The Gift Megumi Gave to Aimi
Kotomi's reaction shocked the store clerk, who almost dropped the tray.
The cookies had only been released today, so there shouldn't have been any reason for a customer to look like they'd just tasted something dreadful.
"Miss, are you alright?!"
After a long pause, Kotomi finally managed to swallow the piece of starfish cookie with a strained expression. Her face had turned ashen, and even her eyes had started to tear up. Forcing a smile, she replied, "S-sorry, I guess this cookie just isn't to my taste."
Relieved, the clerk finally sighed in relief. After all, it didn't really matter if a customer chose not to buy anything. Since the souvenir shop at Aqua Park was merely an additional attraction, they didn't place high demands on sales numbers.
As a result, the clerks had a pretty relaxed attitude about their sales.
But if a customer actually had an issue while sampling something the clerk recommended, that could lead to much worse than just a lost sale. All the blame would certainly fall on her, the clerk.
So when she'd seen Kotomi's face turn gray, it had felt like a hand had squeezed her heart, filling her with panic and cold sweat, praying nothing would go wrong.
"Glad to hear you're okay! There are a lot of other souvenirs worth checking out. Would you like some help with recommendations?" The clerk wiped the sweat from her forehead, a little embarrassed by her earlier panic.
"No need; I'll just browse with my friend," Kotomi replied.
"Alright then, feel free to call any of us if you'd like to know more about something."
After leaving the cookie display, Megumi, unable to hold back her curiosity, asked, "Kotomi, what was up with that cookie? You looked like you were going to collapse right then and there—I was this close to calling for an ambulance!" Megumi added, showing her phone.
Kotomi hesitated, but eventually admitted why her face had soured.
"It's kind of embarrassing to admit, but for most people, that cookie would've been perfectly fine. It's just that, well, for me, it wasn't."
"Hmm?" Megumi tilted her head, still a bit confused.
Scratching her cheek and avoiding eye contact, Kotomi mumbled, "That starfish cookie… it was chocolate-filled."
As soon as she said it, Megumi understood completely.
"Ohh! So it was chocolate-filled. No wonder you looked like you'd just tasted poison! Good thing you didn't pop a handful into your mouth all at once," she teased.
Kotomi shrugged and played along, "Yeah, I'd probably have been poisoned on the spot and carted off to the hospital."
Kotomi's dislike of chocolate was common knowledge throughout Class 1-F. It was something her classmates, both boys and girls, struggled with, as many of them were already planning to give her chocolates on Valentine's Day.
After all, even in high school, students wanted to exchange chocolates, whether as genuine love confessions or as tokens of friendship.
Years after graduating, they'd look back on such moments fondly as part of their student days.
"Looks like this could be a little troublesome, then. I know a lot of people were hoping to give you chocolates on Valentine's Day," Megumi said with a teasing sigh.
"Whether it's Valentine's Day or White Day, isn't it a little early to think about that now?" Kotomi replied. "One's in February, and the other's in March. That's a whole year away."
"Well, it doesn't hurt to plan a little ahead! Don't you know how popular you are at school? Even though Valentine's Day is months away, plenty of people are already planning their confessions. Luckily for me, most of them are too shy to say anything and just pine after you from a distance. They don't have the nerve to confess ahead of everyone else."
Kotomi couldn't help but laugh, "It's true, I guess. High school romance usually does stay in the crush phase."
Then, as a joke, she added, "What's this, Megumi? Are you getting jealous? Afraid of the competition? Is that why you chose to confess today—striking preemptively before anyone else could? I have to hand it to you; you know how to make the first move!"
"What's so bad about being first?" Megumi replied smoothly. "And besides, I succeeded, didn't I? Anyway, even if I didn't know how popular you are, I'd still feel the pressure of all that competition."
Her words were layered with meaning.
Kotomi gave a little humph and said, "Well, it seems like my beauty is a double-edged sword in your eyes. Ahh, the curse of a beautiful woman! Ever since I can remember, I've been plagued by a single question: How should I handle being so popular?"
She crossed her arms and gave a playful huff.
If Kotomi had a tail, it would surely be wagging proudly in the air.
If she really did have a tail, I'd grab it tight and steer her around with it, thought Megumi with a smirk.
But since Kotomi didn't have a tail, Megumi reached over and gave her cheek a firm pinch, saying sweetly, "How about you rein in that little bit of smugness?"
"Ah! S-sorry, I'll do whatever you want!"
Once she'd given Kotomi's cheek a playful squeeze, Megumi finally let go, satisfied.
"Back to the point—before Valentine's Day rolls around next year, you should probably think about how to deal with all the chocolates people are going to send you."
"Even if I don't like chocolate, I'd still be thrilled to get tons of it on Valentine's Day! Hey, Megumi, would you give me chocolate that day?" Kotomi asked, glancing at her friend with curiosity.
"Well, would you actually eat it if I did?" Megumi shot back.
"True… as happy as I'd be to get chocolates, even more so if I got a whole bunch, I just really don't like the taste of them. I mean, I practically hate it. If I end up with a pile of chocolate, I'll be glad, but also really at a loss about what to do with it. And…"
Kotomi sighed heavily, her tone slightly dramatic.
"And with all those chocolates, when White Day rolls around in March, I'll have to prepare even more return gifts!"
"I have a feeling that's the part you're really worried about," Megumi teased.
"So, Megumi, do me a favor! On Valentine's Day, just get me a grilled fish—or a sausage would be great. Just please, no chocolate!"
"Well, since I know you don't like chocolate, why would I even think of giving you any? Although, honestly, I never quite got why Valentine's Day has to mean exchanging chocolates," Megumi replied.
"Neither do I! Why can't we exchange something else on Valentine's? We could trade lollipops instead," Kotomi agreed with a nod.
Megumi, now browsing the souvenir shop for something she might buy, thought for a moment and said, "Since you don't like chocolate, how about coming to my place for dinner on Valentine's Day? I'll cook for you."
"Huh? Valentine's Day dinner?" Kotomi looked surprised, then hesitated. "It's not like I can't, but whether it's at your place or mine, it'd just end up feeling like a friendly gathering since our parents will be around... I mean, we're a couple now, so I kind of want to spend next Valentine's Day actually celebrating as a couple."
She pouted slightly, clearly yearning for a Valentine's Day as a couple—a day she longed for, wished for, and envied but couldn't quite express. The sight was so endearing that Megumi felt her heart melting.
Even the smallest, unintentional gestures from Kotomi could charm her, making her think, Did my girlfriend grow up on pure cuteness? There was just no other way to put it—she was utterly adorable!
After savoring this sweetness for a moment, Megumi gently brushed a strand of snowy hair from Kotomi's ear and softly caressed her, whispering, "I heard my parents talking over dinner a while back that in February next year, they're planning to spend some time in Otaru. I'll be home on my own while they're away, so when Valentine's Day comes, why don't you come over? It could be our first Valentine's as a real couple."
"Really? That'd be amazing!" Kotomi's face lit up with joy.
"Hehe, my parents go to Otaru every February for a trip. They're usually gone for about half a month. And they always leave me behind, as if I'm just some random add-on to their true love for each other."
When Megumi mentioned her parents' annual trip, she couldn't help but chuckle, sharing a laugh over the long-held sentiment she hadn't had anyone to talk to about—until now, with Kotomi as her confidant.
"Haha, if anything, it just means that Mr. and Mrs. Katou still have a great relationship! I mean, they could even think of it as a sort of marriage retreat. How many couples, after years of marriage, can still put life on hold and go on a 'honeymoon' together?" Kotomi said understandingly.
"True. So, do your parents, Mr. and Mrs. Izumi, ever go on yearly getaways too?" Megumi asked.
Kotomi's lips twisted into a bit of a wry smile as she replied, "No matter how busy they are, they take at least two days a week just for themselves. Those 'date nights' are practically sacred. They haven't had much chance for bigger trips lately with Dad's workload, but now that he's finally caught up, I bet they'll be back to planning annual getaways soon. Probably the 'gone for a month' kind of trip."
Just then, Megumi paused in her steps and picked up a green knit hat adorned with a small plush sea turtle perched on top. It looked like something that would be cozy to wear in winter.
Megumi examined it thoughtfully.
"Are you planning to buy that hat?" Kotomi asked.
"Mmhmm. But not for me—it's for Aimi."
"For Aimi?"
"Of course! You've noticed, haven't you? Aimi and I don't exactly have the best relationship, so I've been looking for chances to improve things between us. She's my future sister-in-law, after all! Starting with small gifts now and then seems like a good approach. Besides, this sea turtle hat suits her perfectly!"
Megumi placed the green sea turtle hat in her shopping basket, her genuine tone almost convincing enough to hide her underlying mischief.
Kotomi raised her eyebrows at Megumi's apparently heartfelt intentions, wondering if it was a trap.
"I've been trying to think of something Aimi would like ever since we walked into the store. Since I'm not too sure about her taste, I figured this hat would do just fine. And besides...cough, cough… that turtle plush on top is actually pretty cute. Let's hope she likes it!" Megumi chuckled.
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