Ibuki Mio Was Too Clever for Her Own Good

A few minutes later, the two stopped in front of the student dormitory entrance.

Amikura Mako turned around and solemnly instructed, "Just stand here. Don't move, and absolutely don't sneak away early."

Though it sounded a little strange, Kitagawa Kai still nodded. "Of course I won't. Someone's giving me a gift—how could I possibly sneak away?"

After a while.

Amikura Mako reappeared in the lobby, holding a paper bag bearing a shopping mall logo.

"Here, this is for Kitagawa-kun."

Kitagawa Kai took the bag and pulled out a pair of dark gray foldable earmuffs.

The outer layer of the earmuffs was covered in soft fuzz, with tiny white snowflakes embroidered on both sides.

He picked up the earmuffs and noticed the small print on the tag.

[Winter Couples' Limited Edition]

"Mako really thought this through. You even bought earmuffs for us to wear on our trip, but these seem to be..."

"Don't get carried away and misunderstand!"

Amikura Mako hurriedly explained, "I happened to pass by the lifestyle supermarket that day, and they were having a limited-time buy-one-get-one-free sale! I only bought them on a whim because I thought the dark gray pair suited Kitagawa-kun's usual style of dress!"

"My pair—the off-white one... It would've been too wasteful to throw it away, so I reluctantly kept it for myself. That's all!"

"Uh, Mako, I really wasn't overthinking it."

Kitagawa Kai raised an eyebrow at her. "But seeing how flustered Mako is, I can't help letting my imagination run wild."

"That just means there's something wrong with Kitagawa-kun's mind!"

"What if I insist on overthinking it? What are you going to do about it, Mako?"

"...Nothing!"

Amikura Mako angrily held out both hands. "If you don't want them, give them back! I'll give them to someone else!"

"What kind of logic