「What on earth is going on here?」
The identity of the suddenly appeared man was Hoshino’s father.
I had a bad feeling when Hoshino started panicking after looking through the intercom, but it turns out this housekeeping service was something decided solely by Hoshino and her sister, Aina-san, and her father had no idea about it.
At the beginning, when Aina-san playfully said, “I haven’t told him, you know??” I didn’t think she was serious.
I assumed everyone in the family, or rather, all related to the Hoshino household, knew about it since even the driver was aware, but apparently, only her father was in the dark.
Thanks to Hoshino’s mother and the household staff keeping a tight lid on information, it hadn’t been discovered until now, but a sudden visit led to the current situation.
The main reason for not telling her father was his overprotective love for his daughter, which led him to chase away any man who came near her.
Doesn’t that mean I’m screwed?
Hoshino’s doting papa didn’t know about this, and yet I’ve been entering the house without permission.
And not just once or twice, but countless times.
Without exaggeration, if I get away with just being half-killed, I’d be lucky, right? Probably.
Despite Hoshino’s desperate resistance, her father was let into the house, and now a family meeting is in full swing.
I was waiting a bit away since I’m an outsider, but now Aina-san, who was called, and Hoshino are sitting on chairs in the living room, facing their father.
Although things seem calm now, it was far from that when he first discovered me.
If Hoshino hadn’t stepped in to stop him at the last moment, I would have taken a hard hit to the face.
Hoshino managed to explain the situation somehow, calming things down for the moment, but then her father started lecturing the sisters.
Hoshino’s father is apparently a dentist, but his appearance is far from what you’d expect.
In other words, he’s a muscular man.
So, when such a person crosses his arms and makes a stern face, it’s even more intimidating from a third-party perspective.
Even I find it frightening, so it must be even more so for them.
He’s usually doting and doesn’t get angry often, but when he does, it’s as you see.
No wonder Hoshino was so panicked.
「For now, I understand that Takumi-kun is here as a housekeeping service. So? Why did you think of hiring a housekeeping service, and that too, a male?」
He tried to keep his tone calm, perhaps wanting to appear composed, but anger seeped through his words.
「That’s because… um… Michika-chan’s personal life was a bit messy, so I thought a housekeeping service would be good.」
Aina-san answers on behalf.
Well, it’s a legitimate reason for hiring a housekeeping service, but the problem is…
「Then why specifically choose Takumi-kun? And a male at that?」
「That’s because Takumi-kun happened to be a classmate, so we thought it would be better than a complete stranger, less need to be careful, you know…」
「Is that really all?」
「All, you say?」
「They’re not doing anything you can’t tell me about, are they?」
Hoshino’s father seemed to suspect that we might be involved in something that can’t be talked about openly.
「O-Of course not!! Don’t joke about such things!!」
Hoshino, who had been silent until now, roared. For some reason, her eyes are filled with tears.
「Who’s joking here!! Do you even understand why I’m this angry? It’s because you contracted this service without my permission!」
「We told Okaa-san! We didn’t tell Otou-san because we thought you wouldn’t approve!」
「Why do you insist I wouldn’t approve! I might have agreed to a housekeeping service too!」
「Otou-san agreeing? No way! After chasing away all the men around us, you’d allow a housekeeping service? Impossible. The person who bared his fangs and intimidated even middle school boys can’t possibly do that!!」
「I can! Besides, that was to make sure no bad influence got to Michika and Aina──」
「There was no need to do that!! That’s been nothing but a nuisance and I’ve hated it since forever!!」
A few seconds of silence enveloped the room.
However, if you listened carefully, you could faintly hear Hoshino’s breathing after letting it all out.
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On the other hand, Hoshino’s father clenched his fists, staring straight at Hoshino.
Then, he slowly opens his mouth.
「Ahh, is that so. Then I understood. I understood very well. It was a mistake to let a high school girl live alone in the first place. A girl who can’t even do housekeeping properly living alone──」
「──Please wait.」
I unconsciously interrupted Hoshino’s father’s words.
Surely, me stepping in here is a bad move.
If I had just stayed silent, I might have been let off easily and could have gone home.
But I’ve been with Hoshino for nearly half a year now.
I may not know as much as her father, but I think I’ve come to know a bit about her.
Can’t do housekeeping properly? If I keep listening silently…
I take a deep breath and declare.
「Michika can’t do housekeeping? That’s not true at all. Sure, when I first came, her cooking, cleaning, and laundry were all half-hearted and bad. But over these six months, she’s made efforts in her own way and has become capable of doing all the housekeeping without my help. …So, please don’t deny her efforts without even seeing them.」
「Fuun, as a friend, you might want to defend her. But if what you say is true, aren’t you already an unnecessary presence for Michika?」
His straightforward logic pierces me.
This has been a major issue for both of us recently.
Hoshino has long since become capable of doing housekeeping well enough not to need a housekeeping service.
To be frank, my presence was already unnecessary.
I’m hardly doing anything, yet I’m just receiving money.
Though Hoshino says she lets me cook, the truth is she has both the time and skill to handle it herself, so she only wanted to create evidence that I’m performing my housekeeping work.
So, originally, this is something Hoshino shouldn’t have to endure.
If Hoshino is going to keep being told this as long as I stay here.
It’s better to end it here.
「──T-That’s right. Michika can manage on her own without me. I’m already an unnecessary presence for Michika.」
「I see. Then you understand what I’m getting at, don’t you?」
「Of course. ──As of today, with mutual consent, we will terminate the housekeeping service, is that acceptable?」
「Yeah, of course.」
「Understood. I will begin the procedures as soon as I return to the company. Detailed contract information will be sent later in writing.」
「Understood. If there are any forms to fill out, I’ll come by later.」
「Thank you very much. We’ll proceed accordingly.」
「I’m counting on you.」
「Ah, by the way… Michika.」
「…M-Me?」
Michika seemed surprised that it was directed at her, but just one thing.
I have to say this.
Probably, I won’t be able to say it if not for this opportunity.
「It was tough and challenging at first, but for me, this was──the most enjoyable workplace I’ve ever had. Thanks to you. Thank you.」
「D-Don’t… wait.」
「Then, please excuse me.」
After bowing deeply, I leave the scene.
Ignoring Hoshino’s “Wait!” of restraint.
When I stepped outside, although it was cloudy in the morning, now sunlight was streaming through the gaps in the clouds.
「Ah~ah, it might rain…」
I muttered that one word and started walking.