Chapter 16: Waiting For Him

"A-Aurion! It hurts!"

"What happened?"

"She was playing in the tree when I told her not to."

"Airas, don't be so cold towards her."

"I'm sorry. I'm…I'm just like that sometimes. I don't know why."

"A-Aurion! A-Airas!"

"Oops! Sorry!"

"I have the first-aid kit."

"Thanks Airas."

"Airi, you're just like me when I was your age."

"A-Aurion…"

X-X-X-X

"Airi? Hey, Airi?" Kiba tapped his girlfriend on the head. "You awake?"

"Ughn…"

"Hey, she's waking up," Hinata informed.

Airi opened her eyes. "A-Aurion…Wh-Where…?"

"Who?" Kiba asked.

"Airi, Kiba and I were so worried about you when we didn't find you at your apartment this morning."

She looked around. "Oh, sorry. I guess I came here last night to watch Shino."

Hinata looked down at Shino and sighed. "I see…Shino…"

"It's been a month!" Kiba shouted. "He missed New Year's and everything!"

"Yes, and we've been waiting for him ever since," Hinata finished.

Airi rested her hand near Shino's and gently brushed his fingers. "…Shino, I'm patient, but this is too long to wait. You have to wake up so that I'll know you're alright."

"Damn that doctor!" Kiba shouted. "She said she knew what she was doing!"

"Shino, I'm tired of waiting. I want to see you alive now. Please wake up…" She closed her eyes. "Don't be stubborn." Something weakly grabbed her hand. "What?" She looked up.

"U-Uhn…"

"Shino?" Hinata moved closer to him. "Shino?"

"What?" Kiba moved closer as well.

"A…A-A…Airi…"

"Y-Yeah?" She lightly squeezed his hand. "I'm here."

Shino opened his eyes. "Wh-What…happened?"

"SHINO!" Hinata threw her arms around his neck. "Shino! You're alive! You're okay! Oh Shino, I'm so happy!"

Kiba gently hit his friend in the arm. "Yo, bug freak! I'm glad you didn't kick the bucket."

"Kiba, Hinata," Shino said with a small smile.

"Shino?" Hinata and Kiba backed off and looked at Airi.

"Airi, you're here…" Shino sighed silently. So she does care. She came to see me.

"Airi's been waiting for you this whole time Shino," Kiba informed.

"Yeah," Hinata added, "She's been very committed to you."

He looked at her. "Airi…"

Airi closed her eyes and walked over to him. "Shino…" She punched him in the arm. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Airi!"

"Ow!" Shino grabbed his arm. "That hurt!"

"Well I'm gonna do more than that!" She began to hit him in the head. "You stupid, stupid, stupid guy! How dare you go into a frikin' coma for one month? You jerk!"

"Airi! Airi, stop!" Hinata and Kiba begged. "Shino hasn't fully recovered yet!"

"AAHH!" Airi karate chopped Shino's head. "FRIKIN' JERK!" The ninjas fell silent from shock.

Shino blinked. "A-Ah?" Blood shot out of his nose. "You malicious sadist! Look what you did!"

"Shino!" Hinata and Kiba watched helplessly.

Airi covered Shino's nose with a cloth. "Well I hoped you learned your lesson. Shino, don't ever push your body way past your limit ever again!" She held the cloth up to his nose to wipe up the blood.

Hinata smiled. "Oh Airi."

"That's why I love her," Kiba laughed.

Shino blinked again. Airi?

She winced. "Shino you…" she started to cry, "…you have to promise me that you'll never do that again!"

"Airi?"

She wrapped her arms around him. "Oh Shino, I was so afraid that you were going to die! Do you know how guilty I felt! Do you? It was all my fault! Shino, you're such a jerk! Why did you hurt yourself just to save me! Why?" She pushed herself off and looked at him. "Tell me!"

Airi? He grabbed her and hugged her. "It's because we're friends Airi. You even said so yourself."

"I know, but despite that, you're an Aburame!"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

She covered her mouth. "You don't know!"

"Know what!"

She gasped. He doesn't know? He doesn't know that what we've been doing is wrong! Then if he never finds out…! We can still be friends after all! "Shino, we'll always be friends!" She buried her face into his chest. "I…I don't want to lose you or your friendship. Never."

He looked down at her. "…I'm so sorry. I promise that I won't do anything like that again." Airi continued to cry.

Kiba rolled his eyes. "A bit dramatic…"

"I think it's sweet," Hinata said with a blush. "Are you…jealous?"

"What? N-No, I'm not." He shook his head. "Kurenai sensei will be very happy that you're okay, Shino. She's been praying for you as well. It's been so dull without you, so welcome back buddy."

"Yes, welcome back." Hinata smiled.

"I'm…" he looked back down at Airi and rubbed her head, "…glad to be back." Something around his neck caught his eye. What? What's this? He looked carefully. It's a figurine…A charm? Could Airi have put this around me…?