It hadn’t been long since I’d last seen Sendai-san. We had even talked on the phone the day before yesterday.
Yet, when she stepped through the front door, she greeted me with, “It’s been a while,” as she slipped off her shoes. Then, as if repeating what she had already said over the phone, she added, “Happy New Year.” Out of obligation, I echoed the words back.
「Wait for me in my room.」
I told her, watching as she shrugged off her coat, then headed to the kitchen.
Pulling out a plate and some cookies, I found myself thinking—
It really hadn’t been that long since we’d last met, so why did it feel like it had?
Her words, “It’s been a while,” were nothing special. Just a simple greeting. But somehow, they weighed on me, sitting heavy on my shoulders like an unshakable burden. A phrase so ordinary shouldn’t have felt so significant.
I opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of soda and some barley tea.
Maybe I was just overthinking it. Maybe I was the one making those words feel like they mattered more than they should.
After pouring the drinks into cups, I put the bottles back and returned to the room, balancing a tray with the plate and cups. Sendai-san was already waiting, her reference books spread open across the table. I set the tray down, placing the drinks and snacks wherever there was space.
「Thanks.」
Sendai-san was dressed in a turtleneck sweater and denim pants. A sweater that covered her neck was unusual for her, and she hadn’t even tied her hair up. Somehow, she felt like a stranger right now as she looked over at me.
「Aren’t you going to sit down?」
I had been standing there, lost in thought, but her voice snapped me out of it. I sat down beside her and absentmindedly fiddled with a button on my blouse when she suddenly called out my name.
「Miyagi, is no one home today either?」
「No.」
「Are your parents at work?」
She asked, picking up a cookie and nibbling on it.
「Yeah.」
「What about tomorrow?」
「Same as today.」
There was nothing more to my answer than that. She had asked casually, as if just making conversation.
Before winter break, I wouldn’t have thought twice about it. I could have answered and moved on. But now, things were different. I couldn’t believe she was asking without some kind of deeper meaning.
So, before she could say anything else, I spoke first.
「… I’m not letting you stay over again.」
「It’s not like I was asking just so I could stay over.」
She denied it immediately, but I wasn’t convinced. This time, I was the one to ask a question.
「Then why did you ask?」
「I was just curious since it didn’t seem like anyone else was home.」
Sendai-san answered as she tapped the tip of her pencil against my workbook.
「So, are there any questions you don’t understand?」
「Yeah.」
「Which ones?」
I could tell she was just trying to change the subject.
Even if Sendai-san hadn’t asked with the intention of staying over, her question still felt like it carried some hidden meaning. But I knew that even if I pressed her about it, she wouldn’t give me a straight answer. So instead of wasting my time, I just told her which questions in the workbook I didn’t understand.
At least when it came to those, she answered honestly.
The room was neither too cold nor too warm—just like the classrooms at school. And listening to Sendai-san explain things was far better than sitting through a teacher’s monotone lectures. The quiet atmosphere, combined with the sound of her voice, made me start to feel drowsy.
Studying wasn’t fun. But it was definitely more effective with someone else than doing it alone.
That was the only reason I had invited Sendai-san over today—so she could help me with the questions I couldn’t solve.
Still, I couldn’t help but be aware of the person sitting next to me, and my eyes wandered toward Sendai-san.
Her long hair draped over her shoulders, and for some reason, that annoyed me.
Obviously, her neck—which was usually visible—was completely hidden.
「Don’t look at me. Focus on your homework.」
Sendai-san pointed at my notebook as she spoke.
I dropped my gaze like she told me to, and as if to smooth things over, she added, “Let me know if there’s anything you don’t understand.”
Then, silence.
For a long time, the only sounds in the room were the scratch of pencils against paper. At some point, I reached for my cup, only to find the once-cold soda had turned lukewarm. I stared at it, still half full, debating whether to get a fresh pour from the fridge—but in the end, I didn’t bother.
Instead, my gaze drifted from the cup back to Sendai-san.
Her turtleneck was in the way.
Because of it, I couldn’t see what I wanted to see.
「What’s up? Do you want to take a break?」
Noticing my stare, Sendai-san glanced up.
「I don’t mind taking a break, but are you okay on time?」
I asked, still looking at her neck.
「Yeah. Okay, let’s stop here for now then.」
「I’m going to make something to eat. Are you eating here too, Sendai-san?」
「Sure.」
As she shut her reference book, Sendai-san asked what was for dinner. Instead of answering, I reached toward her neck, still hidden beneath her sweater.
My fingertips brushed against the fabric—only for her to immediately push my hand away.
「Didn’t you say you were going to make us something to eat?」
「I changed my mind. I want to rest a little first.」
「If you’re taking a break, then rest properly.」
「I was just wondering why you decided to cover up your neck today.」
「You’re not actually curious about my neck, are you? There’s something else you want to see.」
She turned her whole body toward me, looking slightly annoyed. Then, without warning, she ran her fingers through my hair, trailing them down my neck.
「―― If you already knew what I wanted, then show it to me.」
Sendai-san was being mean.
She knew exactly what I wanted to see, yet she wouldn’t say it outright. Worse, she still refused to show me and was touching me instead.
Her fingers moved slowly, sending a ticklish sensation down my skin.
I grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer—but she managed to slip from my grasp.
「I never said I’d follow your orders during winter break, did I? Besides, you’re just wondering if I’m still wearing the pendant, aren’t you?」
「For all I know, you might not be wearing it.」
「Come on. At least have some faith in me.」
If I could believe her that easily, I would have.
Then, I wouldn’t feel the need to check every time.
It wasn’t like I wanted to tie her down with something like a collar or anything either.
But Sendai-san always gave me reasons not to trust her. She was constantly going out of her way to keep things hidden from me—including things I couldn’t even see.
That was why I could never stop doubting her.
「… You’re hiding it on purpose today, aren’t you?」
I stared at her neck, still concealed beneath her sweater.
「No, I’m not. But do you really want to see it that badly?」
「If I said I did, would you show it to me?」
In response, Sendai-san smiled.
「I’ll show you—but only if you keep your promise too, Miyagi.」
「What promise?」
「That you’ll let me kiss you.」
As she spoke, her hand reached out, and before I could react, she started unbuttoning my blouse.
「Wha—」
Caught off guard, I let out a startled sound before grabbing her hand.
「What is it?」
「I never said you could unbutton my blouse.」
I glared at her, protesting her sudden move. But my words didn’t stop her hands. Instead, she undid another button and traced her fingers over my collarbone.
「If you want to check that I’m wearing the pendant that badly, then stay still.」
「… What are you planning to do?」
「Didn’t I tell you? I’m just going to kiss you.」
Sendai-san reminded me of the deal I had agreed to—one I had no way of refusing now. We’d just finished studying, so there was nothing left to use as an excuse.
Her fingertips, which had been brushing against my collarbone, moved toward the nape of my neck.
This much wasn’t part of our agreement.
But before I could say anything, she pressed her lips to a spot just above my collarbone.
Can this even count as part of our trade?
As I mulled over something that felt like it should’ve been important but really wasn’t, I felt her lips press softly against my neck. Then, again, in a different spot.
Her lips met my skin, lingering for a moment before pulling away—only to return once more. Slowly, they traced a path upward.
Her breath brushed against my neck, sending a ticklish sensation through me, making my body tense. Each kiss left behind a warmth that made it feel strangely difficult to breathe.
I wasn’t sure if I should be letting this happen, but I couldn’t bring myself to push Sendai-san away either.
It was probably within the bounds of our trade, so there was no reason to stop her.
Then, her lips pressed down firmly near my ear. Reflexively, I grabbed her arm, but she didn’t hesitate—she sucked hard, sinking into my skin. It wasn’t exactly painful, but it felt like the sharp prick of a needle.
My fingers dug into her arm instead of pushing her away. In response, she bit down on my neck, though she quickly pulled away.
The next thing I felt was something warmer than lips—wet and soft—against my earlobe.
Her tongue traced along the edge of my ear, and in tandem with that sensation, something deep in my chest tingled. Her breath, so close to my ear, made it feel like our heartbeats had somehow synced together.
Our breathing had fallen into the same rhythm.
That realization sent a jolt through me, and I shoved Sendai-san away with all my strength.
「This isn’t just a kiss anymore.」
「You never told me to stop.」
「Just because I didn’t say anything doesn’t mean it’s okay. And why did you even unbutton my blouse? There was no reason for that. You definitely left a mark too.」
I pressed my fingers to the spot where she had sucked, but of course, I couldn’t tell if there was actually anything there.
「It’s not like we ever agreed on where I’d kiss you. So you can’t really complain about it, can you?」
Sendai-san stated matter-of-factly as she pressed her hand against the spot where she had most likely left a mark.
Her fingertips traced the curve of my ear before gliding through my hair.
Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, she leaned in again.
I pushed her away by the shoulders.
「There’s a mirror on my desk. Go grab it for me.」
I might have let her get away with shifting the blame onto me for not specifying where she could or couldn’t kiss me, but I wasn’t about to let her brush off leaving a mark behind. That was something Sendai-san should’ve known as well, so I felt like it was only fair that I was allowed to give her an order.
「I didn’t leave any marks.」
「I’ll be the judge of that.」
I shot back firmly, and after a brief moment of hesitation, Sendai-san finally went to retrieve my mirror.
This wasn’t the first time she had kissed my neck.
But before, she had never been trying to leave a mark.
There had been times when her bites left my skin red, but those marks always faded within a day.
「Here.」
She handed me the mirror, and I adjusted it to see my reflection.
A solid red mark stood out against my neck. It was placed perfectly in a spot that wouldn’t be covered even if I buttoned my blouse all the way up—though it wasn’t glaringly obvious either.
「It’s subtle. You can just hide it with your hair, can’t you?」
Sendai-san said, trying to dodge responsibility.
She wasn’t wrong.
I could cover most of it, but not completely.
She had done this on purpose.
She had left it just visible enough on purpose.
「It might not stand out much, but you definitely put it somewhere noticeable.」
「I don’t think so. You can still hide it pretty well.」
Sendai-san made an unreasonable excuse and, as if to prove her point, brushed my hair into place to hide the mark she’d left.
The ends of my hair tickled against my neck, making me swat her hands away before shoving the mirror towards her.
「There’s no way I can hide it completely. What if someone sees it?」
「We’re still on winter break, so you’ll be fine.」
「And what if my family sees it?」
「Didn’t you say they’d be at work all day? It’ll be gone by tomorrow, so there’s nothing to worry about.」
So that’s what that was all about.
I was starting to understand why she had asked me that question before we started studying earlier.
「Okay, even if my family isn’t around to see it, what about my friends?」
「Remind me, who was the one that said everyone’s too busy studying for entrance exams to hang out this time of year?」
「… You’re using my own words against me? You really do have a terrible personality.」
「Not as bad as yours, Miyagi.」
Sendai-san smiled as she threw out another awful remark.
Then, she took my arm.
「Can I kiss you one more time?」
She said it so easily—without hesitation, without shame.
I had let her do whatever she wanted for long enough.
「No. More importantly, let me see the necklace now.」
This time, it was her turn to hold up her end of the deal.
I reached out toward her, but before my fingers could even graze her neck, she pulled the pendant out from under her sweater herself.
Ave Lilium Translations 