A Messy Conundrum ~ h. shinso

-•- Chapter 1 -•-

Can someone please tell me who decided it was a good idea to leave a box in the middle of a doctor's office lobby? Like please- some people have a problem with taking in their surroundings? Geez.

Anyway, I gather my bearings and give a quick glance around to make sure no one has seen me when I look at the revolving doors.

My father? What's he doing here? Crap. Crap. Crap.

Okay, okay. You got this, just play it cool.

I wait for him to inevitably see me, but he's talking to this kid with unruly purple hair and dark eye bags. I know he's been busy training some student in the general studies course, is that who this is? But why are they here? Now of all times.

Now I'm too curious to worry about my dad finding out I'm at the doctor. I would approach him, but ya know- stranger boy who is my age sends major emergency signals to my social anxiety control center. So I just wait.

"Reverie?" my dad calls to me across the room. Okay stay calm, stay calm. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh- I came to uh- drop off this box."

"What for?"

"Umm- school project," I say with a hint of quiver in my voice.

"I don't recall you telling me about any projects," my father says skeptically. Shit. Shit. Shit.

"It's something new just started today with general studies," I say quickly. My father raises an eyebrow and begins to open his mouth when I interject.

"Anyway- what are you doing here?" I ask.

My father sighs. "Shinso took quite a fall during our training this afternoon. Decided I'd rather sort this out now than have to deal with any problems later."

Shinso. like Dr.? Shinso?

"Does your father work here?" I ask the boy.

The boy stares at me, and I'm taken aback by his startling purple eyes.

"What's it to you?" he mumbles. My father elbows him in the chest. Hard.

"That's my daughter Shinso. I suggest you be polite," he says firmly.

"Yes, my father works here.," he says, begrudgingly. What's his deal? I try to shake it off.

"He's my doctor! Has been forever. He's a very good man."

Shinso sighs. Mumbles a soft response I can't hear and starts to walk away. I tilt my head to the side and look at my father. He just shrugs and follows after the boy with purple hair.

Hm. Interesting.

Dr. Shinso never mentioned a son before. Now I'm invested.

I follow behind my father. I see him lean toward Shinso. "Was there really a new general studies project?"

Shinso glances back at me, quickly.
"Yes."

Maybe this broody guy wasn't all that bad.

~~~

"Alright Hitoshi, that means you should avoid using your arm for a couple of days."

Shinso looked down at the floor. "Okay, Dad." His father patted his shoulder as he went to stand up.

As we were about to exit the office, Dr. Shinso called out to me.

"Reverie! Good luck."

Shinso and my father looked at me inquisitively, but I brushed it off. As we all walked out of the hospital together, Shinso fell back to talk with me.

"What uh- what did my father wish you good luck for?" he asks.

I shoot him a sly smirk. "What's it to you?" I ask, repeating his rude question.

Shinso rolled his eyes, but he also laughed. A deep laugh unbefitting of his small frame.

"Nothing," he says. "Just curious".

"I've seen you in class before," I say. "But, I've never really noticed you before."

"Really? I've noticed you."