303 Sendai-san is The Same, Yet Different - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Sendai-san is The Same, Yet Different Chapter 303 I don't want to go to university. I slowly circle the room. I woke up an entire hour earlier than usual, got dressed, and I'm ready. But I don't want to go to university. If I go, I'll see Maika, and if I see her, she'll ask about yesterday. "Wasn't that person you were talking to Sendai-san's senior, Shiori?" Since a message like that had come about the events at her workplace yesterday, I replied, "Yes," only to be asked whether she lived near there and why we ended up at the same table. In the end, I gave her a vague reply like "I don't really know, it was a coincidence that we met and talked about Sendai-san." But it wasn't enough to escape her probing. So it's impossible that no one will ask me about yesterday. I can dodge the details of the conversation as much as I want. However, I don't want to talk about Noto-san. I let out a big sigh. I shouldn't have gone to Maika's workplace. I should have just gone straight home without making any detours. If I had done that, I wouldn't have seen Noto-san, and I wouldn't have had to discuss Sendai-san. If nothing had happened, I would have just enjoyed either the pudding or the ice cream that Sendai-san had bought yesterday, had a little chat, and ended the day as roommates, and today would have started off the same way. —No, I can't. I mustn't regret. Regretting what happened yesterday means recalling it, which leads to remembering what I said to Sendai-san yesterday. I let out another sigh and stand in front of the bookshelf. The black cat meets my eyes. My stomach feels heavy. "...Meow," I mutter complaints to the black cat as if it understands. Because the stuffed toy couldn't walk back to its place on the shelf, Sendai-san found out that I sometimes place the black cat on my bed. It's the worst. I said things that weren't mine to say yesterday and even showed something I never wanted to show. I press my index finger against the black cat's forehead. The fact that I have this black cat close by is my secret, one I haven't told anyone else, and having the black cat near me brings me calm, a secret shared with none. It's truly bothersome. I had always been careful, cautious, and never forgotten to return the black cat to its rightful place until yesterday. That wasn't me. The me who leaves the black cat on the bed isn't me. The me who told or wanted to tell Sendai-san I want to stop being roommates isn't me. Sendai-san must've thought this was strange, too. I take another lap around the room. Even though I know I shouldn't feel regret, I do indeed regret it. On a day like this, it's okay to skip university. That's what I think. I won't be of any use today, even if I go. But I can't just not see Sendai-san. It's about time for her to wake up, and if I stay cooped up in my room, she'll keep knocking on the door until I come out. If I don't go to university, she won't either. She'd stay home all day waiting in front of the door for me to come out. I'd feel bad if I caused Sendai-san to skip university because of me. Despite feeling this way, there's also a part of me that thinks it wouldn't be so bad to skip university together. If we stayed away from university forever, Maika wouldn't be able to question me. I could keep Sendai-san confined to this house. At that thought, I remember that Sendai-san has her part-time job today. "That's no good." If I said I wasn't feeling well, or begged her not to go, she'd probably skip university. But she'd definitely go to her job. Even if she somehow became mine alone, that wouldn't change. What I gained in exchange for a roommate. I'm not dissatisfied with it, but it's not absolute. Overall, I've become unsure of what face I should have when talking to Sendai-san. Should it be the same as yesterday, or a different one? Since I don't know, I can't settle down. "What should I do?" I talk to the black cat and glance at the door. Even if I have no idea how to spend the day, I know I can't just stay holed up in my room. At the very least, I have to leave by breakfast time. I let out yet another sigh. If we're going to see each other anyway, I might as well be in the shared space before Sendai-san. Being called out from my room or going there afterward might be more awkward. I breathe in, breathe out, and go to the door. After another breath, I grip the doorknob tightly and open the door with spirit. "Whoa!" "Eh!? Sendai-san?" We didn't collide. But I was surprised to find Sendai-san standing right in front of the door after I opened it. There was no knock. I didn't hear a voice. Perhaps I was too lost in thought to hear, but judging by Sendai-san's expression, that shouldn't be the case. She seems surprised too, as if she hadn't expected me to come out of my room. "...Good morning, Miyagi," she mutters. How rare. Today, she's avoiding eye contact with me. "Good morning... Why are you standing here?" "I thought we could prepare breakfast together... Can you help me?" "Sure. What are we making?" "Hmm, what should it be," she says, not looking at me, walking toward the fridge. I follow right behind her. There's a sound of footsteps, then they stop. That's because Sendai-san stopped, so I had to stop too. Near the table. Sendai-san turns back to me. "Aren't we going to make breakfast?" I ask, and get a "yeah" in response. She grabs my wrist. Then, lightly pulling, she embraces me. "I never said you could do this," I complain to Sendai-san, who does things without permission. "Is it not allowed?" "No." Even though I clearly refused, she tightened her arms around me. Her hands wrapped around my back. Our bodies pressed together. The familiar scent of shampoo. It's all quite pleasant, and my heart begins beating twice as fast as usual. "Is kissing okay?" A voice in my ear asks. "Not now." Her arms holding me tight, yet not painfully so. Her soft body. Her silky hair. All of them belong to only me, and my heart beats loudly. "Miyagi, you're stingy. Nothing will change like this." Even though she's complaining, her gentle voice is comforting. "We don't need to change, so let's just make breakfast quickly. We'll be late for university." I push Sendai-san away and escape from her arms. "It’s not like we're running late." "Sendai-san, be quiet. Just tell me what to do." I step on the distracting Sendai-san's foot. When I apply a decent amount of pressure, Sendai-san finally meets my eyes, something she hadn't done at all until now. "Then, could you get the eggs and ham, Miyagi?" "Got it." I release my foot from hers and head to the refrigerator. I take out the eggs and ham as she requested. While Sendai-san cooked them in the frying pan, I set the table. Preparations for breakfast finished quickly, and, as usual, I sat down. On the table were fried eggs and ham, rice and miso soup, chopsticks, and cat chopstick rests. Across from me sits the person who lives in something important. The breakfast menu changes daily, but the dishes and cat chopstick rests remain unchanged. Though Sendai-san is no longer just my roommate, the rules for living together haven’t changed. In this house, some things change, others stay the same. "Sendai-san, make sure to come back early so we can eat pudding together." Last time it was tofu, but today we're having miso soup with wheat gluten. It's as delicious as ever. "The pudding I bought yesterday?" Sendai-san asked, looking at me while eating her fried egg. "Yes." "We have ice cream too, though." "Pudding is fine." "I’ll come back as soon as I can, but I have work, so is it okay if it’s at the usual time?" "If it's the usual time, there'll be a penalty game." "What time is 'the usual'? Can you please define it?" "I’ll decide that when you get back." "Ehh," she groaned exaggeratedly, adding, "Isn't that harsh?" "It’s not." "Oh well. But if I manage to return home at a time you consider early, then you have to listen to me." "No way." Her counteroffer wasn't great. She always suggests things that put me in difficult situations. "Come on. I won’t ask for anything complicated." "What’s something not complicated?" "You’ll find out when I get back," she teased with a smile.