/
Chapter 96
What Miyagi allows now — 96
Translated by KaiesV
Edited by KaiesV
My neck hurts from Miyagi’s bite.
I think it definitely left a mark.
But I’m more concerned about the tip of her tongue that was sweet, her breasts that were beautiful, and other such things that remain in my memory.
I wanted to kiss her more, and I couldn’t tell her I wanted to touch her, because I wouldn’t be able to do more than just biting me.
「I’ll keep my promise. Call me during the winter break on any day you like, Miyagi. I can’t take much time because I have prep school, but I’ll be here to teach you. So, can I turn around?」
For the time being, I spoke safely, keeping to Miyagi’s advice to keep my back turned.
「Absolutely not. 」
Miyagi who’s like a child, talks like a child.
「But I need you to make sure of something.」
「That’s uncertain.」
A strong voice comes from behind me.
I sense in that voice a willingness to never follow my words. But that doesn’t mean I can’t keep my back to Miyagi all the time, so I’ll tell her why I think I can turn around as naturally as possible.
「Miyagi, you bit it as hard as you could. It looks like you left a mark.」
「You can’t.」
「If I can’t look at it, I’ll tell everyone that Miyagi bit me at school when she left her mark.」
「…Where is it?」
Miyagi, perhaps reacting to the words, “I’m going to tell everyone at school,” asked with an air of reluctance.
「Here.」
I quietly turned to Miyagi and pointed to the bitten area. Then Miyagi, who had come just a little closer, said in a small voice, “Oh.”
「Ah!」
「It remained.」
She doesn’t look apologetic, but her voice is dark.
「I knew it.」
「But maybe it’ll go away soon, and even if it doesn’t, if you button it up, they can’t see it.」
As I said this, Miyagi forcefully fastened the top button of my blouse.
「I think they can see it.」
The position in which Miyagi bit was not so good.
It should not be hidden even if the button is fastened to the top.
「It’ll be gone by tomorrow morning.」
I let out a small breath at the answer, which is appropriate no matter how she look at it.
I undo the two buttons that have just been fastened.
It’s not that hot, but I don’t feel comfortable buttoning them all the way to the top. In the first place, buttoning up the buttons does not hide the marks, and if the other party is only Miyagi, it does not matter if they are visible.
「You can chew on it, but only if it doesn’t leave a mark.」
「Because it’s Sendai-san’s fault.」
Without looking at me, Miyagi answers.
「Well, you’re right about that, but…」
For what it’s worth, the fault is mine.
I don’t think Miyagi should be blamed for this.
And I understand Miyagi’s refusal to see me.
But it is also unsettling to study with this delicate atmosphere dragging on, more awkward than after summer vacation. The evil feeling inside me is adding to the uncomfortable feeling.
「Ah, right. I had something to give to Miyagi.」
Unable to bear the stagnant air, I stand up.
It is not a lie that I have something to give.
I take out a bag from my briefcase, a size that fits in both hands, though not enough for one hand, and hand it to Miyagi, who is sitting on the bed.
「I know it’s a little early, but here’s something for you.」
「…What is this?」
「You’ll know it when you see it.」
The bag is colored red and green and has a red ribbon tied around it.
There are not many people who do not think of something when they see this color scheme at this time of the year. Even Miyagi should be able to tell what was given to her.
「A Christmas present?」
「Yes. I’m also returning the favor for this one.」
I pulled the chain of the pendant and show it to Miyagi.
「I believed I told you I didn’t want anything in return.」
「I remember. But I already bought it. Open it anyway. If you don’t want it, just throw it away.」
Miyagi stared at the bag in her hand until it had a hole in it, then untied the ribbon. Then she pulled out the contents and raised her eyebrows.
A stuffed black cat that looks somewhat like Miyagi.
It was not chosen for positive reasons, such as that Miyagi would be pleased with it or that she would like it. If anything, it is due to negative thinking.
Although we have been together for a long time, I couldn’t think of a suitable gift to give to Miyagi. All I knew was that if I gave something grandiose, I was sure it would be pushed back, and in the end, I chose something that would not be too shocking if it was rejected.
Maybe she will throw it away.
Such a thought came to my mind.
I don’t think Miyagi is the kind of person who would throw away a gift. But I don’t know if she would treat it the same way she treats others. I know she wouldn’t throw away what I gave her, but I wasn’t sure.
「Why it’s a stuffed animal?」
She holds the black cat trapped in the bag in the palm of her hand, and Miyagi says, without looking too happy about it.
「That crocodile, I thought it might want a friend.」
I pointed to the tissue cover on the floor.
「It wasn’t the wrong feed?」
「I said it’s friend. Don’t make it eat that.」
「I don’t have any Christmas presents for you.」
Miyagi sits flat on the floor and places the black cat on the back of the crocodile. The white tissue growing from the crocodile crumples and becomes a cushion for the black cat.
I am relieved that the black cat did not meet a sad end and found a safe haven.
「It’s also a return gift for the pendant, and it would complicate things if I got another gift from Miyagi.」
「That was not a present.」
Miyagi says while looking at the pendant.
「Okay.」
I see an alligator with a black cat on its back.
But no matter how much I look at it, I don’t know if the crocodile was happy to have a friend. And I didn’t know if Miyagi was more pleased than that.
She took it, and that’s good.
Christmas presents are not something to be taken seriously. I just felt like I should give her something.
I switch heads and sit next to Miyagi.
Then I heard a small voice from next door.
「But, well… thank you.」
She thanked me for the unusual gesture and stared at Miyagi.
But she spreads her textbook on the table without looking at me.
「Let’s study.」
It’s not that what happened on the bed never happened, and there is a subtle space between me and Miyagi, but the air of awkwardness is gone. Still, it is better to study quietly than to continue chatting and risk saying something unnecessary.
I cast my gaze down to my textbook.
But soon, I looked at Miyagi, curious about my seatmate.
As I try to reach out to her, I feel the temperature around Miyagi drop just a little.
I should not want or speak of anything more today.
I know this in my head.
But the nerves in the head and mouth seem to be disconnected.
I poked Miyagi with my pen on her second arm, because she doesn’t even look at me.
「Hey, Miyagi. Can I put one more condition on your earlier promise?」
「It’s not okay to do whatever you want after so much. You’ve had enough. We hardly have time to see each other during winter break. You’re putting too many conditions on it.」
Miyagi, looking up from her textbook, says in a voice with several thorns and throws an eraser at me.
「On winter break, let me kiss you on the day I come here.」
「I never said you could say what the conditions were.」
「It’s okay, I’ll just say it.」
As I pick up an eraser that is lying around and place it on top of Miyagi’s notebook, a small voice comes back to me from next door.
「That’s the only condition?」
「Yes.」
「……If I said no, you wouldn’t teach me how to study, would you?」
「Does that mean it’s okay?」
「Not well, but you’ll keep your promise to teach me to study, right?」
She said in a voice with a couple of extra thorns, and Miyagi flipped through his textbook.
It’s not a clear answer, but the option to promise seems to have been accepted. I’m a little surprised because I didn’t expect Miyagi to be so obsessed with winter break. I think I may have misheard.
Learn more
Pause
Unmute
But I didn’t ask back. Before Miyagi could say that she would not allow any additional conditions, I answered shortly,「Of course,」and concluded this conversation.
「The day I want you to teach me how to study, I’ll call you.」
Miyagi says, looking at the textbook.
「Okay, but I’d like to be notified the day before.」
「Alright.」
Without looking up, Miyagi said, and I drank my tea, which had completely cooled.