Volume 9 Chapter 42 Shirogane Aqua, Shopping With Everyone, Part 1
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The day after finishing work in the Arabian Peninsula Federation, we had the shopping mall to ourselves and decided to go shopping together.
I should express my gratitude to Sham-chan for going this far to thank her later.
I’m really happy because I never had the opportunity to shop calmly with everyone in Japan.
”Aqua, what about this carpet that I said to put in front of the sofa?”
”It’s good, I think it’s cute. If we’re going to, how about these cushions too?”
”Oh, that’s a good idea! Oh, but this one is cute too!”
Seeing my wife get excited like that, I wanted to say that you’re the cute one. But since everyone is here, I won’t say it out loud. Is it okay to whisper it in her ear?
”You fool… Aqua, you fool…”
She looks so cute, blushing all the way to her ears.
Honestly, I’d prefer she buy traditional clothes from this country that are displayed behind the carpets and cushions, but I know Kanon is a bit shy and won’t go for those bold outfits.
That’s why I direct my gaze to Pegonia-san, who is standing behind Kanon. She should understand my intentions. Please, for the sake of my newlywed life with Kanon, secretly buy the see-through outfit that’s displayed there!
Did you notice my signature? Pegonia-san takes out a cue card from somewhere.
I already bought it…!?
When did that happen!?
As I am amazed by Pegonia-san’s excellence, Pegonia-san flips through more cue cards.
Actually, I bought mine too. Look forward to it…!?
I couldn’t help but want to pray to God.
If there was even one sister here, I would kneel down and worship.
Well, it’s not like there would conveniently be a sister here.
”Grr… showing off, huh!?!”
”What are you doing…”
”Eek!? Oh, no, K-kukuri!”
”Hey, listen. Even though you’re supposedly the top, at least have a little more composure. There’s no point in getting scared of me, who’s younger than you, right? Ha~ If you don’t get it together and make a move soon, do you understand that logically I can’t go ahead of you? That means I, yes, I am being made to wait because of you. So, as much as possible, quickly, swiftly, even right now, make a move. This is an order. Understood?”
”G-got it…”
Hm? It seems like Kukuri-chan and Emily-san are talking happily in the distance.
When I turn my face in that direction, Kukuri-chan waves her hand with a smile, so I wave my hand back in the same way.
At that time, I felt like Emily-san’s smile was twitching, but it’s probably just my imagination.
”Hmm… I wonder which souvenir would be good for everyone?”
When I looked at the shop on the other side, Kotono was gazing at the sweets with a serious expression.
Kotono… It’s good that she’s serious about choosing souvenirs, but I wish she wouldn’t furrow her brow when buying sweets. Come on, relax, relax.
I approached Kotono and lightly poked the wrinkles between her eyebrows.
”What are you doing? If you’re buying souvenirs for everyone, should I help you choose too?”
”Oh… Aqua-san.”
After Kotono touched the spot where I touch, she blushed shyly. Maybe she didn’t want me to see her in such distress. How cute.
”I guess you shouldn’t go for the usual sweets here. How about Camel Milk Chocolate? It’s pretty good, right?”
”Oh, that’s true. There are plenty of them, and you can easily snack on them during work breaks, so it might be good.”
I grabbed a piece of chocolate from the sample the store clerk brought and offered it to Kotono.
”Here.”
”Huh…? Mmgh!?”
I slowly pushed the chocolate into Kotono’s half-open mouth.
”How is it? Is it delicious?”
”…Very, very delicious, thank you.”
Haha, why are you suddenly using polite language?
Kotono turned her face away from me, her face reddening even more.
”Hey, Kotono. Let me eat too.”
”N-No, I can’t…”
When I waited with my mouth half open, Kotono hurriedly shook her hands and made a gesture of refusal.
”Why…?”
”W-Well, because I’m an employee of beryl…”
”Huh? Kotono, aren’t you off work today and here for personal reasons? Because for this job, my manager is not Kotono but Shitori-onee-chan.”
”W-Well, that might be true, but…”
”If that’s the case, then it’s fine, right? Kotono needs to learn to switch on and off properly.”
For some reason, I feel like Kotono is not good at that kind of switch.
If she doesn’t rest her mind when she can, she might push herself too hard and ruin her health in some way.
It’s important for someone nearby to watch and tell her that so it doesn’t happen.
”On and off…”
”Yeah, that’s right. Because if Kotono is always in work mode, I can’t rely on you, you know?”
”A-Aqua-san, huh? W-Will rely on me!?”
Honestly, I want to rely on those breasts right away.
Because since coming here, Mana-sama greets me every night in light clothing, and Pegonia-san sends me explicit pictures every night… I want you to understand how much I’m enduring.
”Um… Well then…”
Kotono reaches her hand towards me.
”You’ve worked hard at your job. You’re a good boy, a good boy.”
Oof… I avert my face from Kotono’s unexpected head patting.
Seriously. I got caught off guard by Kotono’s unexpected attack because I was the one who always pats someone’s head. I cover my reddened face with my palm, as if hiding it.
”Nee-san is amazing! She’s on a completely different level from Pon-nami-san.”
”Awawawawa, Nee-san is amazing… Hagetoru, what’s a Pon-nami? That name that sounds like a ponkotsu (useless), it must be referring to me, right!?”
”Kotono-sama, I’m learning a lot. So this is how you spoil Master, huh? Oh, Miss, Pon-nami is definitely an abbreviation for a useless wife, I’m sure.”
I choose a gift together with Kotono and approach Ayana who is in the next store.
”Hey, what are you doing?”
”Um…”
When Ayana looks towards what she was looking at, there were colorful scarves and pashminas placed there. I pick up one of them.
”Isn’t this one good?”
”Huh…?”
I picked up an Arabesque-patterned stole and gently put it around Ayana’s neck.
”This color might be a little plain, but it’s versatile and can be used for a long time. Plus, it will complement Ayana’s elegance, so I think this stole is good, right?”
I nodded repeatedly, looking satisfied.
Although it may sound self-praising, I think it suits me quite well.
Of course, if Ayana dislikes it, that’s a different story, but at first glance, I thought it suited Ayana the best.
”Ah, thank you. But… this… I just randomly picked it as a souvenir for Fran and Maron-senpai and my classmates…”
”I see… well then, maybe I’ll buy souvenirs for my classmates too. Let’s choose together which one is good for them!”
”Y-Yeah!”
Ayana and I picked up various stoles and discussed which ones were good.
”Kurumi-san would definitely like the pink one! I think she loves cute things like this.”
”Surprisingly, I think Kurumi-san would also look good in black and chic ones, but maybe Aqua should choose that one.”
”Oh, well. It’s hard to give up Ayana’s choice too. Oh, how about this one for Washimiya-san?”
”I understand! That really suits Washimiya-san’s image! She looks like a princess!!”
”Hey. Well then, as for Kurogami-san, what about this…”
I pick up a luxurious transparent black stole.
I thought that if Kurogami-san wore this, it would be incredibly powerful.
”Hey, Aqua, did you choose something that’s too see-through for Kurogami-san? Or is it just my imagination?”
”Gulp! Uh… Maybe it’s your imagination… Haha… Oh, what do you think about this for Claire?”
”Well, it seems like something really deceptive… Oh, but I think it suits Claire.”
Phew… I managed to deceive them somehow!
I continue to choose everyone’s stoles as if nothing happened.
I also chose Maron-san’s eau de cologne and Fran-chan’s, so I hope they will be happy.
When I asked the shop clerk to put the total amount on my bill, I also purchased the stole I chose for Ayana earlier.
”Here you go.”
”Oh… um, is this for me?”
”I thought it suited you earlier, so it’s a gift. Sorry if you didn’t want it.”
”No, no. I don’t mind… Thank you.”
I return Ayana’s shy smile.
”Ayana-chan! Right there! Push a little harder! And maybe invite him to a meal as a thank you… Ah, it’s so frustrating!”
”Yukari… What are you doing there?”
”Shhh! Ako, I’m in the middle of something, don’t bother me! Jeez, that Useless Aqua needs to hurry up and notice already!! Ugh!!”
”Yes, yes. Yukari seems to be enjoying herself, which is more important to me.”
As I stepped outside the shop, the rich aroma of coffee wafted through the air.
I was drawn to the scent and made my way towards the source of the coffee’s fragrance.
”Is this the shop?”
I thought that the unique aroma of the coffee, reminiscent of aroma therapy, might be an acquired taste.
On the other hand, the cups and saucers used to brew the coffee had attractive designs that caught my eye.
Since I was already here, I decided to buy souvenirs for everyone.
”Hey, Aa-chan, what are you doing?”
”Hmm?”
When I turned around, I saw Shitori-onee-chan holding a paper bag.
”I was thinking of buying souvenirs for Toa, Shintaro, and Tenga-senpai here. What do you think?”
”Oh, that sounds good! I think they would be happy if you choose something they can use in the break room.”
It seems like this region is wealthy, as each cup has gold decorations.
Amongst them, there was one cup in a white tone with silver decorations that stood out as a beautiful design.
”This one is nice. It’s a set, so Toa can use it together with the other one.”
I picked up the black and gold version of the cup that was next to it.
”Well then, should I go with this set for Shintaro and Tenga-senpai?”
I thought that since Senpai likes black and it suits Mayuzumi as well, both of them would be happy.
”As-chan, can I take a picture to post on the company’s SNS?”
”Yeah, sure.”
Shitori-onee-chan swiftly takes a photo and immediately posts it on SNS.
Hmm, I wonder if there is any information about me buying matching coffee cups and saucers for the four of us.
I should also take a picture saying that I bought souvenirs for everyone while I’m at it.
”Toa-chan and Aqua-san have the same coffee cup…”
”Eh? I-If that’s the case, it will be hard to tell them apart and they will have to share…”
”Tsukimachi-san…”
”Kirika-san…”
Huh? Ayana and Kotono are hugging over there, when did they become so close? Well, it’s good that they get along, so it doesn’t really matter.
”By the way, Shitori-onee-chan, what happened to that paper bag? Did you buy something nice?”
Shitori-onee-chan smiles and then looks around before whispering in my ear.
”I bought the same outfit as the girls in this country are wearing.”
”Huh…?”
Um, ehhhh, now, wh-wh-wh-what!?
Huh? Which one is it!? The see-through one from earlier? O-or, or, ahhh, that one, the one that looks like a string!?
”…Aa-chan, do you want to see?”
I desperately try to hold back my nod.
I feel like it would be bad if I saw it.
”Mom and Lapis seem to be buying it too, so look forward to it when you come back home next time.”
Wh-what did you say!?
Not only big-breasted Shitori-onee-chan, but big-breasted Mom too… no, that’s not it. What’s more important is that Lapis ended up buying a similar outfit.
As Lapis’s brother, I need to thoroughly check it from corner to corner.
I can’t let my precious little sister wear inappropriate clothes. I have to tell her that it’s not allowed to wear it in front of anyone other than her big brother.
”Shitori-onee-chan, I’m going to Lapis’s place for a bit.”
”Yes, yes. I’ll take care of the items, so go ahead. And while you’re at it, check on Mom too. Otherwise, she’ll sulk.”
”Got it!”
I asked shitori-onee-chan to take care of things and headed towards where Lapis was.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.