On the way back, they passed Take Sushi, and Yamamoto deliberately stopped to take a look. Sure enough, the shop was already locked.
“Looks like my old man already went to your house,” Yamamoto said as he rejoined Ringo and the two of them continued toward the Shirakawa residence. “I thought he’d wait for me so we could go together.”
Ringo smiled faintly.
“Every time I come home, my parents invite Uncle to have dinner with us. He always goes over early.”
“Really?” Yamamoto scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “I’m not home very often, and I don’t keep in touch with my old man that much, so I had no idea. Now that you mention it, I suddenly remembered that when I called him last Christmas, he did say he was at your house.”
“That’s right.” Ringo nodded. “Last year, my school didn’t start winter break until a little later than this year, so I only came home on Christmas Day. Uncle spent Christmas at our house.”
“I see.”
Yamamoto nodded before flashing her a bright smile.
“Thanks to you and your parents. Really, thank you.”
“Huh?”
Hearing Yamamoto suddenly thank her left Ringo flustered.
“Um… you don’t have to thank me. I didn’t do anything!”
“I do.”
After saying those words in an unusually earnest tone, Yamamoto returned to his usual cheerful smile and gently patted her on the head.
“Alright, let’s go.”
“Mhm!”
For some reason, Ringo suddenly found herself in a much better mood as she obediently walked beside him.
“Uncle said he’s making my favorite sushi tonight. I can’t wait!”
“Then how about next time I make sushi for you?”
“Okay!”
When they got home, Yamamoto handed the things they had bought to Ringo’s mother, who couldn’t help teasing her daughter.
“You’re already grown up. How come you’re still making Takeshi carry your shopping?”
Before Ringo could explain, Yamamoto spoke first.
“My old man asked me to go with her. I was just helping her carry everything. Is there anything I can help with, Auntie?”
“No, no.”
Ringo’s mother waved him off and gently ushered him out of the kitchen.
“Go have some fruit with Ringo. While you two were out, your father and Uncle already decided they’d be cooking dinner tonight.”
“Oh?”
Yamamoto looked pleasantly surprised.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had Uncle’s cooking.”
Ringo tilted her head up to look at him.
He was so tall that she always felt if he stood up completely straight, he’d probably bump his head on the kitchen doorframe.
Noticing her silently staring at him, Yamamoto asked,
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Ringo shook her head before poking her head into the kitchen.
“Uncle, did you bring the sushi I wanted?”
“Of course!” Yamamoto’s father answered in his hearty voice. “Our Ringo placed a special order, didn’t she? I brought the freshest ingredients. You’ll get to eat as much as you want.”
“That’s awesome!”
After shooing Yamamoto and Ringo out of the kitchen, Ringo’s mother received a phone call and went into the bedroom for a long chat.
Ringo led Yamamoto into the living room. After they sat down, she picked up the remote and started browsing through the TV channels.
“Takeshi, is there anything you want to watch?”
Yamamoto casually picked up an orange from the table and began peeling it.
“Anything’s fine.”
“Then I’ll just pick something. If you see something you like, tell me and I’ll stop.”
“Sounds good.”
Ringo quickly settled on a program, and Yamamoto handed her the peeled orange.
When she accepted it, she noticed that he’d even removed every last bit of the white pith.
“Thanks, Takeshi!”
“Don’t mention it.”
While Ringo ate her orange and watched TV, Yamamoto took the opportunity to check his phone.
The Vongola group chat had been active while they were out shopping, but he hadn’t had time to look at it. When he finally opened it, he discovered everyone was talking about Christmas—and they still hadn’t stopped.
Yamamoto: Speaking of Christmas, I have a question for you guys.
Tsunayoshi: Huh? What is it? Something about Christmas?
Yamamoto: What kind of Christmas present is good for a girl?
Tsunayoshi: …A present for what???
Gokudera: Tenth Boss, he said a girl! Don’t tell me you’ve secretly gotten yourself a girlfriend?!
Ryohei: YAMAMOTO!!! REALLY?!
Yamamoto: No, it’s for the girl next door.
Chrome: What a shame. Sigh.jpg
Yamamoto: Hibari probably has more experience with this, right? @Hibari
Chrome: ? You’d better tell me you tagged the right person, or the Vongola is doomed. Though I suppose that would actually be a good thing.
Tsunayoshi: Mukuro, stop suddenly logging into Chrome’s account!
Yamamoto: I did tag the right person. Doesn’t Hibari give presents to Senior Sakurada? She said so herself.
Tsunayoshi: Has it occurred to you that Senior Sakurada probably bought them herself with Hibari-senpai’s money and then counted them as gifts from him?
Hibari: Is there a difference?
Lambo: Ask me! I have experience! Why isn’t anyone asking me?! I give I-Pin a present every year!
Yamamoto: Hahaha. Then what kinds of presents do you give I-Pin?
Lambo: Lots and lots! Hair clips, chocolate, dolls! She loves all of them!
Yamamoto: Those all sound nice, but the person I’m buying for isn’t a little kid.
Lambo: Didn’t you say on Halloween that you bought candy for another little kid too? Isn’t it her?
But she probably didn’t want to be treated like a little kid anymore.
Thinking that, Yamamoto couldn’t help turning to glance at Ringo beside him.
She was watching television intently.
One hand held the peeled orange he’d prepared for her, while the other slowly lifted segment after segment to her mouth.
She was wearing a white rabbit-fur sweater that made her look soft and fluffy, but it also fit closely enough to accentuate the gentle, graceful curves of her figure.
Perhaps sensing his gaze, Ringo turned her head.
After meeting his eyes for a few seconds, she smiled softly and held the orange out toward him.
“Takeshi, do you want some?”
“No, you eat it.”
Yamamoto shook his head and looked away.
She really wasn’t a little kid anymore.