Chapter 11: Everyone's Love Letter

How exactly would one go about defining love? What is love? If you asked a teacher, what would they tell you? If you asked your parents, what would they tell you? If you asked your friends, what would they tell you? Sometimes the only way to figure out something is to experience it for yourself. I never really gave much thought to the idea of love, but ever since she showed up, things started changing. I started changing. I'm not sure if these changes are good or bad, but they feel alright to me. I've put some thought into the new feelings that the changes have given me. These feelings are strong and they make me feel funny, especially when I'm around her. She makes everything seem so simple. She's so carefree and outgoing. Although she's my total opposite, I can't help but feel an attraction to her. Is this what people mean when they say "Opposites attract"? These feelings I have for her…I guess this can only be called…love.

X-X-X-X

Airi sat in her bedroom bundled up in warm clothes. "Damn, could it be any colder?" She crawled under the blankets of her bed. "Could it be time for an afternoon nap in winter?" She shivered. "I think so." She pulled the blankets over her head. "Aah, it's nice and warm under here…It's like being held tightly in someone's arms…" She giggled. "Where did that come from?" She sighed. "I finally have enough money. Now I…I…" She yawned. "Well, I'll think about the details later…" Chink. Something hit her balcony door. "Wha?" She sat up. "What was that? Was I hearing things?" Chink. "No, something's hitting my balcony door." She slid out of her bed and went over to the door. "I wonder if it's Kiba. He would throw rocks at my door." She opened the door and stepped onto the balcony. "Eh?" There was a letter on the ground. "What's this?" She read it.

You are the light that shines brightly in the day. You bring warmth to those around you wherever you go. You light the way for me in dark times and you bring warmth to my heart in cold times. Please grace me with your presence and warm my soul tonight at the park at nine.

Airi's face beamed crimson. "Wh-What is this! Who sent this to me!" She leaned over her balcony railing to find the culprit. She read the letter again. "Oh my God…this is…a love letter!" She dashed back into her bedroom. "A love letter!" She threw her normal clothes on and grabbed the letter. "A-Ah! What should I do! Whoever sent this is asking me to meet them in the park at nine tonight! Should I go! Oh my, oh my, oh my! What to do indeed!" She looked back down at the letter. "S-Someone loves…me?"

----

Shino smiled as small bugs crawled up his arm. "Good job everyone. Thank you for delivering my letter." He began to walk down the street. I hope I'm doing the right thing. I'm pretty sure that these feelings are that of love. But what if she doesn't feel the same? Then what? Love is pretty complicated… BAM! Sino tumbled backwards and fell to the ground. "What the hell!"

"I-I'm so sorry! Please forgive! I'm just so alarmed right now that--Shino!"

He looked up. "What?" His heart skipped a beat. "O-Oh, hey Airi."

Airi helped him up. "Are you alright? I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

"What's up? You seem very jumpy right now. Everything alright?"

"U-Uh, um…" She blushed.

He looked down at the letter. "What's that?"

Her heart began to race. "I-I-I-" She ran off. "It's nothing!"

Shino smiled. "Really now?"

XXXX

Airi sighed. "Who could've sent me this?" She read the letter again. "Well, whoever sent this really knows how to make a girl melt. This is beautiful. I feel so special now…" She giggled. "I wonder…?"

"Yo! Airi, what's up?" Kiba walked up to her. "Hey."

She looked at him. "Oh, hi Kiba!"

"What's that?" He pointed to the letter.

"Huh?" Eep! She hid it behind her back. "N-Nothing at all! It's nothing."

"Oh, alright." He yawned. "Have you seen Shino?"

"Shino? Oh, yeah, I did."

"Hmm, I wonder what's up with him."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, this morning he was very nervous. It was as if he was debating with himself if he should do something."

"Oh…"

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Airi snapped out of her daze. "What? Huh?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong! I'm fine!"

"You sure? You haven't stopped blushing since I started talking to you. And your eyes are sparkling right now."

"R-Really!"

"Yeah."

She looked down. "W-Well, I'm just very happy right now…"

"About what?"

She hesitantly looked up. "Um, well, uh…"

"Arf!" Akamaru poked his head out from Kiba's hood.

"That's it! I'm happy about Akamaru! I just love seeing him cuz he's so cute!" She started to back up. "Yeah, that's it…K-Kiba, I have to…I have to go now!" She turned on her heel and ran.

Kiba tilted his head. "Hmm? That was odd."

'Airi thinks I'm cute. She likes me!' Akamaru said.

"And your point is?"

'I have a girlfriend!'

"Akamaru, you silly dog!"

'Hey, what's that on the ground? Look Kiba!'

Kiba looked down. There was a folded piece of paper. "Huh?" He bent down and picked it up.

'Did Airi leave that for you?'

"I think so…" He unfolded it and read it. "…Are you serious!"

'What is it Kiba?'

He laughed. "I knew it! Oh God, she loves me!"

'What? What did it say! Tell me!'

"It's a love letter! Airi wants to meet me in the park tonight! Yes! She loves me Akamaru! She loves me!"

'Way to go Kiba!'

"I gotta get ready so I can confess me feelings right! Let's go Akamaru!" He dashed off.

"Hmm?" Hinata came out of a little shop across the street from where Kiba was. "That was Kiba just now, but what was he saying?" She walked across the street. "I wonder-" A piece of paper hit her face. "Oh!" She pulled it off. "Kiba must have dropped this. What does it say?" She read it. "…Oh my?" She blushed. "Oh gosh, this is…a love letter! Did Kiba intend for me to get this? He must have! But…why? I thought he loved Airi…" She gasped. "Oh no! He must have fallen out of love with her! But then that means…he…loves me? Me?" She thought for a moment. "But I…I love…Naruto…! I have to see Kiba tonight and set everything straight with him!" She turned a brighter red. "I hope he understands…"

XXXX

Shino hesitantly stood around hesitantly in the park. "I-It's almost time…" How will Airi feel? What's gonna happen tonight? He shook his head. "Calm down Shino. Get a hold of yourself!"

"Shino?"

He spun around. That's Hinata's voice! What is she doing here! "Hinata!"

Hinata tilted her head. "Shino, what're you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Oh…" She fidgeted with her hands. "W-Well, you see…K-Kiba asked me to meet him here tonight…"

What? If Kiba's gonna met Hinata here…Airi's gonna be here too! What's going on! "Damn…"

"What're you doing here Shino?"

He looked at her. "Wh-What! I, um, I'm…"

"Well, I'm a couple of minutes late. I hope my secret admirer doesn't mind."

Hinata looked behind Shino. "What? What is Airi doing here?"

"Oh boy, oh boy. This is gonna be the happiest night of my life!"

Shino looked behind Hinata. "What the hell! It's Kiba!"

"What do we do Shino?" she asked.

"Um…" Damn, everything's going down the toilet! He grabbed her hand and pulled her behind a bench. "We'll hide here!" They peered around the bench.

"Kiba? Is that you?" Airi stopped.

"Airi, it's me, Kiba," Kiba said as he approached her. "I'm…really happy to see you."

Kiba's my…! "O-Oh…Kiba?"

"Airi, I never knew that I could feel this way about someone."

"H-Huh?" Kiba…does he…?

"Airi, when I met you, I knew there was something special about you."

"Really?"

"Yes. You truly are one of a kind. I'll never find another girl like you."

No one's ever loved me like this before. What is this that I'm feeling? Am I…in love with Kiba! "K-Kiba…No one's ever cared for me like this before."

"Really?"

"No. All my life, I've wanted someone to care for me and make me feel important. I want to know that my life has meaning because someone loves me. I…" She blinked back tears. "I don't wanna be alone anymore."

"Airi…" He placed his hands on her shoulders. "You're not alone."

"K-Kiba…" The emotional stress found its way through. "Oh Kiba!" She started to cry.

"It's alright Airi, I'm here for you." He hugged her. "Airi…I…love you."

"Kiba?" He loves me? Is this what I've been looking for? I this what I want? Yes, I want love. But do I want it from Kiba? I…don't know. "…Thank you…"

"…Airi…" He lowered his head.

Hinata and Shino waited breathlessly for the kiss. "So Kiba does love Airi. It was silly of me to think that he would love me. This is wonderful! I'm so happy for them, aren't you Shino?" He didn't say anything. "Shino?" She looked over at him.

Shino pulled up grass angrily as he watched Kiba and Airi. Dammit, everything's fucking ruined! I…I lost…I lost to Kiba and I lost Airi…

"Are you alright Shino?" He looks angry… She looked back at Kiba and Airi. Oh my God, they're kissing!

Shino looked away in disgust. Dammit! How the fuck did this all happen! I sent Airi that letter, not Kiba! He sighed sadly. I messed up. I actually brought them together. I didn't want this to happen. I hate this. Airi…I love you…But now…I can't have you…