inbox.

[girlybruiser]

❝ You have reached Haru Okumura. I apologize if I was unable to answer your call.
Please leave a message with your name and number after the beep and I will respond at the earliest convenience. Thank you very much! ❞

Comments

[girlybruiser]

Um, if you don't know what they like you can always ask someone else to ask them? Or you can look and see what kind of things they have already. Like if a friend of yours likes to paint, maybe a new set of paint colours?

[darkov]

Oh. That...that makes sense. I kind of should've...figured that out, sorry.

[girlybruiser]

It's alright. Gifting ideas are hard, I know. I wouldn't know where to start myself because we don't celebrate Christmas the same way at home.

[darkov]

How is it different?

[girlybruiser]

Well, um...

[ The words come out stilted, Haru sounding a bit flustered suddenly. ]

Christmas in Japan is observed more like um, a romantic day. To spend time and exchange gifts with your special someone. Maybe a walk through a park with beautiful lights and decorations strung up, holding hands... it's very romantic.

[ Has she fantasized about this before? Oh, plenty. ]

[darkov]

[???]

Oh. Uh... [he's not sure what the differences are in this case. gifts aren't for special people here? and the spending time thing???]

So...just one person. You have to pick? Isn't that unfair to the others you know?

[girlybruiser]

Oh, as in... er, like a boyfriend? Or girlfriend?

[darkov]

...

[uh.

wwwwait. hasn't he heard those things before? from some of the kids at soccer?]

That's...different than friends. Right?

1/2

[girlybruiser]

Eh? O-oh, well... no.

2/2

[girlybruiser]

I-I mean y-yes?! But only a little! Er, well, a little bit more?

[darkov]

[?? ? ? ?? ? ?]

Oh, uh...? Alright. I mean--I...I don't really get it, but...

[girlybruiser]

Ah, it's alright! It's nothing you need to understand right now!

[darkov]

Eh-? A-are you sure? I mean, it still doesn't make this...this gift-thing make any more sense at all, so...

[girlybruiser]

N-no, it's not that confusing at all! Please forget I said anything about that before...

[darkov]

Oh...um. Al...alright.... Sorry for...bothering you, I--I'll let you go back to...whatever it was you were doing before I...uh...

[girlybruiser]

No, no, it's not a bother! I'm sorry... I don't feel I explained this sufficiently enough.

[darkov]

Well, no, I'm...I mean, this is something I...even after all this time, I've never really... [tapering off with a mumble.

a beat.]

I-it's fine. Don't...don't worry.

[girlybruiser]

Maybe I can help? Who is it you're getting a gift for?

[darkov]

...Well...um. A, a lot of different people, I guess. I thought that was the rule. The ones you know...

[girlybruiser]

You know, there aren't really rules to giving gifts. If you wanted to you could give gifts to strangers, too.

[darkov]

What-? Really? [..,] But...that's...that's too much. That--I'd rather not do that.

[girlybruiser]

You don't have to. [ A giggle. ] Some people like to do kind things during the holidays for strangers. Even people in need, like bringing gifts to children in orphanages or something.

[darkov]

O-oh... [ghah, that laugh...

after a long beat.]

Maybe just...the ones I know...who won't mind it.

[...

...]

...Would you?

[girlybruiser]

Eh? Would I...?

[darkov]

Uh, w...want a, a gift. I mean. Sorry.