144.5 Volume 5 Extra Saying Welcome Back to Sendai-san - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Volume 5 Extra: Saying Welcome Back to Sendai-san In this relatively short life of mine, today is the most unsettling day I've ever experienced. The reason is simple: everything around me is new. There's a bookshelf and a bed I'm not accustomed to seeing. A closet and a view from the window that's unfamiliar. Having just freshly moved in, this room hasn't yet become mine. Maybe if I were to open the boxes filled with my past and arrange their contents, it might start to feel more like my room, but having just arrived today, I'm not in the mood for that. "Ah, what should I do?" My voice gets louder, and I hold my breath. But Sendai-san, who should be here, isn't home yet. I feel bad, but I asked her to go out. It's simply because managing both the movers and Sendai-san at the same time would have been too much. If I could only focus on one, it seemed best for her to leave. Even though she said, "You don't have to entertain me," it's nerve-wracking to interact with someone in her presence, leading me to come up with reasons to keep her away. Thinking along those lines, I feel more at ease having Sendai-san out until the moving process is over. I sit down on the new bed I bought for this room. The unfamiliar feel prompts me to get up. Though it's mine, this bed feels like it belongs to someone else, intensifying the sense of being in a new place. Frowning, I dive into the bed and bury my face in the pillow, detecting a scent different from the one I'm used to. Even when I lift my head, I can't escape the new smell. It's because everything about this room is new to me, making me question if coming here was a mistake. After the graduation ceremony, it was my decision to share a room with Sendai-san. Although she provided the options, I chose to put the necklace around her neck and opted for the cherry blossom envelope. I hesitated, but ultimately decided to become roommates in a new place. Yet, I think I'm anxious. The unfamiliar room. The unfamiliar furniture. The unfamiliar view. And even the familiar Sendai-san. Everything feels new to me, causing my formerly optimistic mindset to shift towards negativity, making me want to run away. Since my mother left, I've been living with my father, who was practically absent from our shared home. My house was a place where someone was supposed to be, yet they never returned. This house, however, is different. There’s someone besides me here, someone who will always come back. Although Sendai-san isn't here now, she'll soon return to eat, study, read a book, or maybe even talk with me. So, in this house, my life will be one where Sendai-san is either in the adjacent room or in the shared space. I knew this, but it's too far removed from the lifestyle I've lived, making it hard to stay calm. A home where someone comes back feels foreign to me. Though, that doesn't mean I want to return to a house where no one comes back. I roll over to lie on my back. In this place, mornings and nights are never solitary. Most likely, I won't be scared waking up in the middle of the night, fearing someone might be behind me. Beyond this wall or door, somewhere, Sendai-san exists. For the next four years, I won't have to live in fear of the dark. Promises aren't absolute, and they may be broken, but it should be fine as long as I don't have high expectations. I tightly close my eyes and then open them. Sendai-san tends to have me make all the decisions—sometimes telling lies—but as long as I know that, there’s no problem. The talk of room-sharing was never definite, so even if the timeline suddenly changes, it's okay. If I mentally prepare for it, I should be able to endure anything. Even if I end up living alone, knowing such possibilities exist should keep me calm. I sigh at the ceiling. Broadly speaking, it seems moving here has more positive than negative aspects. Yet, fueled by anxiety, I can't help but search for a less favorable future. I must stop. As much as I don't feel like it, I should start tidying up my room. If I laze around doing nothing, my mind will be filled with thoughts I’d rather not dwell on. I stand up and open a box labeled "plush toys" from among many other boxes. I rescue the crocodile tissue cover and a black cat plush from inside. I set the crocodile under the table. Although it should be fitted with tissues, there aren’t any among the moving boxes. If I asked Sendai-san, she'd likely produce some from somewhere, but she's not here, so the alligator remains empty. As for the black cat plush, I pause before putting it on the bed. This is my room, but unlike before I moved, others can easily access it. I don't think Sendai-san will intrude without permission, but there’s always a chance. "Stay over here," I say, placing the black cat on the bookshelf. One lonely plush on a shelf devoid of books. The black cat looks especially forlorn, prompting me to pat its small head and encourage it, saying, "I'll bring some books soon.” "Which one is it?" I check the boxes, opening the one marked "books." After placing a few favorites behind the black cat, I hear a knock at the door. "Miyagi?" Sendai-san’s voice follows, and I slightly open the door. "I'm home," she announces gleefully, though I’m unsure why she’s so delighted. "Welcome back," I reply with words I rarely use, stepping out into the shared space. I close the door and look at Sendai-san. In the house where my father never returned, there was no occasion to say "welcome back." Saying "I'm home" to an empty house happened frequently, but rarely did I say "welcome back." These words still don’t feel familiar. Yet, I don’t dislike them at all. Until yesterday, there was virtually no one who needed my “welcome back." Now, I have someone who does. It's as if that's one of the reasons I'm here; it's not a bad feeling. The “welcome back” said by Sendai-san when I arrived here wasn't unpleasant either, and it made me feel like this place could be my home. While I don't feel accustomed to the new house in many ways, having the words "I'm home" and "welcome back" together doesn’t seem bad at all. "Miyagi, how's your room? Can you manage the unpacking alone?" "Yeah, probably. For now, I’ve just got the bed usable." Though most boxes remain unopened, there's still time until university starts, so I can take my time tidying up. "Want help with the unpacking?" "No, no. You should focus on finishing your room." "I'm almost done with mine, so I can help." "It's fine. I can handle it." While there's nothing I dread others seeing, I prefer organizing my own things and tidying my own space. Though I once ordered Sendai-san to organize my bookshelf, this is different. If I’m creating a room from scratch, I want to do it all myself. "Can I peek into your room?" Sendai-san points behind me. "No way. It’s not properly tidied yet," I say, unwilling to showcase a room cluttered with boxes. Even if I let her in after I'm done, now isn’t the right time. "Oh, by the way, Miyagi, where did you place your bed?" Sendai-san asks with a cheerful smile. "Why do you ask?" "Just curious. Mine's against this wall. How about yours?" Her finger, which had been pointing behind me earlier, now indicated a different spot. It seems "this wall" refers to the wall separating our rooms. "Same here, against this wall," I reply. I didn't put much thought into the bed's location. But somehow, I felt it might be comforting to have someone nearby, so I placed it on the side where Sendai-san's room was. "Maybe we can chat through the wall at night," she suggests, sounding a bit foolish. "That would disturb the neighbors, and I'm not doing that." "I'm just kidding. Besides, we'd be in trouble if we got noise complaints," she says, still smiling as she took a seat in the shared space and looked at me. "It feels strange," she continues. "What do you mean by 'strange'?" "It's strange not having to go back home." "…Sendai-san, do you want to go back?" "No, I’m staying here." "…For the whole four years?" "The whole four years." Our conversation paused, and silence from the shared space replaced Sendai-san’s voice. Since I wasn't speaking either, the silence felt awkward and uncomfortable. "Hey, Sendai-san. Do we have any tissue boxes in the house?" I ask, aiming to break the silence by addressing something missing. "I have some in my room. Want me to get one?" "Not right now, but if you have an extra, I'd like one." "Got it. I'll give you one later," she replies gently, once again letting silence fill the room. Even though we've gone from former classmates to roommates, nothing significant should have changed. Yet, we find ourselves at a loss for what to do together. "Oh, right! Miyagi, why don't we celebrate your moving in?" Sendai-san exclaimed suddenly, as if sensing the same discomfort. "No need… I'm just heading to the convenience store." It's pointless to stay here and endure this atmosphere when going outside is better. "Convenience store? Are you looking for something specific?" "Just hungry." "In that case, let's go out to eat together." "I'm fine with the convenience store." If I'm going out, it needs to be alone; otherwise, I'll just be carrying this awkward air with me, making it no different from staying. "Alright then, but could you take me along? You're not familiar with the convenience store locations, right?" "I know where. I saw one on the way here." "You only saw it once, you might get lost." "I won't, and you don’t need to come. I can pick something up for you too. What would you like?" "I want to decide after seeing, so I'm coming with you," she said, standing up with a smile. Clearly, she was intent on joining me, which was frustrating. Since the convenience store wasn't an essential destination, I could let her go alone. But if I said, "Go by yourself," she would likely respond by abandoning the idea and staying put. Even after some time apart, Sendai-san remains a handful. But that's who she is. "Miyagi, since today’s our first day as roommates, let's go together," she suggested cheerfully, showing no sign of backing down. Yet, the word "celebration" is something I dislike. It’s inconvenient when unexpected anniversaries are sprung upon me. "It's just an ordinary day," I replied. "Sure, but even on ordinary days, people go to the convenience store together." "…I guess so." Cornered by Sendai-san, I struggled with my words. In this situation, refusing something as simple as a trip to the store makes me feel like an awful person. "Alright, it's settled then. I want to pop back into my room real quick; wait for me?" With that, Sendai-san retreated to her room. She's really pushy. Even after graduating high school, she still determines my choices for me. I let out a sigh. My new life is accompanied by anxiety, but Sendai-san's familiar ways are somewhat reassuring. I’m uncertain if we'll get along as roommates, but I hope for a semblance of the daily life we had in high school together—though I lack confidence. I grab my bag from my room and, standing in the shared space, place my hand on the door to my new room. "I'm off," I whispered softly, taking a seat on the chair Sendai-san had chosen to wait for her.