356 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Chapter 356 "Miyagi, do you mind if I open the door?" Sendai-san said something that seemed completely out of character. We were standing in front of what was clearly the door to Sendai-san's room, not mine, so it was odd for her to ask if she could open it. "It's your room, Sendai-san." I pointed out something that should have been obvious and added, "Just open it already." "I guess you're right..." Sendai-san spoke hesitantly, taking a deep breath before exhaling. Then, with a resolute "Come in," she opened the door. One step, two steps. I entered Sendai-san's room. Her bed immediately came into view, prompting me to spin around. "I'm going back to my room." My foreboding had been confirmed: a yukata I had explicitly said I wouldn't wear. Laid out on the bed were, not one, but two yukatas, presumably one for each of us. I should have known better than to come to Sendai-san's room. "Wait, Miyagi. Even if just for a little..." She grabbed my arm. But my decision was made. "No way. I'm leaving." "Just wait three minutes." "What, are you planning to make instant noodles or something?" I shook off Sendai-san's hand and kicked her shin. "Of course not! I want to talk." I didn't want to hear it. But then, Sendai-san started speaking. "I know it's unfair and wrong to prepare a yukata when you said you didn't want to wear one. But I really want us to wear yukatas and go to the festival together." She spoke earnestly, asking, "Which do you like?" Although I hadn't intended to, her words drew my attention to the yukata. A lavender one and a pale, almost white, one. Both adorned with beautiful flowers. Not too flashy, yet not plain. The yukatas laid neatly on the bed reflected Sendai-san's impeccable taste, and it was frustrating. "...I don't like either." "I figured as much." "Can I go back now?" "No, you need to give me an order. I'll do anything." Her response was absurd, and I glared at her. "There's no fun in ordering someone who wants to be ordered around." Issuing orders to someone eager to obey seemed pointless. I didn't dislike the obedient side of Sendai-san, but today, I wasn't in the mood for it. "Should I start undressing?" Sendai-san smiled, showing she didn't mind taking such a step. "Pervert." Today, Sendai-san was not being her usual self. Despite saying she'd do anything, she wasn't listening to me. Even though she's given me her name, she's not entirely mine. I reached out to Sendai-san, tugging at the clover necklace on her chest. Like metal drawn to a magnet, she leaned closer, and I bit her neck. So she wouldn't be able to go anywhere tomorrow—. Strongly, forcefully. I intended to leave a mark with my teeth, but couldn't muster enough strength to leave a trace. I pushed her shoulder to create distance between us. Looking where I bit, her skin remained unblemished, only the clover indicating her belonging to me. "Miyagi?" Her puzzled voice met my ears, and I responded with an "Annoying." I touched Sendai-san's T-shirt, placing my hand on her chest. My fingers slid over the fabric, gripping the hem. Gently, I lifted it, touching her bare skin. Running my fingers over her ribcage, I pressed down. It was warm. Her smooth skin and soft flesh conveyed her body heat to my hand. "Miyagi, you're a perv." "Coming from someone who suggested undressing?" No matter what Sendai-san said, it didn't matter. I could move my hand and remove her undergarments or kiss her body. After all, Sendai-san belonged to me completely, she even said she'd do anything. So even though I should be able to do anything to keep her from going outside tomorrow, I couldn't. I retracted my hand from her body and sat on the floor. "Miyagi, are you done?" "Not really, but yes." "...Will you wear the yukata?" Sendai-san quietly asked as she sat down beside me. "Did you buy the yukata? Or borrow it?" Instead of answering her question, I asked my own. "I bought it. With that money... Sorry for using it as I pleased." The mention of "that money" and her apology implied it was the money I had given Sendai-san, which she'd saved up, and which was now treated as "our money." But that money isn't ours. "It's your money, Sendai-san, use it however you like. But I won't wear the yukata." "I bought it with our money, so you should wear it." "That's unfair." "That's why I said from the start that it was unfair and wrong." "...Why do you want me to wear the yukata so badly?" "For memories. Since we're going to the festival together, I want it to be special. Those kinds of memories last forever." Hearing words I wasn't ready for, I closed my eyes tightly. Memories with Sendai-san would accumulate, becoming part of me. It’s not that I wanted to reject everything, but I couldn't keep up with these emotions. I struggled to process the memories Sendai-san created. She was always fast-paced, leaving me behind. "...Did you buy the yukata on your own?" I asked without looking at her. "Of course." Sendai-san replied confidently, adding gently, "Take a proper look at the yukata." "Don't you have your tutoring job today, Sendai-san? Better get ready to go." I did want to see the yukata, but I also didn't. Seeing it properly would mean I'd have to wear it. "It's in the evening. I haven't even had lunch yet." "You won't die from skipping lunch." "No, but my stomach will growl in front of the student." "Forget it." "I have time, so I'll cook something now." "Fine, let's do lunch, then." As I attempted to stand, Sendai-san tugged at my clothes. "Your answer?" I've been giving the same answer all along. I won't wear the yukata. There’s no other answer. But Sendai-san wouldn't accept it. She kept trying to coax her preferred answer from me, leading to a never-ending exchange of pointless questions. I settled back down and looked at Sendai-san. "I don't know how to wear a yukata, and I can't put it on by myself." I didn't want to say the answer she wanted, so I offered a new one. "No problem. I looked up how to put it on, so I'll help you." Sendai-san declared, brimming with confidence. "No way, absolutely not." "Alright, would you prefer if I taught you how to wear it yourself?" "Still, no." "Just out of curiosity, can you tell me why you don't want either option?" "Something feels off about having Sendai-san do it, and I doubt I could manage it myself even if you explained." "...Wait. What do you mean by 'something feels off'?" Sendai-san asked seriously, leaving me at a loss for words. This question wasn’t any good either. Today's Sendai-san kept asking troublesome things. I let out a small sigh and hugged my knees. "Well... you can't wear a yukata without taking off your clothes first, right?" If Sendai-san helped me, I'd have to undress in front of her, and I wanted to avoid that at all costs. "Are you the type to wear a yukata over your clothes, Miyagi?" "I'm the type to not wear a yukata at all." "I see." With a resigned voice, Sendai-san leaned back against the bed. She muttered to herself, "So it’s not possible, huh. What should I do with the yukata?" She never makes me do anything I truly hate. She never has. Even today, that hasn't changed, so it seemed I wouldn’t have to wear the yukata. Feeling relieved, I relaxed. However, it also felt like the yukata on the bed, whispered into nonexistence by Sendai-san's words, disappeared from the room, weighing heavily on my heart. "...Are you going to give the yukata to someone else?" I wondered about the fate of the unseen yukata. "No, I won't." "Why not?" "Because I picked it out for you, Miyagi." Sendai-san smiled softly. Somehow, it felt like I could see the unseen yukata beyond her smile, and it made my heart ache. At times like this, her kindness is like a thorn that pierces me and refuses to come out. "...I'll give you an answer tomorrow." "An answer?" "On whether I'll wear the yukata." "Really?" "Sendai-san, I'm hungry. Please make lunch." I got up and took a step forward. "Ah, okay." Her cheerful voice carried after me as I left Sendai-san's room, where the yukata lay.