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It’s crazy.
Absolutely crazy.
I stop banging on the door of Miyagi’s house.
If I beat it any more, Miyagi will not come out, and it will be a nuisance to the neighborhood.
But I’m not convinced.
Because what is strange is Miyagi.
Why should I be kicked out of the room?
I didn’t do anything.
It was Miyagi who did “something,” and if there is anything to be dissatisfied with that “something,” it is me, not Miyagi. It was Miyagi who became grumpy, even though I should have been.
I’ve seen this happen before.
I turn my back to the front door, remembering the days when the new school year had just begun.
Looking down on the city from the sixth floor, the view is not so good with all the people and cars. The expensive apartments seemed to specialize in convenience and did not seem to be obsessed with the visible landscape.
They’re not interesting.
The scenery, even Miyagi, everything.
I exhale heavily and then head for the elevator. I usually ride the elevator with Miyagi on my way home, but today I ride alone.
I go out through the entrance and walk through the dimly lit street.
At least Miyagi must not hate me.
We are not friends or lovers, but I believe we have a fondness for each other. So it’s not right to kick me out there.
「It’s like I’m the one who’s wrong.」
It was Miyagi who ordered me to close my eyes, and it was Miyagi who tried to kiss me. She stopped that on her own and pushed me to go home today. To end it halfway and throw people out without even listening to them is not what you do after you’ve made them follow you.


Wrong, it was a lie.
Miyagi didn’t make me follow.
I made her give me those orders.
What would happen to me if I kissed Miyagi?
I wanted to know, so I made her order me to do it.
But it was Miyagi who decided to order me to do so.
Since I ultimately chose to give the order myself, I should be responsible for it. It’s worse to stop at a place like that, whether you’re taking it out on the eight ball or not.
I speed up my steps.
I go home so fast that I feel out of breath and lock myself in my room. I feel hungry, but I don’t feel like eating dinner. I take off my uniform and change into loungewear. Then I take out my wallet from my bag.
「If I give it back, you won’t take it.」
I don’t think what I did today was worth the 5,000 yen.
I would like to return it if I could, but Miyagi is a stubborn person, so I am sure she will turn it back on me. In fact, I may never hear it from her again.
I put 5,000 yen into the piggy bank and lift it up.
I’m not sure if the weight has changed, but the 5,000 yen has definitely increased, and I feel heavier for the 5,000 yen I put in.
「Stupid Miyagi.」
I complain about the piggy bank and rolls over in bed.
At times like this, Miyagi runs away from me.
It was the same when she poured cider on me before spring break.
She ran away from me and never contacted me.
She acts impulsively and avoids me when in trouble.
So she thinks things will work out.
「You’re going to do the same thing this time anyway.」
As it turned out, this prediction was correct, and I did not hear from Miyagi for four days.
I stare at the screen of my phone in my classroom after school.
Anyone could say it was only four days, but considering what happened between Miyagi and me, it was a reasonably long period of time. Even in the past, there have been times when I haven’t heard from her that much, but this time I don’t think I’ll hear from her after waiting a week or two.
Miyagi, who had never apologized before, apologized.
I don’t know why she apologized, but I think it is a good enough reason for Miyagi to avoid me.
I put my phone away in my bag and go to Umina’s seat. When I approached her, who was excited about her after-school plans with Mariko, she informed me of her decision.
「I was just talking to Mariko, and we’re going to go to our usual place now, right?」
「Sorry. I have prep school today. Too bad, but ask me out another time.」
「Eh— Why don’t you skip it once in a while?」
「If my parents find out, I’ll be in trouble.」
「Why don’t you just piss off your parents?」
Mariko agrees with Hamina’s irresponsible words with a light tone of voice,「Yeah, right.」
「I’ll buy you a drink next time.」
I head for the shoe box with Umina and the others, suggesting a few menu items. I changed my shoes with them and we parted at the school gate. After Umina and the others disappeared, I chose a different path than the one to the prep school.
I have never skipped prep school before, but I have no intention of going today.
I’m sorry to Umina and the others, but I have plans after school.
The destination is the apartment where Miyagi lives, which can be reached by a brisk walk along a familiar path.
Once you get to this point, there is only one thing to do.
I called Miyagi on the intercom at the entrance. But there was no response.
「Well, you’re not going to answer.」
Once, twice, thrice.
I pressed the call button on the intercom, but never heard Miyagi’s voice.
I had at least expected this to happen.
I pull out my phone and send a message to Miyagi.
This is the second time she called me after school and I’ve never sent her a reply, but this is the second time I’ve sent her a message asking her to come inside.
『Miyagi, pick up the intercom.』
『I know you’re in there.』
『Don’t just ignore me. Let me in.』
Some of the messages I sent were read, but no reply came. Feeling bad about my manners, I hit the intercom repeatedly.
After spring break was over and we changed classes, she let me in when she did the same thing here. But today, she didn’t answer the intercom or return my messages.
I am angry. Very angry.
I call her for the first time.
As I knew, the phone just kept ringing and I didn’t hear Miyagi’s voice.
『Pick up the phone.』
The messages will not even be read.
「Why do you listen to me so much? You’re such a child.」
Midterm tests are coming up.
I don’t think this is the time to be sending messages around to Miyagi here. But if I don’t get this issue sorted out, I won’t be able to study for the test. Nothing I had to remember was in my head.
It’s all over the place because of Miyagi.
I feel unsteady and unsteady, like a bad case of vertigo.
I leave the apartment and head for home.
It’s no big deal.
In the first place, it does not matter if the relationship with Miyagi is severed. I think it’s a shame, but unavoidable, that the relationship, which was supposed to last until graduation, will end just a little sooner than it should have. I will lose my comfort zone, but I can always look for the next place.
But I won’t allow it to end in this half-assed state.
I don’t know how or where I got home, but I arrive home.
I’m sure I walked the usual path.
Nothing has changed in my daily life except that Miyagi ignores me.
I enter the room and look at the desk.
All I need is one trigger.
I put the Miyagi eraser I had left behind in my pen case.