Volume 12 Chapter 16 Nekoyama Toa, My Friend Has Bad Taste
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Our job is mostly on holidays, but simple tasks like magazine interviews and photoshoots are often done on weekdays, after school. That’s why Aqua and I came to Corolle’s flagship store in Japan for a jewelry feature that will be published in a certain magazine.
”Oh, it’s great!”
The camera lady keeps taking continuous shots. I feel like there are a lot of close-ups, but maybe it’s just my imagination. I trust Nobu-san’s assistant, but just to be safe, I’ll hold down my skirt a little bit…
”Can you, can you get even closer?”
”OK!”
The distance between me and Aqua, who was next to me, suddenly got closer. Looking at him up close like this, he seems a bit more mature than when we first met. In comparison, I haven’t changed much. My height hasn’t grown, and if I had to mention any changes, it would be that my skin and posture have become better since doing this kind of work. That’s the only change I can think of.
”Haa, haa, haa!”
The camera lady steps back into the backyard for a moment. I wonder if he’s okay. I keep hearing this clattering sound. What could it be? She seemed to be struggling earlier. Shouldn’t she go to the hospital? We look concerned, and another staff member comes out to check the data.
”Um, we’ve got what we need, so we’re done for today. Good job, everyone!”
””Thank you for today. Thanks!””
Well then… I have school tomorrow, so I should head home. Huh…?
”Hey, Aqua, aren’t you going home?”
”Yeah.”
It seems Aqua was asking the shop staff if he could go shopping after the shoot. Hmm, maybe I’ll go with him.
”But, Aqua buying jewelry is unusual, isn’t it?”
”Well, yeah… And, you know, I always feel like I’m causing trouble for Kanon and the others, so I thought I should buy something.”
”That’s okay, right? In Aqua’s case, I think it’s good to give something to Ako-san and Kanon-san, as well as others.”
”Ugh… Do you really think so?”
I nod quietly.
”Oh, I see…”
Aqua looks troubled.
Well, I guess there’s no other choice!
”I’ll help you choose too, so let’s pick together.”
”Really!?”
”Yeah, but you have to treat me to something in return.”
”Of course! Well, if you’re going to help, I’d appreciate it!”
Otherwise, it would be sad for the girls if only Aqua chose.
”So, I’m thinking of giving this to Kanon-san. What do you think?”
”What is this? A bolt nut?”
Are you kidding me? This thing costs 200,000 yen?
If you go to the home center over there, you can buy something similar for 600 yen for 400 pieces.
”Hey, this doesn’t really suit Kanon-san’s delicate fingers, does it?”
”Indeed.”
”When choosing, think about what Kanon-san might like or something she always wears.”
”I see, I see, but Kanon doesn’t usually wear much jewelry…”
By the way, I don’t think she wore it when I was invited to Aqua’s home.
”Hmm, in that case, how about a watch? At our school, it’s okay to wear a watch, but obviously, overly fancy or expensive ones like those with lots of jewels might be a no-go. Maybe a simple leather one would be good? Look, there are matching watches over there. I think Kanon-san would be really happy with a matching pair.”
”I’ll go pick one!”
Personally, I want Aqua to choose the gift himself, after all. I think that would make the recipients happier. But I definitely don’t want Aqua to choose something strange like those bolt nuts from earlier.
”I think this one is good, the dial is simple…”
”Yeah, I think it’s nice too.”
The pair watch that Aqua chose has a navy strap for the men’s and a white one for the women’s. The metal parts of the watch are silver, so I think Kanon-san will be pleased with this one.
”Okay, next is Yui.”
”If it’s Yui-san, it would be nice for her to use it for work, wouldn’t it?”
”True… in that case, it’s the belt. I remember she said the belt is not provided, it’s personal.”
Oh, I see.
I’m exempt from the s**rm extraction due to the incident, but I do remember the s**rm extraction officer I met before had the same outfit as Yui-san, except for the belt.
”Maybe I’ll go for a white leather belt with silver. It looks simple and suitable for work, too.”
”Yeah, that sounds good.”
I actually thought this belt might make that military-like uniform look cute.
”I think Kotono should go for earrings. You know, when she puts her hair behind her ear, it looks nice when they peek out a bit.”
”Oh, yeah, I get it. Indeed, Kotono-oneechan always wears earrings.”
Apparently, Kotono-oneechan will become a director from April. I thought I should prepare something for her celebration too.
”Let’s go with this simple aquamarine one.”
”Yeah, I think aquamarine has a soothing effect, so it’s good for Kotono-oneechan, who will be busy from now on.”
I whispered to the shop assistant and secretly asked her to prepare an aquamarine brooch as well. Since it’s matching with the one Aqua chose, I’m sure she’ll be happy, right?
”What about Ai?”
”Hakuryuu-sensei doesn’t usually wear accessories. I only see her wearing them at award parties and such…”
”Alright, then I’ll go with this simple silver and aquamarine brooch. She often attends events, and I think it will go well with the simple dress she wears to parties.”
Indeed, Hakuryuu-sensei looks beautiful even in plain clothes, so simple attire suits her well. That’s why I think an accessory that Aqua chose would be good. Yeah, when I heard about Yukari Goha T-shirts from Tsukimachi-san, I was devastated, but things are going really well so far.
”Um, so, about this banana…”
”Stop! What is that? Banana accessories? Oh, they exist…”
Huh? Isn’t Aqua the only one in charge of purchasing at this shop? And this is not just a few thousand, it’s on a whole different level. You’re kidding, right?
”Why did Aqua choose this?”
”Huh? Well, you know, Kaede often wears yellow dresses and seems to like the color yellow, so I imagined she would eat bananas…”
”Yeah, let’s just throw away that image of her eating bananas for now. We don’t need that right now.”
Aqua makes a disappointed expression.
Well, there’s nothing we can do.
”But I think it’s great that you chose yellow. Now that I think about it, Morikawa-san does wear yellow a lot. Aqua, you really pay attention.”
Aqua’s face suddenly brightens, as if the previous expression was a lie.
Aqua, you’re really too easy to understand.
You’re not being deceived by some weird older sister, right? It’s not good to just follow along because she has big breasts.
”Okay, then I’ll go with this yellow gold and aquamarine ring. I’ll consider it as a pre-engagement ring until I give her the official engagement ring.”
”Yeah, I think she’ll definitely be happy with that.”
So, I guess that’s it for the presents for the brides for now, right?
”And, I should also buy something for Emily-san, who takes care of the cat.”
”Oh… Yukishiro-san is so beautiful, and, you know, it seems difficult to not look out of place with cheap accessories.”
”True, so, what do you think we should do? Maybe we should just buy something ridiculously expensive.”
”Hmm, I feel like Yukishiro-san wouldn’t be happy receiving something much more expensive compared to the other wives. Plus, if she gets something expensive, she might end up feeling self-conscious. I think something more casual would be better.”
”Got it. How about this then?”
Oh, I see. A motorcycle key case, huh. Maybe that’s good, isn’t it?
”Yeah, it’s practical, and I think she’ll be happy with this.”
”All right! Then, big sister, please take care of this too.”
I too decided to shop quickly like Aqua. I bought matching tablet cases for Grandma Ranko, Megumi-san from Morinaga, and Grandma Mary. I also got a new wallet for MojaP and a butterfly tie for Nobu-san.
”Let’s buy this for Shintaro.”
”Hey, Aqua is… Haha, huh? Shintaro is going to use this?”
Aqua purchased a heavily decorated glasses case as a gift for Shintaro. It’s totally a joke, but I feel like Shintaro would laugh and appreciate it. Sorry, Shintaro. Because your reaction seems funny, this is for you, Shintaro!
”If that’s the case, Tenga-senpai would be really happy with that bolt nut ring we saw earlier, right?”
”Oh yeah! That’s it!”
Well, since Tenga-senpai received the expensive one worth 200,000, Tenga-senpai probably thinks it’s that great. So, I bought a cheaper version that costs about 1/20 of that. Hehe, the cheaper it gets, the more it looks like a bolt nut.
I thought again that it’s a good thing Aqua didn’t give this to Kanon-san. Even so, Kanon-san would be happy, but I don’t think Kohina-senpai and I would just let it slide for a few hours, you know? Ah, but Kohina-senpai has the same taste as Aqua, so maybe she would surprisingly be delighted. It feels like she would say something like, “With this, I feel like I could beat up any thugs that come my way.”
”Ako-san, is this what she want?”
”No, no, that’s just too much!!”
Even if she receives a billion-dollar tiara that’s displayed in a showcase, where would she wear it? It would be troublesome for Ako-san, and when Aqua handed it over, it’s like proposing, “From today, become my princess.” Ugh, I let out a huge sigh in my mind.
I feel like Kanon-san has the hardest time at home, I have the hardest time at school, and Ako-san has the hardest time at work. When I think about it, maybe it’s better to say, “Let’s just stay like this, isn’t it fine?”
Ako-san is hiding it from everyone, but it’s obvious to me, Nobu-san, and Moja-san that she likes Aqua. I think he should take responsibility and make a move. If I push him saying, “After all, you gave her a tiara, so that’s what it means,” I think Aqua, who is such a pushover, will somehow manage it. Even when I made a move on him during the cultural festival with stuffing in my chest, he was shaking. So, if I show him even a glimpse of Ako-san’s real breasts, he’ll be a goner.
”Well… in that case, why not use it as a vase for the president’s office next door? It would be a replacement for the vase that got destroyed when Kaede almost tripped the other day with her karate moves.”
”Oh, yeah, that sounds good to me.”
Speaking of which, I remember when Morikawa-san was kneeling in the hallway and getting lectured by Kotono-oneechan about being too careless? I guess that’s what he was talking about. I just found out something irrelevant now…
”U-uh, Toa, umm, maybe I should buy this for Subaru-chan?”
”Rejected!”
Hey, could you please not try to give someone’s little sister underwear with precious gems on them? Clearly, it’s not the kind of underwear that middle schoolers wear! Aqua was joking about giving it to Lapis-chan, so I’ll make sure to reject that idea too.
”I think something like this would suit someone like… a royal family member from the Arabian Peninsula Federation or Pegonia-san. Not someone like them, right?”
”I’ll buy it.”
Huh? You’re buying it for Pegonia-san? You’ve got to be kidding me….
”Well, while we’re at it, let’s get matching keychain pass cases for Rinon-san and the maid squad at my house.”
Yeah, yeah, I think it’s a good idea since they use them every day for work. I feel like Pegonia-san would have been fine with the same one too, but who knows. Unlike Kanon-san, who is easy to understand, I can’t really figure out what Pegonia-san is thinking.
I’m somewhat of a child myself, so I don’t get it. Aqua, who is also kind of childish in a way, probably doesn’t understand it either, but I can’t take care of that, so I hope he figures it out on his own.
”By the way, about those underwear from earlier, maybe Ayana could…”
”If you’re okay with getting killed by Tsukimachi-san, go ahead.”
I think not only Ayana, but even with no chance, he’ll probably get slapped. Because, you know, those things require a certain size to work. So either way, Subaru or Lapis-chan can’t wear them.
”Mom should have a hairpin or a comb. How about something with cherry blossoms for the upcoming spring?”
”That’s good!”
I was impressed by Aqua, who was able to choose a gift for his mom right away. Oh, he should also choose something for the other mom, right? Maybe she has high attack power but low defense power, just like Aqua, so if she doesn’t get one too, she might get really down.
”Well then, how about a cherry blossom pattern hair accessory for mommy Mikuni too?”
”Yes! I think she’ll absolutely love matching accessories if she’s a girl!”
Following the same theme, Aqua bought a tartan check ribbon headband in cherry blossom color for Shiitori-san, and a ribbon tie with a brooch for Lapis-chan. Huh? Are those pink gemstones on the brooch real… um, I’ll pretend I didn’t know anything about it.
”Oh, this moon choker is cute! Ayana should go with this.”
I wonder if it’s okay… Wasn’t giving a choker supposed to show that you’re mine? And on top of that, with that white fabric and silver and aquamarine, it’s totally an Aqua appeal. Well, Aqua will take responsibility anyway, so I guess it’s fine!!
”Oh, by the way, I should buy these sunglasses for Inko-san.”
”Why sunglasses?”
I tilt my head with a question mark floating above it. I’ve never seen her wearing something like this even during recordings.
”She’s been playing too many otome games and staying cooped up at home, so her eyes hurt in the sunlight…”
”Haha… sunglasses might be a good idea.”
So, Sayamu-san is still playing that crappy… I mean, that otome game. Well, good luck~
”Hey, are there any people I should express my gratitude to?”
”For now, Sugita-sensei and all of our classmates, right?”
”Huh? Seriously? Am I causing trouble for everyone? I should buy something…”
Aqua is buying a bunch of bracelets that seem to be quite popular. And it has almost the same meaning as chokers. I wonder if he understands the meaning of a boy buying jewelry for a girl. Well, it doesn’t seem like he does. Even if he ends up getting one for everyone in the class because of this, who cares, right? Oh well, Aqua would probably be happy about it anyway, so whatever.
”Oh, can I have this simple aquamarine necklace too?”
”Who are you going to give it to?”
”Hmm? I was thinking of giving it to Agewa-san. You know, she’s a girl and she got rid of all her accessories and stuff. It’s kind of sad, so she should definitely have at least one.”
Hmm, so I heard that Kokucho-san disappeared on the internet, but Aqua was hanging out with her. Kokucho-san has big breasts, and she seems like the type Aqua would like. But to give her a necklace… and one that has the same meaning as a choker? Oh, or maybe Aqua wants to give it to her because he wants to be her mistress? Well, knowing Aqua, he probably hasn’t thought about any of that…
”Oh, there are two of the same? Well then, I guess I should buy one for Kukuri-chan too. She’s going to be a high school student next year, so she’ll need this kind of thing, right?”
Do you want to become the king of this country or something? I bet Kukuri-sama has even more expensive, treasure-level accessories, but I won’t pry into that. Instead, I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear anything and smile.
”Um, I still need to buy for Director Hongou, Kobayakawa-san, Abe-san… oh, I should also buy for Onidzuka-san, since Kaede is always causing trouble… and for everyone’s families, and I guess I should also get something for the Prime Minister.”
While I make frequent course corrections, Aqua swiftly selects presents for everyone. You might not believe it, but he has bought over 100 items and it hasn’t even been an hour. Yep, Aqua can definitely overclock in real life, right? Come on, confess!
”Thanks for today!”
”No problem.”
Phew… I’m tired, but I have this strange sense of satisfaction from accomplishing something on my own. At least I managed to avoid receiving a mysterious gift with a questionable sense of humor, like a raccoon figurine.
”So, if you’re interested… here, take this.”
”Aqua…”
Hehe, when did you buy one for me too? I ask Aqua if I can open the bag before taking out what’s inside.
”This is… lip balm?”
”Yeah, you know, there’s a cosmetics section over there, right?”
”Oh, you’re right.”
”I noticed earlier that you ran out of lip balm at school, so I thought this would be perfect. Here, try it.”
Aqua opens the lid of the lip balm and gently applies it to my lips.
”Ah… this scent…”
”It smells like my perfume, doesn’t it? I really like this scent. So, I thought maybe you would too.”
It’s true… it smells like Aqua.
”Thanks, Aqua”
”No, no, it’s the other way around. I’m always grateful to you for taking care of me. And to show that I’ll be a bother in the future too, I’ll give you this candle as well.”
”Oh well, if that’s the case, you should try not to be a bother. Can’t be helped, I guess.”
If it comes to that, I’ll take care of everything for you!
I leave the shop while chatting with Aqua. I thought I heard a sound like people falling behind me, but maybe I misheard?
”Hmm? Come to think of it, I forgot to buy a present for the person who’s most likely to complain…”
”What’s wrong, Toa?”
”Oh, it’s nothing.”
I’ll pretend not to notice, even though her name was mentioned just now.
After all, it’s Aqua who will get scolded, so it’s fine.
Well, that was a joke. If this is a present for me, then that secretly bought thing must be her present.
Hehehe, unlike Kanon-san, I can see through these things properly, even if Aqua tries to hide it. So, I’ll pretend not to notice for the sake of shy Aqua.
The next day, I smiled to myself when I saw that person wearing the present from Aqua.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.