347 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Miyagi's Name Chapter 347 Even with the start of summer vacation at university, my daily life doesn't change much. I still go to my part-time job as usual, and my plans with Miyagi haven't filled up. Aside from the fact that there are no university lectures, my life isn't much different from before summer vacation. I think that's not a bad thing. A routine that doesn't change much means a life with Miyagi, which is the summer vacation I wanted. Even though I want to make plans with Miyagi, she's uncooperative, and nothing gets decided. She often wears a difficult expression, which I'm not entirely satisfied with, but it's not enough to complain about. On the days I work, I want to be with Miyagi as much as possible, but I don't really want to skip work. Just like before summer vacation, today I’m teaching Kikyo-chan. "Sensei." Kikyo-chan, who had been staring intently at her reference book across from me, raises her head and looks at me. "Is there something you didn't understand?" "It's not that, but... Sensei, are you going somewhere with Miyagi-san during summer vacation?" "As of now, there are no plans. Do you have any plans, Kikyo-chan?" "I have plans to hang out with friends, but it's more like shopping, not really going anywhere." Her high-school-ish words make me smile as I reply, "I see. Shopping sounds fun." If I could, I wanted to say I had the same plans as Kikyo-chan. Though I'm supposed to decide summer plans with Miyagi, shopping has already been dismissed, so I can't mention it. "—Sensei." Kikyo-chan speaks with an unusually earnest voice, prompting me to shift my gaze to her reference book in anticipation of a question. However, no question comes despite the wait. "Kikyo-chan?" "Um... if you have some free time, I was wondering if I could..." Straightening her posture as if it were important, her words trail off there, and when the continuation doesn't come, I finish it for her. "You mean, hang out with me?" "Yes." Kikyo-chan says clearly. This is problematic. The first words that come to mind should not be conveyed to her, so I pull a nonconfrontational "reason to decline" from my mind and voice it. "Actually, university students are quite busy even during summer vacation. I'm sorry.” "It's okay. I'm the one who asked something weird, sorry." With a bright voice, the exceptional student responds to her evasive teacher, keeping the air undisturbed as she returns her attention to the reference book. "I'm the one who's sorry." Kikyo-chan is a precious student to me, but not someone I would go out with during summer vacation. Other than my part-time job, I wish to dedicate my entire summer vacation to Miyagi. Miyagi has told me to go out with Mio, so I've already spent part of my summer vacation with her. Though our plans aren't decided, spending a day with Mio during summer put her in high spirits, talking excitedly about pools, the sea, and mixers. Her high-energy messages continue even now. I suspect there will be a time we meet again, but Mio has a tendency to try and invite more people if given the chance, so I must firmly remind her to include just the two of us. Sighing inwardly, I glance at the pencil case on the table. It was a gift from me to Kikyo-chan when she passed her high school entrance exam, still spotless. The pencil case I received from Miyagi for Christmas is also without a single blemish. Kikyo-chan likely cherishes her pencil case the same way as I do mine. That common point is—. No, what I need to focus on right now is her studying. I turn to Kikyo-chan. As questions arise from her, I resolve them and convey the key points of the answers. Engaging in such activities, time flies by. Compared to other jobs, tutoring takes less time. Kikyo-chan closes her reference book, and I begin packing up to leave. I exit her room and head to the entrance. As I put on my shoes to leave, Kikyo-chan follows me. "Thank you, Sensei." She bows her head slightly in front of the entrance door, and I wave back with a "See you next week." Though I walk slowly while being watched by Kikyo-chan, once out of her sight, my pace quickens. I always hurry when returning home. The route is set, with no detours. I head to the train station, take the train, and arrive home. Though it's not close, I'm back home in no time. Entering, I remove my shoes and head to the shared space. Miyagi isn't there, but she soon peeks out of her room and says "Welcome back." "I'm home. What were you doing?" I ask Miyagi, who remains in her room rather than coming out. "Nothing in particular. Sendai-san, are you hungry?" Indifferently, she asks, "Not really," I reply. During summer vacation, we have early dinners before I leave for work. "Then, go to your room. I'll come too." "You're coming to my room?" "What else would it be? Hurry up and go to your room already." Miyagi says with an annoyed expression. It's not unusual for her to visit my room, but this manner of speaking is rare. I closely observe Miyagi's face. Her lips are adorned with a hint of gloss, something absent before my shift. It's a lip balm I picked for her. It's unusual, but I can't fathom why Miyagi is behaving unusually. If it means what I mentioned before, "It's my turn to do something for Miyagi," will come true, I'd be delighted, but that's unlikely. However, there's a reason, and before I can ask, she presses, "Hurry up." Regardless of her reason, having her visit my room is pleasing, so I obediently return to my room. Almost immediately, Miyagi follows and directs me to sit down. In front of the bed, as instructed, I sit down, and Miyagi sits beside me, saying with a sullen expression, "First, no comments on this." "Comments on what?" "Here." Ignoring my question, Miyagi places a small, mint-green wrapped box on the floor with a low voice. I don't get it. Why is there a small box? Why is it being given to me? I don't understand, yet memories from my high school days flash back. The fall of my senior year in high school. Miyagi gave me a similar small box. Back then, inside that box was—. "Didn't you hear me, Sendai-san? I said that's for you." Miyagi says with a grimace, as if she'd bitten into a thousand bitter insects. "For me, why?" My heart thumps loudly. "Just open it already." Compelled by her displeased voice, I reach for the small box. I carefully unwrap the mint-green paper and scrutinize the small box. What could fit inside. There's only so much it could be. Slowly opening the box, something rather reminiscent from the past comes into view, causing me to hold my breath. This is—. "…A leaf pendant?" The pendant, while silver like the one I received in high school, is clearly different from the previous one. Instead of a moon, it's four leaves. To be precise, the pendant's motif is a four-leaf clover. "It's a necklace, not a pendant," Miyagi corrects me pointedly. So I pick up the necklace, not a pendant. "Is this... perhaps a birthday present?" My birthday is August 23rd. Being only the middle of August, it seems too early for a present, but if that's the reason for the sudden appearance of the necklace, it makes sense. However, Miyagi speaks in a low voice, deep wrinkles forming on her brow. "No, it's not. Did you forget, Sendai-san? You asked me to pick a necklace for you." "You remembered?" I certainly did say that. When I wore the necklace Miyagi gave me in high school, she told me to choose something more fashionable. I replied, "You should choose, Miyagi." That conversation happened on the day we visited the aquarium. Quite some time has passed, so I thought Miyagi had forgotten about picking a necklace. "Did you want me to forget?" I hear her low voice, prompting me to add the missing words. "Not at all. Miyagi, you just never mentioned the necklace, so I thought you weren't going to choose one for me." "If you don't want it, give it back." "I do want it. Thank you." Who would've thought that Miyagi would really pick one for me? It's unexpected. She hadn't mentioned it, so I figured I'd have to one day insist we go look at necklaces together. It's a necklace Miyagi chose after I asked her to, a symbol indicating that I'm hers. A necklace for me, to make it clear I'm Miyagi's. Such things aren't given as birthday presents but on an ordinary day. It's so like Miyagi, making me feel more like hers. "Can I wear it now?" When I ask Miyagi, she says, "Hand it over." "You're not asking for it back, are you?" "I'm going to put it on you, so turn around." "Eh?" I must have misheard. When Miyagi, back in high school, gave me the necklace, she told me to put it on myself. There's no way she’d say she would put it on me now. I find myself staring at Miyagi, who repeats, "Hand it over." "Eh?" Repeating the same word like a fool, the necklace leaves my hands and goes to hers. She pushes my shoulders slightly, and I slowly turn my back. Her hands touch my hair as she places the necklace on me. With a fingertip, I touch the four-leaf clover pendant resting on my chest. The chain is shorter than the one I received back then so that the silver charm stands out more visibly. "...Thank you." I mutter softly, and she grabs my clothes. Tightly, firmly. Then something presses against my back. This must be Miyagi's forehead, accompanied by a small voice. "The necklace is a new sign that you're mine alone, so wear it always. When you meet Mio-san or anyone else, wherever, whenever, always wear it." "Alright. I'll show it to everyone." "That's not what I meant. Also, the reason I was working part-time was to buy this, so I won't be working anymore." "...Eh?" My unexpectedly loud voice surprises me, but Miyagi doesn't react. She remains silent, holding onto my clothes firmly. "You were working just to buy the necklace?" Even as I question her, there's no response. Calling out to her, I feel her forehead press harder, and a small voice surfaces. "...Because you're mine alone, it wouldn't make sense to buy it with anyone else's money." If I listed Miyagi's dislikes, part-time work would undoubtedly be on that list. She'd never do something she dislikes for me, so I never imagined she'd work to buy the necklace. The thought alone was unimaginable. It feels like a lie. Not only did Miyagi choose a necklace for me, but she was willing to work for it. What should I do? I'm so happy. Happy isn't strong enough a word for how I feel. "Sendai-san, you still have the necklace I gave you before, right?" "Yes." "Bring it." Her forehead moves away, and releasing the grip on my clothes, she steps back. When I turn around and ask "Why?" her response is simply, "Just bring it." I stand, fetching the necklace with the silver moon pendant and sit back down next to her. "I brought it, but..." As I state this, she looks right at me and says, "I'm keeping this, so give it back." "What? No." This is a precious memory, creating a future where Miyagi and I became roommates on graduation day. The connection it forged between my high school and university selves is something I cherish too much to hand over, not even to Miyagi. I wish to keep it with me, always. "Sendai-san." She stretches her hand out, demanding with a strong voice, "Give it back." No. I nearly say but swallow the words, reluctantly placing the moon-adorned necklace in her palm. "Hazuki." Softly, she calls my name. Her tone, different from usual, makes my ears prick, all my nerves focusing on her. Miyagi opens her mouth, her voice firm but not harsh, though not gentle either. "The leaf(葉) I just gave you and the moon(月) from before make Hazuki(葉月), your name. This means your name is made up of things I gave you, and you can't belong to anyone else. You belong to me, name and all, so I'm taking this moon necklace." She closes her fist around the moon and touches my necklace with her other hand. She traces the chain and strokes the four-leaf clover. "Hazuki." Speaking my name distinctly, she reaches to touch my cheek. "…Why are you crying?" Miyagi whispers gently.