198.5 Volume 7 Extra: A Distant Memory, Today with Sendai-san - Story About Buying My Classmate Once A Week

Volume 7 Extra: A Distant Memory, Today with Sendai-san In front of the entrance, I take my key out of my schoolbag and open the door. "I'm home." I turn on the light and take off my shoes, but there's no reply. Not that I’d call out “Dad,” anyway. Dad doesn't finish work by the time I return from school, and he said he'd be late again today. Mom isn't here anymore, so there's no point in calling out for anyone. This house is always empty, and even today, on my ninth birthday, there's no one home. After neatly arranging my shoes, I turn on the hallway light and head to my room. I place my schoolbag on the desk and take out my notebook and textbooks for the homework I must take to school tomorrow. I also pull out the printout I need to give to Dad and head to the living room. Even though Dad isn't here now, he said he would try to be back in time for my birthday. He even promised to bring home a cake. But Dad always says he'll come home and he never does. "I'll leave the printout here." Even though there's nobody around, I announce it as I place it on the table. The living room is bright with the curtains open, so I don't turn on the lights as I return to my room. On any other day, I'd finish my homework right away, but since it's my birthday, I decide it's okay to put it off and read some manga. After reading three volumes, I get bored and switch to playing games. Since it's my birthday, I want to play on the bigger TV in the living room, so I take my game console and head there. After connecting the cord, I start playing the game, and time flies by. It's still bright outside, but I turn on the lights before it gets dark and continue playing. After playing more than usual and alternately winning and losing car races, the intercom buzzes, and I dash over. Peeking at the intercom screen, I see the lady who usually helps with meals and cleaning. I clench my hands tightly. I didn't think it was Dad, so it's okay. Standing on my tiptoes, I press the talk button and say, "Yes?" "Good evening. Is that Shiori-chan?" Hearing the familiar voice, I reply, "Yes, it is," and through the intercom, she says, "It's usually not a day I come, but your father asked me to bring you a cake." "I'll open the door." I unlock the auto-lock. The intercom buzzes again soon after, and I unlock the front door. "Good evening, Shiori-chan." A woman carrying a cake box comes in with a cheerful voice. "Good evening," I say back. "You know, Shiori-chan, your father is busy with work today and won't make it in time for your birthday." "I understand." "I'm sorry. But your father said, 'Happy birthday.'" "Thank you." I meant to thank her for relaying Dad's words, but it felt like I was thanking Dad himself. Realizing this, thanking someone for "I'm sorry" feels strane, but in times like these, I don't know what to say. I stare at her feet instead of her face when I hear her soft voice. "Happy birthday, Shiori-chan! This is a present from me." Looking up, she hands me a small, wrapped bag. "Thank you very much." I bow my head slightly. "I brought a big cake for you. I'll also make dinner, so can I come in?" "I still have some side dishes you made for me the other day in the freezer." "But since it's your birthday, I'd like to cook for you, if that's okay?" "Yes, thank you." With that, she locks the front door and removes her shoes. Walking down the hallway, she turns off the entryway light, and I follow her. "I'll put the cake in the refrigerator." From the kitchen, she calls, and I answer, "Okay." "Would you like omelet rice for dinner?" "Okay." "Then wait for a bit, okay?" "Can I stay in my room?" "Sure. I'll come and get you when it's ready." "Okay." Bowing politely, I pick up the present she gave me along with my game console left in front of the TV, then head back to my room. I sit at my desk, where my homework is, and pick up a pencil. I don't like being alone, but I also don't like having someone I'm not particularly close to in the house either. This older sister was arranged by Dad to come help around the house and she's not a bad person. She's kind to me and helps with cooking and cleaning, but I feel uneasy when she's around. Even when we’re together, we have nothing to talk about, and it feels suffocating—like holding my face under water. I open my textbooks and notebook and begin practicing my kanji writing. I don't like homework, but there's nothing else to do with big sister. It's easier staying in my room and continuing to write kanji. Even though I was writing each character carefully, I finished all the kanji I was told to write in no time. With nothing else to do, I move on to math homework and focus on solving the problems. Not long after, I hear a knock at the door. "Shiori-chan." Hearing a voice from outside the room, I respond, "Yes," and open the door. "I've left the omelet rice on the table, so please eat it. I also made some extra meals for later." "Thank you very much." "I'm heading out now, but will Shiori-chan be okay by yourself?" "I'll be fine." After answering, she heads toward the entrance. As I follow her, she turns on the lights and puts on her shoes, reminding me, "Be sure to lock the door." "Yes. Thank you for today." I bow my head as she says, "See you," and steps out. I lock the door and leaving all the lights on, head back to my room. Carrying the gift she gave me, I make my way to the living room where the curtains are now closed. But with the lights on, the room is still bright. The kitchen is dark with the lights off, so I turn on the kitchen light, clearing all the dark areas to keep the ghosts away before returning to the living room. The omelet rice, its yellow egg glistening, sits on the table, and the printout for Dad was moved to the side. At times like this, I wish I had a big dog like the one at my friend's house. If I had a dog, it would probably follow me to the bathroom or sleep beside me. Then even a dark room wouldn’t be scary. If there were a ghost, I feel like it would bark and chase it away. But Dad says a kid can't take care of a dog alone, so I can't have one. Being a kid is boring. I want to grow up quickly. When I become an adult, I'm sure ghosts won't scare me, and maybe then I'll be allowed to have a pet. However, once I'm an adult and ghosts don't scare me anymore, perhaps I won't feel the need for a pet. I don't really know, but maybe the problem is just that I'm still a kid. Today, I turned nine, which means next I'll be ten, then eleven after that. Celebrating birthdays makes me one step closer to becoming an adult, so birthdays are fun. Yes, they are fun even if I'm alone. To become an adult, just having birthdays isn't enough; I also need to eat lots of food. I finish eating the bright yellow omelet rice, clean the plate, and then retrieve the box containing the cake from the refrigerator, placing it on the table. After preparing another plate, I decide to open the gift big sister gave me before eating the cake. Inside is a pouch that's adorably adorned with lace, almost too cute to handle, so I put it back in the bag for now. I turn my attention to the cake box. It's bigger than the one from last year, and when I take it out, there's a large, round, white cake that I couldn't possibly finish alone. Carefully avoiding the red strawberries and the chocolate plaque that reads "Happy Birthday, Shiori-chan," I set up the candles. But I don't light them because children shouldn't use fire without permission. I don't sing a song. I don't even turn off the lights. "Happy birthday, Shiori-chan," I mutter to myself, pretending to blow out the candles. Cutting a slice with a fork, I transfer the uneven triangle onto a plate. The first bite is sweet and delicious. The second bite is still sweet. By the third bite, the sweetness is overwhelming, and I realize I can't eat much more. Still, it was a cake that someone specially bought for me, so I continue munching on the awkwardly shaped triangle. Even though it makes me feel sick, I finish the piece on my plate, then carve another uneven triangle from the now no longer round cake and continue eating. However, after eating only a quarter of the cake, I feel full. Despite this, I pick off a strawberry from the remaining cake and eat it. I take a bit of cream, then toss some sponge cake into my mouth. After stuffing as much of the white sweetness as I can into my already bloated stomach, I return the rest of the cake to the box. As long as there is cake remaining, it feels like my birthday will never end. Tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that, as long as the cake is in the fridge, it'll be another birthday, and Dad won't come home. That's how it feels. — I hate this. I wish my birthday would just be over. I place the box containing the now misshapen cake back into the fridge and shut the door firmly. "It'll be gone soon" I murmur. Leaving the lights on throughout the house, I return to my room and crawl into bed, even though I'm not sleepy. * * * In the distance, I hear an alarm sounding. Lying in bed, I fumble around with my right and left hand until I finally grab my phone and turn it off. But the sound doesn't stop. Opening my eyes, I realize I'm clutching a black cat plush. I grab my actual phone nearby to stop the alarm once and for all. — I'm so sleepy. Placing the black cat by my pillow and rubbing my eyes, my fingertips feel damp. I raise my hand toward the ceiling and notice my fingers are slightly wet, making me blink rapidly. "I feel like I was dreaming about something, but..." Yawning, I sit up and stretch. "What was it?" Tilting my head in thought, I try to recall the dream, but it seems to have been buried deep in my head and I can't remember. Besides, I'm still sleepy. Maybe I'm tired from celebrating Sendai-san's birthday yesterday. I bought a cake and came home, ordered pizza delivery before she returned, and anxiously waited for her, even letting her into my room for the first time since moving in. It's no wonder my energy and mental strength are beyond their limits. On top of that, I'd been agonizing over what to get her as a birthday gift. With a sigh, I look at the bag on the table. "What should I do..." Inside the bag is a wrapped box and a message card. The box contains cat-shaped chopstick rests. Put simply, it's the birthday present for Sendai-san that I couldn't give her yesterday. "...She doesn't really need it, does she?" Having never given a birthday present to someone like Sendai-san, I didn't know what to buy and ended up choosing something like chopstick rests, which didn't seem like a proper birthday gift at all. I considered dog-themed items because she resembles a Borzoi, but she once gave me a black cat plush, often talks about a calico cat we sometimes see on the way back from university, and when asked about who she likes at the aquarium, she mentioned "Mike-chan," the calico cat. So, I decided on something cat-themed. However, when the day to give the present arrived, But when the day came to give the present, it suddenly felt strange to hand over just some chopstick rests, and so the little cat-shaped rests ended up being shut away in this room. Slapping my cheeks with both hands, I stretch my arms high towards the ceiling. Getting off the bed with a decisive "Here goes!" I grab the black cat plush. It's only weird because I'm overthinking it. Since it’s a birthday present for Sendai-san, no matter what the it is, I should give it to her. I place the black cat on the bookshelf and grab the bag containing the chopstick rests. Quietly, still in my sweats, I head out to the shared space, standing before Sendai-san’s room. Being as silent as possible, I hang the bag containing the cat chopstick rests on her doorknob and step away. I don't think it's something Sendai-san needs. There are five chopstick rests in the set instead of just one, making them even more unnecessary. But since I couldn't think of anything else suitable for a birthday gift, it couldn't be helped. I could never come up with the right gift for someone as different from me as Sendai-san. Still, I placed the present somewhere it could at least fulfill its role as a gift. Quietly, ever so quietly, I return to my room. "I gave it to her," I tell the black cat on the shelf, though that wasn’t quite true, as I gently stroked its head.