{Sunday with the girl next to me}

When the background music in the store changed, I put the magazine I had been reading back on the shelf.

On Sundays, it’s become a habit for me to stop by the convenience store while I’m out. There’s nothing particularly interesting; I usually just read magazines and buy gum to kill time. Yet, every time I have a day off, I find myself coming here.

Thinking to myself it was a bad habit, I continued to glance at the magazine shelf.

At that moment, I saw the automatic door open out of the corner of my eye.

“…Ah.”

The girl who came in let out a small sound.

I noticed her too.

Why do I keep running into her? I’d heard her house was near East High, so we shouldn’t have crossed paths here— Trying to avoid eye contact I quickly looked away.

I decided to pretend I didn’t notice her.

But then I heard the sound of sneakers approaching.

In a panic, I grabbed a movie magazine that was nearby and quickly scanned the new release information, which I had no real interest in.

The footsteps stopped right next to me, and despite all my efforts, a familiar voice called out.

“Um… Is that you, Yamaguchi-kun?”

I couldn’t ignore my name being called.

I looked up and reluctantly acknowledged the familiar face.

“…Sato-san.”

It was Sato-san, my desk mate.

She was wearing a light beige dress made of a fabric that made it look like work clothes. Her hair was tied back in the same unremarkable style as usual, and she wore plain sneakers. Even in casual clothes, she didn’t look particularly cute.

When you see a classmate outside of school, you usually get a little surprised by how cute they look in their everyday wear. But with Sato-san, there was no such surprise—just awkwardness.

“I knew it was you, Yamaguchi-kun.”

Oblivious to my inner thoughts, Sato-san smiled.

“It’s such a coincidence to run into you outside of school.”

“Yeah.”

I closed the magazine and gave a vague smile in return.

I didn’t want her to think I was thrilled about this chance meeting. I wasn’t thrilled at all.

Besides, as long as it is a classmate, Sato-san would probably be happy to run into anyone.

“Is your house around here, Yamaguchi-kun?”

“About a fifteen-minute walk.”

“Really? I didn’t know that.”

Sato-san was still smiling happily.

“I’m meeting a friend here. I came by bus.”

“Wow.”

“But my friend hasn’t arrived yet. I’m glad I ran into you, Yamaguchi-kun.”

I wondered what she found so great about this.

Is it lonely for Sato-san to wait alone?

That was a bit surprising. I thought she would be fine being by herself, just zoning out.

I was unsure how to respond.

She still stood next to me, looking at me intently.

“You look different in casual clothes, Yamaguchi-kun.”

Her surprise made me even more uncomfortable.

“Do I? I think it’s pretty normal.”

“No, you look very grown-up. Like an older person. I thought, ‘Oh?’ when I first saw you.”

Sato-san clasped her hands together, praising me.

“You have a good sense of style, Yamaguchi-kun.”

“Not really.”

She was persistent, even though I never asked for praise. Maybe Sato-san believes that “everyone likes to be complimented.”

Unfortunately, being praised by the plain and dowdy Sato-san didn’t make me happy.

The dress she wore was a pale, faded beige with a simple, straight cut. On her, it looked almost like a middle schooler’s outfit. Her hairstyle was exactly the same as usual, and there was nothing to praise.

But since she was complimenting me so much, I couldn’t just ignore it.

“Well, Sato-san…”

In the end, I couldn’t find anything to compliment.

So I said something insincere.

“That dress is cute.”

“Huh?”

Sato-san’s eyes widened immediately.

“I mean, the dress you’re wearing. I think it suits you and is a cute design.”

In reality, it suited her perfectly.

I don’t think it has great style, but it is cute in a childish way. Let’s leave it at that.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Since she asked again, I nodded reluctantly.

Sato-san then suddenly blushed and smiled shyly.

“Ah, thank you.”

“No, it’s nothing.”

It wasn’t really something to thank me for.

Before I could say that, Sato-san’s cheeks flushed slightly.

“I don’t get complimented very often… It’s a bit embarrassing, but I’m happy.”

Her faintly blushing smile reminded me of a face after a bath.

I had never seen her blush with embarrassment from a compliment at school.

This was the first time I had run into Sato-san outside of school.

It might also be the first time I’ve ever complimented her.

She was always a person with no particular qualities to praise, and as just a classmate sitting next to her, I shouldn’t have any obligation to do so.

Yet, I found myself regretting my previous words for some reason.

Sato-san is straightforward.

She’d probably be happy with any compliment she receives, and might even be pleased with insincere flattery without realizing it.

Even if all I praised was her outfit.

But it was a lie. The clothes she wore weren’t cute.

The clothes weren’t cute at all.

“Oh!”

Suddenly, Sato-san exclaimed.

On the other side of the glass separating the magazine section, an unfamiliar girl was waving at us. She seemed to be Sato-san’s friend.

“My friend is here, so I’m going now. See you tomorrow, Yamaguchi-kun.”

With that, Sato-san rushed to the convenience store’s entrance.

After exchanging words with the girl who had just arrived, she and her friend started shopping together without looking back at me.

The sounds of their excited voices blended with the convenience store’s background music.

I sighed and remembered I had been holding a movie magazine.

Since I wasn’t planning to buy it and had no interest, I put it back on the shelf and pretended like that nothing happened.

I felt like the convenience store and Sato-san were somewhat similar.

It might be a habit. Just a little time each day, I end up talking to her as part of some routine. Naturally, I think about her and waste time.

I wonder how much I’ll think about Sato-san in the next week starting tomorrow.

I’ll likely be perplexed by pointless dialogues and forced to say insincere things.

Thus, this Sunday too, ends with an inexplicable regret.