The Angel Next Door (Rosé X Female Reader)

17: Special Gift

"Ah, um... I'm not sure what to get for a White Day present."

"So nothing in the display jumps out at you? Well, there are some things in our regular stock that are also popular White Day gifts. Let me show you."

"Ah, no, that's not exactly it... You see, our relationship is rather hard to define, and I'm not sure what I can get her that won't be...too much."

"Meaning what?"

"Well, she's not my girlfriend, but we are pretty close, so...this is just an example, but I'm wondering whether she would be happy to get an accessory or something from a... third sex she doesn't like...that way."

As I explained my predicament, the store clerk let a little giggle slip out. She seemed to find my dilemma quite charming.

"I've seen a lot of people come through here with the same sort of worries."

"So what did they end up doing?"

"They were all worried too, but most of them decided to buy something. If you're close to this girl, she'll probably appreciate anything you give her."

I felt relieved to hear someone else say that, though of course the prospect of picking an accessory for Rosé was still fairly daunting.

She was very particular about her attire, and the bits and pieces I had seen her wearing before had all been quite elegant. I had no confidence that I could select something that would meet the standards of such a sophisticated young woman.

"Ma'am, would you like me to show you some of the items in the corner over there that are popular with our female customers?"

"...Yes, please," I said gratefully, straightening up a little.

-

"And so you bought something?"

When I told Jennie about my shopping trip, she looked at me and laughed pretty much the same way the clerk had the day before.

The two of us were eating lunch together in the cafeteria, and when the topic of White Day came up, I spilled the beans.

"Geez, keep it down!" I insist. "Anyway, I was worried that giving her an accessory might weird her out since we're not dating."

"You're such a coward! A person should have more nerve, more spirit! And anyway, I have a feeling that she'll be happy with anything as long as it comes from you, you know?"

"...I guess so, but..."

Rosé was the kind of person who would graciously accept any gift, but I wanted to give her a present that she would genuinely enjoy and want to use, so I had been stressing out trying to choose something good.

"So what did you end up buying?"

"...A rose-gold bracelet with a flower pattern."

I had thought that the soft warmth of the rose gold would suit her better than cool-looking silver or extravagant yellow gold. Of course, I was just in college, so I couldn't afford real precious metals, so it was only gold-plated, but I had been careful to select a design that seemed to suit Rosé's style.

"Really? That seems like exactly the kind of thing she'll like, you know."

"...She won't be weirded out?"

"No way... you're worrying too much. Why are you always so negative about this stuff...?"

"She's the only person I've ever seriously thought about giving a present to."

My mother didn't count, and I wasn't thinking of Lisa and Jennie either. And anyway, I'd only gotten Lisa a confection that I already knew she liked since she gave me one on Valentine's Day, so that present felt like it was on a different level.