Movie
Shiho Miyano and Shuichi Akai have never watched a movie together.
"Do you want to go to the movies?"
"Yes."
It was the first time on the first day of their relationship that Shuichi Akai had asked her.
Shuichi sighed softly as he looked at himself in the mirror and started to rearrange his hair, he even took out the "precious" men's perfume from the closet and the new shirt he bought that best showed his masculinity. It didn't look like him, but when he thought about it, it was all very natural. Dating the woman he loved, it was like being young again, he couldn't help his desire to show off, he was nervous but also excited.
Once again making sure he was perfect, Shuichi pulled the corner of his mouth in satisfaction and pushed open the bathroom door. He was in the bathroom in the bedroom, when he pushed the door open, he saw Shiho sitting at the dressing table applying her makeup.
Today was also their first day living together.
The apartment had been rented by Shuichi Akai before, and Shiho had become the hostess as soon as their relationship was established. The apartment was small, but the room that was originally purely for men had been given a feminine touch with various dresses in the wardrobe, books on biomedical science on the shelves, and a pair of mouthwash cups for couples at the sink. The atmosphere made them feel comfortable, as if they were one.
Shiho didn't notice Shuichi, she was concentrating on dressing herself. Eyebrow pencil, eye shadow, mascara, lipstick, her already amazing face now looked even more dazzling. Shiho was happy that she hadn't worn makeup in a long time, but her skills were not rusty. On her first date, even Shiho, who is usually mocked by her colleagues as the "flower of the Institute," is very careful because she wants to look her best for this movie date.
When Shiho got up to change her clothes, she finally saw Shuichi who had been watching her for who knows how long, and her pretty face heated up a little. Thankfully she couldn't see his expression as she was applying her makeup.
"What is it?"
"I'm looking at my lover."
Shiho felt her face getting hotter and pushed him out, "That's enough, get out. I need to change!"
Shuichi grabbed the small hand that pushed him and took her into his arms, "What is this? Are you embarrassed? It's obvious that we've..." His hand stroked Shiho's white hand restlessly.
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Shiho's ears even reddened now from embarrassment, she pushed the man away while closing the door, "You pervert!"
Shuichi laughed uncontrollably outside the door. His still slightly tense mood became more relaxed, his dark green eyes filled with happiness.
It was 4:30 pm when they were all dressed up, and it was time to go to the movies and have dinner, then continue watching the movie.
Of course, there was a lot of affection before they left the house. It started with a kiss from Shuichi and ended with Shiho fixing her lipstick in the mirror helplessly.
Finally, it was time to leave.
However, no one expected that they would see Mary Sera and Masumi Sera whom they had not seen for a long time.
The mother and daughter looked at each other with the same eyes and the same dumbfounded expression on their faces. Shuichi and Shiho were also confused, after all Mary had returned to England after the incident ended and hadn't returned to Japan for several years, so they hadn't expected anything like this.
Mary and Shuichi reacted first, one inviting the mother in and the other quietly pulling the dumbfounded daughter into the house.
"Shu-nii? You, you and Shiho?" Masumi half-heartedly refrained. After all, their unpleasant mood was something anyone could sense.
"Yeah, we're dating." Shuichi took Shiho's hand and could feel Shiho's nervousness as he squeezed it gently.
"When did it start?"
"When are you planning to get married?"
"Where will the wedding take place?"
"Where will you live after the wedding? America? England? Japan?"
"What about your job?"
"What about the kids..."
The time that followed was one in which Mary quickly seized the initiative, launching a series of indiscriminate attacks on her son and future daughter-in-law. But both of them sensed Mary's attitude in her words - she was not against their relationship - and that made them both very relieved. As for Masumi, she saw her beautiful mother's frightening aura with her own eyes, and could only be thankful that she didn't have anyone to chase or a boyfriend yet.
When they finally ended this conversation and were ready to go home, Mary hugged Shiho and kissed her forehead gently as a mother would. Shiho's eyes moistened unconsciously.
"Shuichi, be good to her."
"I did."
In the end the movie date didn't work out.
But Shuichi and Shiho had no regrets that day.
"Do you want to go to the movies?"
"Yes."
The second time was a rare vacation for the two of them, and Shuichi Akai brought it up again.
This time everything went very smoothly, from going out to buying popcorn, even getting a seat in the best section of the movie theater.
"What's wrong?" Shuichi turned his head to see his dear lover taking a small sip of cola with a frown on her face.
"Ah, nothing," Shiho shook her cola glass, "Just my right eyelid keeps twitching for some reason."
"Maybe it's because you didn't get enough sleep last night," Shuichi took Shiho's hand, "Let's go home early after watching this movie."
"Yeah..."
But soon Shiho knew that it wasn't because she didn't sleep well.
"Ah, Haibara, you came to watch a movie with Akai-san too?" Shinichi Kudo looked at those holding hands with a slight chuckle.
"Yes, so what?" Shiho approached towards Shuichi in a provocative tone, "Huh? Where's that pretty girl?. You didn't come to the theater alone, did you?"
Shuichi looked rather helpless at his cute girlfriend's occasional rudeness, but he still indulged her to close the distance between them.
"Huh? How can it be?. Ran just went to the bathroom."
"Shinichi, what's wrong?" Ran Mouri appeared from behind hearing Shinichi mention her name, "Ah, Shiho and Akai-san, long time no see."
"Long time no see." Shiho spread a rare friendly smile and was about to say something when she heard a shout from the entrance of the theater.
"AHHHH! My necklace...!"
"Thief...!"
The four of them involuntarily turned their heads only to see a woman sitting on her knees in a panic.
"You guys stay here, I'll go look for it." The two men said almost simultaneously and ran towards the crime scene at the same time, leaving the two beauties behind.
"Seems like I won't be able to watch it." Ran sadly took out her movie ticket, "I've been looking forward to it for a long time."
"Well, after all, that's what your boyfriend is like." Shiho shrugged, "Do you want to check out some new clothes? There's not much I can do here to help."
"Sure, I've seen a new brand recently that I think will suit you, Shiho." Ran took Shiho's hand and walked towards the shopping street next to her.
"Hey, is that so?" Shiho didn't reject Ran's familiarity. The past few years together had made Shiho increasingly fond of this gentle and cheerful girl. No one can resist Ran's smile, can they, Shiho thought, and occasionally she felt that it was a good deal for a Mr. detective.
"You love Akai-san a lot, huh?" After satisfying the woman's shopping desires, they decided to take a break at the mall's coffee shop to wait for their lovers for a while.
"Hmm?" Shiho took a sip of her coffee, "Why do you say that?"
"Because," Ran smiled and pointed at the pile of shopping bags beside her, "Half of the items you bought for Akai-san, right?"
"..."
"And, ah, you were smiling the whole time you were buying them. I guess it must be because you love him so much."
"Aren't you like that too?" Shiho felt a little hot in the ears but not at all embarrassed, "You smiled a lot, thinking of someone wearing the clothes you bought, right."
"Uhm, Y-yes," Ran blushed but did not deny it, "Because, I like Shinichi so much, so I guess Shiho also feels the same way about Akai-san."
"Ah... ...Then that's also true."
Then they fell silent in unison, their faces very red together.
When Shinichi Kudo and Shuichi Akai arrived, this was the scene they saw.
"You guys.."
"Ah, Shinichi you've arrived, let's go," Ran hurriedly stood up with a red face, "See you next time, Shiho, Akai-san!"
"What happened?" Shinichi looked confused as Ran dragged him away, his head full of questions like "What's wrong with women?"
Shiho stood up and in a squirming tone directed Shuichi Akai to pick up the shopping bags and go home. Shuichi raised his eyebrows at Shiho's slightly red face and put the bags into the trunk one by one.
Closed the door, fastened the seat belt, turned on the ignition, and drove home.
"Is that for me in the bag?"
"...Hmm."
"Thank you," the big rough hand gently stroked the wavy brown curls, "I like it."
The movie didn't work anymore.
But Shuichi and Shiho were happy.
"Do you want to go to the movies?"
"Yes."
This was the third time on a Sunday after the wedding, when Shuichi Akai invited her.
After they got married, they bought a house near Kudo's and were neighbors with Shin-Ran and Professor.
"That way, we can also look out for each other."
So said the Akai couple.
The new house was decorated and designed by the two of them together, and there was a beautiful almond tree in the yard. But what makes them most happy is the square sign in front of the house - "Akai".
For the first six months of their marriage, the atmosphere of their home was very cozy, quiet and peaceful.
On Sunday afternoons they decided to go to the movies, a very warm old comedy called 'Little Miss Sunshine'. Perhaps a few years ago they would not have thought that they would start enjoying such a movie.
Life has a strange way of changing.
Before watching the movie, Shiho said that she wanted to go to the sushi restaurant that she loved so much before. Shuichi didn't mind, but Shiho wasn't very appetizing at lunchtime, so she was probably hungry.
When she ordered a plate of sushi, Shiho chose the salmon she liked, but she suddenly felt nauseous and put the sushi down in a panic.
"What's wrong?" Shuichi put the sushi away and poured water for Shiho, "Are you sick?"
Shiho covered her mouth and said nothing as the nausea came on quickly. The feeling was the same as during the day, there was carp soup for lunch, and the taste that had been so good had brought unexpected disgust. A vague premonition enveloped Shiho.
"Shiho?" Shuichi stiffened slightly and half-hugged Shiho in his arms, "Are you sick?"
Shiho shook her head gently and leaned back into her husband's embrace, waiting for the nausea to subside before looking into those beautiful and nervous eyes, "Shuichi Akai."
"Uhm."
"Maybe, I'm pregnant."
"..."
"Shuichi Akai?"
"..."
"Shuichi?"
"..."
"Honey?"
Shiho couldn't resist patting the man, but he picked her up with quick but careful movements.
"What are you doing?"
"Let's go to the hospital."
"..."
Shuichi was still a little confused when he received the confirmation report. It wasn't that he hadn't hoped to have a child, but these moments really came very happily, too happy to describe in words.
The doctor told the couple what was going to happen, and Shuichi self-consciously took out his little notebook and began to jot down every word spoken by the doctor. Shiho watched in amusement as her husband took notes as attentively as a student and felt as if something was about to spill out of his heart.
When he got home, Shuichi realized only too clearly that he was going to be a father, just like his father.
He pressed his trembling hand against the small back of Shiho who was leaning gently against the back of his hand, he could feel the new life that was emerging at this moment.
"I will try to be a good father."
"I will also try to be a good mother."
This time the movie was long abandoned.
Later, Shuichi and Shiho had an adorable daughter, Little Miss Sunshine.
"Do you want to go to the movies?"
"Yes."
It was a long day, long after, when Mr. Akai extended the invitation as he had done before, and Mrs. Akai readily agreed, as she always did.
They watched many movies together, from "Miyano and Akai" to "Akai's Family", from the prime of life to the twilight of their lives, and now it had been many years.
"I'm honored to have spent those years with you, my love, walking with me through night and dawn."
"I love you."
"I love you too."