On Christmas Eve, December 24th, I planned to go on a date with Umi. It'll be just the two of us, and at some point, I'm secretly planning to give her a Christmas present.
The last time I gave Umi a proper gift was for her birthday on April 3rd. I gave her a blue floral hair ornament, and she was so happy with it. Just heating that she cherishes it still makes me thrilled.
So, what should I choose for a day as important as the one-year anniversary of us becoming a couple?
I've been thinking about it nonstop since last month.
With only two weeks until the Christmas party, and our date the day after, I found myself seeking advice from my senior colleague at work, Emi-senpai.
To be more precise, I'd requested time off on the 23rd and 24th—undoubtedly the busiest time of year for a pizza delivery place—so I ended up asking her for advice while explaining my reasons.
"—Hmm, I see. Yeah, that's a tough one. If it were me, I'd be happy with anything, as long as it's from an expensive brand. You can always trade it for cash later if you don't need it, after all."
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that part about cash," I said. "But I guess that's the normal way of thinking, huh?"
"Not to be blunt, but spending money is the fastest way to win someone over, you know? An expensive gift between friends would be a turn-off, but you two are close enough for a Christmas date, right? In that case, I'd want to see some real dedication~"
Spending money isn't always the right answer, but being cheap on a special occasion like Christmas would be a total buzzkill. Balancing that is tricky.
What would Umi want? Honestly, I could just ask her subtly, but she already told me, "I'm looking forward to Christmas," so I want to keep it a secret until the very last moment.
I was just as fired up this year as I was last Christmas when I confessed to her, if not more.
"I'm a simple girl whose eyes turn into '¥' signs at the sight of money, so if you were taking me on a date, that'd be fine," Emi-senpai said. "But if you really want to make Umi-chan happy, you need a little something extra. In fact, she seems to value that 'something extra' way more than money."
"Yeah, that's true. I don't think Umi would be happy at all without it."
The most important thing about a gift is the feeling behind it. That's what several people told me during Umi's birthday, and because of that, she was overjoyed with my present.
Like last time, the safest option would be to pick something I think suits her now, or something I'd want her to wear.
Clothes, accessories, brand-name jewelry—Umi is beautiful, so she'd look good in anything. All that's left is for me to take my time, buy something I personally think suits her, and give it to her. I'm sure she'd be happy.
It worked out so well last time. I just have to do the same thing.
"Maki, you're really agonizing over this, aren't you?"
"…We've been through a lot, you see. Though I haven't told you about it, Emi-senpai."
"Hey, then you should totally tell me~ That just makes me more curious, you know~?"
"Sorry, but I'm keeping that a secret."
However, I have my reasons for not wanting to just repeat myself.
I want to express my gratitude to Umi, who has bounced back from the recent incident and is trying her hardest, little by little, to become mentally stronger.
And I want her to never forget that no matter what happens, I'm always right here by her side.
I want to attach those feelings to this gift, for our one-year anniversary, and for the night…
I want to spend it with the girl I love, just the two of us.
What gift could possibly be suitable to convey all of that?
"Well, for now, just agonize over it all you want, kid. Even if you overthink it and she's put off by it, that's a good learning experience in its own way," Emi-senpai said with a shrug. "…Though it's a bit weird for a twenty-year-old like me to say that."
"You're plenty young yourself, Emi-senpai. …Um, by the way, how's your shift looking this month—?"
"I'm with the manager~♪" she sang, before sighing. "Ugh, seriously, what a joke. It's not like I have any reason to take time off this year, anyway. No point in putting up a front."
"…Ah, I see."
I figured it out right then. She'd have to work alongside the manager—a married man—until closing time on the 24th. I feel like someone as amazing as Emi-senpai would have all sorts of guys hitting on her, but since she mentioned her eyes turn into '¥' signs, maybe that part of her gets in the way.
"Never mind about me. Just make sure you have a great time with Umi-chan," she said, her smile returning. "Oh, and if you're going to pick out a present, you should try going to a store first. They have a wider selection than you'd think, so you might stumble upon something that makes you go, 'This is it!' Let me tell you my recommendations."
"You're right. I think I'll go right after final exams are over."
Thinking about it is important, but when you're stuck, a change of pace is necessary. Come to think of it, that's how I managed to gather my thoughts for Umi's birthday, too.
…The person who gave me that advice was Amami-san.
"For now, I'll just let Umi know I have plans after finals. She'll probably figure out what I'm up to, but… hm?"
Once work slowed down, I was given a ten-minute break and pulled out my phone.
When I did, I noticed a certain someone messaged me.
An icon of a mystery novel cover, with the username [Taki].
It was from Takizawa-kun.
I immediately checked the message. 'Is now a good time for you?' It had been sent just a few minutes ago.
(Maehara) Just went on break.
(Takizawa) You were at work? So sorry for bothering you.
(Maehara) I'm on break, so don't worry about it.
(Maehara) What's up?
(Maehara) Did something happen with the party?
(Takizawa) No, that's going smoothly. All we have to do is wait for the event.
(Takizawa) It's not that. I actually have a personal matter I'd like to discuss with you, Maehara-senpai.
(Maehara) Oh, is that so.
(Maehara) What kind of matter?
(Takizawa) It's about a Christmas present.
(Takizawa) Not for the school event, though.
(Maehara) …A personal one?
(Takizawa) Yes.
(Takizawa) I also made a promise to meet up with Mio-senpai, just the two of us, on Christmas Eve.
(Maehara) Then you're in the same boat as me.
(Takizawa) Yes. The same as you, senpai.
I rarely exchanged messages with Takizawa-kun about anything other than work, so having him consult me about something private felt refreshing.
And it seemed we were both agonizing over the exact same thing.
Though there was a difference in how long we'd been dating, this was our first Christmas with girlfriends.
After we finished our second-semester finals—the last tests of the year—I gave a quick heads-up to my usual group and headed to the school gates, my meeting spot with Takizawa-kun.
At this point, everyone knew why the two of us were hanging out, and if anything, Umi and Nakamura-san had even sent us off with a,
'Maki, I'm expecting great things, okay?' (Umi)
'I'd like something expensive~' (Nakamura-san)
Since they went that far, there was no need to be sneaky… but atmosphere is important for this sort of thing.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Takizawa-kun."
"Senpai, good work today," he replied. "…What should we do? It's a little early, but do you want to grab lunch first?"
"Yeah, let's. We have a fair amount of time, so let's find a place once we get there."
"Got it."
It was my first time walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Takizawa-kun like this after school, but between our relationship and his skill at bringing up topics at just the right time, he made sure things didn't get awkward. He was a huge help.
…At this rate, I really don't know which of us is the senpai.
"Since we haven't had many chances to talk one-on-one like this, I missed the opportunity to ask… how are things with Nakamura-san? I can tell you two are getting along well from watching you in the student council."
"It's only been about three months since I officially started dating Mio-senpai," he said. "I'm finally getting used to being in a relationship, and it's the most fun I've ever had. …Though, we haven't really done anything couple-like yet."
"Typical couple things… like, physical intimacy?" I asked, trying to be considerate.
"You don't need to be," he said with a small smile. "It's just us guys right now."
"Then… um, have you not kissed yet?"
"…We end up in a pretty good mood together, but when it actually comes down to it, both Mio-senpai and I get too embarrassed."
According to Umi, Nakamura-san didn't seem to want to talk much about their love life, but their innocence was so sweet it brought a smile to my face.
Nakamura-san, a late bloomer when it came to romance, and Takizawa-kun, who despite being popular with girls, had remained completely pure.
…Could it be that Umi and I, who were a silly, lovey-dovey couple right from the start and flirted without a care for the public eye, were the rare ones? …Yeah, probably.
"That's why I'd like to use this Christmas as a chance to progress my relationship with Mio-senpai… How about you, senpai? Um, this is a bit hard to ask, but have you… with Asanagi-senpai…"
"Umm, you see…"
—
When I muttered the truth directly into Takizawa-kun's ear, he looked at me with a gaze of utmost respect for some reason.
"…As expected of you."
It might not be a big deal in general, but for Takizawa-kun, who didn't have much experience with women due to various circumstances, it might have been a somewhat stimulating story.
"Maehara-senpai, I don't really know what to say, but… um, I'm counting on you today."
"No, no, the pleasure's all mine. I was feeling anxious about going into the city by myself, so I feel a lot safer with you here, Takizawa-kun."
While occasionally mixing in stories about our respective love lives, we swayed on the train, passing through our usual hangout spot and arriving at the station Emi-senpai had told me about, recently said to be the most bustling in the city.
It was an urban area, but since it was still in the countryside, there weren't as many stores compared to major cities like Tokyo or Osaka. However, for a student's Christmas present, there were so many choices you'd be lost.
Stylish miscellaneous goods, apparel brands, jewelry shops… There seemed to be a lot of student customers, too, so we were bound to find reasonably priced items if we looked properly.
In preparation for our search, we first ducked into a nearby hamburger shop to get some food.
As we stood in line, gazing up at the menu, I felt a familiar gaze and heard the kind of whispering I was sick of.
—
—
I was tired of trying to catch what they were saying every single time.
It was always the same: something about Takizawa-kun, and some light backbiting about me for talking to him so familiarly.
"…Sorry about that, Maehara-senpai."
"It's fine, I'm used to it," I said. "Standing out is tough, huh."
"It is. In Mio-senpai's case, if someone says something she doesn't like, she gets amused and tries to pick a fight with them, so it's a huge pain holding her back."
"That sounds exactly like Nakamura-san."
He spoke like he was having a hard time, but Takizawa-kun was smiling happily the entire time he talked about his girlfriend. Until now, I was always the one bragging, so having someone else do it was surprisingly fun.
Looking at his smile, where I could still catch glimpses of innocence, I felt that hanging out with a kouhai once in a while wasn't so bad.
"Come to think of it, Umi and I were in a similar situation way back before we started dating… I remember Umi suddenly went, 'Say ahhh~' to me, and I panicked so hard."
"Heh, so even Asanagi-senpai acts like that in front of you, Maehara-senpai," he said. "…Mio-senpai is surprisingly shy, so she'd absolutely never do that in public."
"…Well, I think that's normal. We're just the stupid ones."
We kept the love talk flowing while we ate, then finally headed out to the main street to pick out our presents.
"Senpai, where should we go first?"
"Let's safely tackle the commercial building right in front of the station. Most of the brands are in there, and if we don't find anything, we can check the smaller shops along the street."
"Got it."
With our budgets in mind, we headed into a shop displaying women's accessories and small items.
Almost all the customers were women, but not wanting to show my kouhai a pathetic side of myself, I managed to walk around without being overly intimidated.
Plus, maybe thanks to Takizawa-kun being next to me, the clerks weren't suspicious at all. They even called out to us saying "Please take your time."
…It's not good to judge a person only by their appearance, but since it's all you have at first, proper grooming really is important.
"…"
"…"
After a general sweep of the store, we found ourselves staring intently at the accessories in a glass case.
"Um, Maehara-senpai."
"Yeah."
"…Do you understand any of this?"
"Sorry, I don't. What about you, Takizawa-kun?"
"Honestly, I'm starting to wish I'd taken more of an interest in this sort of thing."
In other words, he was no different from me.
Of course, I could tell every product was sparkling and beautiful.
However, whether I should actually choose one was a different story.
This is going to sound like bragging, but Umi looks good in anything. Therefore, unless it's something ridiculous, she'll surely be happy with it. I already knew that from her birthday.
Just like last time, picking something I wanted her to wear would be a safe bet. I could just give Takizawa-kun that same advice.
But right now, I was being extremely greedy.
More than last Christmas, when we became a couple. More than her first birthday with me.
I wanted to make Umi even happier. I wanted to delight the person I love so much. I wanted to make her happy.
That's why I wouldn't be satisfied with doing the same thing as last time.
…Seriously, what an impossibly selfish guy I was.
"Senpai, what should we do?"
"This is only the first store, so let's try looking somewhere else. Last time, I was agonizing over it just like this when I found something that just clicked."
Figuring it'd be a nuisance to just stay parked in the narrow store, we headed to an area with more apparel brands.
Outerwear and bags were a bit too tough on a high schooler's wallet, so if we chose something, it would probably be a small accessory.
By the way, the thought of, 'Well, price-wise, underwear is technically an option…' crossed my mind for a second, but I immediately crossed it off the list without a word to Takizawa-kun.
Well, knowing Umi, she'd probably still accept it. Assuming I was prepared to be relentlessly teased and called 'lewd' and a 'pervert' for a while, of course—
"? Maehara-senpai, did you find something?"
"! Ah, no… I just spaced out from the body heat… What about you, Takizawa-kun? Find anything good?"
"Ah, yes. I was wondering about this one."
While I was busy getting hot and bothered imagining my girlfriend in her underwear, Takizawa-kun had already picked out a candidate.
"A muffler, huh. It's going to stay cold, and the material and design look stylish. It's nice. But it feels a little too long for one person…"
"Right," he said. "…But, I feel like this much is just right for me."
"? Takizawa-kun?"
His cheeks were slightly red as he wrapped it around himself to test it out. Of course, it wasn't because the muffler was too warm; he was just imagining all sorts of things, same as me.
Despite his cool and smart impression, he was still a healthy high school boy. …Though, he probably wasn't thinking about anything as lewd as I was.
Gifting your lover a muffler that's slightly too long for one person…
I could guess what he was thinking.
"…Wrapping yourselves up in the same muffler together is pretty nice, isn't it. Umi and I do that sometimes, so I get it."
"It really is," he said, a nostalgic look in his eyes. "…Back in middle school, Mio-senpai jokingly wrapped the leftover part around me once, but my heart was pounding so hard I couldn't do anything."
He wanted to do what he couldn't back then, and convey the feelings he couldn't express, now that they were lovers… I guess that was it. It was a very Takizawa-kun-esque present, considering he'd been holding a one-sided crush on her for so long.
I was sure that this time, it would be Nakamura-san's turn to be in his position, turning bright red with embarrassment. I could picture it so easily that a smile naturally spread across my face.
"Maehara-senpai, it might be a bit quick, but I'm going with this."
"Yeah. I'm going to think a little more, so feel free to go ahead."
"Got it. Now it's just yours left, Maehara-senpai. Of course, I'll keep you company until the very end."
"That's very reassuring. Thanks."
As his senpai, his consideration made me happy, but I couldn't make him tag along for too long, so I needed to decide as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find what I was looking for here either. After waiting for Takizawa-kun to pay, I gathered myself and we moved on.
When we exited the building and headed toward the main street, the cold wind slapped against my body.
It was as if it was telling me to cool my head a little.
"Ah, senpai, regarding the day of the party, do you have any plans after clean-up? There's been talk of the student councils from each school gathering for an after-party, and I wanted to ask about the schedules of the senpais helping out."
"Me? Nothing in particular for that day… I haven't decided yet, at least."
The 24th was scheduled to be completely painted in Umi's colors, but for the day before, I hadn't heard anything from anyone.
Since it would be right after the party, it seemed likely the five of us would just ride that momentum and continue the fun somewhere else.
At the end of last year's party, everyone had been considerate enough to leave Umi and me alone, so this year I wanted to have a noisy, fun time with all my friends.
"Got it. I'll confirm with everyone else for now… huh?"
"? Senpai, is something wrong?"
"No, I just felt like I saw a really familiar profile ducking into that alley… Well, less 'familiar' and more like it was just straight-up Nozomu."
"Seki-senpai? Today's the end of exams, and club activities are on break, so it's not that strange, but…"
Curious, I followed after Nozomu and found a small sporting goods store in a narrow alley.
As I got closer and peeked inside, I spotted a huge baseball head with sparkling eyes, holding brand-new baseball equipment.
I felt bad for interrupting, but it'd be too distant not to call out to him. I decided to just say hi. I could also check with him about the schedule, killing two birds with one stone.
"Nozomu."
"Seki-senpai."
"Uwoh!? …W-What, I was wondering who it was, but it's just Maki and Taki. You startled me."
"Sorry. I happened to see you, so… Shopping?"
"Yeah. My spikes broke during practice the other day, so I came to my go-to store to look for a new pair," he explained. "…So, what about you guys? Picking presents for your girlfriends?"
"Well, something like that."
"I see. Ah~ must be nice~ I want a girlfriend too~ Though… well, I don't really need any new encounters right now."
At those words, Takizawa-kun and I could only offer wry smiles.
If he wanted a girlfriend, it'd be normal to seek out a new encounter, but since Nozomu already had someone he was interested in, a new encounter wouldn't mean anything to him.
During the incident last month, Nozomu had been heavily swayed by Amami-san, but he was still single-mindedly holding onto his feelings for her.
Personally, I really wanted to cheer him on with all my might.
"Nozomu, what are you doing for Christmas this year?"
"Me? On the Eve, I'm planning to gather with the guys from the baseball club and eat a bunch of chicken. A total sausage fest, goddammit."
"So, about Amami-san this year…"
"Yeah."
Letting out a small chuckle, Nozomu continued.
"This year… or rather, I think I'm fine holding off on that for a while."
"Next year too? Next year is exam season, so you might not do it anyway."
"I said 'for a while,' didn't I? That's what it means. I might've said something similar before, but."
In other words, it seemed Nozomu had decided not to hold back his feelings for Amami-san, maybe even long after graduation.
Takizawa-kun also knew that Nozomu liked Amami-san, so he seemed a little surprised by that decision.
"Ah, as a friend, I plan to keep getting along with Amami-san, alright? The Christmas party on the 23rd, New Year's, and everything. And of course, even after we become third-years. Forever."
Even so, he didn't wish to become anything more than 'friends' at this point.
That must have been how he honestly felt.
An answer he had come to all by himself.
"You haven't exactly given up on Amami-san, right?"
"Of course not," he said. "…Since she got rejected by you, it's a sure fact that Amami-san is currently free, so there's still a chance."
"But don't you think those chances will just get closer to zero once we graduate?"
"I… think about that a lot, yeah."
Nozomu is going to continue playing baseball in college, or as a working adult if he gets the chance. I don't know Amami-san's future plans, but they'll be going down separate paths after graduation.
Right now they might be 'friends,' but as they slowly meet each other less and less, their feelings will eventually drift apart. They'd go from 'friends' to 'friends from high school,' and then to 'an old acquaintance'… and when that happens, they wouldn't be friends anymore, but 'strangers.'
Even so, Nozomu's determination didn't seem to waver.
"I do think that, but… even so, I don't want to pull some stunt like aiming for when she's mentally weakened, or… I can't really explain it well, but."
"So, you'll confess to her again once she properly bounces back?"
"Well, something like that. The one I love is the super energetic and bright Amami-san, just like she was during the entrance ceremony."
"…I see."
I had a feeling this choice would take a mind-bogglingly long time, but I also thought it was a very Nozomu-like answer.
Amami-san was trying her hardest to bounce back from her heartbreak. She always flashed the same old smile at Umi and me, but considering her attitude toward Nitta-san, whom she had reconciled with, it was clear she still needed support.
While encouraging her 'as a friend' to distract her from the pain, they would eventually become conscious of one another—for Nozomu, who was currently the only one in that position, it should have been a golden opportunity.
"…Nozomu, you're so clumsy."
"Yeah, when it comes to romance," he admitted with a grin. "…If it was baseball, I could definitely do a little better, though~"
"But I like that part about you, senpai. I respect you," Takizawa-kun added.
"Not exactly happy about being liked and respected by some dude, y'know," Nozomu grumbled, though his cheeks were red. "…Hehe."
He let out an embarrassed laugh even while saying that. He looked extremely happy.
It was because he was like that that girls like Umi, Amami-san, and Nitta-san also held a certain degree of respect for him. He was treated rather roughly within our group, but that was also proof of their trust that, 'It's fine to treat him like this, because he's Seki.'
"Wait, setting my stuff aside. Maki, what about you? Looks like you're still struggling."
"Yeah. My kouhai here beat me to it a moment ago."
I had gotten caught up worrying about Nozomu, but I needed to do something about my own situation.
What will we do on our Christmas Eve date? What do I specifically want to do?
Of course, there were tons of things I wanted to do. We'd go on a date, and when we got back to my house, we'd toast with junk food and cola, eat cake, play games while flirting—and of course, even the things beyond that.
'Thank you for everything, I love you so much'—if I said that and handed her a present, that would be for the best. Umi would probably think that's just fine, too.
…However.
"Maki."
"Yeah."
"You're way more clumsy than me, dude."
"I know."
Things would have been fine the way they usually were, but I couldn't help but seek a happiness beyond that, causing me to agonize over it.
It was a bad habit of mine.
"…So, what exactly are you worrying about? I don't know if I can help, but I can hear you out," Nozomu offered.
"Senpai, please let me help as well," Takizawa-kun added.
"Um… are you sure?"
"Obviously. You should rely on us at times like this. We're friends, aren't we?"
"That's right."
"…Thanks, you two."
I was the most senior one here in a sense, yet I was leaning on them more than anyone.
I really needed to be more grateful to these two who still considered a guy like me their 'friend.'
Giving my thanks to them as they smiled cheerfully, I decided to confide in them.
We couldn't consult about love in a sporting goods store, so we settled down at a table in a nearby coffee shop.
There weren't many customers, so we could probably talk without reservations… or so I thought, but upon seeing the incredibly high price of a single cup of coffee, I regretted it just a tiny bit.
Well, since I was the one bringing it up, I'd make sure to treat them.
"—Alright then, Maki. Let's hear it."
"Yeah. It might take a while, though."
Once our drinks arrived, I confided in both of them about what I had been constantly thinking about.
How I was going to interact with Amami-san moving forward; how I ended up making Umi feel anxious because of that incident; and how I could make her even happier. How I could put her at ease.
In order to do that, how we should spend our upcoming Christmas date, and so on.
I had thought about a lot of things before Umi and I became lovers, but I never expected even more worried after we did.
It was because I had a girlfriend, so in a sense, it was a good problem to have.
"—And well, that's roughly the gist of it. If it's alright, I was wondering if you could let me know what you guys think."
"Hmm… I really don't think you need to think about it so exhaustively, y'know," Nozomu said. "If you guys just act like your usual lovey-dovey selves, even Asanagi's bound to feel at ease eventually."
"I agree," Takizawa-kun added. "In these kinds of situations, rushing things doesn't have much meaning. I feel like it often has the opposite effect."
"So, time will eventually solve it, so don't rush and just take it easy… something like that, huh."
"Yeah. Setting me and Amami-san aside, you and Asanagi are going to be together forever, after all."
"That's true. But I do understand why you'd be worried, Maehara-senpai," Takizawa-kun said. "It's a Christmas present you're going out of your way to get, so of course you'd want to pick out something proper."
And from there, the conversation shifted to today's main topic: 'If you were in my position, what would you give as a present?'
It would soon be one year since we started dating. Our relationship was so good that everyone exasperatedly called us a 'lovey-dovey couple.' We had already introduced each other to our parents and were even starting to associate on a family level.
""…""
While taking tiny sips of their coffee, the two of them twisted their necks in thought.
"As expected, you two are struggling too, huh."
"…Surprisingly, yeah."
"It really is. Pretty much anything would be fine, but because anything would be fine, it leaves you at a loss instead."
I had a bunch of candidates in mind. An accessory that would look good with the hair ornament I gave her; a new muffler like Takizawa-kun's to spur on our lovey-dovey act; or maybe it didn't even have to be a physical item—going somewhere new or eating a delicious meal together would also be fine.
Any of them would be nice. However, I felt like every single one lacked a decisive punch.
At this moment, the number of agonizing people had increased from one to three.
"Come to think of it, how'd last Christmas go?" Nozomu asked. "You confessed, got an OK, and then what'd you guys do at your place?"
"Back then… we ate the food we took home, hung out late into the night… well, I'll leave the rest to your imagination."
"…To be blunt, did you guys do it?"
"Bfft…!"
At that far too direct question, I nearly spat out my coffee.
…Everyone just didn't talk about it openly, but they were actually deeply interested. Takizawa-kun looked rather troubled, but he definitely wasn't unwilling to listen.
"Unfortunately, we hadn't done it back then," I admitted. "…Since we were officially lovers, naturally we at least kissed… quite a few times, though. I was just so happy to have become lovers with Umi that my head was completely fuzzy the whole time."
"Well, guess that's how it is for lovers. So, this Christmas is finally the big day, huh?"
"I don't really know what you mean by 'the big day'…"
"But, you are expecting it, aren't you, senpai?"
Before I knew it, even Takizawa-kun was backing up Nozomu.
It wasn't exactly a confession, but since I'm a guy, of course I was holding out hope for it 'if the mood turned that way.'
However, I wasn't planning on giving her a present just to get on her good side for that.
My objective to the bitter end was 'to spend a memorable anniversary together'—of course, if that sort of thing came with it, I'd be so happy I'd jump for joy.
By the way, regarding the preparations for that… no, let's put that topic aside.
"Alright then, screw it," Nozomu declared. "You guys became lovers last year, so why not just take the plunge and propose this year? Pass her a ring and be all like, 'Please date me with marriage in mind.' You guys are a lovey-dovey couple anyway, so it wouldn't hurt to go that far, right?"
"Seki-senpai, isn't that skipping way too many steps…?" Takizawa-kun interjected. "…I certainly think it's only a matter of time before they reach that point, but normally you'd think that's a conversation for after they graduate from college."
"Takizawa-kun is completely right," I said, trying to laugh it off. "Proposing when I can't even earn a proper living in the first place would just be stupid. …A-Ahaha."
Nozomu probably only said it as a joke, but even I thought that was going a bit too far.
As for a proposal, of course I'll do it properly. We'll continue dating, and properly come to understand each other—from our good points to the parts we need to improve on.
Furthermore, once we properly reach a point where we can survive on just our two incomes without needing help from our parents.
I will propose. However, that's not something we should do right now.
"…And I know it isn't something to be done so simply just because it's Christmas."
That was why that was the first option I eliminated from my list.
Honestly, jeez.
Just because he wasn't the one involved, Nozomu sure said something incredibly drastic.
"Um, Maehara-senpai."
"What is it?"
"Umm… your coffee, it's been empty for a while now, you know."
"Eh? …Ah."
In that moment, the air between us came to a complete halt.
I was so flustered that I had continued to tilt a completely empty coffee cup.
Why, you ask?
…Because he was spot-on.
"Hey Maki, don't tell me you…"
"Maehara-senpai, it can't be…"
"......Yeah."
Nozomu 's opinion which could only be seen as a joke, actually ended up being pretty spot-on for me.
"That was the first option I eliminated from my list."—in other words, in the process of agonizing over it, I had definitely considered it at least once.
"Maki, seriously?"
"…I-It's fine, isn't it? Th-That's just how much I love Umi."
"Taki, this guy just decided to double down."
"So you have a side like that to you too, huh, Maehara-senpai. Just like Mio-senpai."
"Being compared to Nakamura-san… no, actually, that might be the case."
I was acting like a senior in romance to these two, but in a broader sense of socializing, in last place by a mile. Because of that, if left to my own devices, I would sometimes think up completely outlandish things, and might've even seriously tried executing them.
Takizawa-kun had been concentrating on his own shopping and hadn't noticed (or so I'd like to believe), but the thing I had been interested in wasn't a necklace or a hair ornament, but a nicely decorated ring.
Even though I kept rejecting it in my head, going, 'No, no, even for me that's definitely not happening,' my mind became completely filled with it anyway.
Therefore, what I'm worried about right now wasn't.
[What kind of present would be good]
But rather,
[Whether or not I should give a gift that could easily be mistaken for a proposal]
That was what it boiled down to.
…Of course, I knew they would be put off by it, so I hadn't said a word.
"W-Well, even if it's a ring, there are still plenty of other types aside from engagement rings," Takizawa-kun reasoned, trying to help. "There are ten fingers, so it isn't like she has to wear it on her left ring finger."
"…Sorry, Takizawa-kun. For making you give such a painful follow-up."
However, I've barely ever seen Umi wear a ring as fashion, and I felt like overly flashy designs wouldn't suit her. If I were to give her one, it would probably be something with simpler decorations, price included.
"If you were giving her a ring, would it be a matching ring or something…?" Nozomu mused. "I'm pretty sure I've seen stuff like that, where they have each other's names carved on the inside."
"As far as compromises go, it might be something like that," Takizawa-kun agreed. "Maehara-senpai, by the way, do you happen to know Asanagi-senpai's ring size?"
"…Hm?"
Even though we had been talking about it as a joke, I realized the conversation was steadily getting more specific.
…Wait, wouldn't this naturally lead to me buying a ring?
"Umm, Nozomu-san? Takizawa-san?"
"What is it?"
"Yes?"
When I cut in, they just stared back at me while feigning ignorance.
These guys… they're absolutely enjoying this.
"No, I mean. If Maki's thinking about doing it, giving a little push on his wavering back and watching to see what happens would be fun… wait no, giving a push on a friend's back is a buddy's job, isn't it."
"You've already spat out how you felt, man," I said, sighing. "…Takizawa-kun, you feel the same way, don't you?"
"No, I would absolutely never… but poking your nose into someone else's love life is pretty fun, I've realized."
"You really are enjoying it, aren't you…"
""Ahaha.""
"It's not a laughing matter on my end, though. …Jeez."
They were teasing me like this was their only chance, but it wasn't malicious in the slightest. I barely found it unpleasant.
I could feel the usual love from them that we always got whenever everyone teased Umi and me about being a 'lovey-dovey couple.'
They were a little put off, and they completely teased me. It was embarrassing, but I was glad I consulted them.
"So, what're you gonna do? You gonna propose to Asanagi? Or not?"
"Proposing is still a bit much, but… I do want to properly tell her that I… um, love her that much…"
Considering the college exam season next year, I wanted to properly convey how much I appreciated her while I still had the emotional leeway.
"Understood. If that's the case, then I'll be cheering you on with everything I have, senpai."
"Thank you too, Takizawa-kun."
"No, Maehara-senpai, you've taken great care of me when it came to Mio-senpai. I might be repeating myself, but this time, it's my turn to meddle in your business."
Now that the general direction was decided, we moved on to discussing what kind of ring I should get.
The three of us had a staring contest with our smartphones, discussing the budget, brand, design, and so on. We were unaccustomed to this, but with three of us, we could narrow things down.
All that was left was to head to the store and empty out my wallet.
"After that is Asanagi-senpai's ring size," Takizawa-kun noted. "No matter how wonderful the ring is, it'd be meaningless if it was too tight or too big."
"Her size is… sorry, I don't know the exact details, but I can ask around if I need to."
"Ask around… wait, you're not planning on asking her directly?"
"Of course not," I said. "…It might not be a very good method, but beggars can't be choosers."
Well then, as for confirming this extremely important information, I had a very reassuring ally on my side.
The person who knew Umi better than anyone else. Of course, it wasn't her best friend Amami-san, nor her childhood friends Nitori-san or Houjou-san.
It was my first time directly contacting her, but if I explained things properly, I was sure she'd cooperate.
While the two of them tilted their heads in confusion, I made a phone call to a certain person.
"—Hello?"
"I'm so sorry to bother you. …Is it a good time for a call right now?"
"I was planning on buying groceries for dinner soon, but if it's only about ten minutes, then it's fine," she said, her voice warm. "…More importantly, it's rare for you to be calling me directly. You gave this old lady quite a surprise."
"I was worried I'd be bothering you, so I was agonizing over what to do… but I have something that I really need your help with, Sora-san."
—Sora-san?
—Ah, guess Taki doesn't know. It's Asanagi's mom.
—Asanagi-senpai's mother… I see, that's certainly much more reliable.
It seemed they figured it out the moment I brought up her name.
When it came to someone who knew all of Umi's information, would easily keep it a secret, and would be willing to listen to my request… she was the only person who came to mind.
"You need my help, you say? What a sweet thing to tell me. It's perfectly fine. If it's something this old lady can do, just ask. Of course, this will be our little secret, right?"
"…That really helps."
Since the big day was so close, I was incredibly grateful that Sora-san seemed to have roughly guessed what was going on.
It was all the result of earnestly interacting not just with my girlfriend, but also with the people around her.
"—Umm, I was actually hoping you could tell me Umi's ring size."
"My, my. It seems you're up to something quite interesting again, Maki-kun," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice. "…I wonder what in the world is going to happen on Christmas."
While laughing in slight exasperation, Sora-san willingly provided the necessary information.
I had no idea what was going to happen on the actual day, but I just hoped we'd be able to spend a really fun day together.