Eriri's memory of filling in the recipient's address was extremely fuzzy, but since her mother still hadn't received the expedited delivery, it must be because she had written the wrong address. If it were any other issue, the courier company definitely would have contacted her proactively.
I'd better call the courier company first to ask about the situation.
"Beep... beep... beep..."
No one answered the phone for a long time. Eriri hoped the staff were just busy and didn't hear it, so she called several times in a row, but no one picked up. This made her heart sink.
It was unclear where the package was right now. If she had filled in the wrong address and it was delivered to someone else, that would be trouble. But even if she made a mistake, she shouldn't have gotten it completely wrong. If that were the case, the courier probably found the address didn't exist and was preparing to return it to her tomorrow.
But if that happened, there wouldn't be enough time to send it to the printing factory to produce the finished goods. Should I go to their nearby station to see if anyone is still on duty?
Eriri remembered that some courier stations were manned twenty-four hours a day, but she wasn't sure if the Black Cat Delivery Service she used also had night shift staff.
She could only hope for the best and go check the situation. Eriri changed into her school uniform, tiptoed, and carefully opened her door. She poked her head out from the bedroom to observe the corridor; it was pitch black and extremely quiet.
At this hour, everyone should have already fallen asleep.
Eriri crept out of the room and gently closed the door. Her bedroom was on the second floor of the student dormitory, so she had to be even more careful going downstairs.
Why not ask Jhin for help? Eriri had thought about it, but the peculiar mindset unique to people in Japan—not wanting to cause trouble for others—made her too embarrassed to seek Jhin's help again.
He already spent three days grinding through the night with me. Now is the time for him to rest; how can I be thick-skinned enough to disturb him again?
...
"Jhin, will you make mousse cake next time?"
"Let me guess, did Ryo make you say that?"
"Eh!? H-How did you know?"
Jhin could imagine Hitori Gotoh's shocked expression with her mouth wide open. He smiled and explained, "Compared to desserts, you prefer fried foods and cola. Nijika and Kita aren't the type of people to actively make such demands, so that only leaves Ryo."
"I-Is that so..."
"By the way, it's getting very late. You should go to sleep too."
"Uu..."
"Be a good girl, go to sleep. I'll come to see you in a few days."
"Mn!"
After coaxing his girlfriend to go to sleep obediently, Jhin stood up, preparing to go outside and catch a sparkling golden "little mouse."
Eriri never expected that Jhin would still be awake at this hour. The light from the Administrator's Office was exceptionally glaring in the night-time dormitory. She could only brace herself, crouching down like she was playing a stealth game, and sneakily inch towards the main entrance bit by bit.
Jhin, please don't come out, absolutely do not come out!
Eriri's internal prayers naturally didn't reach him. Just when she was only two or three meters away from the dormitory entrance, Jhin's voice sounded from behind her.
"Yo, Eriri. Woke up for a walk?"
"Eep!" Eriri was so scared she bounced up, her twin tails standing straight up. She pressed her right hand to her chest and used her left hand to tidy the hair on her forehead, trying hard to conceal her panic. "J-Jhin, why... why aren't you asleep yet?"
Jhin revealed a smile full of profound meaning. "I originally planned to sleep, but unfortunately, I heard movement outside, so I came out to take a look."
Just how sharp are your ears?! I was practically crawling on the ground!
"Sorry for waking you." Eriri just wanted to quickly trick Jhin into going back to sleep so she could run out of the school to the courier station to check the situation. "Um, you go back to sleep. I... I just couldn't sleep, right, so I planned to go out for a walk."
"I don't feel sleepy for the time being either. I'll walk with you."
"No need, no need! You should go to sleep early."
"Alright, then don't wander outside too late either." Jhin nodded, turned around, and walked towards his room.
Eriri relaxed a little, but Jhin stopped in his tracks and caught her off guard with a sentence: "The school gate can't be opened at night without my access card, you know."
"Eh? It requires your access card?" As soon as Eriri said it, she realized she had been tricked by Jhin again. She revealed an awkward but polite smile, turning her head away, afraid to look at him.
"Student Eriri, attempting to sneak out of school in the middle of the night—what exactly do you plan to do?"
"I... I think I ran out of manuscript paper for the doujinshi, so I was going to buy some."
"You can buy that kind of thing tomorrow. Do you have to pick such a late time?"
Eriri's eyes darted around in their sockets. She thought of another reason she considered good: "Brushes! I need to buy new coloring brushes too. And I don't want the others to know about this, which is why I'm going out to buy them now. Mn, that's it."
"Isn't that the same as buying manuscript paper? You can just choose another time to go buy them alone."
Eriri couldn't think of any other reason to convince Jhin. The two stood frozen in place as time ticked by little by little. The silent atmosphere of the dormitory hall was broken by Jhin.
He sighed, looking quite headache-stricken, and asked Eriri earnestly, "Eriri, what exactly is the matter that requires you to sneak out of school at midnight to do?"
"This... it's inconvenient for me to say."
"Eriri!" There was a hint of anger in Jhin's voice.
It was the first time Eriri had seen him angry. She shrank her neck, staring at her toes like a child who had made a mistake.
"Do you not consider me a friend?"
"N-No, of course you are my friend!"
"Then why won't you tell me the reason you're going out?"
"I... I..."
I just don't want to trouble you anymore.
Eriri pouted, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes, feeling a bit aggrieved inside.
"Sigh, you aren't harboring thoughts like 'I can't trouble him,' are you?" Seeing Eriri stay silent, Jhin took it as her default confirmation.
Honestly, this mindset of not wanting to trouble others often brought about even bigger trouble in the end.
"If you don't speak, I won't let you leave the dormitory. You don't want to cause me trouble, but your current behavior is magnifying the trouble. Tell me the reason, and I'll think of a way for you. Won't the matter be resolved then?"
The stubborn Eriri also understood that continuing this standoff was meaningless. She finally spoke her reason: "The doujinshi... I sent the original manuscript to the wrong address. It still hasn't been delivered to my mom."
Jhin's tone softened. "I understand. I'll figure something out for this matter."
After speaking, he made a phone call to Nymph.
"Nymph, help me track a package. Mn, Eriri, what is the name of the courier company?"
"Black Cat Delivery Service."
"Black Cat Delivery Service. Sent from Mihama Academy today. Help me see where the package is right now."
____
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