It was indeed expensive.
After all, this wasn't some mass-produced trinket bought at a thousand-yen street stall. The idea had first come to Minamoto Senya when he was hanging around with Hayasaka Aina, and he'd gone out of his way to buy it from a jewelry counter in a department store. It was said to be entirely handcrafted by an artisan.
The bracelet itself was made of platinum. The four-leaf clover charm carried diamonds no bigger than grains of rice, but according to the sales clerk—who had gone out of her way to be overly cutesy—they were all cut with the latest technique, each with more than fifty facets, ensuring that no matter what angle the light hit them from they would sparkle—kirakira!
Senya hadn't bothered verifying whether she was exaggerating or not. He just thought the bracelet was beautiful. When he pictured Yukinoshita Yukino wearing it on her wrist, it suited her perfectly. That alone had been enough for him to swipe his card without hesitation.
Two hundred ninety-eight thousand eight hundred yen. A while back, a purchase like this would have been a bleeding wound in his wallet.
But times were different now. For him at present, it was no more than a splash.
Watching Yukino carefully examine the bracelet, Senya propped his chin on one hand, smiling.
"Don't just keep staring at it. Try it on."
But Yukino shook her head, putting the bracelet back. Though she was clearly tempted, she still answered firmly:
"Sorry. I can't accept this."
Given her personality, he wasn't surprised…
Still, Senya feigned puzzlement.
"Why not? You don't like it?"
"It's not a matter of liking or not. As a birthday gift, this is far too extravagant. I can't accept it."
"So, in other words, you do like it."
"That's not the point."
"Honestly, it's not that expensive. Not nearly as pricey as you think."
"How much was it?"
The sharp look Yukino leveled at him practically said, Try lying to me and see what happens. Senya sighed helplessly.
Giving a gift was one thing, but why did she make it feel like an interrogation?
He had no choice but to tell the truth.
"A little over two hundred thousand."
Yukino's brows knit together. She immediately spoke sternly:
"And you don't think that's expensive? That's wasteful. You could have just gone to Muji or Mitsukoshi and picked out a bracelet. There's no need to spend this much."
If he dares to give me something this costly now, what will it be in the years to come?
"..."
Senya could only give a wry smile.
If she was already policing how he spent his money like this, what would the future be like?
"Yukino, listen… I'm not like I was before. I'm actually doing pretty well these days." Senya felt he had to tell her this much.
"That doesn't matter. It's still money you worked hard to earn. You should save it carefully—for the future, or for emergencies."
Her expression softened as she added:
"I truly appreciate that you remembered my birthday, Senya. That thought alone is more than enough. Thank you. But please, take the bracelet back. As long as it hasn't been worn and you still have the receipt, the store should accept a return."
Oh no. Even Yukino—the aloof snow cat—was showing the gentle, housewife-like side of a good woman.
Looks were one thing, but the kind of woman who had this virtuous nature… that was the hardest to resist.
Senya deliberately clicked his tongue, tapping his fingers rapidly against the table to show his "irritation."
Noticing his reaction, Yukino seemed to realize her refusal had upset him. Her own mood grew uneasy. Just as she was about to soften her tone to comfort him, Senya let out a small sigh and slowly nodded, as though conceding.
"…Since you insist, I understand."
Yukino let out a breath of relief.
She wasn't pretending to be modest—she genuinely couldn't accept a birthday gift worth over two hundred thousand yen in good conscience.
She could already imagine: if she accepted this now, Senya's gifts to her would only escalate in price year after year.
That path had to be cut off now.
More important than gifts was the fact that Senya always remembered her birthday. That alone was enough to make her happy.
But Senya wasn't finished.
"…However, this bracelet was made by hand. Even though I still have the receipt, when I bought it the clerk specifically told me: 'Handmade items like this can't be returned once they leave the store, unless there's some defect or damage.' I agreed at the time. So I'm afraid I can't return it."
He opened the box and laid the bracelet in his palm, as if to show his dilemma.
"And if you don't take it… what am I supposed to do with it? I'm a guy. It's not like I can wear a women's bracelet."
Her eyes were involuntarily drawn to the piece in his hand. Realizing it, she quickly masked it by lifting her glass for a sip of water.
"…You could give it to your mother. I'm sure she'd like it."
"I doubt it. The design is youthful, cute, and pretty—suits a young girl. My mom's beautiful, sure, but this doesn't really fit her age."
Cute… pretty…
Yukino's cheeks warmed. She turned her head toward the window.
"Then give it to Touka or Rokka."
Senya shook his head immediately.
"Not Rokka. She's careless—she'd lose it within a week. And Touka won't take it—she's busy taking care of Chiyo. Between bathing her and changing diapers, a bracelet would just get in the way. Worse, it might scratch her."
"Then… just hold onto it yourself for now."
It was a weak suggestion, and she knew it. But it was all she could manage.
Surprisingly, Senya nodded. He put the bracelet back in the box and closed it.
"We'll see. Anyway, do you have plans this afternoon?"
"No, nothing. Mother only asked me to be home before dinner."
"In that case, why don't we drop by Muji? It's nearby. I still want to give you a birthday present. Didn't you say I could just get you something from there?"
Muji was a chain store selling all sorts of household goods, affordable and plain.
The quality wasn't anything to brag about, but Yukino nodded without complaint.
She didn't think it was necessary—but she'd already refused him once. Refusing again felt wrong.
If Senya was this insistent, it was because he cared.
And that, in itself, was touching.
…
The two of them left the restaurant and walked side by side down the street.
Yukino had held back earlier, but now curiosity got the better of her.
"That 'we'll see' you just said… what did you mean? You're not planning to sell it, are you?"
"Hm?" Senya gave her a curious look, patting the pocket with the bracelet inside. "Of course not. Selling jewelry means losing a lot of its value. I was thinking of giving it to Utaha instead. Bracelets are meant to be worn, right? Better than letting it collect dust at home."
"?!!!"
Yukino stopped in her tracks.
Senya chuckled to himself, walking a couple more steps before realizing and turning back with a puzzled look.
"What's wrong?"
What's wrong?
How dare he even ask?
He drags me to a discount store for my gift, but then plans to hand the two-hundred-thousand-yen bracelet to that woman?!
But Yukino couldn't say such things aloud.
She was the one who had refused it. She was the one who'd said a cheap gift would do.
She'd built up her reputation as the considerate friend who worried about wasteful spending. Any trace of dissatisfaction now would contradict that. It was a hopeless contradiction.
So she could only purse her lips and force herself to stay silent.
"It's nothing. I was just asking."
Her words sounded like they were being squeezed out through clenched teeth.
And yet, the ever-observant Senya—the so-called master of reading the room—seemed oblivious to her obvious change of expression, even from ten steps away.
He didn't try to smooth things over. Still smiling, he simply led her into Muji.
Inside, the shop was lively, packed with young customers. There were plenty of students in uniforms among them.
It was only natural—Muji marketed itself as affordable everyday goods, so its clientele skewed young.
"The place smells pretty strong, huh." Senya sniffed as soon as they stepped in, catching the mix of cosmetics and sample perfumes.
"..." Yukino kept silent, simply walking at his side.
"But it's a bit much. The scent stings the nose."
"..." She still didn't answer.
Senya went on talking to himself. "Let's see, where's the accessories section… ah, found it. Yukino, come on."
"..." Go on by yourself, idiot.
"Check this one out. What do you think?"
Senya picked up a bracelet wrapped in thin plastic and held it out to her.
Yukino took one look, and her expression darkened further. The air around her grew cold, like the depths of winter.
The price tag read 790 yen. The workmanship was so rough that even without looking closely you could see the metal burrs left on the edges. It was obviously churned out by some cheap workshop.
To the refined Yukinoshita Yukino, this wasn't something she'd accept even as a freebie, let alone wear. Compared to the bracelet Senya had just offered her earlier, the difference was night and day.
"Not a fan, huh." Senya tilted his head, putting the bracelet back and scanning the shelves again. After a moment, he picked another one and held it out to her.
This one was pricier—over a thousand yen—and a little better in quality, but only barely. The design was still outdated and the workmanship crude.
Yukino couldn't even bring herself to look at it. Without a word, she turned and walked further down the aisle on her own.
Senya stifled a laugh. He knew he'd pushed her enough, but she still needed one final nudge. He quickly caught up to her.
"If you don't like the ones I'm picking, you can choose for yourself. Don't worry—the birthday gift's on me, of course."
"…That's not necessary."
"Oh, right. There's something I wanted to ask you…"
"…Say it."
"Well, isn't Utaha's birthday coming up soon? I was thinking—since you didn't want that bracelet earlier, I could just give it to her as a birthday present. Saves me the trouble of picking out something else. Just remember to keep this a secret, alright? Don't let it slip that I first tried giving it to you and then passed it on to her. That would be rude."
"!!!"
This time, Yukino was truly furious—so much so that her chest trembled, the blood rushing straight to her head. She couldn't hold it in anymore.
"I'm going home!"
She turned sharply to leave, but Senya, hearing the unusual tone in her voice, quickly caught her by the wrist.
"Let go of me." She kept her body facing forward, unwilling to turn back.
But Senya didn't release her. He moved to stand in front of her. Even though Yukino tried to turn her face away, avoiding him, he still caught sight of it—her lowered lashes trembling, as if she were on the verge of tears.
This…
"Yukino, you—"
"I want to go home."
She repeated herself. Though she widened her eyes in an attempt to project anger, a sort of I'm mad, don't mess with me energy, to Senya it looked nothing like that.
Instead, all he saw was a fragile, wounded Yukino, heartbreakingly pitiful.
"Go home? Come on."
At this point, letting her storm off would've been the dumbest thing he could do.
"Didn't I say I was going to help you pick out a gift?"
"I don't want it anymore."
"But I want to give it to you."
"Even if you give it to me, I don't want it."
Back and forth, the two of them volleyed such childish lines.
"…Alright, alright. Forget that for now. Just come with me."
People nearby were already starting to glance over, whispering to each other, entertained by what looked like a couple's lovers' spat.
Knowing Yukino cared deeply about her image, Senya didn't hesitate—he took her hand and guided her toward another section of the store.
Yukino tried to shake free, but not only did she fail, she ended up with her wrist held more firmly, his grip shifting into an unmistakable handhold.
Her emotions flipped again. The indignation melted away, replaced with a quiet, shy compliance. She didn't protest further. She let him lead her, wordless and docile, into the fitting room.
The curtain drew closed, cutting off outside eyes. A perfectly private space.
"Wh-what are you planning to do?"
In the cramped booth, just the two of them face to face, Yukino suddenly panicked.
Senya raised an eyebrow, let go of her hand, and gently pressed her shoulders, urging her to sit. Then he crouched down in front of her and pulled the bracelet from his pocket.
"Hold out your hand."
Seeing the teasing smile on his face, Yukino's eyes widened slightly. In that instant, she understood.
He'd deliberately provoked her earlier—just to bully her like this again!
Yukino puffed up with indignation, but the heavy, suffocating frustration she had felt moments ago had already melted away.
When she hesitated, Senya didn't bother with more words. He simply took her hand with a kind of overbearing ease and slipped the bracelet around her slender wrist.
Yukino's heart was a storm of contradictions. She turned her flushed face toward the wall, unable to meet his gaze, but she didn't pull her hand back either. Deep down, she was terrified—if she resisted too much, this bracelet she actually liked might really end up on that novelist she couldn't stand.
The bracelet clicked into place.
"I told you it was for you, and that's final. My taste isn't bad, huh? Looks good on you."
Senya let go, and Yukino lifted her wrist slightly, the four-leaf clover charm chiming softly against the chain—like a girl's secret feelings, impossible to hide.
Before she could say anything, Senya continued,
"I might've gone a little too far with that joke earlier. That part's on me. But you weren't exactly right either. If you like it that much, why not just accept it? Saying things like it's too expensive—are we really at the stage where we need to draw such lines between us? Think about it. Didn't your words just now feel a little too distant?"
He was still crouched before her, so that when Yukino glanced down, she was above him, as though she held the higher ground.
But in truth, the balance was reversed. Senya had downplayed his own misstep, while pressing harder on hers.
That push and pull—his easy rhythm, her budding affection already tilting the scales—left Yukino forgetting entirely how he had teased her. Instead, she found herself reflecting on her own supposed fault.
Even though, by any proper social standard, she hadn't actually done anything wrong.
"…Sorry."
After such a rollercoaster of emotion, she gave in with an apology. But it wasn't reluctant—it carried a lightness, even a faint sweetness.
Senya's expression stayed serious as he nodded, clearly satisfied with the outcome.
"It's fine. I forgive you. Just remember—if I give you something, accept it. If you don't like it, just tell me, and I'll swap it for something else."
"How could I be so rude as to reject a gift you put thought into choosing…"
Yukino murmured, her tone soft, her mood already back to the light, warm atmosphere from when they had first met earlier today.
Middle school Yukino, it seemed, was still quite easy to handle.
Senya noticed her eyes constantly drifting back to the bracelet, sparkling like little stars.
She really did like it. All that effort he'd put into picking it out had been worth it.
"The box too. Give it here." Yukino extended her hand.
"Why? Doesn't it look better worn than boxed up?"
"I don't mean to box it up. But the box is part of the gift too, isn't it?"
"…Fair enough."
Taking the bracelet case, Yukino carefully placed it in her bag, zipped it shut, and looked satisfied.
"Thank you for the birthday gift. I'm really happy."
"This year's been rough. Who knew giving a present could turn into such a circus?" Senya muttered.
Knowing he was indirectly complaining, Yukino, feeling a little guilty, replied softly, "Alright. I won't do that again."
With the matter settled, there was no reason to linger in the fitting room.
They walked out—first single file, then naturally falling into step side by side.
As they strolled past rows of glittering merchandise, Yukino suddenly recalled something.
"You mentioned that novelist's birthday is coming up. You're getting her a present too, aren't you?"
"Yeah." Senya nodded easily. Friends exchanging gifts wasn't exactly scandalous. Nothing to hide.
"What are you planning to get her?" Yukino tried to sound casual.
"Eh… haven't decided. It's been a headache."
This past year, gift-giving had become a real chore for Senya.
The simplest reason was his expanding circle of friends. Back then it had just been Yukino and Eriri—two birthdays a year to plan for.
Now the list was much longer.
Utaha, January 31.Tohka, February 15.Ai, April 2.Saeko, May 8.Kazusa, May 28…
Rikka was the only easy one. A quick trip to a model shop, grab some random, impressive-looking kit, and she'd be thrilled for days.
But the others weren't so simple.
Just thinking about it gave him a headache.
People envied those surrounded by beautiful girls, but the truth was—it came with its own burdens. You couldn't favor one over another. Everyone needed to feel cared for, and nothing could be perfunctory.
"As a light novel author, she must spend a lot of time typing, right? Maybe pick a gift along those lines," Yukino suggested after a moment of thought.
She wasn't that petty. Her sulk earlier had been because Senya teased about giving her gift to Utaha.
Now, this was simply a discussion about a friend's birthday present. A separate matter.
Of course, she still had a few subtle motives.
If the gift was related to Utaha's work, it would keep things practical, neutral—far from anything sentimental.
"Ah, that's a good idea. I've got it—she spends hours in front of a screen, that's rough on the eyes. A pair of blue-light glasses would be perfect."
Yukino silently compared the price of such glasses… nowhere near the bracelet on her wrist.
And besides, it was a very ordinary gift. Practical, clear in meaning, and not the least bit ambiguous.
Mission accomplished. She felt much better.
"Are you planning to buy them today? I could go with you," she offered.
Senya blinked, surprised. Then he nodded.
"If you don't mind."
"Of course I don't."
Though she did wonder—if, someday, she casually mentioned to Utaha that Senya's birthday gift had been chosen with her help… just how would Utaha react?
It would be fun to find out.
Neither of them noticed, in their shared good mood, how intimate their side-by-side figures appeared.
But from across the street, a long-haired girl saw it all.
"Um… Busujima-senpai?"
Her kendo club juniors, puzzled by her sudden stop, looked up at her.
Saeko Busujima blinked, then smiled.
"Sorry. Just remembered something. Come on, let's go pick out your practice shinai."
…