Work Text:
At Hiyori's suggestion, Shin follows him to find something to eat out of the apartment for once. It's usually enough for the two of them to order food in while they mess around on their computers, but occasionally Hiyori insists on breaking up their routine. Shin recalls Hiyori once telling him that changing things up stimulates the brain, which will help Shin keep his focus. He hasn't been feeling off lately. Actually, Hiyori pulled him away from a larger project he had gotten in the groove of working on. But that's just how it is, Hiyori always does what Hiyori wants.
Of course Shin feels grateful that his friend is putting so much effort into educating him even after high school, but this time he gets the sense that Hiyori might have been more excited than usual. There was a sparkle in his eyes that is hard to refuse, and it was maybe a little infectious too. Shin normally prefers to stay indoors with how neither of them have a car and walking around the city is tiring for him. But if Hiyori wants to make this a special day, he is willing to go along with it.
In the past Shin might have worried about this being a date they were going on -- is he dressed right, how should he act? But in the better half of a decade that they have known each other it feels as though Hiyori has not once taken his eyes off Shin. Not literally, of course. But as chilling as Hiyori's stare can be, it has also become a comfort to know that someone will always want to look at him. Whether or not he actually tries with how he carries himself, if they were going somewhere with specific dress requirements then Hiyori would have had that taken care of. He can believe that much. So it's fine.
If this turns out to be a date, he'll be happy for it.
If today is special for any other reason, he'll just have to find out when Hiyori wants him to know.
One way Shin knows he can rule out date or no date is if he were to treat it like it is one. So, he slips his hand in Hiyori's and grips firmly. Hiyori doesn't exactly flinch from the sudden touch, but Shin doesn't have to look to feel the man's eyes pierce him. That gaze reading Shin coldly like an open book before the moment passes and Hiyori giggles. Squeezing back in reciprocation.
If this were a date, Hiyori should have kissed him.
Well, there's nothing Shin can do when Hiyori clearly is in deep thought about something else on his mind. He knows he could be walking into a mean trick of Hiyori's being led blind to his intentions like this. But his hand is warm in Shin's and confronting him might ruin the good mood dinner is starting out on. So he allows himself to be led to a nice little restaurant with a semi-private space Hiyori had reserved in advance. And he holds back his complaints when Hiyori immediately pulls out his phone claiming the need to make a private call while Shin looks over the menu.
The food is slightly more expensive than Shin wants to get stuck paying for if Hiyori abandoned him alone here, so he sips ice water while he waits for his return.
Ten minutes.... twenty minutes... Shin inwardly curses Hiyori's selfishness.
The waiter only seems to come by when the glass of water is low, and not once has Shin been asked to make an order or about his companion coming back. Whatever Hiyori has in mind, the staff seem to be in on it. Thirty-five minutes, Shin sighs. It's not either of their birthdays or any date Hiyori could call an anniversary for them. This isn't about Shin getting a new part time job or independently contracted work since it's been a while since he's picked up anything new. Any other quantifiable milestone.... Hiyori is so meticulous about data it's honestly beyond Shin how his brain works. Nothing stands out and sitting here alone is boring.
Maybe if he puts on his cutest begging face and whines about how mean it is to make him wait like this Hiyori will make it up to him later.
While Shin imagines how he wants to pay Hiyori back for being a pain in the ass, his thoughts are completely derailed by the appearance of two young girls. Teenagers, both in school uniforms. One in middle school and the other in high school. There's other tables in this side room, but hesitantly, they sit across from him after scanning the room and seeing no one else seated in the area. The older girl with brown hair seems to be putting on a brave face for the younger girl with green hair who partially covers her face with her sleeve.
Too young for this to be like the time Hiyori set him up with a job interview and made Shin lie on the spot about his experience and qualifications. But there's no doubt in Shin's mind that his dear friend is hiding around the corner just out of sight and judging him. Great. Putting on his best customer service smile so the girls don't have to deal with how little he wants to play this game Hiyori seems to enjoy forcing him into, he says, "Excuse me, is there something I can help you two with?"
"Oh, uhm..." the older girl glances at the younger one, who in turn glances back and forth between her and Shin. Some silent communication goes on with a few more stuttering starts from each of them. His patience is worn a little thin from all the waiting before, but he maintains his smile. It's not their fault, whatever Hiyori put them up to. Eventually the girls seem to come to an agreement on how to proceed with how the older girl resets her posture and begins again, "Sorry, we were told a Mister Tsukimi would be here. That would be you, correct? My name is Kugie Kizuchi, and this is Kanna. My little sister."
None of that explains why they are here, but okay, he knows their names now. Something to work with. "Yes, I am Mr. Tsukimi. Shin Tsukimi. I presume my.... associate told you I would be here?"
There's no way this meeting is meant to be formal enough that associate is the right word for Hiyori. But of all the many words Shin could use to describe what that man is to him, right now he's annoyed enough to be a little cold.
The girls are glancing at each other and back at him again. Kugie steps up once more to speak for them both, "Yes, that's corr-- Wait, did he not tell you?"
In preparation for a headache, he grips his beanie while holding in another sigh, "Tell me what?"
The extra bit of anxiety on their faces hearing that might as well be a bullet shooting through Shin right now. He wants to apologize but he needs to know what it is they expected or else he's just going to embarrass himself. Either way all thoughts of begging Hiyori to be nice have vacated Shin's mind; instead replaced by a vision of cranking up the heater to max once they get back home and he is most certainly not going to listen when Hiyori starts whining about it. How dare he make these innocent kids look so upset.
The younger girl -- Kanna-- finally moves her hands away from her mouth so she can speak up properly to say, "Kanna heard it from Mr. Icecream-Man. That if her and big sister came here Kanna could meet her big brother."
"You-- You're my--" he sputters. Feeling stunned because there's just no way this could be happening. But Hiyori did promise-- But Shin doesn't feel anywhere close to being the person he wanted to be like for this! Hiyori didn't warn him that they were doing this, not even a hint that he had found his sibling! It's all wrong, he's going to screw this up, he needs more time to prepare! Hiyori!
"My, my! I apologize for keeping you dear customers waiting," a familiar voice suddenly manifests behind Shin. In the time he's been gone Hiyori has changed into a waiter uniform that belongs to the restaurant and he's already holding a tray of drinks despite how none of them made an order. There's a lot of things Shin could feel about that or this whole situation, but he lets Hiyori take charge. "For Miss Kanna; I'm sure this hot chocolate with cream topped on will be to your liking?"
Kanna's eyes sparkle like she's completely forgotten how awkwardly this conversation has started. Good, Shin thinks. He's still annoyed that Hiyori set things up this way. Likely knowing he left Shin to flounder, only to swoop in like the big hero Shin always thought of him as, but if Hiyori has had his fun already that will make the night much smoother.
In contrast to Shin's relief, Kugie's eyebrows knit as she says, "That.... is a lot of sugar. Weren't we going to get a dessert too, Kanna?"
"Oh, uhm, should Kanna send it back? She didn't order this..." her hand returns to covering her mouth. However, the way she glances at the glass placed in front of her shows her temptation to accept and devour it.
Hiyori clicks his tongue showing disappointment, "Come on now, Miss Kugie, today is special isn't it? It's not every day Kanna gets to enjoy a treat with her sibling by blood. In fact, given my sources are correct, they have never met. Not even once!"
Kugie deflates, looking towards Kanna and seeming to consider the anticipation on her young face before giving in entirely, "Well, I suppose you are right. If that's what you want, Kanna, who am I to stop you today?"
"Speaking of Miss Kanna's sibling; I have brought tea, " Hiyori places a cup next to Shin's glass of water before delivering the last cup in front of Kugie, "for both of you!"
"While we're on this subject...." Shin latches on to the opportunity to better understand the situation and get a conversation started. "Since a certain someone didn't properly inform me about this meeting, I..... only have one sibling, right? That would be Kanna, and that makes Miss Kugie her sister by adoption?"
"Yes!! Kanna is so lucky to have been adopted by the Kizuchis!" Kanna says in between scooping a spoonful of cream in her mouth and swirling the remainder into the drink to cool it down. It feels like Shin could have a million questions about Kanna's situation, but it's already an immense relief to see her smile and know she has been loved in the family she has been with. From the corner of his eye Shin can see Hiyori slip out of the room as if he's actually on the job here. Well, this gives Shin the chance to hear the story from the girls first without Hiyori interrupting them with his own additions.
"I remember how small Kanna was when Mom and Dad took her home from the orphanage," Kugie reminisces, staring down at her tea. "It feels like it's been so long ago already."
"Mm-hm! Even sister was in elementary school back then and now she is such a cool and mature high schooler. Oh!" Kanna suddenly slams her hands on the table realizing something. Their drinks clatter but there's no one else in this room to be disturbed by the noise. She turns her attention back to Shin, "You aren't wearing a school uniform, I wonder if you could be an adult already? Kanna is a second year middle schooler; that would be so many years between us!"
"That's right, I graduated a few years ago already," which is something Shin can proudly say about himself. In some ways considering himself a full grown adult is still so new, but on a logical level he hasn't been doing anything different than any other adult living in cohabitation with a fellow adult. Hiyori even made it so that all of their household bills would be in Shin's name and makes Shin deal with it if they run into any non monetary issues. But details like that aren't really the sort of thing Shin thinks he could impress a middle schooler with. "Second year, hm? That makes us around seven years apart."
Just vocalizing it, a chill runs down his spine. He doesn't remember much about being seven years old, but surely he would have known about a younger sister? Truth be told, when he overheard his parents years ago speaking about some sibling he had like it was a big secret, he fantasized about having an older brother. It seems silly now how his feelings of wanting to feel closer to Hiyori got mixed up with thoughts of having a sibling. But still, even if he had a younger sibling, he never imagined he would have been old enough that he should have known she existed.
Hiyori said they have never met once.
"Oooh, if Shin already graduated then maybe he can help sister with her homework! What subjects were you best in?" the creeping dread in Shin's heart certainly hasn't infected Kanna yet. Maybe she's had too much sugar, or maybe Shin hasn't had enough of his own tea.
While Shin takes a long and slow sip of whatever tea Hiyori put in front of him, Kugie argues with Kanna, "Hey! My grades are just fine. And you were the one always coming to me for homework help. Just try and see if I help you study for entrance exams next year!"
Yeah, the tea definitely helps calm Shin down. Easier to just forget what's bothering him and focus on the here and now. Like Kanna giggling, clearly these girls are just messing with each other with a frivolous argument.
"Hehehe, well maybe Kanna doesn't need big sis to help with entrance exams! Big brother can help Kanna instead! Right? Kanna bets Shin must be really smart."
It definitely warms Shin's heart to imagine himself being the smart older brother who has so much to teach his younger sibling. There's so much more he could learn from Hiyori, but he can definitely handle getting his sister into whatever high school she could dream of. He replies, "I wouldn't mind helping both of you with your studies. I could even teach you a few memorization tricks I learned that helped me. Maybe we can work out a schedule for it, my work hours can be all over the place and I know how busy student life can be."
"Yes! And not just make study time together, we have too much time to make up for to spend all of it on studying," Kanna says while at the same time Kugie asks, "Work hours? So no college?"
The conversation continues without Shin having to confront the mysteries involved in his sister being lost from him and then found for him. Hiyori sets out their dinner and even a dessert while they get to know each other a little better throughout the evening. By the time Shin says goodbye to Kanna and her sister, with promises to meet again in the near future, he has forgotten all about the parts of the night that bothered him.
Once the two of them are back home again Shin could just about hug Hiyori even with how he isn't all that fond of hugs. Instead of doing that he thanks Hiyori again, as if he hasn't already thanked him so many times on the way home, "You are truly amazing, Hiyori! Ahaha. Next time you should let me introduce you to Kanna. I know she's met you before since you set all this up, but my sister should know how important you are to me."
Hiyori laughs with Shin, just as giddy as he was when they left, but this time Shin can share that merriment alongside him. It's much nicer when they can be on the same page. He lets Hiyori strip him of his jacket so both of their jackets can hang near the entrance-way instead of Shin's eventually ending up hanging somewhere misplaced in the apartment. He doesn't need the extra heat.
"I'm glad you think that way, Shin. Actually, I'm going to be busier with work more than usual after today, but I promise we'll all get together soon," Hiyori says as he slips a hand behind Shin's back as if to replace the heat of the jacket. They make their way further in the apartment like that and it makes Shin's face flush at how considerate Hiyori can be at times. He really should find a way to show Hiyori his gratitude somehow.
"Hiyori," Shin stops them at the threshold of their computer room. If he wants to pay Hiyori back, there is one thing he remembers that's relevant. "You once told me you had a wish too. Since you've given me my wish, shouldn't you tell me what it is that you want? Whatever your wish is, I want to help you in any way I can."
Hiyori cups Shin's face in his palms and kisses him on the lips. It feels like he started with a peck but the moment he was going to pull back suddenly his mouth returned with much more force. It makes his heart jump, but the affection isn't unwanted or new between them. All Shin does is try to get a breath in before returning the kiss and doing his best to match Hiyori's passionate desire. Hiyori's hands bury themselves into Shin's hair as if their faces could get any closer doing that, and for a lack of anything better to do with his own Shin lands his on Hiyori's hips.
They pull apart breathless. Hiyori's hands rest on Shin's shoulders, unwilling to fully break contact.
"I'll hold you to that," Hiyori responds once he has enough air to speak back in his lungs. Part of Shin is jealous at how much faster Hiyori seems to recover. He listens as Hiyori continues, "One day, I truly do want you to know what I wish for most in the world. It won't be long now... but for the time being I'll unfortunately have to keep it a secret. I know I can count on you to help me when the time comes."