Misha squeals in delight at the sight of all the clothing. Shizune smiles happily as she watches our friend's reaction, a look of satisfaction crossing her face.
Glancing around the store, I realize that they seem to only stock girl's clothing. What's more, they have counters at the back of the store for makeup and jewelry. It looks like a young woman's paradise.
I'm going to be bored silly here.
The touch of Shizune's hand upon my arm draws my gaze away from the vast wasteland of tedium before me. She beams at me with a wry grin. [Misha and I are going to be a while, shopping here.] As my shoulders fall and my expression drops even more, her lips twist into an even more amused smirk. [You don't look excited by that, Hisao!] she signs, attempting to feign a surprised expression. As usual, Misha's giggles accentuate my girlfriend's antics.
[Well,] I begin, pausing to try and figure out how to be delicate, [I'm...glad you two will have fun...]
Misha starts to guffaw as I tiptoe around the fact that I'm going to be bored to tears here, while Shizune covers her mouth with her hand as she silently giggles. Her eyes dance with amusement as she watches me try and force a smile, a task I don't pull off very well at all.
[Why thank you,] she says with a grin, [that's very considerate. Maybe we'll stay longer than I planned, then...] My shoulders slump at this and Misha continues to laugh as Shizune goes on, [We'll be trying on lots of outfits. Do you mind if we model them to you, so we can get your opinion on them?] The thought is not without its appeal, I confess. Still, that will be only the punctuation of enjoyment in a vast essay of tedium while the girls shop and change and shop again.
My smile becomes a little less forced, but I nod all the same as Shizune continues to smirk at me, silently giggling a little along side of Misha. She watches me with adoring eyes, then adds, [Now aren't you glad you let me buy you that book?]
I glance down at the rectangular object in my hand, half surprised to find it there, even though I'd been holding it since we left the book store. Feeling a little like an idiot, I glance up at Shizune and smile sheepishly as I suddenly realize this was her plan all along.
Her smile blooms as she sees my face, and I sign with extreme gratitude, [Thank you so much, my love.] It's over the top, but I'm rewarded by the reaction I get. She blushes suddenly at the term of endearment I used, her gaze softening as she looks into my eyes. Her lips curl into a sweet smile as she grabs my hand and squeezes, then drags me back into the store with long strides until we reach the back corner of the store. I can hear Misha behind me as we walk, giggling the whole time. In the back, we find a couple of curtained changing booths and a chair, which Shizune pulls me over to.
[You can sit here and read while we do our shopping,] she signs to me as she turns to look at me again, smiling coyly at me. [This way, you'll be ready and waiting whenever Misha and I try on our outfits.] I chuckle at her words, watching her with an adoring gaze. She blushes slightly at my smile, appearing slightly uncomfortable at the way I'm looking at her. A determined look crosses her face as she grabs me by the arms and pushes me into the chair to sit.
I look up at her as she forces me down, her hands still gripping my arms, pinning them to the armrests. Memories flood my mind of when she secured me to another chair, during summer break. My smile turns wicked. I look up into her eyes with a knowing gaze. She blinks at me, looking confused, but only for a moment. Her cheeks suddenly blush a bright red as I lift an eyebrow at her, smirking. As she looks back into my eyes, she swallows hard, her breath quickening a little as the familiarity of the situation clearly washes over her as it has for me. I can feel the heat of her breath upon my neck and face, as I'm sure she can likewise feel mine.
She lingers, probably longer than she should, given that Misha is standing right behind her. We stare into each others' eyes as the seconds tick by, and I'm unable to stop from blushing at this point. Memories of the heated intimacy from we joined together in her guest room rush over me. By the look on her face and in her eyes, Shizune's mind is full of the same rememberances.
With a slight frown, she releases me and stands up straight. A sense of reluctance at having to part is apparent on her face, though her eyes stay fixed upon me as she removes herself. I look back up into her eyes, which stare at me unblinkingly. The start of a smile appears at the corners of her lips, the sight of which triggers a wide smile of my own. Smiles bloom for the both of us even as we continue to blush together, the chain reaction now unstoppable.
[Stay here,] Shizune finally signs, as though nothing out of the ordinary had just happened, in spite of the flush that still colors her cheeks. [We'll be back soon to give you a bit of a show,] she continues, doing her best to appear nonchalant, even though it's a lost cause. She lingers just another moment, staring into my eyes, before she turns on her heel and strides into the clothing racks with a wide grin, leaving behind a befuddled Misha.
The pink haired girl looks at me with a confused, quizzical look. I blush all the more, attempting my best to look nonchalant as I smile innocently back at her.
She lifts an eyebrow and I shrug at her, feigning a confused look. This causes her to furrow her brow at me, looking annoyed as well as confused. I only smile more, causing her to get even more irritated. She rolls her eyes and turns to follow Shizune, moving briskly to catch up. I chuckle at this, sighing happily.
I open my book, wondering if I'll be able to focus on reading as I revel in what Shizune and I just shared. The prospect of days and weeks alone with her stretches before my mind, and I shiver with excitement.
I draw in a deep breath, trying to calm myself and clear my mind. Flipping slowly through the first few pages, I look over the contents, the forward, and the title page as I work on getting myself in the right mind frame. Turning to the first page, I sigh happily and start reading.
At first it's a struggle to focus, but I soon settle into the story. It's been a long time since I lost myself in a book, yet even after so many months, I find it easy to do. Maybe it's because of how much reading I did in the hospital, or maybe its because I've been lacking it for so long.
Either way, time loses its meaning as I read, turning page after page without a thought or a care in the world.
Because of that, I jump when I feel the gentle touch of fingers upon my cheek. Looking up, I see Shizune, a broad smile upon her face as she watches me.
[It's a good thing you don't work here as a security guard,] she quips, [Misha and I were both able to slip past you with all the stuff we got off the racks. You didn't move once!]
I blink in confusion, then realize that she and Misha have both changed into summer dresses, each similar to the one that Shizune wore when we left for Summer Break. Misha's dress is a vibrant green, a color much like the Yukata that she wore for Tabanata, with short sleeves and a plunging neckline. It's surprising to see her in a dress. She looks good.
Glancing back from her to the young woman standing in front of me, I see that Shizune is wearing a red dress that shows off her cleavage quite nicely while leaving her shoulders bare. I stare in wonderment at her as she stands before me. She starts to slowly turn around for me to see. There's even less of the dress in the back than in the front. A goofy grin to spreads across my face.
As Shizune completes the turn to face me, she signs, [What do you think?] but then catches a view of my expression. She giggles silently while covering her mouth with her hand, and before I can answer she signs, [So I guess you really like it, huh?] I blush at her assessment, which only makes her smile all the more.
[Yes, I like it,] I sign. Misha laughs at us yet again, which I do my best to ignore. [You look very beautiful,] I tell her. Her face lights up. She looks positively radiant.
[Thank you. I was hoping you'd find it appealing,] she admits, blushing demurely as she signs.
[You're VERY appealing,] I sign to her, which causes her to blush even more.
[Doesn't Misha look good, too?] she signs further to change the topic, glancing over at our friend. Smirking, my gaze follows hers, and I then smile at the pink haired girl as she turns around for us.
["Absolutely,"] I say and sign as Shizune looks back at me to get my opinion, ["She's gorgeous."] I meet my girlfriend's gaze, adding, ["You both are."]
Her eyes then get the glint of mischievousness to them again. [Well, just wait! There's a lot more we're going to try on!] She adjusts her glasses with a triumphant smirk.
I laugh at her words as she spins about, causing the skirt of her dress to fly up, giving me a good view up her thighs. My eyes widen somewhat and Misha giggles again, asking, "Trying to catch a peek, Hicchan?" I blush as I chuckle and look over and meet her gaze. She winks at me, and I shrug, not bothering to denying it.
The girls both disappear behind the curtains of the dressing rooms. I smile to myself, waiting patiently as they get changed. I don't bother to resume reading, figuring they'll be ready before I can really get back into my book.
I'm proven right as Shizune soon steps out from behind the curtain, this time wearing a pair of denim shorts that hug her round behind perfectly while showing off almost all of her thighs. She also wears a skin tight, black tank top that shows off the curves of her ample breasts perfectly. My eyes go wide I suck in my breath as I see her in this more casual, yet extremely sexy outfit. Again she smiles from ear to ear at the sight of my reaction, giggling silently as she covers her mouth with her hand.
[So this outfit is no good, I guess?] she asks with a wry smirk, causing me to chuckle.
[Yeah,] I tell her, locking my gaze with hers. [It's dreadful. I don't know why you thought I'd like it.]
[Darn,] she says with a soft snap of her fingers, still giggling silently, [I guess I'll have to try on something else, then.] I laugh all the more along with her, staring into her eyes. As we laugh, Misha appears, wearing another dress, this one entirely white with a pink trim. It's strange to see her dressed so, given her usual choice of clothing when not in uniform. Maybe she's going for a new look as she gets ready to head to New York, I reason.
[You look great, Misha!] Shizune signs to her while smiling vibrantly at our friend.
Misha smiles from ear to ear at the praise, spinning around for us as I comment warmly, ["That looks simply stunning on you."]
Both wearing big grins, the girls go back in and change again. This time, Shizune comes out wearing a pear of jeans and a dark red, long sleeve top that's cut to give an amazing view of her cleavage. My eyes fly wide open again as she looks at me with a sultry gaze. She silently giggles once more at my reaction, clearly enjoying the way she can make me react by teasing me so.
I can't help but notice a theme in her choice of clothing, one that I like. I wonder if I'm the reason that she's picking such clothes.
[My God you're beautiful,] I sign before she can move her hands. She blinks at my simple compliment as her cheeks color slightly. She looks at me with half lidded eyes, smiling coyly at me. Just then, Misha comes out from the changing booth, decked out in yet another dress, this one a rich plumb color.
[You look really good,] Shizune tells her. [I like all the dresses you picked. You should definitely buy them and wear them more often.]
I nod in agreement. ["You look really good in a dress, Misha,"] I add. The pink haired girl beams at our words.
["Thanks, you two,"] she says with an appreciative voice while signing. ["I figured if I'm going overseas, I should make sure I look good."]
[Absolutely,] Shizune agrees. [You'll meet all kinds of wonderful people over there,] she signs, [You'll want look your best to make new friends.]
Misha smiles sadly at Shizune's words, her shoulders sagging as the reality of our pending separation hits her. ["Thanks, but,"] she signs, her voice betraying her sadness. ["I'll miss the two friends I already have..."] she says, looking at us pointedly, her eyes lingering on Shizune. The light in Misha's eyes seems to dim as she slumps. I purse my lips at this, not sure what to say.
Shizune frowns, a slightly panicked expression coming over her face. She steps close to Misha, putting her hand on our friend's arm, looking concerned. [Are you okay?] she signs.
Misha nods, biting back tears. Shizune too looks sad enough to cry now, meeting Misha's gaze as our friend looks up. They stare at each other for a moment, then hug each other tightly. My heart aches at the scene playing out before me, and I suddenly feel guilty that I get to spend more time with Shizune after today. I say nothing and lower my gaze away from them, as I start to feel like I'm intruding.
The moments slide by in silence. I hear the gentle ruffling of clothing, and I assume that they've parted, as I then the soft whisper of movement, which I take to be them talking to each other in sign. Still I keep my gaze averted, cast to the floor as I bend my head slightly down, feeling that they deserve to be able to speak without me 'listening' in.
The moments turn into minutes as they talk, and still I keep my eyes upon the floor. Even though I can't see either of them and have no idea what they're saying, I believe that even from all the way over here I can feel the emotion, thick between them. My heart aches at where we find ourselves. We three have become so close, and tonight we will have to part for a long, long time.
Maybe forever.
Closing my eyes, I breathe a silent thanks to whatever fate allowed me to stay with Shizune after today. I don't even worry about after our break, when we go to University. What were the odds that the answer would presented itself to me so easily, as it had earlier today.
Again, my luck seems extraordinary.
Then I feel a gentle touch upon my cheek. Lifting my gaze, I find myself looking into Shizune's beautiful dark blue eyes. They're tinged red around the edges, but her smile is genuine. It's impossible not to smile back at her. Leaning in, she presses her lips to mine lightly. I kiss back tenderly, reaching up to touch her cheek in turn. She lingers briefly before pulling back to look into my eyes.
[Thank you,] she signs to me.
[What for?] I ask her, confused.
[For letting Misha and I talk in private,] she signs. [It helped a lot.]
I smile kindly, nodding at her. Glancing behind her, I see Misha's feet behind the curtain of the changing room she was using. Looking back at Shizune, I sign with a shrug, [it seemed wrong to intrude.]
She beams at me, leaning in to kiss me again but deeper this time, her hands now caressing both of my cheeks. I sigh happily, meeting her lips eagerly, our tongues dancing together.
After pulling back again, she signs with a happy sigh, [It's so easy to love you]. I smile widely at her as tingles run through me at her words.
[I should get changed back now,] she signs, caressing my cheek once more as she steps away to her booth. [It's almost time for dinner.] I nod, grabbing her hand as she turns to go. Looking back, she smiles from ear to ear at me, gripping me tightly before slipping away and vanishing behind the curtain.
Just then, Misha appears wearing her uniform again, a stack of dresses and other clothing piled over her one arm.
"Thank you," Misha says with a faint smile, echoing Shizune's sentiment. Her eyes are a lot more red than my girlfriend's were.
I nod at her, smiling kindly again. "It seemed right to give you two some privacy," I say.
Misha looks very anxious all of a sudden, and says hurriedly, "Promise me you'll take good care of her?"
I nod at her, meeting her gaze intently. "Of course. You know I will. I promise."
She smiles briefly, then frowns again. "I'm scared for her," she says.
My brow furrows. "Why?" I ask, quite confused.
"When she goes to University," she says, looking very distressed. "She'll be all alone, apart from us."
"She'll make new friends, just like you and I will," I try to point out, to which Misha frowns at me with a disbelieving stare, putting her fists on her hips in spite of the clothing piled there.
"Hicchan, you know how hard that will be for her~!" she chides, her voice still heavy with emotion. Of course she's right. Shizune will be unable to communicate with most of the students. Assuming there is even a population of deaf people at Tokyo University, she's not the best at making or keeping friends. Misha and I know that all too well.
Glancing behind Misha at the curtain that hides us from Shizune, I hurriedly say, "Well then, it's a good thing I'll be going to school with her."
Misha's eyes fly wide open at my words. "Wha~!?" she cries out in surprise. I wince, even though Shizune couldn't possibly have heard her. I smirk as she realizes her volume, and she lowers her voice. "Hicchan, you said you were going to Kyoto~!" the pink haired girl protests.
I shrug. "I was thinking about it when I said it," I explain. "I was accepted there, but I didn't really decide yet where I was going." She furrows her brow at me as I smile mischievously. "But I was also accepted at Tokyo University..."
Misha's lips curl into a wicked, conspiratorial smile. "You lied to your girlfriend, Hicchan~!" she accuses me with an amused voice. I'm relieved to see her feeling better, even if it's just a little bit.
Smirking back at her, I shrug again. "Only so I could surprise her with it later," I explain. "I had no idea she was going to Tokyo until after I said Kyoto," I further justify. She smiles all the more as she interrupts me.
"So once you heard she was going to the school you were accepted, you decided to go there too~!?" she asks with anticipation, though the answer is so blatantly obvious.
The curtain hiding Shizune starts to rustle as I nod my answer. Shizune emerges from behind the curtain and I quickly tell Misha with a forceful voice, "DON'T tell her!" The pink haired girl nodds as my eyes locking with Shizune's as she takes her first look around. I look back to Misha and quickly add, "I want to surprise her," Shizune frowns at the sight of my moving lips and expression, not to mention the fact that I'm not signing.
Misha nods as Shizune looks at Misha, my girlfriend's brow starting to furrow as she sees Misha's verbal answer. "I won't, I promise~!" Misha says solemnly, intently meeting my gaze with a nod. Shizune looks from the girl beside her to me and back again, growing increasingly annoyed at us.
[What are you two talking about?] she asks with some difficulty as she juggles the clothing she carries. She seems clued in to the fact that we were talking about her, in addition to being annoyed that we were talking and not signing.
["Not a thing, love,"] I lie, standing up and walking over to her, leaning in to kiss her. She ducks back at this, frowning at me as I do.
[Bullshit,] she responds, shuffling the clothing in her arms.
["Hicchan was making me promise to write to you every week,"] Misha interjects, drawing Shizune's venomous gaze away from me to her. ["He's been very worried about how you'll handle us being apart."] I blink in astonishment at Misha's lie, stunned by how quickly she came up with it, what a perfect story it was, and how she credited me with the worry for Shizune that she bears in her heart.
My girlfriend's scowl melts at this, looking back over to me with adoring eyes as I turn back to meet her gaze. Instead of trying to talk while juggling all of that clothing, she just steps towards me and wraps her free arm about my neck, pulling me down to kiss her. I let out a moan in surprise, quickly overtaken by the passion in her lips as she immediately deepens the kiss. My eyes drift shut and I wrap my arms about her waist, pulling her closer.
We linger longer than I expected before she pulls back from me. She signs simply, [Thank you...my love,] adding the last words as almost an afterthought, her cheeks flushing pink as she does.
I smile from ear to ear, nodding at her. Looking positively radiant now, she turns to lead us to the front register so she and Misha can ring out.
"Thanks," I say to Misha as we follow behind her, smiling widely.
She's smiling as we walk, nodding. "Of course, Hicchan~!"
Reaching into my pocket, I quickly produce the purple cat that I bought at the glass store earlier today and show it to Misha, careful to keep it hidden in my hand from Shizune's angle, in case she looks back at us. Thankfully, she doesn't.
"Oooh~!" Misha squeals, and I'm again incredibly glad for a moment that Shizune is deaf. In spite of Misha's amazing save just now, our pink haired friend quite often shows an incredible lack of discretion.
"She'll love it~!" Misha says with her trademark laughter as I stuff the figurine back in my pocket, just in time for us to reach the register.
I wink at her as Shizune piles her stuff on the counter in front of the poor cashier, who helplessly looks at the heaping mound. My girlfriend turns back towards us. [You too, Misha,] she commands with firm signs, [I'm buying].
["What~!? No~!"] Misha says and signs in protest.
Shizune's ear splitting snap deafens us and the poor cashier. [No arguing!] she signs forcefully. [I want to give you a graduation gift.] Misha frowns, looking at the heaping pile of clothing, then back at Shizune, lifting an eyebrow. Shizune frowns slightly more, [and a...'going-to-University' gift...]
[and maybe her birthday, too?] I ask, smirking. Shizune's scowl makes me regret it as soon as I sign it.
Misha sighs in defeat, piling her clothes on the counter, along with Shizune's.
[I'll pay you back,] the pink haired girl signs with an earnest and determined look.
Shizune only smiles beatifically at this and shrugs. Clearly, she has no intention of letting that happen, but doesn't seem to think she even needs to argue the point.
I smirk to myself as the cashier starts the arduous task of ringing out all of the girls' clothing.
We're going to be here a while.
