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Chapter 131
I want to check on Miyagi — 131
Translated by KaiesV
Edited by KaiesV
The weather is getting bad.
Most of the people in the world seem to be complaining about the downpour during the holidays, but it doesn’t matter to me as I am staying at home. If there is a problem, it is that the film the tablet is projecting is boring.
「Is it interesting?」
I ask Miyagi, who is staring intently at the screen next to me.
「It’s tolerable.」
「Which part?」
「Nhn, it’s varied.」
Miyagi utters a reply that cannot be called a reply.
On the tablet, a character of some unknown nature is moving around. And Miyagi keeps looking at it. I call out to her, but she doesn’t even look at me.
I watch a movie on my tablet.
Miyagi suggested this as a way to spend the holiday weekend, which was appropriate for us since we have little in common, but we also have little in common and the movies we want to see don’t overlap. So, I gave Miyagi a random choice of movies to watch, saying that it was fine with me, but I should have chosen more seriously.
The movie, which seems to be based on a video game, was interesting at first, but the story became unfamiliar from the middle. I can’t decide if that’s because I don’t play games or if that’s not the point, but it’s not very interesting.
「Miyagi, where are the interesting parts?」
I poke Miyagi, who is so close that our shoulders almost touch.
Miyagi doesn’t say anything or react.
That’s not interesting either.
To put it bluntly, I am tired of this state of affairs.
I am bored.
I am glad this is my room. If it were a movie theater, I would not be able to talk to her because it was boring.
「Hey, Miyagi.」
I poked her again, and Miyagi reached for my tablet and stopped the video that kept playing.
「Sendai-san, you’ve been loud for a while now. It’s fine if you don’t have to watch the movie, but shut up.」
She pressed my shoulder with the hand that stopped the movie.
She seems not to be angry because it was just a light push, not with all her might. But her voice is a little low and she looks troubled. It’s good that the movie is interesting enough that she hate being disturbed, but the more interesting Miyagi is, the less interesting I am, which is unbalanced. It always seems difficult to make the time we share with her enjoyable.
「Do you want something to drink? I’ll get you something.」
I get up to change the mood.
「Cider.」
A flat voice responded.
「Alright. You can watch the rest of the show.」
I exit the room and open the cupboard. Take out a glass and exhale.
I should have picked a horror movie to scare Miyagi, with or without me. I should have made sure she could not stay in her room alone at night. I don’t expect Miyagi to watch horror movies without telling me, but I should have done so.
「
Well, if I actually did that, I’d either get bitten or kicked out.」
I get orange juice and cider out of the fridge and pour them into glasses. I wondered whether I should hold the two glasses as they were, then put them on a tray and return to my room.
Next to the tablet, place a glass filled with clear liquid and a glass filled with orange liquid.
「Thanks.」
Miyagi says without taking her eyes off the screen.
I sit next to her and look at Miyagi, not at the screen.
Thick parka and denim pants.
The weather may be cold, but they are dressed to look very warm. It seems that Miyagi is a cold weather person. I think this is in contrast to me, who wears a cut-and-sewn shirt and a long skirt.
Her hair is the same as always, no change.
That’s why, I can’t see her ears today.
Even though she went to the trouble of getting her ears pierced, Miyagi doesn’t show her ears. She won’t listen to me when I tell her to make her piercings visible. Maybe she’s embarrassed, maybe she’s not. I’m not sure why, but if it is hidden, I want to see it even more.
I reach for Miyagi, where I only see the tablet.
I touch the hair that covers her ears.
Immediately Miyagi brushes my hand away, looking depressed. But I touch her hair again and put it to her ear.
I see the earrings, and Miyagi stops the movie that had been playing again.
「Don’t bother me.」
I didn’t answer Miyagi’s voice, but touched her neck.
As I slide my fingertips down, Miyagi frowns.
「Sendai-san, go further over there.」
She pushes my shoulders as hard as she can and places a platypus between us.
「Don’t touch me any further than the tissues here until after the movie.」
Miyagi says trivial things.
When she is silent, the pause is released and the screen begins to move.
I reach for my orange juice, as any more mood swings and I could get into trouble. After drinking about half of it, I put it back on the table.
「Hey, Miyagi.」
I call out to them, knowing she will not respond.
Her eyes remain fixed on the screen and she doesn’t look at me.
「I want to kiss.」
I promised not to do anything strange, so I won’t carry it out.
I don’t think it is weird, but, well, maybe it is classified as weird for Miyagi. Still, I should be allowed to at least mention it.
「Miyagi
」
I call Miyagi again who doesn’t look at me.
「Why do I have to kiss Sendai-san?」
Miyagi says in a gruff voice while looking at the screen.
「We used to do that.」
「Now is not like before. We’re roommates.」
Miyagi looks at me.
Her words are not interesting, but they are not wrong.
I place the platypus on the bed and lean my shoulders against Miyagi.
「Sendai-san, you’re heavy.」
I hear an unfriendly voice, but I don’t feel pushed away.
「Miyagi doesn’t want to kiss me?」
「I don’t want to.」
「I knew you would say that.」
「Then don’t ask me.」
Miyagi’s gaze returns to the screen.
There are several noisy voices coming from the tablet and it is noisy.
「Miyagi, order me. I’ll do whatever you say right now.」
「I won’t, and you don’t have to ask.」
Miyagi denies everything I say. But today I am relieved about that. Even with the piercing, Miyagi is still Miyagi.
I want it to change, but I am worried that it will change. I am afraid of stepping in too far and having Miyagi leave this house. So now I am reassured by Miyagi who denies me what I want to do one by one. If she don’t deny it, I can’t stop. I’ll want to go as far as I can.
「Sendai-san, you’re not going to watch the movie, right?」
Miyagi pushes me away.
I’m close enough to place the platypus again.
「I want to watch it, but the movie is boring.」
I turn off my tablet.
「I’m still watching that.」
「Let’s watch other movies. Horror, maybe.」
「Absolutely not.」
Miyagi stared at me, not hiding her frustration. Then she reached for me, even though she herself had told me to keep my hands to herself. There is no boundary line called a platypus, but it clearly crosses over the place where the platypus used to be and grabs my cut-and-sew chest. She pulled me unreservedly as it was and I held Miyagi’s hand.
「If you grab it that tight, it’ll stretch my clothes.」
It’s not expensive, but I don’t want it to be stretched. But Miyagi ignores the voice she must have heard and tugs at my clothes even more. Not wanting my clothes to be stretched, I lean toward Miyagi.
「I said let it go!」
I tried to peel off her fingers that are still gripping the cut-and-sew, but they won’t come off. Miyagi’s face is close and her breath blows on my neck. My shoulders shiver involuntarily. My face comes closer, and something warm touches my neck.
The sticking object is her lips, which sucked hard.
The pain is sharp, though not as sharp as when a needle is inserted.
The tip of her tongue hit it and it was raw and warm.
Miyagi doesn’t leave.
I think it’s too close.
I hear the sound of my own heart, which I should not be able to hear.
It’s louder than the movie that was playing earlier.
Her lips are pressed more against it and sucked harder.
The pain passes through my skin and spreads deep into my body.
It definitely leaves a mark.
This is not good.
I know, but I want to put my arms around her back. My hands stroked her hair, wondering what to do, and Miyagi easily moved away from me.
No more pain.
I don’t know what’s going on with my neck, but I can kind of guess.
「Are you stupid, Miyagi. I’m pretty sure you’ve got a mark on me now.」
「Isn’t that Sendai’s fault?」
I say grimly, and Miyagi stares at my neck.
「That said, there are things you can and can’t do.」
Learn more
Pause
Unmute
I know what’s going on with my neck from the piercing stare, but I take a hand mirror to check.
I knew it.
There is a clear red mark on the side of my throat and neck.
「You know, Miyagi. At least make it out of sight. What am I going to do with this?」
「If I make it not visible, Sendai-san, you won’t reflect on it.」
「It’s not a matter of remorse or anything like that. It’s the worst kind. Marks in conspicuous places.」
「Sendai-san, you said you weren’t going anywhere during holidays. Then it doesn’t matter where the marks are.」
「Even though you’re going out with Utsunomiya?」
「I’m going out, but Sendai-san should stay home all the time.」
Then Miyagi pushes my shoulder.
「Miyagi should stay home too.」
「I don’t want to. I already have promised Maika.」
I feel offended, angry, irritated.
I’m really infuriated.
I look in the mirror again.
The red marks are clearly visible.
It’s in a conspicuous place.
I was thinking that I could go out with friends during the holidays, but this would prevent me from going out. I could cover it up with a turtleneck, but that is not a seasonally desirable option. If I go there with a red mark on my neck without hiding it, they’ll definitely say something. If I tell them that I have a boyfriend, they will ask me to meet him or show them a picture.
Miyagi is really extreme.
She said she didn’t want to kiss me, but she does this with impunity. Normally, I would not do this to a roommate. It makes it hard to know what kind of relationship Miyagi wants. And I myself don’t know what kind of relationship I want. It’s always been vague.
I just want to be together.
I exhale and put down the mirror.
I put my hand on my neck and stroke where the marks are.
「Miyagi.」
「What?」
Miyagi turns her face toward me, not thinking she has done anything wrong.
I am amazed at myself for forgiving Miyagi like this so quickly.
I hold my temples and sigh in a single, understandable sigh.
「Shall we continue watching it?」
I turned the tablet back on, which I had turned off myself.