𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 - 𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘦𝘵 ✔︎

the bookstore // hatori sohma

"WHAT?? This isn't my fault-" He continued to argue with me. We would playfully bicker all the time, so I don't think it really fazed the others. We kept on nagging each other, trying to place the blame on who made Hatori more uncomfortable.

"So reckless..." Hatori mumbled as he knelt down where I once was. He picked up Shigure's ankle and carefully poked and prodded at it.

"OW! Careful Tori, that hurts!" Shigure whined.

Setting his ankle down, Hatori helped Shigure up. "You shouldn't put pressure on it."

Shigure was using Hatori as a crutch, and we all slowly made our way to the nurse's office. I stood on the other side of Gure, trying to balance him out. Ayame walked behind us, carefree as always.

"So, what's your diagnosis, Tori?" I looked over at him with a smile. We all knew Tori wanted to be a doctor, so it was kind of a joke, but we also knew how capable he was, if he wanted to- he could.

He chuckled a bit and looked up in thought, "It's probably just a mild sprain, he'll probably be wearing a brace for the next week or two." He gave me a small smile, and we made it to the nurse's office.

Ayame, Hatori, and I all sat in the hallway waiting for the nurse to finish helping Shigure.

"I'm sorry about earlier, I probably shouldn't have grabbed you like that." I looked over at Hatori with an awkward smile.

He looked down and shook his head, "It's alright. You wanted to get to Shigure. Considering how you feel about him, I was surprised you didn't run off faster." He chuckled.

"Wait- what? The way I feel about... Shigure?" I had to question him, I didn't think of Shigure in any other way besides a platonic friend.

"Huh? Are you implying that you're not in love with him?"

I burst out into laughter, holding my stomach and trying to catch my breath, "You thought I was in love with Shigure?? HA!" I kept on laughing, and Hatori stared at me with confusion.

"But-"

I interrupted him, "Shigure is great, and yeah we're close but I don't like him like that." I had calmed down, and I rested my head up against the wall.

"Goodness Hatori, you sure are blind to what real love is."

I looked up and saw Shigure at the door. He had crutches and a brace wrapped around his ankle.

"Hey, how you feelin'?" I questioned.

Shigure waved a hand at me, "It's nothing serious. Hatori was right, it's just a sprain. I should be better than ever in a few weeks." He smiled and patted my head.

The school day came to an end, and we had decided to all meet up at the gates. Ayame wanted to go downtown, and Shigure was hungry. I was fine with whatever, and Hatori wanted to check out a new bookstore. Of course, we all bickered on our way, but Hatori put a plan together.

"Ayame will go shopping and Shigure will pick up food for everyone. I will be headed to the bookstore and Y/N will tag along with whoever she wants."

Everyone agreed, though there was some debate on who I should go with:

Ayame wanted me to go with him so we could both get a ton of new clothes. We compromised instead. He would go shopping and buy whatever he thought I'd like, and then I could put on a little fashion show at the estate. He left in such a hurry, screaming about how fabulous I was going to look.

Shigure wanted me to go with him because he claimed that 'no young lady wants to spend her afternoon in a place as boring as a bookstore.' He also tried convincing me with extra food, but I just giggled and told him that we could go out together some other day. He seemed to like that idea, so he agreed, and he headed off with a pep in his step and whistling a tune.

That left me with Hatori, and I wasn't mad about it. I enjoyed his company, and I was excited to see what books he was wanting to read.

The bookstore was warm and smelt like cinnamon and pumpkin pie. It was a simple little place and had a really comfortable silence about it.

Hatori and I walked around and went our separate ways to check out different sections. Every once in a while I would see him through the shelves and we'd make eye contact. I'd smile and make a silly face. It would cause us both to laugh, and just for a second, I felt like we were the only two people in the store.

If only that had lasted a bit longer... if only I had been able to tell him how I felt earlier.

-(end of flashback)-

"Oh, hello. How may I help you?" I greeted, and I brushed down my skirt.

"Y/N?"

I was caught off guard by the fact that he remembered me. When we graduated high school, he left for college and I tried to keep in touch with him, but every letter I sent was sent back... unopened.

"Um, yes?"

"Wow. It's good to see you. It's been a while, huh?"

"Yeah I guess it has been, what, 8 years?" I chuckled at the thought. He's gotten taller, I didn't even think that was possible.

"It seems so much longer than that, I hope you're well."

I nodded and gave him a small smile, "Yep, I'm doing just great. You're a doctor now, right?"

He nodded, "Yes, I'm the family doctor, I still live up at the estate. I seem to remember you wanting to pursue music. What ever happened to that?"

"Oh, well, that didn't work out. But, it's okay- this place is pretty great. It's really important to me." I smiled at him.

The reason it's so important- because this was the bookstore, Hatori's bookstore. The time we spent here in our high school days was some of the greatest in my life.

"I'm sorry about that, but you seem happy." He gave me a nod, and I nodded back.

"Yeah... I have a question for you Tori."

He hummed in response, I took that as a sign to go ahead.

"Why did you never write me back?"

He looked at me with a puzzled expression, "What?"

"I sent you letters after high school and every single one came back unopened. I was just curious as to why."

"I never got any letters." He mumbled.

It then hit him that he lived at the estate. That if anyone, especially Akito, thought a girl was sending letters- trying to interfere in whatever plan she may have, of course, he never got them.

"I'm so sorry." He bowed towards me.

I waved my hands in front of me, trying to explain that it was okay.

"Allow me to take you out to make up for all that time, it's the least I can do."

I rolled my eyes playfully, "Fine Tori, if you insist."

He led me out of the store and I locked up for the night.

'A second chance...'

END