Kon'nichiwa!

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you all had a happy day with your loved ones!

This story, as you can tell from the title, will have four segments. I posted Spring on Valentine's, and I will likely post each chapter respectively on White's Day (March 1), Stellar's Birthday (which I chose: August 26) and Shinn's birthday (September 1).

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed Destiny

A Spring Anecdote

Stellar pressed up against to the window from where she was sitting in front of it. "It's raining." She said softly, testing out the new word. "Raining."

"Yeah. Rain." She jumped as a voice seemingly materialized out of nowhere.

She beamed up to the black-haired man beside her. "Shinn!"

He smiled back, then turned to stare out the window again. Rain always made him feel wistful. When water fell from the skies, it just resembled the tears falling from someone's eyes too much for comfort. And he had seen too many tears in the war.

Rain was mournful. It was melancholy. It just about represented the sorrow and wistfulness he could see when someone cried in despair. He hated it.

Obviously, his companion didn't agree. "Stellar likes rain," she said decisively. Shinn stared at her in shock. Did she mean to say that she liked sadness? "It…" she put a finger to her chin in thought. "It is so peaceful. It's so pretty. It's like the ocean came to visit Stellar and Shinn!"

… peace…? Shinn couldn't see it.

Rain made the skies cloudy and blocked the sunlight. It made the once-clear horizon a smudge of grey. It seemed like rain was pressing down on the life itself. It was just so… grey.

"Peace? Is it, Stellar?"

She nodded slowly, staring into the grey. "When Stellar sees the rain, inside I feel calm and peaceful. It's so great!" She smiled happily. Suddenly, she turned toward her companion. "Shinn? Does Shinn want to go outside with me?"

He blinked at her and looked out into the rain. It was not only grey, but wet. He turned to her, a excuse ready on his tongue when he made the mistake of noticing her expression.

She looked so hopeful and so happy. The spark he had not seen since they last visited the ocean was back in her eyes.

Shinn knew that if he told her he didn't want to, she would drop the subject and move on. But he also knew that that look would vanish from her face, like a candle blown out in the wind. Or a candle put out by the rain, he silently thought. Even so, he couldn't bring himself to say no.

"Sure, Stellar, let's go." He laughed when she giggled happily and got up to prepare for the wetness and the grey-ness of the rain.

Several minutes later, he set out in thin coat, a black umbrella over his head and Stellar by his side. He tipped the umbrella closer to her side. The rain fell thickly in sheets around them. Fortunately, there wasn't much wind, so they stayed pretty dry under their umbrella.

"Where to?" He quietly asked. He got a simple shrug as an answer and they set off on the sidewalk. Shinn assumed she meant to walk a bit, then return to their colorful, warm, dry home.

The walked in a tranquil, slow pace. Suddenly, Stellar giggled softly. Shinn jumped. "Stellar…?

"Stellar was right, wasn't I?" He blinked. "I knew Shinn didn't want to walk in the rain, but I knew it would be perfect! He would like it! Right, Shinn?" She looked expectantly up at him.

How should he put this? It wasn't that bad, granted, but it didn't exactly become his favorite springtime activity. He merely gave a grunt. Stellar, satisfied, leaned against his side and walked on, a happy expression on her face.

Shinn mentally sighed. Although he still didn't like rain, he couldn't say that he minded being with Stellar in such a – dare he say it? – a serene moment. He looked up into the clouds. Was it just his hope talking, or were the clouds just a bit lighter?

-

Presently, they came to a well-known park. It was deserted – most people hiding from the downpour.

"Hm?" Stellar straightened and slowed to a stop. "Shinn? Want to walk in the park?"

"Sure."

The park was quite beautiful and peaceful in the rain, Shinn reflected. He normally avoided this park because of the loud children running around like there was no tomorrow. But yet… could Stellar be right? Did rain represent peace and tranquility, not sorrow and sadness?

The last time he had walked in the rain was when ZAFT officially lost the war alongside the EAF. He certainly didn't remember feeling any peace that day.

Yet… as he walked beside Stellar though the grove of trees, he felt a… lightness of sorts. Maybe his troubles were bring purified from the rain? Shinn snorted mentally. When have I turned into a cliché-sprouting idiot?

"Shinn?"

Said person snapped out his thought and glanced at the young girl. "Yeah?"

"I want to dance." Before Shinn could protest, Stellar ran into the clearing ahead.

"W-wait!" He ran after her. The umbrella slowed his pace and he tugged at it, annoyed. When he made it to the clearing, he stopped short. Is that an… wait! Stellar!

True to her word, the blonde was spinning happily under the raindrops, her skirt already soaked.

"Shinn!" She called over. "Watch!" She danced, careful, spinning and turning every which way. Shinn could only watch after her. She was… stunning. She always looked lovely, but she looked so free and happy in the rain…

Shinn shook his head, clearing it. He walked over to Stellar, who gradually spun to a stop. He lifted the umbrella over her head. "Stellar! You clothes are soaked! Are you cold?" \

She simply beamed up at him. "I'm happy!"

"Yeah, but are you okay?"

She gave a sudden gasp and sunk to her knees, much to Shinn's dismay. In his panic, he dropped the umbrella and kneeled, hands on her shoulders. The rain soaked his clothes though in a matter of seconds, but he ignored it. "Stellar?"

Stellar looked completely fine. In fact, she looked more than fine. She was looking… curiously at an object between them?

He looked down as well and saw a delicate white flower. "A… flower?"

"It's so pretty!" Stellar carefully stroked a petal. She carefully picked the flower up, breaking it at the stem. "I think Shinn will like it!" She presented it to him, smiling happily. "A flower for Shinn. Does he like it?"

It is a dreary, cloudy, rainy day. They were in the middle of a deserted clearing in a small forest. They were soaked and would probably catch colds. He had just gotten soaked out of worry for the girl when really she had seen a tiny plant in the ground.

Shinn wasn't thinking about any of these things as he stared at the flower. He gingerly accepted it from her, careful not to crush the tiny thing. Was it a primrose flower? "Stellar… it's… I… thanks", he said finally. "I really like it."

"Shinn's happy with Stellar's gift?" Stellar asked.

He stared at her, a small smile on his face. "Yeah."

Stellar grinned back. "Good! Then, Stellar's happy too!"

Shinn laughed, then pulled her into a standing position. He wrapped his arms around her. "Thanks, Stellar." Leaning forward, he pressed a light kiss to her lips.

The started to walk home, umbrella over their heads even though they were already soaked. Shinn smiled and looked at the cheerful girl beside him. Rain… can be sad and wistful. But it can also be peaceful. Serene. Tranquil. Stellar… I wouldn't mind going out for a walk with you on the next rainy spring day.

All in all, this springtime rainy afternoon was really… just perfectly peaceful and lovely.

It was raining again.

Shinn had looked forward to a rainy day since his last walk. Not being a very patient person, the two days he waited seemed like long lifetimes, seconds ticking away twice as slowly.

He turned to Stellar with a fond look on his face. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, he stopped. Last time they stared out into the rain, Stellar's expression was peaceful and content, a small smile on her lips.

Today…

Today, she was staring out of the window quizzically. Her nose was scrunched up slightly and she frowned. She looked puzzled, and looking for answers. As if the rain outside secretly hold answers to life's most confusing questions and she was deciphering those answers. As if something was puzzling her to a great extent and she wanted to know the answer.

Or she could have been wondering why that person across the street was running, trying to shield himself from the rain. He was never very good at telling anything from people's expressions.

"Er… Stellar?" he asked hesitantly. "Stellar?"

She continued to stare.

"Er… would you like to walk outside with me? Hello?" He waved a hand in front of her face.

She snapped out of it. "Yes, Shinn?" He repeated his question. Instantly, her eyes lit up and she nodded energetically. "Aa! Can we? Please?"

"Yeah." He chuckled as she immediately headed toward the front closet and pulled out the black umbrella. She was smiling broadly. Must have imagined her expression before…

After putting on her own light-blue coat, she handed his to him and opened the door. "Out to the rain?"

"Sure."

Together, they stepped into the rain, Shinn holding the umbrella over their heads. It was peaceful and lovely, he had to admit. Stellar might have just been right.

When he next glanced down at the blonde, he was taken aback at that expression on her face again. It's right in front of my face. I am either seeing it or hallucinating.

"Shinn?"

The black hair man started and the umbrella jerked. "Yes?"

"Do you… have a favorite color?"

A favorite color? This required some thought. Hm…

…did he even have a favorite color?

No, no. He did. By process of elimination, he could deduct that, technically, he had to have a favorite color. If he hated the color grey, than he must have a color that he particularly liked right? He couldn't just have colors he hated, right? So what was it?

Let's go back to the process of elimination. Was it blue? Definitely not. Green? No. Orange? He hated orange more than grey. Red? N- hang on. Red. That was the color of his off-duty clothes, wasn't it? He certainly didn't mind it, or he wouldn't have worn for so long. It did represent confidence and honor and loyalty and all that. Not to mention his eyes were red. But speaking of clothes – whenever he was off-duty during the war, he always wore white clothes. White was purity and cleanliness and innocence and all that, right? So, red or white?

"Shinn?" Stellar poked his side. "What color does Shinn like the best?"

Wait – they were already on the next block? He spent that long thinking of it? "Red and white," he said finally. I didn't just spend five minutes thinking about colors, did I? And STILL never made a decision?

"Red and white…?" She thought about it carefully. "Shinn's favorite color is red and white."

They lapsed into a silence, that look on Stellar's face again.

When they returned, Shinn shrugged off his jacket. After helping Stellar with hers, he went to take a bath, calling for Stellar to "do something" in the meantime.

She gave a vague nod in return. Shinn's suspected something was bothering her. Normally she ask him to do something with him after they arrived back. He had only decided to take a shower to see her reaction. He shrugged as he shut the bathroom door behind him.

He'll ask her afterwards.

Pen poised carefully over a sheet of paper, Stellar carefully write a short note to Shinn, should he finish before she came back.

Shinn, I'll be back soon, okay?

Stellar

Stellar was quite proud of her writing. It was, granted, a bit sloppy and childish, but when Shinn tried to teach her to write "clearer", the lesions were lost on her. Shinn's writing looked an awful lot like scribbling, she decided early on.

She placed the note on the table before putting on her coat again. She carried the umbrella behind her and walked into the sidewalk. After carefully looking the door with the key around her neck, she opened the umbrella and set off.

With the destination clear in her mind, the blonde made quick time to the shop she had seen the last time they went out. She stepped into the small shop, a small bell on the door announcing her presence.

Immediately, a young girl in uniform hurried forward. "Hello, welcome to Yuri Florists. May I help you?"

"I would like to buy flowers." Stellar said slowly. She glanced around the room. Why was there so many types?

The shop assistant nodded. "I see. Have you thought about what type of flower you would like?"

Remember – red and white. "Uh…" She glanced around more slowly. I would like either flowers that are red or white, please."

The assistant sweatdropped. Most of their flowers were either red or white. "Well, why don't you take a look around?"

"Yeah…" Stellar wandered from shelf to shelf, seeing many white and red flowers. She didn't any of them. They weren't the perfect one.

On the next shelf, she paused. "Ah…" Here was a white flower. It was intricate and delicate. It was absolutely beautiful. Carefully, she plucked the prettiest one of the bunch. Now for something red…

The red took her a while longer, but eventually, she brought two flowers up to the front desk, where the same girl was waiting.

"Stellar would like these two, please."

The girl smiled pleasantly. "No problem." She took out clear paper and wrapped each flower separately. "Nice choices," she commented hilst wrapping. "One white gardenia… and one scarlet gloxina." She looked up. "That would be four fifty, please."

Stellar dug into the pocket of her coat and pulled out a few coins. Remembering what Shinn taught her about coins, she gave the girl six coins in total.

"Thank you very much." The register pinged. "By the way, are you giving those to someone special?"

Special…? Shinn was special… Stellar nodded.

"Ah," the girl sighed dreamily. "You're so lucky. Did you get chocolates for him as well?"

"Chocolates?"

The girl stared. "You mean you didn't? Then you should! All guys secretly love chocolate, don't you agree?"

Slightly confused to what the girl was saying, Stellar nodded slowly. "…Aa…"

The girl grabbed her hand and pulled her to a display. "Here, see? We have very fine chocolate. Won't you buy one for him?"

"Shinn would like chocolates?" Stellar was curious.

"I'm sure he would." The girl's voice was firm.

"…sure…"

Stellar found herself standing outside the shop-door minutes later with two flowers and a box of chocolates in a bag, her pocket significantly lighter. Opening her umbrella, she headed toward home.

Upon opening the door, Shinn sitting on the sofa. Stellar removed her coat and headed over to sit beside him.

"I wondered where you were." Shinn spoke softly.

"Stellar went to buy something for Shinn." She opened the bag and handed it to him.

Shinn pulled out the red flower. "A flower?"

"Yeah! Shinn said he was happy when Stellar gave him a flower before, so I went out to buy a flower for you!" She beamed at him.

The red-eyed man looked down at the flowers in his hands. "They're very beautiful, Stellar. Thanks you."

Stellar leaned close and softly kissed his cheek. She grinned as he blushed. "Stellar chose them! Shinn likes?"

"A lot." He noticed that there was still some weight in the bag, and reached in. "Chocolates?"

"Chocolates" The blonde nodded. "The girl said something about… people like to eat them?"

He laughed softly. "Thanks, Stellar." Leaning across, he kissed her gently. "I like them a lot."

She blinked, then beamed at him. "I'm happy, then!"

"Chocolates, eh?" He ripped open the package. "You've never ate chocolates before, right? Here eat one; they're very sweet."

"Eat one?" She asked confusedly. "I shouldn't eat my gift for Shinn!"

He playfully ruffled her hair. "Don't worry about that," he said, looking affectionately at her. "I'll like them better if you eat them with me."

Relenting, Stellar ate one. Her eyes widened. "They're sweet and soft!"

Laughing, he popped one into his mouth.

Rainy days with Stellar were some of the best days in his life, he decided. Whether he was walking in the rain with her or eating chocolates indoors, he loved being with Stellar.

He glanced out the window. The rain was still coming down in sheets. He found that he didn't mind at all.

…I could... really get to like this…

The three flowers in this story all have symbollic meaning. The primose is a tiny, delicate flower that represents young (but true) love. The two flowers Stellar bought were the white gardenia and the scarlet gloxinia. Agardenia means "sweet and pure love" and a red gloxinia is "true love found at first sight." I thought these three flowers represented Shinn and Stellar's love quite nicely!

Thanks for reading,
Jisushika-chan

February 14, 2007