It was Saturday evening, and the weather was terrible.

         I opened the curtains slightly and looked outside. The wind was so strong it seemed like a typhoon was approaching. The rain pounded against the windowpane. All I could see were rows of streetlights; it wouldn’t have seemed strange to spot zombies wandering out there. If I went outside right now, it felt like there was a good chance I might run into something that wasn’t human.

         I closed the curtains as I kept thinking about things that would make Miyagi—who was easily scared—angry if she heard my thoughts.

         「Hmm, maybe I should put a movie on.」

         The forecast had said it would rain tomorrow too, and there was nothing to do even if I got up early, so I turned on my tablet. I grabbed my headphones and played a horror movie. Tonight seemed like the perfect time for one.

         I wished I could invite Miyagi to watch with me, but I knew if I made her watch a horror movie she’d end up hating me for the rest of her life. Besides, I doubted Miyagi would be willing to come to my room this late.

         Around thirty minutes into the movie, I got thirsty. I went out to the shared living space and poured myself a glass of barley tea before returning to my room. When I got back, a heavy rumbling sounded outside my window. It was definitely thunder, and as I drank my barley tea I opened the curtains slightly and saw a flash of lightning in the distance.

         「I wonder if Miyagi’s good with thunder…」

         Thinking back, I vaguely recalled her saying she hadn’t been good with it back in high school.

         I glanced at the clock.

         It was a normal time to be asleep.

         If the thunder hadn’t woken her, I didn’t want to risk being the one to wake her up instead. With that in mind, it was probably better not to go to her room to check on her.

         But still, I was worried about Miyagi.

         I paced around my room.

         I had a dream earlier—one where the things I’d been trying not to think about were incredibly vivid—and because of it, I found it difficult to bring myself to walk to her door. I no longer had trouble looking her in the eye, but I still felt nervous.

         I heard a low rumble in the distance. I hesitated for a few moments, wondering what to do.

         In the end, I couldn’t bring myself not to check on her, so I went to her bedroom door.

         I took a couple of deep breaths, knocked once, and then a second time.

         But Miyagi didn’t open it.

         I guess she’s asleep after all.

         It was probably better to go back to my room, but the thought that she might be awake made me freeze in my tracks. I was worried about her and wanted to see her face, and yet I felt it might be better not to. After hesitating a second time, I knocked harder than before—once, then again. I waited, but Miyagi still didn’t come out.

         Just as I was about to give up and return to my room, the door opened.

         「… You’re still awake, Sendai-san?」

         Miyagi, wearing a sweatshirt, didn’t look very sleepy, but she sounded annoyed.

         「I was watching a movie. Are you okay with the thunder, Miyagi?」

         「I’m fine.」

         「Didn’t you say that you weren’t good with it, though?」

         「… I’m not good with it, but it’s not like I’m scared or anything.」

         Her expression looked much the same as the first time she’d said that. She didn’t even grow pale as more thunder rolled in the background.

         「I see. That’s good, then.」

         I felt relieved, but also a little disappointed.

         I pushed those contradictory feelings down and said, “Good night,” to Miyagi. As I turned, a loud thunderclap struck nearby and Miyagi instinctively grabbed my arm before immediately letting go.

         I wanted her to hold on a little longer.

         If the thunder got louder, maybe she’d cling and not let go.

         With thoughts that made it hard to believe I’d only come to check on her out of concern, I called to Miyagi.

         「Are you okay?」

         If I asked whether she was scared, she would definitely deny it and probably storm back to her room and shut the door behind her.

         「I was just startled by how loud it was.」

         「Wanna come to my room?」

         Miyagi didn’t reply.

         She was probably wary of me.

         「I was just thinking, if you can’t fall asleep like this, why not watch a movie with me to pass the time?」

         I said, as if to reassure her I had no other motives, and Miyagi quietly replied with, “Okay,” before coming out of her room. I was the one who had invited her to over, but I was surprised she had accepted so readily. I walked back with Miyagi following behind me. We sat down, leaning our backs against my bed, and Miyagi reached for the tablet I had left on the table.

         「What movie were you watching?」

         Before I could answer, Miyagi pressed play. Unsettling music faintly leaked out from the headphones still plugged in, and she frantically moved to pause the video.

         「You should’ve told me you were watching something weird.」

         Miyagi said as she kicked my ankle.

         How unfair.

         I wasn’t the one at fault here.

         「You started it before I could say anything. Besides, I wasn’t watching anything weird. It’s just a horror movie.」

         「No, horror movies are weird. I can’t believe you’re watching one even with the weather like this.」

         「Well, I was watching it because of the weather. Don’t you think it suits the atmosphere?」

         「No, it’s scary. I feel like something’s going to crawl in through the window.」

         Miyagi hugged her knees as she said what sounded like her true feelings. Sitting hunched like that, she looked like a stray cat frightened of humans. I wanted to reach out, to touch her and reassure her everything was okay, but if I tried, she would probably pull away before I even made contact—just like a real cat.

         「I’m okay with watching whatever you want, so why don’t you pick something?」

         I said. But instead of the tablet, she looked over at me.

         「Are you going home for summer vacation, Sendai-san?」

         「No. What about you?」

         「I’m not going back either.」

         「I see.」

         The conversation trailed off.

         Instead of choosing a movie, Miyagi pressed her hands—which had been wrapped around her knees—flat against the floor.

         「… Why don’t you want to go home, Sendai-san?」

         「Hmm, I guess because I feel more comfortable here than at home. My parents aren’t worried about me anyway. What about you? Aren’t your parents worried about you?」

         「I don’t know. Maybe.」

         「Then how come you’re not going home either?」

         「There’s no point. My family’s rarely ever home even during summer vacation.」

         For once, Miyagi was talking about her home life.

         Neither of us liked talking about our families. The subject wasn’t something I wanted to touch on, and Miyagi had always avoided answering properly whenever I asked her. I had no idea why she suddenly brought it up now, but the fact she shared even a little about something she usually kept hidden made me feel closer to her than usual.

         I looked down at her hands, pressed flat against the floor. I tried to reach out, but before I could touch them, Miyagi turned her body toward me.

         「Sendai-san.」

         She said my name, and I paused.

         I waited, but she didn’t continue. She looked like she wanted to say something, but stayed silent.

         「If there’s something you want to say, then just say it.」

         「… Promise me you won’t do anything weird.」

         Miyagi whispered quietly.

         「”Weird” as in like, putting on a horror movie?」

         「No. You know exactly what I’m talking about, don’t you?」

         I did.

         By “weird,” she meant the things that kept showing up in my dreams, but I had no intention of acting on them without her permission. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to make those dreams real, but if I tried now, Miyagi would leave my room immediately, and I couldn’t let that happen.

         「I promise I won’t. Do you want me to swear on your earrings?」

         Miyagi gave a small nod. I tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned closer.

         「I won’t do anything weird for now.」

         I whispered in her ear before kissing her flower earring. Then my lips wandered lower, down to her neck, where I sank my teeth in softly. The sweet scent of her shampoo was pleasant. As I bit gently, Miyagi pushed me away.

         「Didn’t you just say you wouldn’t do anything weird? And what do you mean “for now”?」

         「That’s all I’m promising you. You never specified how long I had to keep it for.」

         「Sendai-san… Why do you always say such stupid things?」

         「Hmm, maybe because I am stupid?」

         「… Whatever.」

         Miyagi sounded exasperated as she leaned her back against the bed again.

         「Can I hold your hand?」

         She didn’t reply. Instead, Miyagi silently picked up the tablet from the table and leaned against my shoulder.

         Feeling comforted that we were at least close enough to share body heat, I looked down at the screen. The horror movie I had been watching earlier had been replaced with a Japanese film released a few years ago.

         「It’s a little quieter outside now, huh?」

         I said without looking at her. There was still some rumbling in the distance, but the storm didn’t sound close enough to crash through the walls anymore.

         「Is it still raining?」

         「Doesn’t sound like it. What do you want to do now?」

         I didn’t want to suggest she go back to her room. If anything, I wanted to keep her locked in mine.

         「What do you mean?」

         「Oh, nothing. Forget I said anything.」

         「Can I start the movie?」

         Miyagi asked, pointing at the tablet screen.

         「Sure.」

         With that, she removed the headphones I had left plugged in earlier and pressed play.

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