CH 162

Me from Miyagi's point of view — 162

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

「The cat, are you sure it’s here? I mean, let’s just go home. I, for one, don’t really want to see the cat.」

We’ve only been outside for about fifteen minutes, Miyagi says in a voice that can only be described as frustration.

I was the one who took Miyagi out to look for the cat, and she was not keen on the idea from the start.

「There’s nothing to do if you leave in such a hurry. Walk a little more.」

Walking under the street trees that cast shadows on the sidewalk, I encourage Miyagi.

We were walking together unsteadily, but there is no tortoiseshell cat on the edge of the road or in the shadow of a car.

Well, I thought it wasn’t there.

The only time I see the tortoiseshell cat is when I come home from college, and I don’t know if it was ever there on a Sunday in the late afternoon.

「How much longer?」

「A little more is a little more.」

Even if she has extra time, she won’t go out with me unless she has something to do. She will not go shopping with me if there is nothing I need to buy, and she will not talk about eating out if there is nothing I want to eat.

We need a reason to go out together.

So, to satisfy my desire to go out with Miyagi once in a while, I went out of my way to create a reason to look for a cat I sometimes see in the neighborhood.

I wish I could go out without any reason.

If I were Utsunomiya, she would be able to go out with me for no reason, but I am not Utsunomiya, nor do I want to be Utsunomiya.

I look up at the sky.

The sun is shining so brightly that it is hard to believe that the rainy season is not over. Walking around town without even a breeze to sway the street trees, I feel as if I would rather be inside than outside, but I want to enjoy this time a little more. If it were mid-summer, they might have dried up and fallen over, but it is not that hot now, so we continue to look for the cat.

「Sendai-san, you told me we were just looking at the neighborhood. Liar.」

As she said this, Miyagi gave me a shove on the shoulder.

I see the tortoiseshell cat less than five minutes from our house.

I feel like we’re a little far away from what I would call our neighborhood today because we’ve been wandering around for fifteen minutes since we left home.

「I did say that. You’re dressed so cute, you could go a little farther.」

The weather looks hot, and skirts are cooler.

As a result of this strong recommendation, Miyagi is wearing a skirt, just like me. It’s too bad she didn’t let me do her makeup, but I was able to get her to dress up in cute outfits, so I’m reasonably happy with that.

「This is what you asked me to wear, Sendai-san.」

「Well, yes. But there’s a family restaurant a little further down the street, do you want to drop inside?」

「I don’t want to. It’s hot and I want to go home.」

Her brow is not wrinkled, but her voice is low.

She really seems to want to go home, and I consider such Miyagi to be petty.

「Well, let’s find some more instead of going to the family restaurant. The cats are cute, and if they’re in a good mood, they’ll let you pet them.」

Even though Miyagi wants to leave, I still don’t want to leave.

「Are you sure there’s a cat there?」

「I told you there were.」

Probably no cats around here.

I’ve moved away from where I see those tortoiseshell cats.

The time is also different from the time we usually see them.

Maybe they sometimes appear in this area, maybe they show up early in the day, but the probability seems low.

I consider myself disloyal.

I let Miyagi do what seems to have a low probability of being found.

But this level of dishonesty should be allowed.

I can’t say I have moderation, but I have a certain amount of patience and play the role of the nondescript roommate. Since we usually live our lives respecting Miyagi’s wishes, I think it is okay to enjoy this level of event.

「Oh right. Do borzois, you know, take a normal walk around town?」

I ask Miyagi, whose walking speed is visibly slowing down, to stop her from saying the words “I’m going home” any further.

「I think they do, but why?」

「I’ve never seen a Borzoi walking around since I was born.」

「I’ve never seen it either.」

「I see.」

The conversation breaks off easily and I look across the driveway. There was no Borzoi walking by, nor was there a tortoiseshell cat walking by.

I search for a way to strike up a conversation to block Miyagi’s “I’m going home” comment. I think of a few things about the university and the house, and then I mention a name that popped into my head just a moment ago.

「When will Utsunomiya visit our home, Miyagi?」

「…It’s still undecided.」

Miyagi says in a voice so quiet that it is almost drowned out by the sound of children’s voices coming from somewhere.

「It’s almost July, hurry up and decide.」

「Sendai-san, you said the other day that it could be anytime, but is it really anytime?」

Not good at any time.

Or she doesn’t want Utsunomiya to come to us.

Miyagi’s voice sounds like she wants me to say something like that, but I am not going to say that. I rather tell her that I think Miyagi is a disappointment.

「Anytime is fine, but preferably this coming Sunday. We both have exams in the second half of the year.」

「Alright.」

「So when will we do it?」

「I’ll discuss it with Maika and we’ll decide.」

Miyagi responds immediately, seemingly uninterested in my opinion.

However, even if she does not intend to take my opinion into account, her schedule will probably be this coming Sunday, considering the examinations that are to be held in the second half of July. Still, I felt hazy about Miyagi trying to respect Utsunomiya’s opinion. I knew Miyagi would at least put her friends first, but it was no fun.

「Let me know when you’ve decided.」

Pulling up the desire to go to a dark place like a stone sinking to the bottom of the water, I take a step forward with my feet.

Right, left, right.

I alternate my legs and move forward slowly.

Miyagi walks next to me.

Every time my feet move, Miyagi’s cool-colored skirt sways.

Miyagi can wear whatever she wants to wear, but if she could, she would like to see her legs stretching out from her skirt. I’m sure I didn’t have a foot fetish, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I have developed a fondness for feet because of Miyagi’s order.

「Sendai-san, what are you looking at?」

Her feet…

Is what would I say, but I think I’ll definitely be kicked by her.

「The sidewalk tiles.」

I raise my gaze and answer the part near my feet.

「Is it fun?」

「Pretty much.」

——Instead of thinking about Miyagi and Utsunomiya.

I keep what I really want to say in my mind and look forward.

I can’t keep looking at my feet.

But looking ahead was no fun, so I looked at Miyagi and saw that her arms were moving to match the movement of her feet, though not as energetically as she marched.

「Oh, right, Miyagi.」

「What?」

「Let’s hold hands.」

I poke at Miyagi’s moving arm.

「I don’t want to.」

「Why?」

「Because it’s hot.」

「So can I hook you up when we get home?」

「I didn’t mean it that way.」

I think this is a good idea, because I don’t feel comfortable with Miyagi, who gives me the answers I expect, but doesn’t give me the answers I want.

「There’s no cat. Let’s go home.」

「I thought you were going to look for some more?」

「I just thought it would be better to stay cool and go home early.」

It’s too bad I can’t show her the tortoiseshell cat, which is more affectionate than Miyagi’s, but I don’t think I’ll find that cat if I keep looking for it. We take the path back home.

「Do whatever you want.」

I hear a simple voice.

She speed up her steps.

Miyagi walks next to me at the same speed.

I think we’ll go home soon.

Holding hands in the house won’t change anything, though.