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“This is…. Rather inconvenient, if you ask me” Yukina looked at herself in the mirror, and the sweater she was donning at the moment, especially the big happy cat face on the front. All while Lisa observed in delight.
“Come on, Yukina, you look so cute~” It wasn’t the first time, nor the last she would do something like this, “It’s getting colder and all your other sweaters look all the same!” Not that she went through her wardrobe, more than once.
“...” Maybe she should have accepted the offer from Aya to go shopping some days ago, “I’m not saying I don’t like it, but this is just…” The shades of red and brown were more akin to the bassist rather than the vocalist, ‘I don’t even know what I was expecting for a surprise after the birthday party was over…’.
“Please, you are saying this as if I wasn’t the only one with the idea” Taking a step towards the door, and opening it, a loud ‘thud’ was heard as Sayo hit the floor.
“...I have… an explanation for this” The teal-haired guitarist’s muffled voice against the floor made Lisa laugh rather loudly.
“Sayo, I thought you had gone already with everyone else” Instantly playing the cool card and faking ignorance about the sweater.
In a matter of seconds Sayo was back on her feet, holding in her hands a neatly wrapped box while also trying to keep up a cool demeanor, despite the visible blush in her face. Clearing her voice, she walked past Lisa, who gave her a curious look from the sideline.
“I took the liberty of letting Shirokane-san and Udagawa-san go ahead without me, as I had uncertainly forgotten about certain details I couldn’t get into with all five of us present”
“In other words, you were too embarrassed to give Yukina a present with everyone else here?”
“.....Imai-san please don’t put words in my mouth”
Yukina took the opportunity of the ongoing charade to remove the sweater and hide it inconspicuously in her closet. Or she would have if it wasn’t for Lisa grabbing her arm and dragging her in front of Sayo.
“Ahahahah~ Yu~kina~” The grip on the vocalist’s arm made her feel in danger, “It wouldn’t be courteous of you if you just ignored her, right?”
Yukina looked at Sayo, both being consumed by embarrassment of their own predicaments, with Lisa at the door to prevent any kind of escape.
It took a while, and several minutes of silence, before Sayo took the initiative by handing over the box, turning to face to the side and avoid Yukina’s judging glare. “If anything, it was Hina’s idea…”.
From behind Yukina’s back, Lisa looked as the silver-haired undid the wrapping and opened the box, eyes glittering and expression doing a half-turn when she pulled out from it a cat-eared-and-themed knitted hat which Lisa didn’t hesitate to put on the entranced Yukina’s head. Cue the photoshoot.
Sayo, on the part, side-eyed towards her leader, her blush shining in contrast to her pale skin. “I...I wanted to make a dog one, but I kind of… followed the wrong guide” Trying to find an escape route of the situation, she couldn’t simply tell the truth now, could she? ‘ I guess I now know how Ichigaya-san feels when Toyama-san is around… ’, “If it’s not of your preference then I can give it to Hi--”.
A pair of hands grabbed her head from behind, forcing her to look the way of the cat-lover, causing the guitarist to blush a bright red as the gyaru’s painted nails.
“Nee, Sayo~ What do you say?” Yukina was now donning both the sweater and the hat, with bliss and embarrassment mixing and stirring inside her, uncertain of how to even react, “Yukina~ is it good?”.
Moments later, the ambient calmed down for the three girls, now Lisa and Sayo ready to leave, Yukina saw them both to the entrance door.
“It’s not like I live too far, though~” Lisa laughed as she waved at her mother who was looking from the house next door’s window, “But I said I was gonna be home early today, so~”.
“It was a nice stay, I was glad I remembered about the present before it was too late” Sayo’s comment triggered Yukina’s soft side for a second, “But do not fret, Minato-san, I’m not forcing you to wear it if you don’t want” ‘ Although she does looks… eye-catching with it ’.
“Alright Sayo~ Let’s leave the birthday girl have her rest, tomorrow’s a school day after all~”
“That’s right, Minato-san, make sure to get proper rest, we still have practice to do”
With a smile and a light wave, Yukina gave a proper farewell to her friends. And once the vocalist was back inside her own home…
“That was good, Sayo~ But I wonder if you can best yourself for christmas?” Lisa wore a sly smile as she winked at her friend, slowly stepping away towards her home.
“Now that you mention it, Imai-san, that’s for reminding me I need to work harder” Parting in different ways, they both shared a final look at Yukina’s house.
“I won’t lose”
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Haneoka Girls School - The next day
Yukina sat idly at her desk, if someone got close enough, could probably feel the lingering smell of coffee coming from her, along noticing the badly put makeup to hide her bags.
“Is she… you know… alive?” Maya asked from the sidelines.
“Yukina-san!! Hello!!” Hina waved a hand in front of her, but got no response, save for a soft whisper resembling a cat’s ‘nyan’.