"Like walking into a dream, so unlike what you've seen,
so unsure but it seems, 'cause we've been waiting for you…"
-Avenged Sevenfold
As expected as a result of her not feeling her best, Davina's Monday dragged on relentlessly—her discomfort remained in full effect all throughout the duration of the day, making her short tempered and impatient. The moment she made it home, she treated herself to a quick shower and immediately congealed to her bed, placing a delightfully cool pillow over her head to further block out the world around her. She quickly fell into a light, dreamless sleep, awaking several hours later in a state of mild confusion. Much to her relief, the worst of her headache had finally dissipated—mild throbbing still remained, but it was far more manageable than the anguish she had been entertaining for what seemed like a small eternity. Realizing that she was both hungry and thirsty, she decided to rouse, leaving the comfort of her dark bedroom and slipping into the kitchen.
Left with little energy in spite of her nap, she opted to make a quick cup of noodles for sustenance and quickly drank a glass of cold water, which alleviated the parched dryness of her mouth and throat. While her meal prepared, Davina returned to her bedroom to reclaim her phone, eagerly checking the time—she had slept for longer than anticipated, and it was just after ten. An unread message awaited her—she saw Shuichi's name alongside the text that followed, but found herself unwilling to open the correspondence in that moment. Thanks to her unproductive evening, she hadn't touched any of her homework—seeing as she needed to complete a least an assignment or two, lest she run the risk of falling behind, Davina grudgingly planned to do so once she had eaten, not willing to indulge herself in anything that might distract her. It was well after midnight once she lost her will to continue, and, after halfheartedly brushing her teeth, she returned to her bed, overcome with sheer exhaustion.
Tuesday morning, she awoke only mere minutes prior to the ringing of her alarm, but was happy to note that her head no longer troubled her—in fact, despite the less than normal hours of deep sleep she had acquired after a late night, she felt fairly well rested. For this, she was grateful, because she had a rather long day ahead of her.
The hours of school came and went quickly, despite her budding trepidation at her impending venture into Chihayaakasaka. Thoughts of abandoning her efforts plagued her, but she refused to be deterred—odds are that the journey wouldn't amount to much of anything, but she had to follow through with it, if only to silence her nearly overwhelming curiosity. Shuichi's text from the previous night still lingered, unopened—she made a mental note to return his message upon her return home, worried that he would come to the conclusion that she was avoiding him. It wasn't her intention, but given the fact that her mind was amply preoccupied with the task at hand, she found herself unwilling to focus on much else.
With little issue, Davina came upon the bus stop that would carry her to her destination and waited for its arrival—after paying the fare, she claimed a window seat near the front end of the vehicle, and immediately slipped in her headphones, deciding it best to past the duration of the ride while listening to music and losing herself in thought. The playlist she selected from her music library was a random one, filled with a mix of songs that held no cohesion or likeness to one another. It began mildly enough with Bon Jovi's Living On A Prayer, but then dissolved into the hauntingly grating vocals of Cradle Of Filth's Nymphetamine, the dark ambiance of the song a nearly direct opposite of the one that had preceded it.
As time passed, the cityscape of Osaka faded into quaint countryside, the monochromatic gleam of tall buildings and bustling streets giving way to lush green landscapes that seemed both calming familiar and frighteningly different in the same instance. Her heart began to race as the bus veered left, a tall sign that stood along the rural road announcing that only several miles remained between herself and the village—it arrived within minutes, and it was with looming feelings of deep apprehension that Davina disembarked. She lingered in the minutes that followed the vehicle's departure, trying to acclimate to her surroundings.
Although it had been several years since her last journey to Chihayaakasaka, it didn't appear that much had changed—the bus stop was located within the perimeters of the village's tiny downtown district, which hosted a visitor's center, complete with a gift shop and small café. She could vaguely recall sharing a family dinner there on several occasions, and tried to recall which direction would lead to the Ishihara home—after a minute of consideration, Davina opted to follow the direction as dictated by her memory, hoping she was correct in her thinking as she made her way down the worn cobblestone road. Things seemed familiar enough as she pressed forward, and after walking several blocks, she was rewarded with the distant sight of her late grandparents' house, nestled within a small collective of trees and high growing brush.
Slowly, Davina approached the house, which appeared smaller than she remembered, but painfully familiar all the same. The cobblestones gave way to dirt as she neared the winding walkway that led up into the exterior atrium, and, while the plants that had once been carefully maintained by her deceased grandfather had grown wild without a strict hand to tame them, the Ishihara home remained unchanged. She reached the outdoor entrance hall and paused, eying the wooden door warily. For a minute, she again considered abandoning the task at hand—feelings of raw nostalgia had already begun to well up inside of her, and she had yet to even enter the premises. Perhaps this venture had been a mistake—it seemed almost sacrilegious to push forward, as if she were violating some unspoken degree by daring to search a place that now belonged to those long dead.
Suddenly, Davina felt incredibly foolish—odds are, the door was locked, and she had no means of breaching it. How such a thought hadn't previously occurred to her was an irritating mystery, and yet, here she was, at a loss of how to proceed. In spite of this realization, she tried the knob and was met with the resistance she had feared.
"Fuck," she growled, the word spilling forth from her lips before she could think to stifle it. It seemed as if her efforts had officially come to a dead end—there was little she could do, given the situation—it would probably be best for her to return to Kaiden and forget this madness after all.
Defeated, Davina stepped out of the atrium and found herself staring sullenly out at the yard, trying to come to terms with the roadblock she had just encountered. As she brooded, her gaze fell upon the old bird feeder that stood out amongst the wide expanse of grass—it was nearly as old as she was, beaten by weather and looking worse for wear—her grandmother, who had a soft spot for birds, had always kept it full of seed when she was alive, which caused a wide variety of local wildlife to flock to it for a free meal. It sat empty now, a rusty, sullen reminder of great loss.
Staring at the feeder, Davina's mind wandered to the memory of a trip her family had taken to the village several years before her grandfather had fallen ill. Their flight had been delayed, and they had arrived to Osaka far later than originally planned. There had been a miscommunication between her mother and her grandparents, who had ventured into the city to meet them at the airport—long story short, they had somehow missed one another in transit, and had arrived in Chihayaakasaka while Eri and Mamoru had remained in Osaka. She recalled how angry her mother had been at the thought of having to wait for them to return—but after the lengthy wait within Denver International followed by an even longer flight into Japan, her irritation was justified. Everyone was frustrated and exhausted, and Davina, who was little more than a child at the time, had to use the bathroom. She could recall the heated conversation her mother had had while on the phone with her grandmother, her tired face screwed up into a massive scowl. Without warning, Mitsuyo had stomped over to the bird feeder, and after a few seconds, had produced a single key from an unseen place—said key had opened the front door of her grandparent's house, and they had been able to enter, dragging their collection of bags inside and quelling the worst of her mother's fury.
'Perhaps…'
Inspired by the memory, Davina made her way over to the abandoned feeder, expecting to be met with disappointment—after all, this had happened years ago, and the odds of the key still living in an accessible place were slim to none. But by some stroke of luck, she came upon it, held against the bottom of the metal plate by means of a small magnet. The key was warm to the touch in her hand, and she stared down at the small metal implement with wonder, momentarily unable to fathom its presence. She returned to the vestibule, and sure enough, it fit into the door just fine, quickly opening the lock that had previously barred her from progressing. Davina pulled open the heavy door just enough to slip inside, and carefully pushed it closed behind her.
Luckily, there was plenty of daylight afforded by the windows, for the electricity running to the house had long been shut off. Everything was just as she remembered, although covered in a thick sheen of dust. It was a daunting sight—Eri's wake would have been the last time the house had hosted any occupants, and while the furniture and bric-a-brac all remained, unmoved and untouched, there was a deeply haunting quality to the empty house that made Davina feel ill at ease. But she pressed onward, making her way through the small living quarters, swallowing back her concern as best she could.
The small alcove towards the center of the space housed a simple wooden altar, complete with a sacred Kamidana that hung overhead. The surface of the altar served as a foundation to several statues, all handmade and carved from either wood or stone. Each was meant to represent a deity, or Kami, that her grandparents had spiritually aligned themselves with—she had often admired these talismans as a child, and could easily recall which gods they represented: the female figure cradling a burning sun within her hands for the sun goddess, Amaterasu, the fox bearing a tiny blade within the confines of his jaws for the Kami, Inari, the deity of prosperity, and ornate porcelain bowl containing soil for the deity, Haniyasu, god of earth. Each of these deities were held in extremely high esteem by her kin, who had made their living as farmers.
Alongside these statues hung paper ofuda, with messages of protection and love carefully inscribed upon them. When her grandparents were alive, there would always be an abundance of offerings left before the talismans, little trinkets, flowers, and precious stones, their presence meant to pay homage to the Kami in exchange for their blessings. The charms and stones still remained, but the flowers had all long since died and shriveled, abandoned with no one to replace them once her grandmother had passed.
After pausing for a long moment to reminisce about the altar, Davina headed into the kitchen. If not for the cobwebs and grime, one would have never guessed that the house stood empty of life. She felt as if she were trespassing in some sacred space, one where she was unwelcomed and unwarranted. Now that she was inside, Davina had no idea of where even to begin her search—after some deliberation, she selected her grandparent's bedroom at the far end of the house.
Her surroundings were surreal as she moved through them, like a scene out of some strange horror movie. Her nagging discomfort only grew more intense as she slid open the shoji door into the tiny space that had once served as the personal quarters of her predecessors. It was spotlessly tidy, save for the collective of gray dust—even the bed was made. She had only been within this particular room a handful of times when her grandparents had still been of the living, and all of those occasions had been when she was a young child. During the visits had when she was a teenager, it hadn't seemed proper to inhabit their private space—so she hadn't. The closest she had come to doing so was merely knocking on the door to gain their attention. To be in this particular room now only furthered that sinking feeling of infringement.
Hesitantly, Davina searched through the small wooden dresser, finding nothing but neatly folded clothing within. She did the same with the single nightstand and desk, coming up empty handed—with all other options exhausted, she turned her attention to the tiny closet, and it was there she came across something that intrigued her—it was a decently sized wooden box, one ornately crafted and sealed with a dark stain, with a strange emblem that had been painstakingly burned into the smooth surface by a careful hand. It was hidden away near the back of the minute space, nearly concealed by the clothing that hung from the hangers above it.
With minimal effort, she dug the container out of its holding place and picked it up to study the image further—it was of a large tree with many reaching branches, heavy with tiny leaves, and long roots, covering nearly the entire surface of the box. Vaguely, it reminded her of the Tree of Yggdrasil, a well known icon in Norse mythology; it was an icon of life, a symbol that stretched out across the worlds and into the heavens. The detail present in the emblem was striking, and Davina couldn't help but run her fingers across the picture, feeling the subtle indentations in the wood beneath her flesh. Without a doubt, she knew that the intricate artwork was her grandfather's—Mamoru's favorite pastime was pyrography, a skill he had taught himself and perfected with years of practice. He had even gifted her several of his productions over the years, her favorite being the one he had presented her as a birthday gift the year prior to his death: a beautiful mermaid carved into a thick slice of maple wood. It hung on the wall of her childhood bedroom to this day.
With the box in her hands, she left the closet, and placed it atop the desk, slowly pulling the lid open. What she found interred within was a strange collection of items, among them a tiny, red velvet drawstring pouch, a dog-eared book bound in weathered gray leather, and an odd figurine of a snake, carved from what appeared to be white agate. She reached for the book first, opening it to the first page, where she found an inscription written in her late grandmother's hand.
'To my great love, Mamoru—may you never forget me, throughout time and distance. Eternally yours, Eri Kurosuna.'
The sight of the name caused a ripple of goose-bumps to form across the flesh of Davina's arms and neck—perhaps this little trip hadn't been a waste of effort, after all. She had never known her grandmother's maiden name—it had simply never come up in conversation. Why had the name caused her mother such concern? Intrigued, Davina flipped to the next page, hoping she could learn more.
It quickly became clear that this book was a diary of sorts, even though the entry read much like a letter—she scoured through the text, failing to realize that she was holding her breath as she read the words written upon the yellowing page.
'Dearest Mamoru—I'm counting the days until you return to me. My father says that Taiyen is to be my mate, but I've refused to accept the arrangement. I will never love another as much as I love you. He tells me that it is my duty as his daughter, but I find myself unable to agree, despite the dishonor it will bring upon me. Oh, how I long for the days ahead—I hope this message finds you well, and that your venture into the Ningenkai is proving to be a successful one. I can only dream of the day in which you come to take me from Akaitsuki and we begin our life together, far from here. Tonight, I'll dream of you, my love. Keep me in your heart, always. Eri.'
Davina reread the entry, just to be absolutely certain that her eyes hadn't played some sort of strange trick on her. Her heart was beating so rapidly, she could hear her pulse echoing harshly in her ears. She exhaled hard, her lungs having grown tight within the confines of her chest.
'Ningenkai…' she wracked her brain for a translation, stumbling over the phrase as she fought to wrap her mind around it. 'World of humans? What the hell…?'
Frantically, she flipped to the next page, devouring the entry that followed, even as she began to feel as if it had become harder to breath.
'Mamoru—I hope you come for me soon, my love. Father has officially announced to the people my impending nuptials to Taiyen. He says that our children will bear the Kurosuna name, in hopes that the children I bear carry the blood of the Kami Taichi. He tells me that it is a great honor, but I know better—he only desires to bring further renown to the family. I hate to bring him shame, but I cannot fulfill the role he has set for me, no matter the cost. Tonight the current crop of Hoshi Hoseki crystals will be harvested from the Arashi Sea—I will make sure to take my share to the temple of Mizunara and offer it as tribute in exchange for her blessing. I only hope the goddess will hear my prayers and not turn her back on me for what I intend to do. I hope you are well, my beloved. Even with the great distance that separates us, I draw upon your strength. I carry you in my heart always. Eri.'
Aflame with curiosity, but overwhelmed with the little she had already read, Davina found herself unable to continue. There was simply too much to process in the moment, and her time that remained was limited—she decided to take the book with her to read more at a later time, figuring that she could always return it during a future venture. Closing the diary, she slipped it into the confines of her bag, then reached for the pouch and loosened the draw string before pouring the contents out into her cupped palm. A collection of gemstones filled her hand, and she recognized them immediately—the alien creature had gifted her one of the very same. She could feel their power, an odd electrical tingle racing down the length of her arm. Davina found herself wondering if these stones were the Hoshi Hoseki crystals her grandmother had mentioned with her writing, but had no way to be certain. She returned them to their bag and replaced it within the box, reaching then for the figurine of the snake.
It was cool to the touch and surprisingly heavy for being so small—a pair of tiny crimson jewels served as the snake's eyes, but there was nothing to provide her any true information about the minute statue. On a whim, she flipped it over, finding a pair of kanji carved into the stone base—she recognized the characters immediately; it simply read 'Ishihara'. After a lingering moment, she returned it to its holding, and closed the box, once again confining it within the closet. Only two rooms remained for her to explore, the guest bedroom and the small den that led out into an enclosed garden. She opted to do the bedroom first, which left her awash with the sense of déjà vu—it was as if she visiting some frozen point in time.
The spare bedroom had a number of framed pictures on the wall, several of them of her younger self alongside her family—they were accompanied by a wedding photograph of Eri and Mamoru, and a single picture of her mother as a child. In the picture, young Mitsuyo, who couldn't have been older than five or six years, was smiling warmly—it was a strange sight, for as an adult, she couldn't recall ever seeing her mother do such a thing—even in the pictures of her marriage to Jason, she wore a stern face. Davina could easily recall seeing these pictures during their many stays here, and that particular photo always resonated within her. Judging by the look of the photograph, Mitsuyo had been a happy child—what had happened to make her so bitter as she aged was a mystery. There was nothing to be found within the spare bedroom, so Davina made her way into the den. She came across more family photographs, but little else. There was a large bookshelf that took up most of the far wall, but after glancing through the titles she found there, Davina came up empty handed once more.
When she rolled back the door to slip out into the garden, she paused, saddened at the sight that welcomed her. Without her grandfather to care for it, the area had fallen into a state of wild disarray, with the plants housed there either dead or having grown wild and messy. To see what had once been a source of pride dissipate into chaos made her feel the absence of her grandparents quite vividly. She almost couldn't bring herself to step out in the atrium, but managed to do so at the sight of one of the hydrangea bushes which was still blooming quite nicely in spite of no one to care for it. Carefully, she removed several of the soft blue flower clusters, cradling them in her hand as she took her leave of the patio.
Sliding the door closed, she knew her time there had come to a close and that it would be best if she headed back into town and caught the next bus home. Judging by what she had already read within her late grandmother's diary, Davina was certain she would be able to decode at least some of the odd text contained within simply by reading further, and she was eager to do so. But before she made her exit, Davina paused at the shrine to remove the dead flowers that remained, replacing them with the fresh ones she had picked from her grandfather's garden. Religion had not played a very large role in her life—she was loosely raised Catholic due to her father's family, but none of her immediate family members were exceptionally involved in the practices. Her mother, of course, had followed in the footsteps of her parents and believed in the principles of Shinto, but did not practice in the conventional sense. As for her beliefs, Davina did believe in a higher power, but never gave a name to it. She held no true alliance to one or the other, and left it at that. Regardless, that didn't stop her from a saying a quick prayer in honor of her kin. She then left the Ishihara house, replacing the key within its secret place beneath the bird feeder before embarking on the short walk that would lead her back into the town square.
Along the way, she realized that her return route led her just abreast of the cemetery that served as her grandparents' final resting place—seeing as it had been several years since her last visit, it almost seemed rude to pass on the opportunity to pay her respects. So Davina diverted from her current destination, taking the path that would lead her past the line of trees that hid the sacred ground from sight of the main road. She bypassed the wooden sign that bore the cemetery's name and slowly made her way over to the corner of the small graveyard that housed her kin. A simple stone square plot bearing a single tall headstone engraved with the surname of the deceased greeted her—housed beneath it within the base were the urns of her grandparents.
She paused at the entrance to the site and sighed softly.
"I miss you guys," she offered quietly, her voice barely above a whisper as she eyed the headstone, her eyes growing misty for a brief moment. "I wish you were still here…" She bowed her head for a long moment of silence, then smiled sadly. "I hope that you are together, wherever you are." With a heavy heart, Davina left the cemetery, heading back towards her originally intended destination.
Upon her return to the transit stop, Davina realized that she still had a solid half an hour to wait before the bus would appear, and since she was feeling quite thirsty, she opted to venture into the visitor's center and hit up the small café for a drink to pass the time. After downing a glass of water and partaking in a quick snack, she decided it was as good a time as any to respond to Shuichi's previous message. Much to her surprise, he responded almost immediately.
'I was beginning to worry about you. Glad to find that you're doing well.'
She felt an odd warmth gather within her chest as she read his message and quickly typed up a response.
'Sorry if I made you worry. Just got a little busy with some family stuff.' She decided to keep things vague, knowing that there was no simple way to clarify her current situation.
'No need to explain, that's understandable. Perhaps we can meet up sometime this week?'
His suggestion prompted her to smile at the thought—it would certainly be nice to see him again, and sooner rather than later.
'That would be wonderful. What did you have in mind?'
'Nothing concrete at the moment, but I'll let you know once I do. I'm heading into work now, so I'll talk to you soon. Have a good evening.'
'You too. Good luck with work.'
Her bus arrived shortly afterwards, and it was just growing dark by the time Davina climbed the steps to her apartment. A sense of utter relief washed over as she stepped inside, comforted by the familiarity of her own space. Now, within the sanctuary of her personal making, she realized just how truly exhausting her excursion had been—much of the adrenaline that had been fueling her throughout the expanse of her journey had fled from her and now her body felt heavy, every movement requiring energy she didn't seem to have. While she wanted to read more from her grandmother's diary, she opted to wait, knowing that she didn't currently possess the strength to fully delve into its mysterious at the moment. Instead, she knocked out her remaining homework assignments, ate another quick meal, showered and crawled into her bed. She was asleep only minutes after her head met the pillow, and slept the sleep of the dead, her slumber deep and dreamless.
. . .
Shuichi managed to make it through his Tuesday intact, although by the time his classes for the day came to a close, he was feeling rather weary. He still had an evening shift at the Koeda Café to get through, and not particularly looking forward to it. After returning home after a short bike ride, he fixed himself a cup of black tea and left it to steep as he changed into his work uniform and quickly washed his face. He drank his beverage as swiftly as the steaming hot liquid would allow without injury, hoping that the caffeine would provide him a much needed boost of energy. He was perched at the kitchen table, attempting to motivate himself to get up when his phone vibrated, signally the arrival of a text message.
He was both surprised and pleased when he learned that it was from Davina—a simple hello, followed by a brief apology for her failing to respond quicker. Finally hearing from her caused a flood of relief to wash over him—in truth, his concern over her lack of correspondence was prominent, and to learn that she did still harbor intentions of talking to him had him feeling much more optimistic. He conveyed his reprieve, and when she replied with the knowledge that her absence had come as a result of family-related things, he immediately understood. He was quick to request a meet-up with her in the near future, and happy when she agreed without a hint of hesitation—it would be wonderful to see her again, his mind filling with a collective of thoughts that only made that desire stronger. Unfortunately, his free time prior to his work commitment was swiftly dwindling to a close, and he had to cut their conversation short in favor of leaving. But hearing from her, as brief as their chat as it had been, seemed to renew his energy, and he left the house feeling far better than he had on his arrival.
The next morning arrived, and Shuichi rode his bike into the city, making it a point to text Davina the moment he had settled down into his first class. He asked if she'd be willing to meet up with him in the library later on that afternoon, and it didn't take long for her to respond favorably, informing him that she would be there for the period between her second and third classes. It gave him something to look forward to—the only downside was that, as time passed, his anticipation grew, which, in turn, prompted time to move along at a less-than-impressive pace. When his last class of the day finally announced its conclusion, he was among the first wave of students to hit the door, and made it across the quad and over to his destination in record timing.
Knowing that he had a small window of time before Davina would arrive due to the much more considerable distance between the current classroom she was occupying and the library, Shuichi decided on a whim to surprise her with a little pick-me-up. Just after entering the library, he ventured into the coffee shop, ordering her a drink reminiscent of the same one she had enjoyed during their rendezvous at the Secret Garden Café. For himself, he selected a simple black coffee, doctoring it with three sugars and a generous dollop of milk shortly after the pick-up for his order was announced. With their drinks in hand, he made his way over to a vacant table that sat in close proximity to where they had first officially met, near the periodicals. He had been there no more than five minutes before Davina appeared, smiling over at him with a warmth that nearly made him ache—she looked absolutely delighted to see him again, her smile contagious and inspiring his own.
Shuichi offered her the beverage he had procured for her as she approached the table, and her eyes widened considerably at the kind gesture.
"You got me a coffee?" she asked, sounding mildly awed as she accepted the styrofoam cup and fixed him with appreciative stare. "Thank you—that's so sweet." It was obvious that she hadn't anticipated such a thing, and he found immense contentment with himself for the impulse to surprise her.
"Figured you could use one to get through your last class," he offered casually, watching as she slipped into the chair across from him.
"You were certainly right about that," she responded with a soft chuckle. "I really appreciate the thought, Shuichi." She took a hearty sip of her drink, following it with a sigh of contentment. "Between getting to see you and unanticipated caffeine, I think it's safe to say that you've made my day."
Her words resonated deep within him—to know that his company brought her pleasure only added to the feelings of self satisfaction he was entertaining. "So, how have you been these past few days?"
"About the same as always—bouncing between work, school, and my family," he replied, reaching for his own beverage. "Luckily, I don't have work tonight, but there is an exam this coming Friday that I need to study for."
"I know the feeling," she offered with a gentle sigh. "I'm in the same boat. Luckily, it's only sociology, so it shouldn't be too difficult."
"I'm sure you'll do well. Is it for Professor Kintaro's class?"
"It is."
"Well, if you're interested, I still have all of my notes from when I took his course. I'd be more than happy to share them with you—not to say that your own notes won't be ample enough," he tacked on quickly, afraid she might take his offer as an insult.
"That would be much appreciated, actually," she retorted, suddenly looking a bit sheepish. "If I'm being honest, I've been somewhat lax in taking notes for his lectures. I've…had other things on my mind when I should have been paying attention, so it certainly wouldn't hurt."
"If it's acceptable, I can run them by your apartment later this evening," he suggested, and for a brief moment, she seemed to consider this.
"That would be fine—if you'd like, you can stick around and study at my place…only if you want to," she replied quietly. It was an innocent proposition, but one that weighed heavily on Shuichi's mind—she was inviting him into her personal space, and to have the chance to interact with her in such privacy made his brain think of doing things that were far more interesting than studying. He shooed those lecherous thoughts away, but they refused to vanish completely in spite of his efforts.
After a lingering moment of hesitation that was spent silently arguing with himself, Shuichi decided that, despite knowing that it would be somewhat harder for him to maintain his concentration to study while in her presence, he wanted to take her up on the offer. He found himself caring little about the repercussions, knowing full well that he could tackle the test without studying and still find success, if it came down to it. To pass up such an opportunity would be foolish, and Shuichi was no fool—it could very well open doors for future interactions, and he didn't want to let such a chance pass him by.
"I'd like that," he responded, nodding his head in agreement. "I can meet you later this evening, if that works for you."
"I'll text you once I'm home," she replied, and for a brief second, Shuichi swore he could hear excitement in her tone. He opened his mouth to respond, only to be interrupted by Kazuma's familiar tone injecting from afar.
"Hey guys!" came the loud greeting, followed by Kuwabara's rapid approach, a smile on his face as he made his way over to the table in which they sat.
"Hey, Kazuma," Davina said with a small smile—much to his surprise, the growl of protest that echoed within Shuichi at the turn of her attention was a far gentler one then the ones that had occurred prior. Perhaps whatever previous possessiveness that had overwhelmed him before had eased up with the realization that she desired now him, at least in some capacity, as evidenced from their prior interactions. It came as a relief, to say the least. He greeted his friend with a small nod, and Kuwabara claimed a seat for himself.
"I'm glad I ran into you guys," he said, his urgent tone prompting Shuichi to quirk a curious eyebrow. "I wanted to know if you were free Saturday—Yukina will be in town, and I was thinkin' that we all could hang out. Whaddya say?" He looked hopeful, the excitement at the prospect of seeing his beloved clear across his face.
"I'm working a morning shift on Saturday, but I'll be free by early afternoon," Shuichi replied, finding his friend's eagerness to be almost endearing. "I'd be happy to join you. It'll be nice to see her."
"Awesome! " Kazuma exclaimed happily, pumping his fist into the air in a gesture of victory. "What about you, Davi? You in?"
"Are you sure you want me to tag along?" she asked softly, sounding almost unsure. It was as if she hadn't expected to be included, but Kuwabara shrugged off her uncertainty without a moment's hesitation.
"Of course! The more, the merrier! I'm thinkin' that we can all grab lunch, maybe hit the arcade. C'mon, it'll be fun. You'll get to meet everybody, and I know they're gonna like you. So, whaddya say?"
"Sounds like a plan," she responded with an engaging smile, despite the anxious look that had suddenly appeared behind her eyes. If Kazuma noticed, he did not comment on it—Shuichi, on the other hand, couldn't help but pick up on her mild discomfort almost immediately. He assumed her apprehension was simply abloom at the thought of meeting new people—she did come across as fairly introverted, but at the same time, the desire to make friends was there, lurking beneath the unsure surface. He believed that once she got past her initial nervousness, she would fare just fine.
"Sweet! This is gonna be great! I'll text you guys once I got the details all worked out. I've gotta go hunt down a book for my advanced chemistry class, got a paper I gotta get started on. Is it cool if I leave my stuff here for a bit?"
"Of course," Shuichi replied—Kuwabara unloaded his bag and wandered off to go search for the book he required, shooting them a wave of thanks prior to taking his leave.
"Well, that was interesting," Davina commented casually, her statement reclaiming her companion's attention.
"That's Kuwabara for you," he responded lightly, shaking his head while smiling mildly. "He means well, but he can certainly be a little overzealous at times. "I suppose he's just excited—it has been some time since he last got to see Yukina."
"It was nice of him to invite me—I certainly wasn't expecting it."
"He's fond of you—and I do believe he's right in thinking you'll get along fine with everyone," he replied, sensing that she needed some sense of encouragement by her tone. While Shuichi was already looking forward to the meet up, his mind started to think of the precautions that had to be taken—he made a mental note to shoot Yusuke a text, knowing full well his proclivity to slip up and use the name of his other self, hoping that by providing his friend a warning that an unfamiliar party would be joining their ranks, he would be more diligent. It would be the very first time relative outsider would be brought into the fold, and truthfully, the idea of it had him feeling somewhat anxious.
The time that followed suit passed by swiftly—Kazuma rejoined them after a short while, and the trio conversed among themselves and worked on their various assignments until such a time came around that Davina had to leave to attend her final class of the day. She offered her goodbyes, reminding Shuichi of her intentions to text him about their impending meet up later, and made her egress, waving to them before she found her way over to the exit. Together, the boys watched her walk away, Shuichi's gaze drawn to the delicious curve of her buttocks as if by instinct. He felt himself involuntarily lick his lips, his thoughts venturing to carnal intentions if only for a brief second before they were interrupted by Kuwabara's voice.
"So, you and Davi, huh?" Kazuma said with a wide smile.
"We're simply friends, Kuwabara," Shuichi reminded him sternly, although he had to fight to suppress a smile.
"She likes you," he replied bluntly, fixing his companion with a pointed stare. "Are you gonna ask her out?"
"We're still getting to know each other."
"But you like her, don't ya?"
Shuichi considered this question for a long moment, and then nodded his head in affirmation.
"Yes, but I'm not rushing into anything."
Kazuma's grin widened even further, giving him an almost comical appearance.
"Told ya you'd land another hottie," he joked, his statement causing Shuichi to sigh.
"Don't you have a paper to write?" he retorted, despite the knowing smirk that perched across his lips.
. . .
Author's Note: To the anonymous guest who left me a lovely review, thank you so much for taking the time. I appreciate the wonderful compliments, and I'm so happy that you think so highly of the story. I hope to have a few more edited chapters posted here over the course of the next few days, so the encouragement is exceedingly helpful.