324 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Chapter 324 Miyagi is nowhere to be found. Despite not having a part-time job or being a member of any clubs, I can't find her anywhere in the house. Once again, I knock on the door of the room where it's strange for her not to be. Knock, knock. No voice comes from inside, nor any sound. I press my ear against the door. There's no sign of anyone being inside. I check my phone. There are no messages, just like the last time I looked. When I told her I was going out to eat with Mio, Miyagi just replied with "Got it." She didn’t send any messages saying she'd be late or had other plans. Of course, she didn't call me either. I place my bag on the table in the shared space and sit down on a chair. I send Miyagi a message, saying, "I've arrived home," and add, "Will you be late?" But, even after waiting a minute or two, there's no response. I also send a message to Utsunomiya, asking if she knows where Miyagi is. No reply. Naturally. Not even ten seconds have passed. If I think calmly, there's nothing to be anxious about. Anyone can go out with friends and return late, and sometimes they forget to contact you. If Miyagi is with someone, it would likely be Utsunomiya, and perhaps they’re having such a good time that neither has noticed my message. There’s also her friend Asakura-san, and they might be hanging out and losing track of time. If that were truly the case, I'd be pretty annoyed. I slump my head onto the table, knocking my forehead against it. But, what if. Because I mentioned going out to eat with Mio, Miyagi might be in a bad mood and chose not to return home. That's a possible scenario. Miyagi told me to get along with Mio, but she also said it’s irritating. So, it's not out of the question. "Hmmm." Even if that assumption is true, it's nearly impossible to get along with Mio without annoying Miyagi. "It’s impossible, right? But still..." When Miyagi is displeased because I’m getting along with someone, it's incredibly cute. So much so that I just want to continue doing things that might annoy her. However, more than seeing Miyagi like that, I want to be with her as always. It’s not that spending time with Mio isn’t fun, but the time I spend with Miyagi just can't be beaten. Miyagi is who I want to prioritize. Yet, that wouldn't change anything. Maintaining the status quo won’t earn Miyagi’s trust, nor will it make me into the person she wants me to be. If I could somehow erase everyone else from the world except for Miyagi and me, that would be ideal, but if I had that kind of power, I would have done it already. "Well, spending the day with Mio was worthwhile." During our conversation, I got to learn more about Noto-senpai than ever before. While it may be questionable to be full of ulterior motives during the meal with Mio, it turned out to be quite rewarding. It seems that Noto-senpai has been concerned about Mio’s restless nature since high school and has even intervened in her social life. Apparently, even now in university, Noto-senpai continues to fuss over Mio. From what I gathered, it seems that Noto-senpai cares about Mio more than I had imagined. "Is she wary, perhaps?" I don’t consider myself a suspicious person to be cautious of, but being close to Mio might have drawn her attention. Back in high school, I would have acted to become likable to both Mio and Noto-senpai, but having now abandoned the idea of overly accommodating others, such relationships just seem tiresome. "I don’t get why she wants to drag Miyagi into this." I let out a sigh and lift my head. As I hold my phone, debating whether or not to contact Miyagi, a message arrives from Utsunomiya: "Shiori was at my place, but she just left." Shortly after, I hear Miyagi's voice echo in my ears. "I'm home." "Welcome back." I stand up and firmly grip Miyagi’s clothes, who appears uninterested in talking and tried to head straight to her room, guiding her to sit down on a chair. “If you’re going to be late, you should let me know.” I stand in front of her to prevent her from escaping. "I assumed you'd be later since you were meeting with Mio-san." "Even if you thought that, just inform me." "Then, a penalty game." Miyagi’s voice is downright sullen when she says this. "For me?" I find this unfair. We agreed to notify each other if we'd be late since we started living together, and this time, it’s Miyagi who broke the rule. If there’s a penalty game, it should be Miyagi, not me, who’s doing something. "Wrong." Miyagi speaks with an even lower voice. "What do you mean, wrong?" "I’ll do the penalty game. Is there something you want, Sendai-san?" "Kiss me." "Why would you answer that immediately? You’re such an idiot, Sendai-san." "There isn’t anything else I want right now." "Choose something else." "Then tell me why you're in a bad mood." Because I went to have dinner with Mio. I hope that Miyagi will say that. I want her to glare at me and admit she's jealous. "It's not bad." Miyagi quietly drops her gaze to the floor. She won’t bend to my desires. But if she did, I’d worry something’s wrong with Miyagi, so regardless of what she does, I’ll accept her as she is. Still, I feel like complaining, so I mutter, "It is bad," sensing Miyagi’s low voice again. "… I was just thinking you might have had fun with Mio-san." "I only had dinner with her because you said to get along with Mio, Miyagi." In response to her not hiding her bad mood, I say this, and Miyagi lifts her gaze to look at me. "You only had dinner because I told you to?" Her voice grows a little louder. I made a mistake. I probably said something unnecessary. "Yeah. I also met Noto-senpai today." Trying to change the topic, which promises no good outcome, I blurt out something I hadn't planned to say. "… Oh, really? Did Noto-san say anything?" "She said it was fun meeting with you." "Oh. And you, Sendai-san? Did you have fun?" "Meeting with Noto-senpai?" "No. Having dinner with Mio." Miyagi returns the conversation to its original topic. Today's Miyagi isn’t a good version of herself. "So-so." My curt response prompts Miyagi to tap her toe against my foot. "Does Mio-san usually invite others when eating with Sendai-san?" "Sometimes, but today it was just Mio." "Okay." "Would it be better if I don’t meet with Mio?" "I didn't say that. I want you to get along with just Mio-san and no one else." It’s not amusing. This isn’t enjoyable. Miyagi isn’t saying anything pleasant. I want Miyagi to tell me, "Don’t meet with Mio." But that is something she’ll never say. I understand. I have to get along with Mio. “I’ll make sure to get along with Mio.” I gently reach out to Miyagi and touch the plumeria earrings. I lean in closer, moving away just before my lips can reach them. These earrings have a meaning. If there ever comes a time when Miyagi loves someone else, I want these earrings to wish for her happiness in my place. The earrings, which symbolize the wish for a loved one's happiness, carried those sentiments when I gave them to her. But right now, I can't even allow the earrings to wish for Miyagi's happiness with someone else. The earrings should wish for me to be the one who makes Miyagi happy. "Miyagi, as I mentioned before, choose a pendant for me. It could be a necklace if you like." On my ears, I wear the earrings Miyagi chose. However, I don’t think they carry as much 'weight' as the ones I gave Miyagi. I don't expect our feelings to be perfectly balanced, but Miyagi should direct a bit more 'sentiment' toward me. “...I’ll choose, but give me some time.” Uncharacteristically, Miyagi accepts my words straightforwardly. “How long is ‘some time’?” “I don’t know, but I will definitely buy it.” “Let me know when you do. I’ll pay for it.” “No, I'll choose it and I’ll buy it. Then Sendai-san will wear it. But in exchange for me choosing a necklace, there’s one condition.” “What is it?” “When you meet Mio-san, listen to one thing I say that day.” “Alright. Should I start listening today?” If it’s Miyagi’s request, I’ll listen twice or even three times over. I’ve followed numerous orders from her in the past. “Today, swear on the earrings that on days when you see Mio-san, you’ll listen to what I say.” “Understood.” I touch Miyagi's earrings, repeating the words she uttered. Then, instead of kissing the earrings, I kiss her lips. I place a light, slow kiss before pulling away. Though Miyagi knits her brow, she doesn't voice any complaints. Her toe taps against my foot harder than before. “There’s one more thing I have to say.” Miyagi says in a flat voice, looking at me. “What is it?” “I’m getting a part-time job.” “Eh? Who is?” “I am.” “...Huh?” My mind completely stops processing the words I never expected to hear from Miyagi.