Surely, a one-day-at-a-time schedule is not the way to go.
I can afford to think about what I did yesterday and what I am doing today.
When I think about it repeatedly, it stays strong in my memory. It is the same as studying. On the way from home to the prep school, from the prep school to home, while taking a bath, on the bed before falling asleep. There were plenty of gaps for Miyagi to get into. So today, which is now Friday, I am still wondering what Miyagi did yesterday.
Thereâs only so much a high school student can do during summer vacation, so I can only anticipate where she went.
Karaoke, shopping, watching movies, going to amusement parks, etc.
Thatâs about it, and there should be no indication that she went to a particularly unusual place.
Where did you go yesterday?
I could ask her now, but I donât expect her to answer today what she didnât answer when I asked her on Wednesday.
ãSendai-san, I donât get it here.ã
Miyagi, sitting next to me, points to the top of the unfolded problem book with a pen.
ãAhh, this isââã
It is not so difficult to pull what I need from memory and say it. I know that this kind of thing is not tutoring and not worth getting paid for. But I couldnât come to Miyagiâs house during the vacations without any reason, so I made up a reason.
I think Miyagi is aware of that.
Even the kiss on the neck that I gave her for doing her homework, Miyagi had every right to be angry. She donât have to follow my argument that I am not working for 5,000 yen.
Then why didnât she get really angry after kissing her?
I would like to ask, but I donât think they would answer this either if I asked. As the number of unmentionables increases in this way, I fear that one day I will choke.
ãâ¦Yesterday, where did you go?ã
Of the two words I had swallowed, I uttered the easier one to hear.
ãIâll answer if you do my homework.ã
Miyagi simply answers and places the problem book in front of me.
Well, this is how it goes, isnât it?
She probably doesnât intend to answer, because she probably thinks I wonât do her homework.
ãI think we should call this a night.ã
I closed Miyagiâs problem book and lean back on the bed.
ãIsnât it early?ã
Itâs only been an hour since we started studying, so if you ask me if itâs early or late, itâs early. This is not the time to say itâs over, so Iâll make one suggestion.
ãItâs early. You can order me around.ã
ãWhatâs that?ã
ãItâs not the kind of time to finish studying, and Iâm not teaching Monday, so that means you can order me around for that.ã
In the first place, I would not utter the words that this is not tutoring.
ãStop making up new rules on your own like that.ã
ãThereâs a handy word in the world called resourcefulness, and thatâs okay.ã
ãItâs not okay.ã
ãThen, Miyagi can decide. Suggest something other than orders.ã
Anything I do instead of leaving tutoring early is fine. I tossed everything to Miyagi because I was not sticking to the order, and Miyagi changed his opinion, as if she had no other ideas.
ã⦠Iâll command you.ã
ãAlright. What do you want me to do?ã
ãNow Sendai-san will take me to her house.ã
ãHah?ã
ãItâs always been my house, and itâs fine to go to Sendai-sanâs house once in a while.ã
Why did you decide to give such an order?
I would like to smash Miyagiâs head and crack it open to see whatâs inside.
I have never invited friends over to my house since I started high school until now. I have been asked several times to go visit, but I have turned them all down. It is not likely that my parents will come out of the house just because my friends are here, but there is a possibility that they will bump into each other.
If that happened, it would surely be a hassle. I didnât want to go out of my way to let people know that I was not on good terms with my family, and I didnât want to let people into my territory.
ãIâm just kidding.ã
Miyagi looks bored and opens the problem book I closed.
ãI havenât said anything about this yet.ã
ãI know youâre going to say no.ã
ãI donât know that, you know?ã
Saying so, I lightly slapped Miyagiâs thigh, who was wearing shorts like I was the day before yesterday, and she shook my hand off.
Perhaps this is a bad mood.
I suck in a breath and stand up vigorously.
ãLetâs go, Miyagi.ã
ãEh?ã
ãEh, thatâs not it. You told me to take you to my house. Right, Miyagi?ã
ãThatâs right.ã
ãIf you wonât go, sit down.ã
Iâm not inclined to do so, but Iâm willing to let Miyagi into my room. But if the person who said it was not willing to go, there is no need to force her to go to my house.
ãIâm going, but are you going with me?ã
Before I could sit down, Miyagi got up and said something ridiculous.
ãYou wonât understand unless we go together. Miyagi, do you know where I live?ã
ãI donât know.ã
Of course.
She have never asked me where I lived, nor have I ever told her. I canât go alone to places I donât understand, so I have to go with them. But Miyagi stood up and would not move.
ãIf you have something to say, say it.ã
ãâ¦Are you sure you donât want to be seen walking alone with me?ã
I donât talk to anyone about what happened after school, and I donât talk to anyone at school.
Because of that promise, no one knows that I am meeting with Miyagi. It has always been our secret and will remain our secret. So she might want to say that I donât walk together, but I might at least meet a former classmate by chance and walk together, and it would be a hassle to go separately to the same place.
ãItâs fine, I wonât mind.ã
Miyagi bites back with a short answer.
ãTell me and weâll go separately. Itâs better that way.ã
I donât know if she is concerned about me or if she just doesnât want to see hee own friends, but she spoiled me by not wanting to go with them.
ãItâs a hassle, and you should just go with me. I donât want Miyagi to get lost.ã
ãWith a map, I wonât get lost. And Iâm not directionally challenged.ã
ãEven if you do, youâll go with me. Itâs not that far from here, and we wonât run into anyone if we walk together.ã
The only acquaintance Iâve ever bumped into near my home is Miyagi. She wouldnât even meet her friends.
I clear the table and grab Miyagiâs wrist. Then I left the room, dragging her with me.
ãWeâre going to walk for about 20 minutes.ã
I said as I put on my shoes at the door.
ãThatâs far.ã
ãItâs just near.ã
If we walk quickly, we can get there in fifteen minutes, so itâs not that far.
We take the elevator to the entrance. I walk slowly out of the apartment and Miyagi follows a little behind me. I stop and wait for her.
ãCan we stop at a convenience store on the way?ã
I ask Miyagi, who has come up next to me.
ãItâs fine.ã
ãThen, letâs go.ã
I paced and headed home, trying not to leave Miyagi behind.