It was the weekend, but that didn't necessarily mean a break for you. Through text, Ginjirou demanded you to go shopping for a list of materials needed not just for your tutoring sessions, but his as well. Spoiled jerk. A lot of it were randomized junk that were just so extra, and not actually useful. Was this how rich people thought about money? They were willing to throw their cash away so easily, as if others didn't work laboriously for the single stack they may not give a shit about. It pissed you off. If you were living in your previous life, you would have had a heart attack at the resulting total for everything on this bill -- but alas, the [Y/N] in this world was rich as well.
The zeroes on your phone were super daunting though. You had calculated the total after some research done, so that you would prepare yourself for the long day ahead. Sighing, you dropped the phone onto the comforter and walked on over to the closet. For once, you didn't have to wear a school uniform.
Rifling through the clothes, you finally found an outfit that worked. Flared jeans, t-shirt, and a cardigan, it was the least expensive-looking clothes you could find. Quickly changing out of your sweats, your hurriedly threw them on and slung a small handbag containing the money you received from mom. In your opinion, she was a little too eager to hand so much money to you.
Once that was done with, you grabbed your phone once more and stuffed that into the handbag too. Exiting the bedroom and arriving into the living room where the [h/c] haired woman was sipping a cup of tea daintily, you slipped your shoes on.
"Who's that out there?" your mother asked you before you could snag the chance to leave. Her face wasn't angry, nor disappointed at all, for the corners of her lips curved upwards. She nudged her head slightly out the window and your eyes followed her, taking in the white car cooling on the side of the road.
"My friend," you told her, somehow feeling slightly embarrassed and nervous to tell her that. "We're just going shopping for a bit."
She nodded, hues glistening of something undefinable. Was she happy for you? "Have fun out there! Be back home by sundown, okay honey?"
"Of course, mom." Sending her a smile of your own and a nod farewell, you turned the golden knob of the door and stepped out into the sunlight. Climbing down the stairs at the front, you then trailed down the driveway. As you were doing so, you somehow felt like a bride walking down an aisle at her own wedding, slowly and gracefully -- towards something that was either life or death. Yikes... okay, you weren't exactly sure why you were thinking about marriage so suddenly. Mentally slapping yourself out of it, you straightened up and approached the vehicle.
Slipping into the passenger's seat of the car, you looked to your left to see the one and only Eito. Dark strands spilled from his head beautifully in waves, long and silky. He wasn't wearing his usual ponytail, allowing them to frame around his head attractively. He also donned a black turtleneck tucked in blue pants, which encompassed his form a bit too well. Goddammit. He couldn't stop getting any prettier, could he? "Good morning, [Y/N]," he greeted in a friendly manner.
"Good morning." There was a reason why he was to accompany you on this little trip. You decided to have him join you when you heard he could drive and owned a car -- unfortunately enough, you never learned to drive. This was proven to be a hassle, but it would have to do for now. The other reason you had for having him tag along was because it would give you more time to question about the school system and the world's society. He seemed to be knowledgeable of it, despite not being an elite and the perfect tool to gain insight on everything. Were you using him? Perhaps. And guilt continued to twist inside your heart for doing so, but you managed to persuade yourself it was worth it. After all, you liked being his friend nonetheless.
Strapping the seatbelt across your chest, you waited for him to start driving. The views blurring as the vehicle sped up, you silently leaned your head against the glass, listening to the miscellaneous sounds ringing from every corner.
The ride was filled of small talk -- about each other's day so far, how school was going, and all that jazz. When the engine finally rolled into a busy parking lot, you glanced at the surrounding shops. It was dazzling, taking your breath away. Sure, it was a shopping district as any other one, but the money surely rubbed off here. The streets were paved of beautiful orchid colored bricks and massive water fountains. Decorations and statues of professional crafted animals and symbols were placed here and there. The shops were of a ton of brand names. Even the customers themselves were dressed in high fashion, oozing off from their jewelry and clothes. You instantly felt out of place.
Getting out of the car, you followed Eito and walked down the streets, keeping an eye on the shops' names. Regarding the fact you had done research, you also made sure you knew which shops would provide you the materials needed. "So what is it that you need?" your companion asked.
"Oh, well I'm getting tu--" You halted midsentence, gaping like a stupid fish. He glanced at you in confusion, his brows knitted together. You had been close to expose you were getting tutored by Ginjirou and vice versa, but stopped yourself in time. For some reason, you didn't think telling him about it was a good idea. He disliked elites as much as you did, you were sure. Maybe you were assuming too much, but you feared he would grow angry if he knew. So shaking your head, you smiled easily. "Yes, I'm buying a few things for school. Also, some textbooks."
He inclined his head and you were glad to see he bought it. "Do you know where you want to go to first?"
"I know which shops I need to go to, but I'm not gonna lie, I don't know my way around anywhere."
Chuckling, he gave you a gentle pat on your shoulder. "Well, that's a good thing I'm here then. Tell me the names and I'll guide you right there."
That was exactly what you did. Quickly maneuvering through the area, he led you to one shop after another. There, you found bows, arrows, running shoes, hand wraps, wooden swords, and sporty outfits for the upcoming sweaty sessions. Then you arrived at a book store, which included books for education, unlike the library at your school. The scent of books kept you at ease and even after retrieving the books Ginjirou wanted himself, you couldn't stop yourself from delving through other books lining up the shelves. Heart racing inside, you grazed your finger against the binds, taking one after another. You ended up buying books for yourself as well.
You weren't going to lie. It was fun to shop and not have to worry about the bill. Back then, you would even stress through the littlest and basics of things, like food. This unwarranted freedom was quite the change from then, and now you understood why money can be so addicting to even the richest of people. They were never satisfied.
By the time your list was entirely checked off, you were hanging by a thread with the weight you had lugged around. Breathing in exhaustion, your unfortunate knees decided to buckle beneath you. Horrified, you began to stagger and as you tipped backwards, you were cushioned by a nice, hard wall. Except, it was not a wall. The chest belonging to said-wall rumbled against you and laughter spilled from the lips. "Give me a bag already. You can't hold it all."
Heat pouring upon your cheeks, you leaned forward and away from his body. "It's fine. I can do it."
"Stop being stubborn already," Eito said, still amused. Black locks of hair draped over shoulder, nearly scaring the shit out of you. While in your momentary daze of distraction, he took the chance to rip the bag out of your grip. "Better? Right? Now let's go to a cafe and grab some lunch."
"Hey! Give it back," you protested it. He held it out of your reach, shaking his head. "This is my stuff. I don't want to burden you of them. Don't you need to buy anything too?"
"Nope. I don't need anything."
You blinked. He accepted your invitation without needing to buy anything. Why would he do that? Wasn't this a waste of time for him?
Brushing those thoughts away, you finally allowed him to carry the bag. The two of you strolled through the streets, to find the cafe he wished to go to. Pushing the door open, the scent of coffee and tea filled your nose. You grinned in delight. Thank god he mentioned lunch; you were starving by now. And while you would eat, it was the perfect time to gain answers to your inquiries.
Getting in line, you soon ordered a cup of coffee and a sandwich. Once paid, you sat down at an open table. With no hesitance, you dove into your meal. Today had been so wonderful so far, it was almost hard to believe.
Drinking the warm coffee, you leaned on the back of seat and took in the blue skies, the people passing the cafe outside, the boy in front of you. It was definitely the perfect time to seek the answers you sought.