My Horny Stepmom Turns Me into Her Vampire Slave

Chapter 125: B - Ah... thank goodness for Eliss!

"I-I’m really happy you asked me to come with you to pick out a gift for your two-month anniversary with Eliss... even though I didn’t think you were still planning to buy her something, considering your fake relationship ended almost a month ago..." Ayane murmurs.

"A gift for my two-month anniversary with Eliss? Who said that?" Aoshi asks, confused.

"W-Well... um... you told me you wanted help picking out a gift, so I thought it was for that, since technically you two would’ve been together for two months in a couple of days..."

"True, but try guessing who else has something to celebrate next week."

Ayane instantly freezes — her eyes lighting up with emotion and joy.

"A-Aoshi... don’t tell me...?"

"Exactly. I brought you here so you could pick out your birthday present, Ayane. You can get whatever you want — anything you like, no matter the price."

Sniff... sniff...

Ayane starts quietly sobbing, sniffling as tears run down her cheeks.

"A-Ayane... why are you crying? D-Did I say something that upset you? If I did, I’m really sorry — I swear I didn’t mean to upset you..."

"I-Idiot... why would I ever get upset over something like this? Can’t you tell these are tears of happiness? It’s embarrassing that I even have to explain it to you — apparently living with a girl for two months taught you absolutely nothing about girls!" she snaps, lightly punching him on the shoulder.

"Y-Yeah, I figured that out... but isn’t this reaction a bit exaggerated? I mean, it’s just a birthday present..."

"You’ve never given me a birthday present before, Aoshi... Actually, this is the first time you’ve even remembered my birthday — usually you’d say something like, ’Oh right, it’s today. Happy birthday, Ayane,’ but only after all our classmates had already come over to wish me a happy birthday..."

"Really?"

"Really."

"See? That proves living with Eliss these past two months did teach me something about girls after all," Aoshi says, puffing out his chest with a proud grin.

●The day before●

"Aoshi, if I remember right, Ayane turns twenty next week. Have you already decided what to get her?" Eliss asks while cooking a pot of stew.

"Oh crap — you’re right, I totally forgot!" Aoshi exclaims, jumping to his feet in panic. "But how do you even know that?"

"The real question is how you don’t know that..." Eliss hisses. "Unlike you, I actually pay attention when people talk. I remember perfectly well that about a month and a half ago she mentioned she’d be turning twenty on June nineteenth. How do you not remember something one of your closest friends said? You only have two friends, not a hundred of them."

"I-I guess I was distracted, that’s all... anyway, since you apparently know her better than me, what should I get her?"

"How would I know? And even if I did, I’d never tell you — I can’t risk making her fall even more in love with you!"

"Even more in love with me...? What’s that supposed to mean?"

Eliss grits her teeth and stiffens — the classic reaction of someone who realizes they just said something they shouldn’t have.

"I-It’s nothing, you misunderstood! I phrased it badly!" she blurts out in a panic.

"G-Got it... anyway, I think I just came up with a brilliant idea! Since neither of us has any clue what she might like, I’ll just let her pick something herself! That way I know she’ll love the gift, and I won’t risk wasting the little money I’ve got left."

"What kind of surprise is it if she picks it out herself? E-Even though I’m sure she’d really love that..." she adds, a faint hint of melancholy in her voice.

Eliss knows perfectly well that Ayane would love that — not so much because of the present itself, but because she’d get to spend time walking around the city with Aoshi while picking it out.

Ugh... why couldn’t I just keep my mouth shut and stay out of it?

B-But Ayane really is an amazing girl — the perfect match for someone like Aoshi. And of course I hope that once I return to Elyndra, the two of them can have a long and happy life together.

But until that day... Aoshi belongs to me!

Still... Ayane deserves at least some small sign of gratitude after all the pain she’s gone through watching the boy she loves be with another woman...

"Take my card, Aoshi," Eliss murmurs, not sounding entirely convinced herself. "Between my salary, overtime, and all the extra bookings from customers, I made a ridiculous amount of money this month. Use it to buy Ayane a decent present — but make sure you don’t spend all of it at once, or we’ll be surviving on rice and water until the next paycheck."

"Y-You serious?! You’re the best!"

"I know... I know..."

◇◇◇

Ah... if it weren’t for Eliss, I probably would’ve forgotten again this year too — how embarrassing... thanks, Eliss, you saved me once again!

"W-Well, um... I don’t want you spending too much on me..." Ayane murmurs, blushing with embarrassment. "I know the Moonlight barely pays you anything, and you’ve got tons of expenses... I-I’d feel guilty if you had to give up something important because of me..."

"Come on, Ayane, you’re overthinking it. If I couldn’t afford it, I wouldn’t have told you to pick whatever you want without worrying about the price, right? Besides, nothing’s more important than getting you a birthday present... wait — why are you crying again?"

"S-Sob... Sob... Y-You just said that giving me a present is more important than anything else... how did you expect me to react?"

Women really are strange...

For the next hour, Ayane wanders past shop windows — clothing stores, jewelry shops, even video game stores — and even though her eyes keep scanning the displays, Aoshi can tell her mind is somewhere else.

"S-So... do you already have any idea what you want me to get you? You don’t have to decide right away — take your time if you’re still unsure. We’ve still got a whole week, and the stores aren’t going anywhere."

"I-It’s not that... I... I’ve actually known for a while what I want as a present, it’s just..."

"It’s just...?"

Ayane bites her lip and clenches her fists, her face turning even redder.

"I-I... want... I want..."

I’ve never seen Ayane struggle this much just to say something before... what the hell is she trying to ask for? Maybe it’s something she really wants, but thinks is too expensive — so she’s worried I’ll think she’s taking advantage of me. Even though I told her not to worry about money... she really is stubborn.

"I want... I want you to take me to that new American fast-food place that just opened in downtown Nagano! Just the two of us..."

Aoshi hesitates for a moment, then—

"That’s all...? Sure, if that’s what you want, then no problem," Aoshi replies, still surprised by how dramatic her reaction had been over such a simple request.

A bright smile spreads across Ayane’s face — yes, she’s clearly about to cry again — but Aoshi is already prepared with a handkerchief.

"Then... let’s go there on the evening of my birthday, okay?" Ayane suggests, trying to hold back the overflowing joy bubbling inside her.

"Deal — June twentieth at nine p.m.!" Aoshi says.

"My birthday is on the nineteenth..."

"Y-Yeah, I know — I was just joking!" Aoshi replies, forcing a laugh.

No — he had actually forgotten again.