When Shiraishi Asuka realized Shikime Natsu had drifted up to her without a sound, her expression stiffened for a moment despite herself.
A thought flickered through her mind: hadn't he just been chatting with Nishikawa Ryouko a second ago? And now he'd already switched targets and turned his attention onto her that fast?
This guy… what on earth was going on with him?
Shiraishi Asuka hurriedly pressed pause on her phone, then slipped off her earphones and put on a smile as she spoke to Shikime Natsu.
"It's just a very ordinary song, Shiki-san has heard it before too."
Silently, she added a note in her mind: after all, this was a song Shikime Natsu had sung himself, so of course he'd heard it.
Putting it that way… didn't quite count as lying, did it?
Still… even after a little cover-up, Shiraishi Asuka couldn't hide the faint flush that rose onto that exquisite face of hers.
The redness was very, very light, so light you'd barely notice it unless you looked closely.
And for Shiraishi Asuka, this feeling was rather hard to handle. Yes, quite awkward.
After all, she'd just been secretly listening to Shikime Natsu's singing voice.
If Shikime Natsu found out… then wouldn't she be…
Her thoughts were in a bit of a tangle. She drew a deep breath, trying to calm the heart pounding away in her chest.
Watching her like this, Shikime Natsu gave a small laugh.
"I see."
His tone was light and easy, as though he hadn't picked up on anything odd about her at all.
Hearing that Shikime Natsu had no intention of pressing the matter further, Shiraishi Asuka let out a quiet breath of relief.
She lifted her head, those purple eyes fixed on Shikime Natsu, and took the initiative to bring up a new topic.
"By the way, Shiki-san."
"Hm?"
"I saw you together with Nishikawa-san just now. How come the two of you have already split up?"
She paused, a trace of curiosity flashing through those purple eyes.
Her tone was very natural, as if it were just an idle question, but in truth she cared quite a lot about the answer.
After all, when she'd glimpsed them from a distance a moment ago, the look on Nishikawa Ryouko's face had been rather delicate.
That kind of bashful expression wasn't something you got to see just any old time.
Hearing Shiraishi Asuka's question, Shikime Natsu smiled, then answered simply.
"Nishikawa-san's planning to get me a Christmas present, so she had me come along for reference."
At those words Shiraishi Asuka couldn't help a small blink of surprise, an incredulous look surfacing in those lively purple eyes.
She never would have imagined… that Nishikawa Ryouko could become this honest, straightforwardly inviting Shikime Natsu along to pick out a Christmas present?
Was that really something Nishikawa Ryouko was capable of doing?
Shiraishi Asuka looked at Shikime Natsu with a hint of doubt.
In her impression, Nishikawa Ryouko was a rather contrary girl. Even when she cared a great deal, she would absolutely never admit it out loud.
How could a Nishikawa Ryouko like that possibly be this candid? It didn't fit her personality at all.
That said, if Nishikawa Ryouko really did intend to give a Christmas present, then there was only one possible recipient: Shikime Natsu.
On that point, at least, Shiraishi Asuka was quite certain.
After all, ever since the Deserted Island, the relationship between Nishikawa Ryouko and Shikime Natsu had always been a delicate one.
And that bashful look on Nishikawa Ryouko's face just now, seen even from afar, was hardly the face of someone picking out a gift for an ordinary friend.
Shiraishi Asuka figured it probably wasn't that Nishikawa Ryouko had become honest of her own accord, but that Shikime Natsu had made her that way. She'd only caught a single glimpse, but judging by the personalities of both Shikime Natsu and Nishikawa Ryouko, she could roughly piece together what had happened.
On top of that, there were two bags in Shikime Natsu's hands, and when she'd looked over earlier, she distinctly remembered there being exactly two bags.
Nishikawa Ryouko had probably given one to Shikime Natsu as a thank-you, while the other had been strong-armed away from her by Shikime Natsu, yes, in some way that had left her thoroughly flustered.
But at least Nishikawa Ryouko's Christmas present had, in a manner of speaking, made it into Shikime Natsu's hands.
Thinking that far, the corners of Shiraishi Asuka's mouth curved up a touch. This guy Shikime Natsu… really was a bit of a scoundrel.
Of course, Shiraishi Asuka didn't call it out. She only gave a soft little laugh, then spoke.
"So that's how it is."
Then she paused, a sly glint passing through those purple eyes, and said to Shikime Natsu with a smile.
"In that case… I'll pick out a present for you too, Shiki-san."
"It's still awfully early, I know, but… on Christmas Day, Shiki-san, you'll be quite busy, won't you?"
Her voice was soft, laced with a teasing note, those purple eyes gazing straight at Shikime Natsu, a faint smile hanging at the corners of her lips.
Hearing her say this, Shikime Natsu smiled but didn't say much. He merely gave a light nod, then spoke to Shiraishi Asuka.
"Then let me thank Shiraishi-san in advance."
Shiraishi Asuka laughed softly, then winked at Shikime Natsu, a sly spark flashing in those purple eyes.
"So then… when does Shiki-san plan to give me mine?"
"My Christmas present."
"Shiki-san just said it, after all… that you'd prepare a Christmas present for me."
"You'll be giving Nishikawa-san a Christmas present too, right?"
Having finished, Shiraishi Asuka looked directly at Shikime Natsu with those purple eyes, her gaze brimming with expectation.
Watching her like this, Shikime Natsu couldn't help a smile, and he said to her,
"When Shiraishi-san gets her Christmas present depends on when Shiraishi-san wants it."
Hm?
Shiraishi Asuka gave a small start, a flicker of confusion crossing those purple eyes.
"Whenever I want it… I can have it?"
"Of course."
Shikime Natsu nodded, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening a shade.
"Since it's something I've promised, then naturally I have to follow through."
"And besides…"
He paused, those pale golden eyes settling on Shiraishi Asuka.
"Didn't Shiraishi-san just say it herself? That I'll be busy on Christmas Day."
"So… giving it early isn't out of the question."
Hearing him say this, Shiraishi Asuka's eyes brightened a little. She tilted her head, a playful smile appearing on that exquisite face.
"Then… if it's today, can I have Shiki-san's Christmas present?"
"Of course."
Shikime Natsu nodded with a smile, his tone crisp and decisive.
"If Shiraishi-san wants it, today works."
"Really?"
There was more than a little amusement in Shiraishi Asuka's eyes now.
"Really, of course."
Shikime Natsu spread his hands.
"I'm the sort who never tells a lie."
"That's good, then…"
Shiraishi Asuka laughed softly, then said,
"Then I'll… look forward to it, properly."
With that, Shiraishi Asuka lowered her head and took out her phone. She unlocked it, scrolled for a moment, then lightly tapped a few times on the screen.
A moment later Shikime Natsu's phone buzzed. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen. It was a message from Shiraishi Asuka.
He opened it and found an audio file. Shikime Natsu lifted his head and looked at Shiraishi Asuka.
Shiraishi Asuka met his gaze, a faint smile curving at the corner of her mouth.
"Shiki-san… won't you give it a listen?"
There was a note of anticipation in her voice.
"Sure."
Shikime Natsu nodded, then tapped the audio open.
The next second, sounds came through the phone, the sounds of various places around the school.
There were people's voices, the sound of wind, the sound of rain.
There was the rustle of leaves too, and the faint, indistinct toll of a bell from far away.
All these sounds wove together into a melody of their own.
It sounded rather nice, giving you the feeling of being right there in the moment, and every sound in it blended together in perfect harmony.
When it finished, Shikime Natsu raised his head and looked at Shiraishi Asuka, a smile touching the corner of his mouth.
"Not bad, right?"
Shiraishi Asuka blinked, those purple eyes full of expectation. If you measured this recording in Private Points, it was probably worth precisely nothing.
But to Shiraishi Asuka, these were sounds she had gathered herself. Most of the time what she collected were people's voices, but every now and then she'd collect other sounds too.
Shiraishi Asuka had thought about giving Shikime Natsu a present as well, and she'd started preparing quite a while ago. She'd put a great deal of care into this recording.
She had gathered those sounds bit by bit and then edited them together.
All so that one day she could give it to Shikime Natsu, and now that day had finally arrived.
"It's good. Shiraishi-san really put her heart into it."
Shikime Natsu nodded with a smile.
"That's good, then."
With Shikime Natsu's approval, Shiraishi Asuka let out a quiet breath, the smile on her face growing gentler.
"I did think about how to give you something special, Shiki-san."
"If it were just an ordinary gift, it probably wouldn't have left much of an impression on you, would it?"
Having said this, Shiraishi Asuka looked straight at Shikime Natsu with those purple eyes.
Watching that look of hers, the smile at the corner of Shikime Natsu's mouth deepened a shade.
"Thank you. I really like Shiraishi-san's gift."
At his affirming reply, Shiraishi Asuka smiled again, her expression turning bright and radiant.
But now that her gift had been given, Shiraishi Asuka wanted to see what Shikime Natsu would give her in return. Smiling softly at him, she slowly spoke.
"So then… what does Shiki-san plan to give me? I've already handed my present over to you, after all."
Hearing this, Shikime Natsu smiled. He didn't say anything, but instead mimicked exactly what she had done, lowering his head to pick up his phone and tapping a few times on the screen.
Before long, Shiraishi Asuka's phone buzzed too. It was a message from Shikime Natsu, and just like hers, it turned out to be an audio file.
Seeing him copy her own actions to the letter, Shiraishi Asuka froze for a moment. She hadn't done this on a whim, after all, she'd spent a long time preparing.
Yet Shikime Natsu had gone and chosen the exact same move. Surely he wasn't just sending her own file back to her?
Her gaze skimmed over the file size, and, well, it was different from the size of the file she'd sent him, so it wasn't the same one after all.
But then, what could it be?
Surely the two of them hadn't both been so perfectly in sync as to give each other sound as a Christmas present?
With a touch of puzzlement, Shiraishi Asuka lifted her head and glanced at Shikime Natsu.
"Shiki-san… what's this?"
"Give it a listen. It's the Christmas present I'm giving Shiraishi-san~"
Shikime Natsu smiled, his tone relaxed, offering no further explanation.
Seeing the anticipation in his eyes, Shiraishi Asuka too was caught off guard for a moment, but soon a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. Maybe the two of them really were in sync after all?
If that were the case, that would be rather lovely.
At the very least, for Shiraishi Asuka, Christmas presents like stationery or a scarf and gloves held no appeal for her.
Of course, if she did receive something like that, Shiraishi Asuka would still thank him sincerely.
Looking at the audio Shikime Natsu had sent, Shiraishi Asuka hesitated a little, wondering what sort of audio he could have sent her.
Would it be a song? Or maybe some kind of scary sound effect?
If it was Shikime Natsu, then at this moment Shiraishi Asuka found it a little hard to imagine what sort of audio clip he'd have sent her.
And just then, another thought suddenly struck Shiraishi Asuka: could this be a confession recording from Shikime Natsu?
The instant that crossed her mind, the finger she'd been about to press down with froze in midair. If it really was that, then Shiraishi Asuka wasn't quite prepared.
And besides… if it really was that, then wouldn't it be far too much of a surprise?
"Aren't you going to play it, Shiraishi-san?"
Shikime Natsu had noticed her hesitation, and he softly urged her on.
Prompted like this, Shiraishi Asuka knew she couldn't drag it out any longer.
In that case, there was nothing for it but to take the plunge.
Carrying such a tangled mix of feelings, Shiraishi Asuka opened the audio, and at that moment the intro of a certain song suddenly rose from the phone.
That intro sounded terribly familiar, and in the very next instant Shiraishi Asuka froze, because what came out next was, of all things, Shikime Natsu's voice.
If it had merely been Shikime Natsu's voice, that would have been fine. She'd said before that she liked listening to him sing, so his giving her this kind of present made perfect sense.
But… why, of all the songs, was it precisely the very one she'd just been listening to? And soon the audio reached exactly the spot where she'd been interrupted by Shikime Natsu and had hit pause.
"So, Shiraishi-san, do you like it? This Christmas present."
At that very instant, Shikime Natsu's faintly amused voice happened to sound out as well.
Shiraishi Asuka lifted her head to look at that face of his, and a flush crept up her cheeks at a visible pace, going from a light pink at first to a deep crimson.
Shiraishi Asuka felt her face burning, scalding hot, as though it were about to catch fire.
____
👻🔥Walnut-chan — Patre*n🔥👻
🔥 New history: Zenless Zone Zero: Rewriting Fate in New Eridu — now on The_Mikudayo
📚 Walnut-chan → 40 chapters ahead + you're funding the next translations
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone