Chapter 24 Part 3: Shopping

Common Honorifics:
-san: A polite suffix, but not excessively formal.
-kun: A common suffix among friends and younger people.
-chan: A common suffix among people you’re close with, mostly used for feminine nicknames and girls, since it’s cutesy and childlike.

Yuki and I arrived at one of the biggest shopping malls in the prefecture.

We decided that this was the best place to go because there were many stores here, proportional to the amount of shopping we’d do. In addition, there were numerous food courts and restaurants, so we’d knock lunch off the list here as well.

Since it was a holiday, the parking lot seemed like a filled car dealership, and many couples and families filled the stores alike. I held her hand tightly in mine as we made way to our destination, trying not to be swept away by the passing crowd.

“First, let’s buy that folding umbrella for you, Haru-kun.”

“I wonder what type we should buy. I don’t want it to break like my father’s.”

“Maybe something with a solid frame would be better. It should be something you can use repeatedly during our time in school.”

“Yeah, guess so. Maybe I’ll splurge on one as you said.”

We made our way to a store that sold umbrellas, but as we walked, I felt a lot of eyes on me. It didn’t stop even when we got inside that shop with many people coming and going, doing their business.

Needless to say, their eyes were surely on Yuki, not me. I mean, one guy that just passed us by had his eyes glued to her, only to be interrupted by who looked like to be his girlfriend tapping his shoulder.

I shot a sideways glance at my childhood friend, whose hands were intertwined with mine. Yeah… No wonder the eyes of all these strange men were captured by her.

She’s beautiful… I whispered in my mind.

No matter how many times I’ve seen her, I couldn’t help but admire her dainty snowfall hair, her well-rounded face, and every other minute detail. She was a masterpiece sculpted by God.

And she didn’t pull any stops today. Yuki’s pale-as-pearl cheeks were kissed pink by makeup, and her lips twinkled glossy, moist by some product. Even her fashion was the petals to her flower, accentuating her already lovely figure.

And the cherry on top. That same snowflake necklace I got for her shone as it fit, almost as if it was made for her to wear.

Looking at the whole, I could almost say she chose her outfit around the necklace, maybe to show appreciation for my gift. I’m both happy and embarrassed by this. Happier, though.

I could feel how much she treasured my gift, and her care made me feel like the luckiest man alive. I gently wrapped my fingers around hers, squeezing ever-so-softly. She reciprocated, her fingers locking mine in a warm hug. A smile bubbled up from my chest.

“Hey, Haru-kun, let’s that that short detour over there!” She pointed to a pet shop close by.

It seemed to specialize in puppies and kittens; looking through the glass, numerous adorable little animals looked back at us.

“A pet shop, hmm… Oh, we can’t have pets in our apartment.”

“I, I’m just taking a look. Is it bad?”

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“No, not at all. Let’s go take a look!”

Saying so, Yuki nodded with a twinkle in her eye. The inside of the pet shop was larger than I’d expected, and dozens of animals encaged looked back at us. The place was really well put together, and I couldn’t see a speck of dust anywhere, as if the staff had been treasuring it properly. The animals themselves looked comfy as they lounged inside their places.

I noticed the shop also offered trimming services for animals, and through a window, one could see a cute little dog being groomed. Looking further inside, there was a small café space with a Miniature Dachshund and a Shiba Inu sitting in front of two women, presumably their owners.

There were also Chihuahuas, Toy Poodles, and American Shorthair Kittens around. All very cute.

Yuki walked over to a chestnut-colored kitten with a lot of fur. The cat was a Norwegian Forest one, and its fur looked as fluffy as the clouds above. From the mouth to the bottom of its neck, it was colored white, and the tail was as thick and silky as could be. Yuki eyed the cat intently, as she’s never seen this kind before. She then crouched down and looked at it through the glass.

“Look at it, Haru-kun! It’s so cute!”

When I brought my hand closer to him through the opening in the glass, he rubbed his head against me, purring sweetly all the while. He seemed to have quite a friendly nature, and even the way he moved was endearing.

“While the fur and tail are completely different, its colors remind me of a stray cat we used to play with during elementary, Yuki.”

“Oh, I remember that. She was so cute, wasn’t she? Was so friendly, too.”

It was during that time she had bandages wrapped around every crevice of her body. She loved cats even at an early age and was wholly excited when she found that cat at the park. Since it was friendly, it didn’t run away when we approached it. Purring, he’d rubbed himself against my leg,

Watching this cat pampering me through the glass while Yuki smiled gently reminded me of that time in the past.

“I’ve been good friends with her for quite a while before I moved overseas,” she started. “I wonder what happened after I went away… Do you know, Haru-kun?”

She was worried it might’ve been taken to a shelter or something. I really adored that cat as well, so I can totally get why she’d be like this.

“She’s all right. That little girl is so friendly that a neighbor decided to keep her, and she’s now doing well at the neighbor’s house.”

“Really?! I was worried when I couldn’t find her in that park anymore, but to know she finally found a home…”

“Mhm. Apparently, she was an abandoned kitty, so I’m sure she’s happy with her new family. I’d like to visit if I could. I’m sure she grew up and became even more beautiful.”

“Fufu, that’s true. I’d like to visit her as well. Hey, if it’s possible for you to visit, could I come with?”

“That’s a given. Let’s go together. Oh, since we’re not customers, it’d be bad for the store if we stayed too long. Let’s move on.”

“I guess so. Let’s go back to buying you an umbrella!”

Yuki waved to the cat inside that prim glass cage, standing up and leaving the store with me. We did so while holding hands again.

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