Chapter 473: Chapter 466: Prayer Talisman
"New Year?" Shirakawa Sawahei was caught off guard as someone hugged his arm and asked, a bit confused, "Why are you asking about that?"
"It’s just... there’s something important... Shirakawa, why are you dawdling? Tell me quickly~"
"I shouldn’t have any plans before New Year. After that, I promised Tachibana’s mother to visit the shrine with them."
"Xiao Mo’s mother?"
"Yeah, she showed up during the school’s three-way meeting and invited me to join them."
Tsukimi sakurazawa let out an ’oh,’ thinking to himself that other people’s mom is indeed just that — other people’s mom. His own mom would only backstab him without doing anything else useful.
"Shirakawa, didn’t I tell you last year during the festival... If you could go to the shrine for New Year, you should definitely accompany me..."
"Yes, yes, you did mention that... But Tachibana’s mother was so insistent..."
The whimpering monster sighed, sounding resigned but not giving up, "Fine, fine, I won’t fight with Xiao Mo... But since you ditched me first, consider what’s next as your apology to me."
Shirakawa Sawahei hesitated for a moment and tentatively asked, "Accompany for food?"
Tsukimi sakurazawa shook her head.
"Accompany for fun?"
The girl shook her head again, and the old rake’s face turned strange, thinking surely it can’t be to accompany for sleep...
"Shirakawa... can you accompany me to a place during winter break?"
He gave a slight ’huh’ and asked, "Are you going to participate in a competition?"
It’s not unprecedented. During junior year, Tsukimi sakurazawa had already gone to a district-level competition once, bringing home a silver award, which put the Calligraphy Club in the spotlight for quite some time. If it was for a competition, it would make sense to ask him to accompany her.
But December... doesn’t seem to have any major calligraphy competitions?
Tsukimi sakurazawa bit her lip lightly, her face slightly conflicted, "Well... it’s not a competition... it’s..."
"What’s up with you? You’re usually not this bashful."
The whimpering monster glared at him, as if his words had eased her tension somewhat, and coyly said, "I just want you to accompany me to get a very effective wish charm, as a birthday gift for Xiao Mo, what are you thinking, Shirakawa?"
"What kind of wish charm?"
"Academic success, you know, it’s senior year next year, we have to work hard. Besides, Xiao Mo doesn’t like expensive gifts."
"Oh." Shirakawa Sawahei replied, feeling a bit odd, "Isn’t your birthday also in January?"
The whimpering monster rolled her eyes at his words, her face full of grievance, "I thought you, heartless Shirakawa, had forgotten about me."
"Of course, I haven’t forgotten. What birthday gift do you want?"
"Who asks so directly? Other girls would be furious to hear you say that."
"You’re not other girls."
Casually replying, Shirakawa Sawahei suddenly noticed Tsukimi’s expression was a bit strange, so he couldn’t help but ask again, "What’s wrong? Not feeling well?"
"Ahem... No, it’s not that..."
The girl glanced elsewhere and pretended to be indifferent, "Anyway, you just think I’m not like a girl, don’t you, Shirakawa? I don’t really understand you? Hmmph... By the way... you never told me when your birthday is, did you? When I asked in junior year, you only said your zodiac sign, and in sophomore year you dodged it again..."
Shirakawa Sawahei was slightly stunned, feeling a bit guilty. He didn’t pay much attention to his own birthday, and previously, Miss Tachibana Tomoku even mentioned wanting to send him a cake on his birthday, but he inadvertently dismissed it. Even Little Transparent was probably too shy to ask Tsukimi sakurazawa about it, hiding this wish in his heart.
"Many boys really don’t care about celebrating birthdays. I just don’t like it."
"That’s for ordinary boys. Do you consider yourself ordinary, Shirakawa? The other students say you’ve built a harem in the Calligraphy Club."
"..."
"That’s slander." Shirakawa Sawahei said helplessly, "Why don’t you help explain for me?"
"You can’t clear up rumors easily."
Seeing the conversation veering more and more off-topic, Shirakawa Sawahei had no choice but to steer it back, "Nevermind my birthday, I don’t really care... You said you wanted to get an academic charm for Tachibana... In that case, I’ll get one too."
"Shirakawa, how can you plagiarize my idea!" The whimpering monster widened her eyes in shock, "This way, Xiao Mo won’t know whose blessing is more effective."
"Then I’ll get a peace charm, to keep Tachibana safe?"
"That works... Tsk, tsk, Shirakawa, always hiding your birthday like this, one day you’ll envy the gift I chose for Xiao Mo."
"There won’t be such a day."
"Humph~ your lips are so stiff."
The two of them made plans, and Tsukimi left, satisfied, to find her friends. Shirakawa Sawahei, once again, grabbed her hand.
"Wait."
"What?"
"You haven’t said what birthday present you want."
"Not telling. Shirakawa, you should put real thought into choosing for me! Just like the gift you picked for Koorikin before!"
"Then I’ll arrange a surprise party..."
"Please don’t..." The whimpering monster hurriedly stopped him, "I’m like Xiao Mo! I don’t like big fusses, just receiving gifts from good friends is enough..."
"This is hard... Reason with me, Tsukimi, I didn’t ask you to go through the trouble for my birthday, there’s no reason for it to be the other way around."
The girl sighed and said, "Really can’t help you... So listen carefully, I also want a wish charm, as for what to bless... Shirakawa, you just think about it yourself~"
Having gotten the specifics, Shirakawa Sawahei finally breathed a sigh of relief. A woman’s heart is like the deep sea, the whimpering monster is different from the lazy girl, the former, despite her tomboyish demeanor unlike a girl, in terms of picking gifts, is of course still easier compared to the cute little Ise Yu in the second dimension.
The second dimension, forever the god!
"Hmm~ Shirakawa?"
"What is it? Changed your mind?"
"Not at all..." Tsukimi sakurazawa leaned in a little closer, blinking her alluring eyes, and whispered, "You see, with this year’s gift, you’ve already almost given me two, yet I still don’t know your birthday to even say a word of blessing... Isn’t that not quite right? I feel a bit uneasy..."
"So?"
"Just tell me, your birthday. I promise not to tell anyone."
Shirakawa Sawahei thought for a moment, casually replied, "It’s not really a secret... Though my school records say my birthday is August 29th, my real birthday is a day earlier."
"Eh? That’s it?"
"What are you planning?"
"Nothing... just expressing my surprise... Here I thought your birthday was February 29th, that’s why it was so mysterious..."
Watching his genuinely honest friend, Shirakawa Sawahei felt a jolt in his heart, feeling slightly uneasy.
Tsukimi... isn’t planning to backstab me again, is she?