Chapter 268 - Another Fine Day
"Well then, um… I'll see you later."
"Yeah, see you later."
In the ground-floor parking lot of the small, two-story office.
Averting my eyes from the bizarre sight of a maid casually gripping the steering wheel, I exchanged temporary farewells with Sora, who was peeking out from the rear seat window.
Our 'fake engagement' was now official by mutual consent, but everything had happened far too quickly. Neither Sora nor I were mentally prepared enough to just transition into deepening our friendship in the real world as we had in the virtual one.
So, for today, we decided to part ways for now.
As one could guess from her school uniform on a weekday afternoon, Sora had apparently slipped out of school during her lunch break and was now heading back.
As for me, while it wasn't urgent, a certain 'big job' had come up, so I'd be skipping the rest of my university classes. When I contacted Kunori-san about it, she advised me to just take the whole week off.
Her words were, 'You don't need to worry about the trivial details like attendance days or credits, so please take your time and settle in until the situation stabilizes.'
It's like… well. While I'm truly grateful for her consideration, it makes me feel the presence of a certain kind of 'power' that I'd rather not think about.
Well, that aside. As I watched Sora wave reservedly with a warm feeling, I got into the other car waiting nearby—
"Well then, I'll be in your care."
"Yeah, same here."
I bowed my head to Chitose-san in the driver's seat, who would be looking after me for a while. It turns out he's going to help me with my 'big job'…
"Alright, shall we head straight to your apartment for now?"
"That's fine, but… um, what about the paperwork and all that?"
Considering the university's response, I could sort of guess his answer… but just in case, I asked. Chitose-san just smiled as if it were the most natural thing in the world—
"Of course—someone other than you will take care of all the troublesome details."
"…Right. I'll leave it to you, then."
And there it is. Seriously, this over-the-top VIP treatment is making me tremble.
In that case, I'll leave the troubles of the real world to the Yotsuya family, who offered to be my 'shield'… and I suppose I'll just try to relax and fulfill my 'duty.'
In other words, the 'big job' that needs to be done immediately is—
"Ah, but… the big stuff, like the fridge and washing machine, the two of us probably can't—"
"We've prepared the latest models of all appliances, but would you like to replace them with your own cherished items?"
"I'm sorry, no thank you."
It had been just under two months since I started living alone.
And just like that, it was time for a quick 'move' from my dear castle (my room), which I had just started to grow attached to.
◇◆◇◆◇
"I'll get angry if you say anything right now."
"My, how scary—so, what were your impressions upon meeting your knight in the real world?"
"I-tsu-ki-san?"
Just leave me alone—she knew full well that such a request would fall on deaf ears in this situation. Her threat, which carried no real weight as usual, was brushed aside with ease, and Sora pulled the bag at her side into her lap to block the view from the rearview mirror.
"There's no need to be so angry, is there? Everything turned out for the best, didn't it?"
"That's why I'm so troubled…!"
"Fufu, so you admit that it all turned out for the best?"
"…Hmph, I don't know what you're talking about!"
She was being teased—but she knew it wasn't just that.
Still, her heart just couldn't keep up. That was the real reason she'd decided to go back to school, even though she wasn't in the mood.
Take a little time, calm down, and then talk to him again in the virtual world.
By doing that, they could go back to being their usual selves… That's what they had told each other as they said, 'See you later.'
That's why—
"Next time, I'll be really angry. So just leave me alone."
To show her complete resistance, Sora turned her face away with a huff and fixed her gaze out the window. However, such a pose of defiance against the one who knew her so well, her surrogate sister—
"Oh my, how frightening—you must be glad he wasn't some old man, hmm?"
"Itsuki-san!!"
—was utterly futile, and she knew it, resigning herself to her fate.
◇◆◇◆◇
"—…Seriously?"
"Seriously. Don't think of it as a loan; feel free to use it as you please."
Several hours after returning to my room and starting the process of sorting through my things, I found myself standing utterly dumbfounded before an unbelievable scene.
Since I didn't have many belongings to begin with, the packing process itself was finished in a flash. I'd been told that all the furniture and appliances were already taken care of, so I had no lingering attachments to my old things, which I had gathered under the motto of 'if it works, it's good enough.' Goodbye and farewell.
So, my luggage consisted of just small items, including clothes and daily necessities.
To be honest, I only worked for about thirty minutes myself. The rest of the time, I just killed time outside while the [Arcadia] machine was being transported from my old room to the new one.
I found myself free around two in the afternoon… and since I'd missed lunch, Chitose-san invited me out for a get-to-know-you session for two.
—Anything you'd like to eat?
—I'll leave it to you.
And that's what I did.
The result was being taken to a sushi restaurant where the prices weren't listed on the menu, and I naturally went into full 'timid cat' mode.
…Well, that's a joke. It wasn't because of our mutual efforts—but solely thanks to his monstrous communication skills that I was completely won over in the span of a single lunch.
Before I knew it, my guard was down, my hesitation was gone, and my polite language was dropped…
To think he could get me to speak casually to an older person without any reason like 'the way of the rankers'—he's no ordinary man. It definitely wasn't because of the taste of the non-conveyor-belt sushi, I swear.
But, that aside.
"Um… I think… five of me could live in here… You know?"
Stretching out before me was an absurdly spacious living and dining room, so large I couldn't even guess its size. I'm not kidding, the kitchen floor alone looked big enough to live on.
"Better than being cramped, right? If cleaning is a hassle, you can just hire a service."
"A cleaning service???"
What's that, a magic spell from another world?
By the way, this place is literally a super-luxury condo from another dimension (another world).
"Um, the rent is…"
"Do you think I'd make you pay? In fact, I could even gift you the whole—"
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, way!?!"
This makes no sense! This is beyond VIP treatment…!
"W-wait a minute. I don't mean to be rude, but even for the great Yotsuya, this is starting to get suspicious. You're not going to ask me to do anything weird, right?"
"Well, I can assure you there won't be anything weirder than being asked to 'become my daughter's fiancé' on the same day you meet."
"Yeah, but… I'm going to be receiving a 'contract fee' on top of all this, right? And all you're asking of me is to just play a game…"
It's just too good to be true for me. So good it's starting to become terrifying.
"I understand how you feel, but you'll have to accept it. At the same time—by placing yourself in an appropriate environment, you need to build up your self-awareness."
"Self-awareness…"
"Yes, self-awareness. An awareness that the world demands you to be that way."
"…"
I'm getting dizzy, seriously.
"…I'll do my best, bit by bit."
"Please do. We'll provide you with full support."
How delighting... Trusting his expression, which showed not a hint of pressure but only confidence, I decided I would rely on him completely.
"Now then—following our boss's lead, we'll save the difficult talk for another day. I'll be in touch, so you should rest up and focus on getting used to your new environment, Haru-kun."
"Got it…"
I replied in a hoarse voice. With a smile and a casual 'See you,' Chitose-san was gone—
"…"
Left behind in my ridiculously spacious 'new home,' I stood there, dumbfounded, at the entrance to the living room.
What's with this huge space? You could probably play futsal in here.
"Easy for you to say, 'get used to it'…"
I didn't have the right to refuse for security reasons, which is understandable, but I wish they'd toned it down a little with a place more my size…
—An appropriate environment.
—The world demands it.
Time and again, I find myself swept away by massive waves before my heart can catch up—
"…Well, for now, anyway."
My top priority was unpacking the few cardboard boxes and other luggage I had.
First, to put away the items I'd pulled from the fridge of my old room, I squared off against the ridiculously large, brand-spanking-new refrigerator.
His second move. Farewell, cheap one-room apartment.
I don't plan on describing it in detail anytime soon, so please feel free to imagine 'a room in the ultimate luxury condo' however you like.