After waiting downstairs for a while, Kaoru finally saw Ichinose.
Unlike usual, the girl had taken extra care with her appearance today.
A black woolen coat hugged her slender figure, a small bag slung over her shoulder.
A light-colored scarf wrapped around her neck like cotton candy, leaving only the hint of her adorable lips visible.
Her long hair swayed gently with her movements, like a feather drifting down to rest against her full, perky chest—despite the coat's coverage, the effect was undeniably eye-catching.
Beneath the coat's hem peeked a pair of slender, straight legs, clad in what looked like sheer black tights—120D velvet, giving them an incredibly smooth and delicate texture.
Her feet, encased in slightly student-like loafers, made soft, cheerful sounds as they touched the ground.
Seeing Kaoru, she happily waved and called his name, jogging over to him.
"You look great today, Kaoru." Ichinose was also studying him.
He wasn't wearing his Black Formal Suit today, looking more ordinary, yet still carrying his usual clean-cut, boyish charm.
His clear, bright eyes didn't give off any sense of intrusion.
Sometimes, Ichinose would think about how this very person was completely different in private, and the contrast made her heart race inexplicably.
"This lovely and beautiful lady, might I have the honor of holding your hand and spending a wonderful Christmas with you today?" Kaoru, unaware of her strange thoughts, smiled and extended his hand.
Suppressing a laugh, Ichinose wondered where he had picked up such a frivolous pickup line.
In the past, she would've ignored someone like this—but now, her eyes curved into crescents as she placed her small hand in his, feeling its warmth.
"Why not, you handsome and lewd guy."
Watching her struggle to hold back her laughter, Kaoru felt a bit frustrated.
Being a bit of a pervert wasn't a crime, so why did every girl feel the need to tease him about it?
Perhaps because it was Christmas, the two of them encountered quite a few students along the way, and among them, there were no shortage of young couples like them.
On this holiday, no one bothered to hide anything anymore.
However, Kaoru had underestimated Ichinose's popularity.
The entire way, students kept greeting her.
Far from distancing themselves from her over the so-called theft incident, they seemed to have grown even more fond of her.
On top of that, the news of his relationship with Ichinose had gradually spread, leading many to regard him with intense curiosity.
"You know way more people than I imagined. No wonder people always say you and Kikyo are the angels of the first year," Kaoru remarked as he watched her greet the seventeenth passerby, feeling like he was standing next to a celebrity.
"Hmm, really?" Ichinose caught his casual reference to Kushida but pretended not to notice, maintaining her soft smile.
"Maybe it's just that Kaoru doesn't interact with others much? I've heard you only hang out with girls in class and often eat lunch with Kamuro-san in the classroom."
"That's not true at all. Even if I did socialize more, it'd still pale in comparison to your popularity," Kaoru denied immediately.
He had spoken with guys like Katsuragi and Hashimoto before—it wasn't just girls.
"How suspicious." Ichinose Honami let out a light hum but didn't press further.
Instead, she sighed slightly. "But I haven't done anything special. I just naturally talk to everyone, and before I knew it, things turned out this way."
"That's because being with Honami feels natural. It's not about one or two small things you've done—it's who you've always been." Kaoru squeezed her slender yet soft hand.
"No one would dislike spending time with a good girl like you. That's exactly what you are."
This guy really knew how to make someone blush.
Ichinose Honami turned her face away, a few strands of hair fluttering in the wind, brushing against her slightly reddened earlobes.
....
At this moment, Keyaki Mall was fully decked out in Christmas colors.
The streets were lined with festive decorations—Christmas trees adorned with colorful lights and ribbons, Santa Claus cutouts, reindeer stickers, and all sorts of hanging lights.
A light snowfall the night before had left traces of snow on the ground, and a few snowmen stood beside the storefronts, likely the handiwork of the staff, attracting groups of girls taking photos.
From the nearby mall, the classic tunes of Christmas songs drifted over, and promotional posters occupied the most eye-catching spots—discount sales, couples-only photo events, and the like.
"Did you prepare Christmas presents?" Ichinose asked somewhat shyly.
"Yep, I've got them on me right now." Kaoru had stayed up late going through his rewards and found a few small items perfect for gifting, saving him the trouble of shopping.
"I meant presents for Mako-chan and the others." Ichinose seemed to be hiding something as she added.
"Well, I mean, presents for people other than me. Your... girls, their gifts."
She hesitated over a certain word, as though saying it out loud would mean acknowledging that Kaoru truly had a sprawling harem.
No, she had to get to the bottom of it today.
"I still haven't decided yet." Kaoru felt rather guilty.
Every time this kind of holiday came around, he felt like he was dying countless deaths.
"Mhm, seems like it's just as I expected. Let's go shopping at the mall first." Ichinose wrapped her arms around his, her face lit up with a smile, looking more and more like a couple deeply in love.
"You don't have to do this. After all, I promised to spend today with you." Kaoru wasn't completely lacking in emotional intelligence—these gifts weren't meant for just anyone.
To be honest, the fact that Ichinose wasn't angry was already a surprise.
Now she was even helping him pick out gifts, which made him feel even more uncertain.
"Ahaha, I'm your girlfriend, after all." Ichinose also felt a little guilty. "Besides, I want to try to accept them too. If Kaoru can say 'Take all,' I can't just stand by and do nothing."
Kaoru recalled the words Kushida had once said to him and sighed inwardly.
Then, he tightened his grip on Ichinose's hand, interlacing their fingers.
"Give it some more time. I want you all to meet."
Of course, not in the literal sense—they had already met before and were familiar with each other.
What Kaoru meant was a formal introduction.
However, this introduction would only include Ichinose Honami, Karuizawa Kei, Kushida Kikyo, Horikita Suzune, Asahina Nazuna, and Manabe Shiho.
The others would have to wait.
At the same time, Kaoru was also considering whether to tell them about his past.
Coming back from the dead wasn't a miracle everyone could accept.
Not to mention, his actual age was much older than theirs.
Back at the agency, people often called him "old man."
"I'll look forward to it."
A faint smile appeared on Ichinose's face.
She wanted to know how the others felt about Kaoru.
If their feelings couldn't compare to hers...
Sorry, but they'd have to bow out gracefully.
Even if Kaoru insisted on "Take all," she wouldn't acknowledge them.
This was Ichinose's principle.
Without enough affection, they would inevitably leave Kaoru someday or grow resentful of his actions.
If that was the case, it was better to have them step aside sooner rather than later.
Ichinose knew Kaoru's way of thinking was terrifying.
She could allow hesitation and conflict, but she wouldn't tolerate them not truly loving him.
With that thought, the girl tilted her delicate face slightly, catching a ray of sunlight falling on his features.
His serious expression was actually quite handsome—enough to make even someone like her, who wasn't obsessed with looks, feel her heart skip a beat.
While she was changing him, it seemed he was also twisting her in some way.
Deep down, Ichinose knew her mindset was strange.
Perhaps it was because she had always suppressed her desires, yielding what she liked to her younger sister and endlessly accommodating her.
It made her unconsciously restrain her own possessiveness too.
"Though it might not be my place to say this, no one exists who's willing to share everything. That's why I agreed to go on this date with Honami today."
Ichinose blinked in surprise as he continued, "It's not you accommodating me—it's me forcing you to accept all this. Today, let's just focus on our date and forget about them."
With that, Kaoru firmly led Ichinose toward the various snack stalls.
"Do you want to eat daifuku or taiyaki right now?"
Ichinose snapped back to reality and hugged his arm even tighter, slightly parting her lips as she stood on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek.
Then, while Kaoru was still stunned, she smiled nonchalantly.
"Hehe, I want taiyaki!"
Before he could say anything, Ichinose was already leading Kaoru toward the shop selling taiyaki, her movements so natural it was as if she hadn't just sneakily kissed him.
Not only was Kaoru caught off guard, but a few nearby students also didn't react in time before their eyes lit up with excitement.
What could be more thrilling than witnessing a handsome and beautifull couple sweetly flirting in public?