Just want to say, I'm grateful to receive all your reviews ^-^, however
about pairings, I still haven't really decided. But don't worry since even
if this story's pairing doesn't suit your reading preference, I will try to
have theme it for one of the other three volumes following this story in
Summer's Gift, Autumn's Gift and Winter's Gift. Please enjoy!
Spring's Gift
Chapter 10: Shinobu's Return
All the residents looked forward to that special day when Shinobu would return from America, and that everything would return to normal. It had been a very long, and tormenting wait indeed, especially with everyone feeling awkward in each other's presence all of a sudden. Naru had been avoiding Keitaro recently, and Keitaro felt nervous around Motoko's presence. Motoko, on the other hand, had not been feeling very secure with Keitaro's presence as well, sending him out into space whenever she found him nearby. Moreover, Kitsune and Su, seeing their friends so strange lately, isolated themselves away from them as well. Hinata Sou no longer seemed as cheery as it was before........
The pair of brown swallows chirped merrily on the bark of a cherry blossom branch. Many of the branches' petals had already withered and fallen down onto the soft ground, while sprouts of young leaves poked their little green heads out to kiss the warm sun. Spring was ending, and summer was soon to arrive.
"Bring Bring Bring" The rowdy alarm clock sounded in Kitsune's messy room, floor covered by layers of empty sake bottles.
"Argh...." Kitsune grumbled, slapping down the disruptive alarm that had caused her to awake from her sweet dreams.
"Why, in the name of Sake Goddess, did I set the alarm clock so early to wake myself?" Kitsune questioned her weary self, her mind still asleep. After a few minutes of empty thoughts and tired blinking, Kitsune soon realized that today was the day when Shinobu would come back. Just thinking of all the delicious food that Shinobu would make for them after she came back made Kitsune's mouth water uncontrollably. She quickly raced out of her room and raced into the girl's bathroom, where she saw Naru, Su, and Motoko up already, brushing their teeth.
"Wah?!!! You guys are up already?" Kitsune asked, a little surprised.
"Of course! Sleeping beauty, we were up ages ago!" Naru answered with her voice obscured by the foam bubbling from her mouth.
The girls quickly got dressed and went out into the dining room, finding Keitaro already dressed for the morning.
"Why's he so anxious?" both Naru and Motoko thought simultaneously. The two girls soon ended that thought and decided that it was time for them to leave for the airport.
"Let's go guys!" Su chirped joyfully, unable to stand the excitement, and the rest followed her order and left the inn.
Roaring noises of airplanes flying over the Tokyo airport sounded in the interior building, echoing about the vast space. The five friends entered into the big airport and looked around them, trying to catch glimpses of Shinobu.
"California Express 219 is now boarding....." the man from the speaker announced.
"Hey isn't that Shinobu-chan's plane?" Kitsune asked.
"Oh yeah! It is!" Su cried out loud, running over to the gates were Shinobu would be coming out from. The other residents joined her as they waited patiently for their friend to come out. One by one, a passenger came out of the doors, however none turning out to look like Shinobu.
"Where is Shinobu?" Su questioned impatiently, her head looking out for her friend.
"I don't know," Ketiaro answered, a little curious himself now too.
"Hey, look!" Motoko cried out, her hand pointing in the direction of a couple coming out of the doors. They were the last ones to come out.
"It's...." Kitsune began, widening her eyes for a better view to make out the visage of her friend who had changed quite incredibly over time.
Shinobu no longer looked as young as she had before her trip. She looked rather more feminine than before, her clothing styles changed incredibly. The clothes she wore were rather similar to those that Naru would usually wear, somewhat more revealing. Her face looked different somehow as well. It had taken the others some time in staring before they realized that Shinobu was wearing make up over her face. What's even more astonishing was that Shinobu was walking beside a handsome, young man, and their hands were holding?!!!!
"Shinobu-chan!" Su cried aloud, "Who is this new friend of yours?"
"Mina-san, this is Yukiro, and Yukiro, this is Mina-san," Shinobu said joyfully, forcing some chuckles.
"Konichiwa," Yukiro greeted dreamily at the girls. However, none of this charming spell took any effect on any of the girls. In contrary, all the girls were worried about their friend and her new transformation.
"Shinobu-chan, why have you changed your ways?" Motoko questioned sternly at Shinobu, not approving of one changing their ways because of other's influence and pressure.
All the others looked worriedly at Shinobu since the old Shinobu would have cried in a confronting situation like this, however this new Shinobu answered confidently, and spoke boldly against the strong swordswoman.
"I just wanted to have a little change," Shinobu answered as if it wasn't much of a big deal.
All the others stood a little stunned by Shinobu's complete different attitude. It was as if it was a new person, sharing the same face at their friend, talking to them. This was not Shinobu........
"Shinobu, lets get back, " Keitaro said, pulling Shinobu by the arm.
"Don't touch me Urashima!" Shinobu yelled at the top of her lungs, getting rid of Keitaro's strong grip. Keitaro looked, stunned by Shinobu.
"Why is she doing this?" he thought, "Why has she changed so much? Is it because......"
Shinobu looked away to hide her blush. Her blood rushed with adrenaline. Quickly, she hid her feelings and put on her act again.
"I must confine my feelings," Shinobu constantly reminded herself.
"Now let us leave," Shinobu said, trying to sound as cocky as possible.
"You are not Shinobu!" Su cried aloud as she jumped onto her dear friend whose back laid on the cool airport floor, struggling to get Kaolla off her.
Shinobu fought back tears. "I'm doing this for sempai's good," she told herself.
"Get off me baka!" Shinobu cried aloud, knocking Su down, rather impulsively.
Su sat back, eyes unbelieving that the person sitting in front of her was her dear, shy friend, Shinobu. Tears accumulated behind the eyes of the Indian girl, who seldom did cry. Slowly, she turned her head down and away, and walked away.
"Look what you did! You made Su cry!" Kitsune scolded in her adult voice, and she ran after Su.
Slowly, Motoko followed Kitsune, and then followed by Naru, who tugged Keitaro along with her. Keitaro, turned his back to look at Shinobu, as he walked over to the exit with Naru. Right then, he saw Shinobu crying on Yukiro's shoulder, with Yukiro soothing her by patting her back.
"What's going on?" Keitaro thought as he continued to walk.
All the girls were disappointed when the retired back to the Inn. They were looking forward to a celebration party for their friend's return. However, no one would have ever guessed that it would turn out like this...........
****************
I'm really sorry if this was a short chapter and that I had many grammar mistakes in is because it's really late and I really need to get to sleep now. Please don't be discouraged since I'm updating this chapter now because I want to update the next chapter of Spring's Gift on the weekends. You'll find a follow-up chapter to Spring's Gift very soon! Please leave a review to support this fic! Many thanks!
Spring's Gift
Chapter 10: Shinobu's Return
All the residents looked forward to that special day when Shinobu would return from America, and that everything would return to normal. It had been a very long, and tormenting wait indeed, especially with everyone feeling awkward in each other's presence all of a sudden. Naru had been avoiding Keitaro recently, and Keitaro felt nervous around Motoko's presence. Motoko, on the other hand, had not been feeling very secure with Keitaro's presence as well, sending him out into space whenever she found him nearby. Moreover, Kitsune and Su, seeing their friends so strange lately, isolated themselves away from them as well. Hinata Sou no longer seemed as cheery as it was before........
The pair of brown swallows chirped merrily on the bark of a cherry blossom branch. Many of the branches' petals had already withered and fallen down onto the soft ground, while sprouts of young leaves poked their little green heads out to kiss the warm sun. Spring was ending, and summer was soon to arrive.
"Bring Bring Bring" The rowdy alarm clock sounded in Kitsune's messy room, floor covered by layers of empty sake bottles.
"Argh...." Kitsune grumbled, slapping down the disruptive alarm that had caused her to awake from her sweet dreams.
"Why, in the name of Sake Goddess, did I set the alarm clock so early to wake myself?" Kitsune questioned her weary self, her mind still asleep. After a few minutes of empty thoughts and tired blinking, Kitsune soon realized that today was the day when Shinobu would come back. Just thinking of all the delicious food that Shinobu would make for them after she came back made Kitsune's mouth water uncontrollably. She quickly raced out of her room and raced into the girl's bathroom, where she saw Naru, Su, and Motoko up already, brushing their teeth.
"Wah?!!! You guys are up already?" Kitsune asked, a little surprised.
"Of course! Sleeping beauty, we were up ages ago!" Naru answered with her voice obscured by the foam bubbling from her mouth.
The girls quickly got dressed and went out into the dining room, finding Keitaro already dressed for the morning.
"Why's he so anxious?" both Naru and Motoko thought simultaneously. The two girls soon ended that thought and decided that it was time for them to leave for the airport.
"Let's go guys!" Su chirped joyfully, unable to stand the excitement, and the rest followed her order and left the inn.
Roaring noises of airplanes flying over the Tokyo airport sounded in the interior building, echoing about the vast space. The five friends entered into the big airport and looked around them, trying to catch glimpses of Shinobu.
"California Express 219 is now boarding....." the man from the speaker announced.
"Hey isn't that Shinobu-chan's plane?" Kitsune asked.
"Oh yeah! It is!" Su cried out loud, running over to the gates were Shinobu would be coming out from. The other residents joined her as they waited patiently for their friend to come out. One by one, a passenger came out of the doors, however none turning out to look like Shinobu.
"Where is Shinobu?" Su questioned impatiently, her head looking out for her friend.
"I don't know," Ketiaro answered, a little curious himself now too.
"Hey, look!" Motoko cried out, her hand pointing in the direction of a couple coming out of the doors. They were the last ones to come out.
"It's...." Kitsune began, widening her eyes for a better view to make out the visage of her friend who had changed quite incredibly over time.
Shinobu no longer looked as young as she had before her trip. She looked rather more feminine than before, her clothing styles changed incredibly. The clothes she wore were rather similar to those that Naru would usually wear, somewhat more revealing. Her face looked different somehow as well. It had taken the others some time in staring before they realized that Shinobu was wearing make up over her face. What's even more astonishing was that Shinobu was walking beside a handsome, young man, and their hands were holding?!!!!
"Shinobu-chan!" Su cried aloud, "Who is this new friend of yours?"
"Mina-san, this is Yukiro, and Yukiro, this is Mina-san," Shinobu said joyfully, forcing some chuckles.
"Konichiwa," Yukiro greeted dreamily at the girls. However, none of this charming spell took any effect on any of the girls. In contrary, all the girls were worried about their friend and her new transformation.
"Shinobu-chan, why have you changed your ways?" Motoko questioned sternly at Shinobu, not approving of one changing their ways because of other's influence and pressure.
All the others looked worriedly at Shinobu since the old Shinobu would have cried in a confronting situation like this, however this new Shinobu answered confidently, and spoke boldly against the strong swordswoman.
"I just wanted to have a little change," Shinobu answered as if it wasn't much of a big deal.
All the others stood a little stunned by Shinobu's complete different attitude. It was as if it was a new person, sharing the same face at their friend, talking to them. This was not Shinobu........
"Shinobu, lets get back, " Keitaro said, pulling Shinobu by the arm.
"Don't touch me Urashima!" Shinobu yelled at the top of her lungs, getting rid of Keitaro's strong grip. Keitaro looked, stunned by Shinobu.
"Why is she doing this?" he thought, "Why has she changed so much? Is it because......"
Shinobu looked away to hide her blush. Her blood rushed with adrenaline. Quickly, she hid her feelings and put on her act again.
"I must confine my feelings," Shinobu constantly reminded herself.
"Now let us leave," Shinobu said, trying to sound as cocky as possible.
"You are not Shinobu!" Su cried aloud as she jumped onto her dear friend whose back laid on the cool airport floor, struggling to get Kaolla off her.
Shinobu fought back tears. "I'm doing this for sempai's good," she told herself.
"Get off me baka!" Shinobu cried aloud, knocking Su down, rather impulsively.
Su sat back, eyes unbelieving that the person sitting in front of her was her dear, shy friend, Shinobu. Tears accumulated behind the eyes of the Indian girl, who seldom did cry. Slowly, she turned her head down and away, and walked away.
"Look what you did! You made Su cry!" Kitsune scolded in her adult voice, and she ran after Su.
Slowly, Motoko followed Kitsune, and then followed by Naru, who tugged Keitaro along with her. Keitaro, turned his back to look at Shinobu, as he walked over to the exit with Naru. Right then, he saw Shinobu crying on Yukiro's shoulder, with Yukiro soothing her by patting her back.
"What's going on?" Keitaro thought as he continued to walk.
All the girls were disappointed when the retired back to the Inn. They were looking forward to a celebration party for their friend's return. However, no one would have ever guessed that it would turn out like this...........
****************
I'm really sorry if this was a short chapter and that I had many grammar mistakes in is because it's really late and I really need to get to sleep now. Please don't be discouraged since I'm updating this chapter now because I want to update the next chapter of Spring's Gift on the weekends. You'll find a follow-up chapter to Spring's Gift very soon! Please leave a review to support this fic! Many thanks!