Soon after the climax, the credits began to roll.

         Sendai-san was still staring at the screen.

         She’d tried talking quite a bit during the movie too, but unlike last time, she only commented on things related to the film.

         If there was a problem, it was that the space between us had nearly disappeared.

         At some point, Sendai-san had shifted closer—so close our shoulders were almost touching.

         We hadn’t started the movie sitting like this.

         There was supposed to be more space between us.

         「I don’t watch anime all that much, but that was actually pretty good.」

         She tapped me on the shoulder as she spoke, and I became sharply aware of where our arms were brushing.

         Sendai-san really had a strange sense of distance.

         There was no reason for her to sit this close just to tell me what she thought of the movie. I wished she’d move away a little.

         「I’m glad to hear that. But… how long are we going to stay like this?」

         I asked, lifting our still-joined hands.

         「Until you tell me to let go, Miyagi.」

         「Then let go already.」

         But instead of letting go, she tightened her grip—to the point it was starting to hurt.

         「Sendai-san. Let go.」

         「Do you hate it that much when I touch you?」

         She moved her arm away slightly, but still didn’t let go of my hand. She just loosened her hold a bit.

         「Why are you asking me that all of a sudden?」

         「It’s just… if you don’t like it, I want to know why.」

         「Don’t you hate it when I touch you, Sendai-san?」

         I didn’t answer her question. I asked one of my own instead.

         Sendai-san turned toward me with a smile.

         「Do I look like I hate it?」

         「… No.」

         「Then it’s your turn to answer.」

         She gave my hand a slight squeeze, like she was pushing me to respond.

         It didn’t hurt, but the air in the room made it feel like I wasn’t allowed to stay silent.

         「I don’t hate it, but…」

         I had no choice but to say something.

         「But?」

         「I don’t hate it, but I still want you to let go of my hand right now.」

         I didn’t mind being touched by her, and holding hands wasn’t a problem in itself.

         But staying like this for too long was making me feel uneasy.

         During the movie, it was easy to ignore because I was focused on the screen, but now that it was over, I wanted her to let go.

         Still, our hands remained together.

         And it left me feeling unsettled, like something was quietly shifting inside me.

         「Sendai-san.」

         I said her name with a hint of protest.

         「Okay, okay.」

         She let go, sounding a little defeated.

         I opened my hand.

         Even after clenching and stretching it a few times, it didn’t feel like mine.

         It felt like it belonged to someone else.

         As I stared down at my palm, Sendai-san spoke.

         「Well, now that we’re done with the movie, want to do anything else? It’s still kind of early for dinner.」

         「I’m going back to my room.」

         I stood up, but she grabbed the hem of my shirt.

         「Wait. Stay a little longer.」

         She tugged harder, stretching the fabric.

         I could’ve stood anyway, but I didn’t want the hem to get stretched out, so I sat back down and gave her a complaint.

         「Let go of me.」

         「Didn’t you say earlier you’d punish me if I touched you? Shouldn’t you follow through on that?」

         「I’m not going to punish you. Let go.」

         「You’re the one who ruined my Golden Week, you know?」

         Sendai-san let go of my shirt and pointed at her neck.

         Right where her fingertip landed was the red mark I’d left.

         I’d seen it yesterday too. It had already started to fade, but even now, it hadn’t disappeared completely.

         「Can’t you hang out with me just a little longer?」

         She said, with an annoying smile on her face.

         「… What do you want to do?」

         「Hmm… let me think. How about I do your makeup for you?」

         「No.」

         「Oh, come on. I’ll make you look cute. I’ll even do your hair so your earrings show better.」

         Sendai-san said as she reached out to touch my hair.

         She tried to tuck it behind my ear, so I swatted her hand away.

         「I said no. And don’t touch my hair.」

         My voice came out louder than I expected—even I was caught off guard.

         Sendai-san froze with the same smile still stuck on her face. I followed up quickly.

         「… Sorry.」

         It wasn’t that I didn’t want her touching my hair.

         I just didn’t want her to see my earrings.

         But I didn’t want to tell her that.

         The air in the room felt frozen, and I didn’t know how to break it.

         I started to get up, but Sendai-san spoke in a cheery voice.

         「I won’t touch your hair. But can I at least put some makeup on you? Just a little?」

         I knew she was just trying to be considerate, which made it harder to say no.

         But I still didn’t want her to put makeup on me.

         Hugging my knees, I tried to meet her halfway.

         「Can’t we do something else?」

         「Hmm… then how about I dress you up?」

         「As in, you want me to try on your clothes?」

         「Yep. I’ll find something that’ll look good on you and have you wear it.」

         「Why do you only ever suggest weird things?」

         I didn’t want to keep rejecting every idea she had, but everything she suggested was hard to agree with.

         I wished she’d suggest something more normal.

         「I’m also fine doing whatever you want, Miyagi. Got anything in mind?」

         「… Not really.」

         「Then let’s go with my idea. Which do you prefer—getting your makeup done or dressing up?」

         I didn’t want to be her doll, but it didn’t seem like I had the option to refuse either.

         I tried to think of other things we could do, just to give me more options to work with.

         But I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to do with her here in her room.

         If I were with Maika, we could just keep chatting about nothing in particular and pass the time.

         But when it came to Sendai-san, I never knew what to do in situations like this.

         What I did know was that I didn’t want her seeing me in makeup or wearing her clothes. Whichever I picked, she was definitely going to say something about me, and I didn’t want that.

         「If you’re not going to pick, I’ll just decide for you.」

         「… If I have to choose, I’ll go with trying on your clothes.」

         If I let her do my makeup, she’d be touching my face and probably moving my hair. And if she did that, it’d be no surprise if she touched my ears too.

         Thinking about that, I figured it’d be better to just put on some of her clothes.

         But that didn’t mean I wanted to be her dress-up doll.

         Our tastes in fashion were different. And when it came to skirts or pants, I wasn’t even sure they’d fit. If I couldn’t zip them up, that’d be a nightmare. We looked different too, so I didn’t think her clothes would suit me.

         「Okay, let’s go with that then. Turn this way, Miyagi.」

         Sendai-san tugged on my arms, which were still wrapped around my knees.

         「It doesn’t matter which way I’m facing. Just give me the clothes you want me to try on.」

         「Come on, just turn to face me first.」

         She pulled harder, and I reluctantly turned toward her.

         「Alright, now take off your clothes.」

         Sendai-san said casually as she grabbed the hem of my shirt and started lifting it.

         「Hey, wait!」

         I panicked and swatted her hand away.

         「Hm?」

         「What do you mean, ‘hm’? I can undress myself just fine, so wait outside. Actually, before that, give me the clothes first.」

         「I’ll give them to you after you’ve taken yours off. Also, why are you kicking me out? This is my room, you know?」

         Even though she was clearly in the wrong, Sendai-san looked at me like I was being unreasonable.

         Sure, this was her room, but that didn’t change the fact that what she was doing was weird.

         Normally, she should be handing me the clothes first before expecting me to undress.

         「So what? Just give me the clothes first.」

         I held out my hand expectantly.

         But instead of grabbing clothes, she moved closer and slid her hand under my shirt, her palm grazing along my side.

         Her fingers wandered up toward my ribs.

         It tickled, so I pressed my hand over hers through the fabric to stop her.

         「You really are only ever thinking about erotic things, aren’t you, Sendai-san?」

         「I’m not thinking of anything erotic. Come on, take off your clothes. How else are you going to put mine on?」

         「I’m not changing in front of you. Wait outside until I’m done. And seriously, give me the clothes already.」

         「Nope. If you’re not going to change in front of me, let me do your makeup instead. You won’t even need to take your clothes off for that, right?」

         Everything had already been decided from the beginning.

         Sendai-san always did this—offering choices that weren’t really choices at all.

         「You’re so annoying, Sendai-san.」

         I glared at her, still too close for comfort.

         Her hand slipped out from under my shirt.

         「Let me ask you again. Makeup, or clothes?」

         「… Do whatever you want, Sendai-san.」

         「Okay, then makeup it is.」

         She went to get a fairly large makeup case and brought it over.

         Then, she sat back down in front of me with a cheerful voice.

         「I’ll try not to touch your hair.」

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