From: Rise-chan

heeeey teddie! it's me! \(^o^)/

so sorry i haven't responded to you in a while. i've been super busy with balancing my education with my idol work. practicing for my comeback is tough.

you're getting me something special for my birthday? that's super sweet of you! ^.^

tell me more about it later today! i won't be able to talk on the phone until later next week but i can text you more! hope to hear your sweet voice again! xoxo

love you teddie!

Teddie continues staring at his phone while sitting around on the train to Okina City, reading the message he was sent, over and over again. Finally, his charming princess has replied to his call! On top of that, she'll be able to have a voice call next week! He clutches the phone tight and presses it against his throbbing chest with a cheeky grin on his face. He wants to imagine that Rise is there with him, embracing him in all of her beauty and grace. Oh how his heart yearns for his loved one! He can't wait to tell her all about the pendant he'll be buying for her!

How long has he been waiting on this train? To him, it felt like an eternity. After his shift was over, he hopped onto the train towards Okina City, since he felt too exhausted to skate his way to the big city this week, and eagerly awaited on the train to a fashionable paradise. This time he remembered to take an express train, as Yosuke told him that the express train was the same cost. He won't make that mistake again.

"Next stop, Okina City... Next stop, Okina City..."

"Ah!" Teddie shoves his phone away and jumps off his seat. He runs out of the train, down the escalator he went, pushing his way through the people, and finally he arrives at his destination. Okina City, the place that makes Yosuke feel at home. Teddie breathes in the city-like atmosphere and soaks in the sun for a bit, merging himself with the atmosphere.

It's not often he comes by this area, mainly because of his job at Junes, but it's because this place feels like a special area where only the finest people gather. Come to think of it, he never took Rise on a formal date, did he? The city is giving him some possible date ideas, but he'll think more on that once he's fulfilled his mission. Teddie scans the area, noticing the place buzzing with gorgeous people, home to the greatest (and only) cinema Teddie knows, and of course, Croco Fur. There's no way he could forget it, it was the place Yu purchased all of those lovely outfits for him.

The store must still have that pendant, correct? Time to find out. Teddie ran to the store, and swang the door open.

"Oh!" One of the store clerks took notice of his presence. "Welcome to Croco Fur! How can I help you today?" The clerk smiles and waves at him.

"Hiya!" Teddie waves back. "I'm looking for something beautiful for my lovely girlfriend!"

"A girlfriend, you say?" The clerk claps her hands together. "Now that I can help you out with! What are you looking for?"

"I would like a sample of your finest jewelry, madam!" He says as he sparkles.

"My, aren't you the charmer?" The clerk chuckles. "Then come over here, I have here some of the finest jewelry perfect for a gift!"

Another woman has fallen for his charms! However, only Rise can have him, Teddie thinks to himself. He knows better than to betray the heart of his loved one! He approaches the counter where the clerk is standing by.

"So we have a large arrangement of jewelry, ranging from sapphire earrings, to diamond necklaces! Take your time and look through your options."

"Hm..." Teddie gazes at each piece of jewelry, ensuring he doesn't skip over one on accident. There's only one jewel he's after: the diamond flower-shaped pendant. There's no way he could forget what it looks like.

His eyes scanned for that particular accessory, blocking everything else out that didn't even remotely resemble the pendant, though there were a lot of shining diamonds that made him tempted to swoop some up that instant. Teddie presses his face against the glass, peering inside to search every corner of the glass containment of fine jewelry.

Strange, after looking through the case, he can't see the pendant. Are his eyes getting bad? He rubs his eyes and peers into the case again. Yet, no matter how many times he looks, he can't find the pendant in question.

"Do you need help sir?" The clerk asks.

"What happened to that diamond pendant, miss?" Teddie asks.

"Which one?"

"That diamond one with that flower shape."

"That one? Oh, I'm so sorry. We sold out of that a week ago."

"Whaaaaaat?" Teddie takes quick glances around the case, and sure enough her claims are confirmed. The flower-shaped pendant he planned on buying for her is gone! How could this be? It was only a week ago that he saw it on the store! He didn't even consider the possibility of a sold-out pendant. People these days sure have a lot of money to spend!

"It's okay, sir." The clerk continues smiling. "If you'd like, I can recommend you some jewelry within your budget!"

Teddie sighs in defeat. It's a huge disappointment that he couldn't get that pendant for her, but any other diamond necklace will do just fine. He reaches for his loaded wallet from his pocket, checking the contents to ensure he has the cash for it, or rather, the cash for a sold-out piece of jewelry. "Uh... You got anything for 58,000 yen?" He asks.

"Hm..." The clerk looks up. "I'm not sure. I think we sold out of all the jewelry less than 75,000 yen."

Teddie can hear glass shatter in his head. All that hard work, whisked away just like that. He can imagine Rise's tears as she falls flat on her knees under a spotlight. 'How could you, Teddie? I can't believe you didn't get me anything for my birthday! You're the worst boyfriend ever!' Maybe the scene was a bit overdramaticized in his head, but he knows for certain that she will be sorely disappointed in the one person she expected to gift her a present on her most important day of the year.

What is he supposed to gift her now? He could go buy her some clothes, but knowing Rise's exquisite fashion sense, she probably has a huge wardrobe full of outfits galore. What else would she like for her birthday? Jewelry is the only thing that was on his mind. He has to make sure that the gift is truly a special one, not something to cheap out on, especially when his loved one is involved!

"Is everything all right, sir?" The clerk asks.

"Huh?" Teddie snaps back into reality. "Oh! Yep! I'm fine!"

"Okay then, is there anything else you need help with?"

"Nope! I'm all good!"

"All right, if you need anything you can always ask. I hope you find what you're looking for!"

He sure hopes so too. He has to do something with the money he earned.

Teddie, on the train home, cried and screamed internally, sweating profusely, though he's not sure if it's because of the heat or because his ultimate plan to save up enough to buy that pendant completely and utterly failed. He thinks it's probably both. He gazes into his wallet, still unsure of what to make of all the cash he's earned for that one gift. With not enough to buy another crowned jewel, and refusing to buy her anything less than the finest gifts, he's at a loss.

He looks around at the other passengers of the train, the women displaying shiny rings and necklaces all around. How were they able to get something so expensive? He barely had enough for what appeared to be the cheapest of all the jewelry they had. Perhaps a raise is in order, or so he would think, but he's sure Yosuke wouldn't pay him more than what he's already making. Yosuke isn't a walking money tree, after all, but that sure would have saved a lot of trouble.

Teddie soon arrives home in the afternoon, laying in Yosuke's bed face down and sighing heavily into his pillow. He's not sure if he can ever face Rise again. It's only a matter of time until he is doomed. Just as he drifts away into his thoughts, his phone rings.

"Hrm...?"

He picks up his phone and noticed a text came in from Rise.

From: Rise-chan

hi! im finally free to text! xoxo

so what did you get for me?

"Mm..." All that optimism was flushed right down the drain. If he doesn't respond to that text, she'll think he's ignoring her, or worse, he's dumped her for another girl. But what can he say to satisfy her curiosity without admitting he doesn't have a plan?

To: Rise-chan

its a serprize~!

i dont wanna give away wat it is yet~!

you r just hafta wait until your birthday!

Message sent. Was that too suspicious? He hopes she doesn't ask for more, there's only so many excuses he can make until he accidentally spills the beans. Teddie plants his face into Yosuke's pillow again, awaiting his death sentence. Sweat is soaking into Yosuke's bedsheets. Hopefully he doesn't notice that when he gets home.

Another vibration from his phone. Teddie checks it and it is indeed Rise.

From: Rise-chan

whaaaaat? you're gonna tease me with it? that's no fair! you said you were going to tell me!

can you give me a liiiiittle hint pretty please? i'll give you a nice smooch on the cheeks if you do! ^.^

If he were wearing his bear suit, his fur would be standing up. A kiss on the cheek? Now he definitely has to think of something to tell her! Teddie sat up and types furiously on his phone.

To: Rise-chan

hmmmm

lets say its a gift that will maek your heart dance!

What does he mean by that? If he were honest, he's not even sure what he said. He was too excited with the thought of a kiss from Rise that he threw something poetic together to make it sound like a subtle hint to a bigger picture. Teddie didn't lay back down, he stayed sitting, glaring at his phone, waiting for a response from his lover. Fingers crossed that it worked!

The notification pops up with a text from Rise.

From: Rise-chan

oh really? then i'll waltz right by your place to get it! (^w^)

looking forward to it! i love you soooo much!

It actually worked? That's a huge relief. This should buy him enough time to think of the best gift for her. After texting her back and "I love you too!", he lays back down and sighs, tossing his phone aside on the bed. Teddie's never been one to come up with a Plan B. Whenever something goes awry, he usually panics or it somehow works out in the end. This time, no one's saving him. He's got to save himself from this dilemna.

He conjured up other ideas he could do with the money he has. A hot springs date? A trip somewhere? Maybe he could make her something, or buy something else? There's too many gifts to choose from, how could he possibly come up with the perfect one? He drifts away into a nap as he ponders about the wide array of luxurious gifts he could get for her. It was a long week he had last week, he deserves that nap.

Though that response Rise gave him stood out to him. She'll waltz right by to get it, huh?