I felt like I could die of happiness at any moment.

         That was how much I loved seeing Miyagi in such high spirits.

         The flying penguins were the last exhibit on the aquarium route, but Miyagi seemed to enjoy the rooftop area so much that she wanted to see it again. We walked side by side, talking as she smiled.

         Aquariums weren’t really the kind of place where people went to look at the same animals over and over, but seeing Miyagi so happy made me feel like I could circle the place as many times as she wanted.

         I didn’t care about getting sunburned, or the sweat trickling down my forehead.

         We went to see the sea lions and small-clawed otters again before returning to the penguin area.

         「Miyagi, it looks like there’s going to be a sea lion show soon. Want to watch it?」

         I called out to her as she kept her eyes fixed on the penguins.

         「We don’t have to. Is there anything you want to see again, Sendai-san?」

         「Not really.」

         It was Miyagi that I wanted to see.

         If she didn’t want to watch the sea lion show, then neither did I. And if there was nothing else she wanted to see at the aquarium, then there was nothing else I wanted to see either.

         「Then let’s go home.」

         Miyagi said curtly, tearing her gaze away from the penguins.

         「You want to go home already? Don’t you want to stop anywhere else first?」

         I didn’t want to go home yet.

         There wasn’t anything I particularly wanted to see or anywhere I wanted to go, but I wanted to keep watching Miyagi enjoy herself until evening—and if I could, even after it got dark.

         But Miyagi simply replied with, “We don’t have to go anywhere else.”

         「I guess we should head back, then. You sure you don’t want to buy a penguin plush before we leave?」

         I asked, thinking she might want one since she seemed to like penguins so much, but she gave me a puzzled look.

         「Do you want a penguin plush, Sendai-san?」

         「I don’t. I just thought you might, since you like them.」

         「No, I don’t need it. I already have a plush.」

         「You own a penguin plush?」

         That was news to me.

         She hadn’t owned one back in high school, and stuffed animals weren’t exactly the kind of thing you’d hide away either.

         If Miyagi had a penguin plush in her room now, it meant she’d gotten it sometime after starting university.

         I wouldn’t have minded if she’d bought it herself.

         But I hated the thought of someone else giving it to her.

         And it made me feel even worse imagining her proudly displaying it in her room after receiving it from someone else.

         A drop of black paint fell into my heart and spread through it like ripples in water.

         Just as that stain was about to engulf everything, I heard Miyagi’s dissatisfied voice.

         「Not a penguin—a cat. You were the one who gave it to me for Christmas, remember?」

         Her words instantly washed the stain away.

         There was no way I could forget the black cat plush I’d given her—the one that somewhat resembled her.

         And I could still clearly remember the slight frown on her face when I handed it to her.

         「Yeah, I remember that… Does that mean you brought the black cat plush with you when you moved?」

         Back in high school, the black cat plush had always been sleeping on Miyagi’s bookshelf. I’d never been to her new room before, so I had no idea where it was now. It would make me incredibly happy to know that it was still living on her bookshelf like it had back then—even if it wasn’t because I was the one who’d bought it for her.

         「Yeah, I did. Which is why I don’t need another stuffed animal.」

         Miyagi, who’d been in such a good mood just a moment ago, said this with frown on her face.

         Suppressing the urge to wrap her in a hug, I simply replied with, “Oh, I see.”

         It seemed like Miyagi—who resembled a cat herself—liked the black cat plush I’d given her. No, she probably loved it a lot if she was willing to turn down a penguin plush just because she already had the cat.

         I found myself feeling more jealous of that black cat plush than of the penguins that had stolen her heart earlier. It almost made me wish I could become a stuffed animal, too. But if I were a black cat plush, I wouldn’t be able to take Miyagi to an aquarium like this—or kiss her—so that jealousy alone wasn’t enough to make me want to stop being human.

         「Alright, I guess we should head home now. Should we buy something to eat on the way back? I don’t really feel like cooking today. Oh, but I wouldn’t be opposed if you wanted to cook for me.」

         I didn’t mind that she didn’t want to go anywhere else, but picking up food on the way home seemed easier for both of us.

         「I don’t feel like cooking today either.」

         She said, agreeing with my suggestion, and the two of us started walking.

         「What do you want to eat, Miyagi?」

         「We had a lot of bread earlier, so maybe a bento?」

         「Okay.」

         I wanted to stay here forever, but after hearing what she’d said earlier, my steps felt lighter as we left the aquarium together. The small wrinkle between Miyagi’s brows was gone, too.

         We walked leisurely toward the station.

         Usually, Miyagi and I didn’t have much to talk about, but today felt different—like there were all sorts of things we could say.

         「Hmm, what’s the difference between seals and sea lions anyway?」

         I asked. I knew they were different animals, but couldn’t tell how.

         「Their body shape, maybe?」

         「I guess they do look different, but is there anything more specific?」

         「Even if you ask me, I have no idea. Why don’t you just look it up, Sendai-san?」

         「I’ll do it once we get home.」

         It wasn’t much of a conversation, but Miyagi was talking more than usual, and that alone made it fun.

         As we kept chatting about things that probably didn’t matter to anyone else—though they did to me—our pace slowed down. The words between us faded, and the murmur of the city filled the silence.

         「… Do you often go to the aquarium, Sendai-san?」

         Miyagi asked without looking at me.

         「I went a few times with my family when I was little, but hardly ever after that. What about you, Miyagi?」

         「Same. I went once when I was little, but… my family didn’t really go out much together to begin with.」

         「Oh, I see.」

         「My father’s really busy, so he’s almost never home.」

         It was rare for Miyagi to talk about her family.

         She didn’t seem like she wanted to look at me—her eyes stayed facing straight ahead.

         I hesitated, unsure if I should ask what was on my mind.

         Normally, it was the kind of question I knew she would never answer.

         But for some reason, I felt like today she just might.

         「… What about your mom?」

         When Miyagi decided to move in with me, she had come over to my house to introduce herself to my family—but only her dad had come with her.

         She’d mention him from time to time, but not once had she ever brought up her mom.

         「She’s not around anymore.」

         She said, in the exact words I’d expected.

         Maybe it was something I shouldn’t have asked in the first place.

         But even so, I wanted to know more.

         Miyagi still didn’t look at me.

         Her gaze stayed fixed straight ahead, as if looking anywhere else wasn’t allowed.

         I didn’t want her to have any bad memories tied to today.

         I wanted her to go home remembering only the fun we’d had.

         「I see.」

         I said softly, searching for something—anything—to follow it up with.

         But I couldn’t find the right words for what she’d just confided in me.

         There were quite a few people walking the same way toward the station. It wasn’t the kind of place for talking about something like this. The sounds of nearby and distant voices blurred together into a low, indistinct noise.

         I drew in a quiet breath, then let it out slowly.

         「I’m sure you already know this, but my family’s never really gotten along that well… But, when I was little, we were close enough that they’d take me to places like the aquarium or the zoo.」

         I said, almost as if I were returning the favor after what Miyagi had shared.

         Miyagi, who’d been staring straight ahead this whole time, finally turned to look at me.

         To be precise, it wasn’t that my family didn’t get along—it was that I didn’t get along with them. Everyone else always seemed perfectly happy together. But to explain that properly, there were far too many details I’d have to add.

         「You said you had an older sister, right?」

         「Yeah.」

         「…You two don’t get along?」

         「Not really.」

         I kept my distance from my sister, who was two years older than me.

         There wasn’t any clear animosity between us—no arguments, no fights—but we hadn’t really talked in years.

         The proof of how distant we were was that, even though we lived close enough to meet anytime we wanted, neither of us ever bothered to reach out.

         「Sendai-san.」

         Miyagi quietly called my name as we passed through the ticket gates together.

         「What is it?」

         「… Thanks for today. I had a lot of fun at the aquarium.」

         I heard every word clearly, yet for some reason, my mind refused to process them.

         I found myself completely speechless and couldn’t respond right away.

         「Sendai-san?」

         「Oh, sorry. I just didn’t think you’d ever say something like that. You know, that you had fun.」

         I’d seen her enjoying herself at the aquarium, smiling and excited, but I never thought she’d actually say she had fun.

         Hearing Miyagi say those words felt as impossible as winter coming right after summer.

         「Just what kind of impression do you have of me, Sendai-san? Even I can admit something’s fun when it is.」

         「Then, next time you’re having fun, tell me like you did just now.」

         「Why would you even want to know that?」

         「Because I want to know what makes you happy, Miyagi.」

         If I could figure out the kinds of things Miyagi enjoyed, no matter how small it was, maybe I could make her smile again like she had today.

         「… Fine. If something fun happens, I’ll tell you. But only if I remember to.」

         「Sounds good to me.」

         Miyagi hadn’t given me a clear answer, but that was fine for now. The fact that she hadn’t shot me down right away felt like progress.

         「Wanna hold hands?」

         I asked, knowing full well she’d say no, and nudged her arm with my elbow.

         「No.」

         Unfortunately, her answer was exactly what I’d expected.

         If we were at home, she probably would’ve kicked me for asking.

         But, well, that was just like Miyagi.

         Even so, I wanted her to at least look my way, so I nudged her arm again.

         Suddenly, she spoke quietly.

         「… When are we going to the zoo?」

         Huh?

         My voice almost slipped out, but I managed to hold it in.

         I couldn’t risk saying something that would make her take it back.

         「Winter’s too cold, so maybe sometime in autumn?」

         「I’ll keep that in mind.」

         Miyagi replied curtly.

         Summer break wasn’t over yet.

         I wanted to keep doing more and more fun things with her.

         But at the same time, I found myself wishing autumn would come soon.

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