Episode 29: The Mark

Endo-san is fidgeting.

Has something happened?
I’m curious, but it’s rather amusing, so I think I’ll just leave it be.

　Tomorrow is the day I’m supposed to go to the summer festival with Endo-san.
Honestly, it’s a real pain.
I still dislike events, and going offers me no benefit whatsoever. Studying at home would be far more beneficial for my future.

This summer, due to that study session, I’m staying at Endo-san’s house. Today was another one of those days.

It feels odd that I see Endo-san more than my friend Mai, but today I’ll teach her and receive my payment.

　Endo-san seemed terribly grumpy when we studied with my sister a little while ago, but now she seemed in a good mood.

I thought Endo-san, being popular, would have her summer schedule packed solid, but is it really alright for her to spend so much time studying with me?

Well, it’s not really my place to be thinking about that, but it does bother me a little.

Suddenly, I remembered talking with Mai the other day.

　＊＊＊

“Hey Hoshizora, if you ever got a partner, what would you want to do together?”
“What do you mean, ‘what’?”
“Like, holding hands, or going on dates?”

I have no intention of creating important people or important memories in the first place, so of course there’s nothing I’d want to do.

“Nothing in particular.”

“Eh? How boring! Like, in summer, you could want to watch fireworks together, or go round the festival stalls!”

“Nah, nothing.”

“Honestly, you’re such a dullard… Well then, even if it’s not a lover, don’t you ever get jealous when that person interacts with others? Or feel possessive?”

“……”

I was at a loss for words.
It’s not like I like her or care about her or anything, but that honest expression Endo-san never shows anyone else? Only I know it exists. And I’m fine with no one else knowing.

“Oops, being lost for words means you do, eh?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Lucky you… I wish someone I liked would want to keep me all to themselves. I’d love it if they left a hickey on me.”

It surprised me that Mai had such desires.

“Are you frustrated?”

“How rude! But seriously, if they left one, it’d stay for a while, right? And seeing it would remind you every time. It works the other way too, doesn’t it?　Like, so they’d always remember you, or if someone else saw it, they’d know you’re thinking of someone special. Wouldn’t that be brilliant?”

I couldn’t grasp half of what Mai was saying, but the other half… I found myself understanding it all too well, and that scared me.

“Well, first you’d need to find someone you like, wouldn’t you?”

“Quite right.”

＊＊＊

I recall that conversation hazily.

　Even in summer, Endo-san always looks so fresh.
A faint, lovely floral scent lingers.

“Endo-san.”

I think I was looking at Endo-san with a serious expression.

“Have you decided what you want to do?”

Just by me calling her name, Endo-san knows she has to listen. She’s like a well-behaved large dog.

“Today, whatever you do to me, I won’t move.”

“Eh? — Understood.”

I move closer beside Endo-san.

My heart pounds nervously, but I decide not to mind. I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m just receiving payment for tutoring Endo-san.

I loosen Endo-san’s tie and undo three buttons on her shirt.

　Her chest came into view, revealing a subtly patterned, pale pink under-shirt that wasn’t overly flashy.

Looking up at Endo-san’s face, she was pulling an incredible expression, her brow furrowed so deeply her eyebrows nearly touched.
I thought that face was cuter than the one she wore when hanging out with friends at school.

“You pervert, Takizawa. What are you doing?”

“Just shut up.”

I pressed my lips to the area below Endo-san’s collarbone and sucked slowly. I couldn’t see what expression she was making, and right now, I didn’t want her to see mine.

The spot where my lips had been pressed was red and bruised.

　I thought maybe experiencing it myself would help me understand Mai’s feelings a little, but I ended up thinking, ‘Is that all there is to it?’
I felt ashamed of my own actions and bit the mark to drown out that feeling.

“Takizawa, that hurts.”

“Right. That’s enough for today.”

Endo-san looked utterly bewildered.
I think that reaction is spot on.

Even I don’t fully understand my own actions, so Endo-san certainly wouldn’t.

　The only thing I know for certain is that the red mark beneath Endo-san’s collarbone was definitely left by me, and that I alone get to see that troubled expression on her face.

Thinking that makes me feel light-headed, as if I’m floating.

Endo-san hurriedly covered her chest and buttoned up.

I don’t want to go, but a promise is a promise. While secretly hoping Endo-san might forget, I ask about tomorrow.

“Tomorrow, what time, where?”

“Eh? You remembered the promise?”

I never forget promises. Rather, I was surprised Endo-san remembered.

“If you don’t want to, I won’t go.”

Flustered, Endo-san hurried closer. Her cheeks seemed slightly red, but that was probably just my imagination.

No, even a friend would be embarrassed if someone got that close to their chest and pressed their lips against it.

“How about meeting at that park tomorrow at five?”

I couldn’t tell what Endo-san was afraid of, but she asked timidly.

Keeping promises is my policy.

It’s not that I particularly want to go to the summer festival with Endo-san.

It’s simply a matter of keeping a promise.

“…Alright.”

That was all we said before today’s study session ended.