Horikita Suzune (One-shots)

Jewelry Store

"What makes you think he'd like a watch?"

It's late August, and Yousuke's birthday is about to arrive. The idea of me giving gifts is weird but I was interested. This is a new experience for me so I called for Horikita's help to guarantee that Yousuke will like the gift.

But calling Horikita for advice was wrong because she also used to be a loner.

"Because... it looks cool?" I responded.

We are inside the jewelry store located on the third floor of the Keyaki Mall. Not many students seem to visit this store because of the absurd prices. But I managed to gain a huge amount of points so I'm here.

"These look cool. But the prices aren't cool." Horikita looked at me in dismay.

"It might sound unreal but I have a lot of points." I raised one eyebrow trying to look smug.

"That's... cool."

We walked around the store and Horikita ended up looking at rings. She seemed to be interested in rings. I stared at her and noticed that she was looking at one certain ring. A slim ring with a small red gemstone. It matched her slim figure and thin fingers, especially her crimson iris.

"That's an interesting ring," I commented.

Her eyes widened for a second while she looked at me and returned her gaze at the ring.

"It is," she nodded.

"Would you like to try the ring?" a store clerk caught onto Horikita's interest in the ring.

"Y-yeah sure," Horikita said in the heat of the moment.

She neatly inserted the ring on her left ring finger, it really suited her.

"It's beautiful! The color matches your eyes, do you plan on getting engaged?"

"What?" Horikita asked.

Engagement is the period of time between dating and marriage. Did the store clerk mistake us for being a couple?

"We aren't actually a couple," I stated.

"I just ended up staring at the ring." Horikita removed the ring off her finger and the store clerk put it back while Horikita felt embarrassed. 

The store clerk apologized while Horikita brought me to the watches section.

"That was awkward," I said to get rid of the uncomfortable silence.

She was silently staring at the watches as if my words entered one of her ears and exited out of her other ear.

Horikita coughed seemingly clearing her throat. 

"Let's find a watch for Yousuke," I said.

"That sounds like a good idea we should've done 40 minutes ago," she said softly glaring at me.

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On certain occasions, whether that be Christmas, Anniversaries, or Birthdays. It's customary, underlying that custom is an important occasion. We give people gifts to show them that we are grateful for them.

But that isn't the case for me. I'm simply doing it for experimentation and self-interest. Giving a gift to Yousuke will make him see me as someone who deeply cares for him despite my harsh words. It's slightly true but also slightly filled with lies.

"Yousuke, mind if I excuse you for a second?"

Yousuke who was talking to a group of girls nodded and left the girls with a simple wave. The both of us stood near the teacher's podium and the front door. "Is there anything you need Kiyotaka-kun?"