Chapter Six


In a way, I'm glad I got the things I had been hiding from my friends and family off my chest. It made me lighter - happier even - which somehow everyone notices. My father had noticed and had commented on it, but I had just brushed it off as me being excited for Christmas. The famous holiday, it seems was celebrated here - although it wasn't as big of an holiday as it was back in my past life. Although I missed the familiar feeling of having home made bread and the famous stew known as pepperpot that my mother used to prepare, I still looked forward to my favorite holiday even in this life.

"It's not even November yet," Kasuka comments dryly, and I send my younger brother a glare. We had come to be more closer after our incident last month. I didn't even think it was even possible to get any closer with my brother, but now we were practically attached to the hip. I hadn't even felt this irritated that Kasuka didn't attend the same school as me until now.

"October is coming to an end quickly," I say raising my nose up a bit in the air, pausing in the eating of dinner.

"Months always end quickly when the year is about to end for some reason." Mom puts a finger to her chin in thought. Her eyes seem to brighten as if something happy just came up in her mind. "That means shopping for new clothes for the winter. I already saw this cute white coat that'll look perfect on you, Shizu-chan."

"Do you think I can get fluffy ear muffs too? And a red scarf?" I had always loved the idea of red scarves and ear muffs - if you check my wardrobe, I'm sure I have too many of them - and the thought of getting new ones was always exciting.

"We'll even buy you some cute winter boots too!" Mom and I squeal as dad along with my brother lets out identical sighs, but we pay them no mind. Dinner continues like this and soon ends with mom and I making plans to visit stores the following weekend. I remind myself to invite Akira along as she also enjoyed shopping. Maybe we could make it a girl's day out? Catch a movie after and get smoothies! It wasn't cold just yet - they could handle the chilly drinks just fine.

The following day in school, I tell my best friend of my plans which has her immediately brightening - she matches her yellow headband with how bright she looks - and squealing over the fact of getting to go shopping with me.

"I never get why girls like shopping so much," mutters Takashi Himura, who sits not too far from us. Looking to him, I give him a teasing smile.

"Like if you don't like shopping for video games." my comment has the tall boy stuttering to defend himself exclaiming that it was different.

"Whatever you say," waving my hand in a dismissive gesture, I turn back to Akira. "Are you doing anything for the school concert?"

"Hisao-sensei wants me to act in their play," the dark haired girl pouts, looking to me she seems to have a hopeful glimmer in her eye. "You should come too!"

"Uh, no thanks," waving my hands showing just how against the idea I am. "I'm not made for the stage. I'm more than likely help backstage if they need me."

"You're no fun, Shizu-chan," Shrugging unapologetically, I begin to prepare for our first class. The first half of the day passes quickly and I can't help but think mom was right on saying that the days seem to be ending quicker now that the year was coming to an end. Tom is waiting by the steps that leads up to the roof when lunch calls.

"I'm gonna miss eating up here," Akira stretches, her hands clasped above her head. "But winter is coming. The trees around my home are even changing already."

"Soon it'll be Christmas and then school is gonna open again," I comment, joining Tom on the ground against the fence. "I'll be thirteen..."

"Me too!" Akira seems so excited at the idea that it kind of has me confused. "We'll be thirteen together. 'Though your birthday is before mine..."

"Just by two months," I remind her before looking to Tom who is quietly eating. "And yours sometime in June right, Tanaka-senpai?"

He nods, mouth full without looking to us and so I look back to Akira who has decided to take out her lunch. The hour passes by quiet with little comments and teasing from Akira that has me returning to class with a red face.

"I don't know why you don't just tell him how you feel," she sighs and I twitch which causes her to throw her hand around my waist. "It'll feel better once you do."

"Tell me that when you confess to Hayama-san." My retort sends the girl into a fit and soon the two of us are having a race to our classroom once she lets go of me.

"Get back here Shizuka!"


Walking home with Tom and Akira - she explains that they didn't have club activities that day -, I feel at peace. Looking at the two who walk a few steps ahead of myself, I can feel the content smile on my face as I half listened in on their playful banter. Things seem much better than it was at the starting of the year, and I couldn't help but appreciate this. No stupid people targeting me for something - the thugs must have decided to leave me alone for the time being - and no secrets hidden from my family or friends. Although, mom and dad still didn't know the truth, I had no intention of telling them. I wanted it to stay this way.

"Bye!" Waving at Akira as she boards the train, I turn to Tom who raises an eyebrow questioningly.

"Let's take the long way," I suggest, already moving to the exit. We are quiet making our way through the crowd, myself humming under my breath and having no intention of breaking the silence.

"You should invite your friend to the concert," Tom suggests out of the blue which has me raising an eyebrow at. "I've never met him before. I want to know the person that is basically the male version of Matsu-san. "

"Why am I not surprised," Letting out a short laugh, my brows furrow. "I'll let him know when he calls tomorrow."

"My parents and younger brother are coming," Tom says, looking to me. "You've always wanted to meet my dad, right?"

"Yes," My eyes are wide, anticipation bubbling in the pit of stomach. "I'll finally get to meet the islander."

"We're islanders too, you know." Tom raises an eyebrow, mirth clear in his tone. The pout that comes to my lips has me turning away so that he can't see, and I fold my arms across my chest.

"It's so not the same," I ignore his chuckles and instead prepare to cross the road as the traffic light changes.

When I arrive home, dinner is awaiting me and I make a quick dash upstairs to get changed and have a bath. Changing out of my school uniform, I pause at the sight of myself in front of my body-length mirror. Almond shaped eyes that are a welcoming brown stare right back at me behind bleached blonde bangs and I shift to collect a clip from my dresser and shove the hair back exposing my forehead. My skin has darkened due to the exposure of the sun and I scowl remembering the feeling of the beating heat on my neck, but I was nowhere near the brown skin tone as Tom and my former self.

At the age of twelve, I can see my body is already preparing for puberty and I feel both the excitement of having boobs like my mother and the dread of having to deal with my menstrual once again. My chest area was already swelling and if I squint my eyes, I could make out the beginning of curves. It seems I would be an early developer like my past self as well.

Grabbing a hold of the hair that sticks to my neck due to sweat, I gather it up into a bun and collect my towel and heading for the bathroom. I could hear mom and Kasuka downstairs in the kitchen and the sound of television reminds me that dad wasn't working late today and was instead enjoying his downtime watching some show. The scent of mom's cooking has me rushing the bath and practically throwing on the first things my hands find and sprinting down the stairs.

Before I can join the three at the small dining table, the phone rings. Letting out a groan, I trudge towards the direction where the ringing is coming from. Muttering a hello, my eyebrow twitches when I realize just who it is.

"You better have a good explanation for calling now, Shinra." The sheepish chuckle that comes from the other side of the receiver has me growling.

"I just wanted to invite you to a little dinner thing that my dad said I should invite you to!" His words has me blinking, and my anger is put on pause to be replaced with surprise.

"Dinner?" I repeat, questioningly.

"Uh, yeah," the young boy says. "He won't be staying for Christmas, so he wanted to carry me out and he said I should invite my friends."

"Let me guess," I begin dryly, bracing the wall and looking to where my family is having a quiet conversation. "Seeing as I'm your only friend, I have to go with you and your mysterious father that I've never met."

"Yes?" Shinra whispers and I let out a sigh. "Izaya will be there!"

"And why would having Orihara-san there make this any better?"

"Don't you like him?" His question has me sputtering and Kasuka's eyes meet mine and he raises an eyebrow at my red face.

"I do not," I whisper rather harshly into the phone that I now hold in a death clutch, moving my eyes away from Kasuka's face as his expression turns smug with a smirk. "I've only met him once!"

"But all the girls seem to like him so I thought..." Shinra pauses and I open my mouth to retort but he continues. "You were staring when you met him, that shows you found him at least nice."

"W-why are you-"

"No worries, I'm sure you find him attractive. You are superficial to an extent," Shinra mutters and I grit my teeth in annoyance. "It's going to be during November, so you have plenty time to mull over."

"Mull over what exactly?"

"Why, what you're going to wear," I can hear the smile in his voice all the way over here. "I know you always like to be told before hand so you could plan for things like this."

"How considerate of you," I say flatly before heaving out a sigh. "Actually, I'm gonna invite you to my school's Christmas concert since you're calling now."

"Really?" He seems excited for some reason and I furrow my brow. "We don't have one at our school, so this is perfect! I'll bring Celty too!"

"You can bring Orihara if you want to too," The bespectacled idiot would need all the company he can get, anyway. "It's until early December, though. So don't get too excited just yet."

"So you do like him-"

"I'm hanging up now." Ignoring his protests, I end the call and hurriedly make my way to the table.

"Was that Shinra-kun?" Mom asks, as I stuff my face with rice. I give her nod before gulping down the food and immediately aim for the fish on my plate, while grasping the pitcher of iced tea and pouring some into the glass beside me.

"He wanted to give me an early notice on the dinner he's inviting me to," Dad raises an eyebrow as mom lets out a squeal of excitement at the prospect.

"Nee-san's first date," I ignore Kasuka's words as I drain my glass of drink and aim to collect the pitcher once more to refill.

"Shizuka, eat properly," Dad scolds and I pause and mutter a quick apology. "Now, what's this about a date, hmm?"

Seeing the teasing nature of his gaze and mom's laugh has me letting out a groan while turning to Kasuka and giving him a glare.

"I hate you."

"I love you too, Shizu-nee."


Am I late? Aha... no worries! I'm here.

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