Part-1 Ch-08 Ep-03

The walk home after the incredibly fun class party.

“Hey, want to stop by my place for a bit?”

It was Maki who invited me. It was still only 6 p.m.

I had already told my parents the class party might run late, so there was no issue with the time. And since it was Maki’s house, just a short distance from mine, I doubted my parents would complain much.

Although I was sure I would still get a mild scolding like, “Try not to be a bother again, okay?”

“Good evening~”

“Oh, welcome, Mari-chan!”

As soon as we stepped inside, Maki’s mom greeted us with her usual bright smile. Her dad had been pulled into city patrol duty since it was the holiday season right before Christmas, so he would be home late. Being a police officer sounded exhausting.

With her mom calling, “Take your time~,” we slipped through the hallway and went straight into Maki’s room. It was my childhood friend’s room, a place I had visited countless times and stayed overnight in more times than I could remember.

Knowing the layout by heart, I grabbed a cushion nearby and sat down without hesitation. Now then, the real question was why she had invited me over.

Maybe she wanted to talk about something, or maybe she simply did not want the cheerful atmosphere from the class party to fade.

But if that were the case, we could have gone to a family restaurant or anywhere else. There was no real need for me to come all the way to her house.

Which meant it probably had to be something she wanted to consult me about, or a secret she wanted to share.

While I was thinking all that, a wrapped gift bag was suddenly pushed in front of my face with a “Here,” and I froze.

I just stared blankly at the bag being held out to me.

“…Huh? What’s with the total lack of reaction?”

Maki tilted her head and peered into my face, looking slightly troubled.

Cute.

No, wait.

“Eh? A present?”

“Y-Yeah, a present.”

“Do we exchange Christmas presents every year? We do it on birthdays and Valentine’s, but…”

“No, it’s not that… I just wanted to this year.”

Take it already, she insisted, as she gently but firmly pushed the wrapped bag into my hands. Her face was tinged with red. This is exactly what makes her a tsundere, I thought, and it still amazed me that none of the boys had noticed this side of her yet.

For now, it seemed I was the only one monopolizing this tsundere behavior. Which made me feel a bit superior. But that was not good.

“Eh, can I open it?”

“Go ahead.”

The ribbon was tied so beautifully I felt guilty untying it too quickly, so I loosened it slowly and carefully. Inside was a brand-name handkerchief with a design perfectly matching my tastes.

“Wow, this looks expensive…”

“That is your first comment?”

“I’m kidding, I’m really happy!”

When I answered with a big smile, she said only “Good” and smiled just as happily.

The unexpected gift made me genuinely overjoyed; a warm happiness welled up from deep inside. My cheeks softened so much I wondered if they would ever return to normal.

“Ah, but I didn’t prepare anything… Sorry. I’ll get something soon, so wait for me, okay!”

“That’s fine, really. I just wanted to give you something.”

“No no, that won’t do. It is a gift filled with your feelings, so I want to return the favor properly.”

After I said that, she thought for a moment with an “Hmm,” then made a suggestion.

“Then maybe return it with an action instead of an object.”

“An action?”

“Yeah. Like using that handkerchief every day.”

“Eh, that’s impossible. I would have to wash and dry it every day.”

“Hmm, then…”

“Then?”

“Let me kiss you on the cheek.”

Maki slowly touched her index finger to her own cheek and smiled brightly.

“…Hime-chan, are you drunk?”

Dear God, what kind of event flag is this?