127 Things Sendai-san Must Not Forget - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Things Sendai-san Must Not Forget Chapter 127 I pick up the black cat sitting on the bookshelf and lie down on the bed. It’s a late hour when I should be asleep, but I don't feel tired at all. I stroke the head of the black cat. Since coming here, Sendai-san has never broken a promise—until today. For the first time, she broke one, granting me the right to issue an order. Technically, it's not an order. It's a right to have her do one thing I say, a right I obtained rather forcefully and not through legitimate means. I place the black cat on my chest. There are a set number of times penalty games happen. Listening to the other’s order is a one-time thing. Most likely, Sendai-san would comply unless I make an outrageous request. Up to now, she's adhered to nearly all my orders. If I ask her to lick my foot, she'd probably do it, and if I ask for a kiss, she'd comply. But she'll only listen once. For some reason, since we've come here, Sendai-san is strict about following rules. So, who knows when I'll have this right again? Thinking about it, I'm undecided on what I should ask of her. Perhaps it’s because we became roommates, unlike during high school when decisions came easily. I feel like there are orders I shouldn’t give. So, what sort of penalty game should I have her play? Even after thinking, nothing comes to mind. I press the black cat on my chest against the wall. Its nose touches, then quickly pulls back. Penalty games are just a game. They're not something to ponder seriously. They should be used up more loosely and casually. I know this, but I can't stop thinking due to Sendai-san suddenly talking about a job unbeknownst to me. It's difficult to think lightly or casually. I place the black cat by the wall and turn off the lights. Curling my back, I close my eyes. I wish she’d told me earlier if she intended to get a job. When I asked Sendai-san about it later, she mentioned it was a tutoring job, although she hasn't decided whether to do it yet. But I suspect she has already decided. Once she starts tutoring, Sendai-san will teach someone just like the time she tutored me. In that voice, at that distance, just the two of them. Although I don’t think she'd engage in non-study activities as she did with me, it's not entirely amusing. Since entering university, more and more of Sendai-san is unknown to me. She doesn't talk much about college, so around 50% of her life is a mystery. I believe she'll tell me if I ask, but I won’t understand her as vividly as I did in high school, making me hesitate to inquire. The idea of an unknown, new job adding to this knowledge gap gives me a headache. I pull the black cat into the covers. I had been sleeping well lately, but now I might stray back to sleeplessness. I begin counting black cats. One, two, three. Instead of sheep, plush black cats hop over a fence. During these moments, images of Sendai-san working part-time come to mind. If she starts something like being a tutor, she might go back to constantly breaking rules like before. Although breaking rules could lead back to those playful punishment orders, having her prioritize work is vexing. While her promise to me doesn’t have to be her top priority, I don’t want it to be forgotten. Something that makes Sendai-san not forget our promises. Perhaps the penalty game should be such a thing. As I count the cats leaping over the fence, I contemplate what that "something" might be. Though its nature eludes me, as I keep thinking, my head starts to grow hazy. Before the cats exceed three hundred and reach four hundred, I fall asleep before deciding what to ask of Sendai-san. Then, I wake up five minutes before my alarm goes off. I eat the breakfast Sendai-san prepared. She doesn’t mention the penalty game at all. She leaves me once again with unwelcome news, "I'll be late today," before heading out. I clean up and get dressed, then leave the house. I wish she won’t get the job. As the train sways, I find myself wishing bad luck on Sendai-san. As her roommate, I know I should probably say, "I hope you get the job," but I can't bring myself to do it. I’m the one who said, "Act like a roommate, please," yet it's I who fail to behave as her roommate—it's disheartening. Even after leaving the train and arriving at the university, my mood remains bleak. Entering the lecture hall, I spot Maika and sit beside her. "Good morning." "Morning," she replies to my greeting. "Shiori, you look kind of sleepy. Haven't seen that in a while." Though Maika's appearance changed after starting university, her demeanor hasn't. She's still just as kind and observant. "I was reading and couldn’t stop." I couldn’t very well confess that I'd been up late thinking about Sendai-san. Leaning back in my chair, I look at Maika. Today, her hair—slightly longer than mine—is tied in a ponytail, accentuated by a tiny ornament on her ear. "You pierced your ears yourself, right?" "Yeah." "Did it hurt?" "A little, but just for a moment." "So, it was painful." "Not as much as I thought, but it probably depends on the person. Are you thinking of getting piercings, Shiori?" "Not really." The small accessory is cute. Observing Maika, who's growing prettier by adopting such small changes, makes me think it's not such a bad idea, but the thought of even brief pain is off-putting. If there were a painless way, I might consider it. However, it's not something worth actively seeking out. Still, the small ornament captures my attention. I suspect it’s because Sendai-san was against the idea of piercings during high school. Lately, my mind tries to link everything back to Sendai-san, and I often find myself thinking of her involuntarily. "If you’re interested, why don’t we go look together? Even if you don’t get one, it's fun to browse. Are you free today?" If it’s a matter of having or not having time, I have an abundance of it today. Sendai-san is out with someone I've never seen, so she won't return home early. "I'm free, so let's go." Spending time with Maika is enjoyable, and I don't want to be home alone. Besides, Sendai-san is off having a meal with someone anyway. Whether I'll buy earrings is uncertain, but I've decided to spend my time after university with Maika.