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Chapter 203
What I hope for Miyagi — 203
Translated by KaiesV
Edited by KaiesV
「Are you in need of money, Sendai-chan?」
When I put my latte on the table, Noto-senpai says something rude there.
「I’m not having troubles.」
She’s the senior who introduced me to my part-time tutoring job, with whom I have only interacted to the extent of saying hello when I see her, but now we have become friends to the extent of having rude conversations there at this cafe, where I am working at my new part-time job.
「So, were you paying tribute to a bad man or woman?」
Noto-senpai wrinkles her brow and says something even ruder. A regular at this cafĂ©, she catches the wait staff talking nonsense, but I can’t quite tell the line between joking and being serious.
「That’s wrong.」
「I guess so. You don’t look like the type of person who would be deceived by a bad person.」
「What in the world is this investigation about?」
「I was thinking that if you need money enough to hold down a part-time job, I could introduce you to a new part-time job as a tutor. I know you said this part-time job here is only until the school festival.」
As I say this, Noto-senpai takes a sip of her cafĂ© latte and asks,「What do you want?」Apparently, this story is serious and they are really going to introduce me to part-time tutoring.
「I’m happy to be introduced to you, but I have some things I want to do when this part-time job is over.」
I utter a suitable pretext.
「If I ask you to tell me what it is, will you tell me, Sendai-chan?」
「It’s a secret.」
I know that for the cost of a part-time job, I would rather work more tutoring jobs than at the cafĂ©. But even if I increase the number of part-time tutoring jobs, I cannot work with Miyagi, nor can I ask Miyagi to come visit us. In the first place, Miyagi seems to hate my part-time tutoring job terribly. If I’m going to get more part-time work anyway, I’d like it to be something that doesn’t upset her too much.
Well, she’s in a bad mood right now for a different reason than my part-time job.
「Well, then, I’ll find a girl who isn’t Sendai-chan.」
As I listen to my senior’s voice, which may or may not be convincing, I picture Miyagi’s face, which has been grumpy ever since the day I picked up the lipstick that had rolled off.
It has been about ten days since then, but Miyagi hasn’t asked me for a kiss. On the contrary, her mood has worsened and she no longer allows me to kiss her.
「I’m sure Senpai will take their time without me having to tell them, but take your time.」
Instead of sighing to Miyagi in my head, I call out to Noto-senpai.
「How cold, Sendai-chan. If it were Mio, she would’ve been more willing to talk with me.」
Brushing back her long hair, Noto-senpai drinks a café latte.
She is not angry with the manager if the conversation gets lively and goes on for a bit longer than usual. But Noto-senpai’s stories are always too long. Even if she doesn’t get mad at me, I have to cut her off somewhere to finish the story.
I smile at my senpai.
「This is not the type of place where the staff and customers interact with each other.」
I wish it were in Miyagi.
It’s not that I don’t want to talk to Noto-senpai, but if he wants to talk to me more, I would prefer Miyagi.
Not as much as I’d like.
I shouldn’t have done anything extra.
Just because a stray cat misses me a little doesn’t mean I should get carried away and try to get her to play fetch or give her a refill. I can’t help but be disappointed in myself for choosing the easy way out, even though Miyagi will never work the way I want it to.
「It is like that type of store, isn’t it? I came here because Mio asked me to.」
I hear Noto-senpai’s voice and erase the grim-faced Miyagi from my mind.
「Mio, what did you do?」
「When I was reading a book in a park near here, Mio, who was a high school student, picked me up. She said, “If you want to read a book, let’s read at the cafe there.”」
「
That’s so Mio-like.」
A friendly Mio wouldn’t be afraid to talk to a stranger or even bring a customer to the cafĂ©. Noto-senpai has a habit of glaring at her with her slit eyes—— To be precise, she has a habit of wrinkling her brow when something is bothering her, so she is not the type of person I would want to approach and actively talk to, but I don’t think Mio would mind.
「It’s a good thing, though, because now I can have a good latte thanks to you.」
Noto-senpai gulps down her latte as she says this. Then she would look at me and say,「Speaking of which,」as if she still didn’t have enough to say, so I would end the conversation and return to work without waiting until the end. Even regulars cannot stay with their seniors forever.
Although the number of customers comes and goes, the café is busy on Saturdays.
There is room in the seats now, but there will not always be room.
I look around the restaurant.
To come and play around.
I told Miyagi that and left the house, but she’s not there. I know that she will never come.
Two or three hours pass in the afternoon, and Miyagi still didn’t come. At night, Mio arrives and the end of the part-time job comes.
「Hazuki-chan, can you get a part-time job tomorrow? I got a call that one of them wants to take the day off for an emergency.」
As I was about to leave, I was approached by the manager.
「It’s alright.」
「Okay, three o’clock, please.」
「Yes.」
I don’t mind if I have a part-time job for a day or two more.
I’m grateful for the extra day or two I get paid for my part-time job.
But I can’t rejoice when I think about Miyagi.
Part of me wants to spend time with Miyagi, and there is also the problem of Miyagi’s bad mood when I talk about my part-time job. Moreover, my part-time job ended late today, and I didn’t even get the call that I was going to be late in time.
I got on the train and got off at the usual station.
I walk quickly down the street where I sometimes meet Mike-chan and head for home.
Up the stairs to the third floor and open the front door.
I take off my shoes and go to the common space, but Miyagi is not there.
I knock on the door of my room.
Knock, knock.
After two taps, the door opens and out walks Miyagi, who looks visibly displeased.
「I’m home.」
「
Welcome home, it seems that you’re late today.」
Miyagi said in a slightly low voice and looked me in the ear.
「I’ve been busy. Also, sorry. I got a part-time job tomorrow.」
「Why are you apologizing?」
「Nothing in particular.」
「You don’t have to apologize, you’re still going to work part-time.」
Miyagi kicks my leg a little.
My eyes remain fixed on my ears and do not move.
「Your earring, can I touch it?」
I ask softly, and a hard voice responds.
「I don’t mind.」
「Can I touch it?」
「I didn’t say I wanted you to touch me.」
「I want to touch Miyagi.」
When I reaches out and touches her cheek, Miyagi peels her hand away with a crunch before I can get to her face. Apparently, she was not going to allow anything that would lead to kissing.
I wish I could put that stupid ulterior motive from that day somewhere and erase it from my past.
She doesn’t have to beg me to kiss her, but please let me kiss you.
I wasn’t suited to a contest of endurance.
There was no way Miyagi would snap faster than me.
「This is a punishment game.」
Of course, Miyagi says it.
「Okay, but what are you going to make me do?」
「Don’t go to your part-time job tomorrow.」
She kicked me in the leg again.
It doesn’t hurt, but I can feel Miyagi’s frustration.
「That’s impossible.」
「I know. I’m just saying it.」
「So what’s the punishment you want me to do?」
「You can go to your part-time job, but from now on, you absolutely have to do what I say.」
「I’ve said it before, but only if you use common sense.」
She didn’t kick my leg as hard as usual.
Miyagi not wanting to be touched.
I think it’s as if it has been decided that the punishment game will be a bad one. As proof, Miyagi said,「Come inside,」without saying that I understood.