Chapter 58: Volume 2 - CH 3.2

"Please accompany me shopping."

On a Friday in the middle of September, when I was finally getting used to my resumed school life, I was cooking dinner when Izumi, who had just returned home and was dressed in her school uniform, said to me.

"Yes?"

I was in the kitchen making miso soup for dinner when I stopped what I was doing and replied dumbly.

When I asked her what she was shopping for, she told me that a male teacher who had been in the hospital for several days would be returning soon, and the class had decided to give him a gift to celebrate his return.

"I've never bought anything for men before, so I don't really have an idea of what I'm looking for. So if you have time, please come with me just for a moment."

Izumi, who was sitting facing me at the dining room table, bowed her head and said.

Thus, we met up in the living room at ten am on Saturday morning next day. When I went downstairs at exactly that time, I found Izumi sitting on the sofa in a long-sleeved brown one-piece dress, with her shoulder pouch that she always carried with her when she went out, looking ready to go.

As we put on our shoes at the front door and left the house, my mother, who was watering plants in the garden, called out to us, "Take care,". Izumi replied, "Yes," and lightly waved her hand.

Our destination was the department store in front of the station. Since we planned to take the bus to the street in front of the station, we walked side by side to the nearest bus stop.

The bus arrived just in time. There were only two seats available, so we sat down side by side. After we sat down, the bus closed its doors and started running. A woman's voice announcing the next stop echoed through the bus.

During on the bus, Izumi told me things about her school, such as how she was going to do a recitation play at the school festival and that the returning teacher was the same height as I was.

Both hands were on her lap, and on her left wrist was the same watch she had been wearing when we first met. That suddenly brought back to my mind the nervousness I felt when she moved in. And I realized that the distance between me and her had changed a lot in the past three months.

Now, Izumi is smiling and talking about school without the stiffness she had then, and as for me, the words come out naturally without me having to search for them in my head.

I feel like Izumi has been living in that house for a long time now. How my mother and I had lived together before she came to our house, that feeling had become more difficult for me to recall.

Twenty minutes later, we arrived in front of the station. We got off the bus and walked down the nicely paved street to the department store. This was the busiest street in the city, lined with tall buildings and apartments, a movie theater, and trendy cafes and restaurants.

After a short walk, we entered the department store we were headed for. We took the escalator up to the menswear floor.

"I stopped by on my way home yesterday, and I had a few choices in mind then......"

Saying that, Izumi proceeded down the floor and entered a formal-looking store that handled suits and jackets. Then she picked up two neckties.

"Please stand there for a moment."

Izumi said, standing in front of the mirror placed by the tie display shelf. When I got there, she put them on my chest in sequence. The backs of her fingers touched my throat softly.

"Kenichi-kun, since you came in wearing a white shirt, it was just perfect." 

Izumi smiled at me closely and mumbled, "I wonder which one would be better," as she thought about the gray one with a thin blue line or the calm navy blue one, which she repeatedly held up to my chest. Then, "Is it for a gift?" a young male clerk with black hair spoke to us.

"Oh, yes. I'm wondering between either of these......"

"I see," Saying that, the man thought for a moment, then said, "I think the gray one here will suit the young man better."

He said and took the gray one into his hand. Then Izumi waved one hand in front of her face with a troubled smile.

"Oh, but I'm handing it to a teacher at school. He's about forty years old......"

"Oh, is that so?"

The clerk said as if in a panic, looked at me again, and said, "I'm sorry,". Somehow I felt sorry too, and I apologized in the same way, saying, "I'm sorry". Then,

"If it were Kenichi-kun, which would you prefer?"

Izumi asked me.

"Ummm..."

I can't say for sure, since I only wear ties with my winter uniform, but, 

"I think I like this one better. The more calm shades would be easier to match."

Saying that, I pointed to the navy blue one.

"I see!"

Izumi then carefully considered it for another minute or so and decided on the one I had chosen, saying, "I'll take this one,".

"Eh, are you sure about that?"

"Yes, I've decided,". Izumi nodded and went to the cashier.

Izumi put the box of ties that had been wrapped by the cashier into her backpack. Perhaps the money had already been collected, Izumi took out some 1,000 yen bills from an envelope and received a receipt.

"Thanks for your help. Thanks to you, I think this will be a good gift."

She said as we left the store.

"No......I don't know if just this much means I helped you......"

"No, no. You've been very helpful," Izumi said. 

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We spent the next 30 minutes or so wandering around, stopping at the bookstore floor and the interior design store floor, before returning again to the ground floor.

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Then, as we passed a general store near the entrance to the department store, Izumi slowed her pace, as if something had attracted her interest. Her gaze turned toward the store.

"Wanna take a look?"

When I asked her because she obviously wanted to drop by, she turned her head to me and said, "Eh,"

"Oh. Yeah. Sorry. Then, just for a moment.

Saying that a little embarrassed, Izumi went into the store. In the store, there were aroma oils and loungewear for women. Many pastel colors such as white and pink were used on the shelves and posters. Many of the customers around the store were young women dressed in casual fashion. A humidifier-like device in the front of the store was emitting steam that smelled good.

Izumi was looking at a soap (I guess) with a color and shape like ice cream, muttering, "Cute,". It wasn't like she was saying, "When I say cute, I'm the cute one". Unless Izumi is a wolf in sheep's clothing beyond my imagination, this is just the way she is.

"I sometimes stop by this store on my way home from school. Just looking at them is soothing!" Izumi said in a relaxed tone.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Looking at cute goods takes away the fatigue from my mind."

"Hmm."

After Izumi looked at soaps and aroma oils, and then at fluffy wear, we left the department store. I opened the glass door and let Izumi through, followed by myself.

It was almost noon, the sun was high in the sky, and the city was bathed in white light. The sunlight reflected off metal poles, street mirrors, traffic light frames, building windows, and the corners of pedestrian bridge railings in the form of many sharp glints.

Izumi had bought a gift for the teacher, so our objective for the day was over, but it was nice outside, and it seemed a little regrettable to just go home. Besides, when walking with Izumi, I was able to see worlds I had never known before, such as the grocery store we had just visited, which was fun.

These feelings made me slow down my steps toward the bus stop. Izumi suddenly stopped and tilted her head. She was looking at me.

"What's wrong?"

I said, a little flustered, wondering if she had seen what I was thinking. "That dog," Izumi said, pointing behind me.

As I looked in that direction, I saw a small dog tied to a pole in the shade. Izumi walked up to the dog and looked back at me as I followed her.

"It's Stella-kun, probably."

Saying that, she crouched down beside the dog. The dog wagged its tail when he got up and looked at Izumi. She stroked the dog's back with her palm, perhaps convinced by his reaction.

Maybe it is true, I thought, too. This brown fur and the pouty expression on his face were familiar to me.

"I wonder if Hoshino-san or someone from her family is nearby."

"No idea."

Izumi stood up and glanced around. I took my eyes off Stella too and looked around. Then I immediately spotted a girl I recognized. She was wearing a gray hoodie over a checked skirt.

"......There she is."

On the ground floor of the department store, the elevator hall is made of glass, so you can see into the building from the outside. And right near us, there was Hoshino-san wandering around, looking at her phone.

"Eh, where?"

Izumi looked at me, and I pointed at Hoshino-san with my gaze.

"Oh. It's really her."

Izumi said.

We went inside the department store again and approached her in the elevator hall.

Hoshino-san, who was walking and looking at the phone, did not notice us.

"Wa!"

Perhaps wanting to tease, Izumi suddenly called out from behind Hoshino-san with her hands clasped behind her back.

"Whoa!"

Hoshino was startled, raising both shoulders with a jolt. In that moment, I caught a glimpse of the screen of her phone. I saw the screen of an AR game, which is very popular these days.

"What, Rina-chan. Aah, I was so surprised......"

Hoshino-san exhaled. Then she noticed me, too, and said, "Oh......" She paused for a moment, then said, "You too, Sakamoto-san. It's been a while," she greeted me.

"What are you doing?"

I asked.

"No, I'm just capturing......I was supposed to be taking a walk around the neighborhood, but before I knew it, I ended up here......"

Somehow, Hoshino-san said, gesticulating, as if trying to make an excuse.

"Capture?"

Izumi tilted her head.

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