AOI

"Good morning Aoi."

I heard a familiar voice.

"Man. This is getting more and more depressing."

It's Shin. It's his voice. Why is he feeling depressed? What's wrong?

"You know, seeing you like this, sleeping all the time. It makes me..."

I couldn't open my eyes. Or move my body. I couldn't do anything but listen to his voice.

"Sorry. I got gloomy all of a sudden. But look it's almost Winter. It's your favorite season, right?

Shouto still couldn't visit you."

Sleeping all the time... Visit me... Is this

"Wake up soon, okay? We still have a lot of plans ahead of us. You still have a lot of plans and dreams to fulfill. You still have to buy your dream Western House by the ocean. You still have to be a hero."

This was the time when I was in coma, wasn't it?

"No responses?" I heard another voice. It's very unfamiliar.

"None..." Shin replied. "Thank you for watching over her."

"It's the least we can do as heroes."

So those times when I my head hurt, the things I was hearing were their conversations with me when I was sleeping.

"Endeavor's here~ He's too shy to talk though"

"What do you mean shy?"

"Ahhh, don't worry Endeavor, You're Aoi's mentor after all."

"You're really talkative, Kuroiwa."

"Hahahah I get that a lot. Oh, Aoi, you're getting out of the ICU today, and what's more, you'll have a fancy suite hospital room. Isn't that great?"

"..."

"You'll have to thank Endeavor when you wake up, okay? Endeavor, do you want to say something to her?"

"... I'm sorry for what I've done to my family. I was so harsh.

But I've always been proud of you both. Aoi. I never regretted taking you into my home, because you gave me a chance to be a parent... even if it just you. At least, I got to be your parent.

Aoi, when you wake up and still want Shouto, I'll accept that. I'll permit the engagement, if it makes you happy. It's the least I can do"

Engagement? With Shouto-kun? I am engaged?

"Wake up, sleepy head." I heard Shin's voice again. Then I felt someone poking on my cheek. "Wake up, Aoi~"

I tried to move my hand, and it did. I slapped the poker's hand away from my face. I want to know more. I want to listen more.

"After sleeping on my lap for hours, your only show of gratitude is slapping my hand?"

"Shut up..." I grumbled, and buried my face on the cushion. The cushion felt lean and hard but the scent it gives off was captivating. I wanna continue sleeping.

"Aoi, my lap feels really numb right now. Please have mercy." Shin stated whined like a child. "And stop sniffing my stomach, it tickles."

Why is so annoying? I just want to let myself sleep on his lap and smell his scent and perfume--

Wait, what?

My eyes went wide, and saw a dark gray fabric. I immediately sat up. I was such in a hurry that I end up hitting the top-side of my head with his chin.

"Ouch! Aoi, seriously?" I held my head as Shin complained. He was holding his right jaw. "You lied down on my lap, slapped my hand, told me to shut up, and then hit my jaw? You're brutal, woman."

He feigned a cry. "This is abuse. I demand a lawyer..."

"I'm sorry." I looked down, trying not to laugh. I was supposed to feel embarrassed but it felt like revenge all the same for teasing me. I didn't know such disaster would come up by just waking up My head still hurts a bit from hitting his jaw and my dream was so surprising, if it was a just a dream. I don't think that it was.

"It was because of my dream..." I reasoned out.

I slowly moved my eyes to Shin's face. He was leaning back at the chair and still holding his lower right jaw and chin.

"What was the dream all about?" He asked me, his voice still has a bit of whiny tone.

I tried to recall my dream.

"I couldn't see anything, and I couldn't move. But I always hear you talking to someone or to me from time to time. I couldn't reply but I could hear you."

Shin then moved his hands on his black jeans, massaging his legs. It must be so numb, right now since I've made it my pillow. My face felt hotter with embarrassment as I continued recalling my dream.

"You talked a lot, and told me a lot of things..." I tried to recall more. "But I couldn't remember much. I only heard the words Winter, Western House and..." the heat reached to my ears, but it wasn't because of the embarrassment, it's because I remembered that I'm... "And..."

Shin looked at me, his silver eyes observing my behavior.

"It seemed like you couldn't remember anything else but those two." He stated.

"Y-yeah..." I stated, finally deciding to leave out the last word that I remembered in my dream.

Shin smiled. "Okay then, let's go outside. Shouto and Tamazuki-san already went inside with the bags."

I nodded and we went out. Shin limped for a bit because of his numbed legs, and I felt really guilty. I looked around and realized that the car on the front lawn beside another car. There was a large metal gate with elegant patterns that's closed. When I looked at my right side, I saw a two-story Western House.

It is a white colored house with dark brown roof, and door. The only window at the second floor aligned at the middle also has dark brown color with tinted glass, and there's also a similar looking window on the first floor, beside the door.

I felt my heart feeling warm and fuzzy. It's a simple looking house but I really love it.

I sighed in relief. Finally we've arrived after hours of travel. We even stopped at a convenience store to eat lunch, which was very awkward, since I ignored Shouto-kun all the time.

"Did I live here?" I asked Shin.

"No. But you wanted to." He replied with a smile. "I bought it for you and it's yours."

My eyes widen. "How did you--"

"Deal with it, I'm rich." He replied with a shrug. Then he held my hand. "Let's go inside."

When we reached inside, we took of our shoes and placed them neatly at the side and looked around. The stairs that leads to the second floor is straight ahead. The living area is on the right, with two gray soft sofas facing each other with a glass coffee table in front of them. Leaning on the wall is a couch that fit more or less than four people. Behind it is the window I saw outside and in front of it was also the same glass coffee table. The couch is facing the smart TV attached to the wall of the living room.

To my left is the kitchen and dining area. It looks neat with white top and lower cabinets, black stove with oven and grill, the white sink, small shelves we can put often used utensils, a gray fridge, kitchen counter, black stools, dining table and more.

Yamazuki-san walked down the stairs and bowed.

"The things you've brought have already been taken upstairs," He stated. Shin nodded and permitted him to leave.

"He won't stay here?" I asked.

"Nope. I don't think we'll need extra hands. It'll only be the three of us living here." My eyes widen.

"The three of us?" I sounded like a bird repeating a person's words.

"Of course. I can't let the two of you stay together alone. Who knows what would happen." I couldn't help but nod, remembering that Shouto is indeed a guy and I'm a girl and it would be dangerous for us being alone. But isn't it alright if we're engaged?

I shook my head. There's nothing wrong with Shin being here as well. And I remembered that Shouto lied to me as well. And he wouldn't tell me what it is. The thought of it made my mood plummet down.

"It's only a single lie, Aoi." Shin stated. "You care about him, right? Learn to forgive."

I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You really are a mind reader..." He smiled at my comment.

"Want to see your room. I know you'll love it." He stated, and pulled me upstairs. It is a stairs that turns to the right before reaching the second floor. And when we reached the floor, we turned to right again.

The second floor looks simple that has three rooms and a window to the left. I looked at my right side where Shin pointed the first door to the right.

"My room is that door on the right side. Shouto owns the other room on the left side." He pointed it as well, and lastly he pointed towards the door that is across to where we are standing. "That room in the middle is yours. It's already unlocked."

I walked towards it and turned the knob. I pushed the door open and it revealed a simple study desk with a mug on it, on its left is a wardrobe and on its right is a long bed pressed to the wall. The window is above the bed just enough for me to view outside. The glass looks clear from inside despite being tinted on the outside. I walked to my bed and my eyes widen. The view that I saw made me jump to the bed and slid the window open, revealing the sound of the waves and the breeze.

"The ocean," the word slipped out of my mouth. Across the road is the sandy shore of the ocean, with the sun setting down sprinkling golden diamonds on the horizons, and turning the sky into an orange canvas with pale orange clouds.

"You still have to buy your dream Western House by the ocean"

"It wasn't a dream." I muttered.

"Hmm?" Shin hummed. I looked at him.

"A western house by the ocean, my dream house," my voice shook. "You bought it for me."

"Yep," He replied and I didn't know what came up to me.

I ran towards him and gave him a tight hug. Maybe it's because I was so happy about it that I no longer cared. He chuckled softly, caressing my hair. It felt weirdly comforting embracing this guy. I felt his breath near my ear.

"You'll have to pay for me later though." He whispered softly. I looked up at him He gave a wink. I slapped him but he caught my hand effortlessly, and gave kiss the back of it.

"Ew..." I pulled away from him. He laughed at my reaction.

I explored my room more, there's a door beside my bed that leads to my very own bathroom. It made me very grateful about Shin and somehow embarrassed.

"Thank you so much, Shin." I told him, bowing gratefully. "I will repay it."

"Don't bow like that. It's fine really and you don't have to repay it. It was only a joke." He stated.

"Really? I still have to pay it somehow."

"A kiss perhaps."

"... I change my mind. I won't pay you after all, you perverted creep..." I narrowed my eyes at him and he laughed.

"Okay, I'll go to my room and relax now~" He stated.

"Yes, you better go away. Out," I stated while shooing him away with my hand. He left the room with a happy smile. I sighed, frowning.

But when I sat on my bed and leaned at the window, looking at the setting sun, it made me smile. The sound of the waves was very calming. The sun had already turned darker with a shade of scarlet as the sky slowly changed to a darker shade as well, with the blue already turning indigo.

I heard a knock on the door, and I sighed.

"What do you want--" But my words stopped when I turned around and saw him. I thought he was Shin. Somehow, the thought that he lied to me made my mood turned dark as well.

It wasn't a dream. I am someone who loves winter. I am someone who dreamed of having a western house by the ocean.

And I am Shouto-kun's fiancé.

The thought made my mood darker.

"What do you want Shouto-kun?"

"I want to tell you the truth."

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5-22-2018

Thank you for Renki and MM for voting this story ^^
I'm actually worried that I may not be able to update on June (which is the start of classes) but I'll do my best!