☕︎ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒇𝒕

6 - ᴀꜱꜱᴜᴀɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ

- ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ 3ʀᴅ, ꜱᴜɴᴅᴀʏ

*ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴠɪᴇᴡ*

it looks like for the next few days, i don't have to work...which royally sucked because that wasn't the agreement in my job interview—i remember explicitly stating that i don't mind working the vast majority of the week, but here i am, lavishing how many beautiful and succulent hours i have to myself in the beginning of this week.

i might as well not let it go to waste...i deserve some much-needed leisure for all the work i've put in. "but what should i do?..." i asked out loud. i slept in until a quarter after eleven, but had the motivation to get out of my bed a little after twelve—i did my morning routine, changed, had a late breakfast, and texted a few friends to see if they were free to hang today, but all of them either had plans, didn't feel like it, or were working. damn.

all my options were getting extinguished quicker than butter melting in a hot pan. "geez..." i pushed two handfuls of my hair, craning my neck backward to stare at the blank ceiling above me. i could always follow the spur-of-the-moment decision to go christmas shopping for some of my coworkers since it's a bit hard to keep track of the new hires...most of them end up quitting after a few days.

it would boost my reputation with a few of them, but if i got funahashi senpai something for the holiday, would i look like a kiss-ass? as long as he doesn't get the impression i'm trying to butter him up for the next time i'm late, i should be good, but that's not an easy thing to do—funahashi is as smart as he is a thorn in my side.

groaning slightly as i got up from the couch, i retrieved my car & apartment keys, and wallet, and placed those in my back pocket but kept my phone in my hand before leaving. now swiftly making my way down the apartment steps to the parking lot, keeping my head down. when i finally reach the bottom of the flight, a dark figure in my peripheral caught my attention, causing me to look up and cocking my head to the side, "is that a...man?" i asked myself. the silhouette seemed to hunch between my car and another. i looked away briefly, and when i turned back, the mysterious figure vanished.

that's weird. shaking off the eerie feeling, i shrugged and slowly approached my car but before getting in, i looked around for where the person could've disappeared—they weren't behind my car or the other, i looked under both but couldn't see any set of feet on either side, so...it must've been my imagination?

was that it?

"okay then..." shaking my head, i hopped into my car and drove away to the first store.

the first store i went to was an anime store in shibuya city, tokyo where i went shopping got reina ito. i know that she's a big anime fan at heart, so i decided to just go off from there. there were cutouts for my hero academia, attack on titan, haikyu!!, free, and a few others...but that's not what i'm looking for. as much as i would find it hilarious to buy her one of those, they wouldn't fit in my car unless i creased it.

as i wandered around the store, not looking for anything in particular just yet, i suddenly got the overwhelming feeling that someone was watching me. eyebrows furrowing, i looked over my shoulder and as far as the eye can see, the other customers were just minding their own business.

"i might be going crazy..." i muttered as i shuffled over to an aisle where i spotted a selection of pins and lanyards. if reina ends up not liking anything i give her, i could always return it. at first, i grabbed a small handful of pins and began to ruffle through them for any reina would enjoy. sadly, i only know a few anime movies and shows that she likes.

i ended up getting her a scout regiment hoodie, a nendoroid figure of kento nanami, an amallino kiki lamp of the cat jiji from kiki's delivery service, a few pins of various anime shows and movies that she has mentioned, and a toilet-bound hanako-kun lanyard.

when i finally got back to my car and placed the bags in the back, i called up reina once i sat in the driver's seat since she should be getting on her break soon. "what present should i funahashi senpai for christmas?" i asked, afraid that i have no idea what to get him.

"aw...y/n, don't tell me you're trying to get on his good side now." she laughed.

"would you just cut the crap and please help me for a second?" i begged, trying not to raise my voice. "you're the only person i know from work who is close enough to him to know personal stuff about him," i added and for a moment, reina was quiet. was she thinking of things to say to help me out? or was she debating if she should help me in the first place?

"that all depends."

i reframe from letting out an exasperated sigh. "on what?"

"if you got me anything for christmas." reina answered. i know that she meant this in a lighthearted manner, so i let out a small chuckle at this, but it didn't help the fact that i was stressed out of my mind.

"oh, don't worry, i just got done shopping for you," i reassured her, prompting reina to squeal on the other line. "now, what should i get funahashi senpai?" i repeated.

"well, he likes gaming and he has quite the sweet tooth if you were to ask me, but that's all i know. sorry..." she apologized. it wasn't a lot to go off of.

"no, it's okay," i smiled, appreciating her help in all of this. "that does narrow it down. thank you, reina—i will text you later, alright? bye."

"bye-bye." she hung up.

and so, i ended up getting funahashi senpai a gift card to a local gaming store and a few candies. it wasn't much, but it was at least something to help mend his and my relationship.

last but not least left hana nakamura. i don't know much about her, but i've had a few shifts with her a few months ago, but not anymore. i honestly have no idea why i don't see her as much as i used to anymore, but i wanted to get her a few things. i decided to buy her a small bonsai tree because the main thing i can remember from hana is her always mentioning how alone she was. how hard it was for her to date and in the right conditions, a bonsai tree can easily live to over 100 years old. even if she ends up not getting a partner, at least she'll have something to be there for her. plants make some good company at times. i also got her some meiji hello panda chocolates as well.

"i should probably stop while i'm ahead..." i said as i stared at the little mountain of shopping backs growing in the backseat. at the rate i'm buying gifts, i'll run out of money before i can get everyone a little something. that and my body was aching from all the moving around i did today. i just know it's going to suck trying to do a one-way trip with all these bags in my arms.

i just hope they like their gifts.