「Sendai-sensei, do you like the earrings you’re wearing right now?」

           Inside the room I’d grown familiar with, Kikyou-chan stared at my ears from across the table.

           「I’ve been thinking about getting new ones, but I haven’t really found anything I like yet.」

           The ears I’d given to Miyagi for her birthday were adorned with small studs. They’d been in my earlobes ever since that day, and it felt like it was about time I replaced them. Even though Miyagi had promised to choose a new pair for me, over a week had passed and she still hadn’t picked anything.

           「I want to get my ears pierced once I’m in high school too.」

           Kikyou-chan said quietly, lowering her gaze to her workbook.

           「You might get in trouble at school for that, though.」

           「I know, but doesn’t getting your ears pierced to celebrate getting into high school sound kind of cool?」

           「It does, but how about this instead? When you get accepted, I’ll get you a present.」

           「Really?」

           Kikyou-chan set her pencil down and leaned forward. Her slightly long bangs shifted aside, and I could clearly see her sparkling eyes.

           「Yeah. I can’t buy anything expensive, but I’ll get you something, so think about what you want.」

           「Okay.」

           She answered brightly.

           As she eagerly flipped through her workbook, I could tell Kikyou-chan was getting fired up. Seeing her motivation jump so much just from the mention of a present was kind of cute, and felt fitting for a middle schooler.

           It was different from Miyagi and refreshing to see.

           When I was tutoring Miyagi back in high school, I’d never once heard her sound as cheerful as Kikyou-chan did just now.

           I wished I could’ve seen Miyagi looking that happy back then. Even when she was in a bad mood, I still found her cute, but she’d also been adorable when she smiled at the penguins at the aquarium. I couldn’t help wishing I’d gotten to see her look that happy with me during high school.

           「Sensei, about this question…」

           Just as my thoughts started drifting towards Miyagi, Kikyou-chan spoke up, pointing at a problem in her workbook.

           「Oh, for this one…」

           After answering Kikyou-chan’s question, I did a bit of review for my own schoolwork, and before I knew it, our tutoring session was over.

           After saying goodbye to Kikyou-chan, I headed to the station and took the train home.

           Working as a private tutor often made me think about how Miyagi was back in high school. I liked how this job made me feel nostalgic. Maybe I could try convincing Miyagi to let me take on another student.

           When I got off the train, a cold wind hit me. Autumn was ending, and winter was close. The night air brushed against my bare neck, and I realized that wearing a thin coat wasn’t enough anymore.

           Wanting to see Miyagi as soon as possible, I hurried up the three flights of stairs and opened the front door.

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

           I went to my room to drop off my bag and coat, then returned to the shared living space.

           I walked over to Miyagi’s door and knocked three times. After a short pause, I heard the door open with a click.

           「Welcome back.」

           「I’m home. Can I come in?」

           「Sure.」

           Miyagi said flatly as she opened the door wider. When I stepped into the warm and cozy room, I noticed several books spread out on her desk and realized she’d been studying.

           I unfastened one button on my blouse and sat down beside Miyagi.

           「Hey, Miyagi. When are you going to pick out a new pair of earrings for me?」

           I tugged lightly on her ear as she leaned against the bed.

           「When? It hasn’t even been that long since I agreed to it.」

           「I’ve already been waiting over a week.」

           「Don’t you think you’re being a little impatient, Sendai-san? I want to take my time choosing.」

           「Okay, I don’t mind you taking your time. But how about we go out and look for something together? I’ll pay, so all you have to do is pick something for me.」

           Honestly, I knew I should just wait.

           It would be better to let Miyagi take her time and choose whatever she wanted. She was kind of like a stray cat — no matter how much I rushed her, she wouldn’t listen anyway.

           I knew that, and yet the longer I waited, the more it started to feel like Miyagi agreeing to pick out earrings for me had been nothing but my imagination.

           「No. I’ll pick the earrings on my own, and I’m going to pay for them too. So wait a little longer, Sendai-san.」

           Miyagi said something I hadn’t expected.

           「It’s fine, I’ll pay. Like I said, all you have to do is pick something for me.」

「No. I’m picking them, and I’m paying for them.」

           Miyagi said firmly as she turned the air conditioner up by one degree.

           It was cold outside, but her room already felt warm enough to me.

           Before she could raise the temperature any more, I took the remote from her and set it on the bed.

           「How long do I have to wait?」

           「Until I buy something.」

           She gave me a vague answer.

           I lifted my hand to my earring. I could feel the small stud beneath my fingertip, and I slowly traced its shape.

           「Okay, fine. I’ll wait. But in the meantime, maybe I’ll have you give me something else to hold me over.」

           「Something else?」

           I pulled my hand away from my ear and brushed my fingers over Miyagi’s lips instead.

           「I want you to leave a mark on me. That’s something you can do right now, isn’t it?」

           「… Where do you want me to mark you?」

           「Wherever you want, Miyagi.」

           I said softly, and she looked at me with suspicion.

           「Weren’t you the one who said you wanted to decide where I could mark you?」

           「I did. But just for today, you can choose wherever you want. In exchange, you have to let me mark you in the same place.」

           I already knew what she was going to say.

           So before she could say “no,” I pressed my lips to hers and cut her off. I grabbed her hand to keep her from pulling away, and I felt the warmth of her lips and the hand I was holding. Wanting more of Miyagi, I brushed my tongue against her lips and slipped it inside her mouth.

           She immediately bit down on it and pushed me away.

           「You never said this would happen if I took too long to choose your earrings.」

           Miyagi sounded annoyed.

           「That’s because I decided on it just now. It’s your fault for not being faster.」

           「That’s unfair.」

           「Don’t you want to leave a mark on me, Miyagi?」

           As I said that, her hand slipped out of mine. Miyagi traced the floor with her fingertip, then tugged lightly at my blouse.

           「… Are you really going to mark me in the same place I choose, Sendai-san?」

           「Yep. So think carefully before you leave one on me.」

           She’d left hickeys on me countless times already. At this point, it wasn’t something to hesitate over, and it had become one of the things we could still do while keeping our relationship as roommates. I was letting Miyagi choose where to leave it, and I’d left hickeys on her before too, so there shouldn’t have been any problem with me leaving one on her now.

           So I figured it was fine to test Miyagi a little.

           I wanted to know where she wanted me to kiss her, and where she wanted to be touched at times like this.

           I knew it was a roundabout way of doing things.

           But if I asked her directly, I knew she’d never answer.

           「So, have you decided yet?」

           I asked quietly, and Miyagi frowned.

           「Not yet.」

           「Should I take my clothes off? I can if you want me to.」

           「You don’t need to.」

           「Come on, hurry up. You’re thinking too hard about it.」

           I tugged lightly on her earlobe to urge her along, my fingertips pinching the earring.

           「Let go.」

           Her voice was sharp, and I pulled my hand away. Then Miyagi undid two more buttons on my blouse.

           Her hand slipped inside — three buttons undone now. She brushed my shoulder, then my collarbone, before slowly opening my blouse.

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