Even if you're a corrupted magical girl, you still have to try to redeem yourself.

Nishio Reki still had a slight, uncontrollable stutter when he spoke, but he was much more confident.

"Well then, Xiaoyuan, wait for me here... I... I want to give Xiaoyuan a surprise."

Although Nishio Reki said that, actually choosing one is even more difficult.

What should I do?! I can't find the most suitable one at all.

It wasn't because the jewelry in this shop wasn't exquisite or pretty enough; Nishio Reki trusted her own judgment, and the shops she chose were definitely not bad.

But because she has a good eye, every item in this jewelry store looks perfect for Yuuki Yuuki, so she can't find the "most" suitable one.

Otherwise, buying them all... how is that even possible? Even disregarding whether your budget is sufficient, you shouldn't just give away a whole bunch of gifts at once, right? It would make people think you're very casual!

We must find the most suitable one, the one that best expresses our feelings, and the one that is most suitable for Xiaoyuan.

But wouldn't that make me seem indecisive?

Xiaoyuan is still waiting for me.

Wait a minute? Where's Xiaoyuan?

When Nishio Reki thought of Yuuki Yuuki, he discovered that Yuuki Yuuki, who should have been waiting at the entrance of the jewelry store, had vanished without a trace.

It seems that I haven't seen Xiaoyuan since the beginning.

This jewelry store is located inside a large shopping mall, and there are chairs for resting near the entrance. These are all clearly visible, so there shouldn't be any situation where someone feels cold and looks for a place to warm up or is too tired to sit down.

Could it be... could it be that...

Xiaoyuan got impatient and ran home?

Have you made your choice?

A gentle, spring-like voice rang in Nishio Reki's ears, causing him to tremble violently, like a startled rabbit.

"Wow, wow?"

Nishio Reki's trembling, shrugging shoulder bumped into something, followed by a muffled thud and a small groan.

When Nishio Reki turned around, he saw Yuuki Yukino gently rubbing her chin.

There's no need to guess what I bumped into with my shoulder anymore...

"Xiao Yuan? Um, are you alright?"

"It hurts a little, but it's okay." Yuuki Yuen rubbed her chin, which she had bumped, a few more times, puffed out her cheeks, and asked, "Were you scared?"

“Hmm.” Nishio Reki nodded.

"Looks like my prank was a success!" Yuuki Yukina made a V sign with her hand, revealing a fox-like smile with her white teeth showing.

"Oh, I see. No wonder I didn't see Xiaoyuan earlier. I thought she had been waiting for me for too long and got impatient, so she ran back by herself."

"How could I! I would never do something so rude! Especially not to Xiao Li!"

Yuuki Yukino puffed out her cheeks.

"That's true, but that's really what I think—I feel a little bad for making Xiaoyuan wait for me, being so indecisive."

Nishio Reki awkwardly twirled a strand of his black hair between his fingers, letting it spread out in his palm as a way to distract himself.

"But, Xiao Li was thinking about me while helping me choose the most suitable accessories, right?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"So, in other words, Koyomi has actually been thinking about me all along." Yuuki Yukina revealed a mischievous smile again: "Isn't that amazing?"

Perhaps what Yuuki Enishi wanted to see was her angry and embarrassed expression after being teased.

Unfortunately, Nishio Reki did not show that expression.

She felt as if steam was about to burst from the top of her head, her cheeks burning hot as if she had a fever. She opened and closed her mouth again and again, wanting to refute, but in the end she let out a long, shameful sound.

"Ouch—"

But Yuuki Yukino seemed oblivious to Nishio Reki's blushing face and continued to output.

"It's okay, it's okay. Since I'm spending today with Xiaoli, I don't mind how long she wants to stay, even if it's just a few hours!"

"No, that's not right. If it gets too late, the shops will have to close, so Xiao Li can't pick out everything all night long."

"But there's still plenty of time until tonight, so Xiao Li, feel free to choose the one that suits me best."

"so--"

Yuuki Yukino's words froze for a moment.

She also noticed that Nishio Reki was currently covering his face with his hands, and his flushed cheeks were peeking out from between his fingers.

"Wait! Wait! Koyomi, I was just kidding, why are you blushing!" Yuuki Yuuki frantically gestured in front of Nishio Koyomi, her ears turning red.

If Nishio Reki and Yuuki Yuuki were just ordinary childhood friends, they would definitely be like close friends, exchanging ambiguous words and making excessive jokes without getting a reaction.

But, but...

Nishio Reki's feelings for Yuuki Yuuki have gone beyond just childhood friendship.

It's only natural to feel shy!

"Cough um."

In the end, it was Yuuki Yui who came to her senses first and cleared her throat heavily.

"We've been picking for so long, Xiao Li, why aren't you hurrying up!"

"Yuki just said she would stay with me no matter how long I took to choose, and now she's already getting impatient..." Nishio Reki muttered, but it wasn't a genuine complaint; it was just revenge for Yuki's earlier prank.

"That was just now, and this is now!" Yuuki Yui replied fiercely, but she didn't actually have any intimidating presence at all, just like a little kitten showing its baby teeth.

A moment later.

Yuuki Yukino looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Beneath her slightly rolled-up sleeves, Yuuki Enishi's fair wrist was held in front of her, with a striking red knot on it.

Looking at her own reflection, Yuuki Yuki was momentarily stunned.

"Um, what does Xiaoyuan think?"

Nishio Reki cautiously asked, seeking Yuuki Yukina's opinion on his gift.

"Hmm... well." Yuuki Yuen pouted, carefully examining the red thread bracelet wrapped around her wrist.

“Xiaoyuan’s wand is also made of red thread. Wouldn’t that be a bit… well, if Xiaoyuan doesn’t like it… then…” Nishio Reki’s heart was pounding. The gift that he had gone to great lengths to choose now felt so insignificant.

"It's not that I don't like it, and it has nothing to do with my wand. I just want to know why Xiao Li chose this as a gift?"

Yuuki Yukino raised the hand tied with the red thread, brushed aside the pink hair on her forehead, and revealed a gentle yet curious gaze from under her palm.

"Well..." Nishio Reki swallowed hard. "The direction of the food is like the apricot path, the valley path, the apricot path, the apricot path, the apricot path, the apricot path; the sea breeze blows strong, blowing back the time of our parting, the bond that binds us together with my sister. Have you heard this line before, Yui?"

"Huh?" Yuuki Yukino's eyes widened slightly.

"It's from the Manyoshu. When a lover is about to travel far away, the wife will tie a knot on his clothes, which means that she is binding half of her soul into the knot to protect her lover's safety."

"When a loved one is traveling far away, if he sees a knot in his clothes, he will think of his wife waiting for him at home. This small knot is how emotions and prayers are connected."

"Whether it gathers together or intertwines, sometimes it stops, sometimes it breaks, and then it connects again. This is knotting, and it is also a symbol of time."

"The bond of love, tied with a red thread, is the perfect match for our little one."

Yuuki Yukino's eyes widened, and then a blush visibly crept up the girl's cheeks, preventing her from uttering a single syllable for a long time.

Nishio Reki, who had never dared to look Yuuki Yuuki in the eye, was now staring straight at her, as if only in this way could he convey his true feelings to her.

"Ah, I see. Indeed... it suits me very well, Daddy."

Yuuki Yui slowly lowered her head, covering the red line on her other wrist with her palm, a hint of secret joy spreading across her lips.

"That's right, this is what I think is the most suitable for Xiaoyuan!"

"You don't need to say it twice, I understand..."

……

The scattered snowflakes, like stardust scattered by Santa Claus as he flew through the sky, shimmered lightly under the pale yellow streetlights, merging with the silvery white expanse at the girls' feet.

Along the streets, shops decorated with Christmas wreaths and colorful lights shimmered with vibrant halos, and ribbons hanging from the eaves swayed gently in the breeze and snowflakes, seemingly welcoming every passerby.

Although strolling among the snowflakes, this Christmas Eve wasn't cold at all.

Following the footprints in the snow, Nishio Reki stole a glance at Yuuki Yuki, who was walking beside him, before quickly looking away.

Although he never found an opportunity to confess his feelings to Yuuki Yuuki, he failed to seize even the perfect opportunity when he gave her the bracelet in the shopping district.

But it doesn't matter. As long as I can walk side by side with Yuuki Yuki, I'm already very satisfied.

Perhaps, those feelings don't necessarily need to be spoken aloud?

That makes me very happy.

"The neon lights at night are so beautiful." Yuuki Yuuki raised her arm and stretched, the knotted rope wrapped around her wrist particularly eye-catching.

“Yes, it’s beautiful.” Nishio Reki responded, secretly pursing his lips as he looked at the gift he had given.

"By the way, Xiao Li."

Yuuki Yukino suddenly slowed her pace by half a beat and turned her head to look at Nishio Reki, who was walking side by side with her.

"Hmm, what's wrong, Yui?" Nishio Reki tilted his head and blinked away the snowflakes on his eyelashes.

"I forgot to mention, this is for you."

Yuuki Yukino pouted again, just like when she was playing a prank on herself in the store, but with a slightly more awkward expression.

She pulled a palm-sized gift box from the large pocket of Yuuki Yuki's trench coat.

“This is…” Nishio Reki hesitated for a moment before reaching out his hand, but then hesitated to take the small gift box directly.

"It's a Christmas present, a Christmas present." Without needing Nishio Reki to take it, Yuuki Yukino simply stuffed the gift box into Nishio Reki's hands.

“Hmm…” Nishio Reki hesitated for a moment, his fingers pausing before touching the ribbon on it: “Can I open it here?”

"Of course you can." Yuuki Yuuki's expression seemed even more hesitant.

The crisscrossing ribbons were gently pulled out by Nishio Reki, and the small gift box that was tied to them was held in his hands.

Then, under the light of the streetlights and the glistening reflection of the snowflakes, Nishio Reki carefully opened the lid of the gift box.