(June)

It was the first time he saw her.

The way she crossed the room of their classroom and looked impassively at all of them, only talking she when the teacher asked her name, intrigued him. Although she was obviously unsociable, he raised his hand when their teacher asked who wanted to show the new kid around – he wanted to make her feel welcome.

She sat beside him and was silent throughout the whole class. She only spoke when he asked her name, and Shinichi discovered that her voice sounded like tinkling bells. Sensing that she didn't want to be interrogated in her first day, Shinichi politely introduced himself and didn't initiate conversation. Imagine his surprise, though, when in the middle of their class, Shiho turned to him and asked if she could borrow a pencil.

That was the start of their friendship.

(JulyAugustSeptember)

They started to grow closer.

Every day without fail, he would wait in front of the Miyano household so that he and Shiho could go to school together. Of course, they were mercilessly teased by their classmates; the High-School Detective and the Genius Chemist that were always together. Neither was bothered by it since Shinichi and Shiho were too busy discussing either something about their life, or debating about their school lessons.

Shinichi took all these moments for granted. How was he to know that Shiho would transfer to another country, and that in the middle of jokes, laughter, smirks, smiles, and touches, he would fall in love with the girl with strawberry-blonde hair?

(OctoberNovember)

He started to teach her soccer.

Even though Shiho had off-the-charts IQ, she sucked royally on Physical Education. One time when the class was tasked to run five laps around track field, Shinichi was forced to stop on their first lap when his best friend nearly collapsed from fatigue. Highly amused, Shinichi asked her if she was up to learning one of the most amazing sport man ever created – soccer. Of course, Shiho disagreed. But she could never really turn down a challenge, so the next morning found the two in the park practicing soccer.

By the end of the day, Shinichi swore off any more tutoring sessions of anything synonymous with sports to Shiho. She was never good at Physical Education.

(DecemberJanuaryFebruary)

It was the best Christmas present Shinichi ever received.

At first, he was slightly annoyed by the fact that Shiho insisted that they meet at the freezing park instead of a warm café. But she was his best friend, and he could never really say no to her puppy dog eyes, so he relented. She told him to meet her at 8 PM.

That night, Shinichi was busy entertaining his long time crush and next-door neighbor Mouri Ran when the girl remarked that the fireworks were about to start. Shinichi dimly remembered that the fireworks started at 10. When he looked at his watch, it was already 9:45.

Without even saying goodbye, Shinichi ran all the way from his house to the park – practically a two kilometer dash. By the time he arrived, it was already 9:55, he was sweating like a pig, and Shiho was waiting patiently for him underneath the frozen cherry blossom tree. She had been waiting for him for nearly two hours, and yet she welcomed him with that smile that always made him feel so special.

Before Shinichi could even apologize, Shiho tackled him with a fierce embrace before saying, "Merry Christmas. I hope you like your present."

In his hand was a small wrapped package. Shinichi ripped it open to see a silver bracelet with a soccer ball and a test tube charm. Shiho said it was something for him to remember her by, when she will move to another country – Germany, since her parents got another job. Shiho told him as tear rolled down her cheek that they were moving next Month, and that she wanted to spend her last Christmas in Beika with him, her best friend. Overhead, the fireworks exploded as Shinichi grabbed Shiho for a desperate hug.

It might have been the best Christmas present he ever received, but it was the worst Christmas he ever had.

(March)

He finally realized that he loved her.

For the months they have been together, Shinichi could not believe that he just realized the certain fact when it was time for Shiho to go away. He was in the airport together with his and her family, saying last minute goodbyes. Both he and Shiho were silent on the ride all the way from the Miyano household to the airport, but neither let go of their clasped hands. Finally, Shiho's mother told everyone that they had to go.

Wordlessly, Shiho let out a great sob and flung herself on her best friend, embracing him for all she was worth. She blubbered all over him, telling that she will miss him, and to call her when something happened. Shinichi just buried his face on her sweet smelling hair, trying to engrave her scent in his mind, telling him that he will, and to take care of herself since he wasn't there.

By the time he made up his mind to tell her that he loved her, Shiho's plane was half-way to Germany.

(AprilMay)

Those months were the hardest.

He had to go to school feeling as if a part of him was wrenched away, as if he was incomplete. He started to stop listening to his teachers, his grades were not that good like before, and his soccer abilities went down a few notches.

The only days that he looked forward to were the e-mails Shiho sent him, or the calls. She sent him letters almost every day, and he never failed to reply. But somehow, he could never tell her that he loved her in their phone calls and letters. It was better to say it in her face, so that when she looked in his eyes, she would know that he was sincere.

Shinichi swore that when he would see Shiho, he would tell her what he felt.

(June)

It was a quiet evening when he recalled that particular day. So quiet that Shinichi hadn't expected her at his doorstep right after dinner.

Rendering him speechless, she stood in front of him, his right hand gripping onto the doorknob ever so tightly.

"I- I'm back."

Shiho's voice was shaking with so much raw emotion that he swears his heart rate trebled.

"You're home."

And then it was all a big surreal blur, Shiho throwing her luggage onto the steps, and running into his waiting arms.

Her slender hands were around his neck, and her face buried in his shirt, whispering things about her being transferred back here, wanting to surprise him, and missing him so damn much. And he thinks that he felt numb with something called happiness.

She was back home, and in his arms, and for once in his life… he… he felt complete.

And then she said it. Those three words that'd been locked inside his heart all along.

(Forever, And Always)

A smile lit Shinichi's features when he remembered those particular months. After Shiho returned, they became a couple that was so close everyone commented they should just tie the knot. And after graduation, they did just that. A year after, little Conana and Ai came into the world.

Life had never been better.

Updated. Oh, man, am I bloody tired. I am seriously regretting being a Senior and contemplating suicide to escape the hell that is called school.

Joking. JOKING!

Kidding aside, so sorry I am not updating New Beginnings. It's been very hectic lately, and the reason why I got to update this story is because it's been in my flash drive for ages. Please bear with me! Oh, thanks for those who followed me on Twitter and Tumblr! You guys are amazing. Keep on following folks, and I may update faster!

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