Chapter 214: The First Birthday Gift

"Is that so..."

Kato Megumi smiled, then nodded.

"If that is the case, then I will listen to the captain’s opinion."

"That’s more like it. No need to be polite."

Asagiri smiled and said slowly,

"After all, we are family."

...

After trying them on, the three girls, Kato Megumi, Yuuki Asuna, and Iwanaga Kotoko, all bought their favorite swimsuits and left the store in high spirits.

During the entire process, there were no romantic comedy scenes like a Butter Shooter bravely barging into the fitting room. Their intentions were very clear. They wanted Asagiri to see them in their swimsuits for the first time at the beach itself. That was what made it a stunning reveal. If he saw them in advance, it would lose that effect.

However, after leaving the mall, Yuuki Asuna, Kato Megumi, and Asagiri had Iwanaga Kotoko wait on a roadside bench while the three of them went off to discuss something.

"Seriously... what are they doing... We came out to have fun, and now they’ve left me here all alone. Too much..."

Iwanaga Kotoko rested her chin in her hands and swung her legs in white tights, pouting in the classic manner of someone sulking.

At that moment, a pair of hands gently covered her eyes, and Kato Megumi’s soft voice sounded beside her.

"Do not open your eyes yet."

"Hmm? What are you doing?"

"Okay..."

Kato Megumi slowly let go, her voice carrying a faint trace of laughter.

"You can open them now."

Iwanaga Kotoko slowly opened her eyes. Reflected in her yellow purple irises were the smiling faces of Asagiri and Yuuki Asuna.

"Happy Birthday."

Asagiri handed her a beautifully wrapped small white box tied with a gold embroidered ribbon and softly said,

"This is from me, Asuna, and Megumi. We pitched in together. Happy birthday."

"Eh?"

Iwanaga Kotoko stared at the small white box in front of her, her eyes flickering with surprise.

"How did you know today was my birthday...?"

"Do not underestimate the intelligence network of a Butter Shooter."

Asagiri reached out and gently patted her head.

"Go on, open it. It is not anything too expensive, though. I do not know whether you will like it."

Iwanaga Kotoko accepted the small white box from his hand, then raised her head. A pure and innocent smile bloomed on her face as she nodded again and again.

"I like it."

Yuuki Asuna blinked and asked curiously,

"You have not even opened it yet. How can you already say you like it?"

"Because..."

Iwanaga Kotoko grabbed Kato Megumi’s hand and pulled her closer, then looked at Asagiri, Kato Megumi, and Yuuki Asuna standing in front of her. A sweet, genuine smile spread across her face, and her eyes shone brightly.

"Because this is from the three of you. The three of you are the most, most, most, most, most important people in my life!"

Hearing those words and seeing that expression, something soft in Yuuki Asuna’s and Kato Megumi’s hearts was touched. At that moment, they truly felt the bond Asagiri had once spoken of. The bond between the four of them went beyond ordinary relationships.

"Kotoko, you..."

But before either of them could fully savor the moment, Iwanaga Kotoko suddenly turned her face away and muttered under her breath,

"Of course, if it were a photo album of Asagiri, I would probably like it even more."

Hearing that, Asagiri sat down beside her and pinched her cheeks.

"You really have never forgotten your original purpose. Alright, hurry up and open it."

"Okay."

Iwanaga Kotoko carefully untied the gold embroidered ribbon around the box, then gently folded it and placed it inside the small crossbody bag she was carrying before slowly opening the lid.

"This is... a ring?"

She took the ring out of the box and held it between her thumb and forefinger.

Just as Asagiri had said, it was not a very expensive ring. The carved pattern on it was beautiful and elegant, but the material itself was only pure silver. It probably cost around two or three thousand yen.

But...

Iwanaga Kotoko gently placed the silver ring in her palm as though it were the most beautiful treasure in the world, then pressed it against her chest. Looking up at Yuuki Asuna and Kato Megumi, she smiled.

"Thank you. I really like it. This is the best birthday gift I have ever received."

"Do not say that too soon."

Yuuki Asuna smiled playfully and took a few steps back, placing her hands behind her back.

"The ring is from me and Megumi. But as your boyfriend, he still has another gift for you."

"Eh?"

Before Iwanaga Kotoko could react, Asagiri took her hand, picked up the silver ring from her palm, then knelt down on one knee in front of her. He gently slid the ring onto the ring finger of her right hand, then raised his head to meet her gaze. A rare gentleness appeared on his handsome face as he softly said,

"Happy Birthday."

The moment she saw Asagiri place the ring on her finger, Iwanaga Kotoko froze. Then her fair cheeks turned bright red. She hurriedly covered her face with both hands, too embarrassed to speak properly.

"Eh... eh... what is this, I... do not look at me, I am too embarrassed..."

Seeing her flustered to that extent, Yuuki Asuna and Kato Megumi could only shake their heads with helpless amusement.

As expected of Utsunomiya Asagiri. He could even make Iwanaga Kotoko blush and panic like this.

Still, that scene just now...

If it had happened to them, they would probably have reacted the same way.

They truly would not have been able to handle it.

Tokyo Succubus, well earned.

... 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Later that day, since they planned to head to Hokkaido after school tomorrow, Iwanaga Kotoko and Kato Megumi each went home to pack. Asagiri, meanwhile, was in charge of taking Yuuki Asuna, who lived in the Ginza business district, home.

"Oh, right."

After getting on the train, Yuuki Asuna looked at Asagiri beside her and suddenly remembered something.

"Come to think of it, I do not even know when your birthday is. You have never mentioned it."

"My birthday... April 1st."

"April 1st? April Fool’s Day?"

Yuuki Asuna looked at him thoughtfully, then raised a hand and ruffled his hair. Resting her chin on one hand, she gazed at him with a charming smile.

"What a pity. I was hoping you might be younger than me so I could make you call me big sister. But even though we are the same age, your birthday is the earliest out of the four of us. Sigh, I wanted to give you a birthday gift too, but it looks like I will have to wait until next year."

Hearing that, Asagiri softly said,

"But you already gave me a birthday gift this year."

"Huh? I did?"

Seeing Yuuki Asuna’s puzzled expression, Asagiri reached out and took her hand in his, then spoke with unusual seriousness.

"April 1st was the day I became a Player. On that day, I met you. Does that not already count as a birthday gift from you?"

Yuuki Asuna’s face flushed crimson. Her fingers intertwined with his as she lowered her head shyly.

"Seriously... how can you say things like that without even blinking? Do you enjoy seeing me get embarrassed that much...?"

Asagiri answered without hesitation.

"Yes."

Then he casually changed the subject.

"But what I like most is Asuna with tears in her eyes, just on the verge of crying, crying beautifully and begging for mercy."

"You are just a pure pervert..."

Yuuki Asuna muttered softly, then looked up at him with unexpected seriousness.

"Even so, hearing you say that makes me happy. But if meeting me is supposed to count as my gift to you, then I am a terrible girlfriend. So do not worry. I will think it over properly, and after a while, I will definitely prepare a proper birthday gift to make up for it. Did you hear me?"

"Yes, I heard you. I will remember it."

"No, no, wait, wait."

Yuuki Asuna suddenly shook her head in a fluster.

"No, you cannot remember that. Oh no, I should not have said anything. I was supposed to make it a surprise. No, no..."

She quickly withdrew her hand, then cupped Asagiri’s cheeks with both of her own and stared straight into his eyes.

"No, you have to forget it. Just pretend you never heard any of that, so you can be surprised when I actually give it to you."

"That is asking a lot of me."

Seeing Asagiri’s helpless expression, Yuuki Asuna leaned forward, kissed him lightly, then whispered in a voice so soft it was almost inaudible,

"Then... consider that hush money. No, wait, it should be called a forgetting fee. Just pretend you never heard it, okay?"

"Since it is my cute girlfriend’s request, I will reluctantly agree."

"Hmph, what do you mean, reluctantly?"

Yuuki Asuna gave a soft snort, then gently rested her head against his shoulder. A smile unconsciously curved her lips.

"Going out together with all four of us... just thinking about it already makes me so happy."

Hearing that, Asagiri asked curiously,

"It will be your first time leaving Tokyo to go somewhere else, and it is with four people instead of just me. Will that not make you a little unhappy? Or jealous?"

"Hmph, of course I will be a little jealous, but..."

Yuuki Asuna’s beautiful eyes sparkled as she smiled.

"In your eyes, am I really that petty of a girl? Kotoko and Megumi are very important to me too. It is true that it is a little regrettable that this trip is with the four of us instead of just the two of us, but..."

At that point, Yuuki Asuna held his hand more tightly and softly continued,

"There will be plenty of chances for us to go out alone in the future. There is no need to rush that this time."

.....

[If you don’t want to wait for the next update, read 10–50 Chapters ahead on P@treon.]

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