Two weeks have passed since then.
As summer vacation begins, the school is deserted, and the shouts of the sports clubs echo across the grounds.
While the sports clubs are sweating it out for upcoming tournaments, the cultural clubs at this school have no particular activities during the summer break. The club I was a member of was no exception.
We had planned to do something, but due to scheduling and budget constraints, club activities were put on hold for this vacation period.
I was prepared to feel a sense of emptiness from having nothing to do, but reality wasn’t that kind to me.
Studying for university entrance exams and helping with housekeeping.
Because it was a long vacation, I had only been doing housekeeping at Hoshino’s house, but now I was also helping with other housekeeping jobs.
The days of receiving subtle looks from customers had returned.
However, today I was doing housekeeping work at Hoshino’s house since the morning.
Hoshino isn’t in any sports club, so she’s basically at home during the long vacation, except for cram school.
Whether it’s a side effect of that or not…
「How do you even get it this dirty?」
「You’re so noisy… I don’t know.」
I was recently impressed by how she had become more independent, but as soon as her routine changed, this happened. I give her an exasperated look, and Hoshino turns away, looking embarrassed.
I want to say, “Give me back my admiration” but recently, my work has been taken away by the independent Hoshino, so this was the first real job I had in a while.
I had been worried about being a wage thief with nothing to do, so I couldn’t exactly be happy, but I also couldn’t scold her, leaving me in a delicate state of mind.
「Then, let’s get started.」
Continuing the argument would only waste time.
I’m working on an hourly wage, so I want to do work that matches that.
Driven by such an impulse, I was about to start cleaning with a vacuum cleaner in hand when,
「You don’t have to do that. Um… I can do it myself.」
I was stopped by my employer.
Recently, this pattern has become the norm.
「If you can do it alone, that’s fine, but doesn’t that make my presence unnecessary? You don’t need to waste money on this, right?」
Housekeeping services are for people who are too busy to do chores or for lazy, sloppy people with no talent for cleaning, like a certain someone.
──Light Novels──
──Read Here──
There’s nothing we can do for busy people or those who absolutely can’t clean, but in Hoshino’s case, it’s all about her motivation.
And practically speaking, she’s managing just fine.
After that, we discussed and reduced the housekeeping from three times a week to two.
「I-It’s not like… I said I could do everything…」
「No, you were doing just fine last time.」
「I wasn’t.」
「Liar.」
Last time was just helping with cooking.
We tried making a slightly challenging dish together. This isn’t housekeeping, it’s more like a cohabiting couple.
Of course, there’s no such relationship anywhere.
「What happened last time doesn’t matter now, does it? Is it fun always looking back?」
「That surprised me… don’t just stab me like that.」
「Look, can we drop this topic? I’ll tidy up my room, so… T-Takumi, you make lunch.」
「Lunch?」
「Yeah, I-I haven’t eaten Takumi’s cooking recently… I kind of forgot your taste… or something?」
「……」
「Um… I just felt like eating it… i-is that bad?」
「O-Of course not. It’s my job, so I’ll do it.」
Hoshino gradually averts her gaze downward, finally muttering while grabbing the hem of her skirt.
She probably wanted to say it more naturally, but she couldn’t hide her embarrassment, “I-I see… then call me when it’s ready” she said before rushing off to her bedroom.
And so, I was left alone in the room, standing there in a daze.
I think Hoshino didn’t notice because I quickly covered it up, but my heartbeat had accelerated.
That’s the first time I’ve seen Hoshino like that… she did it on purpose, right? …It must be.
She never spoke like that before…
Whatever her true intentions, one thing is certain.
「What was that… she’s just straight-up cute.」