197 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Chapter 197 "Morning, Hazuki!" As I prepare my notebook and pen in the lecture hall, sitting slightly above the center, and fidget with my ears, Mio greets me. "Morning." Energetic as ever, Mio bounds over and plops down beside me. A few people glance at her, but she seems unconcerned. It was Mio who gave me the opportunity to become a tutor. She's easygoing and friendly, though often a bit careless. Come to think of it, her senior was quite laid-back too. Mio's senior, who introduced me to Kikyo-chan, was someone who'd easily double the time of a promised three-hour wait. "Something good happen, Hazuki?" Mio asks, her voice curious as I touch my earring. A small round piece is securely attached to my earlobe. Even though I know there's no way I could have lost it on my way to university, I find reassurance in feeling the earring with my fingertips. “Not really. Why do you ask?” I respond in my usual tone. "You've been smiling a lot, so I thought maybe something good happened," Mio remarks cheerfully. It's not that nothing good happened. I simply said "nothing" to avoid a complicated conversation about what might be considered good. Truth is, today I've been feeling great since the morning. Miyagi let me apply her lip balm, and we walked to the station together. I'm even wearing the earrings she put on for me. But these are not the sort of details I'd share with Mio. "I guess it's because I saw Mike-chan on the way to the station." I offer a non-committal explanation and turn what might be perceived as a lingering smile into a more discernible grin. "The cat you’ve mentioned?" "That's right." Mike-chan only appears on my way home from university. I didn’t actually meet it on my way to the station today either. But claiming to have seen something I didn’t for the sake of smooth human relations is a minor issue. Besides, Miyagi is sort of like a stray cat herself, so it’s not a big lie. "You really like cats," Mio says thoughtfully, adding, "they are cute though.” She then glances at my ear and, a bit surprised, asks, “Are those earrings?” "Yes, they are." “Didn’t you say you weren’t interested in earrings? Did something happen?” "Just changed my mind." Mio's "I see" carries a hint of skepticism. I've told her before that I wasn't interested in earrings when she asked several times, so her mixed reaction makes sense. Her eyes linger on my ear, and it feels like an unwelcome turn is coming. “Ah, I get it. It’s because of a boyfriend, right?” Mio grins slyly at me. “It’s not.” “No, it definitely is. You haven’t been hanging out much. Over summer break, you kept declining my invites saying you were busy, right?” I saw this coming. Even in college, half of all conversations revolves around romance, not much different from high school. It’s as if, if you cut a girl in half, instead of blood, "love" would spill out. I don't dislike listening to romance stories, but when asked to share, I’m at a loss. Explaining things about Miyagi is difficult. It's not that I don't trust Mio, rather, I’m unsure of what might happen if I share. Besides, I'm not aiming for an intimate friendship, so I prefer to keep certain things private. "Really, it was just work and other things keeping me busy," I insist. “I won’t steal your boyfriend or anything,” Mio says. “That's not what I'm worried about.” “Alright then,” she says, extending her right hand like she's expecting something. “What’s that hand for?” “Show me your phone.” “Why?” “Just checking if your lock screen has a picture of him.” “I’m telling you, I don’t have a boyfriend!” I swat at Mio’s outstretched hand. “If that’s the case, then let’s all go out for a meal sometime. Some guys were asking me to bring you along, and it’s becoming a bit of a problem for me." “Stop making things up." “I'm serious. Please make an appearance, just once." “Maybe someday.” “When you say ‘someday,’ you don’t intend to come, do you?” “Well, probably not.” I laugh, making Mio exaggeratedly sigh, then she grips my shoulder and gives me a bright smile. “Then how about working at a café instead? Just a short stint.” “You’ve really jumped in conversation topics there.” “Details, details. Who cares? My club's preoccupied with preparing for the cultural festival, so I can't work as much lately.” I let out a sigh myself, reacting to Mio’s typically carefree invitation. “So you want me to cover your shifts?” "Pretty much." "Is it okay for someone else to take over your job?" "It's my relative's place, so it's fine. Just until the festival ends. And it’s more of a problem if they’re short-staffed. I trust you to manage. If not, you could handle the festival prep and I could work." A light and unconvincing "It’s fine" trails from Mio’s lips, followed by the lecture room door opening as the teacher enters. The culture festival is just over a month away. Preparing for that is out of the question, but I am interested in the job. Honestly, I had intended to work more than just my tutoring job during summer break, but I prioritized spending time with Miyagi. I still don’t want to reduce my time with her but I also want to dedicate time for my future. After graduation, I'll need money to continue living here. I can't rely on my parents, nor do I wish to. Even if Miyagi decides to end our roommate arrangement, I don’t plan on returning home. And of course, I have no intention of ending my life with Miyagi; I’d work to keep living together, even just as roommates. "So, what about the job? It's okay if it's a no. I can ask someone else." With the lecture started, Mio’s small voice drifts over. "Let's talk more about it later, okay?" I whisper back, to which she responds, "Okay." With plans to increase work hours during the winter break, taking on another job until the festival as a rehearsal isn’t a bad idea. The main concern is Miyagi. She's not thrilled about me working more. Even if she disapproves, I could still take the part-time job, but that probably won't end well. I touch my earring, caressing it as I exhale softly. The teacher's voice resonates as the sound of pens scratching across notebooks fills the air. I slowly grip my pen and begin jotting down notes. Lost in thought, the lecture ends in what seems like no time. I leave Mio hanging on the job discussion. After attending all my classes for the day, I head home. The part-time job isn't unusual. Just a café staff position with decent pay. I have no reason to decline except for concerns about Miyagi, which stop me from committing. It’s uncharacteristic of me, I think. Decisions I’d usually rush through now have me hesitating. Miyagi's growing presence in my mind surfaces whenever I consider my actions. I find myself swaying on the train, watching for Mike-chan as I walk from the station. But, perhaps because I lied about seeing it earlier, it doesn’t appear. Ascending the stairs to the third floor, I open the front door. Miyagi's shoes are there. I take a deep breath, remove my shoes, and head into the shared space. "I'm home," I call out to Miyagi, who is pouring soda into a glass. "Welcome back," she replies, fixing me with a steady gaze. The lip balm I applied on her lips this morning is completely gone, and I can't tell whether it wore off or she removed it. "I want to discuss something, so can you come to my room after we eat?" I ask. "What is it?" Miyagi's voice drops a little, perhaps sensing something unwelcome. "I'll tell you later." "Can't it be now?" "I'd like to talk about it slowly, so I'd prefer to do it after," I explain. Miyagi doesn't respond immediately, opting instead to drink the soda she's just poured. The clear liquid sways in the glass as it disappears into her. She places the glass, still half full, onto the table and her gaze zeroes in on my earrings. It's a different look from Mio's, and it makes my ears feel hot. For a moment, the thought of the part-time job slips away, practically vanishing with the warmth in my ears as I tug on them to cool down. "...Okay," Miyagi finally replies quietly, still looking at me.