「Sendai-chan, are you having money troubles?」

         Noto-senpai asked something rude as I served her the caffè latte she’d ordered.

         「No, I’m not.」

         She was the upperclassman who had helped me get my job as a private tutor. Until recently, we’d only ever exchanged greetings whenever we ran into each other, but ever since I started working at this café, we’d somehow become close enough to talk like this.

         「Do you owe money to the wrong person or something?」

         Noto-senpai frowned as she said something even ruder. She was a regular here, always chatting with whoever was working, but it was hard to tell when she was joking or when she was being serious.

         「No, that’s not it either.」

         「I figured. You don’t really seem like the type to get swindled.」

         「What exactly are you trying to get out of me?」

         「Well, since you’re juggling two part-time jobs, I thought you might need the money. I wanted to see if you were interested in picking up another student for your tutoring job. You’re only here until the end of the school festival, right?」

         After taking a sip of her caffè latte, she added, “What do you think?”

         It seemed like she was genuinely trying to have a serious conversation with me, wanting to help by introducing me to another tutoring opportunity.

         「I’m happy you thought of me, but there’s something else I want to do once the school festival’s over.」

         I said, coming up with a random excuse.

         「If I asked what that was, would you tell me, Sendai-chan?」

         「No, it’s a secret.」

         Just thinking about the pay, I knew taking on another student would make more sense than continuing to work here. But if I did that, I wouldn’t be able to work anywhere together with Miyagi, and I wouldn’t be able to invite her over to my workplace. Besides, Miyagi seemed especially against the idea of me working as a private tutor. Even if I were to pick up another job, I’d much rather choose something that wouldn’t upset her.

         Although lately, it felt like she’d been in a bad mood for reasons that had nothing to do with work.

         「Okay, I guess I’ll just have to find someone else then.」

         Noto-senpai said, though I couldn’t tell if she was actually okay with my answer or not.

         Miyagi’s sulky expression appeared in my head—the same look she’d been wearing constantly ever since the day I picked up that lip balm rolling on the floor.

         It had been about ten days since then, and Miyagi still hadn’t asked me for a kiss. Her mood had only gotten worse, and she didn’t let me kiss her at all anymore.

         「I’m sure you were planning to do this even without me saying anything, but I hope you enjoy your order, and please take your time.」

         I said, sighing at Noto-senpai instead of the Miyagi lingering in my thoughts.

         「You’re so cold, Sendai-chan. If Mio were here, she’d talk with me a little longer.」

         Noto-senpai ruffled her long hair and took another sip of her latte.

         Interacting with regulars was part of the job. Even if the conversation dragged on or got too lively, the manager didn’t seem to mind. But Noto-senpai was the type to talk forever. And even if no one else got annoyed by it, I always felt like I had to cut it short at some point.

         I smiled and said,

         「This isn’t the kind of place where staff and customers are supposed to chat.」

         If only Miyagi were the one sitting here instead, I thought to myself.

         It wasn’t that I didn’t want to talk to Noto-senpai, but if I were going to chat at length with someone, I wanted it to be with Miyagi.

         Nothing was going the way I wanted.

         I shouldn’t have done something so pointless that day.

         Just because I’d managed to get the stray cat a little more attached to me, it didn’t mean I could let myself get carried away—expecting her to know how to give me her paw or ask me for kisses. Miyagi was never going to do what I wanted, and I couldn’t help feeling disappointed in myself for being sneaky and trying to take the easy way out.

         「I feel like this is exactly the kind of place for that, though. You know, Mio was the one who got me to start coming here in the first place.」

         Hearing Noto-senpai’s voice, I pushed Miyagi’s sulky expression out of my mind.

         「How’d she manage that?」

         「I was reading a book at a park nearby when Mio—who was still a high schooler back then—tried to hit on me. She said, “If you want somewhere to read, how about that café over there?”」

         「… That sounds like Mio, alright.」

         Mio was really sociable, the kind of person who would strike up conversations with strangers and bring new customers into the café. Noto-senpai tended to squint and glare—or rather, frown whenever something bothered her—so she wasn’t as approachable and wasn’t very proactive either, but Mio didn’t seem bothered by that at all.

         「Now thanks to her, I have a place where I can enjoy myself and have a nice, delicious cup of caffè latte.」

         Noto-senpai said, downing the rest of her latte. Then, as if she still had more to say, she turned to me and continued with, “That reminds me—” but I cut the conversation short before it went any further and went back to work. Even if she was a regular, I couldn’t spend all my time keeping her company.

         The number of customers always fluctuated, but Saturdays were always especially busy.

         There were still a few seats open now, but that could change anytime.

         I glanced around the café.

          “Feel free to come visit.”

         That was what I’d told Miyagi when I left the apartment today, but she still hadn’t shown up. Not that I expected her to.

         Two hours passed, then three, and there was still no sign of her. By evening, even Mio had stopped by near the end of my shift.

         「Hazuki-chan, can you work tomorrow too? One of our employees just called in—they said something urgent came up.」

         The manager stopped me just as I was about to leave.

         「Sure.」

         「Please come in at three, then.」

         「Okay.」

         I didn’t mind working an extra day or two.

         It meant more pay, so I was grateful for the shift.

         But when I thought about Miyagi, I couldn’t feel happy about it.

         I wanted to spend more time with her, and I was scared that telling her I had to work tomorrow would only make her upset. Plus, today’s shift ended a little late, and I hadn’t even had the chance to tell her I’d be home later than usual.

         After riding the train, I got off at my station and walked home along the street where I often saw Cali.

         I went up the stairs to the third floor and opened the apartment door.

         I took off my shoes and headed to the shared living space, but Miyagi wasn’t there.

         I went to her room and knocked a few times.

         Knock, knock.

         After the second knock, the door opened, and Miyagi stepped out looking clearly displeased.

         「I’m home.」

         「… Welcome back. You’re home late today.」

         Miyagi said in a low voice, glancing at my ears.

         「It was really busy at work today. Also… sorry. I picked up a shift for tomorrow too.」

         「Why are you apologizing?」

         「I don’t know. I just felt like I should.」

         「Even if you apologize, you’re still going to work tomorrow, so don’t bother.」

         Miyagi kicked my leg lightly.

         Her eyes stayed fixed on my ear.

         「Do you want to touch my earrings or something?」

         I asked gently, but she replied firmly with,

         「No.」

         「You can if you want.」

         「I never said I did.」

         「Well, I want to touch you, though.」

         I reached out and touched her cheek, but before I could lean in, Miyagi swatted my hand away. She clearly didn’t intend to let me do anything that might lead to a kiss.

         I wanted to go back and stop myself from acting on that stupid ulterior motive ten days ago.

         I didn’t need her to ask me for a kiss anymore—I just wanted her to let me kiss her.

         I wasn’t made for waiting games.

         And Miyagi would never give in before I did anyway.

         「In any case, you have to face a punishment.」

         Miyagi said, as if it were a given.

         「Okay. What are you planning to make me do?」

         「Don’t go to your shift tomorrow.」

         She kicked my leg again. It didn’t hurt, but I could feel how unhappy she was.

         「I can’t do that.」

         「I know. I just wanted to say it.」

         「So what do you actually want me to do?」

         「You can go to work tomorrow, but you have to do everything I’m about to tell you to do.」

         「Okay, as long as it’s within common sense.」

         Her kicks were gentler than usual, and she didn’t want me touching her at all.

         And instead of saying “I understand” or “Got it,” she simply said, “Come to my room.”

         Putting all that together, I knew the punishment wouldn’t be anything good.

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