"I'm home."
After opening the door, Utaha called out as usual.
She always felt a little awkward saying that.
After all, this wasn't her house—shouldn't she be greeting with something more like "Sorry to intrude"?
But since she held a key in her hand and had a room upstairs, it didn't quite count as just a guest.
Especially after one time when she asked Akira if it was okay to come over, and he casually replied,
"Come whenever. No need to ask anymore." That had made her lose even the last trace of a guest's formality.
If she came a little more frequently, she could probably say "I'm home" without hesitation.
And when Nanami replied from inside with a cheerful "Welcome back~", it made her feel even weirder.
After changing her shoes and walking into the living room, she noticed Nanami wasn't wearing her maid outfit, which made her a little puzzled.
"Is Mr. Ogiwara not home?"
This was Nanami's working hour, and unless Akira had specifically told her otherwise, she should be dressed in that visually delightful, spiritually shocking maid uniform.
And aside from his instructions, the only other reason she wouldn't be wearing it was if the "master who needed her services" wasn't around.
Sure enough, Nanami replied with a slightly mischievous smile, "He's not here. I got to slack off properly today."
Utaha didn't quite buy that. If Nanami wasn't cleaning or tidying, the only reason must be that the place was already spotless and didn't need it.
But what Nanami said next caught her attention.
"Actually, the past few days Mr. Ogiwara's been really busy. He heads out every night around nine. But today's the first time he's even skipped dinner at home."
Every night? Then it probably wasn't just an unfulfilled desire. Looks like it really was work—but it was a bit too regular…
Utaha sat on the sofa and started rubbing her fingers together—thumb and forefinger—like someone asking for money.
It was a move she'd grown increasingly skilled at, the kind that even a cat couldn't resist.
As she used it to coax the cat over, she asked, "Did he say what he's been up to?"
"Ah… When I asked, Mr. Ogiwara said something a bit strange," Nanami replied with a puzzled look.
"He said, 'Since it's something that can't be seen in the light, if it's not a little troublesome, it'd be even more troublesome.'"
That was a weird thing to say.
As for "something that can't be seen in the light," normally that implied shady or even criminal activity.
But considering Akira often went out at night to exorcise spirits, trying to avoid building awareness among ordinary people, it made sense he'd want to avoid being seen.
That was probably what he meant.
Even knowing it was nothing too worrying, Utaha couldn't help asking, "He didn't come back hurt or anything, right?"
Nanami replied uncertainty,
"He usually gets back while I'm at school, so I haven't seen him. But at most, there's a bit of dirt on his clothes—he seems in good spirits, at least."
Hearing that, Utaha relaxed a little. Right in front of Nanami, she peeled off her black tights and pulled the big black cat that had jumped onto the sofa into her arms.
Even though Nanami regularly trimmed the cat's claws, she couldn't clip them too short.
With how chubby and heavy the big black cat was, its movements could easily tear through tights—especially the thin summer kind.
Though the thicker autumn ones were less likely to tear, they were also more expensive. If they got ruined, it hurt even more. Nothing she could do about it.
As for the occasional scratch on her legs? She didn't mind. After holding the cat so many times, Utaha was used to it.
"Oh, by the way, I'm not staying over tonight. I'll leave later…"
As she said that, Utaha suddenly realized that would leave Nanami alone in this big empty house.
After a moment of hesitation, she changed her mind. "Maybe I should stay and keep you company tonight?"
"Ah, no need," Nanami said with a wave of her hand and a smile.
"I'm not exactly alone—I've got the three cats, and this is actually a good chance to experience what it's like for Mr. Ogiwara to live here on his own."
Utaha asked, confused, "Why would you want to do that?"
"A maid should understand her master as much as possible—feel what he feels, so she can serve him better. But to really understand, the best way is to experience it personally, right?"
As she said this, Nanami gave a slightly embarrassed smile.
"It really is a bit lonely though. I'll have to stay by Mr. Ogiwara's side more from now on."
Utaha gave her a half-smiling look.
Only Nanami would think of being by Akira's side as an act of care and duty.
But a cat wouldn't think that way. If the windows weren't sealed properly, one day it might just run out and never come back.
Of course, that sort of thing depended mostly on mood~
"Dinner will be ready in a bit. Is there anything you'd like to eat, Miss Kasumigaoka?"
Hearing that, Utaha really gave it some thought, then answered, "Omurice?"
Nanami was a little surprised. "That simple?"
"I think omurice isn't that simple…"
Utaha deeply felt the gap in "feminine skill" between her and Nanami.
It was such a wide gap that she didn't even feel like catching up—just wanted to sit at the table and enjoy it.
Still, the suggestion was mainly to make things easier for Nanami.
It was one thing to mooch off a meal—but asking Nanami to make something elaborate just for her would make Utaha feel guilty.
Nanami clearly felt relaxed, muttering to herself, "In that case, I can start a bit later. Now, what should I do first…"
Utaha knew that Nanami's time was never enough. Not wanting to interrupt, she picked up the big black cat and went upstairs.
Sure enough, not long after, she could vaguely hear Nanami practicing her speech.
People with things they want to do never have enough time.
Utaha listened quietly for a while, then stood up from the stairs on the second floor, dusted off her skirt, and returned silently to her room.
She regretted it.
She didn't want to come here anymore.
Jealousy might be dark, but it was real. And since the cat door above the room door still wasn't blocked, she didn't have to go through the trouble.
Mr. Ogiwara probably wouldn't mind spending a little extra money on a hotel, right?
With that sense of farewell in her heart, Utaha seriously ate the simple yet delicious omurice a little later that evening.
Then she went back to the room, cuddled with the cat, and eventually, exhausted from staying up late and not sleeping during class, dozed off.
In the end, it was Nanami who gently woke her.
"Miss Kasumigaoka, why not tell your parents you're staying over tonight? I can help explain."
Utaha slowly opened her eyes. In the room lit only by the dim glow of a desk lamp, she looked at Nanami's gentle face, her eyes, and deep within those eyes, that never-dying flame.
Then she slowly shook her head.
"No, I've been sleeping here too often lately. Even if you help explain, my parents will still worry."
She didn't accept Nanami's invitation to stay. After giving the familiar room one last look, she rubbed the big black cat in her arms and got out of bed.
She tidied her clothes, put her tights back on, washed her face, then found the white and light-colored cats in the house, gave them all a round of affectionate rubbing, and finally, still reluctant, said goodbye to Nanami.
Nanami could sense something was off.
But remembering how Utaha had yawned while eating, she figured she was just really tired.
And since Utaha loved the cats, it wasn't strange that she'd act like this. Still, the feeling of strangeness only grew stronger.
It felt like once she walked out that door, Utaha might never come back.
"Miss Kasumigaoka!"
Nanami called out to her in the yard.
Utaha turned around. Her black hair flowed along her cheek, and her usual faint smile under the clear moonlight looked hazy and enchanting.
"What's wrong? Are you scared of being in the house alone? Want me to stay and keep you company?"
"No, no, of course not," Nanami laughed, then hesitated slightly.
"You'll come by again tomorrow, right? I have some new ideas for dishes—I'd love for you to try them."
"Can't Mr. Ogiwara do the taste-testing?"
"Um… he's not really reliable. I've served him dishes that were barely passable, and he still said they were good."
"I'd say the same thing. What you consider average is already amazing to me."
Smiling like that, Utaha turned back and walked forward.
Her wrist lifted slightly and bent backward in a wave.
"Thanks for the delicious omurice tonight. Well then, good night, Miss Aoyama. I hope you have a sweet dream."
Watching Utaha's silhouette disappear into the bushes, Nanami suddenly remembered—Utaha had said that line a few days ago too.
But back then, it was "Thanks for the delicious bread," and she'd just said "have a nice dream," not the more blessing-like "sweet dream."
Only after going back inside did Nanami realize—Utaha hadn't actually said whether she'd come tomorrow.
…
It was getting late, and Akira's neighborhood wasn't exactly a bustling area, so there were few pedestrians on the streets.
For safety reasons—or maybe something else—Utaha walked a bit faster, as if trying to escape.
But around halfway to the station, she stopped abruptly, staring at a shadow cast by a streetlight ahead.
And reached into her pocket to grip a talisman.
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Aw hell nah, stalker?
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