164 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Chapter 164 The walk to the station feels burdensome. The reason is simple—it’s where I'm meeting Maika. I try to distract myself by searching for the calico cat, but it’s nowhere to be found. Despite not intending to walk quickly, I arrive at the station all too soon. With nothing else to do, I wait idly until I hear Maika’s voice. "Shiori, have you been waiting long?" "I just got here." "You didn’t have to come to meet me, you know." "It’s close by, so don’t worry about it." The path from the station to my house isn’t confusing, but I feel better fetching her. I suggest, “Shall we go?” and start walking with Maika. "Are you feeling okay?" As we walk, Maika’s worry becomes evident through her voice as she matches her stride with mine. "It's just the heat." I can’t reveal the real reason, so I offer a convenient excuse. The thought of Maika visiting the house I share with Sendai-san makes me nervous and weighs on me. "Sendai-san is home today, right?" As she chooses the shaded path, Maika looks at me. "Yes, she’s excited to make pancakes." Maika has been eager to meet Sendai-san, who’s already looking forward to having us over at home. "Pancakes? Is Sendai-san a good cook?" "I’d say she is." Sendai-san’s cooking is always delicious. I’m sure anyone else would feel the same. Yet, a small part of me doesn’t want Maika to eat her pancakes. It’s petty, but I don’t know how to handle these feelings peacefully. Maika is a dear friend, someone I want in my life forever, and thinking like this makes me dislike myself. "Having something like that prepared feels special, like being a real guest. It’s a little exciting." Maika speaks happily. I should feel as thrilled as she does, but it doesn’t come naturally. I can only muster a smile and try to seem excited. "You're more than just a guest, Maika. Enjoy being pampered today." "Okay, I will." Her voice is buoyant. Even as we engage in light-hearted conversation, our steps carry us ever closer to home. Moving toward the house, it’s only natural for the distance to shrink, though I wish it would increase. It feels like being pulled back by some unseen force, burdened by a gravity I don’t usually sense. This morning, I secured a promise from Sendai-san through the earrings that she wouldn’t say anything strange, so I shouldn’t worry about her too much. Maika isn’t one to cause trouble generally either, but today uncertainty looms. Anything involving Sendai-san tends to trigger an uncanny insight that makes me uneasy. It's okay. Definitely okay. As I mumble these words like a charm, Maika stops, saying "Cat." "Cat?" "Look, over there." Maika points forward to a shaded spot with her index finger. Following her gaze, I spot the cat, a calico no doubt, right where she indicated. "There really is a cat." "When you say ‘really’..." "Sendai-san mentioned there’s a cat in the neighborhood, but I’ve never seen it. Even when we went looking together last time, it wasn't there." "Looking for it with Sendai-san?" Realizing I’ve said too much, I notice Maika’s curiosity piqued. Sendai-san doesn’t seem like the type to go searching for cats, but we did go together. There’s nothing to be bothered by in telling Maika this. It’s just regular conversation. I know this. Yet, recounting events involving Sendai-san to Maika jumbles my thoughts. Going on a cat hunt with Sendai-san isn’t strange. For some reason, though, it fills me with an inexplicable guilt. "Yeah. Sendai-san suddenly suggested searching for the cat on Sunday." I try to speak as casually as possible. "Shiori, do you often do such things with Sendai-san?" Before I can respond, Maika crouches, calling to the cat, "Come here." But the cat stays put, unfazed, lounging in the shade. We continue our idle conversation, watching the cat. "Not usually. That time was an exception. I hadn’t seen the cat before." Though I doubt it understood, the cat’s ear twitches slightly, perhaps in response to my voice. "You two seem quite close. It’s almost like a date." "There's no way I would go on a date Sendai-san. Anyway, who searches for cats on a date?" My voice rises slightly, causing the cat to lift itself up and take off. "Ah, it ran away." Maika exclaims, watching as the cat bolts past us. "I wanted to pet it." Expressing her disappointment, Maika and I resume walking. Despite letting Sendai-san pet it, the cat apparently has no interest in us. Perhaps it’s a stingy, unfriendly cat. As I entertain these thoughts, Maika interjects with, "Back to what we were talking about earlier." "Spending a day looking for a cat feels like something a cohabiting couple does to pass time, don't you think?" With the cat gone and my home nearing, Maika’s insistent on circling back to the earlier conversation, even when naturally shifting topics might occur. Reluctant yet aware that forcing a topic change might seem suspicious, I respond. "I don’t see it that way. So, Maika, if someone you live with suggests looking for a cat, does that count as a date? To me, it’s just searching for a cat, not a date." "Any outing with a cohabiting partner is a date, whether it’s cat searching or anything else." Maika promptly replies, adding that it's just her perspective as she doesn’t have such a partner. "Oh, Shiori, speaking of dates, didn’t Ami break up with her boyfriend?" With that, the conversation veers away from Sendai-san, and we reminisce about Ami, the one friend who stayed in our hometown. Within a five-minute walk from where we saw the cat, we arrive at home. Opening the front door, we slip off our shoes and head into the shared space, where Sendai-san is standing with a bowl. "We're back." I call out, and she responds, "Welcome back." "You’re making pancakes now?" "Yes, they taste better fresh, so I waited for you to return." Cracking an egg, Sendai-san greets Maika with, "It’s been a while." "It’s been a while since that runaway incident." Maika reflects, prompting a lighthearted laugh from Sendai-san. "I really appreciated your help back then. If Miyagi ever runs away again, I’ll rely on you." "Hey, that wasn’t running away. I was just staying at Maika’s place for a bit. Don’t turn it into some strange incident." I feel slighted. It wasn’t an incident worth such a fuss, just a short refuge at a friend’s house, with plans to return quickly. Yet, these two turn small events into grand tales for their amusement. "Oh, here's a little something." Once the excitement settles, Maika hands a small bag to Sendai-san. "Thanks. You didn’t need to bother." "It’s nothing fancy, just cookies. Enjoy them together." Maika smiles at me warmly. Ideally, I would prefer to eat the cookies myself, without sharing, but telling her that wouldn't make any difference. "Thanks." I offer my gratitude without any unnecessary words. "I'm going to make the pancakes now, so why don't you two chat in your room?" Sendai-san suggests. "Let me help you," Maika offers, watching as Sendai-san mixes the ingredients in a bowl. "I’ve got it covered. Utsunomiya, I bet you want to see Miyagi's room. Plus, having Miyagi here would just get in the way, so take her with you." Sendai-san's blunt remark makes me want to kick her, but I force myself to hold back. While I might have been more of a hindrance during my high school days, I've become somewhat more useful since then. "Okay, I’ll take Shiori with me. Which way is your room?" I can't even voice a single complaint before Maika pulls me by the arm, leading me to my room. I’m no match for their teamwork. Somehow, they’re perfectly in sync. It’s not like they plan these things, yet everything flows seamlessly. "It’s a bit cramped, but the vibe hasn’t changed since high school," Maika comments as soon as we enter my room. "I brought over everything but the big stuff." "You even brought the alligator." "I did. Just make yourself comfortable anywhere you can find space." I direct Maika, who’s surveying my room, and she sits across from me. We’ve already talked plenty about what it's like living under one roof with someone else, and outside of Sendai-san, there’s not much left to stir Maika’s curiosity. Without Sendai-san in the mix, our conversations mirror those we have during our times on campus. I entertain a fleeting wish for the pancakes to never finish cooking. But of course, that's impossible. Tap, tap. A soft knock echoes twice, breaking the silence. It's the sound of Sendai-san at the door, prompting me to step out for a moment. "The pancakes are done. What should we do?" The sweet aroma wafts around us as Sendai-san asks in her gentle tone. I don't want Sendai-san in my room yet. Mainly, I don’t want today to be the day she steps into my room for the first time. If she’s going to come in, I'd prefer it not be on a day when Maika is also here. Ideally, I'd prefer to eat in the shared space, but I worry if Maika might find that odd. While pondering this, Maika pokes her head out from the room. "What’s up?" "Sendai-san says the pancakes are ready." I convey it to Maika, who assumes we’ll be eating in my room, and she offers, "I’ll help carry them." What should I do? I can't just tell them not to bother. Stuck for words, I glance at Sendai-san, who seems to have a realization. "Utsunomiya, do you want to see my room too?" "I’d love to, but is that okay?" "Of course. Let’s eat the pancakes in my room then." Sendai-san suggests with a cheerful smile.