[Vol. 2] Chapter 40: Shopping Companion
I wanted my move to get off to a good start, so the next day I went out to tackle the mission from that women-hating AI.
I barely knew the Kiyosumi-Shirakawa area — not in this life or the last — so going out was also an exploration mission for me.
After about fifteen minutes of walking I was standing in front of what looked like a modern labyrinth spread across several floors, packed with shops, cafés, and people constantly coming and going.
I looked at the floating window only I could see.
[Mission: A New Beginning]
Objectives:
Buy new clothes.
Buy underwear.
Buy erotic lingerie.
Buy items for the new home.
"…"
I looked at the list again.
Then at the mall.
Then back at the list.
"Alright."
I took a deep breath.
"Worst things first."
If I did things in the right order I could get the most uncomfortable part over with and actually enjoy the rest of the shopping.
I'd bought underwear plenty of times at the supermarket or convenience store, but this time I wasn't just looking for plain basics — so I'd have to go somewhere specific.
A store that sells lingerie… erotic lingerie.
Just thinking about it made my cheeks feel warm.
"…"
I kept walking and rode a few escalators until I finally found a specialist store.
I stood in front of the entrance.
Mannequins dressed in different sets lined the windows, and racks full of every kind of garment filled the inside.
I swallowed.
"This can't be that hard."
I went in.
And immediately discovered that yes.
It was hard.
Very hard.
There were too many options.
Colors.
Designs.
Sizes.
Types I didn't even know existed.
"What on earth…?"
I picked up one item.
Looked at it.
Put it back.
Picked up another.
Compared them.
"Is this one normal?"
I looked at it again.
"I suppose so."
I started with the simple stuff.
A few basic pieces.
Nothing extravagant.
Nothing that would make me feel like I was entering an underwear competition.
Just normal things.
Perfect.
Normal.
Adult.
Mature.
I could do this.
"Do you need any help?"
I startled.
A sales assistant was standing right next to me.
"Huh?!"
"I've been watching you look at the items for a while."
"Ah…"
I smiled nervously.
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"You seem quite undecided."
"…"
That stung.
"There are just so many options."
The assistant smiled warmly.
"I can make some recommendations."
"Really?"
"Of course."
For better or worse, the girl was extremely efficient, and in just a few minutes she'd already found me several pieces I didn't even know I needed.
"This one might suit you too."
"Another one?"
"It's quite popular."
"But I already have so many…"
"You can never have too much variety."
"…"
Why did it sound like she was trying to sell me an entire collection?
In the end I had several items draped over my arm.
I looked at the small mountain I'd accumulated.
"Do I really need all of this?"
"A woman can never have too much lingerie."
"…"
I wasn't sure if that was professional advice or a sales strategy.
Then the moment came.
The part I'd been trying to ignore.
I took a deep breath.
"Excuse me…"
"Yes?"
"Where do you keep the…?"
My voice died.
The assistant tilted her head slightly.
"The what?"
"The…"
I looked around.
Nobody was too close.
Good.
I could say it.
"Erotic lingerie."
"Erotic lingerie?"
She repeated it with such clarity and at such an unnecessarily loud volume that I found myself wondering if she'd done it on purpose.
IF YOU WANT TO SHOUT IT, GO AHEAD!
"Y-yes!"
The assistant looked to one side.
"Ah…"
Pause.
"It's in the section at the back."
"Thank you!"
"Though I can also show you some styles."
"No, no need!"
Too late.
She walked me all the way to that section and spent several minutes insisting until I finally managed to convince her to let me choose on my own.
"Alright…"
I looked at the items.
"I just have to pick a few."
Easy to say — but my inexperience showed. The club provided the lingerie and outfits I wore there, so I'd never bought anything like this for myself.
I picked one up.
Studied it.
Tried to imagine how it would look.
"This one isn't bad."
I picked up another.
"This one too…"
I placed it next to the first.
"Although this one might suit me better."
I stood there thinking.
It was strange.
Before, I'd have done everything possible to avoid even thinking about something like this.
Now…
I actually wanted to pick something I genuinely liked.
Something that would look good on me.
…
I suppose I've gotten pretty used to this body.
"I think I'll take this one."
I picked up a second.
"And this one."
I looked at a third.
"But this one too…"
I sighed.
"Why do they have to make so many that look good?"
"Why not take both if you can't decide?"
I almost dropped everything.
That voice…
…
I recognized it.
I turned my head very slowly.
"…"
Yuuna was standing behind me.
"…"
"…"
My brain stopped working.
"Y-Yuuna?!"
She looked at me calmly.
"Hi."
"What are you doing here?"
"Shopping."
She held up a few items she was already carrying.
"What's strange about a girl being here?"
"N-nothing!"
"Then what?"
"Nothing!"
I tried to hide what I was holding.
Completely useless.
Yuuna raised an eyebrow.
"You're shopping too."
"…"
"Underwear."
"…"
"And lingerie."
"…"
"Interesting."
"Don't jump to any weird conclusions!"
Yuuna laughed softly.
"Relax."
Then she held up what she was carrying.
It was a fairly daring lingerie set — much more than I would have expected from her.
"I was looking for something for myself too."
I stared at it.
"That…?"
"Yes."
Then Yuuna's expression shifted completely.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
"What do you think? Would it suit me?"
"Why are you asking me that?!"
"Because you're my friend."
"That doesn't answer my question!"
Yuuna stepped closer.
Too close.
"We could try them on together."
"What?!"
Yuuna burst out laughing.
"Your face is way too easy to read."
"Stop messing with me!"
"Alright, alright."
She stepped back, still laughing.
Then she looked at what I was carrying.
"You don't seem used to this kind of shopping. What do you want it for?"
"…"
"Aika?"
"It's…"
"It's?"
"…"
Yuuna narrowed her eyes.
"Don't tell me…"
"What?"
"I forgot you were a pervert."
"I told you I'm not!"
"Sure, sure. Nobody believes you."
"Why does nobody believe me?!"
Yuuna laughed again.
"Because your reaction gives you away."
"That doesn't prove anything!"
"Of course."
She turned to look at the racks.
"Well, I'll help you choose."
"Huh?"
"I wanted to get some things for myself too."
She picked up one of the items and examined it.
"So I don't mind that you're a pervert."
"I'm not a—!"
Yuuna leaned slightly toward me.
And with a mischievous smile, whispered close to my ear:
"Because I am too."
"…"
I went completely still.
Yuuna pulled back quickly.
"W-well…"
She cleared her throat and looked away.
"Just a little."
"…"
I looked at her.
She avoided my eyes.
"You're red too."
"Shut up! You're redder."
"Yuuna!"
We stayed like that for a few seconds.
Until we both ended up laughing.
In the end, choosing was much easier with Yuuna.
"This one."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"And this one?"
"Yes."
"Don't you think this one would suit you better?"
"Me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Yuuna looked me up and down for a moment.
"I have an idea."
"I don't want to hear it."
"You'd look good."
"That still doesn't answer anything."
"Trust me."
"I'm not sure I should…"
She just smiled.
"Then I'll get this one."
"And that one?"
"That one too."
"But you said five minutes ago you didn't like it!"
"I changed my mind."
"…"
Shopping with Yuuna was definitely dangerous.
We ended up choosing several items for both of us.
After that, Yuuna looked at the bags I was carrying.
"Did you only come for that?"
"No."
"Then?"
"I need new clothes and some things for the apartment."
Yuuna's eyes opened.
"Oh!"
She smiled.
"You already moved."
"Yes."
"Congratulations!"
"Thanks."
"Then I'm coming with you."
"Huh?"
"To help with the shopping."
"You don't have to."
"I want to."
"But—"
"It's decided."
"…"
Since when had I lost the right to decide?
What followed was a genuine expedition.
First clothes, then shoes, then some things for the apartment.
Yuuna got me to try on pieces I never would have picked myself, and while some didn't work, others I ended up buying.
Time went by between fitting rooms, debates over colors, and some truly awful items that made us both laugh. We even got something to eat together.
When we finally decided it was time to go I was carrying several bags and felt genuinely satisfied.
"That was fun," I said with a smile.
Yuuna glanced at me and answered.
"It really was. Let's come back another day with Mei."
Her answer made me happy, though if possible I'd rather not repeat the lingerie section.
We kept walking as we looked for the exit, and then I saw him.
In the distance.
A heavyset man in a dark suit was making his way through one of the mall's corridors with several men beside him.
My smile disappeared.
"…"
My heart stopped.
"Aika?"
"It can't be…"
What is he doing here?
Hideki Onizuka.
The head of the Onizuka family. And the man whose son…
Well.
Whose son was supposedly going to be my husband.
My body reacted before my brain did.
"Yuuna, come here!"
"Huh?"
I grabbed her arm and pulled her into the nearest shop.
"What are you doing?!"
"Just come!"
"But what—?!"
We hid behind some mannequins.
Yuuna stared at me like I'd completely lost my mind.
I, on the other hand, was too busy trying not to peek out.
I'm hiding from my future father-in-law.
…
What kind of life is this?
I remembered that meeting at Black Lotus.
The serious faces.
The men in dark suits.
The conversation about the engagement.
And then Ryuji's words.
"You don't actually have to get married."
"…"
I breathed a little more easily.
Right.
I don't have to get married.
Ryuji made it clear that was more of a front than anything else.
Although…
That doesn't make running into him any less uncomfortable.
Since that meeting I hadn't crossed paths with any of them again, though Ryuji had mentioned I'd eventually need to attend an event to officially meet his son.
So what on earth am I doing?
What would Hideki think if he found me hiding behind mannequins?
I peeked out slightly.
They were still moving.
Maybe I should just act natural.
Yes.
That would be the normal thing to do.
But how do you act natural in front of a yakuza boss when you're supposedly the niece of another yakuza boss?
I stood there thinking.
Act like a yakuza woman?
…
What do yakuza women act like?
My imagination kicked in on its own.
I pictured myself walking through the mall in an impeccable black suit.
Dark glasses.
Hair pulled back.
A intimidating expression.
Hideki approached.
I raised a hand slowly.
"Onizuka-san."
"Shimizu-san."
"The weather is pleasant today."
"Yes."
"Have you eaten yet?"
"Not yet."
"Then eat."
"Thank you."
We shook hands solemnly, and behind us a group of men watched with respect.
"What a terrifying woman…"
"She's the future wife of the Onizuka heir."
"Silence!"
…
I blinked.
"No."
I shook my head.
"Definitely not."
Better to keep hiding.
I stayed crouched down.
Yuuna kept watching me with increasing confusion.
The men were getting closer and I just held my breath.
One.
Two.
Three seconds.
Hideki and his men passed right in front of the shop and kept walking.
I waited a few more seconds until they disappeared into the crowd.
And finally I could let out the air I'd been holding.
"Fuuuu…"
Yuuna straightened up slowly.
Then looked toward where they'd gone.
"Aika."
"Yes?"
"Those were also yakuza, weren't they?"
I froze.
"…"
"I knew it."
Yuuna looked at me with an expression somewhere between concern and confusion.
"Why were you hiding from them?"
"It's complicated."
"Are they looking for you?"
"Not exactly."
"Did you get into trouble?"
"Not exactly."
Yuuna narrowed her eyes.
"Don't tell me those are also your family."
"No."
Pause.
"Not yet."
Yuuna's eyes went wide.
"What do you mean 'not yet'?!"
"It's hard to explain!"
"What kind of answer is that?!"
"I'd rather they not see me!"
I smiled nervously.
Yuuna brought a hand to her forehead.
"I hope you're not getting yourself into trouble."
"…"
Not getting into trouble would be the strange thing for me.
I smiled with resignation.
"Don't worry."
"That's not reassuring."
"Sorry, haha."
After making sure Hideki and his group were well out of the way, we finally left the mall.
The cool afternoon air met us at the exit, and I could finally breathe normally again.
We walked together to the exit and stopped once we were outside.
"Well," said Yuuna. "I suppose this is where we split up."
"Yes."
"Will you be alright on your own?"
"Of course."
Yuuna watched me for a few seconds.
Then sighed.
"Alright."
She seemed slightly less convinced than before.
"I'd love to go snoop around your new apartment, but Mei would probably be annoyed if I left her out."
"Huh?"
Snoop? Mei? Well, that was pretty likely.
"…"
"We should have a housewarming party."
"A what?"
"A housewarming party. At your new apartment."
"No!"
The answer came out way too fast.
Yuuna blinked.
"Why not?"
"Because I've never had one."
"That's exactly why."
"I don't know how to organize parties."
"You don't need to know."
Yuuna laughed.
"We'll invite the club. At least the ones closest to you. It'll be fun."
"Why are you the one deciding?!"
Yuuna was already walking away.
"I'll message you later so we can figure out the date!"
"Wait!"
She turned and smiled.
"See you, Aika!"
"…"
I watched her go.
"She just organized a party for me without even asking."
I sighed.
"Unbelievable."
I didn't want to walk with all the bags so a little while later a taxi dropped me back home.
When I finally got there I went up to my apartment.
Opened the door.
Walked in.
Left the bags on the floor.
And leaned back against the door.
"Ahhh…"
I was exhausted.
It had been a very long afternoon. I just wanted to rest.
I closed my eyes and then it appeared.
DIING.
[Mission complete.]
"…"
I opened one eye.
The window changed.
[Reward: ¥30,000.]
[New mission available.]
"Well…"
I straightened up a little.
"I won't say I didn't see that coming."
Pause.
"Though for a moment I actually hoped you just wanted to congratulate me from the heart."
Another window appeared.
[I told you not to get confused.]
"…"
I stared at the message.
"How cruel."
Another window appeared immediately.
"…"
I looked up at the ceiling.
"Let's get this over with."