Tanaka-san Is Cuter Than the Main Heroine - Chapter 26: Nakayama-kun Has Someone He Likes

Chapter 26: Nakayama-kun Has Someone He Likes

“Glad everything worked out okay, Tanaka-san.”

“Wha—!?”

Still a bit dazed, I was just standing there, watching the mom and her kid walk away… when Nakayama-kun suddenly spoke up.

I practically jumped out of my skin.

Even though I knew he was nearby, it still felt like I’d been hit with a surprise jump scare. My heart was pounding like crazy.

“Y-Yeah… I guess it did.”

I barely managed to get the words out, scrambling to sound normal.

“You sound kinda… unsatisfied?”

Apparently, my expression hadn’t quite caught up with the mood. Nakayama-kun gave me a puzzled look, like he was trying to read me.

He really does watch me closely.

The truth is—I was feeling uneasy.

Running into Nakayama-kun on a day off, having him help me, seeing how kind he was… It all felt too good to be real. Like something out of a dream.

And if it wasn’t a dream, then maybe I’d just used up a lifetime’s worth of luck all at once.

The thought made me anxious. Really anxious.

Of course, I couldn’t just say that, so I tried to play it off with something vague.

“U-Um… yeah. Just a little. I mean, I feel like I got too much out of it…”

“What do you mean ‘too much’? You’re the one who got hurt, Tanaka-san. It’s only natural.”

“I… guess you’re right.”

Well, of course there’d be a bit of a disconnect.

I mean, it’s not like Nakayama-kun can read minds.

So when he looked at the gift voucher with that exasperated expression, all I could do was give him a vague, awkward smile in return.

Seeing that, Nakayama-kun let out a heavy sigh—still wearing that same unimpressed look—and stared off into the distance like he wanted to mentally escape the whole situation.

Which, honestly, just made me feel even worse for making things weird.

But then, out of nowhere, he spoke up.

“Well, if you’re really that bothered by it, just think of it as karma or something. Like, your good deeds paying off. Yesterday, you helped me clean even though it wasn’t your turn, remember? That seriously helped. So, thanks.”

Nakayama-kun looked right at me, offering a small, slightly shy smile as he said thank you again.

He’d already thanked me yesterday, of course.

But this time, it wasn’t just a casual “thanks”—this felt different. Like he was trying to cheer me up… help me accept what had just happened.

He thought about me.

Chose his words for me.

Said them just for me.

And the moment that sank in, my heart—which had finally started to calm down—suddenly kicked back into overdrive.

Happy.

My face felt warm.

So happy.

I could feel my lips pulling into a dumb smile.

So, so happy.

I couldn’t even look him in the eye anymore.

Too happy!!

But letting him see me like this? No way.

So I quickly turned my face to the side, hoping he wouldn’t notice how ridiculously giddy I looked, fiddled with my hair like I wasn’t flustered at all, and squeaked out a quiet, “T-Thank you…”

…Real smooth, me.

“Um, I never asked earlier, but… what brings you here, Nakayama-kun?”

Once I’d cooled down a tiny bit, I realized we’d fallen into silence—and I hate awkward silences—so I hurried to ask why he was even at the mall today.

“Oh yeah, didn’t I say? My mom’s birthday is coming up, so I came to look for a present.”

Wait… seriously!?

So Nakayama-kun had come here for the exact same reason as me—to buy a gift for a family member!?

What kind of destiny-level coincidence is that!?

“Really!? What a coincidence! I’m actually here for the same reason—my big sister’s birthday is coming up, so I was looking for a present too!”

Different genders, different personalities, different families, even different neighborhoods. Aside from being in the same class, we didn’t have much in common.

So the fact that we were both here, on the same day, for the exact same reason?

Total miracle.

Which is probably why…

“Um… if you don’t mind, would you help me choose something? I’m not great at deciding stuff on my own, and I could really use a second opinion.”

Yup. I blurted it out.

Just like that.

Caught up in the moment, heart doing cartwheels, I went and invited Nakayama-kun to go gift shopping with me.

All while casually hiding the gift card behind my back like it was some kind of secret weapon.

“…I don’t mind.”

And—bam! He said yes.

He actually agreed to come along.

(Wait… was that pause before he answered a bad sign? Was I being a bother?)

Of course, I had a moment of doubt. His reply hadn’t been instant, and my heart did this little wobble of panic.

But as usual…

I was just overthinking it.

“I mean, I do have to pick up my bike from the repair shop, but other than that? Not really. Oh hey, how about this? Hand cream! I heard it’s a solid go-to gift.”

“Ehehe… that’s actually ointment, not hand cream.”

“…Oh.”

“You’ve got a surprisingly airheaded side, huh, Nakayama-kun?”

—

“Whoa, a coffee grinder! And it’s one of those hand-cranked ones too. Probably a pain to use, but it looks super cool.”

“I get that! It’s got that charming antique vibe, right?”

“Exactly! Wait—so are you the kind of person who’s into log cabins and that whole cozy aesthetic?”

“Yes! I’ve even dreamed about living in one someday!”

“No way, same! They’ve got that warm, rustic feel you just don’t get with modern houses, you know?”

—

“Oh yeah… my mom mentioned she ran out of perfume. The one she usually uses is… ugh, fifteen thousand yen!?”

“Ahaha, yeah, the good ones do get pricey.”

“Dang… do you use perfume that expensive too, Tanaka-san?”

“Nope. I stick with the more affordable stuff. I’m still a high schooler—I can’t go around splurging like that.”

“Huh. So price doesn’t always equal better, huh? I mean, the one you use smells way nicer anyway.”

“W-What!? T-Thank you so much…! Um, I could tell you the brand, if you’d like?”

“For real!? Please do—I’m counting on you!”

After all, Nakayama-kun hadn’t shown even the slightest hint of annoyance while tagging along with me to look for a birthday present.

He smiled so many times along the way—and every single one of those smiles felt genuine. Just seeing him enjoying himself like that made all my worries quietly melt away before I even realized it.

But… of course, a new problem had to pop up.

“Wow, that’s pricey.”

“Yeah, definitely.”

The problem? We couldn’t find anything that fit our budget.

We came across some really great options here and there, but every single one turned out to be way too expensive.

(What do we do now…?)

After browsing through more than ten stores, I found myself deep in thought, stressing over what to do next.

That’s when Nakayama-kun, who’d been scrolling on his phone beside me, suddenly let out a soft—

“Hm?”

Like he’d just found something.

“What’s up?” I asked.

He turned his phone screen toward me and said, “Hey, what do you think about this?”

On the screen was a picture of a transparent glass bottle filled with floating flowers.

Not just flowers, actually—there were little leaves and decorative pieces suspended inside, too, all drifting gently in a clear liquid.

“Oh… is this… a herbarium?”

I had no idea what I was looking at, so I just read the name aloud from the top of the screen.

Then Nakayama-kun explained.

Apparently, it’s a stylish kind of home decor where real flowers are preserved in special oil, so they stay beautiful for a long time.

“Ooh, I love it! Let’s go with this!”

It wasn’t just pretty to look at—it also let you express your feelings through the meanings behind the flowers. That extra little touch totally sold me, and I decided this would be my gift.

“Do you want to buy a ready-made one, or go the DIY route?”

“Hmm… since we’re at it, I’d rather make one myself.”

“Alright, then we’ll need to hit a bunch of stores.”

“Yup!”

And so, we started hopping around the mall, collecting all the materials we’d need.

Our final stop was a flower shop just outside the mall.

“Hmm… it’s hard to choose.”

“Can I get one red and one yellow flower, please?” 

“Of course. Right away.”

While I was still standing there, stuck in decision-making limbo, Nakayama-kun had already made his pick and was heading toward the register with the clerk.

Once they were out of sight, I turned back to the display.

“Okay… which one should I go with?”

Right in front of me was a bunch of freesias—flowers known to symbolize affection.

But just knowing they were “freesias” didn’t help much. There were so many colors, and I started wondering if the meaning changed depending on the color. So, I did what any curious girl would do—I pulled out my phone and looked it up.

Apparently, each color had its own little nuance:

Red and orange meant “purity.”

White was “innocence.”

Yellow stood for “childlike joy.”

And purple? That one meant “admiration.”

Thankfully, the core meaning of “affection” stayed the same across all the colors.

If I were picking based on meaning alone, purple probably fit my big sister the best.

But… she wasn’t really into purple.

So I decided to go with red and white—her favorites.

Just as I was about to put my phone away, my eyes happened to land on a flower that wasn’t a freesia.

“Hm… what does a sunflower mean, I wonder?”

All I ever really associated with sunflowers was “summer vibes,” so while I waited for Nakayama-kun and the clerk to come back, I looked it up just for fun.

Turns out, sunflowers mean passion, admiration, and “I only have eyes for you.”

Apparently, they’re super popular in proposals and romantic gifts.

Ahhh, so that’s why in all those movies, the guy always gives the girl a sunflower.

Just as I was having that little “aha” moment, Nakayama-kun returned with the clerk, a small bouquet of flowers in hand.

“Alright, I’ve made up my mind! Could I get one red and one white, please?”

“Sure thing!”

Just as I placed my order with the clerk and was about to pay, something caught my eye—

Nakayama-kun was now holding one more flower than before.

Huh? I tilted my head, puzzled.

So I asked him about it, and he just shrugged and said,

“…It’s nothing. The store had extras, so they just gave me one for free.”

Totally casual. Like it was no big deal.

But for some reason… it didn’t sit right with me.

Sure, the words sounded normal enough—but his tone? His posture?

It felt like he was hiding something.

I mean, we haven’t known each other that long, so maybe I was just reading too much into it.

But still—something about that moment made me oddly sure of one thing.

(Nakayama-kun likes someone.)

And the second that thought formed in my mind, a dull ache bloomed in my chest.

A feeling I’d never experienced before.

Author’s Note:

Next time wraps up Tanaka-san’s mini-arc!

If you found her fun or cute, I’d be so happy if you left a follow, review, or comment!