Comics, daily stories

“Puberty syndrome, huh?” Nomiyama sighed. “I looked up this urban legend last night. It seems to be about superpowers that arise from desires and cravings when you want something.”

Nomiyama looked at the person next to him, and said meaningfully, "A big star who was once highly regarded is now about to disappear from people's world."

Yukino Yukinoshita listened to his words and began to think.

"Well, my senior will bring this up sooner or later. After all, the fact that she came to us basically means that she actually wants to solve the problem."

Nomiyama turned around and walked towards the rooftop entrance: "Let's go back first, pack up our lunch boxes, class is about to start."

Yukino Yukinoshita followed, simply replying, "Mm."

......

Nomiyama's life has indeed been gradually becoming strange lately.

Megumi and Eriri have gone from being able to remember Mai-senpai after being reminded at the beginning, to being unable to remember her no matter how much stimulation they receive.

Their perceptions are being corrected and distorted by some kind of rule, transforming into a worldview where Mai Sakurajima does not exist.

Even when Mai-senpai moved the chair in front of them, they couldn't react. It was as if the chair itself had disappeared. In their eyes, everything was normal, except that one person was missing from that normalcy.

Oh, no, something's still a bit off. For example, they can see two other members of the Service Club talking to a nobody named 'Sakurajima Mai'.

Kato Megumi calmly accepted the fact that 'ghosts' exist in this world, because he wouldn't deliberately put on an act with Yukinoshita to deceive himself.

Eriri Sawamura accepted it, and then she stayed by Nomiyama's side every time she was in the Service Club.

Because that 'ghost' seemed to be sitting next to Yukino the whole time, she was afraid.

Nomiyama, however, was thinking about something else.

Mai-senpai's disappearance symptoms are continuing to worsen. What if one day, even Yukinoshita can't find her anymore?

The 207th Love That Never Expires

Mai Sakurajima had heard a saying.

Everything in this world has an expiration date, just like canned goods, instant noodles, and sweet candies.

Each of them has a date and time written on it. Once that time has passed, it means that they will begin the process of decaying.

People probably do expire, just like a household name. Once a certain point in time has passed, they will expire and disappear from the screen. Then, all their works will disappear, and eventually, no one will know them anymore, or perhaps they will disappear completely.

Mai Sakurajima began to think about what could possibly not expire.

Thinking this, she looked at Yukino, who was fiddling with her notebook.

If I remember correctly, two hours ago, that usually aloof girl started diligently browsing various shops on her laptop.

She was looking for Mr. Pan's mascot costume, or pajamas, and slippers.

She likes the fierce panda doll named Mr. Pan, and she also likes the junior named Nomiyama Kazehaya, so recently she has been thinking about combining the two things she likes.

Mai Sakurajima remembered the look in Yukino's eyes when she mentioned wanting to prepare a Mr. Pan outfit for him—a hint of anticipation, a hint of happiness, a hint of fantasy, a hint of embarrassment, but no trepidation.

She seemed completely unconcerned about being rejected, and was simply looking forward to that day.

This is about liking and being sure to be liked, understanding and being sure to be understood.

"Mai, what do you think of this outfit?"

Yukino Yukinoshita, holding her notebook, shifted it to show it to the person next to her who was lost in thought. Their eyes met, and she frowned slightly, asking, "What's wrong?"

She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Is it because TV is too boring?"

Mai Sakurajima gently shook her head: "No, I was just thinking about something. Let me see."

Yukino is like that; she's always direct and will speak her mind. But that's precisely why she's not liked by most people, because most people in this world don't like to hear directness and straightforwardness. Relationships between people are often roundabout.

Thinking about it, Mai Sakurajima leaned closer to the notebook, inside which was a pair of pajamas printed with Mr. Pan's image. It looked flashy, but it wasn't really.

Since pandas are black and white, their pajamas are naturally also only black and white.

"It's quite cute, but I don't know if my junior will like it." Mai Sakurajima nodded.

"This one then." Yukino Yukinoshita said seriously as she placed the order, saying, "He'll like it."

The younger students will like it.

Sakurajima Mai looked at her and felt that her junior didn't like Mr. Pan, but just liked her, and then incidentally liked anything she liked.

Will my favorite expire?

According to Yukino, she didn't fall in love with her junior when she first met him at the age of eight.

She was nine years old, in the early summer after Eriri left. Her junior schoolmate scolded a few male classmates with an unhappy expression, and she smiled and fell in love with him.

That story was probably about a hero rescuing a damsel in distress, and it was also probably the first time the boy showed his affection for her.

Nine years old is very early; one has to be precocious to realize that one likes this kind of feeling at that age.

The period from nine to sixteen years old is quite long, seven years.

One theory is that the human body undergoes a complete cell renewal process every seven years. Therefore, a relationship is at its most dangerous point in its seventh year, because during this period, all the cells that once loved the other person have been replaced.

This is also known as the seven-year itch.

Will this affection also expire?

With a hint of curiosity, Mai Sakurajima asked, "Yukino, how long do you think you'll like your junior?"

"Always."

The answer came so quickly that Mai Sakurajima was a little taken aback.

Yukino Yukinoshita closed her notebook, turned to look at her, and asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

Sakurajima Mai, seeing the other person's seemingly simple response—like asking, "Have you eaten?"—became even more curious: "Why are you so sure?"

Yukino Yukinoshita thought for a moment, and her answer was still simple and powerful: "Because he will always love me, I will always love him."

Sakurajima Mai looked at her, somewhat speechless with inexplicable emotion.

Therefore, it is only natural and justified.

But why am I so sure? So sure that the suspicious junior will always like me?

Knowing that Yukino prefers a more straightforward approach to relationships, Mai Sakurajima chose to ask directly, "Why are you so sure that your junior will always like you?"

Yukino Yukinoshita stopped adjusting the TV channels. After a moment of silence, she smiled faintly and said, "Because I will always love him, he will always love me."

Mai Sakurajima was completely speechless. This inexplicable statement closed off their mutual affection, as if there were no other options.

Yukino Yukinoshita was watching Animal World on TV. After a while, she hesitated and looked at the quiet person next to her: "Was I too general?"

Mai Sakurajima wanted to nod, but she suppressed the thought because she didn't understand love. She had never experienced love, and she didn't know what love was like. Without knowing something, she couldn't judge it.

But she could raise another question: "Even if he likes Hui, does he?"

Yukino Yukinoshita paused for two seconds, then turned back to look at the TV. After a while, she said, "It's strange, isn't it? He clearly likes other people, so why am I so sure he'll always like me?"

“Actually, I’ve thought about it over the past two months. If I hadn’t gone to England, would things have turned out differently? But I only thought about it once or twice because the past is set in stone and I can’t change it.”

Yukino Yukinoshita thought the TV was a bit noisy, so she pressed the remote to turn it off. She turned to Mai and said, "He knows I won't leave him, and I know he won't leave me. We understand each other very well, so liking each other became inevitable."

The two people are aware of each other's mutual attraction.

Mai Sakurajima pondered her words, finally letting out a soft sigh of admiration: "That's impressive."

Yukino Yukinoshita looked at her and said softly, "It's not that bad."

Sakurajima Mai suddenly realized that the 'love' between these two people would not expire, at least not before death.

Then, another emotion rose in her heart, which surprised her and left her somewhat at a loss.

She felt a pang of envy, just like when she was alone on set in the snow, watching them huddled together on a street corner eating roasted sweet potatoes.

A love that never expires.

want to.

......

Nomiyama wrapped the bottom of the chicken leg with a tissue, pinched it up, and then put it in his mouth, tearing off a large piece of chicken.

As he chewed, he turned to look at Yukina, who had just opened the door, and then gradually slowed down his chewing.

This time, Yukinoshita's arm wasn't held; she simply carried her lunchbox and walked into the Service Club.

Behind her, Mai Sakurajima's expression remained unchanged.

It's fake. The sadness in her eyes almost makes the chicken leg taste bad.

While the chicken leg still tasted alright, Nomiyama chewed it quickly.

Chew, chew, chew.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

208 Cohabitation

Nomiyama had thought about that question: if Megumi and Eriri would forget Mai-senpai, what about Yukinoshita?

Will she one day forget Mai-senpai's existence?

Waking up in the morning light, then forgetting some things, forgetting some people.

This is pretty much one of the normal life experiences.

But for Mai-senpai, forgetting means disappearing, disappearing from the other person's life, disappearing without being noticed.

Nomiyama swallowed the chicken leg meat and looked at Yukinoshita, whose expression was normal, until she passed by. He then shifted his gaze and looked at Mai-senpai, who was standing in place.

Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Mai Sakurajima looked at her junior, remaining silent.

Before she came here, she thought no one remembered her, and that her junior would be like Yukino, taking a nap and forgetting who he was.

So the junior did remember.

Mai Sakurajima suppressed her thoughts and maintained a calm demeanor. She took a few steps forward, pulled out a chair, and sat down at the reception desk. "Just as you saw, Yukino forgot about me. She forgot about me as soon as she woke up this morning."

"I see." Nomiyama nodded calmly, then pushed over a bento box, the one he had made himself.

"Eat up, I made it myself. The flavor might be a bit strong, but it's definitely delicious."

Mai Sakurajima looked down at the bento box, which contained only two dishes: a vegetable salad and pork ribs and potatoes. The dish was not stewed but stir-fried, and the surface of the dishes had a faint red color, which was from chili peppers.

Yukino forgot about her, so she lost the chance to make bento boxes and eat them. She could only go out with her when she went out.

Picking up her chopsticks, Mai Sakurajima began to eat, ignoring the rest of the Service Club.

Nomiyama looked up at the three people staring at him with surprise and confusion, especially Yukinoshita.

He reached out and took the bento box that Yukinoshita had prepared for him, and, meeting her gaze, said the following words.

"I like Mai Sakurajima."

Mai Sakurajima dropped her chopsticks into the bento box and stared blankly at him.

Yukino Yukinoshita's brows furrowed instantly, her pupils darted around, and her brain began to work frantically.

Mai Sakurajima?

Does he like Mai Sakurajima?

A moment later, some images began to flash through my mind.

On a snowy night, a slender girl smiled under the Ferris wheel. He would occasionally mention scenes from TV dramas, and finally, he would talk about the companionship she had given him over the past few days.

Exhaling, Yukino Yukinoshita looked at him: "Nomiyama pervert, please don't get involved with Mai like this again next time."

Nomiyama shrugged and didn't respond. He simply glanced at the other two people who also looked like they were struggling.

The verbal provocations from the previous two days have finally subsided somewhat; it turns out that this sentence was the most effective.

Kato Megumi rubbed her temples and looked up at the person at the reception desk.