro's name in the caller ID.

"Go to sleep, Shin." Are Airi's first words as she answers his call.

"I can't so I called you" He replies. "And while I can't sleep, I'm suddenly reminded that I have such a pretty and cute girlfriend like you. It's so crazy to think about it!"

"What's crazy is how you kept asking me out. Twenty times, remember?" Airi responded, closing her eyes as she has her phone pressed against her ear.

"So...you were thinking of me twenty times? Is that it?"

"Never mind. Good night."

"No wait! I have a question!" Shinichiro rushes.

"What is it?" She asks. "Can't you reserve your question in the morning?"

"But I wanna know now!" He urges her. "Do you like me, Airi chan?"

"Shin, it's three in the morning."

"Yeah I know, but did you agree to date me as a friend or like something more than that? Please specify." 

It is at this point that sleepiness is slowly fading away from her eyelids as Shinichiro's question slightly woke up her up.

"Hey Airi chan, do you still like me?" Shinichiro asks when Airi became silent. "You're so quiet over there"

"Yes Shin" Airi replies. "I really, really like you" She adds, when all of a sudden an idea popped into her mind. "Or do I?"

"Don't be like that or I will cry!"