Continued From: Shopping Spree; Part 2
Now back in the human realm without so much as being noticed, Tsukiro felt like a little kid at the fair as he sat on a park bench near a shopping center, drinking some sort of chocolatey, caramel coffee drink that had a name he swore he’d never be able to spell. None the less, it was delicious. It was cold outside, but he didn’t care. At least he had thought to bring his fluffy, lavender winter coat with white and black fur lining on the inside and around the fur. He glanced around, scanning the passing humans, looking for a familiar head of silvery-white hair.
Running into the shopping center Kita scanned the area looking for Tsukiro. Across the way she saw him sitting to a bench sipping something from a cup. She quietly snuck up behind him and put her mitten covered hands over his eyes.
“Guess who?”
Tsukiro jumped slightly as darkness covered his eyes. However, he laughed as he heard Kita’s voice.
“Hmm. I don’t know. The voice is familiar,” Tsukiro joked. He set his cup down on the bench and peeled the hands off of his eyes. He turned around and smiled at her. “Hello.”
Returning his smile Kita quickly darted around the bench and sat down next to him. Her eyes lit up and she quickly stood again. Her face was held a funny expression as she replied.
“No sitting on cold objects for me today.”
She smoothed her skirt then bowed to Tsukiro with a giggle.
Tsukiro laughed and slipped his jacket off then his hoodie. “Here,” he said as he laid his hoodie across the bench. Slipping his jacket back on he asked, “Where should we go first?”
Kita smiled and sat down next to him once more. Her eyes quickly darted around the shopping center. “I don’t know. Why don’t you pick since this is your first time out.”
“Hmm,” Tsukiro thought. “How about a bakery?”
Kita smiled. “Sounds warm and yummy to me.” She stood picking up his jacket he sat to the bench for her and gently grabbed his free hand pulling him up slowly. “Shall we.”
Tsukiro laughed as he was pulled by Kita. “I think you’re kind of answering for me,” he said allowing her to drag him to wherever since he had no idea where he was going.
She giggled softly as he followed her tug forward. “I love bakeries. All warm and the smells. Mmmm.” Kita got a dreamy look in her eyes. “There is one right around the corner I use to go to when I was human. You're going to love it. They make cookies and cakes and bread and anything else that you can cram in your mouth to get a tummy ache from eating too much.”
She walked backward still holding his hand as she gently tugged him forward.
Tsukiro smiled at her. “Do you miss being human? I can’t imagine giving all this up.”
“I do at times, but I can still come here and enjoy it when I can sneak away. So it is not like it is really lost. Just delayed.” She giggled softly at her choice of words. Still holding on to his hand, but no tugging she walked in front of him they still faced one another.
Her mitten covered hand was warm in contrast to the cool skin of Tsukiro’s own hand. It felt good. He looked around at the humans strolling passed them. They all seemed so calm, peaceful and oblivious. Tsukiro would give anything to trade places with them for just a day. Yet, at the same time, if he were human, this realm wouldn’t be such a mystery--a wondrous place--to him.
“You’d better turn around before you trip on something and fall.”
Kita nodded and turned around stepping back beside him. “So what all would you like to do today?” She quickly looked his way and smiled. “I know one thing I want to take you to do since tomorrow is Christmas Eve.”
“What’s that?” he turned his head to look at her with curiosity.
“Its a surprise. You will have to wait until the sun sets.” Kita gave him a side glance and smiled warmly.
Tsukiro laughed slightly and nodded.
“Alright then.” He thought for a while before answering Kita’s question. “It doesn’t matter what we do today. Let’s just do whatever and see where the day takes us. That’s the best kind of day to me; that’s when you have the most fun.” He turned and smiled at her again. “It’s already a good day for me, since I get to spend it with you.”
Kita turned a soft shade of pink at his last words as she looked away nonchalantly. “That sounds like a plan to me.” She looked the way of the bakery and motioned with her head for him to follow. “Over here.”
