after successfully placing the dress into the box and making sure it was secure, mizuki turned to mafuyu, holding out the box.
"here you go! all packaged up and ready to go," they said, their voice carrying a note of excitement.
as mizuki handed the box to her, mafuyu reached into her purse, intending to pay for the dress.
"how much do i owe you for the dress?" she asked, pulling out her wallet.
mizuki chuckled softly as they saw mafuyu reaching for her wallet. "no, no, don't worry about it," they said, waving their hand dismissively. "you don't have to pay."
they leaned against the counter, still smiling at mafuyu. "consider it a gift," they added, their eyes sparkling with a mixture of amusement and affection.
mafuyu nodded softly in response to mizuki's words, touched by their kind gesture. "are you sure?" she asked, still holding her wallet in her hand. "i don't want to take advantage of your generosity."
mizuki chuckled again, their smile widening. "i'm positive," they insisted. "it's a gift, really. no strings attached. just my way of saying thank you for your friendship."
their voice was warm and sincere, their eyes never leaving mafuyu's. they wanted her to understand that there was no expectation or obligation. it was a simple act of kindness, a token of appreciation for the bond they shared.
as the conversation continued, mafuyu glanced down at the box in her hands, then back up at mizuki. an idea formed in her mind, and she asked, "would you like to come along and help me mail the gift?"
she smiled warmly, hoping that mizuki would say yes. she didn't want to part ways just yet, and the prospect of walking together sounded appealing.
mizuki's face lit up at mafuyu's offer. "sure, i'd love to come along!" they exclaimed, their eyes sparkling with excitement. "lead the way."
they pushed themselves away from the counter and stepped out from behind it, following mafuyu towards the door. "where are we mailing it to, by the way?" they asked, curiously looking at the box in her hands.
mafuyu, glad that mizuki was coming along, began walking towards the front door of the shop, the box still in her hands. as they walked, she glanced over her shoulder at mizuki. "we're mailing it to my mother's house," she replied. "i want her to get it as soon as possible."
mizuki, who was on break from their shift at the shop, had no qualms about accompanying mafuyu. they knew the shop was currently covered by their coworkers, so they gladly agreed to go with her.
"no problem at all," they assured her. "i don't mind at all. besides, it'll be nice to stretch my legs a bit."
as they walked along, lost in thought and completely smitten by mafuyu, mizuki didn't notice the approaching intersection or the stop sign. they were too captivated by the sight of her, her gentle expression and the way the sunlight hit her hair.
suddenly, a blaring car horn snapped them out of their haze, and they realized they were about to step into the street without looking.
in that split second, mafuyu swiftly reacted, reaching out and grabbing mizuki's arm, pulling them back onto the sidewalk just in time. the car that had honked at them sped through the intersection, barely missing them.
mafuyu held onto mizuki's arm tightly, her eyes wide with shock and concern.
she looked at mizuki, her heart still pounding from the near-miss. "are you okay? look before you cross the street next time," she scolded, her eyes filled with relief and annoyance.
mizuki, still a bit shaken from the close call, blinked at mafuyu, their heart racing from the adrenaline. "i'm sorry," they apologized, their voice slightly shaky. "i wasn't looking. thanks for pulling me back."
