The souvenir shop was bustling with families making their final purchases, the faint chime of the register punctuating the quiet murmur of conversation. Aoi dashed to the stuffed animal section the moment we walked in, her tail swishing eagerly as she scanned the shelves.
"Onii-Chan!" she called out, clutching a plush panda almost her size. "Aoi found it! Aoi wants this one!"
"It's as big as you, Aoi," I said, laughing as I took it from her. "Are you sure you can carry this all the way home?"
"Aoi can carry it! Aoi loves pandas!" she declared, hugging the plush tightly.
Meanwhile, Aki and Yuki wandered the shop, their earlier awkwardness from the accidental kiss still lingering between them. Aki fidgeted with a tiger keychain in his hands, sneaking glances at Yuki, who examined a butterfly pin with deliberate focus.
"That one suits you," Aki said, his voice quieter than usual.
Yuki looked at him, surprised. "What?"
