NIP Chapter 498 - 497 A Gift from the Heart
Chapter 498 - 497 A Gift from the Heart
Rice's POV
Ever since Rice won the Tenno Sho, things have been a little… hectic. It started with Mom and Dad's tearful congratulations, followed by the award ceremony. I got to take a photo with Big Brother, and then Mom and Dad joined in for a commemorative family shot too.
Once we got back to the academy, the phone calls started. Carnegie called all the way from France! "I saw the race! Congratulations!" she cheered. "I have a big race in June, so I'll do my best to keep up with you!" It made me want to watch all of her races too. Then came a call from Krone. "It is a tragedy that I cannot tell you this in person," she sighed. Knowing her, she probably would have tried to squeeze me in a giant hug. I still don't really know why they've taken such a liking to me. I haven't done anything special… have I?
Anyway, today is my day off from training, so I'm out on the town for the first time in a while. I really wanted to go with Big Brother, but he's already done so much for me. He's taught me everything, protected me, and stayed by my side. I wanted to give something back to him—even if it's just something small. So, here I am, standing in the middle of a massive department store, all by myself.
"What… what does Big Brother actually like?"
I've stumbled at the very first hurdle. Uuu… this is exactly the kind of thing Rice is bad at. Big Brother always tells me I shouldn't be so hard on myself, but still…
"I wonder what would be good…"
"Are you looking for something in particular?" a clerk asked, stepping toward me.
"Y-yes! Um… I want to get a gift for someone, but I'm having a hard time deciding…"
"I see. Is it for a birthday?"
"Fueh? (A-birthday? When is Big Brother's birthday? I… I don't actually know. Oh no…) N-no, it's not for a birthday."
"In that case, how about something for daily use? High-quality stationery like a planner or a fountain pen is a very popular choice for a thank-you gift."
"Stationery… I see…"
Stationery, huh? Big Brother does take a lot of handwritten notes instead of using a tablet. That sounds nice, but… is it too simple for a gift?
— A Different Shop —
"He reads a lot, so I thought the bookstore would be a good idea, but… what kind of books does he even like? He probably has all the training manuals he needs, and if I buy him something he already owns, it'll be a disaster. Uuunnn…"
"Big Brother would look handsome in anything, but what if my fashion sense is terrible? I'd hate to make him look bad just because I picked out his clothes…"
"I could pick out food easily, but food disappears as soon as you eat it. It doesn't feel like it stays with you as a proper gift…"
"W-why am I looking at furniture?! It's not like I'm moving in with him! Why did I even come to this floor?!"
— One Hour Later —
"Haa… I can't decide at all…"
I never imagined picking a gift could be this exhausting. I've thought so much about the "right" answer or what would make him the happiest that my brain feels like it's turned into mush.
"Sigh…"
"Oh? Rice-chan?"
"Eh? Ah… Kawasaki-san!"
"You're alone? That's rare. Where's Hikigaya?"
"It's a rest day for training, so I came out to do some shopping."
"Hmm. You look pretty drained for someone on a shopping trip."
"Well, actually…"
I ended up explaining my dilemma to Kawasaki-san. It felt a little pathetic to admit it out loud, but that's just how useless Rice is sometimes.
"I see. A gift, huh?" Kawasaki-san tapped her chin. "To be honest, the only thing I know for sure that he likes is sweet stuff. But honestly? If it's from you, I'm pretty sure that idiot would be happy with a rock."
"D-do you really think so?"
"Yeah. I mean, the item matters, sure, but the feeling behind it is what counts. You've had Hikigaya's cooking before, right? Which is better—his food, or the stuff at the academy cafeteria?"
That was an easy one. Big Brother's cooking. The academy's food is delicious, but Big Brother's is… special. It's not just the flavor; it feels like he puts his whole heart into it, just like Kawasaki-san said. That's right! Food only tastes that good because you want the person eating it to be happy!
"I think you already know the answer," Kawasaki-san said with a small smile.
"Yes! Okay! Rice is going back into the department store!"
"Go get 'em."
Alright! I'm going to look at everything one more time!
— The Next Day: Trainer's Office —
Knock, knock, knock.
"Come in."
"E-excuse me." I stepped inside, my heart racing.
Hachiman looked up from his desk. "Rice? What's up? Do you need to talk about the schedule?"
"Um, well… I… I have something for you, Big Brother!"
"For me?"
"Y-yes! H-here! Please take it!"
Hachiman blinked, carefully opening the bag. "...A planner, a bookmark, and… what's this?"
"It's room fragrance. I picked a scent that's supposed to help you relax. I thought it might be nice for your room… if you like it, please use it!"
Big Brother looked at the gifts for a long moment, then a soft, genuine smile crossed his face. "These are all incredibly helpful, Rice. I've been using scraps of paper as bookmarks for years, and I'm always losing my sticky notes, so a proper planner is perfect. And the fragrance… yeah, my room is pretty drab. A nice scent will go a long way. Thank you, Rice. I'll cherish them."
"U-un! You're very welcome!"
Success! It was all thanks to Kawasaki-san's advice! Thank you so much, Kawasaki-san!
Lucky you, Hachiman. A gift from Rice… (I'm so jealous!!!)
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