348 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

### Chapter 348 I'm not crying. As I intend to say this, I find myself realizing something—Miyagi's figure appears blurred before me. Her voice is crystal clear, but her outline hazes out, becoming indistinct and vague. I understand now. Miyagi is right. That's why my vision is unclear and indistinct, making it difficult to see her well. Feelings of joy, surprise, and happiness… These rising emotions threaten to wash away the image of Miyagi, and my cheeks are warm as I feel her gentle touch. I grasp her hand, which is now wet with my tears. "...Shiori." When I finally speak the name I've wanted to say for so long, my heart races and my chest feels light and fluffy. The world is unkind and cold, and things never turn out as I'd like. I couldn't fulfill my parents' expectations, nor could I become like my sister. Even though I was uncertain if what was expected of me was who I wanted to become, there was no doubt it was who I had to become, and though I tried, my desires never came true. The unfulfilled desires changed my family, making my words unable to reach them. A home without voices that answer back. A place I couldn't eagerly return to. And yet, I continued to go back to such a home, saying "I'm home" every day, repeating the monotonous days until graduation, awaiting the day I would leave. That was who I was. But then, Miyagi appeared. Miyagi, who was as reckless as a stray cat, is still as unpredictable and cat-like as ever, but she created a place for me to return to, something that my family had given up on. "Shiori." When I call Miyagi's name once more, she wipes my tears away with her hand, then pulls a couple of tissues from the back of the platypus plush and hands them to me. "Don't cry anymore." An indistinct Miyagi speaks with a troubled look. "Call me Hazuki again." Letting the tissues drop to the floor without wiping my tears, I look at the still-blurred Miyagi. "...Hazuki." Quietly, softly. Miyagi calls my name. Hazuki. Born in August. Until now, that was the only significance my name held. But today, Miyagi made what was just a simple name special. Miyagi always allows me to become a new version of myself. She reshapes my past, and changes my future. I touch Miyagi's hand that holds the moon pendant. Inside, there's half of me. The other half, given by Miyagi, resides in my heart. "Shiori." I say softly. Hazuki becomes a complete name only when the leaf and the moon are together. It won't do if only the leaf is with me. I can't be me without Miyagi. I can't live with the part of the moon missing. That's why Miyagi must always be with me. I breathe in slowly. I know the words to take the first step toward making this wish come true. "I want to tell Shiori something—" I finally get to convey the words I've wanted to say, but Miyagi covers my mouth with her hand. "I told you at the beginning, no comments." She presses her palm firmly against my lips. While I'm grateful she's holding half of my name, I wish she wouldn't use her other hand like this. As a result, I can't say that it's a misunderstanding. Of course, I wanted to tell her the significance of the pendant, but more than that, I wanted to express my feelings first. "We're done talking about the necklace now. Don't call me Shiori anymore." I want to say "Eh?" but trapped by her hand, I can't utter even short words. Miyagi is really awful. Not only does she not give me a chance to speak, but she even takes away my chance to call her "Shiori." I grab Miyagi's wrist and peel away the hand covering my mouth. Gaining back my ability to speak more readily than expected, I take a gentle breath as Miyagi, sounding displeased, says: "Sendai-san, it's fine if you don't talk." Her low voice echoes across the room. When I look at Miyagi, I see a frown etched deeply between her brows. The atmosphere to convey "I love you" has dissipated, and Miyagi seems aloof. In such situations, it's not time for love confessions, so I raise a question instead. "I understand I shouldn't call you Shiori, but is it okay if you call me Hazuki?" "I won't call you that anymore." Just as I thought. This is the kind of person Miyagi is. She raises expectations but doesn't fulfill them. Yet, I'm accustomed to her being this way, and it's exactly why I fell for her. "My name belongs to Miyagi, so do as you like. ...Though I'd be happy if you called me that." When I add my hope, Miyagi pulls another two tissues from the platypus's back and offers them to me. This time, I obediently use them to wipe away the tears that are drying up. "...It's not like I'll never call you that again." Miyagi mumbles quietly. "Does that mean you'll call me that on special occasions?" I inquire, but there’s no response. Avoiding my gaze, she fixes her eyes on the platypus. "So, will you say my name when it matters?" I ask once more, prompting Miyagi to reply without taking her eyes off the platypus. "...I'll call you when I feel like verifying something, and when I do, Sendai-san can call me Shiori too." Miyagi's words bring memories rushing back. When I wore the moon pendant, Miyagi often checked its presence. Even when I stopped wearing it, she kept wanting to confirm I was hers. I touch the four-leaf clover she gave me. "Miyagi, you should verify it every day." "No way." A small but firm voice returns my suggestion. I'm dissatisfied, but I know I should accept it. Being called Hazuki, or calling her Shiori, there will surely be occasions, even if infrequent. With my hand still clutching the four-leaf clover, I touch her hand holding the moon. "Will you wear this, Miyagi?" "I won't wear it. I'll keep it." "I see. Then, can I gift you a new necklace for your birthday?" "No." "You're so stingy, Miyagi." "...it's fine if I'm stingy, but for my birthday, pick something other than a necklace, Sendai-san." It seems she doesn't want a necklace, but she does want something chosen by me. It's quite a progression compared to last year when she didn't even voice wanting a birthday gift. "Miyagi, you know..." "What?" "You really are cute." The way she indirectly communicates her desire for something makes her undeniably Miyagi-like and impossible not to love even more. I draw Miyagi's hand towards me and place a kiss on the hand that holds the moon. "Sendai-san, don't do weird things." "Okay, okay." I respond cheerfully and catch Miyagi’s arm as she tries to pull away. "For Miyagi's birthday, I'll get a delicious round cake, so let's eat it together." I hold her tight. I hug Miyagi with all my strength.