Author’s note: I was prioritizing a different work’s publication and this paused. Resuming irregular updates! Also: important news in the afterword — please read to the end.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
A few days after Kyoto, I was alone at a giant mall some distance away — shopping for Kano’s birthday gift.
The kanji for summer (夏) in her name reflects her August birth; she’d be turning 19 soon. Suzuno is October (the cooling season — 涼 in 涼乃).
“Hmm — what to get…”
Gift-buying is not my strong suit. Last year I got her a fancy mechanical pencil for entrance-exam season. This year?
“And what about big bro?”
He always gave her a birthday gift but at the open campus he’d been fully torpedoed — was he still giving? In his shoes I couldn’t. His cold cleared up but his mood hadn’t. Suzuno was being devoted as ever — apparently he’s been rough on her. Worrying.
(He’s now exactly where I was when I learned Suzuno loved him. We’re unalike on the surface but identical here. Blood doesn’t lie.)
(Interfering would backfire — watching only.)
I wandered shops without finding anything that clicked.
“She’s a college student now — gifts for that life stage.”
(Plushies wouldn’t land. Mature gifts I don’t know.)
“How about this?”
“That is very much not happening — wait, why are you here?!”
Kano had materialized next to me. I hadn’t told her my plans, and even if I had, finding each other in this mall without arranging it should be impossible.
“Red-string-of-fate, looks like.”
“Not a believer normally, but today I am. Why are you here?”
“Shopping. This place has everything.”
(Same reason I came.)
”…What was that picture you flashed at me?”
“Oh, the bra-panty set?”
“That. Giving you that as a birthday gift would be straight-up harassment.”
(If a girl gave me lingerie I’d be deeply confused.) She smirked.
“I thought if Yuito picked my bedroom underwear it would be spicier. Sexy underwear to bear-print panties — I’m ready to wear anything.”
“Too many issues to count…”
(Why am I having this conversation in broad daylight? Also — she keeps trying to make me pick her underwear.)
“I’m going.”
“Hey, hey — abandoning your big sister?”
“I came to buy your birthday gift — being with you defeats the surprise.”
“Choose together? Surprise is fine but choosing together would be fun.”
“If you’re okay with that.”
“Decided.”
(Honestly easier to not pick wrong. She might steer toward something weird but she’s got some taste.)
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
Author’s note: The manga adaptation started today! Publisher Takeshobo (of Pop Team Epic), magazine WEB Comic Gamma Plus. URL: https://gammaplus.takeshobo.co.jp/manga/imadoki_gal/ — chapter 1 of the manga covers chapters 1-2 of this work. Monthly updates.