Little Tiger

Shigure gets everything he wants

Shigure and I took Hatori back to the dorms. I wasn't entirely sure he could make it back on his own because he was leaning against Shigure and I the whole way there. He collapsed on the bed; asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. 

"Goodnight, precious Tori," Shigure cooed jokingly, ruffling up Hatori's hair.

Hatori groaned in response and rolled onto his side. I put a blanket over him and turned out the light. 

"Do you have anything else to do today?" Shigure asked me as we stepped outside. 

I was turned towards the elevator. "Why?" 

He shrugged, leaning his back against Hatori's door. "Well, if you aren't particularly busy, we could hang out." He narrowed his eyes at me. "So, are you busy?" 

I stared at him, my mouth agape, then I closed it and shook my head. "No---unless Haru and Yuki need me to take them home." 

Shigure chuckled. "No, no. Aya will take them home, which means that you're free." He put his arm around my shoulders and pushed me towards the elevator. There was that warm, safe feeling again. My heart raced and I could feel my cheeks getting warm. I wasn't acting like myself at all. 

"Where are we going?" I asked, after we got outside. The thought had only just occurred to me. 

Shigure slowed his pace and walked beside me with his hand on his chin. "First, I have to go to the bookstore. Then I thought we could do something fun like a movie or karaoke. Which one would you like to do more?"  

I frowned. "Neither." 

"Why not? It would be fun! I don't know why you insist on living such a dreary existence." 

"I don't," I replied immediately. I was so quick to defend it because I thought he was wrong, but when I realized I had nothing more to say I knew that he was right. He was always right! I cleared my throat, refusing to let him win. "I just don't like singing or watching movies." 

He chuckled. "Alright, Ko. I just want to live like a normal college student. This curse is wasting all of my good years." He slowly reached his hand up to the top of my head. To my utter surprise, he just left it there. 

I ducked as soon as I felt my face get warm again, his hand falling back to his side. 

He stopped walking and turned to me. "What's up with you?" He cocked his head to the side, somehow managing to mirror his zodiac animal. 

I smoothed the top of my hair down anxiously. "What's up with you? Why do you keep touching me?" I sort of yelled this, and lowered my voice when people walking past us started to stare. "You're not acting like yourself." 

Shigure grinned, his head still tilted. "Am I? I haven't noticed at all." He started walking again. "Maybe it's just because I'm a college student. That tends to change one's maturity level, among other things." 

I shook my head. "Your maturity level is still the same," I remarked. 

"Then maybe..." his voice trailed off as he put his hand against the small of my back, "it's because I'm finally starting to realize how beautiful you are." He used his free hand to push my hair behind my ear. 

Looking back on it now, I made it too easy for him. Shigure always got what he wanted. Even me. 

I blinked at him. His simple touches made it so easy for me to think I was beautiful too. I remember thinking to myself: finally, someone else has realized this too---even though I never thought I was beautiful before, and I certainly hadn't been waiting for someone to notice it.