105 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Happy New Year. Upon waking up, I check my smartphone by my pillow. Messages from Maika and Ami mark the date as January 1st, so I reply in kind with a simple "Happy New Year." There's no message from Sendai-san. Naturally, no call either. She's not the type to call me the moment the year changes, nor to send a "Happy New Year" message. I haven't called or messaged her either, but I think it wouldn't hurt to hear from her. I lie in bed, staring at the smartphone screen. Needless to say, it doesn't suddenly ring. "Whatever," I mutter. Even though Sendai-san isn't here, I'm not alone today. Unusually, my dad is around, and we have plans to eat together. As a child, I loved New Year's Eve and New Year's Day when my father was home. As I entered middle school, it wasn't as special, but the mere presence of someone at home was comforting. Now, the fact that my phone remains silent from Sendai-san bothers me more than having dinner with my father. I roll over, gently petting the head of the black cat plushie by my pillow. Placing the smartphone next to it, I wriggle out of bed. Stretching widely, I leave the room. I brush my teeth, change my clothes, and head to the living room. I greet my dad with a "Happy New Year" and we share breakfast. Compared to school days, time seems to pass faster, yet, without anything particularly interesting happening, it also feels elongated. Before I know it, while idly poring over a reference book at my desk, it's evening. Without having done much beyond studying, I finish dinner. My phone, guarded by the black cat plushie, rings a few times, but it's always Maika or Ami. There’s nothing from Sendai-san. Ultimately, nothing extraordinary happens just because it's New Year's Day. Unlike last year, except for the fact that I studied, the day is the same, and I sleep a bit earlier than usual. The next day is no different. By the time I wake, I'm alone at home and find myself at nightfall. Glancing at the clock, it's past ten. I stretch out on the bed. Days ago, I had shared this room with Sendai-san. I'm not lonely, but I am bored. I pull the black cat plush towards me and tug at its ear. Though the cat remains silent, my phone starts to ring. I reach for it by the pillow, and see a message from Sendai-san, asking, "Are you alone right now?" On New Year’s, no less. I reply with "Yeah," and then Sendai-san calls. The phone rings once, and I hesitate. It rings thrice before I lift myself and answer. "Hello?" I say, and "Happy New Year," comes her reply. Through the phone, her voice feels close. I remember the night we slept side by side. Her voice was near then, too. I clench my hand in a fist. It's just a phone call, after all. "...Happy New Year," I manage, voicing the greeting I hadn't given her last year, and wait for her to speak. But she says nothing. "So, what's up?" I ask, breaking the silence. "I was wondering when I should head over to Miyagi's place." "Didn't I say I'd let you know once I decided?" "Yeah, but you haven't let me know, so I'm asking." "No message means I haven't decided yet, so just wait a bit longer." Neither New Year's Eve nor New Year's Day are times to ask for study help. That's a given. Today's only the second day of the new year, so it’s within the holiday bounds, making a summons awkward. Blaming me for not messaging sooner seems unfair. "You keep saying that, but winter break might end before you decide, so just settle on it now," she insists with a tone suggesting the fault lies with me. "I have plans, you know. I can't just decide immediately." In truth, I don't have any plans, but I'm not ready to decide on the spot. If arranging our next study session is her only purpose, then that's it—call over. But I think it wouldn't hurt to chat a while longer, just to pass the time. "You have plans, Miyagi?" Her voice suggests surprise, which slightly irritates me. It's annoying to be expected to not have a life. "Is there a problem with that?" "Not really. So, what have you been up to since last time?" "Nothing much." "Even on New Year's Eve and Day?" "There's nothing to do." "Didn't meet up with friends or anything?" "You sound just like a parent, you know." My father doesn't try to track my activities, yet Sendai-san, in a parental-like manner seen in manga and TV, often does. I don’t find it bothersome, but I doubt my activities would be of interest to her. "What's wrong with asking? It's not like there's much else to talk about. So, didn't you meet up with Utsunomiya or anyone?" Her tone makes it hard to tell if she's genuinely curious. "No. Everyone's busy with entrance exams this time of year. Even you didn't meet up with friends—" I stop, remembering something. But before I can voice it, Sendai-san mentions Ibaraki-san. "I went to the shrine for New Year with Umina and the others to pray for academic success." The mention of a name I’d rather not hear makes me flop back onto the bed. I reach out for the black cat, pinching its ear. "I prayed for you, Miyagi, too." "You really didn’t have to." "But you don't go for New Year's shrine visits, right?" Hearing her assumption, I stroke the cat's head. "I don’t really believe in that stuff." "Neither do I, really, but it's just for the feeling, right? The sentiment." I’m surprised she even went for a prayer. I'd figured she valued studying over appealing to God. If she had gone alone to pray for me, that would be different, but she didn’t go alone. It was just something she did while she was out with Ibaraki-san. It doesn’t feel sincere. Still, it seems wrong to reject her efforts further, so I fall silent. And now, I don’t know what to say next. "Have you decided yet?" she asks, reviving our lost conversation with a reminder of the postponed study session. "Are you free the day after tomorrow?" "Not tomorrow, but the day after?" "Yes." "It’s fine if it’s in the evening." "Okay, come over the day after tomorrow." "Any reason not tomorrow?" "Because it's still the New Year's period." Considering Sendai-san's family situation, I doubt she'd care much about the New Year holidays, but I decide to be considerate just in case. "You actually care about that?" "Not really, but you’re doing your own studying, right?" She responds with a casual "Yeah, I guess," followed by, "So, see you the day after tomorrow." With that, the call ends. The once close voice vanishes completely, leaving the room eerily silent, making me feel even more burdened. Winter break is short. Once we meet the day after tomorrow, there likely won't be another opportunity. Both Sendai-san and I are exam students. It would be troublesome if she were to blame failing university on me for interrupting her studies. I don't necessarily need to attend the same university as Maika, but of course, I prefer passing over failing. If we weren't exam students, I probably could call on Sendai-san more freely. Last year, it wouldn’t have mattered how many times I called her. A year ago, we had an agreement not to meet on our days off, so it wouldn’t have occurred anyway. Still, I can't help but wonder. Winter break is truly dull. I let out a long, heavy sigh.