342 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

The Unfamiliar Face of Miyagi Chapter 342 Miyagi rarely smiles in front of me—almost never, really. Her expressions are usually the opposite of a smile: displeased, disgruntled, or simply uninterested. She doesn't need to be asked to show those faces. However, she rarely smiles, to the point that I wonder if she’s cursed to die if she laughs. I did see her smile at the aquarium, but that wasn’t directed at me. Yet today, she’s smiling at me. I know it’s not a smile from the heart, but it doesn’t matter. Whether it’s fake, forced, awkward, or almost too clumsy to even be called a smile, the fact that Miyagi is lifting the corners of her mouth in front of me is what matters. I’m glad I came to this cafe. I’m glad I didn’t sneak off without telling Miyagi. "Sorry. I haven’t decided on my order yet." I direct a smile at what I absolutely wanted to see: "Miyagi working at a cafe." "Are you ready to order?" she asks, her voice rigid as her facial muscles make a half-hearted attempt at a smile. "Let’s see... what’s the recommended menu item?" "Recommended menu, you ask?" "Yes, any recommendations?" "Anything, really." Miyagi gives me a half-hearted glare but restrains herself. Her lips start to droop, but she manages to maintain a semblance of a service smile. Apparently, Miyagi can smile through sheer willpower when she's working. It’s amusing yet not. Watching Miyagi put effort into smiling in front of me makes her look endearing enough that I want to keep watching her. Even though I wasn’t keen on her getting a part-time job, I now think having one is a good thing. But when I think about Mio or the other staff seeing Miyagi's smile frequently, it suddenly becomes dull, and I wish she’d quit immediately. Seeing the Miyagi I don’t know reveals conflicting feelings within me, making me yearn to see the Miyagi that I do know. I want to reach out and confirm that the person in front of me is the “usual Miyagi,” but I can’t do that here. A cafe is no place for such actions, and naturally, Noto-senpai is here too. "Miyagi, maybe you should drop that formal speech?" I flash a smile, banishing the “discordant thoughts” swirling inside me, and continue. "I think it’s okay to speak normally now." I timed my visit during a quiet period, so there aren’t many customers. During this time, staying chatting with a customer won’t get her in trouble, nor will it be a problem for her to speak normally. "It’s not like you don’t know the recommendations already, Sendai-san." Miyagi mumbles in a low, small voice, likely wanting to say it when she glared at me earlier. "I don't know the latest recommendations, so tell me." I had heard from Mio that the new recommendation at the cafe is a melon-based dessert. Asking Miyagi wasn't about finding out the recommendation, but more to keep her here with me. "The current favorite is the melon parfait." Just as expected, Miyagi says it. "Not the shop’s recommendation, what's yours, Miyagi?" "None. Decide for yourself." "Come on, tell me something that sounds like a recommendation. You’ve got to have something." "..." Miyagi looks at me silently. The friendly smile she had moments ago has vanished, replaced by a frosty stare. If we were at home, I’d probably have my foot stepped on, but since she’s at work, she simply discards the mask of a smile without retaliating. "If there’s no recommendation, I’ll have to decide myself." I want to talk more with Miyagi, but I don’t want to anger someone who’s working. I lower my gaze to the menu and glance at the parfait that Miyagi recommended. It looks delicious. But it’s not what I’m craving. As I hum thoughtfully, I hear Miyagi’s voice, coated in a layer of bitter chocolate discontent. "Cheesecake and cold brew iced coffee." "Is that your recommendation, Miyagi?" Raising my gaze from the menu, I see Miyagi’s face, utterly bereft of any customer-friendly expression expected of a cafe staffer. "Probably." "You don’t sound too confident." "Then choose something else if you don’t want it." "It’s fine. I’ll go with Miyagi’s recommendation." "Just wait a bit." She doesn’t even repeat my order. Half of her body is already heading toward the kitchen. There’s no need for her to leave so quickly, but she’s hurrying back to her work. "Miyagi, wait." "Do you want to order more?" "Your uniform looks great on you." When I smile at Miyagi, who’s turned her body towards me with a perplexed look, her forehead twitches slightly. I don’t need words to understand. She doesn’t like what I said. Her expression says it all. But the words I uttered weren’t meant to hold her back. They were my genuine feelings. "That’s not an order." "I didn’t say it was. I just wanted to tell you it looks good on you." "…It doesn’t suit me. Sendai-san looked better in it. You’re looking pretty stylish today too." "Thanks, but I think it suits you better, Miyagi." I still have mixed feelings about Miyagi working part-time. Yet, she fits the role so well that I almost wish she’d continue working here. "Sendai-san, you lie so easily." "It’s the truth." "I’m going back." Miyagi says in a low voice. Just another minute. Even thirty more seconds would suffice for Miyagi to stay here with me. That’s what I was thinking, but Miyagi vanishes into the kitchen at double the speed at which she came to take my order, leaving me alone at the table. I know this cafe well. I’ve worked here longer than Miyagi, so I probably know it better than she does. That makes it easy to imagine what Miyagi is doing upon returning to the kitchen. However, I’m intrigued by what exactly she’s up to in there. What kind of conversations she’s having with Mio. What she’s discussing with the manager. What she chats about with her coworkers. Whether she’s showing a smile I never get to see, enjoying herself. I feel like storming into the kitchen to find out, like I want to work with her. But since neither is feasible right now, I wish she’d stay in my line of sight. Cheesecake and cold brew iced coffee hardly matter. I’m ready to abandon my role as a cafe customer and take Miyagi back where she belongs. I want to swap places with Mio. "Too bad it’s impossible." I let out a small sigh. Ever since Miyagi started working here, Mio has become more earnest. She regularly works, previously only appearing when they were short on hands, and keeps me updated on Miyagi. She tells me everything from A to Z, or more like from 1 to 100, about “Shiori-chan.” I’m happy, yet also annoyed. Rather than seeing Miyagi through Mio’s eyes, I want to see her myself and know what she’s doing. Even though I’m watching her work right now, it’s not enough. I want to see more of Miyagi. And I want her to see more of me. I want her to look at me, to talk with me, not with Mio, the manager, or her coworkers. Ever since Miyagi started her part-time job, there are more moments when I don't feel like I belong to her. I understand her need to work. I know it can’t be helped. But I don’t know how to handle these feelings. Maybe it’s because I’ve only ever interacted with people at a moderate distance, with moderate emotions. When I’m with Miyagi, whose presence demands closeness and intense emotions, everything else pales in comparison. With a sigh, I take a sip of water. The glass remains nearly full. I glance around the cafe. Familiar faces are at work. Even Noto-senpai is in her usual seat. I sigh again. Waiting for Miyagi feels long. What I ordered shouldn't take so much time, and yet, the wait drags. I wish Miyagi would return soon. And so I wait, sighing all the while. Five minutes, maybe ten. Perhaps less, perhaps more. Time passes in an indeterminate way until I hear a cheerful voice. "Thank you for waiting. Here are your cheesecake and cold brew iced coffee." With practiced hands, Mio places the cheesecake and cold brew on the table. Bright. Friendly. Exasperatingly so. "Why is it you bringing them over…" I grumble, looking at Mio, who’s carrying the tray with a beaming smile.