「Is there really a cat that comes by here? Let’s just go home already. I don’t really care about seeing it anyway.」

         Miyagi said in a grumpy tone, even though we’d only been standing outside for fifteen minutes.

         I was the one who had suggested looking for the cat. She’d been reluctant from the very beginning.

         「It’s not like you’ve got anything to do even if we rush home. Come on, accompany me just a little longer.」

         I said, trying to encourage Miyagi as we walked beneath the shade of the trees.

         We walked down the sidewalk together, but there was no sign of the calico cat anywhere—not by the curb, nor lurking in the shadows of the parked cars.

         Well, not that I’d expected to see it today anyway.

         I usually only saw the calico cat on my way home from campus, so I wasn’t sure it would even be around on a Sunday afternoon like this.

         「And how long is that supposed to be?」

         「Just a little longer.」

         Even when she had all the time in the world, Miyagi never went out with me unless there was a reason for it. If there wasn’t something we needed to buy, she wouldn’t come shopping with me. If there wasn’t something she particularly wanted to eat, the idea of going out for a meal wouldn’t even cross her mind.

         There always had to be some kind of excuse for us to go anywhere together.

         So today, just to indulge my selfish desire to spend time with her outside, I made up a flimsy excuse: I asked her to come with me to look for the cat I sometimes saw around the neighborhood.

         I wished I didn’t have to come up with reasons. I wished that simply wanting to be with her could be reason enough.

         I bet when it came to Utsunomiya, Miyagi would hang out with her without needing a reason at all. But I wasn’t Utsunomiya, and I didn’t want to be her either.

         I looked up at the sky.

         The sun blazed so brightly it was hard to believe the rainy season hadn’t ended yet. As we walked along the still streets where even the trees didn’t stir, I couldn’t help thinking I’d rather be inside than out here.

         But I wanted to stretch this moment out just a little longer.

         If it were midsummer, I probably would’ve shriveled up and collapsed by now, but the heat wasn’t that bad today, so we continued looking for the cat.

         「Sendai-san, I thought you said we’d only be searching around our neighborhood. You liar.」

         Miyagi said as she gave my shoulder a firm push.

         The place where I usually spotted the calico cat was only five minutes away from our apartment.

         We’d been wandering around aimlessly for about fifteen minutes since we left home, so we were definitely farther than we needed to be.

         「I guess I did say that, huh. But your outfit’s so cute today, so isn’t it fine if we just go for a little walk?」

         It was warm today—perfect weather for wearing a skirt.

         After some strong encouragement from me, Miyagi ended up wearing one just like mine.

         It was a shame I couldn’t get her to let me put makeup on her, but I was still satisfied that I’d managed to get her to wear such a cute outfit today.

         「You’re the one who made me wear this, you know.」

         「Yeah, I know. If we walk a little more, we’ll be at a family restaurant soon. Do you want to stop by?」

         「No, it’s too hot out today. I want to go home.」

         She wasn’t frowning, but her voice was quiet.

         She seemed eager to go home already, and I couldn’t help but think she was being stingy.

         「Fine. We don’t have to go to the family restaurant, but let’s look around a little more. The cat is really cute, and it’ll even let you pet it on a good day.」

         Even though Miyagi was ready to go home, I wasn’t.

         「Does the cat even exist?」

         「It does. I swear.」

         But it probably wasn’t going to show up today.

         We’d wandered quite a ways off from where I usually saw that calico cat.

         It wasn’t exactly the right time of day either.

         Maybe the cat showed up around here sometimes, or maybe it only came out earlier in the day—but either way, the chances of finding it now seemed low.

         I felt a little dishonest.

         I was making Miyagi do something I already knew had a low chance of happening.

         But I should be allowed to get away with a small lie like this.

         I wasn’t exactly toning things down all that much, but I had been holding myself back and playing the part of an ordinary roommate.

         I respected Miyagi’s boundaries most of the time, so I felt like it was okay to indulge myself like this every once in a while.

         「Oh yeah, do borzois usually go on walks out on the streets like this?」

         I asked Miyagi, whose walking pace had noticeably slowed down, trying to cut in before she could say she wanted to go home.

         「I think they do. Why?」

         「I don’t think I’ve ever seen a borzoi before in my life, let alone one on a walk.」

         「Neither have I.」

         「I see.」

         Our conversation came to an abrupt end, and I turned my gaze toward the other side of the road.

         There were no borzois, nor calico cats to be seen.

         As I searched for another conversation topic to keep her from saying she wanted to go home, I thought of university and our home life before blurting out a name that suddenly came to mind.

         「Oh, right. When is Utsunomiya supposed to be coming over again?」

         「… I haven’t decided yet.」

         Miyagi said in a voice so quiet it was almost drowned out by the sounds of children nearby.

         「It’s almost July. You should hurry up and pick a day already.」

         「Sendai-san, the other day, you said you were basically free whenever, right? Is that still true?」

         The tone in Miyagi’s voice made it sound like she wanted me to say I wasn’t free—or better yet, that I didn’t want Utsunomiya to come over at all.

         But I had no intention of saying either of those things. Instead, I responded with something that was sure to disappoint her.

         「Yeah, I’m free whenever. Oh, but I guess I’d prefer if she came next Sunday, since our exams are at the end of July.」

         「… Okay.」

         「So, when are you going to have her over?」

         「I’ll ask Maika first and see what she thinks.」

         Miyagi answered without a hint of hesitation, as if my opinion didn’t matter in the slightest.

         Even if she had no intention of considering my input, she’d probably decide on next Sunday anyway, since we all had exams at the end of July.

         Still, the way she cared so much about what Utsunomiya thought left a faint, unpleasant heaviness in my chest.

         I knew Miyagi was the type to accommodate her friends, but knowing that didn’t make me feel any better.

         「Okay, let me know once you two have decided, then.」

         I said, taking a step forward to drag my thoughts back up from the dark, heavy place they were sinking into.

         Right, left, right.

         I took slow steps forward, one after another.

         Miyagi walked beside me, the pale color of her skirt swaying softly with every step.

         She could wear whatever she liked, but if it were up to me, I’d want her in something that let me see her legs beneath her skirt.

         I’d never thought of myself as someone with a thing for legs or feet, but given everything that had happened, it wouldn’t be strange if I’d ended up developing one—thanks to all the orders Miyagi made me obey.

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

         Your legs.

         She’d probably kick me if I said that out loud, though.

         「Just at the tiles on the sidewalk.」

         I answered with something that was close enough to where her legs were and lifted my gaze.

         「Having fun?」

         「Yep.」

         ― It’s more fun than having to think about your relationship with Utsunomiya, that’s for sure.

         I kept what I really wanted to say to myself and looked straight ahead.

         I couldn’t just keep staring at her legs forever.

         But there wasn’t much to look at in front of me, so I turned to Miyagi instead.

         She didn’t seem all that enthusiastic about walking, but her arms moved in rhythm with her steps.

         「Miyagi.」

         「What is it?」

         「Wanna hold hands?」

         I asked as I poked one of Miyagi’s moving arms.

         「No.」

         「Why not?」

         「It’s too hot out.」

         「Does that mean you’ll let me hold your hand when we get home?」

         「That’s not what I meant.」

         Her answer was exactly what I expected—and honestly, I preferred it that way. It would’ve felt weird if she’d said anything else.

         「I don’t think the cat’s showing up today anyway, so shall we go home?」

         「Didn’t you want to look around a little longer?」

         「Yeah, maybe if it were a bit cooler out today. I think it’s better if we just went home.」

         It was a shame I couldn’t show Miyagi the calico cat—who was even friendlier than she was—but I doubted we’d find it even if we kept searching, so I turned around and started walking home.

         「Fine. Whatever you want.」

         She said in a cold tone.

         I quickened my pace.

         Miyagi matched it, walking right beside me.

         I just wanted to get home sooner.

         Not that holding hands at home would change anything, anyway.

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I will be dipping my foot (hah) into another yuri web novel series shortly. I don’t know if I’ll be picking it up and committing to it or not (as I have not fully read it myself), but yeah, look forward to that. And no, it won’t take me away from ShuuKura. I’m just looking at new things to read.

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