𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 | 𝐆𝐢𝐲𝐮𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐨

Chapter 15 | Seashells

It had been a few months since the unfortunate news had been delivered. Everyone was slowly starting to get back to usual and accept the fact that Rengoku was now in a better place.

The whole time, Shinobu and Tomioka had coincidentally spent a large amount of time together, whether it was small missions, or just hanging out in the garden, they were together a lot. They both enjoyed each other's company, just to calm down and talk or to get supplies together.

"Tomioka-san!" Shinobu exclaimed, running towards a bored Tomioka sitting in the Hashira garden.

He turned around, he knew exactly who it was, that airy, cheerful voice was not one he could easily forget, especially since he had been hearing it almost every day. Tomioka took a glance at Shinobu as she sat down next to him on the stairs and looked up at the bright blue sky. Her sharp chin and her close to perfect jawline were resting mindlessly on her palms as she shuffled herself up onto the fence gate further. Her face was pale, paler than usual and he had just started to notice; every time he got a chance to see Shinobu, her face had been getting paler and paler. And although it did leave him wondering sometimes, he didn't worry about it too much. 

"The weather is nice today, hm?" She questioned him, turning her head to the side to meet his stare.

There was no reply from the water Hashira as usual, but he turned his head away and moved his glare onto his own hands instead. 

"Speaking of good weather, let's go to the beach!"

"What?"

"Well, I have to go collect seashells for Mitsuri anyways, so will you come with me?"

Tomioka stared at Shinobu, dumbfounded. Did she really want him to go to the beach or was she back to teasing him again? Either way, going to the beach definitely was not something he planned on doing anytime soon, he wasn't going to get persuaded that easily. He wanted to decline straight away but he knew Shinobu wouldn't just accept his refusal, so he decided to continue to sit awkwardly without exchanging another word.

"Alright then," she giggled, lifting herself off her timber fence seat and grabbing ahold of Tomioka's hand, "follow me."

He followed in shock for one quick moment before finally attempting to twist away from her grasp. He could've just as easily broken free from her hold but he didn't want to risk fracturing her wrist or whatever. 

"H-hey, I never said-"

"Don't worry about it, it's not that far."

"Why are you even taking me to the beach?"

"I already told you, Tomioka-san, we're getting shells, and aren't you supposed to like water and all, being the water pillar?"

His words stopped again for a brief moment and his dumbfounded expression returned to his face, this time, an even more obvious one. Shinobu didn't stop trying to drag him though, she was taking him with her. Tomioka no longer saw a point in trying to stop her, it was a lose-lose situation, either accidentally twisting her wrist in an attempt to stop her tugging or giving in and letting her take him to the beach.

"Alright, alright, I'm following you, you don't have to drag me" he finally said, dropping his dignity.

Shinobu turned around and smiled at him, almost a smirk.

"You're so stubborn," he chuckled.

***

After about an hour of walking the two Hashira finally arrived at the beach. The sun was going to set soon but Shinobu had planned on arriving home before sunset. The gentle waves of water swayed up and down to the shoreline and back. Shinobu smiled in delight before taking off her shoes and jumping onto the sand. Sunburnt sand covered her two feet as she landed in the piles of sand and she giggled.