268 – Choosing a gift
In fact, buying jewelry with the pocket money of an average high school student is a luxury.
It’s a shame since I earned a lot of money by appearing on a year-end special broadcast, but considering the pocket money I originally received, I wouldn’t have dared to enter a store like this.
When I opened the door and entered the jewelry shop, the neatly dressed owner stood in front of the transparent display stand and greeted me.
“Welcome~”
From the way he talks and behaves, he gives off the feeling of being a typical insider.
Seeing such a person made me feel uncomfortable, so I nodded slightly and asked as I approached the display stand.
“I’d like to see some silver necklaces or bracelets.”
“What are you going to use it for?”
“I want to present it to my girlfriend.”
“Oh my gosh, I’m sure her girlfriend got a gift from such a wonderful boyfriend. Then come this way.”
The boss said that and laughed loudly, then moved to the display stand on the right.
“Everything from here to here is made of silver. Take your time and look around.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
I nodded my head in a daze and started looking at the items in the display stand, avoiding the boss’s gaze.
「Ah! That’s pretty! This is pretty too!”
Obviously I’m the one who came to buy things, but Chiaki is really excited to look around.
In the showcase, silver necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings were placed in a row, with prices kindly written underneath.
‘Expensive!’
I thought it was a silver accessory until it came in, but it is quite expensive than I thought.
There doesn’t seem to be a big difference from my point of view, but after seeing that there are products that differ from 100,000 won to 200,000 won even in the same category, I asked why it was like that, and the boss smiled and explained it as if it was fun.
“Originally, even if you look at clothes or bags, they are made with the same fabric, but the price varies widely due to different designs and brand names, right? It’s the same as that.”
“Oh.”
Thanks to the perfect analogy, I immediately understood.
‘Then… ‘
I decided to buy an accessory with a design that truly suits the person I’m gifting, rather than arguing about cost-effectiveness as usual.
Because the value for money is enough to find only in rice soup.
‘First, what to present to the president… ‘
The image that usually comes to mind when I think of Chairman is something like a flower blooming on a cliff.
If you open your mouth, that neat image will be destroyed in an instant, but at least when you keep your mouth shut, you deserve the title of one of the top 3 beauties of the academy.
I selected a few necklaces with flower-shaped decorations as candidates.
Then, Chiaki poked her head over her shoulder and said in admiration.
「You have a better sense than you look?」
… This guy?
「Wow!」
I waved my right hand, pretending to scratch my head in thought.
Then Chiaki reflexively avoids his hand.
Although he knows that it doesn’t fit because he’s a ghost, he seems to react because he has memories of when he was a human.
「From what I’ve seen, I think that necklace in the second place is the best. I don’t know what men are like, but usually women prefer thin accessories. The other ones are pretty, but they’re a bit thick, so I think you’ll get a taste for them.”
I carefully looked at the necklace Chiaki pointed at.
Certainly, the string is quite thin compared to the other two necklaces.
Okay. Once one has been determined.
“One of these, please.”
“Yes~ Thank you~”
The boss lady smiles and takes out a necklace from the shelf.
But I haven’t finished shopping yet.
This is a present for Rika, the next choice.
Just like the president, giving a necklace is something that pricks my conscience, so this is the bracelet I chose this time.
In the case of Rika, since she often wears the so-called gyaru fashion, it seemed like she should choose accessories that go well with the clothes she is wearing.
So I thought about it a little and asked.
“Are there any star-shaped bracelets that the boss recommends?”
“A star shape? How about this one?”
In response to my question, the boss readily stepped forward and showed me some bracelets.
Perhaps it’s because I realized that I’m not the type of customer who just watches and leaves, so I’ve become much more active than before.
“Yogeo and Yogeo are the best kids of the year. The design is simple and light, so it’s perfect for young people to wear.”
While listening to the boss, I glanced at Chiaki next to me.
Then Chiaki made a worried expression and said, “Mmm~”, And then chose the first bracelet the boss showed her.
「When I saw it, I think this is the prettiest. You want to give Rika a present?”
I replied with a slight nod of her head so that the boss wouldn’t notice.
Then, Chiaki put on a proud expression and praised herself, saying “As expected, it’s me.”
Anyway, the bracelet Chiaki chose looked like it would go well with Rika, so I chose it without hesitation.
“Please wrap this one too.”
“Yes~ Please wait a moment~”
Humming his hum, the boss opens the drawer.
While waiting for the package, I glanced at the price tag, which I had deliberately tried not to look at.
‘… It’s terribly expensive.’
Of course, it didn’t exceed the budget I first thought, but with this money, I could buy hundreds of delicious meals.
Anyway, since it’s the first time we’ve become lovers, we’re going to have to put up with this amount of bleeding.
“Here it is. Be sure to bring the receipt in case you change your mind and want a refund.”
“Thank you. Sell a lot.”
After checking the contents of the carefully packaged box, I bowed slightly to the boss and exited the jewelry shop with Chiaki.
***
「Then it’s my turn now.」
After seeing the shopping bag I was holding in my right hand, Chiaki raised her eyes and tilted her head.
「But why are you suddenly wearing earphones?」
I answered, gently pulling out the inaudible earphones from my ears.
“This way people won’t look at me strangely.”
Honestly, if there is someone walking down the street and talking to empty space, 100 out of 100 will all see it as strange.
But what will happen if the earphones are dispatched here?
This!
Oh!
Pawn!
Most people will arbitrarily mistakenly think that it is because the person talking into the air is currently on the phone.
And after hearing my explanation, Chiaki oh… And honestly admired it.
「Certainly, the first place in the entire school was not obtained through jokes.」
“Of course.”
As I said that and stretched out my chest in a strange sense of pride, Chiaki narrowed his eyes and said.
「Are you pretending to be proud again? Anyway, you’ve come a long way from growing up.”
“What? When it comes to iron, I do it every day at the gym.”
「Don’t iron that fool!」
Chiaki, perhaps in a fit of rage over a simple pun, knocked a bean down on my head with his fist.
Of course, it’s a ghost’s fist, so there’s not much sense of impact, but usually it’s just a little offended.
I said looking straight ahead as if I was talking to someone else.
“So, have you decided what to buy for Christmas?”
「… Yet.”
“I thought you would.”
「You mean… Are you doing this on purpose to make fun of me?”
While saying that, Chiaki looked at me with a sullen face.
I denied the allegations with a shrug instead of an answer.
“You don’t have to worry too much. There’s a place I’ve been thinking of going to in advance because something like this might happen.”
As I said that, I pointed to a billboard in the shape of a blue penguin that can often be found on the street.
And Chiaki’s reaction, knowing the meaning of that sign, was dramatic.
「What?! Don ○ Hote!? Are you crazy?!”
“Calm down, calm down.”
As I said that, I explained the justification for choosing ○ Quixote.
“Anyway, you and I both have the same problem of not choosing what to buy right now, right?”
「… Yes.”
“In that case, it can be solved by going to Donkiho○, which has pretty much everything.”
Unlike the past when they mainly dealt with cheap items, these days, Don ○ Hote really feels like a store for everything.
As an old person, Chiaki didn’t seem to know much about those changes yet.
「If I go and don’t like it, I’ll leave right away.」
“Okay, so stop talking next to me. I’m going to die of stinging my ears.”
When I said that and waved my hand, Chiaki went wild! And turned his head.
I’m a tsundere, but what should I do with this girl who only has a tsundere….
Looking at Chiaki, I seriously thought about that for a while.
***
Donki ○te.
This is one of the most common types of general shopping malls in Japan.
Basically, it is a two-story structure using several floors, and it handles all kinds of items like a ○○ cow.
Hundreds of items are sold there, from food to games, electronic gadgets, adult goods, and miscellaneous items.
From noble mtl dot com
「Wow-」
Even Chiaki, who hated it at first, started looking around, not realizing how much time had passed, once he entered Don Quixote.
I was watching from the side with a wry smile, but I stopped in front of an ornament corner that suddenly caught my eye.
「What’s wrong all of a sudden?」
“Chiaki, how about this?”
As I said that, I pointed at a small white music box that was placed on the shelf.