When Nishikawa Ryouko heard what Shikime Natsu said, she froze on the spot. Her eyes went wide, those pale golden irises brimming with disbelief.
This guy… what on earth was he even saying?
Sure, the gift she'd picked out really had been meant for Shikime Natsu.
But… for him to ask so bluntly like that — it left the girl with absolutely nowhere to hide.
After all, at the very start, Nishikawa Ryouko had used "buying a Christmas present for a certain boy" as her excuse to drag Shikime Natsu along to help her choose.
When she'd first said it, her tone had been about as suggestive as it could get. The whole point was to get this guy, Shikime Natsu, to show a jealous face.
And the result?
This guy, Shikime Natsu, not only wasn't the least bit jealous, he'd seriously gone and helped her pick out an ugly-cute cat plushie.
She'd assumed he simply didn't care about her — only to find out he'd seen right through her little scheme. But didn't this guy understand the meaning of seeing through something and letting it slide?
On top of that, knowing full well she'd meant to give it to him, he'd gone and asked for two of them. Was this ugly-cute plushie really that irresistible?
Still, whatever Shikime Natsu was thinking, this guy was thoroughly wicked — and right now especially, there was no way Nishikawa Ryouko could admit her real feelings.
Because if she really did admit it, wouldn't that be proof that she had feelings for Shikime Natsu?
That was absolutely not happening. At the very least, Nishikawa Ryouko wasn't mentally prepared for it yet — and when she gave the gift, she fully intended to do it with the air of granting him a favor.
Nishikawa Ryouko drew a deep breath, gathered herself again, and raised her voice a touch.
"Shiki-san, could you please not be so full of yourself?"
Nishikawa Ryouko even managed to fill those pale golden eyes with distaste, and the moment she finished, she pressed straight on.
"I never once planned on giving Shiki-san any kind of Christmas present."
"Besides… I never told Shiki-san I'd be giving Shiki-san a Christmas gift, did I?"
"When we went to pick it out, I said it — it's a present being chosen for a certain boy."
She drew the words out, a sly glint flashing through those pale golden eyes, biting down a little harder on the phrase "a certain boy," her tone laced with deliberate ambiguity.
That expression made it perfectly plain: Go on, guess who that boy is. Whoever it is, it isn't you.
Hearing Nishikawa Ryouko say all this, Shikime Natsu let a faint smile surface and spoke.
"Oh? But aren't I a boy myself? That fits Nishikawa-san's condition perfectly."
Nishikawa Ryouko arched an eyebrow, those pale golden eyes glimmering with amusement.
Listening to him, the corner of her mouth twitched. This guy really was awfully full of himself — though, rather than full of himself, it was more that he was simply stating a fact.
"I never said I'd give it to you. I clearly wasn't referring to Shiki-san."
As Nishikawa Ryouko said this, her gaze wandered a little. She was lying — but for the sake of what came later, lying now was absolutely necessary.
If she actually handed the gift to Shikime Natsu right here, it wouldn't count as a Christmas present at all. Then again, Nishikawa Ryouko wasn't even certain she'd have the time to give it to him when Christmas Day actually arrived.
Still… as for time, if she squeezed things a bit there'd surely always be some. Nishikawa Ryouko had made her preparations — for the future, that is; right now she had no preparations whatsoever.
Watching her reaction, Shikime Natsu chuckled, then put on an air of complete indifference and spoke slowly.
"Fine, then. Seems I flattered myself. In that case, I hope the person Nishikawa-san gives that present to ends up liking it."
It was a good thing, really, that Shikime Natsu wasn't insisting on the gift — and yet Nishikawa Ryouko felt strangely hollow inside, especially watching this guy look like he genuinely couldn't care less. Her feelings only grew more tangled.
She cared about this too, after all. But if Shikime Natsu didn't care, then none of it meant anything.
Of course, deep down Nishikawa Ryouko still leaned toward believing this guy was putting on the act deliberately — his personality was rotten enough for it.
But… now that she'd pulled a stunt like this, was she going to end up disliked by Shikime Natsu?
All she'd had to do was give it to him. Shikime Natsu had even brought it up himself. And she'd denied it.
Nishikawa Ryouko knew plenty of people disliked her — but she didn't want Shikime Natsu to be one of them. What if, on Christmas Day, Shikime Natsu refused to accept her gift?
Then… the little game she'd wanted to play would be over before it ever began. That would be truly awful.
She looked at the paper bag in her hand holding the cat plushie, then at Shikime Natsu's smiling face.
And the knots inside her started to tighten.
So then… should she just give it to him now?
If she did, wouldn't the whole situation come out wrong?
After all, from the very start she'd used "picking a gift for a certain boy" as her excuse to call Shikime Natsu out.
If she now shoved the present straight into his hands, wouldn't that be the same as admitting she'd been choosing a gift for him?
But… if she didn't give it… what if this guy Shikime Natsu really didn't accept anything on Christmas Day… then wouldn't she be…
Nishikawa Ryouko's mind was a complete tangle now. Watching Shikime Natsu, she thought to herself that if only this guy were a little dumber, everything would be so much easier.
That way she'd be free to toy with Shikime Natsu to her heart's content.
But Shikime Natsu wasn't the least bit dumb. And what's more — the old Shikime Natsu would play dumb, but the current Shikime Natsu didn't seem to bother anymore, and he only kept growing more aggressive.
Nishikawa Ryouko felt she genuinely couldn't hold her ground against him. Thinking of the consequences that might follow, she decided she'd just hand the thing over directly after all.
"Of course, if Shiki-san wants it that badly, it's not like I can't give it to you. I can always buy another one later anyway, so you can just have this one."
Nishikawa Ryouko spoke against her own true feelings, then held the paper bag with the cat plushie out toward Shikime Natsu.
She deliberately laced her tone with the flavor of doing him a favor, and the corner of her mouth curved into a little devil's smile.
"Who'd have thought… that Shiki-san wanted to receive my Christmas present this badly?"
She dragged the words out on purpose, a sly glint flashing through those pale golden eyes, gazing at Shikime Natsu with utter confidence, like a winner — after all, her attitude right now looked like the victor's from any angle, didn't it?
Yet Shikime Natsu, watching her smug expression, only gave a light shake of his head.
"Nishikawa-san, forcibly snatching away someone else's present isn't my style. I'll pass — and besides… what if there's a misunderstanding?"
Shikime Natsu said it with a gentle laugh, looking for all the world like he was considering things on Nishikawa Ryouko's behalf.
But Nishikawa Ryouko couldn't feel the slightest bit happy. What in the world was this Shikime Natsu trying to pull? Couldn't he just be a little more honest?
She'd finally managed to give the Christmas present over, and now this guy Shikime Natsu didn't want it — even if the reason was that she'd worded things slightly wrong, surely… surely Shikime Natsu knew exactly what she was thinking?
Shikime Natsu had always been a sharp one. But… this guy also refused to follow the script, and that alone had Nishikawa Ryouko thoroughly vexed.
Looking at that grinning face of his, Nishikawa Ryouko thought: fine, if Shikime Natsu wouldn't follow the script, then she wouldn't either. She reached straight out, seized his wrist, and forcefully crammed the paper bag with the cat plushie into his hand.
"Just take it, Shiki-san. No need to be so shy. I understand exactly how you feel — I'm an adorable girl, after all, so it's perfectly natural that Shiki-san would want my present. So consider this an early Christmas gift for Shiki-san."
"And don't you dare refuse this present, Shiki-san. If you refuse it, then there'll be no Christmas gift at all."
There was a threatening edge in Nishikawa Ryouko's tone, warning Shikime Natsu not to even think about refusing. Naturally, Shikime Natsu understood what the girl meant, and he nodded with a smile.
"All right then. Since Nishikawa-san puts it that way, I'll accept it."
Hearing that Shikime Natsu had accepted the gift, Nishikawa Ryouko let out a quiet breath of relief.
But before she could enjoy the moment, Shikime Natsu spoke again.
"That said… even though Nishikawa-san gave me a Christmas present… what if I don't give Nishikawa-san one in return?"
"—?!"
Nishikawa Ryouko's expression changed in an instant. She stared at Shikime Natsu, those pale golden eyes brimming with displeasure. At Christmas the presents were supposed to be mutual — how could this guy just not give one back?
If he didn't know what she liked, he could pull his own tricks about it. She'd even go along and let Shikime Natsu pick it out.
It wasn't as if she needed some expensive present — she only needed a present from Shikime Natsu, that was all.
But now Shikime Natsu apparently had no intention of giving one back. Nishikawa Ryouko's gaze turned fierce, and the girl bored straight into him without a word — yet the attitude she wanted to convey was already crystal clear.
How could this guy Shikime Natsu be so awful? Was bullying her that much fun?
Seeing Nishikawa Ryouko's slightly bristling look, Shikime Natsu gave a soft laugh.
"All right, all right, I'm not teasing anymore. I'll properly prepare Nishikawa-san's Christmas present. And… I'll prepare a birthday present too."
When Shikime Natsu finished, every trace of anger vanished from those pale golden eyes. Not only a Christmas present, but a birthday present as well.
The way Shikime Natsu had deliberately mentioned the Christmas present before the birthday one made it obvious he still remembered her birthday — there'd been no need for her to fish around for hints at all.
Nishikawa Ryouko's heart was pounding now, and that cute little face flushed a faint pink from delight and just a hint of bashfulness, the whole of her looking rather adorable and enticing.
It had to be said, the current Nishikawa Ryouko looked far quieter than the one who'd been talking a moment ago. Now she said nothing at all, head lowered, staring at the tips of her own toes, those pale golden eyes not daring to lift and meet Shikime Natsu's.
She could hardly tell Shikime Natsu now that she was looking forward to his present, could she? Even if she really was looking forward to it — and she had no idea just how much this guy Shikime Natsu understood about her.
Nishikawa Ryouko was already wondering whether she should put together a little guide to her own hobbies for this guy, so Shikime Natsu wouldn't have to agonize over what present to pick for her.
Of course, even if he didn't manage to choose something she liked, as long as it was from Shikime Natsu, there'd be no problem at all.
Just then, a figure came walking over from not far off — Shiraishi Asuka making her entrance yet again. Her hands were empty this time, and she looked to be strolling aimlessly, without any goal at all. As she wandered along, her gaze suddenly landed on Shikime Natsu and Nishikawa Ryouko.
Surprise flickered through Shiraishi Asuka's purple eyes. The two of them really did get along well, she thought — she'd run into them together again, and what's more… Nishikawa Ryouko looked awfully bashful right now.
Just how far had things developed between them? Shiraishi Asuka was still a little curious — though of course, it was nothing more than curiosity.
This time, Shiraishi Asuka didn't go straight over to interrupt like before. No — rather, even last time it had been Shikime Natsu who'd called out to her; otherwise, had she spotted them, she'd absolutely never have approached on her own.
Shiraishi Asuka quietly stepped back a few paces, found a bench not far away, and sat down. Then she pulled her phone from her pocket and put on her earphones.
No longer paying any mind to what was happening over there, the song Shiraishi Asuka was listening to was, naturally, the recording of Shikime Natsu's voice from that time they'd gone to karaoke together.
Shikime Natsu's voice was lovely to listen to. Even after playing it countless times — so many that she could pin down the exact pitch of every note when he opened his mouth — she never once grew tired of it.
Without Shiraishi Asuka noticing in the slightest, Shikime Natsu and Nishikawa Ryouko parted ways — and quite swiftly at that.
In all likelihood, Nishikawa Ryouko's little heart couldn't take much more, so she'd fled the scene first, while Shikime Natsu turned his gaze toward Shiraishi Asuka.
The girl was still listening to her music, eyes gently closed, looking thoroughly immersed in it. Shikime Natsu decided to go over and say hello, and stepped right up behind Shiraishi Asuka.
"What's Shiraishi-san listening to? If you don't mind, would you share it with me?"
And in that very moment, Shikime Natsu's hand came to rest on the side of the bench.
____
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🔥 New history: Zenless Zone Zero: Rewriting Fate in New Eridu — read it on The_Mikudayo
📚 Forty chapters of advanced reading at Walnut-chan, and it goes straight into keeping the translations on schedule
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