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Chapter 136: Miyagi that I don\'t know — 136

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

Nice to meet you.

Thirty minutes have passed since we exchanged a common greeting, and my body, which seemed to have been hardened with concrete, loosens up a little. This senpai said that tutoring is not as difficult as one might think, but any first time is nerve-wracking.

My part-time tutoring job, which began as scheduled after the holidays, was not like when I was teaching Miyagi to study.

I don’t know how much I can talk about things that are not related to my studies, and I don’t know how much distance I should keep from them. I was told by the senpai that all I had to do was to look like a teacher, but I had to face the day without a solid image of myself as a teacher.

I introduced myself to Hanamaki Kikyō, my first student who’s in 3rd year middle school, now on the other side of the table looking at problem books with holes in them.

I drink the barley tea her mother offered me.

It’s nostalgic.

After school, Miyagi also prepared barley tea for me.

「Sensei.」

Hanamaki-san looks up and sees me.

The word “sensei,” which I had never been called until I started tutoring, tickles me and makes me uncomfortable.

「Was there something you didn’t understand?」

I looked at the notebook on the table and saw that it was filled with neat letters. I have learned in the last 30 minutes that Hanamaki-san seems to be a good student and does not seem to need tutoring. Her mother asked me to help her study for the high school entrance exam, but it seems like nothing to worry about.

「There’s nothing I don’t understand, but why is Sensei was tutoring?」

I met eyes with Hanamaki-san, who looked at straight in the eye and spoke to me.

She has a short cut and looks active, but her voice is calm. Unlike Miyagi, she wears her hair over her ears. But she wears a school uniform that shows she is following the school rules, the same as Miyagi.

「Nhn—」

I think with a small groan.

I wish I could answer, “Money,” but as a teacher, I’m not so sure about that answer.

「Maybe it’s because I like to teach people something.」

「Did you teach them well academically?」

「For a friend.」

I don’t think this is an appropriate term to use to refer to Miyagi, but I can’t just tell it like it’s at my part-time job. I try to cover it up with a few mundane words and continue to ask questions to avoid being asked about my “friend.”

「Is Hanamaki-san the type of person who teaches studying? Or are you the type who is taught?」

「I am the type of person who is taught. Onee-chan used to teach me.」

I hear words I don’t really want to hear and take a sip of my barley tea.

My well-to-do sister and I who can do reasonably well.

As children, we were both adored by our parents, but after the difference between me and my older sister became apparent, our parents’ affection was directed only toward her. And my parents’ attitude created a rift between us sisters that has not been bridged to this day.

Well, but…

Now I can see that it was a good thing.

If the family had remained the same as when I was a child, I would not have ended up living with Miyagi.

I pick up my glass and pour the memory of my family into my stomach along with the barley tea.

「Don’t you have your sister teaching you now?」

「I’m going to a high school with a dormitory on a sports recommendation.」

「Is that so?」

I place the empty glass on the table.

I can’t imagine her sister from Hanamaki-san, who seems bright but doesn’t look like she is good at sports. But such things are trivial, and more important is the fact that the air in this room has been softened.

The tension itself is not that bad, but if it continues all the time, it becomes tiring.

Hanamaki-san and I are not that far apart in age.

But I don’t know what we have in common, so we continue our study, talking in small talk about not-so-meaningful things.

Twice a week for ninety minutes.

I think it will take me a little longer to get used to being Hanamaki-san’s tutor. Still, ninety minutes pass when we have broken the ice just a little bit, and the tutoring job is over.

I greet her mother and go to the door.

As I put on my shoes, Hanamaki-san, who is almost the same height as Miyagi, bowed her head and said,「Thank you for your time.」Then she smiled and sent me off.

Come to think of it, I don’t think I have seen Miyagi smile since we moved in together. I wish Miyagi could laugh as much as Hanamaki-san does.

I got on the train and headed home.

Hanamaki-san is a quick learner and a handful.

This is very different from Miyagi, who lacks candor.

Well, an honest Miyagi is not so pleasant.

I think rudely as I am rocked by the unusual train. Passing through the ticket gate, I walk along my usual path. I climb the three flights of stairs and open the front door. Miyagi’s shoes are there, but there is no sign of her in the common area.

My stomach growls softly.

I told Miyagi I would be late, so she should have already eaten. Still, I knocked on the door of Miyagi’s room to ask what I knew I didn’t have to ask.

Once, twice, thrice.

Miyagi comes out into the common space, and the door slams shut before she has time to take a peek inside.

「Have you eaten?」

I ask before she says anything else.

「I have eaten.」

「What did you eat?」

「Cup noodles.」

Miyagi replies in a gruff voice.

「You should make food properly.」

「It doesn’t matter what I eat. I was alone. Is that what you have to do?」

「I’ll make some tea, would you like to have a drink with me?」

It wasn’t that kind of errand, but I’ll make it that kind of errand anyway. I thought I would join her if dinner was not ready yet, but if she had eaten, it would not be an errand, so I had no choice.

「Sendai-san, what about your dinner?」

「I’ll eat after this.」

「You should eat first.」

「Then, Miyagi, go have some tea.」

I pull Miyagi’s arm as she tries to go back to her room and make her sit on a chair. While boiling water with the electric kettle, I open the refrigerator.

I’m not Miyagi, but I can’t wait to cook something to eat alone now.

I boil water in a pot and add retort stew. I pour the tea into mugs while it was simmering and serve it to Miyagi. Then, I place the rice on a plate and pour the stew on top of it.

I know rice and stew are supposed to be done separately, but I don’t want to add to the washing up today. I’m reasonably tired after my first part-time job, so I decide to serve and eat with them as Miyagi has done in the past.

As I put the stew on the table and sat down in my chair, Miyagi said,「Hey…」

「…About your part-time job, what kind of kid you were teaching?」

「She was a nice girl. She seemed to study on a regular basis, and she was polite.」

「Heh…」

Miyagi says, seemingly uninterested.

「Also, I guess she was straightforward. Unlike Miyagi.」

I took a bite of the stew, saying it in a deliberate manner. I swallowed hard, looks at Miyagi, and taps the table with my fingertips.

「I don’t have to be honest in front of Sendai-san.」

「Miyagi, in front of whom would you be honest?」

「Everyone except Sendai-san.」

「I knew you would say that.」

I don’t feel comfortable with honest Miyagi, but sometimes I would like to see honest Miyagi.

For example, Miyagi who shows me her ears when I ask her to show me her ears.

Unlike Hanamaki-san, Miyagi keeps her ears hidden today. Her hair is in the way and I can’t see the earrings that are supposed to be for me to see. I think she would hide it in college, but if Utsunomiya wanted to see the piercing, she would show it to her honestly.

I almost sigh and swallow with the stew.

I take another bite of stew and then open my mouth.

「Miyagi. You’ve got your ears pierced, so make sure they’re visible.」

Across the table, Miyagi raises an eyebrow.

Then, after a moment of thought, she tucked her hair behind her ear.

I almost drop my spoon unintentionally and put it on the plate.

「Sendai-san, you promised me.」

Miyagi comes up next to me.

「What kind of?」

「Tomorrow, Sendai-san will cook dinner.」

「…No big deal. What do you want to eat?」

I reach out to Miyagi and touch the earrings instead of pledging my word.

I really want to kiss the earring, but I can’t move because I feel that the Miyagi I know now is not the Miyagi I know.

「Whatever you like, Sendai-san.」

I replied,「Okay,」as I went over the menu in my head.