The fact that Miyagi started to say it would make a world of difference.
She complained, but we still took the train and go into a little trendy café. If it had been me who invited her to go out on Sunday, this wouldnât have happened.
She wouldnât have moved from her room as if roots had grown in the floor. No matter how much I asked her to go out, she wouldnât have even stepped out of her room, but would have turned into a magnificent tree.
ãItâs something different from what I expected.ã
On the other side of the table, Miyagi, who failed to become a plant, says with a wrinkle between her eyebrows.
Her mood does not improve when we arrive at the café.
But I donât mind if Miyagi looks a little grumpy today. Iâm rather happy. The wrinkles between her eyebrows seem twice as cute as usual because it is proof that she went out with me even if she wasnât in the mood.
ãHow is it different from what you thought it would be?ã
ãItâs not sweet.ã
Saying this in a slightly low voice, Miyagi poked at the bacon-topped French toast with a fork.
ãItâs an alternative to lunch, and I thought it would be a meal, but would you have preferred something sweet?ã
That on the table is not the sweet type of thing she is talking about. I had brought her to a restaurant with a good reputation for French toast, but it may not have been to Miyagiâs liking.
ãEither way, Iâm fine butâ¦ã
ãBut?ã
ãââI just thought it was different from what Sendai-san makes.ã
Miyagiâs words were not mistaken.
The French toast we are eating now is delicious, crispy on the outside and plump on the inside, and the large piece of bacon goes well with the bread, making me want to eat another plate, but unlike the French toast I make, it is not sweet.
I look at Miyagi.
I thought she would say it was absolutely delicious, but she has a look of nothing but frustration on her face.
I take pleasure in her that way.
She has come to a restaurant that has a reputation for good food, but she remembers what I made and compares it to it. I canât tell her how many times that makes me happy. She is so cute when she says itâs not like the French toast I make.
ãShall I make French toast next time?ã
I ask Miyagi, who is bringing a piece of bacon to his mouth with a furrowed brow.
ãâ¦Just when youâre not busy.ã
ãI see. Then Iâll make it on my day off.ã
Miyagi does not say yes.
But she looks like she would eat it without wrinkling her brow if I made it. I cut the French toast into bite-sized pieces and eat it with bacon. I take another bite and drink my iced tea. Across to me, Miyagi is silently eating her French toast.
Conversations are few and far between.
The French toast is running low.
Despite her complaints, the fact that she ate the food maturely shows that Miyagi definitely thinks the food is delicious. I thought todayâs outing would be fun only for me, but I think Miyagi enjoyed it a little too.
Iâm glad Miyagi kept her promise.
Thanks to this, across from me is Miyagi, whom I decorated in the most adorable way. It was worth it to put makeup on her, who had the most disgusted look on her face. The fact that she is wearing a skirt of my choice is also a high point.
ãSendai-san, itâs hard to eat when Iâm being watched.ã
Complaints fly from Miyagi, where the bacon is being cut.
ãSorry. Itâs just that youâre so cute.ã
ãDonât say weird things, just eat.ã
Miyagi stares at me with a face that would kick me in the leg if we were at home. Wherever I am, the word âcuteâ is always harsh. I reply,ãYes, yes,ãand tuck into a piece of French toast.
The glass-walled, open-air restaurant is not so crowded, perhaps because it is past noon. The chatter coming from here and there fades into the background music.
Itâs so cozy.
My grumpy but cute Miyagi and delicious food.
I canât help but wish she would invite me back.
ââI donât think that will happen for a while, though.
ãHey, Miyagi.ã
If itâs an opportunity that doesnât come along very often, Iâd like to be a little more accommodating.
ãWhat?ã
ãWhy donât you put your hair behind your ears?ã
ãI donât want to.ã
ãI should be able to see the earrings.ã
I tells Miyagi, who immediately responded with a small hope.
I would like to see the earrings I chose.
ãItâs fine that I can see Sendai-sanâs earrings instead of mine.ã
Miyagi looks at me in a ponytail before bringing a piece of bacon to her mouth.
ãThatâs not what Iâm talking about.ã
ãThatâs what Iâm talking about.ã
ãI think youâd look prettier with them over your ears.ã
ãSendai-san, youâre annoying.ã
I knew the reply to cute wouldnât be very good. I donât know why she dislike being called so cute, but I donât want to say too much because it might put her in an irretrievably bad mood. But I donât want to end the conversation here, so I offer a new topic.
ãOh right. Youâll be 20 when your birthday comes this year.ã
I smiled and looked at Miyagi.
ãIt would be weird if I suddenly turned 21 or something.ã
ãWell, thatâs true, though.ã
ãAnd when I turn 20, what?ã
ãWhen your birthday comes, letâs have a drink together to celebrate, Miyagi.ã
My birthday is in August, so if I wait for Miyagiâs birthday in September, we can both enjoy something called alcohol.
ãDonât do that, just do what you did last year.ã
A curt answer comes back.
ãSince youâre turning 20, I want to do something to commemorate the occasion, donât you think?ã
ãYou donât have to commemorate every single thing.ã
ãThen you donât have to drink with me, but donât drink with anyone else until you drink with me.ã
ãWhy? It doesnât matter who I drink with.ã
As expected, I prick the French toast with my fork. I eat it quickly, drink my iced tea, and then look at Miyagi.
ãâ¦Iâm just worried.ã
ãWorried?ã
ãI donât know what happens when people drink alcohol. I mean, some people just donât feel the same way they normally do.ã
I donât know if Miyagi is strong or weak on alcohol.
She may or may not be the same as usual when she drinks.
Either way, Iâm worried that Miyagi doesnât seem to be cautious.
I donât think she is the type to go out drinking with the boys, but if she ever doesââ Iâm going to drop everything and go to Miyagiâs place. Even if the other party is a girl, I canât send her off without knowing what will happen to Miyagi in such a place.
More importantly, I donât want her to go to a place where she would drink alcohol with anyone else. But I know that is difficult for me, as we are not at the same university. As much as I would like Utsunomiya to monitor Miyagi, I cannot ask her to do so.
ãIf you say that, it means I donât know what will happen to you either, Sendai-san.ã
I am like Miyagi in that I donât know what will happen if I drink, but there is one crucial difference. That is that I have no intention of going out drinking with anyone. So, I donât really care about myself. But it would be a little reason to have a drink with Miyagi.
ãYes. So you should also know what happens to me.ã
If she cares about me enough to be jealous, she should be at least a little interested in what happens to me when I drink.
I stare at Miyagi.
Our gazes meet, and Miyagiâs eyes flee to the French toast. Her mouth quietly opens and I hear her voice almost drowned out by the background music.
ãâ¦Iâll think about it.ã
Itâs an unreliable response, but itâs better than nothing.
There is plenty of time before my birthday.
There is no need to get a good answer now.
I empty my plate and drink my iced tea. Miyagi also ate the remaining French toast on her plate and chewed the last bite. Then I drank the rest of the iced tea.
ãNext stop, shopping.ã
Miyagi looks blatantly uncomfortable at the sound of my voice, but I have no intention of changing my plans. When I smiled at her, Miyagi assured me,ãWeâll leave after you buy a nail polish.ã