.
[-Continuation-]
.
[Hachiman's POV]
I couldn't help but wish for these clothing shop assistants to enroll in a crash course on subtlety. They needed to grasp the art of sensing the unmistakable '[Don't talk to me]' aura that Yukinoshita and I exuded.
If only they could master that skill, I reckon their sales figures would shoot through the roof.
Amidst the business plan I was thinking of, we reached a fork in the road where paths extended to the left and right, each leading to an escalator going up.
Recalling the directory board, I turned to Komachi, pointing to the right. "Komachi, do we just go straight from here?"
However, when I turned around, Komachi was nowhere in sight. "H-huh?" Despite scanning my surroundings, she had seamlessly vanished.
Damn, that was slick. I didn't even notice when she slipped away.
But a little heads-up before executing her plan wouldn't trouble her much, right? I mean, now I need to make sure where she is.
Then I reached into my pocket, retrieved my phone, and dialed her number immediately.
–Ring!Ring!Ring(:calling)
"..."
…and she didn't answer my call.
She didn't respond to 'me' - her one and only Big Brother.
Ahg! This brat.
Should I ring her again? Contemplating whether to dial her number again, I opened the call logs.
–ding!(:notification)
Just then, my phone vibrated with a 'ding' sound.
I received a text message.
…and guess what? It was from Komachi.
Opening my inbox, I checked it out right away.
=====
[-I am off Big Brother(:Bye.Bye.Bye)emojis-
[-Goooood luck with the date!!(:Wink.Wink.Wink…)emojis-
[-Don't MeSS uP, OKAY!-
[-Ah, I will be going home by MySelf. So EnJooooy!!-]
=====
.
My little sister Komachi, you have definitely scored some brownie points today.
And you know what's the best part? With the points you have accumulated as of today, consider yourself eligible to receive a [Special Reward].
Before stowing away my phone, I decided to send a text message to her.
.
=====
[-You have earned yourself another {Loyalty Badge}, Little Sister!-
[-I will surely reward you generously, when I return-
[-But seriously, don't wander around for long. Go home safely-]
=====
.
With that, I started looking around the place once again I am currently at.
The place seemed something like a toy store where there was only a weird panda plushie everywhere with EVIL eyes and sharpened claws, along with fangs that glinted in the light.
Yukinoshita was pulling at the cheeks of one of these plushies with a completely straight face.
It was the popular character from Tokyo Disneyland, Pan junior the Panda. The 'Pan-junior Bamboo Hunt' was such a popular attraction it was common to wait two or three hours for it.
"You have got quite a cute side to you." I remarked loudly.
Yukinoshita hastily put the thing she had been playing with up till now back on the shelf and flicked her hair coolly.
"What?" She demanded with her eyes alone.
"…*ahem, I mean, the doll looks cute, and… You too, I guess." I said, trying to lighten up the tension.
"*glare….."
Er, um… why the cold look?
I understood long ago, when faced with Yukinoshita's attitude trying to cover up her likings - the correct response was not to bring it up.
So, up until now, I had played it safe by not pointing out her likings and getting her irked.
...but I think today I can let myself loosen up a little, can't I?
"I can purchase that for you, you know? I mean, we are on a date." I said to lighten up the tension.
"No need." She rejected, and questioned. "Where is Komachi?"
"I don't know either. By the time I looked around, she was already gone."
Fu*k! For a moment, I definitely sounded like an irresponsible brother.
I immediately added. "Ah, I just now received a text."
"What did she say?" She asked.
"She said she had something urgent to do and told us to buy the gift without her because it might take a while for her to come back." I explained clearly.
"In the end, she left all the hard work to us." After explaining the situation, I complained.
While I was breaking it down to her - how Komachi 'ditched' us - Yukinoshita's baggage had been piling up.
She was holding this insanely bright and gaudy plastic bag, along with her rattan bag.
What can I say? She went ahead and bought it on her own.
Yukinoshita pretended not to notice my stare as she stuffed her purchase into her bag.
"I see… Well, she did make the effort to come all the way here on a day off, so I have no right to complain." Said Yukinoshita, sounding somewhat understanding.
"I wonder if something caught Komachi's attention… Indeed, there are certain products one would buy on impulse." She mused herself, casually making up a reason for Komachi and... for herself.
"So like you, then." My gaze went to her bag.
Yukinoshita coughed abruptly. "Anyway. Since Komachi is aware of our ultimate destination, we ought to meet there. There's no point dawdling here."
"Yeah, I guess…" I nodded in agreement and moved.
–ding!(:notification)
As I began to move, I received another message, slowing my pace. I opened it to see another message from Komachi, replying to my previous text…
.
=====
[Alllllrightyyyyyy!!(:Thumbs-up)emojis.
[I will be waiting for the present!!(:Gift Box.Gift Box)emojis.]
=====
.
She could have at least mentioned she would be waiting for 'me' instead of just the 'present,' showing the basic level of respect I deserve as her Elder Brother.
Maybe I should not have promised a gift this early. Welp, it's already done.
"…soooo, we turn right here and go straight ahead, hmm?" I sought confirmation aloud, though I already knew the way.
Yukinoshita, momentarily lost in thought, responded. "Isn't it left?"
The correct answer was right.
Realisation - Yukino Yukinoshita has [Topographical Disorientation].
Meaning, she is bad at directions and finds it difficult to locate her way within large-scale, locomotor environments.
…
.
[-After Few Minutes-]
We finally reached the part Koimichi had pointed out in the pamphlet.
The surrounding atmosphere bloomed with brightness.
Pastels and vivid hues mingled in the open room, carrying a flowery and soapy scent through the air.
Indeed, we found ourselves in a haven for girls – clothing stores and accessory shops, establishments specializing in shoes, and others catering to kitchen utensils. And, of course, there are the lingerie stores.
An uncomfortable, otherworldly territory unfolded before me.
"This appears to be the place, I suppose." Yukinoshita said with a cool face.
"What do you plan on buying?" I inquired.
"…hmm, perhaps a durable type of item that can be used over a long period of time." She responded.
"That's a pretty long-winded way of saying office supplies." I chuckled.
No matter how I looked at it, I doubted that was the standard by which you should buy a present for a young girl.
"I was considering buying those." She confessed.
"So you were actually considering it, huh…"
Yukinoshita, not minding my remark, laid out her honest thoughts. "But they did not seem like the kind of thing Yuigahama would be happy over…"
She went on, deciding for herself. "Indeed. I don't believe she'd be happy over a fountain pen or a tool set either."
"What an astute judgement…" I applaud sarcastically.
"Soooo." I chimed in. "You decided to get something in line with Yuigahama's interests."
"Indeed. I want to make her happy whatever way I can…" Yukinoshita had a serene smile on her face.
If Yuigahama saw that expression, I imagine there would be no need for any gift, she would have been beyond happy with her words alone.
I said moving. "Right, then let's hurry up and pick something out then."
"We know about Yuigahama's preferred genre, so let's make do with that." She added to get herself psyched again.
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[To be continued…]
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