Another Shopping Trip

After taking a break at a coffee shop with Airi, they came to a kimono shop to finish their shopping.

It wasn't a place he would normally go to, and when he asked her why they had come to such a place–

"I want a yukata. I don't have one. Besides, didn't Minato-san say he was going to buy one during the fireworks display?"

A yukata was not something she would use on a daily basis. It was surprising that Airi, who was not greedy for things, wanted one, but Minato did say he was going to buy one, just like she claimed.

But that could be done before next year's fireworks display, couldn't it?

"I did say that, but now? I mean, there's probably going to be fads and stuff, so why not next year?"

"Next year will be too late. …Well, there's nothing to hide if we're together, so I guess it should be fine. Shiori-san invited me to go to a summer festival, and this yukata is for that purpose." (T/N: Had to calm myself after reading the first line here, lmao!!!)

"Summer festival… Ah, it's probably that."

Near Minato's, or rather near Kazuma's and Momose's house, there was a summer festival held late every year after the Bon Festival. He hadn't been there at all recently, but that was probably it.

At the fireworks display, they were in plain clothes, so they must be planning to go in yukata this time. And Minato must be one of the members going.

"By the way, me too, right?"

"What are you talking about, isn't that obvious? …If Minato-san doesn't want to go, then I won't go either."

"No, it's not that I don't want to go. I see…"

When he asked Airi about it, she gave him a dumbfounded look, but he let out a sigh of relief that he could be by her side regardless of the fact that she gave him such a look.

He knew that she trusted Minato the most, but if he wasn't even being used to ward off men, he wondered if she really needed him.

Her blue eyes took on a hint of compassion, as if that emotion was showing on his face.

"What are you so anxious about? With the exception of Shiori-san, I would never go to such a place with anyone other than you, would I?"

"…Sorry."

"Don't look so gloomy, how about you pick out a yukata for me?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

The softly smiling Airi cheered him up and he thanked her.

At that moment, just as he was about to start choosing her yukata, he noticed something strange.

"…Hey, why am I supposed to pick out Airi's yukata?"

"So Minato-san is denying what he himself had said?"

Airi was blatantly trying not to show her facial expression by turning her head down, but the expression on her face just before was a grinning smile.

He could tell that she was definitely trying to deceive him, but she had just encouraged him. If she wanted him to choose, this was his way of thanking her.

"Well, okay, is there a color you don't like?"

"Is that really fine?"

"Once I've said it out loud, I'll keep my word. …I'll let you get away with this."

He patted Airi's head with a chuckle as she opened her eyes in surprise at Minato's decision to start choosing, even though she, herself, was the one who initiated it.

He really enjoyed the time he spent choosing a yukata with Airi, who had a big smile on her face.

There were hardly any people around them, and they completely forgot about each other's outing attitudes.

"How is it?"

He chose a purple fabric with lilies on it. It went well with Airi's silver hair that reflected the light and her blue eyes that seemed to absorb it.

"Looks good. You look beautiful."

"…Thank you very much. I'll take this one then."

It was worth the praise if he could see Airi's rosy cheeks and embarrassment.

However, he now realized that yukata had an image of luxury. He began to wonder if the money he had would be enough.

"Hey, Airi, how much is it?"

"You don't have to look so nervous. It's about this much."

The price on the tag that Airi showed him was much lower than he had imagined. This much should be enough for Minato's wallet.

"What, it's surprisingly cheap. It's anticlimactic."

"Minato-san is trying to buy it as if it's a matter of course, isn't he? You say it's cheap, but it's rather expensive."

Airi said with a wry smile, but if it was something that she wanted, Minato would like to buy it.

Of course, he couldn't afford anything too expensive, so he had to discuss it with her, but he trusted her not to be reckless.

"I can handle that much. I was wondering what I'd do if it was something in the tens of thousands, though. But how will it hold up if it's so cheap?"

"In addition to the fact that it's cheap, it seems to wear out after just a couple of wears, if not one or two. …I wouldn't buy something so expensive, no matter what."

"I see."

It was a reasonable price if it would be ruined after a few wears.

However, if Airi wanted to buy a yukata again, he would want to give her a good one someday, even if he couldn't right now.

As he pondered this, she tilted her head with a beautiful smile.

"So, if this yukata wears out, you'll have to accompany me shopping again, okay?"

"Yeah, I'll buy you something better then."

"…Eh?"

When Minato honestly expressed his inner thoughts, Airi's face instantly turned bright red.

He wanted her to use a good one if there was an opportunity, but was it so strange?

"What? Is that wrong?"

"No, it's not like that. Minato-san, do you know what that means?"

"What?"

There was no reason to give an expensive yukata as a gift, other than to make sure she would wear a good one.

When he twisted his head, not knowing what Airi was talking about, she grinned and made a wicked face.

"So, Minato-san, you're going to buy me an expensive yukata in the future, right? I wonder how many times Minato-san and I will be able to go out before it becomes unusable?"

"Huh!?"

The comment was not good for his heart, and he shouted out in a bewildered tone.

Airi was saying something that implied, "Do you want to be with me in the future so much that you'll give me an expensive yukata?"

Of course he wanted to be with her for a long time to come, but he had no such intention in buying something expensive.

"You're reading too much into it. Yukata gifts don't mean that much, you know?"

"…That's terrible. So you don't want to be with me that much, is that it?"

"Hey, I know you're having fun messing with me."

She suddenly turned her nasty face down and made a blatantly sinking voice, which was too deliberate.

He forgave her the first time, but he would not forgive her a second time, and when he reproached Airi, she broke her face, looking so happy that he wondered what he had just said.

" Fufu , I'm sorry. Minato-san's reaction was so cute that I just had to tease him."

"Come on, you've got to stop with the pranks."

"…I'm not joking, though."

"Eh?"

"It's nothing. Now, let's pick out a yukata for Minato-san."

She shook her head as if it was nothing and started to choose a yukata for Minato. She probably wouldn't respond even if he asked her again.

Of course, they were going to buy one for Minato as well, since it would be strange for her to wear a yukata and for Minato to wear his normal clothes. With that in mind, Minato also began to choose.

Airi chose a standard gray yukata, which he appreciated because he didn't look good in anything too fancy.

When they finished choosing and went to the cashier, the shopkeeper seemed to be in a good mood and smiling. Minato had a subtle bad feeling that it was similar to the one at the accessory store.

The price shown on the register was cheaper than the one on the tag of the yukata.

"Isn't the price wrong?"

"It's my way of thanking you for showing me something good. …With that said, I'm just joking. We are simply having a sale. It's on display, is it not?"

It seemed that the shopkeeper here also thought that Minato and Airi were a couple. From the way she said, "showing me," she must have seen them choosing each other's yukata.

He thought it would be wrong to get a discount because of a misunderstanding, but when he looked around, he saw that there was indeed a sale sign a little farther away from the area Minato and Airi had chosen.

He was embarrassed to realize that he had been so absorbed in choosing that he hadn't even noticed the display, albeit from a distance.

"You're using it for a date, aren't you? Please enjoy yourselves."

"Yes. I'm going to enjoy my date with my boyfriend."

Airi smiled happily as she twined her arms around him. Her shapely breasts were warped languidly against his elbow.

Minato's thoughts stopped as he was suddenly treated like a lover, and while he was at the mercy of the shopkeeper, he finished paying.

As they exited the store, Airi easily let go of his arm and switched her expression from the cheerful one she had been wearing to her expressionless outing one.

The change in her attitude and expression was so tremendous that he smiled bitterly and cautioned her.

"You can't lie about something like that."

"It was just a misunderstanding. There were no other people there, so it was fine, wasn't it? Or perhaps, do you want to go back and correct it now?"

"I wouldn't go that far…"

He didn't feel bad about them being seen as a couple by others. In fact, he was even happy to be acknowledged for being with Airi.

As for the shopkeeper just now, he guessed that she got to see two lovers who were so close to each other that she wanted to make fun of them.

In any case, there was no way to correct the situation now, so he decided to give up.

"You can't do something like that so easily, okay?"

"I know, I know. I won't do that anywhere and to anyone. …It's only you, Minato-san."

Minato couldn't say anything to Airi, who was teasing him with a lustrous smile, and he turned away, aware of the heat rising in his cheeks.