For Ringo, nothing made her feel happier or more at ease than being surrounded by people she was familiar with.
There was no need to mention her parents or Mr. Yamamoto next door. Even Yamamoto, whom she hadn’t seen for several years, had become someone familiar to her again, and that alone made her uncontrollably happy.
That evening, as everyone sat down for dinner, even Ringo’s mother couldn’t help asking,
“Why are you so happy today, Ringo?”
As soon as she said that, the other three also turned to look at her.
Suddenly becoming the center of everyone’s attention, Ringo froze for a moment. After blinking a few times and realizing what was happening, she became embarrassed.
“I-I am?”
“You are,” Yamamoto nodded. To prove his point, he pointed at her face. “It’s obvious.”
Instinctively, Ringo covered her face with both hands. Through the gaps between her fingers, a faint blush could be seen spreading across her cheeks.
She’s really happy… What happened?
Yamamoto couldn’t figure it out no matter how much he thought about it.
“It’s nothing,” Ringo said with a smile, her violet eyes curving into crescents. “I’m just really happy to be eating dinner like this with Mom, Dad, Uncle, and Takeshi. It would be nice if it could always be like this.”
After saying that, she lowered her hands and added sheepishly,
“I think I just said something really childish. Please don’t mind me!”
“Hahaha!”
Ringo’s father couldn’t help laughing.
“That really does sound like the kind of wish a little kid would make.”
“Dad!”
Ringo puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
“I’m an adult now.”
“Oh? An adult, are you?” Mr. Yamamoto raised an eyebrow. “Then how about having a drink with us?”
Ringo looked at the alcohol sitting in front of them and vigorously shook her head.
“No.”
Yamamoto placed a bottle of Calpis in front of her, teasing,
“Here you go, Adult Ringo.”
“Takeshi, not you too!”
“I’m acknowledging your status as an adult.”
That tone was no different from humoring a child.
He was obviously still treating her like a little kid.
Ringo didn’t say another word. Instead, she picked up a salmon roe sushi with her chopsticks and popped it into her mouth.
It’s so delicious… I’m so happy…
Until the Yamamoto father and son left the Shirakawa house, Ringo never found a chance to speak to Yamamoto alone.
He still hadn’t given her that spoiler.
After taking a bath and returning to her room, Ringo flopped onto her bed, absentmindedly kicking her legs against the mattress while sending Yamamoto a message on her phone.
Ringo: Hamster peeking out.jpg
Yamamoto: What’s up, little hamster?
He replied instantly!
Rolling over while hugging her phone, Ringo quickly typed back.
Ringo: You promised you’d give me a tiny spoiler today. Can I have it now? I’m going shopping for presents tomorrow! o(￣▽￣)o
Yamamoto: You’re going out tomorrow? Let me think…
Ringo: It can be something from your daily life or your job. Hint hint.jpg
Yamamoto: Hahaha, okay, got it.
After receiving Yamamoto’s reply, Ringo didn’t send anything else.
She lay on her bed reading while she waited. About ten minutes later, the phone beside her vibrated.
Thinking it was Yamamoto, she leaned over to check.
Instead, the message was from Satsuki Momoi.
Satsuki: Ringo~ Want to come hang out on Christmas?
Ringo: Is it a party? Alert hamster.jpg
Satsuki: Haha, you caught me! It’ll be my middle school classmates this time, plus my boyfriend! There’ll be lots of people, lots of fun, and I can introduce my boyfriend to you too~
Ringo: I can’t, I really can’t! QAQ There’ll be too many people… I’ll get scared!
Satsuki: But I’ll be there. If you come and end up feeling uncomfortable, I’ll take you home early, okay?
Looking at Satsuki’s message, Ringo understood what she meant.
She pursed her lips and thought for a while before replying.
Ringo: Satsuki, I know I wasn’t doing well for a while. You invited me because you wanted to keep me busy and help cheer me up. But I’m okay now, and I’ll slowly get back to normal. You don’t have to worry about me anymore. Besides, you’re meeting up with your middle school classmates. It wouldn’t be great if you had to bring me along and take care of me too. I’d rather you just enjoy yourself! Sending heart.jpg
Satsuki: Hehe, you figured me out! Since you put it that way, I won’t force you. Let’s meet up around New Year’s instead. It’s only a few days later anyway!
Ringo: Mm-hmm, okay! Have fun at your Christmas party!
Satsuki: You too! Have a wonderful Christmas!
Ringo: Mm-hmm!
After finishing her conversation with Satsuki, Ringo no longer felt like reading.
She thought about it seriously and realized that now, when she thought of Osamu Dazai, it didn’t hurt nearly as much anymore.
Love, relationships…
She’d finally let it go.
As she sat there absentmindedly daydreaming, the phone on the bed vibrated again, snapping her back to reality.
This time, it was a message from Yamamoto.
Yamamoto: I thought of something. Not sure if it counts, but my job occasionally requires me to attend important events in formal wear.
Ringo: Wow! Like a really handsome suit? Hamster amazed.jpg
Looks like Little Ringo didn’t just use cute emoticons.
She also had all kinds of adorable stickers.
…No.
Adult Ringo.
Yamamoto: Yeah, exactly that kind. Does this count as a tiny spoiler?
Ringo: It does! Broadening my horizons.jpg
Yamamoto: Hahaha. Then I’ll look forward to my Christmas present.
Ringo: Mm-hmm! (≧▽≦) I’m going to bed now. Good night, Takeshi!
Yamamoto: Good night.
The next morning, after letting her parents know she was heading out, Ringo left the house.
Besides Yamamoto, she also needed to buy presents for her family and several other friends.
She wandered from store to store at a leisurely pace, and before she knew it, afternoon had arrived.
For Ringo, shopping alone was actually quite enjoyable—as long as she didn’t run into overly enthusiastic salespeople who wouldn’t leave her alone.
Then she encountered a problem while shopping for Yamamoto’s gift.
Standing outside a high-end suit boutique, the socially anxious Ringo trembled.
She had never been somewhere like this by herself before.
Just looking through the window made the store seem incredibly upscale.
Even the employees inside looked elegant and intimidating.
She didn’t dare go in. QAQ
I should’ve asked Mom to come with me…
“What should I do…?”
She paced nervously in front of the entrance, debating whether or not to go inside.
She didn’t know Yamamoto’s clothing size, so she wasn’t planning to buy him a suit.
She had simply noticed various accessories for suits displayed through the window and wanted to take a look.
Who would have thought the very first step would stump her?
Just as Ringo was wavering between I’ll just grit my teeth and go in and Maybe I should just buy something else instead… QAQ, a gentle female voice suddenly spoke from behind her.
“What’s wrong? Did you run into some trouble?”
Ringo immediately froze.
Turning around, she saw a black-haired woman in professional attire standing behind her, looking at her with a politely concerned yet slightly puzzled expression.
“Ah, no, I…”
Ringo instinctively glanced toward the store beside her.
Unfortunately, that small movement, combined with the conflicted expression on her face, had already given away exactly what she was thinking.
“Do you want to go inside?” Anmi Sakurada asked with a smile.
Ringo looked embarrassed.
“I do… but I’ve never been to a place like this before, so…”
“I understand.”
Anmi nodded.
“I was exactly the same the first time I came to a place like this. But it’s just a store, and the staff aren’t wild beasts. There’s nothing to worry about. I happen to be going in too. If you don’t mind, we can go together.”
Feeling the kindness and friendliness radiating from the other woman, Ringo relaxed.
“Would that… be okay?” she asked tentatively.
“Come on.”
Following behind Anmi, Ringo had barely stepped inside before a sales associate came over to greet them.
The employee even thoughtfully took the shopping bags Ringo was carrying and offered to hold them for her.
“Miss Sakurada, the item you reserved has arrived. Shall I bring it over now?” the sales associate asked with a smile.
“In a moment. I brought you a new customer first.”
After smiling at the employee, Anmi turned to Ringo and lowered her voice.
“The staff here won’t pressure you into buying anything. They’ll only make recommendations based on what you need. Just tell them what you’re looking for. It’ll be fine.”
Ringo blinked.
“I don’t actually know what I need. I just wanted to buy someone a gift. He said he sometimes has to attend important occasions in formal wear, so I thought I’d come take a look.”
“I see.”
The sales associate who had been quietly accompanying them spoke at just the right moment.
“In that case, ties, tie clips, and cufflinks are all excellent choices. Collar pins and lapel pins work well too.”
Anmi also told Ringo,
“You can describe the person you’re buying for. They’ll recommend something suitable.”
What kind of person…
“About this tall.”
Standing on tiptoe, Ringo raised her hand to demonstrate.
“Really tall! And very handsome! He has short black hair, and his skin is… kind of tan? You know, a really healthy-looking complexion. He’s cheerful and very dependable.”
“That’s quite a glowing description.”
Anmi looked thoughtful.
“It’s your boyfriend, isn’t it?”
“Huh?”
Ringo jumped in surprise before hurriedly shaking her head.
“No! He’s a really good friend.”
After saying that, she hesitated.
She and Yamamoto… were really good friends, weren’t they?
The sales associate brought out several accessories for Ringo to consider.
At first glance, she fell in love with a pair of sapphire cufflinks.
The blue was pure and crystal clear, and paired with the stylish yet understated design, they looked fresh, clean, and effortlessly elegant.
They felt perfectly suited for Yamamoto.
“The price might be a little high,” the sales associate kindly reminded her after noticing that Ringo was still a student.
“It’s okay.” Ringo smiled. “He’s an older brother who’s always taken very good care of me, so I want to buy him a nicer gift.”
The sales associate asked politely, “Shall I wrap it for you?”
“Yes, please. Thank you.”
Ringo hurriedly thanked her before picking out a tie and a tie clip as well.
“I’ll take these two too. Please wrap them separately. Thank you.”
The sales associate took the items to the counter to wrap them. Just as Ringo was about to pay, Anmi stopped her.
“So? How does it feel after coming inside?”
Ringo smiled shyly.
“It really isn’t such a scary place after all. Thank you, Miss Sakurada!”
Next time, she could come here by herself!
“You’re very welcome.”
After paying, Ringo said goodbye to Anmi and left with all her purchases.
She had barely walked out the door when Anmi received a phone call.
“Yes, this is Sakurada speaking. Ah, certainly.”
“Please don’t mention it, Mr. Yamamoto.”
Carrying a pile of shopping bags, Ringo returned home, only to discover the house was empty.
Only then did she remember that her parents had told her the previous night that the company was holding its year-end party today, and both of them had to attend.
Her mother had originally wanted to take her along, but since Ringo had already planned to go shopping—and she had never been good at handling that kind of social gathering anyway—they hadn’t insisted.
“If you eat lunch while you’re out, you can go have sushi at Uncle’s place for dinner,” her mother had told her the night before.
Thinking of that, Ringo checked the time.
It wasn’t even four o’clock yet.
She could put away her shopping, rest for a while, and head over around five. At that hour, Take Sushi probably wouldn’t have many customers, so the timing would be just right.
With that in mind, Ringo tidied up the things she’d bought, then headed to Take Sushi around five o’clock.
Just as she’d expected, there were only two or three customers in the shop.
The moment Mr. Yamamoto saw her, he greeted her warmly.
“Ringo! Here for some sushi?”
“Yes.”
Ringo nodded obediently.
“Mom and Dad have their company’s year-end party today, so I came to Uncle’s place to fill my stomach.”
She looked around inside curiously.
“Huh? Isn’t Takeshi here today?”
The moment she finished speaking, a familiar voice sounded behind her.
“Were you looking for me?”
Ringo’s eyes widened.
She spun around and saw Yamamoto standing behind her with a smile. After speaking to her, he leaned into the restaurant.
“I’m back, Dad.”
“Were you out?” Ringo asked.
“I went to see a friend.”
Yamamoto rested a hand on her shoulder and gently steered her inside.
“Come on in. Here for dinner?”
“Mhm.”
Ringo nodded and looked up at him expectantly.
“I want to eat the sushi you make, Takeshi. You said yesterday you’d treat me!”
“Of course.”
Yamamoto smiled as he ruffled her hair.
“Give me a minute while I change.”
“Mhm!”
Ringo found a seat, and Mr. Yamamoto brought her a hot towel to wipe her hands.
“Thank you, Uncle,” she said obediently.
“Don’t mention it.”
Mr. Yamamoto waved it off generously.
“Just tell Takeshi whatever you want to eat. Now that he’s back, I can finally go take a break.”
Yamamoto had just changed into his work clothes when he heard that.
“Dad, are you slacking off?” he joked.
“You’re the one who suddenly ran off. That’s what I call slacking.”
Even after being scolded, Yamamoto wasn’t bothered in the slightest.
Walking over, he grinned at Ringo.
“So, what would the little hamster like to eat?”
“Sweet shrimp and salmon roe.”
“Didn’t you have those yesterday?”
“I want them again today.”
Ringo pouted.
“Can’t I?”
“Of course you can. Give me a minute.”
Ringo sat quietly, watching Yamamoto make sushi without blinking.
His movements were swift and practiced, and before long, the sushi she’d asked for was ready.
“Here you go.”
Yamamoto placed the small plate of sushi in front of her.
“Enjoy your meal, miss.”
The arm reaching toward her was long and strong, the faintly raised veins hinting at the masculine strength beneath.
“Thank you, Takeshi.”
Ringo pressed her palms together.
“Time to eat!”
“How is it?”
“It’s delicious!”
“Hahaha, that’s good.”
Yamamoto smiled.
“Did your shopping go well today?”
“It did. I met a really kind older sister.”
Ringo ate very slowly, and with her cheeks puffed full of food, she looked even more like a hamster.
After making several more plates of sushi for her, Yamamoto went to serve the other customers.
When he came back, he found that Ringo was still eating at the same leisurely pace.
Without saying anything, Yamamoto bent over and busied himself with something.
A moment later, an extra plate appeared in front of Ringo.
“Here. Complimentary.”
“Waaah—”
Ringo exclaimed in amazement.
“Takeshi, you’re incredible.”
Every slice of sashimi on the plate was exactly the same thickness, each one cut into a beautiful shape.
“Just basic knife skills,” Yamamoto replied casually.
He had been about to say something else, but remembering there were still other customers in the restaurant, he crooked a finger, signaling for Ringo to lean closer.
When she did, he bent down and whispered into her ear,
“If you ever feel like teaching your heartless ex-boyfriend a lesson, I can slice him up like this too.”
Ringo stared at him in shock.
But Yamamoto had already straightened up again, flashing her his bright, refreshing smile.
…Takeshi…
He was smiling so cheerfully while saying something absolutely terrifying!