Clover. ➳S. Hoshina

.☘︎Twelve

While you're lying unconsciously, on your hospital bed. Dextrose were on your body, he's there, sitting right next to your bed.

He watched you as you peacefully asleep.
This all what he could do for now.
He felt pathetic to leave you there fighting with your life on the line while hes there, calmly observing everyone.

He panicked when Platoon leader Ikaruga mentioned you as one of the officers who are lost and he felt so guilty even though he told your mother to look out for you from afar.

He may be feel at ease now, but by that time you're fighting, he should've been there, fighting by your side.

Yet, he feels like he's the old Shiro that you knew back then. The Shiro that you always find yourself rescuing from bullies.

He remembered the time when you're just 5 years of age.

"Hey, something is rustling behind the trees." Your little violet haired boy- friend, that has squinting eyes terrifyingly said,holding your arm-pressing his body to you for comfort.

"Twas just raccoons, Shiro. Daijoubu, I'm here." You said your poor friend thats in the verge of crying. It's already dusk and you were still in the playground. The place was lively in daylight but completely different when it's dark. You look at the now opaque clouds above you, it's going to rain,you think.

"Now,now,let's hurry up and go back home. It might rain."
You announced to your still terrified friend as you drag him, grabbing his slender wrist.

"But my ball is there." He pointed the dark wooded area of the playground. You often heard some kids telling stories about it. There are monsters lurking in when it's already dark. As a young and innocent kid, you always believe on them even not seeing those creatures in person.

"We cannot find it right now since it's already dark. We'll look for it tomorrow, kay?" You don't want to tell to your friend that you're scared to. Knowing he's a cry baby, he might cry if you tell him. He anxiously agreed and you two head back home.

Morning

You went to the playground holding his hand. You always act like a big sis to him, even you have the same age.You always take care of him whenever someone tries to bully him. He sometimes being picked by the bullies because although he was born in a family of strong sword wielders, he's a cry baby.

You saw that someone's already playing with his ball. You immediately knew that was his because his name was written on it. "Shiro"

"Hey, that's my best friend's!"
You pointed at the ball as you exclaimed to the slight taller kids who's holding Hoshina's ball.

"Is that so? So sorry, it's mine now." The boy replied and his friends laugh and continue to play. But little did they know that they underestimated a little girl. Hoshina looks at you with a worried expression but he knows you and trust you. He isn't worried about you,he's worried about the kids. How many scars are they going to receive? He thought.

You started to walk and jump to grab the ball from them. Then you ran,giving the ball to Hoshina. "Hey, give it back." The boy requested.

"Go buy your own, that isn't yours.Your mother doesn't buy you toys that's why you're stealing other kids'toys?" The boy looks pissed, he raised his arm to slap you but your leg were faster-kicking his balls. Making him paused and starts to touch that area. You gave his 2 friends a sharp gaze making them step back.
They drag their whimpering friend away.

"Are you hurt Y/n-chan?" He worriedly asked you while hugging his ball. You shook your head and giving him an assuring smile.

"You're so cool, Y/n-chan."
He complimented as his eyes sparkled because amusement. Being with you is the luckiest, he felt so safe when you're around.

You two went back to your home and your mother welcomed you with an uneasy smile painted on her face.

"Is everything okay mom?"
You innocently asked as you and Hoshina sit on the soft gray couch. She isn't sure how to start, what to say or how to explain everything to you. She already knew that you will not agree with it.

Your mother went to the kitchen then came out carrying a white plate and placed a plate of cookies for you two. "Well, there's a little problem,darling." She started as she sit beside across you . You remained silent to wait for his next sentence as you munch the cookie, messily.

"We're going to move out next week, ."

You harshly gulped the cookie inside your mouth. "What?why? I don't want to leave Shiro." You respond to your mother with a sad tone. Hoshina on the other hand, is sad as well. Knowing that you and him were separating.
You've been best of friends for a long time. You always do everything together and do fun things. You always take care of each other and your mothers fantasize that you're growing up and then starts to fall in love. They would love that, blushing as they stare at the two of you, sleeping soundly-leaning your bodies together on the couch.

"Don't worry, you and Shiro will meet every summer." Your mom gave you an assuring smile, trying to persuade you.

"But Shiro and I want to see each other everyday." You hold his hand and you drag him outside. Your mother called you but you didn't listen.

The two of you sat on the swing silently. He didn't want to start a conversation with you because he knew that you're not in the mood at the moment. He went into a nearby vending machine, he went back giving you a strawberry milk drink that both of you like.

"You should go, it's bad not to follow your parents . I'm fine here."

"But"

"Your mom said that we're going to see each other every summer. I'm looking forward to that." He smiled as he look up into the clear blue sky above you.

"Are we still the best buddies when we meet again?"

"Of course!" Hoshina cheered you up, just like every other day. Whenever one is not in the mood, the other one's role is to cheer the other one up.

"That's a promise."
He added.

But after that, he didn't see you again, Hoshina waited for you to come every summer but you didn't.

He was too dependent on you and he couldn't stand on his own. That's why he started to train himself, with a promise to himself that when the time that you two will meet again, he can also protect you.

"Rainy days, snowy days, birthdays, new year's days... I've lived every day of my life since childhood wielding a sword. I've lived my life with blade always in my mind. That blade... the sword-slay techniques I've cultivated... this thinly cut mass of iron... if there's even the slightest thing that can be saved by any of that... then I've got no choice... but to wield my sword."

As the years passed, he sees you again, in a busy line of the Anti-kaiju defense force Examination, staring at each other as if time has slowed down.

He is strong, but not too strong enough to protect you. In which he failed a couple of times.