I Was Caught up in a Hero Summoning, but That World Is at Peace

For now, since it's pointless for everyone to stick together and choose clothes, they each split up to select items in the store. Kaori, while nervously thinking about the price, tried her best to stay as calm as possible while shopping, especially since her kouhai, Kaito, was with them here.

However, searching blindly was difficult, so in the end, Kaori asked a store clerk for help…… or rather, mostly entrusted her with choosing clothes for her, and since it was a rare opportunity, she decided to try them on.

[……O- Ohhh……]

After trying on the clothes chosen by the store clerk and looking at herself in the fitting room mirror, Kaori let out a sigh, almost in admiration. The slightly loose slacks, a top with frills that weren't too bold, and a refined thin cardigan———– all together formed a calm, elegant adult woman look that Kaori had hoped for. As expected from a popular brand, their sense of style was fantastic.

(……I- I can still pull this off, right? I can't pull off something for teenagers, but I think I could totally claim myself as in my early twenties…… Maybe it's because the clothes have good taste? They're really stylish…… aren't I kinda cute here? N- No, I think most of it is thanks to the clothes……)

Feeling really good about how it looked, Kaori opened the fitting room door and, by chance, spotted Kaito, who was selecting clothes near the store clerk.

At almost the same time, Kaito noticed Kaori and turned his gaze toward her. She decided to take the opportunity to ask him for his opinion.

[Kaito-kun, how does it look? I think it’s pretty nice, don’t you think?]

[Yes, it looks really good on you. You look great in the kappogi I saw at the store, but this kind of outfit suits you really well too. Kaori-san has long legs, so pants look great on you. You have a mix of cuteness and coolness.]

[U- Unn?]

After hearing the compliments Kaito said with a smile, Kaori, feeling a little embarrassed, had a complicated expression on her face.

(W- What an amazing child…… To casually and naturally compliment not just my outfit but even my usual style…… That’s some high-level technique! T- This is the power of a popular guy…… I can really feel the aura of a romance master……)

Kaito's sincere words of praise made her feel both shy and happy. Trying to hide the smile that almost formed on her face, Kaori turned to the store clerk.

[Excuse me, by the way…… how much does all this cost?]

Since she liked the outfit and Kaito’s reaction was positive, Kaori asked with a hopeful attitude, thinking that if the price was reasonable, she might buy it. However, the store clerk’s response immediately crushed that thought.

[That would be 5800R in total.]

[……A- Ahh~~ I see.]

Kaori felt her cheeks twitch as she responded, her mind in confusion.

(Eh? Ehhh? 5800R!? 580,000 yen!? S- So expensive…… W- Which part makes it so pricey? Or is everything expensive? ……No, I can't. 5800R is like 20 times the cost of the clothes I was just wearing. It’s way over my budget……)

Kaori was stunned by the unexpectedly high price of the clothes, but in reality, the clothes she was wearing were some of the most expensive items in the store, deliberately chosen to be on the high-end side.

Why did this happen? The clothes Kaori had been wearing until now were purchased from a store in Friendship City and weren’t branded at all…… However, the store clerk mistakenly thought her clothes were expensive, vintage-brand items that the clerk simply didn’t recognize.

The reason for this misunderstanding was simple. The clothes of the others were of that high level…… Kaito’s clothes, although not from a brand, were clearly made from high-quality materials, designed by Alice. Megiddo’s clothes were from a famous brand purchased in Hydra Kingdom. Akane and Frau also wore clothes of high quality, so the store clerk assumed that Kaori, being with the others, was of a similar status and chose the finest clothes for her.

(It looked good, but I guess I should give up.)

Of course, with her budget being stretched to the limit, there was no way Kaori could afford clothes that cost 5800R. She was about to ask the clerk for cheaper alternatives when Kaito spoke up.

[Ah, then, those clothes…… or rather, any clothes Kaori-san buys here, I’ll pay for them, so just send the bill to me.]

[Eh? W- Wait, Kaito-kun!? You can’t, these clothes are so expensive……]

[Don’t worry about it. You helped me a lot during the ship party, and I’ve been wanting to thank you for it. This is a perfect opportunity, and you look really good in these clothes, so please let me give them to you as a gift. Also, if you find any other clothes you like, don’t hesitate to buy them. Fortunately, I'm considerably rich, so the price isn't a problem at all.]

[……A- Ah, thank you. Well, I’ll change back into my original clothes then.]

[Yes. I’ll also go look at some other clothes, so I’ll see you later.]

After confirming that Kaito had moved off, Kaori closed the fitting room door and covered her face with her arm, leaning against the wall of the fitting room.

(……Ah, geez, d*mn it…… this is just unfair…… This won't do. I’m definitely blushing right now.)

Sure, Kaori had given advice about the food at the ship party, but she had already received payment for that in the form of the advice fee. However, hearing Kaito’s words like that made it much easier for Kaori to accept his kindness.

She knew that Kaito’s financial power was on another level, and the 5800R price was nothing to him, which made it easier to accept.

(Geez, that child really is…… He’s so cool! He always makes my heart race! ……He does things like that so casually, no wonder he’s popular. I mean, just happening to be nearby when I came out of the fitting room, he was probably waiting for the right moment to step in when he saw me hesitating over the store’s prices, right? When he does things like that, a simple girl like me just can’t help but get all fluttery…… Geez, he's really unfair.)

Her face was burning hot, and her heart was pounding loudly…… Kaori stayed leaning against the fitting room wall for a moment, waiting for her feelings to settle.

However, despite all this…… she looked rather happy.

<Afterword>

Serious-senpai : [Ughh!? I thought it was going to be a stomachache development, but I was abruptly smacked with a sudden romance development!?]

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