A Future Without You is Soon |Mikey x OC|

Chapter Twenty-Nine

   "Shishi~Chan," Mikey says, startling Shiho. She was just in the middle of making food. Mikey had walked in from the living room to find her.

   "Oh, Jirou," Shiho says, placing a hand on her chest. "It's just you."

   "I got worried when you weren't on the couch."

    "I woke up earlier than you," Shiho says. "Thought I'd make some food for when you woke up."

   "Thanks..." Mikey says.

   Mikey sits down at the table, hair still disheveled from sleep. Shiho steals glances at the boy, who stares at her back as she cooks.

   "Are you doing anything today?" Mikey asks.

   Shiho pauses her movements, thinking about Takemichi's words. She's not involved. She doesn't need to worry herself. She sighs quietly, but heavily. "No, I'm free. I was planning on hanging out with you and Ken~Chan for today, or something like that."

   "Good," Mikey says. "I have some place I want to take you." Shiho turns around and raises an eyebrow. "Don't worry, it's nothing too bad."

   "Last time you said that, we were dealing with gang business."

   "Last time I said that, we weren't dating."

   "Touché."

   "You've just been looking so stressed the last few days," Mikey says, looking away to a wall and placing his chin in his open palm. Shiho's shoulder droop. He wasn't wrong. Takemichi and all this saving the future stuff has been weighing on her. Having to sit and watch while they stop Hakkai only gave her more time to focus on it.

   And that strange voice in the back of her head.

   "I wanted to take you somewhere you can relax for once," Mikey finishes.

   Shiho plates the food—freshly made pancakes—on the table in front of Mikey.

   She smiles at him as she sits down. "Thank you, Jirou. I appreciate it."

   "Are those pancakes?" Emma calls from the other room. "Who made them?" She enters the room, fixing her hair with hair pins.

   "I did," Shiho replies.

   "Yay!" She calls, grabbing one from the top. "You haven't made food here for weeks! I missed these!"

   Shiho chuckles. "Well, there's plenty. And I can always make more. You might want to eat while you can, Jirou." Mikey looks at her with a raised brow. "If you don't hurry, I think Emma will take them all." Shiho laughs as Emma takes a few more.

   "Hey, wait! Emma! Don't take them all!"

   Shiho giggles at her boyfriends childish antics as he wrestles the plate away from his sister.

   In the end, Shiho had to make more pancakes because Mikey drops them—and the plate.

~*~*~

   "We're heading out!" Mikey calls after he and Shiho change and get to the door. Mikey grabs Shiho's hand and pulls her along. Shiho doesn't fight him.

   "Where are we going, Jirou?" Shiho asks.

   "I want it to be a surprise," Mikey says.

   Shiho hums. "Have I been there before?"

   Mikey shakes his head.

   "Well, dammit, then." Mikey chuckles.

   Shiho stares at Mikey's back as he guides her to his bike. The CB250T rests in the garage, small tracks from the tires being recently used just behind it. Mikey probably left them when he got home last night. Mikey climbs on and watches Shiho as she lingers behind him. "Get on."