Rei returned home, his mind racing.
He couldn't show up empty-handed to Sera's house. The thought of disappointing her made him anxious. He needed to find a gift—something that would make her smile.
He thought about everything.
A teddy bear? "No, she'd think I'm treating her like a child."
A watch? "Too simple... not special enough."
A dress? "I don't even know her size. Asking her would be... weird."
He sighed in frustration, looking up at the sky. It was already 6 p.m., and the night was growing colder. Determined, he headed to the mall, hoping something would catch his eye.
For hours, he wandered through the stores, feeling more defeated with each passing minute. Nothing felt right.
Then something unexpected happened—snow began to fall.
The soft flakes drifted down, blanketing the town in a serene, white layer.
Rei stood still, watching the snowflakes dance in the air. A sense of calm washed over him. Then suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, almost like it had been waiting for the right moment.
"Maybe a scarf... yes, a scarf would be perfect."
He smiled to himself as he stepped into a store and found a cream-colored scarf. It was simple, elegant, and it reminded him of Sera's soft, light hair. It would look beautiful on her.
He held the scarf gently in his hands, imagining how it would look wrapped around her neck.
"She'll love it," he whispered, a quiet sense of relief settling in his chest.
---
Rei returned home, eager to show his sister what he had gotten.
"Hey, sis, do you think this scarf is a good gift?"
His sister, sitting at the table, glanced up and smiled teasingly.
"Depends. Is it for a girl or a boy?"
Rei hesitated for a moment, then replied,
"It's for a girl…"
His sister raised an eyebrow, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.
"Well, it depends if she's beautiful or not."
Rei's face turned red.
"She's... gorgeous. Now, will you just tell me if it's a good gift or not?"
His sister chuckled and teased,
"Oh my, my little brother's got a crush. It's cute…"
Rei groaned, his face turning even redder.
"It's not like that! She's just a friend! Can you just tell me if the scarf's good or not?"
She smirked and nodded.
"Yeah, yeah. It's a great gift. Now let me eat my dinner in peace."
---
Rei stood there for a moment, staring at the scarf in his hands. He felt a rush of excitement and nervousness mixed together.
Despite the buzz inside him, Rei couldn't fight his exhaustion. The day had drained him. Eventually, he laid down to sleep—but even as his eyes closed, his mind raced with thoughts of Sera and the scarf.
The next morning, he woke up, and time seemed to crawl.
It was like the world had decided to stretch every moment into infinity.
Every tick of the clock felt like a drag.
His excitement was real, but the wait felt unbearable—the anticipation of seeing Sera, of giving her the scarf—it was driving him crazy.
"Just a few more hours," he muttered, staring at the clock.
But every second felt like it took forever.
---
– To be continued
~Rei