288 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Chapter 288 After breakfast, naturally, we also had the pudding I'd bought. As I tried to return to my room, Sendai-san followed me. I had nothing particularly special planned for the holidays, nor did I have anything I had to do. Maika was going to work, and Asakura-san was also working. Since I didn't plan anything with the busy pair, it wasn't a problem for Sendai-san to come to my room. However, I couldn't help but notice she didn't seem pleased while trailing behind me. "Aren't you going back to your own room?" I asked, looking back as I opened the door to the room. "I'm not going, but do you want me to go, Miyagi?" "...That's not what I meant." "Then, come in." With a casual command as if it were her own room, Sendai-san nudged me inside. "That's supposed to be my line." I entered the room, saying so, and Sendai-san followed me and closed the door. When I sat down against the back of the bed, she naturally sat down next to me. Sitting side by side was a usual occurrence, nothing to be concerned about. But I was concerned. Perhaps it was because the space between us felt wider than usual. The distance between us was about the width of two crocodile tissue covers. Further than usual. Sendai-san wasn't looking at me. She wasn't fetching a book from the shelf. She was just staring intently at her phone that she'd brought with her. She hadn't been in a good mood since breakfast. Even pudding couldn’t fix her mood. The reason was likely that I left without a word this morning. But I found that rather childish. There's no rule against leaving the house alone in the morning. Sendai-san was still asleep, and there was no need to wake her. So, I wasn't in the wrong. —Though I did feel a bit guilty. I placed the crocodile between us to fill the gap. But it didn’t entirely fill it. There remained a gap about the size of a single crocodile cover. With a soft thump, I tapped the crocodile's head and spoke to Sendai-san, who still hadn't looked up from her phone. "What are you looking at?" "Nothing in particular." Sendai-san replied in a flat voice and put her phone on the table. "If it's nothing, why don't you read a manga?" "There's nothing I want to read." "A game?" "Don't feel like it." With an indifferent voice, Sendai-san grasped the crocodile's hand. This side of her was unusual. Unlike her high school years, as a university student, it was rare for Sendai-san to be so openly in a bad mood. "...So, why are you here?" When I stared intently at Sendai-san, who refused to look at me, she spoke to the crocodile she was holding. "I'm here to make sure Miyagi doesn't go anywhere." "I don't have anywhere to go. I wasn't planning to leave." "Yet you went for a morning stroll, leaving me behind." A voice filled with accusation reached my ears. "...I know that was bad, but you were asleep, Sendai-san." Despite it being an excuse, I appended a "sorry," and only then did Sendai-san, who had been talking to the crocodile, look at me. "You should've woken me up to invite me. Anyway, say something if you're going out. I worry, you know." "I was just killing some time, I planned to be right back. Nothing to worry about." "But I did worry. —You've disappeared before, Miyagi." I immediately understood what Sendai-san was referring to. Last year, without telling her, I went to Maika's house and stayed the night without returning. I knew it was wrong to stay at Maika's until Sendai-san came to fetch me, but I didn't want to discuss that now. So, I said nothing. As a result, the atmosphere in the room became tense and awkward. And I wasn't good at changing such atmospheres. If I could, I'd leave the room, but fleeing my own room meant I had nowhere to go. I could go to the shared space, but even if I did, Sendai-san would soon fetch me back, making escape meaningless. "Miyagi, say something." "...Something." I muttered, and the crocodile came flying at me, hitting my arm and falling to the floor. "When I said to say something, I didn’t mean that." With a big sigh, Sendai-san continued. "If you're going for a walk tomorrow, I'm coming with you. Wake me up if I'm asleep. You have to." "Got it. ...But I won’t be going again." Avoiding things I wasn't used to was probably for the best. If this was how it was going to be, I'd be better off spending my time like last year. Even if Maika was busy with work, she'd surely have a little time, so I could invite her. If she didn't, I could go to her workplace instead. "Miyagi, you're stingy." "I'm not stingy." "Yes, you are." Sendai-san murmured and hugged the crocodile that had fallen to the floor again. Truly, today’s Sendai-san was unusual. She normally didn't do such things. Maybe that's why, but today she seemed more cute than pretty. More than usual. Somehow, she looked cute. The casual cut-and-sew top and skirt she wore for loungewear didn’t stand out, but somehow she looked cuter than usual. It was strange, but perhaps it had its reasons. "...Don’t you need to study? Or prepare for your part-time job?" Fearing the conversation would die out further, I asked something I wasn't particularly interested in. "I have time for that set aside." "So, it's not that time, yet?" I averted my gaze towards the floor. "This is Miyagi's room time." "I see." When I gave a small reply, she held my hand. Drawn to our connected hands, I looked at Sendai-san, who had recently averted her gaze from me. The crocodile had disappeared at some point, replaced by Sendai-san, now closer. As I focused on our warm hands, the color of her nails, chosen by me before the Golden Week, caught my eye. "...They suit you." I finally expressed the words I'd yet to say since the nail polish had been applied. "What does?" "Your nails." "Thanks. Want me to paint yours?" "I’m fine without it." "Okay." Her voice sounded a little disappointed, and she gave my hand a firm squeeze. Like last year, Sendai-san sat beside me and held my hand. But that was in Sendai-san's room, not mine, so while it seemed the same, it was different. And last year, I didn't go for a walk in the morning, and Sendai-san wasn't wearing the color I had chosen on her nails. Living through similar days can make you forget, but last year and this year are never the same. Yesterday is different from today, and today will differ from tomorrow. Each day has its own uniqueness, shaping this year apart from last. And next year will differ from this one. I pulled on her hand. Gazing at the nails clad in the color I chose. "Miyagi?" Sendai-san called out to me. So, I brushed my lips softly against hers. Just for a moment. A touch, and then withdrew. "...Are you trying to appease me?" Sendai-san asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "It's not like that." "Then what is it?" "I don't know." If I understood why things ended up this way, it wouldn't be so challenging. The feelings directed toward Sendai-san were always too complex. Trying to make sense of it all seemed futile, but the relationship of being roommates wasn't pointless. I thought it would be nice if Sendai-san could stay beside me for much longer. Even though no two days are exactly the same, I couldn't help but wish for it. "Miyagi, you really are hard to understand." Sendai-san said in exasperation, gently stroking my earring and tugging at my ear. "It's fine not to understand." There's no need for complications. It's just right if we remain a bit of a mystery to each other. I touched Sendai-san's lips with mine once more.