ajisai | s. shinichiro

三十四 x 8k reads special

Dressed in a sweater, jeans and boots, the foggy mornings were what greeted the three Mitsuya children inside their apartment home, breathing in cold air followed by the aromatic, rich scent of hot cocoa. Finally, it is autumn.

"Are you busy today?" Shinichiro asks, the two of them calling over the phone. "Mom and Grandpa took Manjiro, Emma and Izana to sight see in Osaka. I held back because I wanted to spend time with you." He says.

With her phone pressed between her ear and shoulder, Airi wipes her hands on the dry cloth after washing up the cups. "I'm not busy, have the whole day for myself." She replies, turning around to press her lower back against the counter, hand finally holding onto her phone.

"We can build a fort, order take out, then have a movie here at mine." She suggests. "Mom's at work, she'd be at home at evening time. And Takashi and Luna are with me." She adds, the sounds of wheels rolling as Luna goes over to where she is, smiling then squatting down.

"Luna's saying hi to you" She says, putting the phone to her ear as the little baby makes incoherent sounds and babbling noises as if she's responding to what Shinichiro's telling her.

"She says we should watch Ghibli movies." Airi responded, chuckling softly as she presses her phone back to her ear. Going over to the living room all the while Luna follows her in her walker.

"Be there in fifteen." Is all Shinichiro replies before ending their call.

As both Takashi and Airi hoist the couch pillows up, Shinichiro covers the top with a long blanket. Seeing as the three of them set up their own blanket fort, Luna could only giggle and jump excitedly while in her walker. At the same time, a knock on the front door could be heard.

"That must be it." Shinichiro says, "Go ahead and put on any movie you want, I'll go get this" He says.

"Is there anything you want to watch, Takashi?" The older girl asks, carrying Luna out of her walker and into her arms.

The eight year old boy scans his eyes over the variation of movies laid out in front of him, choosing amongst them.

"How about this one?" He asks, picking up a cover of Princess Mononoke. "This one just came out last year."

"Of course!" She beams, watching Takashi open the case and place the CD disk into the movie player.

"Back" Shinichiro chimes in, placing a kiss on Airi's cheek as he sits down besides her inside the blanket fort.

And as the movie progresses, both Shinichiro and Airi simultaneously feed each other all the while feeding Luna and looking after Takashi.

"I'm home!" Mrs Mitsuya chimes as she closes the front door. Puzzled as to why the whole house is silent, she removes her heels off from the doorway and quietly enter the living room, noticing a spot of blue color coming from the television and a blanket draped on top of the couch.

Going over to take a peak, a small smile paints her lips as the four fell asleep while laying down - both Takashi and Luna sleeping soundly in between the two older teenagers.

. . . . . . . . . . ♡

"You know" Shinichiro begins to say, going over to hand Airi a bottle of yogurt drink before sitting down besides her on a bench in their school's courtyard. "When we first met, it was spring time. And now look, it's autumn." He says.

Days growing short, temperature slowly getting colder, apple picking, students worrying over next semester, indeed the autumn season is creeping up to them.

"Can't believe it's been months already." Airi replies, taking the bottle into her hand before sticking the straw in. "But we got together in the summer."

"True." He replies. "Or maybe you've purposefully bumped into me that time."

"That's rich coming from you" She responded, all the while smiling. "Says the one who asked me out after helping me. You probably did the same thing with other girls."

"But there isn't anybody else but you" Shinichiro quietly replies, slinging an arm around her shoulder as he leans his back behind the bench rest. "All the twenty rejections and the one time you finally admit you like me." He adds, poking her cheek.

"I just felt bad for you, that's why I said yes" She tells him before taking a sip.

Making a face, Shinichiro looks at her like he was about to bust tears. "You didn't"

Emitting out a laugh, the girl shook her head. "I was joking!" She says, snuggling closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"The entrance exams are about to start in two months." He says, "Think you're ready for it?"

"I don't think I'll ever be ready for it." She admits, staring at her half full drink. "I don't know what is going to happen to me in the next month, or next next month or next year, but I want you to know that for the upcoming days, weeks, months and years, I'd like to spend it with you."

Shinichiro remained quiet, lifting his head up to look at the sky above them. "Are you practicing your wedding vows to me already?" He asks, a teasing tone laced in his voice.

"Maybe I am, Maybe I am not." She responded, countering back at him. "But for me, you're my one and only."

He smiles at her, taking a deep breath before sighing. "Alright" He says, raising his pinkie finger before taking hers out and then intertwining them together. "For you, I'm going to give my time to you because that's what I've done for the past three months. I know it's going to be the same, but if anything, I'm going to make you happy."

"But Shin" Airi replies, "I can already feel the happiness in me."

"Oh, but there's more to that, Airi chan" Shinichiro says, grinning widely to her. "I don't want to pass a season without you in it. Just like last summer, let's continue to keep our love warm and to each other."