Shima's Light

Chapter 2

     Shima's eyes lit up, "Really?" He took a few steps forward and smiled. "Okay, where are we going then?" He asked coolly.

     Akari turned back toward the city, "well, since I have some company now, I know of a good diner not far from here." She couldn't help but smile as she began to walk beside Shima. 'But can he really be trusted so easily as my friend?' She cast a sideways glance at him.

     Shima lifted his arms and held them behind his head in a relaxed form as they walked, "such a good opportunity to get to know you." He hummed softly with his words, making Akari unsure if he was trying to flirt.

     Akari watched him for a moment. 'But he looks so relaxed. If someone was flirting, surely they'd be a little more nervous...' She blinked and looked away, "well, let's save the interview for when we are sitting down at the diner."

     Shima grinned, "sure." He watched forward for a moment as his smile faded. He cast a sideways glance at her through the corner of his eye before changing the subject. "Based on the way you were heading before, you don't stay in the dorms, do you."

     Akari shook her head, "I don't. My parents and I have always lived in Academy City. It's a nice condo that suits us." 

     Shima nodded, "I've never met anyone who lives in the city...well besides Moriyama, but I wouldn't really consider her mother's shop in the city." 

     Akari paused, drawing a small blank. "Which one is Moriyama again?" She asked as she walked down a flight of stairs toward the back city.

     Shima glanced back at her, "she's the sweet blonde girl who sits next to Rin." He paused for a moment. "Rin is the student who jumped up to welcome you." Shima chuckled softly, "he does his best to make everyone happy...most of the time."

     Akari thought for a moment then laughed softly, "is he always so...full of energy?"

     Shima shrugged a little, "Yeah, he tends to act before he thinks." He looked forward. "But sometimes that comes in handy." He admitted.

     Akari nodded and turned down a back alley, "we're here." She stopped at a door that had an 'OPEN' sign on it. She opened the door and called a kind greeting to the owner as she lead Shima over to an open booth. 

     Shima looked up at her as they sat across from each other, "you know the owner?"

     Akari smiled, "he's a family friend." She didn't bother checking the menu, "order whatever drink you want, I can put it on my tab." She sat back and relaxed. 

     Shima hummed and put his elbow on the table, resting his chin on the back of his hand. "I don't think this is how dates are supposed to work, Ferin." His voice hummed again as he smirked softly.

     Akari narrowed her eyes slightly, "please this isn't a date, we're just getting to know each other!" She retorted quickly, but made sure to keep her voice down as to not draw attention from the other customers. "What makes you cocky enough to assume we would go on a date the first day we met?" She paused then relaxed back into her seat when she realized that Shima wasn't fazed by her outbreak. She paused then snickered, "let me guess, you do this a lot." She looked at him and smiled.

     Shima lifted his head and leaned back, closing his eyes. "What can I say, when a man looks this good, everyone wants to go out with him." He shrugged coolly.

     Akari twitched her eyebrow, getting a little annoyed. "Would you stop the cool act, I'm here to meet the real you, not the you you imagine to be." She paused as Shima seemed to be shot on the spot. She laughed softly and leaned forward, "and I can see that the real you is funny, which I like." She gave him encouraging words, but internally growled. 'Seriously this is getting out of hand. I can see now that he's just a guy trying to get a girlfriend.' She sighed in her head. 'Even the pink hair supports he wants to be liked by girls.' Akari closed her eyes briefly, 'still I came here to make friends as well as learn about demons, so it can't hurt to try. Who knows, he may open up to me.'

     "Ms. Ferin, What would you like?" The voice of the owner broke into her thoughts. Akari opened her eyes in slight surprise, realizing this was not the first time he had asked her the question.

     "O-oh, the usual please." She stammered, only relaxing again after he had left.

     Shima blinked at her in slight surprise, "are you okay? I thought I took you for a focused student, so I'm surprised you got so distracted just now." He spoke calmly in his normal voice, seeming to be over his act.

     Akari relaxed and smiled softly, "I'm fine, there's just a lot on my mind." She focused back on Shima. 'Good, he stopped acting so cool...but is it because I asked him? Maybe he really does listen...' 

     "So then, shall we get started with this interview?" Shima leaned forward as he spoke, seemingly eager.

     Akari nodded, "sure. Since we both know so little about each other, why don't we switch off asking questions that we both have to answer." She suggested.

     Shima shrugged a little and sat back, "alright, I'll start." He remained to have a gentle smile on his face and his gaze had softened to genuine interest. Akari couldn't help but relax her mind completely under that gaze and soothing voice. That's why when the first question came around, she was completely shocked. 

     "How did you receive your temptaint?" Shima asked the question so casually, it was impossible to tell if he was fully interested or if it was just the first question to come to his mind.

     Akari froze to the spot, her eyes narrowed as flashes of memories shot to her. She gripped her hands into fists under the table and looked down, blinking away the memories. "I...don't really want to talk about it..." she spoke softly. 'No...I don't want to remember...just let me focus on the now...not my memories. That night...it's too much.' She squeezed her eyes shut. 'I don't want to remember!'