Autumn, huh? It was still a bit early to declare it that time of year, but it was definitely getting just a bit cooler lately. Actually, it was a pain in the ass for him, as a guy who struggled to regulate body temperature so much to the point that he was bundled up all throughout the year and therefore would get colder. Another reason it was a pain was because it was soon time for that moron’s birthday, a day that Shinjiro could never forget – among all the tabs he kept on Akihiko, willingly or not, anyway.
This year was different, though. This year… it was probably the last. His body was decaying, but more urgently than that, there was Amada, whose moment was coming closer and closer. What path that kid would take, Shinjiro couldn’t say, but there was no denying the look in his eyes no matter how innocent that young face seemed.
Above all, however, this year there was her.
…Yeah, time kept flowing and flowing. It would continue to do so even when he was gone. It didn’t give a shit about his problems.
There was a soft knock at his door, which meant it wasn’t Aki. One of the girls wanted to talk to him, and when he heard that voice beyond the door, Shinjiro froze. It was her, the one who was always pushing him around. It was Shiomi. He was getting a little too used to being invited out by her these days… But they were times that Shinjiro enjoyed, memories he could look back on with a smile. He wasn’t going to leave this world with regrets, so he wouldn’t deny her. So, she needed his help, did she? How oddly specific…
“It’s about Aki, ain’t it?” A sigh leaves him. It was like everyone just casually accepted the idea that he and Aki were attached at the hip. The bad part was that Shinjiro could hardly even argue the idea. The worst part was that she was looking at him like that. “You’re asking about his birthday, right? I can already tell you that you’re thinkin’ too hard on it.”
Man, she always had that habit…
There were many things about Shinjiro that surprised Kotone. First was his ability to cook. Perhaps it was because most boys didn’t typically know, and he was a little rough around the edges, so it would’ve made sense. A terrible judgement call, she soon realized. He was practically a professional in the kitchen, he could’ve had his own show on TV, luckily he settled for cooking with herself and Fuuka, their little meals and treats made with love and the correct preparation.
Then there was just how thoughtful and how well he knew the people around him -- like now. He wasn’t like Junpei who let everything fly out of his mouth at any point in time, Shinjiro was more akin to a book locked shut, hiding its secrets and intentions, but she supposed she shouldn’t judge it based on its cover. It was like he was a mind reader, pulling her own thoughts into existence as he greeted her at the door.
Another thing that surprised her, that he actually answered.
Not that he was rude, Shinjiro-senpai just had a tendency to close himself off and avoid most contact with others, no matter how hard she tried to crack it. Still, he did always seem to go along with what she wanted, and was even putting himself out there when it came to the others too. Maybe he was making progress, Kotone thought. Thinking of them all together was a nice goal, even if she had to work harder on it. Still, there were other things to worry about too. Like Akihiko’s birthday.
“How’d you know!?” her mouth hung open a little. “That’s right though! You guys are best friends, so...I thought you might know what to get him!”
Maybe she’d even get him to come out with her to pick it out, but...baby steps.
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