380 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Chapter 380 'Thanks for yesterday. My fever has gone down.' Seeing the message on my phone that woke me up instantly made me wide awake. —My sister. I wish I could pretend I didn't see it. But it would be cruel to ignore my sister who took the initiative to reach out. She's just recovering from an illness. Even if it's not what I want to see first thing in the morning, and even if our relationship isn't in the best state, I should at least send a reply. 'Okay.' After debating for a bit, I send off a short, rather insignificant reply. I exhale deeply. I definitely could have responded better. Maybe because I thought about it too much, sending just a simple word somehow exhausted me. I placed my phone by the wall and turned to my side. "...Shiori." I utter the name of the person lying beside me and reach out my hand. I smooth her black hair and tug it lightly. On my bed lies Miyagi. That’s because after we had a late dinner of pasta with retort-packaged meat sauce last night, we both fell asleep without keeping our promise of staying up till morning. Of course, Miyagi had complained, "You said we’d stay up till morning," but I was utterly exhausted, and despite her complaints, she fell asleep as soon as she got in bed. Now, it's late in the morning, and she's still asleep. "Shiori." I trace her lips with my fingertips. This way of calling her might earn me complaints if she were awake, but since she's asleep, I can freely say it as many times as I want. Shiori, Shiori, Shiori. I call her again and again. Miyagi doesn’t wake up. A peaceful time without complaints passes slowly. Such quiet moments aren't so bad, but I still prefer it when Miyagi is awake. Even if her brow is furrowed or her voice is low, I want her to look at me with open eyes and call my name. "Shiori." Calling her loudly, I place a kiss on her lips. Even so, she doesn't wake up, so I hug her tightly. "Hmm, what is it?" I hear a drowsy voice as she stirs. "Good morning, Shiori." "Mornin'." A small voice comes from within my arms. "Are you still sleepy?" "Yeah." A hazy voice replies, and when I ask, "It's almost ten, do you still want to sleep, Shiori?" Miyagi pushes her body away from my embrace. "I'll get up. And it's not Shiori, it's Miyagi." "Okay, okay." I catch Miyagi's hand and kiss her fingertips. "I didn't say you could do that." "True." I respond with a smile and press my lips against her palm. "S-Sendai-san!" With a low voice, she pushes my forehead, breaking our connection. "What is it, Miyagi?" "You're annoying." She state in a clear voice, and I look at the owner of the voice. "Aren't you being rude?" "No, I'm not. More importantly, did your sister contact you?" Miyagi, now undoubtedly awake, asks calmly. "...She did." Talking about such an unpleasant subject first thing in the morning weighs heavy on my words. "Is she feeling better?" "Apparently, yeah." "That's good." Miyagi replies softly, bumping her forehead against mine, and her warmth seeps gently into me. "Right. Yes, it is." That's good. It's good that her fever has gone down. —That’s what I should have said. That must be what I should have responded to my sister with, much better than just "Okay." My feelings towards my sister, crafted by our parents, blinded me from seeing such obvious words. Still, the relationship with my sister, hardened by time, won't easily crumble, and finding the courage to send a new message isn't something I can muster today. But even if I can't do it today, I hope that someday I'll be able respond with better words. "Thank you, Miyagi." I touch her black hair gently, stroking it softly. "For what?" "For whatever." I smile gently and add, "Shall we have breakfast now?" and Miyagi replies, "I'm going to get changed," before leaving the room. The empty spot left on the bed is warm and comfortable from the lingering body heat as I roll over and press my cheek to it. This is where I belong. While I wish I could stay like this forever, reality calls, so I get up. I wash my face, change, and have breakfast. On this Sunday, slightly different from the usual, I spend the day just as I normally would. I pour tea into our black cat and calico cat mugs and we watch the rest of yesterday's movie in my room. Miyagi hasn't suddenly developed a liking for horror films overnight, and she stays huddled beside me, peering at the tablet. As the end credits roll, Miyagi voices her complaints, and after watching another movie, we have a late lunch. A game of rock-paper-scissors determined who cleans up, and Miyagi ends up washing the dishes. Time flows gently, and we soon return to my room with glasses of orange juice. "What shall we watch next?" Miyagi asks naturally, holding the tablet, but she's forgotten something important. I sip my orange juice and look at her. "There’s something left unfinished. What do you want to do about it?" "Was there any movie we didn't finish?" Miyagi looks puzzled. "—The promise. Let’s continue the conversation we postponed. It was just yesterday, so you remember, right?" When I squeeze Miyagi’s hand sitting next to me, she flinches and looks away. She definitely remembers. The promise that Miyagi mentioned, saying, “If it's now, then it's fine,” got interrupted by our hunger, and when I said, “Tomorrow,” it was left on hold. “It’s still bright outside though.” Just as Miyagi mentioned, the sun was shining outside, yet she kept her gaze on the floor rather than looking out the window. “It’s not time for it to get dark yet.” “You’re such a pervert,” she mutters, releasing her hand from mine and pushing my shoulder. “Are you not going to?” The decision lies with Miyagi. Not with me. “Miyagi.” I don’t intend to force her, so if she says no, the conversation ends here. It can be postponed again, and Miyagi can just bring it up when she's ready to give an answer. “Do you want to watch a movie instead?” I ask Miyagi, who's still avoiding my eyes, and her gaze remains fixed on the floor. As I reach for the tablet on the table to prepare another movie, a small voice perks up. “...You decide, Sendai-san” Thump, my heart beats loudly. I swallow the “eh?” that almost escapes my mouth. There’s only one answer. “I’ll close the curtains then.” Miyagi doesn't say anything else. I stand up, draw the curtains, and seal this room from the outside world. I sit on the bed, turning off the lights, and Miyagi comes to sit next to me as I touch her cheek. “…Will you be the one doing it, Sendai-san?” She says in a soft voice, and I ask, "Do you mind?" Miyagi's hand clutches my clothes. Yet, she remains silent. "Today, I want to keep my promise of cherishing you even more than on your birthday. Can I touch you, not just on your cheek, but other places too?" I lean in, bringing my lips close, and touch where I belong. On her forehead, her nose, her lips. I kiss her and gently push on her shoulders. Slowly, her body reclines, and Miyagi’s back touches the bed. "Sendai-san, take off your clothes." My clothes, which were still being held, were pulled insistently. "What about you, Miyagi?" “…You’re the one who should undress, Sendai-san.” "Alright. But why don’t you take yours off too? It's dark, no one can see." I lift Miyagi's shirt, resting my hand gently on her stomach.