Ever After (Shinobu x Giyuu)

Chapter 10: Stubborn

The first thing Shinobu Kocho did after not seeing Giyuu for five years was smack him with the blue bouquet in her hand.

"Really, I had to wait for you to graduate to see you again." She smacked him with each word causing blue petals to float gently to the ground. She stopped when she saw that he wasn't replying. He was shocked as his eyes were glued onto her face, and now that she got a proper look at him, she was also surprised. He looked exactly like he did back then. He was much taller than her now and he was more athletically built than before. Now that he had lost almost all the softness of childhood, his features were sharp. His jawline. His nose. His eyes. It was exactly like the Tomioka she used to-

She shook her head to get rid of the thought. This was Giyuu, she reminded herself. She was just shocked after not seeing him for years. Now with four years of college under her belt and one year of medical school in Tokyo, she was a changed person. There was nothing that could shake her resolve now. Or so she thought. Although she hates to admit it, Giyuu was attractive. Extremely attractive. Her prediction had been spot on. She thought Makomo and Sabito were joking when they called him by that cheesy nickname "ice cold hottie", but she had to agree that the nickname was fitting. His beauty stunned her, so they stood in silence as they looked at each other.

It was Shinobu who broke the spell, after all, she spent years working with another gorgeous person, Aoba Hashibira.

"Excuse me? Are you really not saying anything?" She poked his arm hard. She would have squished his cheeks like she used to in the past, but now he was too tall for her. "It's been five years of you avoiding me you know. Five years." She poked him harder with each word. Before she could complain any further, she felt his arms wrap around her as air left her body. Not only out of surprise, but because he was squeezing so tight. She tried to wiggle her way out of his grasp, but to no avail. So she gave up and returned the hug hoping he would release her faster.

"Welcome back Shinobu." he whispered in her ear making her face heat up. His voice was deeper than before and it was the exact same voice as he had in the past. This was unfair. Who let him become this attractive?

"Shinobu-nee! Is that you?" Giyuu reluctantly released her allowing for sweet sweet air to reenter her lungs.

"Sabito! Makomo! Surprise!" she said cheerily. Makomo darted forward and gave her a hug. Sabito took one look at Giyuu, and grinned mischievously before lifting Shinobu up and spinning her around in a tight hug. She protested in surprise before laughing while demanding to be put down. They all had grown from the tiny kids who used to be smaller than her. Every one of them including Makomo was taller than her, but she didn't mind. Sabito was even taller than Giyuu, so when he lifted her up she felt a little dizzy.

When Sabito finally put her down, she handed him and Giyuu their bouquets with a flourish.

"Congratulations on your graduation!" She said with a bright smile.

"Are you going to give us something again in congratulations?" Sabito asked hopefully as he admired the flowers. She had always sent them gifts without fail whenever one of them graduated just like she did for Giyuu and Sabito for their elementary school graduation. Was it really only five years ago when she saw them graduate elementary school? They grow up so fast.

"Hmm I don't know," Shinobu said in mock confusion as she tilted her head side to side. "I don't really have anything you want. Unless you want a kiss on the cheek."

"My!" Sabito replied in his best Shinobu impression as he raised his hand to his mouth, "That would make my day." They laughed, though Sabito stopped laughing after he saw Giyuu's facial expression. Giyuu leaned forward and whispered urgently in her ear.