205 Sendai-san Who is Not Mine - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Sendai-san Who is Not Mine Chapter 205 Neither a "I'm home" nor a "Welcome back," but rather a "Welcome." The first words Sendai-san spoke felt uncomfortable, making me wish to leave even before the cake arrived. However, since I'm not here alone, I can't just get up and leave before it arrives. “Shiori, Sendai-san really suits the uniform. Is that a café apron? I really like those.” The apron Sendai-san wears, which is part of her work uniform and wraps around her waist downwards, does look quite stylish. Although, its stylishness adds to my discomfort. This isn't the Sendai-san that I know. Wanting to avoid being alone at home, I had invited Maika to visit Sendai-san’s part-time job. But now, I wish I hadn't come. Even if being alone at home might have been boring, lonely, or unbearable, it might have been better than this. “I thought about giving you one of those for your birthday—if next year is okay.” I directed my voice towards Maika, who was looking at a waiter at the neighboring table. “Since this year’s already passed, right?” “...Christmas could work too.” When I murmured that, Maika responded cheerfully. “Oh, Christmas is great. We haven’t done it before, but why not exchange gifts this year?” In high school, while we celebrated birthdays with friends, we hadn’t exchanged chocolates or presents for Valentine's or Christmas. I had no interest in such things and considered indulging in events as a dull ritual. I believed I would always stay that way, but I was mistaken. Ever since Sendai-san brought chocolates on Valentine's Day and gave me presents on Christmas, I couldn't remain the same me. Somewhere inside me, in an unseen place, has been subtly changed by Sendai-san. “Would you like an apron for a Christmas present, Maika?” “Well, if it’s for home use, one that covers up to the chest would keep my clothes cleaner.” After saying this, Maika hummed, deep in thought. “It doesn’t have to be an apron. If there’s something you want, just let me know.” “Thanks. I’ll think about it. You too, Shiori—think about what you want for a Christmas present.” “Sure.” While we talked about something still far off in the midst of winter, we observed the café, which had about two-thirds of its seats occupied in the evening. The café, neither large nor small, was stylish but not particularly unique. With what appeared to be frequent patrons engaging in chatter with the staff, the atmosphere was rather laid-back. I glanced at the table near the counter. Sendai-san was talking to a slightly intimidating-looking customer. Though I couldn’t hear their conversation, they seemed familiar with each other. She lingered there longer than at other tables. “Sendai-san seems really suited for customer service.” I hear Maika commenting appreciatively. “She hasn’t even been working for a month yet she already seems like she’s been here for a year.” “Yeah. She’s really fitting in well.” I replied with a smile and then turned my gaze towards the window. Indeed, I should have stayed home. This version of Sendai-san here will never be mine. What does Sendai-san do during the times I don't know about? It intrigues me, yet knowing wouldn’t change anything. Even now, as I see a Sendai-san I wasn’t aware of, there’s nothing I can do. I can only watch as she talks with a woman I don’t know. I sip water from a cute glass set on the table. Maika began talking about the latest manga she bought, to which I nodded in agreement. After a while, I heard Sendai-san’s formal voice, and I looked at her apron. “Thank you for waiting.” Cheesecake, shortcake, some tea, and coffee. Sendai-san set them down on the table. “You really look like a staff member!” Maika remarked happily, looking at Sendai-san. “That’s because I am a staff member.” “The person sitting near the counter, are they a regular?” Maika asked about the person I had been curious about. “They are a regular, yes, but also a senior of mine. They introduced me to my tutoring job.” A person deeply connected to Sendai-san. The fact that such a person is a regular at Sendai-san’s workplace weighs heavily on me before I even take a bite of the cake. “I see.” Feeling uneasy as I listened to their conversation, I glanced around the café again, but no one seemed bothered by the staff mingling with customers. Sendai-san didn’t seem to mind spending a long time at one table either. “Miyagi.” She suddenly called my name, so I responded while looking at the cheesecake. “What?” “I’ve been thinking for a while, that lip balm suits you.” “...You’re saying that because you picked it out.” I had contemplated until the moment I left the house whether to wear the lip balm Sendai-san had given me. I wore it not for her to see, but because I was meeting Maika. I often wear lip balm at university, so it’d be strange not to wear it only on my day off. That's the only reason, so I don’t need Sendai-san’s compliments. “Busted.” Sendai-san chuckled softly. Perhaps she didn’t mind what happened yesterday, as she seemed like her usual self since morning. What I did yesterday was terrible and not something one should do to a roommate. Given that, Sendai-san has every right to be upset, yet for some reason, she's in a good mood. Perhaps she’s only teasing me, but to have enough composure to compliment my lip color is noteworthy. However, unlike Sendai-san, I couldn’t look at her face straight on since morning. Once I do, memories of yesterday flood in. Her body. Those red marks I left all over. They’re seared into my mind. And the things that I said, which I shouldn’t have. I almost let out a sigh but swallowed it down. I wish Sendai-san would leave already, yet she lingers on. “Oh right, Utsunomiya, I’m thinking of going to your school festival—could you show me around?” Unexpected words interrupted my stare-down with the cheesecake, prompting me to finally look at Sendai-san’s face, which I hadn’t dared to do for a while. “Ah, just what we were talking about—Shiori and I were thinking of inviting you to the festival,” Maika answered happily. She wasn't wrong, as Maika did say we should invite Sendai-san to the school festival. But I hadn’t clearly said “yes.” —Then again, I hadn’t said “no” either. “Is that so? Then I’ll come visit—looking forward to the tour.” Sendai-san’s lively voice makes me think how unfair it is. She hadn’t said a word to me about wanting to go to the festival. Probably because she knows if she says it to me, I would respond with, “Don’t come.” And if she tells Maika, she’d undoubtedly say, “Please come.” Truly, Sendai-san plays unfair. “Leave it to us. Right, Shiori?” Naturally, Maika replied and looked at me. “Ah, yeah.” I don’t want that. Please don’t come. But, I can’t say that in front of Maika. "Alright then." Sendai-san smiled brightly before moving on to another table. I waited until she was completely out of sight before taking a bite of the cheesecake and letting out a heavy sigh. "What's up with that end-of-the-world sigh?" Maika asked. "...I wish I knew how to erase someone’s memory," I replied, pressing my forehead, then taking a sip of tea. "That's creepy. Did something happen? You suddenly texted about going to see Sendai-san at work today," Maika probed. "Nothing happened," I said. "Isn't it scarier to want to erase memories when nothing’s wrong?" Maika pushed further. "Well, yeah," I admitted. What I really wanted to erase was Sendai-san's memory of yesterday, but I couldn't tell Maika that. Another sigh escaped my lips. Though Sendai-san acted as if nothing happened, what occurred and what was said yesterday had to linger in her memory. While the actions themselves might be irreversible, the things I said never needed to be said at all, and I wish I could erase them from her memory. Ideally, I’d also erase today’s mention of the school festival. "Oh, I get it. You must have fought with Sendai-san again, right? ...Or maybe not, since you wouldn’t come to her workplace if you had," Maika guessed. "Yeah, exactly." I looked toward where Sendai-san was taking orders at another table. The uniform suited her, and her voice, slightly formal, was beautiful. The version of her who seems different wraps my heart in gray clouds. I wished to erase her memories but not the marks I left yesterday. On the contrary, they felt insufficient. Red marks hidden beneath her uniform. Had I covered her body with more of them, perhaps I could have made those internal clouds a bit smaller. I sliced a generous piece of cheesecake with my fork, then stabbed it forcefully. Indeed, I shouldn’t have come. I ate the cheesecake off the fork and exhaled softly.