Keiichi takes up multiple part-time jobs to buy an expensive ring for Belldandy to celebrate their one-year anniversary of being together.
Summary[]
While watching a show on television one day, Keiichi realizes that his meeting with Belldandy was rather odd. When they go shopping together later, he realizes that they have been together for a year. He then begins to wonder how he can pay her back for all of her kindness, pondering whether things like clothing would make her happy, but realizes that he doesn't even know her size, nor does he understand the kinds of things that girls would want.
Upon returning home to the temple, he finds Urd and his sister watching television, Megumi having come over to keep her company. Being desperate for some help, Keiichi asks her what kind of gift would make a girl happy, but Megumi only gives him a list of expensive things she wants, her brother becoming exasperated when he realizes what she is doing. Urd dismisses Megumi as being too naive, bolding proclaiming that the only thing any woman really wants is a good affair and a night on the town. Keiichi also shoots down this idea, knowing that Urd was also stating her own desires rather than giving him any useful advice. He concludes they neither of them is normal and decides to ask Belldandy directly, but she misinterprets the question and asks him to pick up some soy sauce at the store. Keiichi leaves knowing he can't just give her a bottle of sauce as a gift. His sister and Urd watch him depart with looks of amusement, but the latter decides to help him and set out immediately.
While passing a jewelry store, Keiichi hears a ring calling out for him to buy it, but he quickly figures out the source of the voice when it tells him to buy it for Urd. As he calls out to her, she jumps down from the nearby tree, telling him that the ring would be a perfect gift for her sister. As she leaves, Keiichi wonders if Urd only followed him to give him that information. He begins fantasizing about how perfect the ring would be for Belldandy, but his dreams are shattered when he realizes that the price is high enough to cover his living expenses for five months flat. Calculating the date of their anniversary is only twelve days away, Keiichi realizes he has to make roughly 20,000 yen a day to reach his goal. At dinner Belldandy notices his unusually glum behavior and asks Urd what she did to cause it, but her sister claims she can't remember. As he leaves the room to make a phone call, Belldandy notes to herself that she can't properly read his emotions.
At the college campus, Keiichi speaks to Otaki about a new job opportunity. Otaki claims to owe him after the incident with Satoko, and assures Keiichi that it is an excellent job, but he remains unconvinced. Later that day, Keiichi finds himself washing the windows of a tall building while balancing on a small platform, nervously trying not to look down. While cleaning he peaks into a locker room filled with girls, but they begin tossing stuff at him in outrage, almost knocking him off the platform and into the streets several stories below. Keiichi grumpily comments that he almost died before doing traffic control at a construction site, after which he heads home.
That night, Keiichi passes out from exhaustion, garnering concern from Belldandy. She wonders if Urd is responsible, but her sister mentions she only gave him a small push, but had no idea he would get carried away. Urd compliments his tough resolve and tells her to let him see it through to the end, to which Belldandy reluctantly agrees.
For the remainder of the week, Keiichi continues working unhealthy long hours doing all sorts of jobs, from construction to cosplaying for children. He struggles to reach the zipper on his turtle costume and gets stuck on the door while trying to leave, but Belldandy appears and helps him, kindly offering some tea afterwards. Keiichi questions whether or not she plans on asking him about his part-time jobs, but she trusts him completely and only asks that he tell her the truth when he is ready. The next job he takes involves work with computers, but while daydreaming about buying the ring for her, he spills liquid on the machine, losing his pay for the day. He leaves with a glum expression, having promised to come back later to finish the job.
That night he heads to the jewelry store, but the price with tax is more than he can afford, forcing him to buy a less expensive ring. He then presents Belldandy with the ring as he thanks for giving him such a great year. Belldandy accepts it with gratitude, but she is upset that he pushed himself so hard just to buy her something expensive. She "punishes" him with a loving embrace and a kiss on the cheek along with a request that he never do such a thing ever again.
Quick Reference[]
Chapter Notes[]
- Keiichi gives Belldandy the ring which she treasures from that day forward.