(Y/n)'s Pov:
'Where on earth... are we?'
Shinso and I had been walking for only about half an hour when he suddenly stopped by a huge, luxurious looking, building.
"Shinso?" He responded with a hum. "What... what are we doing here?"
"Shopping." His reply was as dry, blank, short, and as casual as usual.
"Yes, I know that. But... here!?" I blinked trying to make sure this was reality and not just my imagination.
"Yeah." Shinso started walking towards the large glass doors as casually as he would walk toward his own front door at home.
"But-!" I tried to protest to going into such a luxurious place.
"Get moving or I'm leaving you out here." He gestured a wave to get me inside.
"Coming!" I jogged a bit to catch up with him.
We pushed open the giant glass-tinted doors. There infront of us was a huge display of feminine clothing, hats, perfumes, and jewelry with signs saying things like "Treat yourself!" or "You deserve some self care!"
"Well, don't just stand there. Go get some clothes or something." Shinso nudged my back with this arm, pushing me forward.
"But-" I stopped myself from protesting as I recalled how stubborn he was and how, once he said to do something, there was no chance he would take 'no' for an answer.
"Okay..." I finished.
I walked towards the nearest clothing rack. I was eyeing a simple black tee shirt with a small white sketch of a cat design on the left breast pocket.
"You like that?" Shinso questioned from close behind me.
I nodded in response. Shinso then took the shirt from me and draped it over his shoulder.
"What are you doing?" I questioned.
"Holding a tee shirt." He stated confidently with a smirk.
"Very funny." I chuckled back.
Shinso and I made our way around the store. He quietly walked close behind me making snarky remarks everytime I picked something out. I checked every price tag and made note of every penny I was spending so that I could pay him back later. I knew I would have to sneak it into his wallet, knowing him, but I hate to feel in debt to him. I already cause him enough trouble just by living with him rent free.
"Hey, Shinso?" I called out to him.
"Hmm." He hummed letting me know I had his attention.
"Do you think there's a changing room where I can try these on? I want to make sure they fit before we buy them." I continued.
"I'm sure there is. Let's go ask an associate. Too lazy to walk around to find one." He shrugged.
"Heh. That's so like you. Coffee drinking, lazy, cat man." I chuckled pointing at him.
"Ouch. Really (Y/n), you're gonna hurt my feelings." Shinso wiped a fake tear from his eye with his free hand.
"Ha. What feelings? Thought you were an empty shell?" I smirked.
"Good point." He smirked back at me as we walked.
"Good evening! Do you two need any help?" A bubbly blonde woman, wearing an employee uniform, chimed to us.
"Yes, actually! We're looking for a changing room. Could you point us in the right direction?" I beamed back.
"Sure! I'll just take you guys there."
"Really? Thank you! That would be great!" I smiled.
"Yeah! No problem!" She smiled back.
The blonde woman lead us through the store over to the women's changing room. She prepared a room for me. She rapped once on the door shouting a gentle "vacant?" She then unlocked the door, took the clothes from Shinso's arm, and hung them up on the rack inside the changing room.
"Now, I may get in trouble for this, but I'm going to allow you to stay here in the waiting room." She said turning to Shinso.
"I know if it were me and my boyfriend, I'd want him to stay with me too." She said turning back to me with a knowing smile curved up on her lips.
"Uh- Um- We're not-" Shinso began to speak but before he could finish the woman was already gone.
"What's a boyfriend?" I questioned, curious as to what the woman ment.
"Um..." Shinso fell quiet for a second. "Well, dating is when two people love each other and they go out together to places, which is a date. Like they go out to eat food and talk about themselves to find out if they're potential life partners. After a while, if they think they're right for each other they move in together and live together. A boyfriend in a man in a dating relationship and a woman is a girlfriend."
"Oh! So you are my boyfriend." I laughed.
"No-! We're not-! I mean..." A faint tint of pink spread across Shinso's face.
"We're living together. We go out to eat and we're shopping right now aren't we?"
"Yeah, but a boyfriend and girlfriend hold hands and kiss and stuff like that." Shinso's eyes darted away from mine.
"We hold hands. What's a kiss?"
"I am not explaining that." His face grew redder.
"Okay. But we love each other and if my family doesn't want, or find, me then aren't I going to be living with you as a partner for life?"
"No. We don't love each other. You don't even have a concept of what love feels like." He said plainly still staring at the floor.
"I...I... You're right. It just seemed like it fit our situation so I guess I just wanted to put a name to it. I'm sorry I upset you." I faintly curved my lips up into a smile. "I'll go change."
I went inside the changing room and closed the door. I let out a long, drawn out, breath I didn't realize I had been holding in. I removed the large shirt I was borrowing from Shinso from my body and put on the first black tee shirt I picked out with the white cat sketch on the left breast pocket. It wasn't skin tight but it hugged my hips a bit, showing off my hourglass figure. I took off the borrowed blue jeans I had been wearing and put on the black jeans with premade rips that I had picked out. I put the belt Shinso had given me back on. Slipping it around my waist and through the belt loops on the jeans.
"Shinso... Are you still out there?" I quietly questioned poking my head slowly through the door.
"Yeah. Right here." Shinso stated.
"Okay. I'm coming out." I said shyly.
I sheepishly emerged from the changing room. I kept my eyes down taking sneak peeks at Shinso's face every few seconds. I put my arms down from they're raised position to show him the entire outfit.
"Um... What- what do you think?" I asked shyly making eye contact with him.
"It's nice. I think it suits you." Shinso's lips curved up into a small smile as he stood from his chair. "Turn around for me."
"Why?"
"Just do it." He rolled his eyes.
"O-okay." I turned around and stood silently.
Suddenly, I felt cold fingers brushing my hair from my back, around my shoulders, and then infront of them again. It gave me shudders. I instinctively closed my eyes from the touch. I felt his fingers brush against my collarbone and shoulders before they touched the nape of my neck.
"Ah! That's cold!" I screeched as Shinso's fingers dipped into my shirt.
"Sorry. The tag was out." Shinso stated as he brushed my hair from infront of my frame to behind me once more as it was before.
"It's fine." I laughed.
"Hm. I think this really suits you well." He began to whisper. "It's beautiful."
"Thank you, Shinso. I don't know if anyone else has ever said that to me before and I'm not entirely sure what it means but it feels special, so thank you." My cheeks felt warm and that warmth spread to my chest and down, throughout my whole body.
"It means you look appealing. It's sort of like a different way of saying cute."
"Like Koda?" I questioned turning my head to look at him as he stood behind me.
"Sort of. You'll get it someday." His expression was a fond one. As if he were looking at something precious to him.
I told Shinso I was going to go change into another outfit. He gave me the 'okay' and a nudge to the changing room. I tried on the other outfits I picked out. The ones that didn't fit or feel right, Shinso and I put back. As we began walking towards the check out I had a sudden realization. I had forgotten that I needed something very, very important.
'Oh shit! I've just been wearing the same bra and panties and washing them every night... I still don't have any money yet so I can't just sneak out and buy them myself. But I don't want to ask him! Damn it! I have to ask him...'
"Shinso?" I shyly called out to him from a few feet in front of me.
"Yeah. Something wrong?" He stopped and questioned seeing my troubled expression.
"I... I... I don't..." I struggled to find the right words.
"Are you okay?" He took a few steps toward me.
"I don't... have any underwear."
"Oh." We both fell silent for a moment. Shinso was the first to break the tension building. "Let's go get some then."
Shinso took my hand and lead me back over to the woman who had helped us earlier. He asked her to help me find the right sizes and most comfortable undergarments. He explained that I may be confused due to my "injury" to the head causing amnesia. The woman was very understanding and helped me find the correct sizes and the most comfortable garments. It turned out that the bra I'd been wearing was too small now and I needed a bigger size. I asked the woman to bag the garments because I didn't want Shinso to see them.
At first, she was confused because she believed Shinso was my boyfriend. I then explained that he and I didn't have that kind of relationship. She understood and apologized for assuming. I, of course, told her not to worry because I was happy to have learned what a boyfriend was. The woman and I made our way to the cash register where Shinso paid for our items and left the store. I made a mental note of my half and hoe much I was going to pay Shinso back on our way out of the store.
On way home, Shinso and I passed by several window displays. We took sneak peeks at the displays, chatted about school, and the woman at the store, as we walked. In the corner of my eye, I spotted a man. He was tall with brown hair, wearing white gloves, and a dark coat. His golden eyes caught mine. I felt a sudden pounding boom in my chest. My heart sank to my stomache making me nauseous. My knees grew weak and I nearly collapsed.
"S-Shinso-!" I whimpered grabbing hold of his arm.
"What's wrong!?" Shinso tensed up and began to look around for any sign of disorder.
"Take me home... Please. Let's go home." Tears swelled in my eyes. "I don't feel good..."
"Okay. Want me to carry you? You're shaking badly." I nodded, to afraid to be embarrassed.
Shinso held his arms out infront of him and I hugged him from infront, latching onto him like a distressed child. I didn't care how immature I looked. I just wanted to go home. And feeling his arms around me securely made me feel... safe.