Disclaimer: Not mine

Notes: Takes place between parts one and two of 'Children of Tomorrow'. This is a sequel of sorts to the previous part in this series.

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"You know I like you a lot, Shin," Daichi said as he tried to keep up, but with all the bags Shin was making him carry it wasn't exactly easy. "And that I like spending time with you, really, but... you must have at least one other friend who would've preferred to go toy shopping with you."

"First off, we're not toy shopping-- we're checking the stores to see if they've stocked the new model releases," Shin corrected him cheerfully. "And yes, I do have some friends who would've come with me... but they don't like getting up at six in the morning."

"And I do?!" Daichi couldn't remember much of the phone call: it was one big blur of Shin being so polite and excited and genuinely having no idea about the concept of sleeping in Saturday morning after a long week that he just couldn't find it in himself to refuse.

... Also, it was preferable to how he was originally planning to spend his weekend, which would have involved trying not to think about that night, and what Shin obviously didn't remember but he doubted he would ever forget (and all right, it didn't make much sense to try not to think about Shin by spending a weekend morning with Shin, but as his grandfather was so fond of reminding him, logic and Kijima Daichi had never gone very well together).

"Here we are Daichi-san." If Shin had noticed his earlier outburst (or the fact that he had suddenly grown very quiet), it didn't show. "And since we did the rest of our shopping early, we can come in when it opens and avoid the rush, isn't that great?"

When Shin smiled at him that way, he didn't want to argue anymore. "This is the one you kept talking about, right?"

"Oh, yes." Shin rubbed his hands together eagerly. "The twentieth anniversary all black re-deco is on sale today here, and I'm not leaving until I have one in my possession." Without warning, he grabbed Daichi's shoulder. "Look, they're opening up!" His voice literally oozed joy. Shin was already halfway to the doors when he noticed Daichi wasn't behind him. "Aren't you coming?"

Daichi found a bench, settling the earlier purchases around him. "No, I think I'll just wait for you and safeguard your things." Shin smiled again and bounded into the toy store.

He felt his lips twitch a little in response. Despite everything, Daichi was enjoying having Shin to himself for the morning. When they were like this--no headaches or questions or nagging feelings-- he could almost forget that they were supposed to be trying to figure out what all that meant...

Well, no point in worrying about it now. Somehow, he and Shin would remember whatever it was they'd forgotten (he couldn't be positive, but he was pretty sure that they had forgotten something), and then--

And then what?

He couldn't believe it hadn't occurred to him until now. After their search was over... after he learned what had happened and remembered whatever it was he knew he was supposed to... what if he was so busy remembering, he forgot about Shin? And memories held considerable power over a person... the right ones could make a person change forever. What if he changed-- or Shin? Or what if whoever he was before (if he had been someone else before) wasn't worth remembering? What would he do if-- what would he do?!

"Daichi-san!" Suddenly, Shin was hovering over him. "Are you all right? You look pale-- should we go home?"

"... No. No, I'm fine." He noticed that the model that Shin had been so set on getting a little while ago was now lying on the ground-- he must have dropped it in his rush to get to him. Daichi hoped his grin was convincing. "I'm just not used to being up this early on a Saturday, that's all."

Judging from the look on Shin's face, it hadn't been. "Then would you like something to eat? What about something to drink?"

"Maybe some water."

Daichi tried to steady his breathing as he watched Shin run to a nearby vending machine. He still wanted to know what it all meant. Those strange feelings that had been growing steadily stronger over the past year (despite his best attempts to ignore them), why meeting Shin had felt right and strange at the same time, why he just knew there was more to it all than just the occasional hunch... but not if it meant losing Shin in the process.

But wasn't Shin part of the process?

The whole reason he'd even acknowledged all this in the first place was because of Shin. And whatever had happened to him, he knew Shin had something to do with it-- it was the only explanation why he almost felt like they had already met that first time in the coffee shop (it also explained... other things that he really shouldn't be thinking about when he already had so much on his mind).

There were a lot of things Daichi was still unsure of, but he did know that no matter what happened, Shin would be there for him.

"Here's your water, Daichi-san." He put a hand on Shin's arm before he could hand him the bottle.

"Actually, I'm feeling a lot better." To prove his point, he stood and scooped up the fallen robot. "Why don't we go home before this poor guy suffers any more abuse?"

Shin's face lighting up helped more than the water ever would have. "That's a good idea. As soon as we get back to your place I can start building him."

"Hold on-- first I have to give up my morning so you don't have to shop alone, now I get to spend the rest of my day watching you build what you bought?

"But your apartment has better lighting, Daichi-san!" Shin nudged Daichi's arm as he gathered the rest of the bags.

As he followed Shin home, Daichi decided to let it go-- all of it. Shin was going to get his way, like always, and that was perfectly fair, as far as Daichi was concerned.

Because no matter where his journey ended, Shin would be waiting for him there.