388 - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Chapter 388 The corners of my mouth won't lift. My expression remains the same. Today, I'm unable to muster a smile. That's what I thought, but my face, accustomed to the disconnect between my inner feelings and outward appearance, was able to create an expression that didn't quite match my feelings, with a slight upward curve of my lips, and it seemed I could manage a somewhat decent smile. Neither Mio nor Utsunomiya asked me, "What's wrong?" and they both left with smiles on their faces. In short, the "Hazuki & Shiori Birthday Party" proposed by Mio ended without a hitch. This meant I was returning to my everyday life with Miyagi, which brought me a sense of relief. "This is definitely more relaxing." Miyagi quietly voiced her agreement, gazing at the bare wall. The festive letters and balloons that had adorned my room for the birthday theme were taken home by Mio. Now, my room is back to its usual state, with only the aprons gifted by Mio and Utsunomiya, and a movie gift card from Noto-senpai remaining as traces of the celebration. "Miyagi." I embrace Miyagi in what is no longer a birthday-themed room. As I tighten my arms around her back, I feel her warmth flow into me. "I never said it was okay to do this." Accompanied by a quiet murmur, Miyagi presses against my stomach. "How about a kiss?" "No." She rudely refuses my touch and presses against my stomach further. It's been such a long time since I last felt her warmth while we were preparing drinks in the shared space, and no matter how much I touch her now, it’s not enough. I should respect Miyagi's wishes and accept her words, but I can't bring myself to loosen my arms. Unable to stop my lips from touching her, I gently kiss her cheek. "I said no." Her voice is indifferent, yet it doesn't feel like rejection. I steal a short kiss from Miyagi’s lips. She says nothing. But instead, she steps on my foot tightly. "Don't you want me to kiss you?" "Let go." "Why?" Miyagi, still in my embrace, remains silent. Instead, she lightly bites at my neck, as if to convey her response. When I hug her more tightly and say, "It hurts," the pain fades, and I hear a soft voice. "...Sendai-san, you looked like you were having fun." From Miyagi's words, it becomes clear that my expression was cheerful, regardless of my intentions. "You looked like you were having fun, too, Miyagi." She was genuinely happy about receiving the apron, and she laughed while looking at Mio. Today, Miyagi showed me a side of her that I don't usually see. There are many sides of Miyagi that only I know, and I believe they will remain solely for me. However, I also want to own the Miyagi that interacts with others - “The Miyagi I rarely see, yet others often can.” "Maika and Mio-san came over; I couldn't exactly look bored, you know?" "Same goes for me." "...I get that, but it's annoying. You really did have fun, didn't you, Sendai-san?" I’m not heartless enough to say “not at all” in such situations. The cake, bought from a place that was popular on social media, was very delicious, and Mio kept the atmosphere lively. Utsunomiya was also cheerful, doing her best to make today a memorable day. Those efforts definitely created a feeling of joy within me. But more than anything, my thoughts were always drifting towards Miyagi. "And you, Miyagi? How was it really for you?" "...If you thought it was fun, Sendai-san, then there’s no way I couldn’t have enjoyed it too." Miyagi spoke in a low voice and kicked at my leg. "Hey, Miyagi. Is it okay if I kiss you?" "Why does it always come to that? I said no—" Interrupting Miyagi's disgruntled words, I steal them away with a kiss. I think she’s fussing too much. She should just quietly look at me. I press our lips together firmly and slip my tongue inside her mouth. However, before anything else can happen, Miyagi pushes against my shoulder. "Sendai-san!" Miyagi’s voice vibrates in my eardrums. "Miyagi. Why do you hate kissing so much?" For us, kissing is as ordinary as it gets—part of our everyday life. While we may not do it in front of others, there’s no reason to refuse a kiss in this room. "Does it matter why?" Miyagi coldly states and tries to escape my hold, as though she might leave the room. I grab her hand to stop her. "I want to know the reason." "...Whether you say you enjoyed it or didn’t, it’s annoying, Sendai-san." "What does that have to do with refusing to kiss me?" "I think Sendai-san should get along well with Mio-san, so if you had fun, that's good, but Sendai-san is mine, so I don't like seeing you having fun with Mio-san." Miyagi mumbles in a rush, then takes a breath. Without looking at me, she continues in a voice neither low nor high. "Because I'm like this, there's no need to kiss." I grip the hand I’m holding with more strength. Her warmth seeps into me, and I look at Miyagi. Our eyes meet, and I can see the wrinkles between her brows. I move to press my lips to her cheek, and again, she pushes my shoulder. Even still, I want to kiss her, so I press my lips against her cheek. Miyagi quietly says, "I don't like it." Even though I can hear it, I want to kiss her, so I kiss her on the lips. "Sendai-san, stop." I draw her waist closer, trailing kisses along her neck. It's no good. I don't want to be rejected by Miyagi, and yet I cannot stop myself from doing things that might make her say 'no.' I have to accept her words, but I can't stop myself. Stroking her hip bone and gently biting her neck, I hear another "stop" by my ear, and I cover her mouth to silence it. There’s something wrong with me today. I tell myself to stop. Miyagi pushes my shoulder forcefully. As I encircle her back with my arms, she bites my lip. Before she can bite me hard enough to draw blood, I release her lips, and Miyagi calls out to me. "Sendai-san." "What?" "The apron you received, you’ll use it, right?" Miyagi quietly mentions, and I glance at the box on the floor containing the aprons from Mio and Utsunomiya. "Will you use the apron, Miyagi?" "That's what I’m asking you." "You don’t normally wear an apron when cooking, do you?" I shouldn't say such things. These words deny the thoughtful gift from Mio and Utsunomiya, something I shouldn’t express. I know this, yet today I can't control my emotions. "I don't, but I will start using it. Maika and Mio-san went out of their way to choose it as a birthday gift." "I see." "Are you not going to use yours, Sendai-san?" "...The apron wasn’t chosen by me or by you." Saying that, I sit on the bed, and Miyagi follows suit beside me. Our distance isn’t particularly close. If I reach out, I can touch her, though our shoulders don't meet. When I look at Miyagi, she returns my gaze with a troubled expression. "…Sendai-san, since Maika and Mio-san chose the apron for you, you should use it too." Miyagi speaks with an unusually straightforward simplicity, squeezing my hand. In moments like this, she effortlessly states the obvious. Friends should be cherished, and gifts from dear friends deserve care. That's how it should be, and it's something I should agree to. Yet, the dark stain that had formed in my heart won’t fade. In fact, Miyagi’s words only make it grow, preventing me from agreeing straightforwardly. Even though we're sitting side by side, even holding hands, Miyagi feels terribly distant. “…What about the movie?” I bring up the other birthday present. “Are you not going, Sendai-san?” “Do you want me to go, Miyagi?” “…It’s a birthday present.” “From Noto-senpai.” “Yes.” “Miyagi, you don't really like Noto-senpai, do you?” “…I don't, but that’s a different issue.” “Do you want to go?” “It’s not about wanting to or not. I think you should cherish these things, Sendai-san. Same with the apron.” Hearing her reasonable arguments makes me want to cover my ears, but Miyagi’s voice is one I always want to hear. My unsettled emotions begin to get lost, and I begrudgingly offer the answer Miyagi desires. “I want to cherish them. I’ll use the apron and go to the movies.” “Then go ahead and do it. ...Sendai-san belongs to me, and me alone, so seeing something that’s mine using something given by someone else really bothers me. But... I think it’s better to handle these things properly.” Miyagi's gaze falls to the floor, avoiding me. Her eyes, which don't reflect me, make it hard to breathe, so I reach for her lips. “But I’ll always belong only to Miyagi, right?” Touching her lips, I trace them slowly. "That's right. Sendai-san belongs only to me." Hearing the words I longed to hear, her gaze rises from the floor back to me, and I kiss Miyagi. Our lips meet without refusal, and we connect deeply. Warm tongues intertwine, body temperatures blend. But still, Miyagi feels distant, prompting a deeper kiss. I'll always belong only to Miyagi, and I want her to always feel that way, too. Slowly parting our lips, I touch my finger to her Plumeria earring. “Then, Miyagi, too—” You only belong to me, right? The words I wanted to say remain unfinished. Although I wish to be Miyagi's alone, I’m uncertain if Miyagi feels the same about belonging solely to me. The thought of being rejected keeps the words shriveled and lodged in my throat. I place a faint, fleeting mark on Miyagi’s neck that will vanish by tomorrow. "Sendai-san, what were you about to say?" "What was it? I forgot. Anyway, let's go somewhere together first, before the day we go see the movie." "…Somewhere, where?" "Anywhere you want to go with me. You decide, Miyagi." Hearing that, Miyagi frowns.