255 A Different Sendai-san to me - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

A Different Sendai-san to me Chapter 255 Making chocolate seems like a terribly futile act. Even if you melt store-bought chocolate and reshape it, all you get is a chocolate in a different form. It makes more sense to enjoy it as it came. Handmade is just a hassle. Yet, Sendai-san insists on the handmade approach. And the chocolates she made were delicious last year and the year before. There’s a reason to make them, I think. Absolutely, without a doubt, this year’s chocolates will also taste delicious. "Miyagi, are you shaping the ganache into proper balls?" "I’m doing it properly." After mixing the melted chocolate with cream to make ganache, it’s cooled, portioned, wrapped in film, and cooled again. Right now, I'm shaping the firm ganache into balls with my palms, but I'm doubtful whether following these steps precisely is necessary. However, with Sendai-san supervising right beside me, skipping any part isn’t an option. "You’re not doing it right. Make it round like this," she says. In the palm of Sendai-san’s hand sits a smoothly rounded ganache. "I am making them round." "No, you’re not. They're turning out weird." Her words are harsh. All I did was add triangular ears to the ball-shaped ganache; that’s not weird. No one ever said truffles couldn’t have ears. "…I see. Those are cat or dog ears, right? Are you making a face?" "It doesn’t matter." "Well, there's such a thing as animal truffles, so if you want to make them, that’s fine, but you might as well add eyes. Oh, but they’ll get lost under the coating anyway." "Isn’t it just finished after shaping?" "I said before we started, there’s more to do. After shaping, we coat with cocoa powder, cover with melted chocolate, and then coat with cocoa powder again." "I think it’s pointless to keep repeating the same steps." "I don’t think it’s pointless; it’s written in the recipe." Making chocolates might be akin to spiritual training. As I repeat these steps, any distracting thoughts seem to melt away like chocolate, leaving me feeling refreshed. As I entertain these silly notions, Sendai-san skillfully rounds the chocolates and coats them with cocoa powder. I also shape the remaining chocolate, add ears, and roll them in cocoa powder. After coating everything with cocoa powder, a new chocolate appears. Sendai-san starts doing things like water-bathing or tempering, and even takes out a thermometer. The chocolate melts in the bowl, and ganache dipped in cocoa powder is submerged in it. Coated in shiny chocolate, the ganache is rolled in cocoa powder again, and the truffle is complete. "This is a little extra." With that, Sendai-san makes two large dots with melted chocolate on some of the truffles arranged on a plate. "…Thanks." "You’re welcome." The truffles with dots are the animal-themed ones I made with ears—those dots are probably eyes. "Looking at them now, animal truffles are cute." Sendai-san comments with a pleasant smile. But I don’t think they turned out that cute. The truffles I made are terribly misshapen. What were supposed to be ears just look like protrusions. In contrast, the truffles lined up on the same plate that Sendai-san made are as pretty as she is. Perfectly round like the moon in the night sky. "I’ll clean up, so you just sit and relax, Miyagi." With a smile, Sendai-san kindly suggests. "Alright." I reply softly and sit down after washing my hands. I watch Sendai-san’s back. Her hair in a half-up style is the same length as in high school. It’s well-maintained and lustrous, reminiscent of a well-groomed borzoi. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to create a cat or a dog with the truffles. I think I just wanted to create something as beautiful as Sendai-san. Tapping my heel against the chair leg, I exhale slowly. My Sendai-san, like a well-behaved dog, has a composed demeanor, and is likely popular. But she’s mine. She shouldn’t belong to anyone else. Yet, though she’s mine, there are many things I don’t understand. I don’t know what she likes, what she dislikes, or if her words are truthful. I know it’s impossible to fully comprehend her, but find frustration when she offers no clues for understanding her. I want to wait for her likes and dislikes to be made, but I think I can’t wait too long. "Miyagi, sorry to keep you waiting." After finishing the dishes, Sendai-san comes over to me. "That took forever." "It wasn’t that long." "It felt long." I stand, reaching out to touch what is mine. I verify the blue earrings, caress her cheek, and let a finger trail over her lips. The same, yet not the same. She is supposed to be similar to me, yet she is as different from me as newly made truffles. And so I want to confirm she is mine. "What?" "Just felt like it." I say quietly and remove the finger from her lips. "You can touch more." "I’m good." I nudge her shoulder, but instead of stepping back, she comes closer. "Don’t step on my foot this time." Sendai-san combs through my hair and traces her fingertips along my neck. She comes closer, and though my eyes stay open, she closes hers. Then, without asking or permission, she kisses me. The first is light. The second, long. I sense her warmth. I don’t dislike these kisses with her. Handmade truffles are delicious. Precisely, truffles made by Sendai-san are delicious. I want to touch someone. Precisely, I want to touch Sendai-san. Kisses feel nice. Precisely, kisses with Sendai-san feel nice. These are feelings I hadn’t known before meeting Sendai-san, feelings I didn’t wish to know. When tracing these new emotions within me, they almost all lead back to her. The fine threads connecting me to her have multiplied, becoming thick strings. They won’t easily break and should not snap on their own either. As our lips part, I pull on Sendai-san’s shirt. Quickly, she initiates a third kiss. As my lips pressed against hers, her warm tongue slipped in as my mouth parted slightly, bringing with it her body heat. Her tongue gently and softly met mine, and as I pushed back, she squeezed my hand more firmly. Sendai-san’s lips didn’t part from mine. Our tongues intertwined, and it became harder to breathe. Though it was just our lips, tongues, and clasped hands touching, it felt like my entire body was connected to hers. Every part that was touching and even those that weren't was uncomfortably hot. —I can't let this go any further. I pushed Sendai-san’s shoulder. "Miyagi." As our bodies separated, her slightly hoarse voice reached me. I leaned in and planted a kiss on her neck. "Miyagi, stop it." She said my name, but I sucked harder, leaving a mark of possession on her neck before pulling away. "You don’t have work tomorrow, right?" I rubbed the small red mark, my claim on her for anyone who might wonder. Then, carefully, so as not to hurt too much, I bit into it. "Yeah, but—" Her uncertain response flowed, and she caressed my back. Her hand traced the line of my shoulder blades, followed my spine, and tickled the nape of my neck. The sensation made my skin tingle, and as I lifted my head, Sendai-san plucked a truffle from the plate and popped it into my mouth. "How is it?" Delicious. Really, incredibly so. This year, I get to savor these delightful truffles all to myself. Neither Ibaraki-san nor Komatsu-san will taste them. At least, that’s what I’ll have to believe if her words about "not having plans to meet Mio for a while" are true. "Miyagi. Was it good?" "It… was good." There was no lie in my words, but now isn’t the time to eat truffles. I need to mark Sendai-san as mine properly. "Then, maybe I should have a taste too." Sendai-san took one of the misshapen truffles and tasted it, smiling as she declared it "delicious." "Why did you eat that one? You should've tried these ones." I pointed to the perfectly round truffles, more concerned about what she was eating than about making my mark. It's better if she enjoy a truffle that’s neat and rounded like a ball than one resembling neither cat nor dog. "I thought of having the cute one. I want to savor them slowly. Let’s eat in my room or yours." "It tastes the same no matter where we eat it, so here is fine." "That’s not good enough. Pick one." "…Fine, my room." As I softly consented, Sendai-san said “Alright,” and planted a kiss on my cheek.