CHAPTER 43: AH... THANK GOODNESS FOR ELISS!

«I-I’m really happy you asked me to come with you to pick a gift for your two-month anniversary with Eliss... even though I didn’t think you were still planning to give her something, considering you two ended your fake relationship almost a month ago...» Ayane murmurs, her eyes fixed on the asphalt in downtown Ueda.

«A gift for two months with Eliss? Who ever said that?» Aoshi replies, confused.

«W-Well... um... you told me you wanted me to come help you buy a present, so I thought that’s what it was for, since technically you and she would’ve celebrated your two months in two days...»

«True, but take a guess who else is celebrating something next week,» Aoshi says, giving her a playful look.

Ayane stops walking at once — her eyes lighting up with joy and emotion.

«A-Aoshi... don’t tell me...?» she stammers, her voice trembling.

«Yep. I brought you here to choose your birthday present, Ayane. You can pick anything you want — whatever you like, no matter the price,» he says, smiling brightly.

Sniff... sniff... Ayane starts sobbing softly, sniffling as thin tears run down her cheeks. She stands completely still, her eyes locked on Aoshi.

«A-Ayane... why are you crying now?» he asks, staring at her in confusion. «D-Did I say or do something that offended you? If I did, I’m really sorry — I swear I didn’t mean to upset you...»

«I-Idiot... why would I ever get angry over something like this? Can’t you see these are tears of happiness? It’s embarrassing that I even have to say it — looks like living with a girl for two months didn’t teach you anything about how we’re built!» she snaps, giving him a light punch on the shoulder.

«Y-Yeah, I figured... but isn’t this a bit of an overreaction? I mean, it’s just a birthday present...»

«You’ve never given me a birthday present before, Aoshi...» she murmurs, wiping her tears with the sleeve of her hoodie. «Actually, this is the first time you’ve even remembered my birthday — usually you’d go, "Oh right, that’s today. Happy birthday, Ayane" only after all our classmates came over to wish me happy birthday first...»

«Really?» Aoshi mutters.

«Really,» Ayane replies firmly.

«See? That proves it’s not true at all that I haven’t learned anything about girls in these two months living with Eliss,» Aoshi says, puffing out his chest with a proud grin.

●The day before●

«Aoshi, if I remember correctly, Ayane turns twenty next week. Have you already decided what to get her?» Eliss asks while cooking a pot of stew.

«Oh crap — you’re right, I totally forgot!» Aoshi blurts out, shooting to his feet in a panic. «But how do you even know that?»

«The real question is how you don’t know...» Eliss hisses, shooting him a sharp glare. «Unlike you, I actually listen when people talk. I clearly remember her mentioning, about a month and a half ago, that she’d be turning twenty on June nineteenth and that her parents wanted to take her somewhere to celebrate. How can you not remember something one of your closest friends said? You’ve only got two friends, not a hundred.»

«I-I must’ve just been distracted, that’s all...» Aoshi mutters. «Anyway, since you seem to know her better than I do, what should I get her?»

«How should I know? And even if I did know, there’s no way I’d tell you — I can’t risk her falling even more in love with you,» Eliss grumbles.

«Even more in love with me...? What’s that supposed to mean...?» Aoshi mumbles.

Eliss clenches her teeth and stiffens — the classic reaction of someone who realizes they’ve said something they definitely shouldn’t have.

«N-Nothing, you misunderstood! I said that wrong!» she blurts out clumsily.

«R-Right... got it,» Aoshi says, unsure. «Anyway, I just had a genius idea! Since neither of us has the faintest clue what she might like, I’ll let her choose! That way I’m sure she’ll love the surprise, and I won’t risk wasting what little money I’ve got left.»

«What kind of surprise is it if she chooses it herself?» Eliss huffs. «A-Although I’m sure she’d really like it...» she adds with a soft touch of melancholy — because Eliss knows perfectly well Ayane would like it not so much for the gift itself, but for the chance to walk around town with Aoshi while choosing it.

Ugh... why couldn’t I just keep my mouth shut and mind my business? Eliss grumbles internally. Ayane is already completely head over heels for him — I still remember the scene she made in the maid café bathroom as if it were yesterday... and if Aoshi gives her the courage she’s missing with a gesture that romantic...

W-Well, Ayane really is a wonderful girl — the perfect woman for someone like Aoshi. And of course I hope, once I go back to Elyndra, the two of them can live a long and happy love story together.

But until that day comes... Aoshi is mine!

Still... Ayane really is a good girl — she deserves a little something, at least a small sign of gratitude after all the pain she’s endured, watching the boy she loves be with another woman...

«Take my card, Aoshi,» Eliss mutters — not fully convinced by her own words. «Between my salary, overtime, and a bunch of extra bookings from customers, I got a crazy good paycheck this month. Use it to get Ayane a proper present — but make sure you don’t spend it all, or we’ll be living on rice and water until next payday,» she finishes, letting out a resigned sigh.

«Y-You really mean it?! You’re the best!» Aoshi cheers — he was practically in tears at the thought of touching his already miserable savings.

«I know,» she mutters. «I know...»

●●●

Ah... if it weren’t for Eliss, I would’ve forgotten again this year — how embarrassing... thank you, Eliss, you saved me again!

«W-Well, um... I don’t want you to spend too much on me...» Ayane murmurs, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. «I know the Moonlight barely pays you anything and you’ve got so many expenses to deal with... I-I’d feel guilty if you had to give up something important for me...»

«Come on, Ayane, you’re overthinking it. If I couldn’t afford it, I wouldn’t have let you pick whatever you want without worrying about the price, right? Besides, nothing’s more important than getting you a birthday present... wait — why are you crying again?»

«S-Sigh... Sigh... Y-You just said that giving me a present is more important than anything... how else did you expect me to react?» Ayane sobs.

Aoshi gives her an awkward smile — Ayane’s nonstop crying is starting to attract attention from passersby, and some of them, misunderstanding the situation, even mutter things like, «Making a girl cry like that? What a jerk...»

Ayane really is sensitive — maybe a bit too sensitive, considering she’s acting like she just got dumped. No wonder everyone around us keeps giving me dirty looks. She’s far more emotional than I ever imagined — I’ve never seen her get this emotional.

Then again, it’s probably true that I’ve never given her much reason to feel emotional about anything involving me. She’s always done so much for me, but I’ve never exactly been a shining example of friendship.Still, it’s just a birthday present — I hope she doesn’t cry like this every time someone gives her anything...

Women really are weird...

For the next hour, Ayane walks past store windows — clothing shops, jewelry stores, even video game shops — and even though her eyes are pointed at the displays, I can tell her mind is somewhere else completely. Those lazy glances she gives each store look more like autopilot than actual interest.

«S-So... do you already have any idea of what you’d like me to get you? You don’t need to choose right away — take your time if you’re unsure. We still have a week, and the stores will still be here,» Aoshi says, picking up on Ayane’s total detachment.

«I-It’s not that...» she murmurs. «I... I’ve already known for a while what I’d like as a present, it’s just that...»

«It’s just that...?» Aoshi presses gently.

Ayane bites her lip and clenches her fists — her face turning even redder, almost the shade of burgundy.

«I-I... I want...» she stammers — her voice barely more than a whisper, the kind you hear from someone who wants to speak but is frozen in embarrassment.

Aoshi watches her in silence, holding his breath without even realizing.

I’ve never seen Ayane struggle this much... what the hell is she trying to say? Maybe it’s something she really wants but feels is too expensive — so she’s scared I’ll think she’s taking advantage of me. And yet I told her she didn’t need to worry about the budget... she’s so stubborn.

«I want... I want...» Ayane continues, pushing every word out with all she’s got. «...I want you to take me to that new American fast-food place that just opened in downtown Nagano! Just the two of us!»

Aoshi hesitates for a moment, then—

«That’s it?» he asks, his tone flat and confused.

Seriously... all that build-up just to ask me to take her to a fast-food joint? If she wanted a fancy dress, would she have sent me a formal request signed by the Prime Minister?

Well, at this point I don’t even need Eliss’s money — I think I can still afford a burger and fries. I hope...

«O-Of course. If that’s what you want, then it’s perfectly fine,» Aoshi replies, still thrown off by how dramatic her reaction was to such a simple request.

A radiant smile spreads across Ayane’s face — yeah, she’s about to cry again — but Aoshi is already prepared with a handkerchief.

«Then... let’s go on the night of my birthday, okay?» Ayane suggests, struggling to contain the overflowing joy bubbling up inside her.

«Deal — June twentieth at nine p.m.!» Aoshi says.

«My birthday is on the nineteenth...»

«Yeah, I know — I was joking!» Aoshi replies, forcing a laugh.

No — he really did forget.