Chapter 315 - Negative Example (Self-Aware)
Sunday
Finally finished cleaning the living room, and let out a sigh of relief.
The clock showed 11:45 AM. 15 more minutes until Mion-san and Tsubaki-san arrive, huh…
"Brother! I need your help!"
"I'm coming, wait up."
The chairs Miki and I had been using were scheduled for recycling, so I had to move them to the entrance.
By the way, my chair had already been moved.
"I'll do the rest, so please stay in the living room."
"Are you sure?"
"Mion might be here soon, so please."
"Understood!"
It's not an extremely large chair, but carrying it down the stairs would be tough on Miki. Even so, I need to be careful.
Miki had been tutoring Nat's younger sister, Nao-chan, on Sundays recently, but today she had the day off.
We were receiving expensive gaming chairs, albeit nominally as rentals, so she should definitely thank Mion for them.
Ding-dong~♪
"Ah-"
They seemed to have come a bit early after all.
Mion always waits at the station first.
"Yes, this is Ise."
Good morning, this is Tsubaki.
As I thought that, Miki answered the intercom with her proper formal manner.
It was a little earlier than planned, but apparently, they had also called for the recycling of the old chairs. Oh, right, I need to move Miki's chair.
………
……
…
"This should be good."
Lunch today was hiyashi chuka (chilled Chinese noodles).
Perfect for a humid day, and healthy since it includes vegetables… right?
Tsubaki-san was handling the installation and assembly of the new gaming chairs, and the setup with the VR HMDs.
I wondered if it was okay to leave everything to her, but she said she had experience setting up Mion's.
Well, Miki is learning the setup procedure, so I'll ask her later.
She'll probably come down when she's finished… but should I go call her?
As I went up the stairs, I could hear Tsubaki-san's voice explaining something from Miki's (and Mashiro-nee's) room at the back.
She said she'd set up my room at the front first, so maybe she's done already?
Peeking through the open door, I saw a perfectly set up gaming chair, and,
"…Mion, what are you doing?"
Mion was sitting on the bed, hugging a pillow.
Noticing my voice, she gently put the pillow back in its original place, stood up, and smiled.
"Um, lunch is ready."
"Mm."
It didn't seem like the right atmosphere to comment on what she was doing earlier, so I decided to go to Miki's room…
"Lunch is ready."
"Oh, just in time!"
"I just finished."
It seemed the setup was completed successfully, and they had finished putting away the cardboard boxes and cushioning materials from the packaging.
That's all well and good, but I wonder if it's okay to just leave Mion.
………
……
…
"This, please."
"Mm."
After finishing lunch, I handed a glass bowl to Mion, who was helping me with the dishes.
Even just wiping them with a wrung-out cloth and arranging them on the dish rack was a great help.
By the way, Tsubaki-san wasn't helping. Apparently, it was important for Mion to help me alone today. Well, it's fine.
And what was she doing, you ask?
"If we're going to seriously develop a virtual idol agency in the future, shouldn't we establish a system to order custom costumes?"
"Yes. I do have a fashion designer in mind, but it's undeniable that the designs tend to be realistic."
They were talking about something complicated in the living room, so I decided to leave them to it.
"Last one?"
"Yeah, that's all. Dessert making will be after a short break."
"Mm."
I had already prepared the ingredients to make simple soy milk ice cream before snack time.
In the game, I made raisin ice cream, but today I planned to make one mixed with yogurt and blueberry jam.
Clang
"Eh?"
The moment I thought that, Miki ran to the entrance.
Someone must have come, but anyone who could get in without triggering the entrance security was definitely a family member, and probably…
"Father!"
"Miki!"
Such an exchange was heard, and Mion next to me froze.
Is she nervous? Well, of course she'd be nervous. I was nervous too when I met Mion's mother.
"He's just a carefree old man, so don't worry about it."
He'll probably go back to Mom soon anyway.
Stepping into the hallway, I saw Dad, laden with souvenirs, hugging Miki at the entrance.
"I have friends over."
"Hm? Is it Nao-chan? Or Naoto-kun? Ah, I'll share some souvenirs with the Kashiwahara family too..."
"Welcome home."
"Oh, Shouta! You look well..."
After saying that much, he noticed Mion next to me and seemed to have a '?' mark floating above his head.
Yeah, if there's a girl he's never seen before, that's what would happen.
"Izumo-san, from the same class and club."
"I-Izumo... M-Mio."
Oh, she's actually speaking.
Next to Miki, who was nodding repeatedly, Dad remained dumbfounded…
"Dad?"
"S-sorry. I'm Shouta's father. Um..."
"Are you running an errand for Mom again today? What about lunch?"
"A-ah, I just came to get her handbag, so I'll leave soon..."
To Dad, who answered, still surprised,
"Excuse me for the intrusion. I am Tsubaki, Mion-sama's manager."
"O-oh, how very polite of you..."
Tsubaki-san, dressed in a ladies' suit, appeared and smoothly handed over a business card.
Even as a house husband, he still seemed capable of acting like a working professional.
"You don't need to worry about us."
"Ah, right..."
Dad went upstairs, still dumbfounded. He must be panicking in his head.
He usually ignores us, so he deserves to be surprised once in a while.
………
……
…
"Shouta, Miki, I'm going home."
Dad peeked half his body into the living room and announced to us, who were relaxing.
His target handbag, was it? He seemed to have found it, as he was carrying it under his arm.
"Mm. Give my regards to Mother!"
"Just give Mom some vague explanation."
"Shouta, a moment..."
Dad, making a subtle face at my words, beckoned me.
I thought I could push it through with momentum, but he seemed to have recovered surprisingly quickly.
Anyway, I braced myself for a scolding and approached.
"…Does Mashiro know about that girl?"
"Oh, yeah, Mashiro-nee and Miki, and me too, of course, we visited Mi... Izumo-san's house and met her parents."
"Is that so? Well then, it's fine. I'm not worried about you, but... don't end up like me, okay?"
Shut up, useless dad…