บท 65: I Just Want a Single Ending [65]
Seeing the gift box in front of him and Kita's sincere expression, Kamigawa Saku had no choice but to take it.
Originally, he'd intended to gain a bit of favor with Kita, but it seemed the tables had turned, and she'd ended up surprising him instead.
"I really hope you like it," she said, looking slightly nervous.
"Can I open it now?" Kamigawa asked, gauging her reaction.
"Of course!"
After all, she'd prepared the gift with the intention that he might open it right away.
"Oh, right—before I open this, I have something for you too."
With that, Kamigawa took the necklace he'd bought from his pocket and handed it to her.
"Huh?"
Kita's surprised reaction mirrored his own from moments ago.
"What's… this?"
Kamigawa chuckled. "A little return gift. Please, take it."
"Kamigawa-senpai, when did you get this?"
Kita looked both delighted and surprised.
"Just a moment ago, actually—same as you." Kamigawa nodded toward the other register in the store.
"It seems we had the same idea," she said with a smile.
She'd sent him outside so she could pick out a gift for him, yet he'd used that same time to get something for her.
Honestly, wasn't this a sign that they were in sync?
"Seems like it," Kamigawa agreed.
But as she looked at his gift, Kita hesitated.
She'd chosen to give him a present to show her gratitude for his help. If she accepted a gift in return, wouldn't that take away from the sentiment behind her gift?
"Kamigawa-senpai, I…"
Just as Kita was about to decline, Kamigawa interrupted firmly.
"You have to accept it—otherwise, I'll have to return your gift too."
"But you already accepted mine! You can't just give it back!" Kita protested.
"Then you'll have to take mine as well," Kamigawa said, pressing the gift gently into her hands, giving her no chance to object.
"This way, we can both open our gifts together."
"…Thank you."
With no choice but to accept his thoughtfulness, Kita began to unwrap her present alongside him.
Kamigawa really was a kind person—thoughtful and warm.
After tearing off the wrapping paper and tossing it into the nearby trash can, Kamigawa remarked, "Come to think of it, if we're going to unwrap them right away, what's the point of paying extra for wrapping?"
"It'd look odd if you just handed over the item in its original packaging, don't you think?"
To Kita, the wrapping was essential—especially for a gift.
"Yeah, you're probably right."
---
"A wallet?"
Opening the final gift box, Kamigawa Saku found out what Kita had picked out for him—a sleek, dark leather wallet with a really nice feel to it.
"And this necklace… it's the one from earlier?"
Kita eyed the necklace in her gift box and immediately recognized it.
"That's right," Kamigawa confirmed with a nod.
"Isn't this a bit… extravagant?"
Recalling the price tag, Kita couldn't help but feel a bit guilty.
"Not at all! It's hardly luxury—just an ordinary necklace." Kamigawa sighed. "Anyway, didn't you mention that buying this necklace would make it hard for you to afford Bocchi's gift? I'm guessing that included any budget you had to buy something for me too, right?"
"Ahaha, you saw right through me."
Kita hadn't expected her little fib to be uncovered so quickly.
"Besides, I was the one who mentioned that the necklace would look great on you. That's why you got interested in it in the first place," Kamigawa added, smiling. "So it's kind of my fault. Plus, I'm honestly curious to see how it looks on you."
As long as she felt comfortable accepting it, that was all that mattered to him.
"Well… if you put it that way, then okay."
Kita looked away slightly, her eyes flickering with embarrassment. She couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious about his last comment—about wanting to see her wear it.
"And I'll make good use of the wallet you gave me," Kamigawa said, noticing the atmosphere was becoming a little too… suggestive. He quickly tried to shift the topic.
"It's perfect timing, too; my old one was getting pretty worn out."
"I'm glad it'll come in handy," Kita replied, her smile bright with satisfaction.
She'd actually noticed his worn wallet a couple of times—when he'd taken out money to buy his bass and when they'd gone to STARRY for tickets and drinks.
Of course, it could also have looked that way just because he kept so much in it.
But either way, she'd chosen a wallet for him, hoping he'd find her gift useful.
Kamigawa tilted his head toward her. "Would you like to try on the necklace now?"
"Sure!"
Kita set the extra packaging aside and picked up the necklace, carefully looping it around her neck. She fumbled a bit with the clasp, clearly not quite used to it.
[Offer to help]
[Pretend not to notice]
Seeing her struggling, the system's options popped up.
After a brief hesitation, Kamigawa asked tentatively, "Would you like some help?"
"…If you don't mind. This clasp is kind of tricky—I just can't seem to get it."
After a few more failed attempts, Kita finally relented, admitting she couldn't put the necklace on herself.
"Alright," Kamigawa replied, stepping behind her and gently taking hold of the chain.
Although he considered himself a gentleman, standing so close behind her, his gaze involuntarily drifted to her slender, graceful neck.
Her skin was smooth, almost like porcelain, her small, delicate ears slightly flushed—a detail that was surprisingly charming.
No wonder some people are drawn to the nape of the neck…
"All set."
Kamigawa didn't linger any longer than necessary and, after fastening the clasp, quickly stepped back.
[Stamina +5]
"Thank you."
Kita tried to keep a neutral expression, but the faint blush spreading across her ears betrayed her feelings.
She felt embarrassed, a little overwhelmed.
"So, what do you think?"
Trying to distract herself from the shyness bubbling up inside, Kita asked for his opinion.
"It looks great."
As the saying goes, anything looks good on someone who's good-looking.
And that applied here too—Kita's silver necklace added a touch of elegance, while the delicate crescent pendant brought out her fresh, youthful look.
"I'm glad to hear that."
Kita seemed pleased with his response.
Then, as if something had just come to mind, she turned to him and asked, "By the way, is Gotoh-san going to be at the café for training again tomorrow?"
"Yep."
"In that case, I'll drop by and give her the gift then."
Kita certainly hadn't forgotten her main reason for shopping today.
---
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
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