Change
She's changed him.
He doesn't realize it obviously. But she does, bit by bit; he doesn't hesitate to crack a few jokes every now and then, and he's more or less open now. He wouldn't usually teach anybody anything-let alone his cooking skills-but when she came up to him with Fuuka asking for help on the cooking club, well…how could he say no?
Her smiles are so warm and sincere; they make his heart soar a little. And that's saying something.
She's honest and open-minded. What she says might be on the spot, but it's clear she might have thought about that particular topic once or twice. His amazement at her profound words didn't cease; instead it kept increasing.
He thinks about her every time he feels like taking those suppressants again. What would she say? Would she be disappointed at him? Would she shun away from him? In all honesty, he thinks it's best for the both of them not to get so involved with each other, but he can't help feeling like he needs her.
He can't help feeling lonely whenever she's not around.
So when he has the urge to pull out that pill and swallow it, he holds it back and keeps in mind that he shouldn't need it anymore. She's here to suppress that urge.
She's his drug now.
When she looks up at him with those ruby red eyes, he can't help but feel content that she's nearby. Why is that?
She sure is a lot of work to handle. She's demanding. A bit bossy. Feisty too.
But she was kind. Nice. Thoughtful.
What she was doing, she did for the sake of her friends, for SEES.
For him.
So when he's sitting there in the lounge of their dorm one night, unable to sleep, and spots her climbing down the stairs in her pajamas holding a bunny-printed mug, he can't help but feel torn. At what, he didn't know, but he assumes he's torn between conflicting emotions as well as how to react when she's around.
She stops abruptly for a moment, the tune she was humming cut off. Her eyes are fixed on the depressing looking senior who's slumping on an armchair over there, eyes wide and surprised for a split second.
"It's just me." He murmurs loud enough for her to hear. She breathes out a sigh of relief.
"You scared me senpai."
He mumbles an apology. She merely smiles and then makes a fake angry face.
"Since you scared me, you owe me a mug of hot chocolate mister." She holds out her mug, arm stretched out.
He doesn't say no. He can't.
Ten minutes or so after, she's sitting on the dining table with him, sipping her deliciously made hot drink happily. He thought she'd go back to bed, but as always she surprises him with every action she makes.
She invited him to sit with her.
His mind is filled with thoughts on what to talk about.
"The moon's nice tonight, don't you think?" She takes another sip.
"…Yeah."
She pauses. Grins. Puts her chin on her hand, looking curious.
"Tell me more about yourself, senpai."
He's taken aback for a moment.
"Like what?"
"How come you're awake at two in the morning, just sitting there?" She glances over to the armchair he sat in a few moments earlier, as if to make her point clear. He shrugs.
"Couldn't sleep. Had a lot to think about."
"Such as?"
"Things you don't need to know."
Another pause. Another sip.
He breaks the silence this time.
"Why are you awake?"
"Studying." She smiles a little tiredly. "Gotta keep those grades up."
"Admirable."
"Likewise."
"How so?"
"Akihiko told me things." She looks down at her mug. "How you keep fighting off your addiction for our sake."
He grunts and looks away, unsure of how to react. Akihiko really needs to learn how to keep his mouth shut, but at the same time he's thankful for that mouth of his.
He knows she's courageous and bold, but what she did next was beyond his thoughts.
She lifts her hands up to his face, gently puts them on his cheeks, and slowly turns his direction her way. His heartbeat suddenly speeds up tenfold as he couldn't help himself; he sinks into her touch, the warmth radiating from her hands making him vulnerable.
"Don't hide anymore."
He places his larger hand on top of hers.
"Whatever."
She giggles.
"I know you get the hint."
She silently moves her hand away from his cheek, but the one with his hand atop stays. Their fingers hesitantly but surely intertwined with each other, and he can't take it anymore.
"Come here." He murmurs quietly, his arms now open, and she's more than willing to accept his hug. They stay like that for God knows how long, and before he knows it she's fallen asleep in his arms, face snuggled to his chest. He smiles a rare smile at how adorable she looks, kisses her on the forehead and finally drifts off to sleep himself.
They wake up the next day to the amused eyes of the rest of SEES, still in each other's arms. Akihiko in particular was looking a little confused to what he was supposed to feel.
"G'morning lovebirds!" Junpei greets enthusiastically, a huge grin plastered on his face. Yukari smacks him to shut him up, but she's smiling as well.
"Damn it…" Shinjiro curses under his breath. Minako giggles nervously as she tries to hide her face in Shinjiro's coat collars.
Mitsuru laughs lightly, her regal air never leaving her. "No use hiding now, Minako. You've got school in twenty minutes."
Her head shoots up, body tense.
"What? Oh-" She stumbles off the still groggy Shinjiro, gives him an apologetic but loving look and promptly runs up the stairs to get ready.
"You guys sure know how to kill a party," he remarks a little gruffly. Akihiko remained strangely quiet as the others had a few laughs.
"D-don't cry…Minako…"
How could she not? He was lying there in his own pool of blood, chest punctured with two bullet holes. The tears did not stop falling.
"Minako! Please snap out of it, we have to get him to the hospital!"
"I-" she reached up to wipe away her tears. "Yes, let's hurry."
She had to be strong. For his sake.
When they reached the hospital Shinjiro immediately got taken away. The atmosphere was thick and grim. Minako's tears spilled once again, and the others could do nothing to make it better. Akihiko did however approach and embraced her. Shocked as she was, she knew he was just trying to comfort her as well as himself-after all, Shinjiro was his best friend-and thus reciprocated the hug, her crying never ceasing.
He lives.
He wakes up on a clear, sunny day, head spinning as he tried to sit up in his hospital bed. Geez, how long was he asleep? He had the urge to go cook something for-
Wait. This wasn't his room. Where was he? The white walls weren't his. And he doesn't remember wearing a hospital gown as his usual sleepwear.
He turns to the bedside table where a familiar item resides, battered and broken, no longer ticking. His eyes widen as he remembers everything.
"!" A nurse appears from the doorway, her eyes wide. "Oh my Goodness, you're awake! Let me call the doctor-"
"Not necessary." He cuts off, ripping the IV wires off his wrist and struggling to get up. "Where are my clothes?"
The nurse looks taken aback but answers anyway. "In that closet. They're clean and repaired for you, but you're in no condition to leave-"
"Thanks for your help," he interrupts firmly again, rushing to the closet and pulling it open. "But there's someone I need to get to."
Her eyes are unusually heavy. But she can't sleep now. She needs to keep their oath, and she had strong faith that they would all remember.
The roof was empty, apart from her and a silent Aigis. The wind was blowing on her face felt so soothing and she smiled a bit weakly. Where were they?
"Minako…you may rest now." Aigis smiles gently at her, but she shakes her head.
"They need to be here before I go."
Aigis nods slowly, understanding what this meant to her.
And as expected, the sounds of footsteps were heard climbing the winding staircase. But the first to open the door was-
Shinjiro.
He runs to her despite his health condition, panting and gasping heavily, face pale as a ghost. Minako's eyes widen in surprise and relief, but his smile as he cradles her in his arms was worth it. He holds her hand tightly in his and she smiles, eyes teary.
"Don't make a sick guy push himself so hard," he lightly scolded her, squeezing her hand affectionately, to which she returned weakly.
"Sorry Shinji…"
His smile wavers a bit, but he holds firm.
"It's pretty pathetic of me to forget the way I did…" He starts, holding Minako close to him.
"But even then, my feelings for you were the same as always."
She laughs as she leans into his hold, her mind at peace.
"Haha…I got one thick skull, huh?"
"Yep, you do…" she replies, the loving tone in her voice never fading. He continues, heart pounding.
"The girl I saw in my dreams…it was you…you were crying and laughing like usual…" He chuckles quietly, looking directly into those beautiful ruby red eyes. She stays silent, not because she doesn't know what to say; it's because she knows she doesn't have to say anything anymore. All was done and spoken out; what was left was what he wanted to say all this time.
Shinjiro suddenly embraces her tightly, arms wrapped around her showing no signs of letting go. She tried to return the hug, but she just feels so tired and sleepy…
"Yeah…this ain't a dream…you're really here…"
Familiar voices and footsteps were heard from the stairway as the rest seemed to have finally remembered their promise. Shinjiro smiles at her knowingly, while Minako's eyes flutters in a desperate attempt to stay awake one last time.
"Haha…man, those guys sure know how to ruin a moment…"
One more laugh. One last smile. One final teardrop.
He places one more kiss on her lips and she murmurs something inaudible, but he seemed to know what she had said.
And with that, her eyes close and she lets out a satisfied sigh, her hand going limp in his.
"I'm glad I met you."
I'M ALIVE.
Sorry I took so long to write the ShinjiMinako oneshot. DX It's been...what, nearly over a year? Gosh.
A few notes;
I edited some parts of the story to my liking. ^^"
The last sentence is both Minako and Shinjiro's line.
Constructive criticism is welcomed!
-Strawberryraid