106 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

### Chapter 106 It hadn't been long since I last saw Sendai-san. We even talked on the phone just the day before yesterday. Yet, when Sendai-san opened the door and said, "It's been a while," she stepped inside, took off her shoes, and repeated the "Happy New Year" she should have said on the phone. With no other choice, I replied, "Happy New Year" as well. "Wait in the room." I informed her as I saw her remove her coat, then headed to the kitchen. As I placed cookies on a plate, I pondered. Why does it feel like it's been ages when it hasn't? The casual "It's been a while" I responded with feels heavy, like a bag overloaded with belongings. Though it's a simple phrase, it somehow feels significant. I opened the fridge, taking out some soda and barley tea. When you overthink, meaningless words gain substance. There's no need to intentionally assign significance to trivial things. I poured soda and barley tea into glasses and returned the bottles to the fridge. Picking up the tray with the plate and glasses, I headed back to the room where Sendai-san was waiting with her reference book spread out. I placed the plate and glasses on an open space on the desk. "Thanks." She wore a turtleneck sweater and denim pants. Unusually, she was wearing something that covered her neck, and she hadn't tied up her hair. Sendai-san looked at me as if she were a stranger. "Aren't you going to sit?" Compelled by her words, I sat down next to her. As I unconsciously touched the buttons on my blouse, she called out to me, "Miyagi." "Is there anyone else here today?" "No one." "Are your parents at work?" Sendai-san picked up a cookie and took a bite. "Yes, but—" "What about tomorrow?" "Same as today." There wasn't any particular meaning to her questions; they seemed light-hearted. Before winter break, this might have been a conversation that ended with just answering. But now it feels different. I can't quite see it as a question lacking any significance. So I pre-emptively tell her. "…I won’t be letting you stay over today." "It's not like I want to stay over." My words were promptly dismissed, and now it was my turn to ask questions. "Then what was with those questions earlier?" "I just asked because it seems no one else is around." Saying so, Sendai-san poked my workbook with her pen. "Any parts you don't understand?" "There are a few." "Which ones?" I understood that Sendai-san was trying to dodge the topic. Even if she didn't want to stay over, her questions seemed to hold some sort of meaning. However, persistently probing wasn't likely to yield a clear answer, so I muddled my way through by picking out the confusing parts from the workbook. This time, she didn't evade and provided precise explanations. The room is comfortable, not too cold like the school or overly hot, and it's preferable to listen to Sendai-san's voice rather than the sleep-inducing drone of the teacher's. I don't find studying enjoyable, but it's more productive with her than being alone. After all, today I had called Sendai-san for that purpose, and it's enough if the questions I struggle with get resolved. Even so, I remain conscious of her beside me and glance over at Sendai-san. Her long hair hangs over her shoulders, looking bothersome. Naturally, the beautiful nape of her neck that I’m used to seeing is hidden. "If you're going to look, focus on this, not me." She pointed to the notebook. Doing as instructed, I shifted my gaze to the notebook. "Ask if there's anything you don't get," she said. The room suddenly fell silent. As I continued writing, quite a bit of time passed, and reaching for my glass, the once cold cider had become lukewarm. I stared at the glass with its still slightly transparent liquid remaining. I thought about going to the kitchen, but decided against it. My gaze shifted from the glass to Sendai-san. Her turtleneck sweater felt like an irritating obstruction. The clothes prevented me from seeing what I wanted to see. "What? Taking a break?" Sensing my gaze, Sendai-san looked up. "A break's fine, but is the time okay?" I asked, still focusing on the area around her neck. "It's still fine. Want to take a break?" "Let's have dinner. You'll stay to eat, right?" "Yeah. I'll eat." Sendai-san closed her reference book and asked about the dinner menu. I didn't answer that, instead reaching for her hidden neck. Fingers brushed against the sweater. But her hand quickly pushed mine away. "Weren't you going to eat?" "I think I'll take a short break first." "If you're taking a break, do so quietly." "It's just that not seeing your neck makes me curious." "You don't really want to see my neck, do you?" Sendai-san said, looking slightly annoyed, and turned her whole body towards me. She reached for my hair and let her fingers trace along my neck. "If you know, just show me already." I think Sendai-san is being mean. She knows what I want to see, yet she won't say it. Refuses to show it to me, yet she touches me. The slow-moving fingers along my neck are ticklish. I grab her hand, trying to pull her close. Yet her hand slips away. "Didn't we agree that during winter break I wasn't going to follow orders? Do you really think I'm not wearing the pendant, Miyagi?" "Maybe you're not wearing it." "Try to have some trust." If only I could believe, I wish I could. Then I wouldn't have to think about wanting to confirm anything. I wouldn't have these thoughts of wanting to bind her like a collar. But Sendai-san constantly acts in ways that don't warrant trust. She hides things that even when I see with my own eyes, I can’t quite trust. So I end up doubting her. “...You’re purposely making it so I can’t see today, aren’t you?” I stared at her neck hidden by the sweater. “It’s not exactly like that, but do you really want to see that badly?” “If I said I do, will you show me?” Responding to my words, Sendai-san gave a sly smile. "I'll show you if you keep your promise." "What promise?" "You don't mind a kiss, right?" Saying that, with no warning, Sendai-san unbuttoned one of my blouse buttons. “Eh?” In response to the unexpected action, my voice came out before I could catch her hand that was unbuttoning. "What are you doing?" "I never said it's okay to unbutton." I protested against her high-handedness, but her hand refused to comply. She unbuttoned another, and her fingers traced my collarbone. "If you want to see the pendant, hold still." “What are you planning to do?” “I already said, a kiss.” Sendai-san brought up the promise I couldn’t decline. Now that the study session was over, if she says it’s time for that promised kiss, I can’t say no. Her fingers traced along my neck, moving towards the nape. Though those touches weren’t part of our promise, before I could complain, she pressed a kiss just above my collarbone. Does this kind of kiss fall within our agreement? As I ponder whether it's important or not, her lips moved to my neck. They pressed softly, then shifted to another spot. Touching and retreating. Her lips traveled up my neck. The breath she exhaled tickled, making my neck stiffen. The warmth of her lips almost stopped my breath. I’m unsure if this is right, but it doesn’t feel like something I need to push her away from. Perhaps this is still within the bounds of our agreement, so I let it slide. Her lips, which had been repeatedly kissing my neck, pressed forcefully near my ear, prompting me to grab Sendai-san’s arm. But without hesitation, she sucked my skin firmly and decisively. It wasn’t enough to cause pain, but it pricked like being pierced by needles. Instead of pushing her away, I dug my nails into her arm, prompting her to bite into my neck. But soon after, her lips left, and something warm and wet pressed against my earlobe. Warmer than her lips, it was likely her tongue, tracing the contour of my ear. The sensation of her tongue against my ear synced with a tingling feeling at the back of my mind. Her breathing, in and out, sounded eerily close, and the rhythm seemed to match my own heartbeat. Our breathing synchronized, and I pushed Sendai-san's shoulders forcefully. "That's not a kiss." "You didn’t say stop, Miyagi." "Just because I didn’t say it doesn't make it okay. And why did you even unbutton my blouse? You didn’t need to do that. And there's definitely a mark, isn't there?" I rubbed the spot she had sucked, but without eyes on my fingertips, I couldn't be sure of what it looked like. "You didn’t specify where I could kiss before. So, no complaints from you about where I chose," she said nonchalantly, pressing my fingers to the likely marked spot. Her fingers moved up to my ear, threading through my hair. And as if it were natural, she leaned in again, prompting me to push her shoulder away once more. "There's a mirror on that desk—go get it," I instructed. I suppose I can admit fault for not choosing a kissing spot. But I didn't agree to having a mark left behind. Sendai-san herself told me numerous times not to leave marks. So, I think I have the right to demand something from her after she ignored that. "It's not marked." "I’ll confirm it myself." I spoke resolutely, and Sendai-san reluctantly fetched the mirror. It wasn't the first time she kissed my neck. But never a kiss that left a noticeable mark. Once, when she bit me, it turned red. But the bite mark vanished within a day. "Here." Handing me the mirror, I inspected my neck. There, in a place that didn't warrant unbuttoning, was a vivid red mark. It lay at a perfect spot—not easy to conceal with my blouse fully buttoned, yet not too blatant either. "It’s just a little mark, but your hair will cover it, right?" She casually remarked. True, I could probably hide it with my hair, but it didn’t seem completely concealable. She did it on purpose. She deliberately left it visible. "It may not stand out much, but it's definitely in a visible spot." "It’s fine. You can hide it," she insisted flippantly, trying to prove her point by adjusting my hair to cover the mark. The brushing of strands against my neck was ticklish, so I slapped her hand away and shoved the mirror at her. "No way. What if someone sees it?" "No school means no one will see, right?" "My parents might spot it." "You said they're working today and tomorrow, Miyagi. By the day after, it’ll be gone, anyway." So that was it. Now the questions she asked before we studied made sense. “Even if my parents aren’t around, I might meet friends.” “Who was it that said everyone’s busy with entrance exam preparations around this time?” “...That’s a mean thing to say.” “Not as bad as you, Miyagi.” Sendai-san smirked and spoke with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Then she grabbed my arm. "Can I kiss you again?" Casually dropping another unreasonable request, I thwarted Sendai-san’s attempt to exercise her supposed right. "No. Instead, show me the necklace." This time, it was my turn to ensure she kept her promise. I reached out towards her. But before my hand could touch her neck, she pulled out the necklace from beneath her sweater.