Periwinkle - Life in shades of blue (part 1)

Promise

Maybe I know somewhere deep in my soul
That love never lasts
And we've got to find other ways to make it alone
Or keep a straight face
And I've always lived like this
Keeping a comfortable distance
And up until now I had sworn to myself
That I'm content with loneliness
Because none of it was ever worth the risk
But you are the only exception
And I'm on my way to believe it

The only exception by Paramore

I think training isn't that bad, after all. Yaga should try and make us go shopping for a whole day, instead. That would really drain my energy.

I don't get why we went shopping to celebrate Suguru's birthday, he never liked this kind of stuff. I know there's a lot we needed – and still need – to buy to fully accommodate Mimiko and Nanako in our home, but couldn't we just go another day?

I drop the many bags in the entrance as soon as Suguru unlocks the door to his house, sighing in relief when the heavy weight lifts off my shoulders. "Do girls really need this many hair products?" I glare at the biggest bag, the one from the hair salon.

Suguru's laugh is genuine when it reaches my ears, I know he must be smiling with his eyes even if I can't see him. "More than half of that is for me, actually." He went straight for the kitchen, not minding my protests for the nasty task I got assigned against my will.

I double check the contents of the bag. Two kinds of conditioner, three different shampoos, a hair mask – I didn't even know that was a thing -, some kind of oil, a new brush and way too many hair ties and scrunchies. Stupid hair care routine, he's been falling down a rabbit hole of YouTube videos about that since he started wearing his hair down instead of the usual bun.

"Wait," I forget about the shoppers for a while, turning the corner to sneak into the kitchen. "Why did I pay for it then?"

He shrugs, not turning around from where he's already mixing the ingredients to make pancakes, like he promised the girls he would. "Because you love me? Plus, it's my birthday."

I scoff, amused at his attitude. His mood has improved drastically since having Nanako and Mimiko in our life, it reminds me of the first year of high school. He would always find a way to make me look like an idiot back then, either making me blush or turning my own words against me. It was fun, I'm grateful it's back. "I loved you very much even when you didn't put a hundred products in your hair."

This time he swings around and tilts his head with the smallest smile, wooden ladle flicking together with his wrist and sending droplets of pancake batter across the table. "You literally told me I stank. Multiple times." He squints, daring me to object.

I fake exasperation, holding my palms out and looking for the girls' support. "As if soap wasn't enough for that! What do you need conditioner for?"

Nanako giggles, swaying and bumping her shoulder against her sister's. "I like the way my hair smells when I use his balm!"

I fake a pout as Suguru turns back to the stove to use the pan and hide his victorious smile. "Am I already the minority in this house?" The sound of quiet chuckles follows me out of the kitchen when I turn to retrieve the shopping bags from the entrance. I can't reach them yet, though, because a tiny hand wraps around the rim of my sweater to stop me in the corridor.

I lower my head to find Mimiko looking up at me, teary-eyed and stuttering when she speaks. "I'm f-fine with s-soap, Gojo-sama."

My heart shrinks when I'm forced to remember what these children have gone through, Suguru only rescued them a month ago after all. Maybe it's too soon to joke about everything, I should mind what I say in the future. I crouch down and lift up my glasses, trying to reassure her with a smile and a hand on the shoulder. "I'm sorry, Mimiko, I didn't really mean what I said. I was joking, you can use anything you want," I hand her a tissue from my pocket when she starts sniffling. Spending time with Megumi taught me that it's best to always have some tissue on you when you're around kids. "And if you want something we don't have, all you need to do is ask, hm?"