312 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Chapter 312 Miyagi’s skirt sways gently. I know if I stare too intently, she’ll call me a “pervert” again, yet my gaze involuntarily drifts downward. It suits her. She’s so cute. Since she’s no longer in high school, Miyagi doesn’t wear skirts much anymore. I want to see her like this forever. If I’m being honest, I could stare at her legs, extending from the skirt, for eternity. Her legs are filled with countless memories of ours. That’s why I can’t help but watch them. I’m curious about the backstory of her choosing the skirt she wore today, but it’s a minor issue now that we’re at the aquarium together. Whether Utsunomiya picked it out or why Miyagi didn’t ask for my opinion doesn’t really matter. Those trivial details pale in comparison to the fact that Miyagi chose to wear a skirt on a day out with me. “Sendai-san, look ahead.” I hear her displeased voice and reply, “But I am, Miyagi.” We’re heading towards a spot to see an animal with ears, a sea lion, which isn’t far from where the penguins were. Since we’ve been here before, Miyagi seems to remember too, as her steps guide us toward the sea lions. Even if I’m not looking ahead, it shouldn’t be a problem. “It’s dangerous, you know. Stop looking at me and pay attention to where you’re going.” Following her words, she gives my arm a nudge from the side. It’s not enough to make me stumble, but the force slows my pace, leaving me a couple of steps behind her. I hurriedly catch up to walk by her side again. “Hey, no going on ahead of me, Miyagi.” If the purpose was to focus solely on watching her skirt, walking behind would be better. But I want to walk beside her. “You were the one not paying attention, Sendai-san.” “I wasn’t distracted, just admiring your skirt.” “That’s even worse. Stop looking and reflect on your actions.” “Okay, okay.” Underneath the calm sea-like blue sky, I shift my gaze from her skirt to the path ahead. The adorable, skirt-clad Miyagi exists within the photos on my phone tucked in my bag. I can take as many pictures as I want. But my priority is guiding Miyagi, not looking at her skirt. Even if we’re heading somewhere she can reach without guidance, if she wishes for a guide, I’ll guide her as many times as it takes. “Oh, Miyagi. We kind of skipped the otters, didn’t we? Want to go back later?” Last time, she wouldn’t budge from in front of the otters. At the zoo, she snapped countless photos of them. I want to know what piques her interest, so I’ll be ready for whatever she feels like seeing. “Yes.” As expected, she answers. “Alright, let’s head there after we see the sea lions.” I glance at her with a smile, but she has an unusually difficult expression on her face. “Do otters have ears?” “I guess they must, but I’ve never really looked. Should we go back and check?” “No, we’ll look later.” “Do you really like animal ears, Miyagi?” “No, not really. I was just curious since you mentioned ears.” “I see.” My heart bounces around like a tennis ball. She’s interested in what I want to see. Perhaps it’s a small thing, but hearing that Miyagi is influenced by what I say makes me happy. Even if only by a millimeter, moving Miyagi’s feelings is significant. Though I feel like skipping, I walk alongside her at a pace neither fast nor slow. Miyagi, who walked so briskly toward the penguins, now matches my pace. Even if the sea lions were ten or twenty kilometers away, I wouldn’t mind walking with her. But the destination isn’t far, and we arrive before I know it. “We’re here.” I tell her and stop at a spot where the lounging sea lions are visible. “I can see their ears.” Miyagi says while staring at the sea lions, adding, “They look kind of slippery.” “Really? I think they look smooth.” “They have fur, so they’re probably not that smooth.” “Sea lions have fur, huh?” “Yeah, even baby sea lions have fluffy fur.” “Oh, right.” Indeed, I’ve seen baby sea lions with fur on TV. So, it’s not surprising that adult sea lions have fur too. I fixate on Miyagi, who is engrossed in the sea lions. She isn’t usually chatty, but around animals, she becomes quite talkative. I take out my phone from my bag and aim it at her. Snap! I capture a photo. Miyagi doesn’t protest. She continues to be absorbed in watching the sea lions. “Miyagi.” “What?” “――Do you prefer sea lions or seals?” Sea lions, seals, or me. I had the silly urge to say that, but I hold back, not wanting to hear an answer that might hurt. Instead, I ask a simple question. “I’ve never thought about it.” She says simply and pulls out her phone to take a picture of the sea lions. With her not saying anything else, I seize the opportunity to capture her profile once more. In the frame, Miyagi appears to be enjoying herself. To put it simply, she’s wearing the kind of expression she likely has when she’s with Utsunomiya. Ideally, I’d like for her to look as happy as she does now, whether at the aquarium or not, whether Utsunomiya is there or not. “Are you even looking at the sea lions, Sendai-san?” Miyagi mumbles under her breath. “I’m looking. That sea lion over there looks easy to grab from a crane game.” Without actually looking at the sea lions, I reply, and she glances at me. “You definitely wouldn't win it, Sendai-san.” “Why not?” “You’re terrible at crane games, remember?” “Well, that’s true.” Her statement is utterly correct, but thanks to my poor skill, Miyagi managed to get a penguin plush for me, which wasn’t so bad after all. The penguin I originally wanted to win for her ended up becoming ours, knowing things about us that neither of us fully know about each other. Adding such shared things to our space seems to make that house more and more ours, and I find that comforting. I point my phone at Miyagi. Her brow furrows slightly before relaxing. “Sendai-san, take a picture of the sea lions.” While not quite an order, her voice carries a compelling force, prompting me to direct my phone towards the sea lions. It reminds me of a similar situation at the zoo, being told to take pictures. Penguins and sea lions are cute. I imagine the otters we’re about to see will be equally endearing. Still, they don’t capture my interest quite like Miyagi. “Do I really have to take pictures of the sea lions?” “Yes, take them and show me later.” Her voice returns dull, but I'm not really amused either. All I want my camera lens trained on, all my attention focused on, is Miyagi. I suspect she’d be delighted if I found a favorite animal and took countless pictures, yet instead of finding such an interest, I only want to look at her. I refrain from voicing this aloud, lest I sour Miyagi’s mood. No matter the circumstances, Miyagi is what captures my interest. Everything else seems insignificant. This remains unchanged even though she has shifted from simply a "roommate" to someone living in something important. “What kind of sea lion do you want to see, Miyagi?” As I glance over at the creatures lazing about, it’s unclear whether they’re covered in fur or not. “Any kind is fine, just make sure you take the picture properly,” she instructs with the authority of a teacher. I want to fulfill her every wish. Yet, there are some things that simply cannot be changed. Miyagi once told me to form my own likes and dislikes, but I realized I cannot provide an answer that would satisfy her. Likely, the vague and unresolved answer will remain elusive. Whether in an aquarium or a zoo, my interest is solely fixated on Miyagi. Since my attention is solely on her, any likes or dislikes are inherently tied to her. It’s nearly impossible for me to separate and create preferences that are independently mine. Miyagi. In kanji, her name contains only two characters; in hiragana, a mere three. It’s a common name that anyone can write, yet to me, it holds more significance than any other words or characters. Miyagi, who seeks me out, is more precious than anything else. She gives my life meaning. I capture the sea lion on my phone and show it to Miyagi. “I took the picture.” “It doesn’t look cute at all. Can’t you take it seriously?” she replies. If she insists, I can indeed try to take a better picture of the sea lion. However, I’d rather save my phone’s memory for more pictures of Miyagi. “Alright, but can I take a photo with you first?” I ask with a smile, noticing a deeper crease forming on Miyagi’s brow.