The distance where some part of her body is always touching is not a bad thing.
As long as Sendai-san stays quiet, I donât mind having some part of my body attached to her. But if she had no intention of being mature at all, that was a different story, and I left the room without her, who kept going off on tangents.
Take the cider and orange juice out of the refrigerator and pour into glasses.
After inhaling and exhaling, I returned to the room to find Sendai-san sitting with the bed against me.
ãIf youâre there, letâs watch the rest of the drama.ã
I put two glasses on the table and sit down next to Sendai-san.
ãOkay.ã
I expected her to say something about not getting enough rest, or that I would let her kiss me, but she accepted my proposal and picked up her orange juice. She takes a sip of her drink and then shakes my hand.
Her hand is too warm for summer, but it was comfortable.
I reach for her tablet to replay the rest of the drama. But before I can reach the tablet, my phone rings and I change the course of my outstretched hand to take the phone. I looked at the screen and saw that Ami had sent me a message,ãIs Sendai-san around today?ã
I have a bad feeling about this.
Ami, like Maika, has been a friend of mine since high school.
I told Maika that I was sharing a room with Sendai-san, but I couldnât not tell Ami, so I told her what I could tell her as well. I didnât feel comfortable, but I didnât have the option of keeping quiet because I wouldnât feel very good if Maika and Ami knew something and I was the only one who didnât.
I glance at Sendai-san, unsure of my reply.
Ami had wanted to talk to Sendai-san ever since we had talked about sharing a room, so it wasnât difficult to imagine what would happen if I answered,ãsheâs here.ã
What should I do?
I writeãsheâs not here,ãand erase the phrase.
Itâs better not to lie as much as possible.
Even if I get through this moment, the same thing will happen soon anyway.
I sendãsheâs here,ãwith my intention, and soon I receive a new message and reply. After exchanging a few messages, I learn that Ami is with Maika and that they were talking about Sendai-san. Then I saw the last message sent to me and I sighed one big sigh.
ãWhatâs up?ã
Sendai-san squeezed our joined hands and looked at me.
ãâ¦Is it okay if I video call with you now? My friend wants to talk to Sendai-san.ã
With Maika at Amiâs side and Sendai-san not likely to talk about our relationship any more than necessary, the conversation should not take a strange turn.
I understand.
I know that, but I am worried.
If possible, Iâd like Sendai-san to tell me sheãdoesnât want to talkãto them, but she rarely refuses my requests.
ãItâs okay, but the friend isnât Utsunomiya, right?ã
Sendai-san releases my hand from her grip.
I reply to her expected answer,ãitâs another girl,ãand send a message to Ami. Then my phone immediately rang, and when I pressed the call button, I heard a cheerful voice.
ãSendai-san, is she really there?ã
ãSheâs here. Look.ã
Then I point my phone at Sendai-san.
ãItâs really genuine.ã
ãItâs like thereâs a fake out there.ã
Sendai-san responds with a chuckle.
ãOh, Iâm sorry for the suddenness. I heard about you from Shiori, and I wanted to talk to you. I should introduce myself, right?ã
Hearing the word âself-introduction,â I realize for the first time that I had forgotten to explain Ami to Sendai-san. But Sendai-san said it as if it were a matter of course.
ãYou donât have to. Youâre Shirakawa, right? Shirakawa Ami.ã
ãHuh? Has Shiori told you about me?ã
ãIâve heard and I know. Iâve seen you and Miyagi at school many times.ã
Sendai-san says as if sheâs naturally listening to what Iâm not telling them, takes the phone from me and carefully answers the questions that Ami asks in rapid succession.
I wonder how sheâs able to handle everything with ease.
She and Maika quickly became friends, and she even talks with Ami, with whom she has never even been in the same class, as if they had been friends since high school.
Itâs hard to believe that theyâre the same person as me.
From my phone, I can sometimes hear Maikaâs happy voice. Sendai-san is talking with them in a fresh atmosphere that makes it hard to believe that she was touching my body just a moment ago. Now I can only be a doll who responds mechanically only when she calls my name.
I donât know how long the four of us talked.
It might be a few minutes, it might be tens of minutes.
Iâm not sure, but the video call hangs up and my phone comes back to me.
ãYou guys are so close.ã
Sendai-san says in a slightly lower voice than usual.
ãTheyâre my friends.ã
ãâ¦What about me?ã
The answer is obvious, though the tone of her voice has hardly changed, but this time she asks with a serious face.
ãYouâre my roommate, right?ã
This is what Sendai-san gave me on the day of my high school graduation.
We have no other words to describe our relationship at this time, as we will be living together for the next four years until we graduate from college.
ãOther than that?ã
ãA former classmate.ã
ãOther than that?ã
ãA former schoolmate.ã
ãOther than that?ã
ãâ¦Is there something you want me to say?ã
ãNone. I just sort want to hear about it.ã
Sendai-san said in a cheerful voice like when she was talking to Ami, and she grabbed my hand tightly.
ãSendai-san, it hurts.ã
She gripped me so tightly that I think sheâs going to crush my bones, and she pulled my hand toward her. Sendai-san loosened her grip, but doesnât let go. She moves a little closer to me and kisses me on the cheek as if it is her natural right. Her fingers trace my lips and my phone beeps briefly. But I pushed her shoulder as Sendai-san tried to put her lips on mine, as if she hadnât noticed the ringtone.
ãWait. The phone.ã
ãDo that later.ã
I sounded just a little bit gruff, and she plugged my lips.
The kiss was fleeting and our lips quickly parted, but when I tried to reach for my phone, Sendai-san kissed me again.
There is no need to rush to look at the phone, but when I am interrupted, I want to look at it.
ãI said wait.ã
I push Sendai-sanâs shoulder as hard as I can and pick up the phone. I looked at the screen and saw a message from Ami saying,ãThanks for earlier. Please let Sendai-san know,ãI replied to it and then looked at Sendai-san.
ãAmi said thanks for earlier.ã
ãTell her I had a good time.ã
ãIâll tell her that but, why did you interrupt me looking at my phone?ã
ãBecause I wanted to kiss you, Miyagi.ã
Sendai-san replies without hesitation, softly brushing my lips with her fingertips. As soon as the fingers separate, her lips immediately come together.
Sendai-san kissed me longer than before, then kissed the hand she was holding together.
At times like this, she becomes a different person than when she was talking to Ami earlier. This is Sendai-san that only I can see and I donât want anyone else to see it.
ãWhy donât you just do it later?ã
I release our hands, which are still connected, and slap her arm.
ãI didnât kiss you earlier, so itâs okay.ã
ãEarlier, when you were talking with Ami?ã
ãYes.ã
ãSendai-san, are you stupid? If I do that, Iâll be asked for the rest of my life what Sendai-san is to Shiori, butâ¦ã
ãWhy donât you just answer âroommateâ?ã
Sendai-san chuckles.
Itâs frustrating.
The way she says it is a bit harsh.
I bristled hard against her neck in protest.
Sendai-san doesnât say it hurts or stop.
My teeth are buried in the soft skin, and Sendai-sanâs hands are behind my back. She hugged me so tight that I couldnât escape, and I pulled my face away from her neck. But Sendai-san wouldnât let me go.
ãSendai-san!ã
When I call her name strongly, the strength is removed from the arm that was around my back.
ãI donât mind if you chew more, though?ã
ãIâm done.ã
I take some distance from her and lean back against the bed.
ãIf youâre going to bite, why not bite enough to leave marks all summer long?ã
She says stupid things, but she never gets angry. No matter how hard I bite her, tie her with a towel, or touch her anywhere on her body, she never gets angry. She may not like it, but she always allow me to do what I do.
She can do everything without a hitch, and even though she shouldnât have to be with me, she is always by my side, no matter what.
ãSendai-san, you pervert.ã
Sheâs weird, if not a pervert.
She is kind to me no matter what.
I spend my time consuming her kindness without being able to do anything about it.
ãI agree with myself.ã
Sendai-san lets out a small breath.
ãMiyagi.ã
ãWhat?ã
ãJust keep me as your roommate.ã
ãI wouldnât live with anyone else without being told.ã
ãItâs a promise.ã
When I said this, Sendai-san grabbed my pinky finger.