Will You Be My Sowlmate? (BokuAka AU)

Chapter 23

*Keiji's POV*
September came, and leaves began to fall as autumn approached. I heard from the others about Bokuto-san's birthday, which had to be perfect and an absolute surprise. That got me wondering if I should get a present for him too. I went shopping on Friday, with my half day leave, o...only to check things out. Shinjuku was busy as always even though it was 4pm on a chilly Friday.

September 20. It was the 3rd today. I had 17 days- I should not spend so much time thinking of his birthday present. I will just get in the store and get something for him. It should not be that hard.

I stepped into an airconditioned department store, not even knowing what to choose from. There was a huge range of products, varying from clothes (which Bokuto-san had), food items (Bokuto-san ate everything and liked meat best but it would not be appropriate to give meat for a birthday present right? Maybe I could treat him to a meal?), accessories (maybe a watch?), stationery...

I ended up with bags of items. A desktop billards table, pen with his name carved on it, locket cuff links (empty of course), and sunglasses with a personalised message case (in which I requested them to carve "happy birthday"). Then I realised that it would be a terribly tedious affair to hide his presents from him. We lived in the same apartment afterall and it was close to his knockoff timing now. I fished out my mobile phone and dialled for Tsutsugami-san.

After a minute of discussion, Tsutsugami-san agreed to help out by distracting Bokuto-san until 8pm while I quickly rushed home to hide the presents. Fortunately, the department store offered present wrapping services. I hurried home, stuffing the gifts in the closet just as Tsutsugami-san called to announce that Bokuto-san had left the buidling. I showered and started to prepare dinner.

Bokuto-san came home and dropped onto the sofa, plainly exhausted. As I served him his plate of fried rice, he kept complaining about Tsutsugami-san forcing him to stay back and do hard jobs like cleaning his own desk while I had free time. He gobbled down the fried rice even though he was still sulking about me getting the half day leave without him.

"I went shopping with my friend, it was a nice trip. We went to Shinjuku so my friend could shop for a gift for his girlfriend. There were like so many things. They sold Takoyaki there..." My fabricated story of my great day made Bokuto-san turn green with envy. "Shall we go there together on Sunday?" Bokuto-san lighted up just like the fireworks during the summer festivals.
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We got to Shinjuku in the late afternoon, shopping levels and levels of the plentiful shopping malls there, Isetan, Takishimaya, Lumire... We ended up at Gyoen National Park as sunset approached, sitting together on a park bench watching the dying sunlight highlight the falling amber coloured leaves. Towards the night, Bokuto-san pulled me to Omoide Yokocho, pointing out to the many foods and snacks available. We finally settled down at a small eatery to have soba.

Somewhere around midnight, Bokuto-san made a sudden stop at a movie theater, randomly choosing some movie just because the english name sounded nice. That was how we got seated in a dark theater at 12am, Bokuto-san tightly clutching my arm as the girl started levitating in the air, eyes widened in fear and shock. "Bokuto-san, I heard some people who watched 'Conjuring' got possessed." I smirked as he burried his face behind my arm, whimpering "Why didn't you tell me that before I bought the tickets?"

We managed to survive the movie, not without a few shrieks from Bokuto-san during jump scares. I got out of the theater, right arm numb and red with fingernail marks. Bokuto-san looked ghostly pale. I drove him home as he sat in the passenger side, ranting about the movie. I mostly listened, answering with only brief comments. I do not like to admit this but...it was a fun day, at least better than I expected.