By the time Karuizawa finished crying, Yukio gently released her. His tone was markedly softer than usual—gone was any trace of his typical, imposing manner. "Take a look," he said. "See if it's to your liking?"
"May I?" Karuizawa asked, her eyes still a little puffy but her demeanor clearly much brighter. She asked politely, but her hands were already pulling apart the elaborate bow on the gift bag, which made Yukio grin inwardly.
Once the bow was undone, the contents of the bag became visible: two high-end lipsticks, Gucci's Memoire d'une Odeur gardenia perfume, plus a "girly" foundation and a few other makeup items.
The reasoning behind this choice was simple. First, regardless of quality or brand reputation, the packaging of these cosmetics would be eye-catching to a young woman. Gucci, being a luxury brand, had sophisticated designs sure to appeal to a girl's taste. Second, from his observations, Karuizawa loved shopping and cute, fashionable items, so even though he couldn't take her out shopping at the Mall today, a present from a luxury counter would likely fit her preferences. Lastly, while Gucci hadn't heavily invested in advertising its makeup line, the products in that set far surpassed the usual Dior or Chanel fare in terms of overall quality—making it a solid, elegant choice.
Karuizawa stared at the items with wide-eyed disbelief, as if her eyeballs might tumble right into the gift bag. She quickly shut it again, only to yank it open a second later with such force that Yukio worried she might tear the bag. Fortunately, its sturdy, calf-leather material held up, displaying its premium craft.
"This… isn't it way too expensive?" Karuizawa breathed, struggling for words. She loved shopping, so she knew how many private points this kind of set must have cost. Typically, when she and her girlfriends went window-shopping, they'd only look at such items, rarely able to afford them.
"So long as you like it," Yukio answered nonchalantly. He needed thirty billion points someday to unseat the director, but spending private points on a gift hardly mattered in the grand scheme.
Karuizawa was still holding the gift bag in one hand, while awkwardly hiding a small bag of her own behind her back with the other.
"What about mine?" Yukio teased, spotting her attempt to hide it. He circled around her in a swift motion, taking the small bag from her hand before she could resist.
It was nothing fancy—no elegant bow, no designer wrapping. He opened it to discover a neatly folded handkerchief on top, and on that rested a tiny white deer—a lapel pin of sorts. Typically, it would be fastened to the left lapel of a men's jacket, adding a refined touch.
This tiny deer had a rudimentary shape that had been formed by meticulously winding white thread, stitch by stitch. It was obviously a labor of love.
Karuizawa grew self-conscious. "I know it looks sort of plain. Next time I'll give you something better. I just… when I thought about a gift for you, I realized there's nothing you can't buy on your own. So I tried to make something by hand…"
In her eyes, the difference between her homemade gift and the lavish Gucci set was enormous, and guilt tugged at her for not matching him in extravagance.
"It's perfect," Yukio said. He lifted the pin, admiring the lifelike shape of the small white deer. It gave off a gentle, woodland feeling. The back had a modern butterfly clasp, easy to attach to any lapel.
"Compared to something lovingly handmade, my store-bought gift hardly means anything, wouldn't you say?" he added.
Karuizawa's face lit up, relieved at his delight. She'd been clumsy and slow, spending half a month laboring over every stitch. "Really?"
Yukio understood this was how girls thought. Even though it was indeed all her time and effort poured into a heartfelt present, she still felt the need to double-check. Like Shiina, Karuizawa found reassurance in hearing him say it aloud. He nodded, quietly firm: "I'll use this pin often." He didn't say "treasure it," because given the effort she'd put into making it, it deserved to be worn for as long as it lasted. Once the threads began to fray, he could always refurbish it and keep it safe.
"Hee hee… Let's build a snowman, then!" Karuizawa said, a sense of excitement coloring her voice. "It rarely snows like this—might as well enjoy it!"
Yukio was happy to indulge her. While many students headed for the bustling Mall, these two started rolling together lumps of snow in the quiet grove, piece by piece, until they formed a small snowman. The snow wasn't very thick, so they made only a petite figure instead of a life-sized one. Even so, the simple act gave them a moment of sweet leisure.
Though his hands felt slightly chilled, it was oddly relaxing—less about building the snowman itself, and more about the simple joy of sharing time with her. Karuizawa, on the other hand, kept huffing warm air into her cupped palms, all while giggling and talking, her face glowing with delight as they played in the snow.
Yukio, seeing her fingers red from cold, instinctively scooped them between his palms to warm them. She immediately blushed, shifting her gaze away. "N-never mind that—if we still have time, let's, um, build another one?"
Her attempt to change the subject was obvious, but it made him laugh. "Sure. How about we make two more: one for you, one for…a child." Ever since he'd talked with Shiina about a possible future family, he'd realized that occasionally hinting at "the future" with a girl could make her extraordinarily happy.
Sure enough, Karuizawa's cheeks grew an even deeper shade of pink, and the cold that had turned her fingers numb a moment before was instantly replaced by internal heat. Child? Her mind spun at the implication—their child, presumably. 'Even if it was just snowmen representing a family of three, oh my, how embarrassing…'
And yet… why did it make her so inexplicably happy?
Not long after, two small snow figures stood side by side with a tiny one in between—a perfect little "family." Seeing it, Yukio unclipped the lapel pin Karuizawa had given him and pressed it into one of the snowman's middles. "There," he said quietly.
Karuizawa, inspired, looked around for something symbolic of herself to decorate the other snowman. Lacking any such item, she hesitated, then took a breath, extended a finger, and traced a shallow line across its abdomen. A faint groove remained on its snowy surface.
"H-Hey…?" he asked in a mild tone, recognizing that mark. It symbolized the surgery scar on Karuizawa's stomach.
She shook her head to show she was fine, gazing at the line in the snow with a soft smile. "That's me… Something only I have, that Shiina-san doesn't." She said it half-jokingly, as though still a little jealous, but her eyes shone with a renewed, liberated energy.
"And… there's something else I want to tell you. Thank you, for letting me face my past, for helping me break free from that darkness. For giving me a new life." Her eyes gleamed with a youthful radiance that had once been snuffed out by bullying.
Yukio knew exactly what he should do. Faced with that brilliant grin and the warm lights in her eyes, words were unnecessary. He pulled her in and kissed her strongly, banishing the chill of winter air as a fierce gust whisked past, carrying away any final pretense of secrecy. The skies, as if to preserve their private moment, let the clouds drift over the sun, shading the pair from prying eyes. Only the silent, snowy grove bore witness to this tender scene.
***
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