I hear noises coming from the common area and listen carefully.
After waiting for a while, Sendai-san, who is reasonably late for her part-time job, doesnât come to my room.
One sigh.
I wasnât waiting for her, but I had to pass on a message from Maika.
I think itâs going to be a hassle.
I wish Christmas would disappear, but it wonât unless the earth disappears.
I inhale and exhale slowly, then leave the room and knock twice on the next door.
ãItâs fine to open it.ã
I heard a voice from inside and opened the door. When I stepped into the room, I found Sendai-san, wearing the same ponytail as in the morning, sitting on the bed as if it were against her back.
ãI need to talk to you, but, is it alright?ã
When I asked, a cheerful voice replied,ãOkayãand I sat down next to Sendai-san.
ãDo you do this at Christmas too?ã
I tug lightly on Sendai-sanâs tail made of hair.
ãWhatâs the story, then?ã
ãNo, but. I was just wondering if youâre going to wear a ponytail at the 24th.ã
ãIâm thinking about doing it, butâ¦ã
ãDonât do it.ã
I donât mind ponytails.
I can clearly see the earrings I put on Sendai-san yesterday, and I think she is mine. No one would think that itâs a sign that she is mine, but it seems to bind her so tightly that I want to keep looking at it.
But if she wears it in a ponytail in front of Maika, where I can see her earrings clearly, it will be a hassle.
ãWhy not just wear a ponytail?ã
A light voice comes next to me.
ãItâs not good. Maika is going to say something.ã
ãDo you mean by âsomething,â are you referring to my earrings?ã
ãYes. Whatâs wrong about that? And did you get it? And sheâs going to ask me.ã
Maika knows I was looking for earrings.
I didnât tell her who those earrings belonged to, but if she saw Sendai-san wearing a different pair of earrings than at the school festival, she would surely connect with me at that time.
If Maika were to ask me why I gave the earrings to Sendai-san even though it was neither her birthday nor Christmas, it would be difficult to answer.
ãIf she asks, Iâm going to tell her I got them from Miyagi. Itâs not weird to get an earring from your roommate, right?ã
ãâ¦I donât want you to tell her.ã
I reach for Sendai-sanâs ear.
I touch the blue stone and put my lips on it.
I wanted a mark that anyone could see, so on my birthday I pierced Sendai-sanâs ear and put an earring in it as an indelible mark, and when that wasnât enough, I put several indelible marks on my body. And I put a blue stone on it and I still donât think itâs enough.
Satisfaction only lasts a moment, and itâs always not enough soon enough.
I am sure that when Maika notices Sendai-sanâs blue stone, I will feel even more inadequate than I do now. It makes me want to make it more and more obvious that Sendai-san is mine.
I remove my lips from the earring.
If she asks me why I gave the earrings to Sendai-san, I canât and shouldnât answer. Even though I think so, there is a part of me that wants to let Maika know that Sendai-san is mine, and I donât know what to do.
So the earrings should be as inconspicuous as possible.
I hope that my inability to manage the unmanageable emotions that I have inside me, even though I have the piercing to manage Sendai-san, will not confuse me any further.
I set my teeth against her earlobe.
I chew softly and then exert a little force, Sendai-san said quietly.
ãIâll think about whether or not to put it in a ponytail.ã
ãWhat about the earrings?ã
I release her body and ask the question.
ãIf Miyagi doesnât want me to say it, I wonât.ã
ãDonât say it.ã
ãGot it.ã
Sendai-sanâs hand reaches out and touches my earring.
She strokes the little flower and attaches her lips to it, just as I did.
Her body heat transmitted through my earlobe is pleasant.
Our lips, pledging our promise, part and touch each otherâs cheeks.
Fingertips crawl along her neck, tickling and pressing against Sendai-sanâs body.
ãWhat about the talk, Miyagi?ã
I hear a voice as if nothing happened and I let out a small breath.
I donât think I want to say it.
But if I donât, Maika will contact Sendai-san, so thereâs no point in keeping quiet.
ãIâm talking about Christmas⦠Maika said letâs exchange gifts within a budget of 2,000 yen.ã
ãIs that a decision?ã
ãIf you want, Iâll let her know.ã
ãItâs Christmas-y, and thatâs fine.ã
Sendai-san said in a flat voice and stared at me.
Sendai-san, whose face was neither soft nor hard, met my gaze and pinched me between the eyes.
ãMiyagi, why do you looked like you hated it?ã
ãThe present, I donât know what to do with them.ã
ãWhy donât you just give Utsunomiya what she likes?ã
ãMaikaâs has already been decided.ã
ãâ¦Well, itâs obvious. What are you going to give her?ã
I hear Sendai-sanâs slightly low voice and reply in a blur.
ãIt doesnât matter what itâs about.ã
ãI do care. Tell me.ã
ãAprons. She wanted it.ã
ãI donât think you need to bother if you know what youâre doing.ã
ãI donât know whatâs okay for you, Sendai-san.ã
A hundred, no, maybe a thousand steps, getting together for Christmas is fine. But I donât want the ritual of exchanging gifts not only with Maika but also with Sendai-san. Even choosing the earrings was difficult, but I donât think it would be so easy to decide on a Christmas present to give to Sendai-san.
ãJust whatever you like, Miyagi.ã
Sendai-san says irresponsibly and smiles.
ãThatâs the most troubling thing. Tell me what you want.ã
ãAnything Miyagi chooses. Is there anything Miyagi wants?ã
ãNothing.ã
ãI see.ã
Sendai-san lets out a small breath.
Then she tugged at her earlobe, which was covered with blue stones. But soon her hand leaves her ear and falls to the floor. That hand catches the platypusâs tissue cover and somehow hands it to me.
ãHey, Miyagi. I want to ask you something too.ã
ãWhat?ã
ãMiyagi will not work part-time during winter break, right?ã
ãI told you before I wouldnât do it.ã
ãRight.ã
ãIs that what you want to ask?ã
ãNow thatâs just a question. What I want to tell is my part-time job.ã
ãâ¦Sendai-sanâs?ã
I squeezed the hand of the platypus that was handed to me.
ãYes. Iâm thinking of working part-time at the café from last time during winter break, what do you think of it, Miyagi?ã
When she said this, Sendai-san stared at me.