172 Shrine Visit, Part-One

Time had passed quickly, months had passed, and it was already January.

It was the first of January of a brand new year. Shun woke up early in the morning to follow his daily routine.

He exercised inside the house to avoid the freezing cold weather of January, and after taking a quick shower, he went to the dining room to greet his parents.

Shun entered the living room to see his parents sitting under a kotatsu, watching the new year programs on the TV.

Shun: "Good Morning."

Both of his parents turned to him and greeted him.

Parents: "Good Morning."

Shun slipped under the kotatsu and spoke.

Shun: "Happy New Year."

He extended one hand towards each of his parents.

Both of them placed an envelope each on Shun's hands and said.

Parents: "Happy New Year."

Shun smiled and opened the envelopes with the new year's money. He counted the sum and spoke.

Shun: "Nice."

Shun's mom looked at her son and asked.

Mom: "Any plans where are you going to spend the money."

Shun transferred the money into a single envelope and answered.

Shun: "I am going to segregate the money to buy a couple of books in the next few months, and I am thinking of buying art supplies."

He looked up towards his mother and smiled.

Shun: "I am thinking of taking up drawing."

Shun's dad set down his teacup and asked.

Dad: "Ooh, what kind of drawing?"

Shun shrugged and answered.

Shun: "I am not sure, but I am really interested in pencil sketches."

Shun's mom smiled and said.

Mom: "There is Osechi in the kitchen. Go and eat some."

Osechi was an assortment of foods that were made and eaten during the new years.

Shun walked to the kitchen and saw a lot of dishes on the kitchen counter.

There Sweet Rolled Omelettes, Candied Chestnut and Sweet Potatoes, Sweet Black Soybeans, Herring Roe, Simmered Shrimp, Salmon Kombu Roll, Yellowtail Teriyaki, Chikuzenni (Simmered Chicken & Vegetables), Sweet Red Bean Paste, Mochi among other things.

Shun ate all of the dishes until he was full and patted his stomach as he exited the kitchen after washing his plate.

Shun: "That was delish."

Shun looked at the clock in the dining room and saw it was nearly time, so he went to the living room and peeked inside and said.

Shun: "Mom, I am going to the shrine with Satsuki-chan."

Shun's mom turned to her son and advised.

Mom: "Dress warmly. It is really cold out there.

Also, take a box of Mochi from the kitchen and give it to Momoi-san."

Shun nodded and affirmed.

Shun: "Alright."

Shun went up to his room and pulled out some warm clothes to put, and in minutes he was ready to go outside for his first shrine visit of the year.

He opened the door to his house and shivered in the face of the cold winds of January.

He took out his gloves and put them on.

Shun walked to the house next door with a box of Mochi in his hand. He pressed the doorbell and waited for the occupants to open the door.

Shun saw the door open, and behind it was Mr. Momoi.

Shun smiled and greeted.

Shun: "Happy New Year, Mr. Mo-"

Shun wasn't able to finish as Mr. Momoi closed the door. He stood there silent for a while, before once again ringing the doorbell.

Once again, Mr. Momoi opened the door, and the moment he saw Shun, he once again closed the door, but this time, Shun put his foot in the door's way to stop it from closing.

With a flat smile on his face, Shun questioned the person in front of him.

Shun: "What are you doing?"

Mr. Momoi, with an expressionless look, replied.

Mr. Momoi: "Nothing."

Shun immediately followed.

Shun: "Then let me in."

Mr. Momoi shook his head and responded.

Mr. Momoi: "Not going to happen."

Shun warned the adult who was blocking his way.

Shun: "I will shout."

Mr. Momoi studied Shun's face and said.

Mr. Momoi: "I will take my chances."

Shun clicked his tongue. He didn't want to shout, as it was embarrassing.

Shun: "You leave me no choice."

Shun took a deep breath and got ready to shout, but before he could do it, something hit Mr. Momoi on the back of his head.

Mr. Momoi: "Ouch!"

Shun heard an embarrassed shout from inside the house. He recognized the voice.

Satsuki: "Dad! What are you doing?!"

Satsuki pulled Mr. Momoi away from the door and opened the door for Shun.

Satsuki, with her cheek's flushed, spoke.

Satsuki: "Shun-kun, I am so sorry. Please, come in."

Shun nodded his head and spoke.

Shun: "You don't need to apologize. It was not your fault."

He stepped in and handed the Mochi box to Satsuki with a smile on his face.

Shun: "Happy New Year, Satsuki-chan."

Satsuki received the box and greeted with a similar smile.

Satsuki: "Happy New Year, Shun-kun."

Shun's eyes caught Mr. Momoi standing behind Satsuki, glaring at him with a grave expression on his face.

Shun deliberately focused on Mr. Momoi, and as he expected, Satsuki turned back to see where Shun was looking and saw her dad glaring at Shun.

She spoke in an angered tone.

Satsuki: "Dad! Stop, forget it, I will call mom. She will take care of you."

Mr. Momoi panicked and tried to stop Satsuki, but before he could stop her, she ran inside.

He whipped his head towards Shun and spoke.

Mr. Momoi: "Brat, you got me in trouble."

Shun humped and spoke.

Shun: "It was your fault from the start."

Mr. Momoi humphed in reply.

Mr. Momoi: "Every year, my dear Satsuki makes her first shrine visit with me, but this year she told me that she was going with you.

You are the source of all my problems.

I won't allow you to steal my daughter from me."

Shun just smiled and didn't reply, and as he expected, Satsuki returned with Mrs. Momoi in tow.

Mrs. Momoi looked at Shun and greeted him with a smile.

Mrs. Momoi: "Happy New Year, Shun-chan."

Shun smiled and greeted back.

Shun: "A Happy New Year to as well, Mrs. Momoi."

She turned to her husband and sighed.

Mrs. Momoi: "Dear, why do you have to be so childish?"

Mr. Momoi just humphed and didn't reply.

She just shook her head and turned to Shun.

Mr. Momoi: "So, the first shrine visit of the year.

Any specific thing that you would wish for?"

Shun didn't get to answer as Satsuki spoke.

Satsuki: "Wishes won't come true if you speak them out loud.

And, let's go, we are getting late."

Shun chuckled and spoke.

Shun: "If you say so. Let's go."

Then Shun, Satsuki, and Mrs. Momoi looked at Mr. Momoi, who was pulling out his shoes from the rack. Mrs. Momoi asked her husband.

Mr. Momoi: "Dear, what are you doing?"

Mr. Momoi looked at his wife and spoke like stating the obvious.

Mr. Momoi: "I am going too."

Mrs. Momoi immediately denied her husband's statement.

Mrs. Momoi: "No, you aren't going."

Mr. Momoi didn't say anything and started to put on his shoes, but wasn't able to finish as Mrs. Momoi grabbed him by his ear and pulled him inside.

Mrs. Momoi: "Dear, let's go inside. I have made the sweets that you like. You have to taste them and tell me how they taste."

Just like that, Mrs. Momoi pulled her husband inside, who protested in vain.

Satsuki still had a blush on her face because of her dad's behavior. She turned to Shun and spoke in a soft voice.

Satsuki: "Let's go."

Shun chuckled and nodded.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Satsuki and Shun walked to the nearest shrine to their house.

When they reached the shrine, Shun noticed that Satsuki was looking around as if to look for someone.

Shun seeing that asked.

Shun: "Who are you looking for?"

Satsuki spotted the person who she was looking for, so she turned to Shun, pointed at the person, and smiled.

Shun followed Satsuki's pointer. He saw the person he wasn't expecting to see, and it made a smile surfaced on his face.

He turned to Satsuki and put his index finger on his lips.

Satsuki smiled and nodded.

Shun walked to the person, who had his back to Shun.

Shun smirked, and without any warning, put an arm around the person's shoulder.

The person was surprised and whipped his head to see who it was.

???: "What the f-."

The person couldn't complete his sentence when he saw Shun.

Shun with a smirk on his face, spoke.

Shun: "Happy New Year, Dai-chan~."

The person was the Ace of Generation Of Miracle, Aomine Daiki, visiting the shrine for the first time in the new year, was shocked to see Shun and the first words that came out of his words were.

Aomine: "Geh."