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Chapter 7: It is a lie that Sendai-san is naive — 7

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

I neither like nor dislike school.

It doesn’t matter which one it is, because it has to go whether I like or not. Even today, I come to school even though I don’t feel like it. While being distracted by trivialities.

Short bangs.

In front of the bathroom mirror, I sigh.

My hair was longer than my shoulders, not enough to go for a cut, but the bangs were depressing. So, I decided to cut my own bangs, and put the scissors in, they were just a little shorter than planned.

Hair that has been cut too short will not grow back even if it pulled.

With no regrets, I had no choice but to give up on the bangs.

But every time I look at my shortened bangs, I feel depressed. At times like this, there is only one thing to do.

『Come to my house today.』

The message is always the same.

Sometimes, it’s after second period, sometimes it’s during lunch break. Sometimes it is after school. No matter what time it is, this message will only be sent to Sendai-san.

Sometimes the reply comes immediately, sometimes after some time. But I have never been turned down. However, she sometimes say she will be late because she have plans. Today was the very day she had an appointment, the reply to the message she sent during her lunch break said,「I have a prior engagement, so I’ll be a little late, is that alright?」

『I’ll be waiting at home.』

I sent a canned message for such a situation and take the class.

The appointment must be a promise to Ibaraki-san.

From my seat here by the window, I glance at Ibaraki-san, who is sitting on the corridor side.

She’s flamboyant, flippant, and the center of the class. She is always talking about who is cool or cute or something like that. The stories I hear are of such disinterest that I can only assume she is from another world. She is also angry, and went by the name of someone to stay away from among us.

I wonder if Sendai-san doesn’t get tired of being with someone like that.

I look at the seat in front of me, listening to the teacher’s voice.

I see her beautifully braided hair.

She is sloppy in my room, but not at school. She’s attentive, kind, and can study well. She is always smiling and never makes a face she doesn’t like. Perhaps because of this, no one ever says they dislike Sendai-san, even though she is in the more prominent group in the class.

But, I am told behind her back that she was a beauty on all sides.

I don’t know if she knows this or not, though, as she seems to be taking the class seriously.

I pull my hair a little too short.

The class is supposed to be 50 minutes long, but this is terribly long.

The teacher’s voices is like a sutra and makes me sleepy.

With a foggy head, I completed two classes and returned home.

When I opened the front door to say “I’m home,” there was no response.

No one is at home, so it is only natural.

I head into my room and lie down on my bed, still in my uniform.

I was not in a hurry to leave, but the intercom did not ring very often.

Dozing.

As I let the sleepiness that had overtaken me hit me, I was knocked awake by a smartphone that alerted me to an incoming message. Rubbing my eyes, I look at the screen and saw that a short phrase was displayed.

『I’m on my way.』

Then, thirty minutes.

I was kept waiting and she came to my room.

「Sorry. I’m late.」

Sendai-san takes off her coat and blazer and sits on the table.

「It’s fine. You’ll be late home, though.」

I know how she will respond.

I placed the cider in front of Sendai-san and sit across from her, with the bed behind me.

「Okay.」

We’re in a laissez-faire.

As we have heard several times, Sendai-san did not try to worry about the time she would return home today. Perhaps the reason she never complains about being late is because her family trusts her that much.

「Hey, Miyagi. Do you know what day it is today?」

Sendai-san says abruptly and opens her bag.

「——It’s Niboshi Day.」

Two, one, four, Ni, Bo, Shi.

Two and four are fine, but reading “one” as “bo” seems unreasonable. But that’s how it goes for words. Even if it’s a bit unreasonable, if I say that February 14 is Niboshi Day, most people will be convinced.

But it seems that Sendai-san is not the type to be convinced.

She wrinkled her brow and said grimly.

「I don’t want that kind of unattractive answer. Just answer seriously.」

「It’s Valentine’s Day, right?」

It’s a day that’s not as interesting as the world makes it seem.

It is not so different from yesterday.

「Correct. I was supposed to exchange chocolates with Umina and her friends, so I was running late. That’s why I brought some for Miyagi.」

「Eh?」

「Yesterday, I made enough for Umina and the others, so I made some more.」

Sendai-san says in a light tone and places the carefully wrapped box on the table.

.

Floral wrapping paper and pink ribbon.

Inside are handmade chocolates.

It’s all very girlie and makes my back itch.

「Don’t you want it?」

Sendai-san gives me a dubious look as I stare at the box and do not pick it up.

「I don’t have any chocolate to give back.」

「Why don’t you give them to your friends?」

「I don’t do that kind of thing.」

I have friends who make chocolates for Valentine’s Day because they want to give them to someone they like. Sometimes they give gifts on their birthdays. But, I don’t have friends who makes a fuss and give each other presents every time there is an event, like Halloween or Christmas.

Exchanging chocolate with friends is a custom, a cross-cultural one.

「I see. Well, I don’t want to exchange chocolates, so you don’t have to. If Miyagi doesn’t want it, I’ll bring it back.」

Sendai-san smiles and asks,「What do you think?」

「I’ll eat.」

「Here.」

I pick that too-cute box on the table and unwrap the ribbon. I peel off the wrapping paper so as not to tear it, and open the box.

White, brown and pink.

Six truffles, smaller than the ones on the market, were sitting on the table.

「Did you made it?」

「I told you I made it. You’ve got the right size, don’t you think so?」

Sendai-san says, unusually proud.

Indeed, the truffles are made in a size that one might be able to snap off in a single bite. They look like store-bought chocolates, and for someone like me who is not a good cook, the term “homemade” seems false.

I think God is being unfair.

Sendai-san is pretty, can study and cook. We are the same person, but I don’t have anything that she has.

Unfair.

I stared at the chocolate, and Sendai-san said,

「I think it turned out delicious.」

At her words, I reach for the truffle.

But I quickly withdraw my hand.

「Sendai-san, feed me.」

「An order?」

「Right, it’s an order.」

Recently, Sendai-san has become accustomed to being ordered around, but her pranks are too much.

I have ordered her to lick my feet several times since then, but she always does something else.

Biting and pressing her lips together.

I don’t want that kind of thing.

It was Sendai-san who should be obedient, and it was she who should be in pain or feel strange.

So today I will do the same.

「Come here.」

I called Sendai-san with the bed back to me, and she sat down next to me with open arms.

「Which one do you want to start with?」

「The white one first.」

I point to a truffle dusted with powdered sugar.

「I get it.」

Sendai-san pinches a white truffle with her index finger and thumb.

Soon a snow-like mass approached and I opened my mouth.