Chapter Fifty-Two: Photo Booths and Handbags

“Photo booth!” Aoki Shi pulled Sora into the mall. When he spotted the photo booth set up at the side, his eyes lit up. “Sora, let’s take some pictures together, okay?”

Sora looked at Aoki Shi, hesitated, and nodded, her heart thundering in her chest. She’d read online… photo booths were mostly for couples…

But Aoki Shi knew nothing of these nuances, nor did he care what others might think. He saw a couple come out of the booth, laughing and teasing each other, so he eagerly grabbed Sora’s hand and led her inside.

“Wow, does it have beauty filters, too?” Aoki Shi inserted some coins, watching as the screen showed their faces adorned with playful filters. With a grin, he tapped around, and instantly their faces became comically round and puffy.

“Come on, lean in,” Aoki Shi urged. He saw Sora lingering in the corner, looking a bit reluctant, so he took her hand and pulled her close.

“Shi…” Sora stared at the screen—Aoki Shi’s face was swollen like a pig’s, with exaggerated red blush painted on his cheeks. She couldn’t help but smile slightly. “So ugly…”

Aoki Shi just laughed carelessly. “You look the same!”

Sora’s face had also been rounded by the filter, and the blush made her usually expressionless face look even more absurd.

“No…” Before Sora could protest, Aoki Shi had already pressed the shutter. Their ridiculous expressions were captured forever.

Seeing Sora’s apparent displeasure, Aoki Shi quickly switched to other filters.

In the end, with Sora’s deadpan face, Aoki Shi took ten shots—only the last one was without any effects, their most genuine expressions. Most of the photos had Aoki Shi pulling silly faces, while Sora remained icy as ever, but Aoki Shi still felt satisfied.

When the twenty prints came out, each silly in its own way, Aoki Shi divided them evenly—ten for each.

Sora looked at the distorted images of herself and Aoki Shi, sighed quietly, but said nothing more. She simply folded the photos and held them tightly in her hand.

Aoki Shi blinked. “Sora, let me hold them for you.”

Sora shook her head, offering no explanation. She just reached out her other empty hand and, without a word, gripped Aoki Shi’s big hand again.

Aoki Shi smiled gently, stuffed his own share of photos into his pocket, and continued to lead Sora through the mall.

A small, silvery-white ladies’ shoulder bag caught Aoki Shi’s eye.

Sora seemed to like wearing white dresses, and she never had anywhere to put her things…

“Do you like this bag?”

Sora glanced at the silver-white shoulder bag. It was simple and pure, without any ornate decorations. Truth be told, she did like this kind of understated design.

But…

She glanced at the price tag beneath the bag: 17,999 yuan.

So expensive…

“I don’t like it.” Sora answered softly, looking away.

Aoki Shi squinted, noting everything, and smiled. He turned to the sales assistant. “Can this bag go any cheaper?”

“Sir, this is the last one in stock. We’re already offering the lowest price…” The saleswoman launched into a smooth pitch about the bag’s rarity, its beauty, and how much it had been discounted. Aoki Shi knew most of it was nonsense—if he haggled hard enough, he might get a better deal—but he didn’t bother. He simply nodded. “I’ll take it.”

He took out the money, handed it to the sales assistant, and waved away her offer to pack it. Taking the bag himself, he handed it straight to Sora. “Put the photo booth pictures in here! It must hurt to keep squeezing them in your hand, silly.”

Sora puffed out her cheeks slightly, took the white bag without a word, but inwardly she huffed: You’re the silly one.

With a cold face, she slung the bag over her shoulder, unzipped it, and placed the photo booth pictures inside.

I already said I didn’t like it… Sora looked at Aoki Shi’s smiling face, growing a little annoyed.

Seeing her expression, Aoki Shi noticed how tightly she hugged the small bag. He chuckled quietly, tried to pull her along, but felt Sora tug back slightly and stand her ground, her eyes fixed on him with a trace of unhappiness.

“What’s wrong?” Aoki Shi tilted his head.

Sora’s voice was tinged with displeasure. “Don’t do that again.”

“Sorry, sorry…” Aoki Shi made a surrendering gesture, smiling at her. “I won’t do it next time.”

Sora could tell he hadn’t taken her words to heart. She let go of his hand, stood there, and just stared at him.

Aoki Shi raised his eyebrows helplessly. “What is it…”

Sora still said nothing, those big, watery eyes staring at him without expression.

Aoki Shi finally gave in. He walked over, patted her head. “Alright, I promise. Next time I won’t. If you don’t like it, I won’t buy it again.”

Idiot.

Sora dodged his hand, still looking a little displeased.

Aoki Shi sighed, then said earnestly, “I know what you’re thinking… but you don’t need to worry. It’s only natural for a brother to buy things for his sister. There’s nothing wrong with it.”

“I earn plenty of money. You don’t have to worry about that.” Aoki Shi smiled confidently. “I make tens of thousands every day now—buying you a bag is nothing.”

Sora lowered her head, her voice muffled. “You earn money by getting beaten up?”

Aoki Shi blinked, amused. “Who told you that?”

“Shinmi Oohashi.” Sora stared at her bag, feeling a bit stifled.

She’d asked Shinmi Oohashi about Aoki Shi’s work, intending to keep the matter to herself, but now she spoke up.

Aoki Shi crouched so she could see his eyes even with her head down. “Don’t believe her nonsense. She’s probably out of her mind… I’m training to box, not getting beaten up. Got it?”

Sora’s eyes told him she didn’t believe a word.

He had to explain more seriously. “It’s true. I was supposed to be a sparring partner, but the gym manager thought I had talent and signed me as a fighter. I get paid just to train, and all I have to do is compete, under the gym’s sponsorship, in two months. At the club, I’m the one hitting others—no one dares hit me. If anyone tried, the manager would go after them first… Our manager is even fiercer than I am.”

“The contract’s at home—waiting for Uncle Haruno to sign. If you don’t believe me, I’ll show you when we get home.” Only then did Sora look up, surprise flickering on her face.

“Really?” Sora studied his expression, feeling he was telling the truth.

Aoki Shi nodded, smiling. “I can earn back the cost of a bag in a day, so you don’t need to feel guilty. Today is all about shopping. If I were short on money, I wouldn’t have brought you out. As long as you’re taking care of yourself, I’m happy. Don’t worry about me.”

Sora turned her head, cheeks burning. “I’m not… worried about you.”

“Sure, sure…” Aoki Shi ruffled her hair. Since she didn’t shy away, he knew the matter was settled. He took her hand again, and this time, she let him lead her along without resistance.

Blushing, Sora recalled how Shinmi Oohashi and Aoki Shi had chatted so happily at home last time, then remembered how Aoki Shi said Shinmi Oohashi was probably out of her mind. For some reason, this made her secretly happy.

She wouldn’t tell Shinmi Oohashi the truth—let her keep misunderstanding Aoki Shi. The farther she stayed from him, the better!

Sora glanced at Aoki Shi holding her hand, his gentle smile whenever he looked down and met her gaze, and a thought startled her with its own audacity: If only she could stay in this moment with Aoki Shi, forever repeating this day—how wonderful that would be.