14 - Same

It was still the same

That's what Mitsuri thought as she looked at Giyu and Shinobu fondly. Through all the facades, the fighting, the "resentment," it was still the same

No matter how much they tried to pretend, it was still obvious to anyone who actually tried to observe that very few things have changed

"Giyu, are you dumb?" He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms."Dumb? For what exactly?"

"You took my plate! I was about to grab it when you stole it from me!" The usual complaints from Shinobu due to Giyu was the usual for everyone in the room

"What a crybaby"

"Crybaby? I have every right to be mad"

"No, you don't. It can only be considered stealing if it was yours. As you said, you were only about to grab it" Giyu reasoned, but it was like talking to a brick wall

Actually, Giyu would probably have more progress if he was talking to a brick wall

"Just shut up. Your voice is annoying me" Shinobu said before reaching out to grab another plate.

Giyu grabbed her wrist softly before she could, however. Shinobu raised a brow before looking at Giyu

"I'll concede, this is your plate, jeez" Shinobu smiled contentedly. "Thank you very much" She said, lacking any actual gratitude

Shinobu reached out for the plate but right before she could grab it, Giyu would pull it out of reach

Again, and again

"Giyu, you said it was my plate. Why are you messing with me" Shinobu said with a forced smile and a vein popping from her forehead

"I'll pick out your food, though" Giyu said with a teasing smile. Shinobu rolled her eyes "Weirdo"

Shinobu tried to look annoyed, but Giyu still being able to pick out the food she would choose from the big array of food in the in-house buffet clearly surprised her

Even the most obscure parts of Shinobu's tastes, Giyu knew. It was automatic, too. Giyu still knew her like the back of his hand

Mitsuri was looking at the sight and was clearly very amused. The fighting and resentment that eventually led to a very intimate moment between the two

The way Shinobu's eyes softened bit by bit as Giyu picked more and more of her food.

The way Giyu showed that she never left his mind. Never left his heart

To Mitsuri, it was a foregone conclusion

These two will get together soon

~

As Giyu sat at one of the terraces, the cold breeze of the night made him close his eyes. He braced for what was about to happen

Before he could start thinking, however, he heard footsteps approaching the balcony. He knew it wasn't Shinobu, but he still opened his eyes

He turned and it was Daki

She was holding a small gift bag and was smiling at him. An anxious smile, Giyu could deduce

"It's late" Giyu said, looking at the clock.

11:32 pm

"I thought you would be asleep" Daki chuckled before slowly approaching him "I could say the same. Thankfully you weren't, though" Giyu raised a brow

"Because I wanted to give you this gift" Daki explained with a wide smile, offering up the bag to the birthday boy

This wide smile faltered a little bit as she saw the small smile Giyu had. His eyes didn't light up like usual

"Thank you, Daki" Giyu said, grabbing the bag and looking at what was inside. There was a small box in it

"Do you want to open it?"

"I'll open it later"

Daki's smile fully fades for a second. Giyu is distancing himself. He was there, but Daki couldn't feel his presence

There was only one explanation for it. Her, it's always been her. Daki thought it was their distance that affected their friendship, but no, it was because of her lack of distance with Giyu

Of course, their friendship can't be a thing if she's involved

Because she hates Daki, and Giyu wouldn't be close friends with someone she hates if they're together

"Want me to walk you back to your room?" Daki's smile returns. A fake smile

"Sure."