278 Even if the world changes, Miyagi remains unchanged - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Even if the world changes, Miyagi remains unchanged Chapter 278 The fact that Miyagi was the one who suggested it would change the world. Despite her complaints, she got on the train and even stepped into a slightly fashionable café. If I were the one to suggest going out on a Sunday, this would not be the outcome. She would have remained rooted in her room, steadfast like she had grown roots into the floor. No matter how much I urged her to step out, she would not budge, and might have just turned into a grand tree in her spot. "This is different from what I imagined." Across the table, Miyagi, who narrowly avoided becoming a plant, says this with a frown etched on her forehead. Even after arriving at the café, her mood does not improve. But today, even if Miyagi seems to be in a slightly bad mood, it doesn't bother me. In fact, it makes me happy. The fact that she came out with me despite her reluctance proves this, making the frown lines on her forehead twice as adorable as usual. "How is it different from what you expected?" "It's not sweet." She says in a slightly lower tone, poking at the bacon-topped French toast with a fork. "Since it's substituting for lunch, I thought it would be good if it were more of a meal, but would you have preferred it sweet?" What's on the table is, as she said, not the sweet type. I had looked up a place reputed for their delicious French toast and brought her here, but it seems it might not match her preference. "I don't mind either way..." "But?" "—I just thought it’s different from the ones Sendai-san makes." Miyagi’s statement is not wrong. The French toast we are having now is crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and so tasty that the sizable pieces of bacon pair perfectly with the bread, leaving me wanting another plate. But unlike the French toast I make, it isn't sweet. I look at Miyagi. I expected her to definitely say it was delicious, yet the expression on her face is nothing but displeasure. And I find myself feeling joy in her dissatisfaction. Though we are at a place reputed for its food, she compares it to the ones I make, remembering and considering them. That's something that pleases me beyond words. For her to claim it’s different from what I make is incredibly endearing. "Shall I make French toast another time?" I ask Miyagi, who still has her brows furrowed as she eats the bacon. "…Whenever you have time." "Alright. Then I’ll make it on our next day off." Miyagi doesn’t affirmatively say “yes,” but her face suggests she might eat it without a frown if I did make it. I cut the French toast into small pieces and savor it alongside the bacon before taking another bite and sipping my iced tea. Across from me, Miyagi continues to silently eat her French toast. There’s not much conversation. The mound of French toast quickly diminishes. Though she complains, she's eating it quietly, which confirms she's finding it delicious. Initially, I thought today's outing was only enjoyable for me, but I like to think that perhaps Miyagi is also finding some enjoyment in it. Miyagi graciously kept her promise. Thanks to that, seated across from me is Miyagi, whom I’ve dressed up to look incredibly cute. It was worth applying makeup to her when she was looking exceptionally displeased. Seeing her in the skirt I picked out for her adds a special touch. "Sendai-san, it's hard to eat when you're staring." Miyagi complains while cutting her bacon. "Sorry, you’re just too cute." "Stop saying weird things and eat." Her look says she would have kicked me if we were at home. Regardless of location, Miyagi is strict about being called “cute.” I apologize with a “okay, okay,” and take a large bite of the French toast. The glass-walled and liberating space we’re in is relatively empty, likely because it’s past noon. The chatter that echoes around mixes with the background music and fades away. The ambiance is pleasant. A delightful meal paired with the adorable, albeit a bit irritable, Miyagi whom I crafted. Hopefully, she'll be the one to invite me out next time. —Though, that may not happen for some time. "Hey, Miyagi," I begin, wanting to indulge a little since these moments are rare. "What?" "Can you tuck your hair behind your ears?" "No." "Show the earrings." I voice my small hope to the instantly responding Miyagi. I want to see the earrings I picked out for her. "It's fine, because from my angle, I can see Sendai-san's earrings." Miyagi comments, glancing at me with my hair tied in a ponytail before she continues to eat her bacon. "That's not what I mean." "But it is." "I think it’d be cuter if you tuck it behind your ears." "Sendai-san, you're annoying." Her response to my suggestion about being “cute” isn't particularly positive. I don't understand why she detests being called cute so much, but overdoing it seems like it would lead to her mood turning irreparably sour, so I decide to stop. However, ending the conversation here would be a waste, so I introduce a new topic. "Speaking of which, when your birthday comes this year, you’ll turn twenty." I look at Miyagi with a smile. "It’d be strange if I suddenly became twenty-one." "Well, that's true." "What happens when I turn twenty?" "When your birthday comes, how about celebrating together by having a drink?" With my birthday in August, waiting for Miyagi’s birthday in September would allow us to enjoy alcohol together for the first time. "Instead of that, can’t it be like last year?" She gives a curt response. "You’re turning twenty, it’s a memorable occasion, don’t you want to do something special?" "No need to make a big deal out of everything that's a supposed milestone." "Well, okay, we don't have to drink together, but promise you won’t drink with anyone else until then." "Why? It doesn’t matter who I drink with." Predicting her response, I stubbornly stab the French toast with my fork. I quickly eat and take a sip of iced tea before returning my gaze to Miyagi. "…Because I worry." "Worry?" "Because I don’t know what will happen when you drink. Some people act different when they do." I don’t know if Miyagi can handle her alcohol or not. She might not change at all when she drinks, or she might. Either way, Miyagi doesn’t seem like the cautious type, and that makes me uneasy. While I doubt she’s one to go drinking with boys, if there were ever a time when she did go out drinking— I’d want to drop everything and rush over to her side. Even if her drinking companions were girls, I wouldn’t feel comfortable sending her off without knowing how she’d fare in that situation. To put it simply, I don't want her drinking in environments with anyone at all. Yet, not attending the same university makes it difficult for me to enforce that. I’d even wish for Utsunomiya to keep an eye on her for me, but I can’t ask her to do that. "If you’re going to say that, then I don't know how you’ll be when you drink either." We are similar in the fact that neither of us knows what we're like when drunk, but there’s a crucial difference. I have no intention of going out drinking with anyone other than Miyagi. Therefore, my case isn’t as important. But it does present a small reason why Miyagi and I should drink together. "Yeah, because I want you to know what I'm like too." If she's concerned enough about me to feel a tinge of jealousy, she should have at least some curiosity about how I behave when I've had a drink. I stare intently at Miyagi. Our gazes lock, but then she averts her eyes to the French toast. Her lips part, and her voice, soft enough to be swallowed by the background music, finally reaches me. "...I'll think about it." Her response is tentative, but it's better than nothing. There's plenty of time until her birthday. I don't need a definitive answer right now. I finish my plate and take a sip of iced tea. Miyagi also clears her plate, chewing on the last bite of French toast before finishing off her iced tea. "Next, we’ll go shopping." At my words, Miyagi makes an obviously displeased face, but I have no intention of altering our plans. Smiling brightly at her, Miyagi firmly states, "Just buying nail polish and then we're heading home."