Seishun Buta Yarou Series - Volume 13 - Chapter 2.5

5

“Santa buys presents in Motomachi?”

Miniskirt Santa was walking in front of Sakuta, the heels of her boots clicking.

They were in a shopping area in Motomachi, Yokohama. No arcade overhead, just open skies. When the Port of Yokohama had first opened to international ships, the nearby areas—Yamashita and Yamate—had been converted into foreign residences, bringing business to Motomachi.

For that reason, many of the buildings here still showed traces of period Western architecture.

The shopping area retained that old-timey vibe, playing up the blending of cultures that took place then.

Here, you’d find ancient shops in business since Motomachi was founded right next to shops that had only just opened. The new mingling with the old. In a sense, this town had always been a cultural melting pot.

This place would be teeming on a weekend, but at noon on a weekday, crowds were sparse.

The miniskirt Santa walking around was glaringly out of place.

But of course, no one paid Touko any attention. No one noticed she was there.

The girl herself was way past caring. If she found a promising shop, she waltzed right in.

Her first choice sold casual clothing and household goods. She followed that up with a place that sold alligator-mark sportswear. Then two American fashion boutiques, followed by three menswear stores.

She looked at one thing in each place.

Men’s scarves.

Sometimes she turned Sakuta into her mannequin, testing one out, checking the color against his clothes. A smile playing around her lips, like she was a little carried away. Like she was picking out a gift for her boyfriend.

After an hour and a half of this, she went back to one of the American boutiques and purchased a bright-orange scarf.

“Buy this for me,” she said, handing it to him.

“Is that the end of Santa Claus’s demands?”

“I’ve got one more place to visit, so get a move on.”

Sakuta took the scarf from her.

“You want it gift wrapped?”

“Please,” Touko said, her back already to him.

The scarf purchased, Sakuta went outside to find her sitting on a bench across the street, legs crossed. The winter air and Motomachi’s vibe worked weirdly well with the Santa Claus outfit.

“Here,” he said, handing Touko the scarf.

“Thanks,” she said, standing up as she took it from him. “Next.”

With that, she walked away, going one block off the main drag. She moved past a French restaurant famous for their fondant au chocolat. Farther down the road was a bakery so old they’d been the first in the area to start selling bread by the loaf.

Turning left there would take them back to the main street, but Touko went right, into the hills of Yamate.

They went up a gentle flight of stairs, along the foreign cemetery, moving steadily uphill. They passed the Yokohama Local Meteorological Observatory and beyond. There were lots of Western-style buildings in this area.

“How far are we going?”

“Almost there.”

“You say that, but we’ve been walking a good ten minutes.”

“Only seven or eight.”

“That’s basically ten.”

“Look! We’re here.”

She spun around, directing his attention to the white manor beside them. The exterior was decked out like a storefront, the decorations and vibe screaming Christmastime. There was a large white dog in the garden next door, but no signs of any reindeer.

“Looks like the house where Santa lives.”

It was exactly that sort of store. There was even a board hanging by the entrance showing a countdown to Christmas Day. It was only January, but clearly they couldn’t wait.

“You might be half-right,” Touko said, opening the door and stepping inside. It looked like a store—and seemed like one. Sakuta followed her in, unsure why they were here.

His first impression—

Well, probably everyone thought the same thing.

It was like stepping into a winter wonderland.

Santa Claus dolls, stuffed reindeer, snow globes with Christmas trees inside. Snowmen wearing Santa outfits. Christmas cards all over the walls. Left, right, on the floors and ceiling—everything was coated in Christmas.

In this one place, Touko’s miniskirt Santa outfit looked like normal attire. Sakuta’s clothes felt wrong.

“We’re looking for a tin reindeer. Palm size.”

That wasn’t quite finding a needle in a haystack, but finding one reindeer in a Christmas forest was still a tall order.

“In here?” he asked, aghast.

Touko ignored him, diligently searching, herself.

“Reindeer…reindeer…tin reindeer…,” Sakuta muttered, scanning the vast array of Christmas merch.

“Looking for anything in particular?”

A staff member had emerged from the back.

“Do you have any tin reindeer?”

“Oh, I think I know what you mean.”

That was easier than he’d thought. The man waved Sakuta farther in.

“Quite a few people have come here for these lately.”

He plucked a reindeer from the shelf and deposited it on Sakuta’s palm.

“Are they trending?” Sakuta asked.

“You tell me,” the man said, shrugging.

There was an awkward silence.

Sakuta showed Touko the reindeer, and she nodded.

“I’ll take it,” he said.

“The register’s this way.”

He left Touko there, following the man. He paid for the reindeer and had them wrap it. Would this be another of Santa’s presents?

“Come by again!” the man said, seeing him out of the shop with a smile.

What a warm, welcoming place.

“Here’s your reindeer,” he said, holding out the bag. Touko took it but offered him the bag with the scarf in it.

“Is that for me?”

“Give it to Takumi.”

“Shouldn’t you be there with me?”

“……”

She stopped in her tracks.

“It’s Fukuyama’s birthday, right?”

“……”

“That’s why you picked this date?”

“No point in me going. Takumi can’t see me.”

“Maybe he will today.”

“I’ve tried several times.”

“Today might be different.”

“It’s none of your business,” she snapped, getting annoyed.

“It is. You’ve made it mine.”

“You asked for it.”

Touko’s glare was pushing him away.

He didn’t let her.

“I want you to quit this whole invisible thing and tell the world you’re Touko Kirishima,” he said, getting a bit worked up himself.

“For your girlfriend’s sake?”

“You know there’s still people out there who believe Mai is Touko Kirishima.”

“So why should I have to do anything for you and your girlfriend?”

“Because being Touko Kirishima is what you most want.”

“……”

“Our goals are aligned.”

Touko pursed her lips. No answer, again. That showed she was wavering. Proved she hadn’t yet given up.

“Lend me your phone. You’ve got Fukuyama’s number, right?”

“……”

“You bought a present because you’ve still got hope.”

“……”

“The scarf he’s wearing now is one you gave him, right?”

The new one was a similar color.

“The first birthday present I gave him after we started dating. It’s all worn out. He should just replace it.”

“It’s a gift from his girlfriend, so it’s important to him.”

“He can’t even see me.”

“Save your gripes for the man himself.”

Sakuta held out his hand, waiting for her phone.

“……”

Touko’s eyes were on his palm. Wavering. Part of her wanted to hope, but that was balanced against fears of having those hopes dashed again.

She hovered like that for a solid thirty seconds.

“…Fine,” she said.

He could barely hear her.

But she plopped her phone on his hand.

Sakuta opened the address book.

And dialed the number under Takumi.

He held the phone to his ear, listening to it ring.

The first call didn’t go through.

“……”

Takumi still didn’t pick up on the second.

“……”

Touko’s eyes were on him, expectant, tense.

He finally got a different result on his third attempt. A crackle on the line, and a moment later, “Yes?”

Takumi sounded dubious.

He couldn’t perceive Nene, so he wouldn’t know this was her number. He likely had no clue who was calling.

“Ah, Fukuyama? It’s me, Azusagawa.”

“Huh? Hah? Why?!”

Why was he calling from a cell phone?

Why did he know Takumi’s number?

He could imagine both questions swirling through the man’s mind.

But if he tried explaining that, the sun would set before they got to the point.

“Not important.”

“It is, though?!”

“Fukuyama, you out and about? I’m hearing crowd noise.”

“I’m at Kamata Station. Keikyu Line.”

The PA announced the arrival of a train bound for Sengakuji.

“Why Kamata?”

“’Cause I’m transferring to a train heading to Haneda. I’m going to the airport.”

“Back to Hokkaido?”

“Yep. I’ve got some stuff going on.”

He clearly didn’t wanna talk about it.

“So what do you want, Azusagawa?” he asked, before Sakuta could pry.

“You got time left?”

“I’m running early, so I have an hour till my flight.”

“Then wait in the airport. Got something for you.”

“Huh? What the—? You’re scaring me here, man!”

“Fukuyama, you said it’s your birthday, right?”

“It is.”

This seemed to rattle Takumi even more. Sakuta understood that. Had their positions been reversed, he probably would have felt the same.

“I’m actually a stickler for these things, so I got you a present.”

“Okay, fine. I’ll hang out in the airport departure lounge. Terminal 2.”

“I’ll be there. See ya later.”

There was no time to waste, so he hung up.

“Haneda Airport,” he said, and Touko returned a soft nod.