352 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Because of Miyagi Chapter 352 I was hoping for a day like last year. However, it doesn’t need to be exactly the same. Last year, a large pizza and chicken nuggets adorned the table. This year, it’s fried chicken, caprese, and pasta. The location is different as well. Last year, it was in Miyagi's room, but today it's in mine. Moreover, we are no longer roommates. What truly matters isn't that everything is identical, but that Miyagi is in front of me, making today just as special. “Celebrate my birthday next year too.” These were the words I uttered last year, which Miyagi hadn’t forgotten. “Sendai-san, we’re saving the cake for later, right?” Across the table, Miyagi remarks with an unusually sour face for a birthday, a look that hasn’t changed since last year. No, it never changes. When she’s in front of me, her default mode is to be grumpy. A cheery disposition is practically nonexistent. “If you want to have the cake now, I don’t mind,” I say with a smile. A slightly lower voice responds, “It’s your cake, Sendai-san. It doesn’t matter to me.” “But you bought the cake, so you decide.” “Well then, let’s have the cake later and eat first. Oh, and Sendai-san…” Miyagi says in her monotone way, fixing her gaze on me. But she doesn’t say anything further. She looks like she has something to say but remains silent while staring at me. “And?” I prompt her. Miyagi frowns slightly, exhales, and in a small voice, she speaks. “…Happy birthday.” My heart skips, and I feel a warmth spreading in my chest. On the night of August 22nd, technically after midnight on the 23rd, multiple messages saying “Happy Birthday” came flooding in. It’s something that happens every year, and while it’s pleasant, those words are not extraordinary as they're what anyone would send to someone having a birthday. They don’t cause any huge excitement or physical reaction within me. But when Miyagi says it, those ordinary words become uniquely mine. “Thank you.” “…I'll eat.” Miyagi mutters, lowering her gaze awkwardly. Her eyes land on the calico cat chopstick rest instead of me. She hasn’t yet said the customary “Let's Eat.” She’s just having an intense staring contest with the calico cat chopstick rest, probably because she’s too flustered after saying “happy birthday” to look at me. And that, I find utterly adorable about her. On top of everything, today Miyagi is wearing makeup I did, with the hairstyle I braided, in the clothes I picked—making her exceptionally cute. Honestly, I didn't want her out in the world like this. I wish I could keep her indoors, just to admire the Miyagi I created. However, the makeup, the hairdo, and the makeover were the price for letting her go out alone. Therefore, I couldn’t insist on her staying in. At the very least, I wished to see her carrying the bag I bought, which I told her was hers, and walk under the sun. “Aren’t you eating?” I probe the still-hesitant Miyagi. As much as I’d like to keep staring at this adorable Miyagi, the pasta and fried chicken will get cold if we linger. Since we made them together, I want us to enjoy the meal before it turns cold. “I said I would eat.” Miyagi lifts her face from the calico cat chopstick rest and takes a deep breath. “Let’s eat.” Our voices synchronize as we say it. It may be a trivial thing, but on a unique day like my birthday, our words harmonizing feels joyous. Miyagi smiling would have been perfect, but I’m not a penguin, which she likes. Having Miyagi celebrate my birthday is enough. I take a big bite of the caprese. The elasticity of the mozzarella is delightful. Although Miyagi cut the tomatoes a bit thick, it doesn’t bother me. The cheese’s mildness mingles with basil’s refreshing aroma, making me want more than just a bite. “The caprese you made is delicious, Miyagi.” “You did the seasoning, though, didn’t you?” Miyagi complains while eating her caprese. However, she only eats the tomatoes and mozzarella, leaving the greens untouched. “Don’t you like basil?” “Not particularly.” She answers curtly, not touching the basil as she casually twirls pasta around her fork, bringing a fairly large bite to her lips. “Is it good?” The sauce is simply a reheated carbonara, so it shouldn’t be a failure. Still, I watch Miyagi munch on her pasta, curious about the taste. “Eat your food too, Sendai-san.” I ask again, “How is it?” “It’s good.” Miyagi replies tersely, munching on fried chicken. It seems the meal is satisfactory. Ordering delivery pizza like last year wouldn’t have been bad, but cooking for a birthday leaves a memorable impression and sharing that with someone is worth the effort. Today engraves itself in my memory, embedding the same in Miyagi’s. I want to keep repeating such days until Miyagi is my world, and I am hers, leaving no room for others to encroach. I twirl pasta around my fork like Miyagi and take a mouthful. This affordable carbonara tastes amazing. Biting into the fried chicken yields nothing but tasty thoughts. Today is a good day, I believe. The caprese, the fried chicken, they’re delicious, and so is the pasta with pre-packaged sauce. Despite their simplicity, I find myself wanting to eat them tomorrow and the day after as well. I fixate on Miyagi. She’s picking out the basil while eating the caprese. “Miyagi... Thanks for living with me.” I’m glad I didn’t manage to become like my older sister. I’ve embraced being my own person entering university, and it was the best decision. Had I followed the path my parents expected, I wouldn’t have met Miyagi nor been here today. “What’s with the sudden sentiment?” “I just wanted to share my feelings now.” “…Don’t you think living alone would’ve been better?” “I don’t. If I were alone, today wouldn’t be joyful. I’m glad Miyagi is here.” I touch the four-leaf clover at my chest. Hazuki's leaf. This kind of thoughtfulness when giving a necklace could only come from Miyagi. “You’re exaggerating, Sendai-san.” “I’m not. Thanks to you, I remembered what fun feels like.” Past birthdays, which had been reduced to mere changes in age, were transformed when friends’ messages of “Happy Birthday” ceased to hold joy, becoming mere obligations texted at midnight. I thought that was how my birthdays would always be. But it’s different now. “…What does ‘fun’ mean to you, Sendai-san?” “Days like today.” With Miyagi in my life, birthdays transformed from days eagerly anticipated by family to days I truly looked forward to—not only birthdays but every day had become enjoyable. The thought of days without her is unimaginable. "We're just having dinner together." Miyagi murmurs as she takes a sip of soda. I can almost see the invisible soda passing down her throat. If I could, I’d love to see inside her, to watch the journey of the meal we cooked together. "We'll have cake too." "I know, but we eat together on regular days too." Once more, she drinks her soda, and watching her throat move makes me want to reach out and touch it, but instead, I clutch the clover necklace tightly and let go. "But days like this are fun. It was always dull before I met you, Miyagi." "…But you had so many friends." "The number of friends doesn't matter." "…Are you happy now?" "Yes, but without you here, Miyagi, I wouldn't feel this happiness. —Thank you." Even after my relationship with my family fractured, there were moments of happiness. Yet, that "happiness" wasn’t genuine. Life before Miyagi was like a mirage. "It's not like I've done anything." "You don't have to; just stay with me." Miyagi looks at me, then averts her eyes as if in distress. She silently munches on her fried chicken, saying nothing more. I wish she would assure me she’d always be there, but I understand it’s a difficult ask, and I don’t want to force it out of her. I'll wait for the day she truly wants to be with me forever. I love Miyagi for not uttering convenient phrases during such moments. "Miyagi, celebrate my birthday next year too." I pick up the glass of clear liquid in front of Miyagi. She looks at me, offering no complaints. I take a sip of the fizzy, not delicious liquid. "Talking about next year when we haven't even had cake yet?" "Yes, it's a reservation for next year. I said I'd keep wishing for it forever, didn’t I? You haven't forgotten, right?" As I smile, a crease forms on Miyagi's brow. "…I remember, no need to spell it out." "Thank you." My nineteenth birthday was the happiest among the nineteen I'd had. My twentieth birthday is even happier than the nineteenth. With Miyagi by my side, my twenty-first birthday promises to be even more joyful. "…Sendai-san, I'll go fetch the cake." Miyagi quietly starts piling up the empty plates. "But I'm still eating pasta." "It’ll be finished soon, so it’s fine." With that, she stands up abruptly. "Wait, I’ll join you," I say quickly. "No need. The birthday girl should stay put." Miyagi glares at me as she leaves the room. Naturally, I follow her. "Why are you following me?" As soon as we reach the shared space, Miyagi complains with a face full of displeasure. "I want a kiss. …Can I?" "No." By the refrigerator, Miyagi glares at me like a black cat with its fur raised. If I reach out, I might get bitten. Yet, I still want to stroke her sleek fur and touch the lips veiling those fangs. I move closer to Miyagi and reach out. My hand touches her cheek. There’s no bite, but she grips my arm and pulls. "I’ll do it." Before I can utter a word, her lips, like an ill-tempered black cat, press against mine. It’s just a brief moment before the warmth slips away. "…Make my birthday fun too, Sendai-san." Her words, almost lost, are accompanied by a soft nudge at my foot. That soft, low voice delights me, and without asking, I press my lips against hers again. Nibbling gently on those soft lips, I draw her closer. Miyagi tenses slightly in my arms, but before I can entwine our tongues, she pushes me back by the shoulders. "I never said you could start kissing, Sendai-san." "Was it bad?" "You should know without asking." Miyagi, sulking, pushes me further away. Missing the warmth, I grab her arm, only to have my hand slapped gently. "Even though it's my birthday..." Just being with Miyagi is enough. That's how I feel, but I still wish I could kiss her more. "Being your birthday doesn’t mean you can do anything you want. Reflect on that and fetch the cake yourself." "What will you carry, Miyagi?” "Nothing." Despite her cute appearance, Miyagi says unkind things. But I find even those sides of her adorable, and I close the distance to plant a kiss on her cheek.