201 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Chapter 201 Before me lies the lip balm Sendai-san gave me, standing alone on the table. As I gaze at it, I mull things over. By this time, she should have returned from her tutoring job, but Sendai-san mentioned she’d be home later than usual, so she isn’t back yet. Still, it might be better for me to return to my room. If I remain in this shared space, it’d seem like I’m waiting for her to come back. But I don’t feel like being alone in my room today. If I stay near the bed where I had the dream, I might find myself dwelling on unnecessary thoughts. I topple the standing lip balm with my fingertip. Resting my face on the table, I call out, “Sendai-san.” The name she wants me to use is “Hazuki.” If I start calling her by that name, then Maika will likely do the same. This notion has been bugging me for some time. I start rolling the lip balm across the table with my finger. It's not that I want to push Maika away. Maika is a crucial friend whom I'd be in trouble without. Yet, there's a part of me fixated on trivial things, striving to keep Sendai-san from being surrounded by everything and everyone. I just can't convince that part of me. It's a hassle. With a sigh, I strain to listen as I think I hear a noise at the entrance. Faint footsteps reach my ears, making me sit up straight. My fingertip knocks into the lip balm, sending it rolling, and as I stand abruptly, I bump into the table. "Ouch." The lip balm doesn't share my pain. The cylindrical object rolls smoothly, moving towards the door separating the shared space from the hallway and touches the tip of Sendai-san’s slipper just as she arrives home. "I'm home. Here’s something you dropped." Sendai-san’s voice carries hints of wanting to say more, but with a practiced smile, she holds back. "…Thanks. Why’d you come home so early?" The lip balm is returned to my hand by the last person I wanted to pick it up. "Doesn’t arriving late mean having a penalty game?" Sendai-san speaks softly, setting her bag on the table. "That's true." "Then, there won't be a penalty today, right?" "Why not?" "Well, you just said I was early, didn’t you?" She did come home earlier than expected, but it was only slightly sooner than I guessed. In the spectrum of early to late, it’s closer to late. But pushing for a penalty might only lead her to question why the lip balm ended up rolling on the floor. "Since you arrived a bit earlier than I thought, we'll skip the penalty game today." "Great. So, what were you up to, Miyagi? Were you waiting for me by any chance?" With a gentle laugh, Sendai-san looks at my hand holding the lip balm. "I wasn’t waiting." I kick at her legs. "Ouch." "I meant to do that." I reply indifferently, stepping back half a step as her hand almost reaches for mine holding the lip balm. I distract her with more words. "Is your job fun?" "It’s alright. The manager asked if I’d continue even after the college festival ends. Probably just a polite gesture, but it was nice to hear. I might work there during the winter break if they’re short on hands." "You’re thinking about working there over winter break?" "Want to join, Miyagi?" "I told you before, I’m not interested." "I remember. But if you change your mind, let me know. If you join me, I could look for a different job." "I won’t." I glare at Sendai-san. Yet, unfazed, she simply gazes back. Our eyes lock, unmoving. “Sendai-san, what?” Encountering her unwavering gaze, I question her. “What do you mean, what?” “You’re looking at me, so I’m asking.” “Well, you’re looking at me too, Miyagi.” “I’m not. ...I just have something to ask.” “What do you want to ask?” I escape her gaze, sitting back in the chair I was previously in, and inquire, “Do you dream, Sendai-san?” I don’t want to discuss the job or the lipstick, but I dislike the idea of Sendai-san retreating to her room, so I struggle to produce a topic. “A dream? You mean the kind at night, not future aspirations?” “Yes.” Dreams are something I’d genuinely wanted to ask about, but I spoke up without much thought, doubting I’d get the real answers I need. Honestly, I lack the resolve to dig deeper. “I do sometimes. I once dreamt of eating salmon roe bowls with penguins.” “Huh?” It’s unclear whether to call it cute or surreal, but she describes this dream as I look up at her. “A penguin about my size, and we were eating salmon roe bowls inside an igloo.” I didn’t expect the answer I truly wanted, but her response defied my expectations entirely. I assumed she’d have more realistic dreams. “…Do penguins eat salmon roe?” "Who knows? But they eat fish, so maybe salmon roe isn’t that strange? Salmon roe is part of the fish family, after all." This sort of nonchalant remark is typical of Sendai-san. Her dreams likely follow the same whimsical pattern, yet the dreams I want to know about are different. I’m curious if she’s ever seen dreams like the one I had today. However, if I were to ask, she’d certainly inquire in return. "—Any others?" "Others?" "Dreams besides the penguin one." I can’t outright ask. I don't think it's something she would say as casual small talk. "Uh, well, I also dreamt about cuddling a cat once." “And what kind of cat was it?” “I forgot. What kind of dreams do you have, Miyagi?” The conversation veers off-course. Thinking it might be better to take a leap, I say, "…You appeared in my dream, Sendai-san." “Eh?” Her surprised voice sounds almost silly. “In the dream, you told me to call you Hazuki.” I relay a snippet of the dream I had today. I can’t tell her everything, but sharing part of it might reveal Sendai-san’s reaction. "…Did you call me that?" "I forgot." "Do it now. —Shiori." Her quiet voice slips inside me, softly pressing a tender part of my heart. She’s sly, using “Shiori” like that in moments like this. Unfair. “No way.” I give a curt response and stand up, as Sendai-san lightly tugs my arm. I tilt toward her, and as if on cue, she leans in toward my face. Her lips almost meet mine, and instinctively, I push her shoulder away. Sendai-san’s hand releases my arm. That same hand caresses my neck, and her lips follow, landing on it lightly. The lukewarm touch crawling along my throat makes my body shiver. As if in response, her lips part from me, and she softly brushes my cheek with her fingertips, then touches my lips. The gentle sensation is soothing, and I tug on her clothing to pull her close, but she only places a kiss on my cheek before quickly parting. "I think I’ll take a bath and go to sleep." She smiles gently as she says this. "Going to sleep?" "Yeah. It was busy at work and I’m kind of tired, you know?" Unlike usual, with a sense of resignation, I tugged on her clothes, and Sendai-san maintained her smile as she spoke. "What? Do you want me to kiss you more?" "No. That's not what I’m thinking. I'll take a bath first." I do want her to kiss me, but I don't want to be the one to admit it. Still, it's not like I want to be cold towards her. Today, everything feels frustratingly off. "Alright. Let me know when you're done," Sendai-san says gently. "Got it." I tightly grip her clothes, then slowly release them.