299 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Chapter 299 I bring the back of my hand close to my nose. It carries a pleasant scent reminiscent of Sendai-san, causing me to stretch out on my bed. However, my hand feels sticky, prompting a sigh. Closing my eyes, I attempt to erase the all-too-familiar ceiling from my view. The sticky culprit covering my hand is a hand cream that Sendai-san gifted me for Christmas, identical to the one Maika has. While it’s the same brand and type, the fragrance isn't the same. Though similar, they differ, and I’ve only used mine a handful of times. —Maika mentioned she had already used all of hers. I exhale deeply. I don't want Sendai-san to come back. Yet, I do want her to come back. These conflicting feelings clash and unsettle my heart. Neither feeling outweighs the other, leaving me at a loss. Although these are my feelings, they refuse to conform to my wishes. They swirl around inside me without blending, trampling through the depths of my heart. True to her message, Sendai-san hasn't returned yet. We attend different universities and have different friends. Even though we live in the same house, our differing lives mean that, unless we make an effort, our schedules drift apart. On days like today, when she has plans with friends, it's easy for our schedules to not overlap. As this trend continues, we might end up leading separate lives while living together. It's not unusual for two roommates like Sendai-san and me, who aren't particularly close or distant. I open my previously closed eyes. I pick up the black cat plush by my pillow and almost begin to pet it, stopping myself. Petting it with hand cream-coated hands might leave the plush sticky or scented. Since coming home, it's been about an hour or two. I'm not entirely sure, but quite some time has passed. "…Sendai-san belongs to me, after all." Even if I wish she wouldn't return, since she belongs to me, she should hurry back to this home. I touch the wall separating my room from Sendai-san's, slowly withdrawing my hand to lightly knock on it. No response comes. I position the black cat to face the wall. Curling up, I close my eyes. My phone remains silent. Floating in the darkness created by my closed eyes, I hear the familiar knock, knock. My eyes refuse to open. My body won't move. Stiff on the bed, as if under a spell, I again hear the knock on the door. "Miyagi." Sendai-san's voice calls my name. "I know you're there." The knocking continues. I wanted her to come back, believed she should come back quickly, yet because part of me doesn't want her to return, my body remains motionless. My mind is filled with indecision, overflowing onto the bed. "Hey, Miyagi." An impatient voice rises, followed by a slightly louder knock. "I'm coming in, okay?" Even as she says this, Sendai-san doesn't enter. "Are you not feeling well? Are you okay?" Her voice outside the door shifts to concern. However, she's courteous. Since I haven't granted permission, she doesn't come in. Left alone, she'd probably stand outside waiting indefinitely. Reluctantly, I stretch out my arms and legs, easing my stiff body to get up and open the door. "You don't have to knock so much; I can hear you." I address the anxious-looking Sendai-san. "Miyagi, if you're there, please open the door quickly. You had me worried. Are you feeling unwell?" "I'm fine. I was just sleeping." "Really? You haven't caught a cold?" "I didn't. Besides, if I didn't answer the knock, I might not have been here." "I saw your shoes at the entrance, so it would be odd if you weren't home." Sendai-san points out logically, reaching a hand toward me. Before I can dodge, her hand touches my forehead. "Doesn't seem like a fever." She mutters as if to herself, eliciting my grievance, "I didn't say you could touch me." "Miyagi, are you upset?" "I'm not. If you need something, say it." "Want to eat pudding or ice cream together? I bought some from the convenience store." "You aren't holding any." I kick Sendai-san's foot standing before me empty-handed. "They're in the fridge." "Sendai-san, you should eat them all. I don't want any." Turning her away dismissively, I try to shut the door, but she catches my arm. I lean toward her, planting my foot firmly to resist the pull, stepping back. As I peel her hand off my arm, it brushes my cheek. "Miyagi." Her soft voice catches my gaze. Her beautiful face moves closer, sealing my lips with hers. "It's strange to kiss right now." I push against Sendai-san's stomach as she quickly pulls away. "It's just a kiss; what's wrong?" "There's plenty wrong. Why did you kiss me?" "Because I wanted to." "If you want to kiss so much, do it in your own room." "If I go back to my room, I won't get to kiss Miyagi." Sendai-san really doesn't say anything sensible. All her words sound absurd, and I don't believe this is what I want to discuss with her. But even if I try to think of something I want to talk about, nothing comes to mind. Too much has happened today. I feel like there's a lot I want to say, yet at the same time, I don't wish to speak at all. "Even if you stay here, you can't kiss me." I tell Sendai-san, and she retorts, "Then, how can I kiss you?" Sendai-san, at times like this, has the persistence to attempt kissing as many times as needed, so I push her away, gripping the doorknob. Yet, she closes the distance, bringing her face nearer. "I'm not doing it." Covering her mouth with my hand, something moist brushes against my palm. Clearly, it's the tip of her tongue, causing me to hurriedly pull back my hand. "Miyagi, your hand smells nice." Her words remind me of the hand cream. I regret having applied it. As I instinctively hide my hands behind my back, she asks, "Do you not like that hand cream?" "Why?" "You've hardly used it." "It's not like I like it or dislike it." "I see. What about the scarf?" "I'll use it when it gets cold." Like or dislike. The answer falls between those two, and the words I uttered aren't what she asked for. Yet, Sendai-san smiled, "Good," and continued, "If you don't want a kiss, I won't give you one. Let me in." Like a well-trained dog, Sendai-san waits for my 'okay' in the shared space. I don't dislike her behavior, but it sometimes gets on my nerves. I kick Sendai-san's foot, gripping her clothing tightly. "Miyagi, did something happen with Utsunomiya?" Despite asking to come in, Sendai-san, who doesn't actually attempt to enter, suddenly mentions my best friend's name. "There's nothing going on with Maika." "What do you mean by 'with Maika'? Did something happen with someone else?" "Nothing happened." "Then why the bad mood?" "I'm not in a bad mood." This is true; I'm not in a bad mood. If anything is amiss, it's because of Noto-san. However, I don't want to talk about Noto-san with Sendai-san. Mentioning Noto-san would only bring her back to mind, and thinking about her would lead me to thoughts better left forgotten. "Are you upset because I got home late?" Sendai-san probes. I drop my gaze to the floor. Not a single piece of trash is visible. On closer inspection, there might be a speck of dust, but our home is always tidy. Sendai-san and I make sure of that. It's best to keep important places clean. That's what I believe. "It’s strange to be mad just because a roommate comes home late," I mutter and give the gleaming floor a little kick. "Go ahead and get mad," she replies. "Even though we're just roommates?" "Since we live together, it wouldn't be strange to be angry." Sendai-san quietly asserts. Even if Sendai-san had a "lover"? That question springs to mind. "…Sendai-san." "What is it?" I lift my gaze from the floor to look at her. Even without asking her, I know that there's no one in her life who could be deemed a "lover." Having lived with her until today, there hasn't been anything to suggest otherwise. But that might not last forever. Someday, someone like that might appear. Even so. Maybe I'm the only one who believes that Sendai-san will continue to be mine. Promises aren't kept unless we both choose to uphold them. Today, the bond of being mere roommates feels rather tenuous. I can hear Noto-san laughing in my mind. —I don't think I could tolerate Sendai-san having someone like that in her life. "…Come on in." What I wanted to say was something else entirely. But sticking to the words I've spoken, I open the door wide.