"Shino-chan~ why so early?"
I rolled my eyes at Ouji-kun, tugging him forwards. We left Yūjin back at his apartment when I came to pick this whiny baby up. For a guy who's already twenty-one years old, he doesn't really act like his age. "I told you yesterday that I'm picking you up at seven, didn't I? Yūjin probably woke you up but you must have went back to sleep right after."
"But I just went to sleep not even three hours ago~"
A sigh left my lips, tugging him in the opposite direction of our destination. I made sure I made the right turn and entered a cafe. "... I want an espresso and pancakes." My lips curved into a smile as we approached the counter. I doubled what Ouji-kun ordered and paid for it. The guy behind the counter smiled and brushed his fingers with mine.
... what the hell was that smile for?
An arm wrapped around my neck and pulled me backwards. What's up with Ouji-kun and his mood swings? They just come at random and takes me by surprise. "Shino-chan~" Cheesecakes, his breath's tickling my ear. "Let's go find some seats." I arched an eyebrow at the counter guy when his face blanched at something behind us. I glanced back to search what scared him but didn't find anything remotely scary.
(Then again, if I just looked up at that moment, I would have found what that guy was so scared of.)
We took a seat right next to the window. "Where's Shinichi-kun?" My companion asked out of the blue. "He's usually trying to separate us by now." I groaned behind my hand, remembering those times when Shin squeezes in between us just to separate us from each other. He said and I quote, "She's my sister. Don't even think about touching her."
CanonShinichi hadn't been like that, right? Ugh, I'm the reason why he's like that. I tried to stop spoiling him but I found it hard not to. I had no sibling in my past life and holy delicious cheesecakes, Shin's such an adorable brat; I couldn't resist. "He's attending Ran's championship match. I threatened him to go and watch her. He promised her that when she wins, he'll take her to the amusement park. I had to kick him out of bed this morning, too."
Ouji-kun arched a delicate eyebrow, his question gaze boring into mine. "I want to see Shin be with the love of his life before anything else. Seeing them together just makes me happy. Though, they should still be at school right now." He stared at me with such intensity that would have made any normal person fidgety in their seat. Have I ever said how beautiful his eyes were?
Where did that thought come from??
I snapped back to reality when a hand grabbed mine, another set of fingers curling and holding my hand. I hid behind my other hand, covering my already red face from him. "Aren't you happy to see us together, too, Shino-chan?" I was going to go deaf with how loud my heart is beating right now. I jerked back in shock when I realized how close Ouji-kun was from my face.
I stuttered out various incoherent things behind my hand and... and Ouji-kun laughed, his other hand reaching out. But before it could reach me, a cough made him stop and we both looked up to see a blushing waitress. "Here, here is your order!" She squeaked in embarrassment as she placed the tray on our table. I pulled my hand away from his hold but he just tightened his grip.
When she left, I banged my forehead on the edge of the table.
"Ouji-kun?"
"Yes?"
"... let's eat."
He chuckled, his thumb caressing the back of my hand. Oh my cheesecake, his smile's so adorable...
oooOooo
"That lecture left me so sleepy~ So, where to next, Shino-chan?"
"Home, obviously."
I halted to a stop when he stopped walking. I arched an eyebrow and asked, "Why did you suddenly stop?" A yelp left my lips when he tugged me to another direction, I almost trip over my own foot at the abruptness. "Let's go to the amusement park, too, then." My cheeks were probably painted red again as Ouji-kun leads the way. "That's... That's not necessary."
But when he looked back with that smile of his, the only thing I can do was lower my head to hide my flaming face. Stupid teenage hormones. Why do you have to make everything so hard around Ouji-kun? "Come to think of it, I have never brought you to the amusement park before, haven't I?" He thought loudly to himself.
"I never asked to be brought, though."
"But spending time with you is fun wherever we are."
... why is Ouji-kun sparkling all of a sudden?
Once he bought the ticket and we managed to enter Tropical Land, the first thing I noticed was the abundant amount of couples milling around. "What ride do you want to go on first?" Blue eyes shone in excitement and suddenly, it hit me. Not only did he wanted to bring me here, it must be his first time here as well. His excitement made him look like a child.
He and I took turns in picking what ride we should go on and by the time the sky was painted different shades of blue, violet, red, orange and yellow, we must have already rode all the rides. I never knew the amusement park could be so fun despite the loud crowd and running children. Even in my past life, I never went to one since I didn't see any merit in going.
We were just wasting time as we took a stroll around the amusement park. For some reason, the both of us didn't want to go home just yet. I don't really understand, but what Ouji-kun said earlier was stuck in my head. "Aren't you happy to see us together, too, Shino-chan?" I... I do, actually. When we pass by a couple of windows in the shopping district, when we pass by a mirror; all I could think about was how happy we looked together.BU-BUMP
What the—?! Don't tell me that Koutei's here!
BU-BUMP
"Shino-chan, breathe."
I didn't realize that I was already hyperventilating. "Shino-chan, can you go ahead back to your house? I can't walk you home today. Something came up." He talked way too fast for my liking. It felt as if he was hiding something from me. "You have your address written in your journal, right? Ask if you feel like you got lost, okay? Be careful."
I tried to reach out, to hold onto his wrist but he was already running away. I wanted to follow after him but I was glued to the ground. My heart raced in what seemed like fear and loneliness. It confused me, though. Why did I suddenly feel like that? We were still... going to see each other tomorrow... right? But his earlier words felt like he was saying his farewell.
"Shin-neesan?"
Ran's voice snapped me back to reality. "Why are you crying?" When I touched my cheeks, I realized that she was right. I was crying and I couldn't control my tears, dammit! Without warning, I hugged Ran, seeking for comfort.
We'll still see each other, right, Ouji-kun?
oooOooo
When Ouji arrived at the scene, Shinichi was already passed out on the ground, his body convulsing, his teeth gritting and he looked like he was in so much pain. His sapphire eyes became dull and void of life. He glowered at two familiar men, his lust for blood intensifying every time he hears Shinichi in pain.
Without wasting more time, Ouji launched himself towards the taller man in Black and tried to take him down. But the taller man simply grabbed his wrist, halting any of his advances and kneed him right in his stomach. "Stupid," he spat out in distaste. "If you just stayed away, you could have lived a more peaceful life, Noir."
Ouji groaned, choking when the man forced him to drink a pill. The man's cold, cold eyes bored right through his burning sapphire. "Your brother would hate me for this but he can live with it." The man pushed him to the ground and before Ouji could stand back up, he felt a pulse.
His whole body burned.
It felt like he drank an entire tub of acid and burned him from the inside out.
Not long after, he blacked out.