Shiori cringefic

Carrying a box of old baby clothes, I enter the attic. It had been a few months since our son had outgrown them, and on this particular day, Shiori had decided it was time to clean the house and put them into storage. Walking into the room, I took note of the stale air that filled my lungs. The attic had been shut up for many months. It wasn't as if the room was dirty, though it was dusty and boxes tended to be stacked neatly in the corner allowing for clear passage. However we didn't tend to come up here often, it was more a ritual with the change of seasons to gather what we no longer used and store it away, or retrieve what we would need for the upcoming months, in the case of Christmas and other holidays, like Halloween.

Shiori was tucked in a corner, between two stacks of boxes, knelt down and examining something. I placed my box on the predetermined pile that it belonged and snuck up behind her, making sure not to make a sound. It was only when I got close and wrapped my arms around her in a soft embrace that she gasped in surprise and then looked over her shoulder. Once she confirmed that it was me, she let herself sink into my chest and I was able to see what she was holding. It was a book. She had it opened and was flicking through it, I was able to recognize that it wasn't just any book however, it was a diary. Her diary, or so I assumed upon sighting the all too familiar neat handwriting. "It's been so long since I've read this, it's been about ten years now, I would think?" Shiori said, stretching her neck up so she could look at me. "This was a precious diary I kept all those years ago. Around the time we met again."

She raised the diary closer to my face, so I could see it, read it. The somewhat faded page she had open detailed a memory that included me. A date at the amusement park. I cast my mind back as I remembered that day. It wasn't long after we had officially started dating. It was actually quite funny now that I think about it. The first time we had gone to that park I was in a foul mood over something that didn't quite count as a misunderstanding and ended up sitting on a bench the whole time, stewing in my depression. As I seem to recall, Shiori sat by me the entire time too. Comforted me, kept me company. I hadn't deserved such accompaniment, and certainly not from Shiori of all people. But she had stayed with me, content to chat away, despite also being excited to finally visit the amusement park. I had felt really bad about that, so, I eventually made it up to her, on her suggestion, by taking her out. Just the two of us, of course.

"...are you listening?" Shiori's voice snapped me back to the present. She was still holding the diary up for me to read, but she had also placed her other hand on mine, across my ring finger, running her fingers along the symbol of our eternal pledge to each other. My wedding ring. "Shiori, I'm sorry." I replied softly, taking my hand and reciprocating her gesture by stroking her ring finger. The metallic sensation was solid and colder in comparison to the soft and warm skin of the rest of her hand. "I was just remembering that day, it's an important memory we share, is it not?" Shiori nodded in agreement. "I've archived a lot of precious memories in this diary. Of people, places, events. I've even archived you, as you were when you were younger. I thought you were so cool back then." Then Shiori smirked mischievously and continued. "Though now I'd say you were more cute back then. You're cool now though, don't worry."

I chuckled and released Shiori from my embrace, standing up so she could reposition herself, turning around to properly fill the space between my arms, her space. "And you're still as breathtaking as the day  we met again," I confessed, somewhat embarrassed. "No, I'd say you're even more beautiful, my Shiori." Shiori sighed softly as we spent the moment hugging away, surrounded by boxes in our dusty attic. "I'm thinking of starting another diary now," Shiori whispered softly. "Well, I'd say it's more like a journal, of our experiences together. So I can properly archive them again. What do you think?"  "Shiori, that'd be a wonderful idea." I replied. Then, as if to break the tranquility of the moment, the baby monitor that was on the table a small distance away kicked into life. It was our son, he had awoken from his nap.

Shiori straightened herself out and put the diary she was holding back into the box. "Well, our bundle of joy calls." she sighed, giving me a quick kiss and then sauntering away, leaving the attic. I stood there for another few seconds, staring down at the box she had placed her diary in. She had forgotten to close it, so I took the liberty of doing so, but not before I read the title on the cover. I laughed to myself and then took my leave of the attic too, switching off the light and locking the door, before descending the stairway. I'd be looking forward to the next volume of her diary. The next volume of 'The Shiori Novella.'