Ever After (Shinobu x Giyuu)

Chapter 5: Moving Up

The summer camp ended on a fairly normal note. Nothing eventful happened, though Shinobu was still hurt that Giyuu refused to call her neechan anymore. Though he came by the infirmary every day with Makomo and Sabito, he never listened when Shinobu prodded him to call her neechan again. She was sad that her little brother was going through his rebellious phase, but she was happy that Makomo and Sabito didn't share the same stubbornness. With promises to hang out again, Shinobu left the campground with mixed feelings. 

However, she did fulfill her mission to some degree. Though she couldn't learn more about Tomioka from Giyuu himself, whenever Giyuu called her Kocho, flashes of images appeared in her dreams the same night. The first time she killed the human like monsters with her own hands, there was an intense feeling of nausea. The monsters would laugh as they taunted her for not being able to chop off their heads properly before disintegrating into grotesque figures. What scared her the most was the calm almost cheerful smile that graced her lips. Sometimes she would be alone. Sometimes with Kanao. And sometimes, with Tomioka. He was supporting her with graceful swings contrary to her own sharp movements. Back to back, they killed and killed some more as the air filled with the stench of blood. Their haoris highlighting every movement of the massacre. The relationship wasn't pleasant. She hated his lack of tact and how he had no awareness for his surroundings. Even when she tried to be friendly, he never responded and only coldly looked on ahead. Shinobu would try to get a rise out of him; however nothing ever worked. The ever calm Tomioka brought forth intense anger though she sweetly covered it up with a smile. 

Shinobu was confused. Not only did she not know where they images came from, but also she couldn't figure out her exact relationship with Tomioka. She hated him she thinks, and he wasn't too keen on her either. Yet why do they trust each other to protect the other's back? She remembered the two children who looked like Sumihiko and Toko being protected by Tomioka. She remembers seeing them run and giving chase with full intent to kill. She even nearly stabbed Tomioka in the face with a blade in her shoe. Was she a traitor? Was he the traitor? It haunted her when she saw the desperation in his eyes contrary to his ever still face. 

Today, she was visiting the Kamado bakery. Shinobu sitting at a window seat with a tall glass of cold green tea as she watched people move about their lives outside the bakery window. It was a bright summer day so there were many people milling about the streets. Kanata promised he would be off his shift soon, but right now the bakery was currently swamped with orders for a cool refreshing drink. Luckily for Kanata, Sumihiko was also there helping with his natural athleticism letting him weave through the crowd to get the sitting customers their drinks. 

"Kocho?" Shinobu looked up to see Giyuu standing next to her. She hasn't seen him since the summer camp a few weeks ago, but he grew a little taller.

"Giyuu ~" she pinched his cheeks and stretched them much to his small protest. His cheeks were as soft and stretchy as mochi. "I told you to call me Shinobu-neechan. Or at least Kocho-san."

She heard a giggle and looked behind Giyuu and saw that he was holding hands with a girl who looked to be around Kanae's age. She had the same blue eyes as he did with long smooth black hair. She abruptly let go of his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, where are my manners?" Shinobu said quickly "My name is Shinobu Kocho and I am a freshman at Sekirei High School. I am Giyuu's..." She stopped and tilted her head to think of an ending to the sentence. They were too different in age to be considered friends and she couldn't say that she was similar to his sister if he was holding hands with was his actual sister.

"Don't worry," The girl said with a genuine smile "Giyuu told me allllll about you. I'm his older sister Tsutako." Shiniobu could easily see the resemblance in her smile though Giyuu wasn't really showing a smile right now. More accurately, he was protesting that he doesn't talk about Shinobu that much.