Sunday. Today, I came to the department store with Karen to choose a birthday present for Mai together.
「I’ve been waiting for you, Senpai.」
Even though I arrived about five minutes before the meeting time, it seemed that Karen was already leisurely waiting for me with a Starbucks.
「Oh, did I get the time wrong?」
「No, I came early so that Senpai don’t have to worry about it. By the way, I haven’t seen Senpai in his casual clothes for a long time. It’s so-so cool.」
Karen does not usually give compliments, so this so-so is definitely recognized as very much in the public’s mind. Well— when Karen praised me, it was worth it for me to choose well, too. This will give me the confidence to go on a date with Mai.
「Karen is as cute as ever. And you have excellent taste in clothes.」
Yes, Karen has good taste in clothing to match her original good looks. Her classy, white-based one-piece dress brings out the best of her charm and attracts the attention of men in the vicinity.
「Thank you very much. I’m a little flattered by the praise from Senpai.」
「Are you serious?」
「Yeah. Well, let’s go pick out a present, shall we?」
「Eh, wai–!?」
Karen grabbed my hand with a nonchalant look on her face and walked into the department store.
「W–Why are you holding my hand?」
「It’s a pick-up countermeasure. It is a hassle to deal with men who only want sex every single time, so I keep them away by creating an atmosphere like that with Senpai. So to speak, this is not a bug spray, but a slut repellant spray.」
With a giggle, Karen continues to hold my hand. It’s true that the men around me are paying attention to Karen, and I can see them trying to talk to her, so what Karen says makes sense.
「Y–You know… If Mai sees me here, I’ll be in more trouble than you.」
But in case Mai sees me like this, I can see that I would be on the verge of a catastrophe. I urge Karen to take her hand away.
「That is certainly true. Then, only pretend to be my boyfriend when someone hits me up.」
「I— know that.」
She’s going out of her way to help me like this on her day off, so I can at least pretend. However, perhaps it is my imagination, but I think Karen is in a good mood. Her expression is always hard, but today her face is somehow calm. Did something good happen?
「So, let’s pick from this area.」
I was taken to the cosmetics department. Ahh, I’ve certainly heard that giving these gifts to women is appreciated. But I honestly don’t know anything about cosmetics, so I didn’t even consider it as a gift option.
「I know Senpai is not familiar with this kind of thing, so I thought it would be best if you and I could choose one together.」
「You’ve hit the pinpoint, Karen… great work.」
「Yes, I am a good friend to my Senpai. How about something like this, right off the bat?」
Then I picked out and bought cosmetics to give to Mai, with various recommendations from Karen. Karen was helpful in many ways because she gave her opinion from a point of view that I didn’t have, and I was able to choose a good gift. Really, it’s just like Karen.
「Thanks for today, Karen. Thanks to you, I was able to buy a nice present.」
「I am glad I could be of assistance. I enjoyed learning a lot from Senpai too.」
「Really? Then, I’m glad. Oh, right, where would you like to have dinner to thank you for today? Have this as my treat.」
「Is it alright? You just bought an expensive present and you must already be broke.」
「Ugh. I–I’m not gonna let my kouhai worry about the budgets of her senpai! B–Because I can still go to Saizeriya!」
「Fufuh, I will take your word for it then. I must also respect the pride of my Senpai.」
「S–Shut up!」
I was always being beaten by the joyful, smiling Karen, and my dignity as a senior was taken very lightly. Really, I can’t beat Karen…
「It is still delicious. It’s stable.」
At Saizeriya, Karen ordered carbonara. And I had Milanese doria… Somehow, my wallet held out.
「I guess so. But I’m starting to worry about whether she will be happy with the gift… How should I give it to her?」
「That brand is stable, so the item itself will be appreciated. Unless Senpai screws up really badly.」
「D–Don’t say things like that…」
「But Hidaka-senpai must be very happy to have a boyfriend who is willing to try so many things… I’m jealous.」
「I’m sure Karen have someone confess to you often and you’ll have a boyfriend soon.」
「I’ve had a lot of confessions that I don’t want to hear, but I have someone I love, so I’ve turned them down.」
「Eh.」
I heard something that shocked me out of the blue. I can’t imagine what it’s like to have a favorite person in Karen.
「Was it unexpected? Well, Senpai is so preoccupied with Hidaka-senpai that he doesn’t seem to care about his surroundings.」
「I–I don’t think that’s true… Possibly.」
「Fufuh, she is still an idiot. You should not worry about me now, but only about her. A present, to make you happy.」
「I–I know.」
So we finished our meal and I dropped Karen off at the station and I went home. I carefully kept the gift I bought, and on Mai’s birthday, I began to think about how I would give it to her. I found myself falling asleep.
I think now that I was a bit too easygoing. I was unaware of the disaster that would befall me on the day of my birthday.