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Chapter 57
Sendai-san always goes for the extra mile — 57
Translated by KaiesV
Edited by KaiesV
It was a little over two hours until the end roll.
I watch it without getting up from my seat until the very end.
Sendai-san next to me also did not get up from her seat until the very end.
It is incompatible with people who leave without seeing the end roll. Sometimes extra footage is shown at the end of the end roll, and I am glad that Sendai-san is a person who watches to the end, because I want to enjoy the aftermath of the movie.
At first I couldn’t concentrate on the movie, but as time went by, I didn’t care about Sendai-san next to me.
While watching a movie, I don’t have to speak no matter who is next to me, I can only look forward. This allowed me to concentrate on following the story, even though I was in the middle of it.
「Miyagi, did you enjoy it?」
As soon as the building brightens up, Sendai-san smiles at me.
「I did enjoy it.」
I answered shortly and got up from my seat.
The movie was not faithful to the original story, but I think it was good enough to say that it was interesting. But I don’t know how Sendai-san felt about it. I don’t remember her telling me about a movie she enjoyed, so I couldn’t predict whether the story was to her liking.
「How about Sendai-san?」
When I asked her as we walked, she said without changing her expression.
「I enjoyed it.」
「Really?」
She didn’t look bored or sound like she was lying, but Sendai-san’s attitude didn’t sit right with me, so I asked her back.
「It’s true. I think it was interesting.」
Sendai-san, in a cheerful voice, listed several scenes and gave her impressions. Then she stopped after saying it was interesting once more.
「What are we going to do now? Do you want to stop somewhere?」
In front of the movie theater, Sendai-san asks me for my opinion to decide the way forward.
「Where is somewhere?」
I have not decided what to do after watching the film.
I hadn’t thought about it, so I would have to ask back.
「I’m going to look at clothes and things like that.」
「I don’t think Sendai-san and I have the same interests.」
「If Miyagi wants to see it, just wear whatever you like in there.」
「I don’t have any clothes I want to see.」
Clothes are made for what is in the closet.
There are no clothes that I want, and I felt that I would not have time to go looking at clothes with Sendai-san.
「Well, do you want something to eat?」
Sendai-san laughs softly and looks at me.
「Okay, but what are we going to eat?」
「I’d like something light. What do you want to eat?」
「Sendai-san decides.」
「Okay then. Miyagi likes sweets, right?」
It can be whatever you like, Sendai-san.
That’s what I meant when I told her to decide where she wanted to go, but she didn’t seem to get the message. Sendai-san is trying to make the destination more to my liking.
Not that there is anything wrong with that.
If it had been Maika and the others, they would have honestly told me what they wanted to eat.
But I would not be happy if Sendai-san told me now.
I know why.
It’s because Sendai-san is so kind and smiles all the time.
Sendai-san here is no different from the Sendai-san I see at school.
She smiles and speaks in a cheerful voice.
I feel like she is now a classmate I had never talked to before I started 2nd year, a classmate who may or may not even recognize me. Sendai-san’s impression of me at the meeting place was not wrong.
This Sendai-san is not the Sendai-san I know.
「Sorry. I guess, I still don’t want to eat yet.」
I set my destination as the station platform and start walking.
「Wait, Miyagi. Where are you going?」
If this were my room, I would hear a disgruntled voice, but the voice that follows me remains gentle.
I feel bad.
My stomach is upset and I feel like I’m going to spit out what I ate at lunch, so I speed up my steps.
「I’m going home.」
I tell her without looking back.
「Already? Isn’t too early?」
「It’s not that early.」
Sendai-san, who just goes along with me, is boring.
It is not fun to be with this kind of Sendai-san.
「Well, can I stop by Miyagi’s house? We still have time.」
With that, Sendai-san grabbed my arm. I turned around and saw her with a smile pasted on her face.
「I won’t stop by if you don’t want to, but we can leave together.」
「Why?」
「Why, I mean, even if we don’t stop at Miyagi’s house, we take the same train and go in the same direction on the way home. Why don’t you just go home with me? We’re “friends” today.」
Sendai-san seemed to be still “playing friend” and would not let go of my arm.
What she says is not so crazy.
My house and Sendai-san’s house are rather close, so it is only natural that we would go home together. But if we were to return together, there would be no point in having the meeting place far enough away that we wouldn’t bump into anyone we knew.
「That’s right, but I don’t want anyone to see me.」
「It’s Obon right now, and everyone will be at a relative’s house, so you won’t run into each other.」
Sendai-san tugs on my arm, saying irresponsibly.
「That’s why, let’s go home together.」
With that said, Sendai-san starts to drag me along, so I have no choice but to walk next to her.
I think it’s better than Sendai-san, who seemed to have no intention of doing anything on her own until a while ago.
She is a bit pushy and tries to get her point across.
I don’t like that attitude, but it is better than Sendai-san who is like a puppet. But I still didn’t feel good because I never cracked a smile.
As we walked, Sendai-san said something to me.
She kept talking to me about something whether or not I was phasing her in or out, and kept talking to me while I was waiting for the train on the platform and after I got on the train.
The train runs with a clang, clang.
The scenery drifts by and we move closer to home.
The dazzling city and the vivid greenery drift away and turn into familiar landscapes. Sendai-san’s voice, which I’m sure I don’t dislike, is not in my head, even though I should be able to hear it. It mingles with the noise that floods the car and fades away.
Sendai-san gets off the train at the platform, and I get off too.
We walked out into the city, surrounded by tall buildings, and continued on our familiar path.
On the way home from a visit to Sendai-san’s house, she is walking next to me all the way, as I thought we would never walk side by side again. But I can’t talk about it, or even try to.
I hate this kind of atmosphere.
My mouth gets heavy along with my feelings and doesn’t move well. When I try to force myself to speak, a film of air clings to me and tries to cover my mouth. I think even Sendai-san would find it boring to be with me in a bad mood.
But she walked next to me the whole time and we never parted on the way.
「In the end, you came all the way home.」
I offer Sendai-san, who is naturally in the room, a cup of cold barley tea, then sit down next to her and drink a glass of cider.
「My friend, are you going to turn me away?」
「You’re still playing friend with me, aren’t you?」
「We’re friends for the day, right?」
Sendai-san, with her back against the bed, says with a smile pasted on her face.
She seems like a good person, and a jerk.
I am sure that Sendai-san realizes that there is no point in pretending to be a friend anymore. “Pretending” is “pretending” no matter how far it goes, and it will never become a fact.
「Sendai-san. Did you really enjoy the movie we just saw? If you say we’re friends, tell me the truth.」
I don’t care what she thought of the movie, but I don’t want to be lied to. There is no point in continuing to play the friend game, but if she says we are friends, I think she should at least answer me this.
I look at Sendai-san.
She exhales a small breath, having been talking earlier.
「…I knew you were trying to make me cry and it bothered me. I think the manga was better.」
Without making eye contact, but in a gentle voice, Sendai-san said.