Payment All at Once
“Eli!”
Tania, who had been waiting blankly for me in front of the school gate, waved her hand brightly the moment she saw me.
“Tani… uh, yeah?”
I approached her with a cheerful greeting, only for Tania to suddenly snatch my hand. Then she smoothly wrapped her arm around mine and linked our arms as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Startled by the sudden soft sensation against my chest, I was still flustered when Tania called my name in a sweet voice.
“Eli….”
“What is it?”
“Are you tired right now?”
“Huh? Well, a little… why?”
Tania twisted her body slightly, glancing at me as if gauging my reaction, then tilted her head prettily and looked up at me.
“Well… we’re renovating your house this time, right?”
“Wasn’t it remodeling?”
“Anyway! While we’re at it, why don’t we go buy a few things to fill the house with?”
“Hmm… I don’t mind, but.”
Honestly, after sparring with Cecilia, all I wanted was to go home and sleep….
Sparkle, sparkle.
But with Tania looking up at me so prettily like that, there was no way I could refuse her request.
“…Shall we go shopping, then?”
“Yeah!”
Seeing Tania’s bright smile made all my fatigue melt away. As expected, beautiful girls were the best. Just looking at her was enough to improve my condition this much….
As I marveled at the destructive power of Tania’s looks, the car she usually rode to school arrived before I knew it.
“Ooooh….”
I didn’t know much about cars, but even at a glance it was an incredibly expensive-looking sports car. Even a complete novice like me couldn’t help but gasp in admiration.
Tania grinned playfully and opened the passenger door for me. I climbed in happily, and she scampered over to the driver’s seat.
“Huh? You’re driving?”
“What? You don’t like it?”
“No, it’s not that… ah.”
Right. Most students at the Academy were adults. And we weren’t even first-years—we were second-years, so both she and I were twenty-one. Wearing school uniforms had made me unconsciously think of us as minors.
So I decided to just enjoy it. I stretched my arms out in front of me and shouted,
“Sis! Floor it!”
Tania laughed at me, then looked ahead again.
Vrooooooom!
She sped off down the empty road.
“O… ooooh…….”
The open top let the cold wind sweep refreshingly through my hair. A smile naturally spread across my face from the liberating sense of speed I never felt in everyday life.
The road already had few other cars, but—
“They’re all making way.”
Even the occasional cars we passed would ease over a little to make it easier for Tania’s car to drive.
“Because it’s expensive.”
“Ah.”
That single explanation made everything click. Even I would probably make way if a car this pricey was driving next to me.
The fun drive didn’t last long. Tania parked in the underground lot of some nameless high-rise building, then opened the passenger door for me.
Swoosh.
She playfully offered one hand as if escorting me, smiling mischievously. It was so cute that I chuckled and took her hand—only for her composed demeanor from a moment ago to vanish as she flinched.
After getting out of the car with Tania’s help, I teased her.
“Tania, why do you always get so embarrassed whenever I hold your hand?”
“…Your hand is just so warm that it surprised me for a second.”
“You don’t get surprised when you grab mine first.”
“That’s… because I brace myself beforehand.”
“Didn’t you brace yourself just now when you offered your hand?”
“Ugh… just be quiet!”
“Hehe.”
When I just laughed quietly, Tania turned her head away with a huff, as if sulking. Even that melted away after I stroked her hair for a moment.
Following Tania’s lead while holding hands, we boarded the elevator. From the way she navigated and immediately pressed the right floor among the suspiciously numerous buttons, it seemed she came here often.
“You come here a lot, huh?”
“Well, if there’s something I want to buy? Pretty much everything’s here.”
“Hmm….”
It was an incredibly tall building, after all. I’d never seen a high-rise this tall in my life. If something couldn’t be bought here, it was probably something nearly impossible to obtain in the first place.
“Is the stuff they sell here really expensive?”
“You don’t need to worry about that, Eli.”
“Huh? No, I mean—”
“There’s no need to worry, Eli.”
“Uh….”
“If you think about it, you’re just going along with me because I asked you to hang out, right? So it’s only right that I pay.”
“…Is that how it works?”
“Yeah. So you don’t have to worry about a thing, Eli!”
I tried to argue again, but Tania’s sharp gaze stopped me cold. Soft-hearted Tania, seeing me look a little dejected, seemed to feel bad and spoke up again.
“Um… you really don’t need to worry, Eli. They don’t carry anything that expensive here.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah. So just pick out whatever you want to your heart’s content.”
“Okay…….”
The premise that Tania was buying things for me was a little weird to begin with…. But I knew that if I said anything, I’d either get ignored or scolded, so I didn’t refuse.
Ding-.
A clear chime rang out, the elevator doors opened, and I was greeted by dazzling lights and all sorts of merchandise.
“…Tania.”
“Yeah?”
“Not that expensive…?”
“Yep! Those all just look fancy—they’re cheap junk! So don’t worry and buy them.”
…No. Just because I’d never bought anything expensive didn’t mean I was an idiot who couldn’t tell expensive, high-quality goods from junk. I turned to Tania to say that this was still too much, but—
Sparkle, sparkle.
With those sparkling eyes looking at me as if saying Eli! Eli! Isn’t there anything you want?, I couldn’t bring myself to say it. If she were a puppy, her tail would be wagging furiously right about now….
Fine, I’ll just work hard later, save up money, and pay it all back. No matter how expensive it is, it can’t be something I couldn’t repay even if I worked my whole life.
Holding Tania’s hand and walking along, I glanced at the price tag on a nearby outfit and thought, …Maybe Tania will give me a little discount? We’re friends…….
How can one piece of clothing be that expensive!
“Tania. Even so, this is way too…….”
“Eli! Look at this!”
Ignoring my words, she stood me in front of a mirror and held out a pure white dress that looked more like a gown.
Wow. Who is that? An angel, maybe? Imagining myself in that pure white dress, I was so beautiful it transcended imagination….
“Can I try this on?”
“Of course.”
When I came to my senses, I was already in the fitting room trying on the white dress. After putting it on, I looked in the mirror again and gasped in admiration once more.
My moonlight-white hair matched the pure white dress perfectly. The skirt that swished lightly with every little movement only emphasized the cuteness further. It was literally the image of an angel.
As I stared blankly at the mirror, a voice called me from outside the fitting room.
“Eli! Are you done?”
“Ah, yeah!”
I carefully opened the fitting room door and stepped out, only for Tania to look at me with serious eyes.
Why… why no reaction? Is it not good?
As I fretted, Tania, who had been scanning me with the utmost seriousness, turned her head and said,
“I’ll take this.”
The sharp-eyed employee standing nearby took the card, and—
“Eli.”
“Y-yeah?”
“Want to try this one next?”
This time, Tania held out a black mini dress that left the shoulders completely bare.
“Alright…….”
I took the black off-shoulder mini dress and went back into the fitting room. I carefully hung the dress I’d only just put on onto the hanger beside me and started putting on the new one.
Having never worn a dress before, I didn’t know how and struggled for a while before finally managing to get it on. Then I looked in the mirror and was hit with a massive shock.
The black dress contrasting against my pure white skin created a refined atmosphere, and the fluttering thin fabric made me look even more elegant. Looking at my thin, white shoulders left completely bare and the collarbones that stood out prominently, I couldn’t help but swallow.
“Eli? Want me to help you put it on?”
“Nngh. I’m fine. I’m done!”
At Tania’s voice again, I stepped out of the fitting room.
“Whoa…….”
Tania and the employee both stared at me with dazed faces.
“…Tania?”
“Ah.”
She flinched and snapped back to her senses, then held out her card to the employee once more.
“I’ll take that one too.”
“Understood.”
As the employee who took the card was about to dash to the counter to process the payment, Tania called her back.
“Just a moment.”
“Yes?”
“Please wait a bit and process the payment all at once.”
It seems like there’ll be quite a few things to buy.
Hearing that muttered remark, the employee glanced at me and nodded as if understanding completely.
“Understood.”