Notes: for Sumomo fans - after that abusive story last time. My favorite character is Shinbo, so this is for him. Oh, SPOILERS! This takes place sometime in Vol 2, after Shimizu spends the night at Hideki's place. Please enjoy this, and send some comment ne?
The two of them were outside the cram school, right after class had gotten out. Hideki had just finished telling him about his night of drinking with their teacher. Immediately, this story had snapped Shinbo out of his sleepy daze and got him back into the world of the living.
"HEY! What's the big idea!?" Hideki cried, his head pounding, "I thought I was going to die just then!"
"S-Sorry!" Shinbo said, lifting his hand. He then turned back towards the school. "You go ahead. I've got to take care of something."
"Hey! Wait!" Hideki called after him. 'What's with him?'
Shinbo ran back inside. 'Where are you? Why did you...?' He pulled the door open to the classroom. "Takako!"
Shimizu Takako lifted her head. She had been packing up her stuff so she could leave when he entered. She looked a little bit startled for a moment, but she slowly smiled. "Shinbo-kun, what is it? Do you have any questions about the lesson?"
"Don't play that game right now." Shinbo said, closing the door behind him. He walked towards her as she hurried her packing. "Why did you not come last night? Why did you go to Motosuwa's?"
"I don't know what you're talking about? Why would I be staying at a student's place?" she said innocently.
"You know what I'm talking about." He said, his hand fastening around her wrist. It was firm, but gentle, "Takako, I thought... yesterday... we were going to start our new life together."
She just smiled. "Shinbo-kun..."
"Don't call me that right now." he said, lifting his free hand to her face, "I want us to be together, Takako. Please, take me seriously."
"How can I?" she asked, lowering her eyes, "I can't... trust anyone."
She suddenly broke free from him and grabbed her bag, trying to go for the door. "W-Wait!" Shinbo cried, trying to go after her, when suddenly...
"AI!!!!!!!!" Sumomo leaped out of his bag, "MAIL DESU!!"
"Ah, Sumomo-chan!" Takako uttered, stopping from leaving. "She is so cute."
Shinbo felt relieved that Takako didn't go just yet, but a little bit upset with himself for leaving Sumomo on. 'I just had to turn her back on after class... well, let's see what this is.' He quickly checked his mail, the interested Takako peeking over his shoulder.
"Maybe I should get a persocon too..." Takako noted, "A cute male one."
"Please, don't get any ideas." Shinbo chuckled.
"No, really! He would be extra help for my lessons." Takako said, "And he would got out and buy me beer all the time. I think I could use one too!"
"Takako, if I bought you one, would you be happy?"
Takako froze. She had thought that if she bought her husband one, he would be happy. Instead, he became so distant to her. "No." she replied, "On second thought, I won't be happy."
"Then, what can I do to make you happy?" Shinbo asked, turning towards her - their faces inches apart.
"Just... leave me alone!" Takako then bolted out of there.
Shinbo stopped, his feet unable to move. He just stood there, with his hand out reached. 'Takako...'
"Master," Sumomo uttered, "Shall we track her down again?"
"No... I think this time, I won't chase her." he sighed, "I think I'll let her go for now."
"Ai... but, Master..."
"Yeah?"
"Shimizu-san seems so... lonely."
"I know... people are like that."
So Shinbo left the cram school. By now, he was sure that Hideki was home and probably going to get ready for work. Shinbo had actually gotten this day off. He had planned that if Takako would move in last night, then they would spend this day unpacking her stuff.
'Her stuff... my stuff... our stuff together... It would be nice, wouldn't it?'
Shinbo gazed up in the sky, feeling the ache in his chest. It had been like this for a while now. He would get closer, then pushed farther away. He wondered how much he could take.
'Women are too difficult to deal with... maybe I should stick with persocons, like everyone else. Everyone asks me - why don't you get a hot persocon? You'll be set for life... Why do you bother with women anyways?'
Shinbo stopped in the playground where he had first approached Takako. He went and sat in the swing, looking up towards her apartment.
'But Takako... it would be nice...'
"Master...?" Sumomo asked, looking up at him with worry. "It's getting colder. Perhaps we shall go now."
"I guess," Shinbo replied, patting her on the head, "Sumomo, if I give up on Takako - will you be my girlfriend?"
"Ai!" Sumomo chimed, "Because I love Master!"
"Eh? Really? Although, I don't know how this would work... You're a little too small for me..."
"Really!" said a voice behind him, "I doubt that size should matter in this circumstance!"
Shinbo lifted his head. "T-Takako..."
She moved behind him and put her arms around his shoulders, "Shinbo-kun, you'll catch cold if you stay out here all night."
"What about you? Do you have a place to go?" he asked, turning towards her.
"No... he locked the door again. I think I will put up in a hotel or someplace..."
"Why don't you just..." Shinbo got up and took her hands. "Just come to my place. You don't have to stay or anything... just come there for a while."
"Shinbo-kun... I..."
"Your hands are cold, please. Just for a little bit."
She slowly smiled. "All right. I won't stay long, okay?"
"I'm glad... Come on, let's go."
So, Takako came over. Shinbo's apartment was a bit more organized than Hideki's, and all of his porn was well hidden. Takako took a good tour around, thinking about what would it be like to live here.
'Well it's definitely a guy's place,' she thought, putting the seat down in the bathroom. She took a look into the mirror. 'Ah, but I'm not cute or anything... I don't see myself in any relationship. I don't see anyone loving me... no, it cannot be.'
"Takako," Shinbo called. She came out to see him with a large bottle. "Let's open this up and have a drinking contest!"
"No way, I'll get drunk."
"What are you saying? You drink more than most guys I know!"
"Are you saying I drink like a guy!"
"Per-haps!"
Takako sighed. "Just open it up. You know I want it."
The two of them sat on the couch. Shinbo had ordered some takeout and spread it on the table. Sumomo was walking across the table, setting up the plates and utensils. "Master doesn't have a dining table, but if he gets a girlfriend maybe he can become a better host."
"Really?" Takako replied, "I like Shinbo-kun the way he is now. He doesn't need to get a girlfriend."
"Heh? What's that supposed to mean?" Shinbo asked. Takako didn't reply, but took a sip from her wine. Shinbo shook his head and sighed, "I don't know what I'm going to do with you."
"If you get tired of me, then just stop seeing me." she replied.
"Who said that's ever going to happen." he chuckled, his arm wrapping around her, "Don't think you can run away from me so easily."
"Shinbo-kun..." she uttered, her face blushing a little.
"Yeah?"
"Just stay like this... Don't ever change."
He pressed a kiss a top of her head. "I'll do what ever you ask. I'm serious, Takako..."
'Serious...' Takako thought as the night went on. She threw aside the empty bottle and gazed down at the blurry papers she had been correcting. 'Is this real... can I trust this feeling...?'
She looked down at the head resting against her shoulder; his arm wrapped around her and his other hand holding the snoozing Sumomo. Takako quietly gathered her things together and turned for the door. She stopped and looked back once more.
'Shinbo-kun... Please, give me more time.'
She then left the apartment without a word. Shinbo opened one sleepy eye. He had seen her go. Smiling a little, he breathed in the lingering fragrance she had left behind.
'It would be nice... wouldn't it... Takako...'
fin