40 - A Lover-Like Way of Calling Each Other

RAW

Having recovered from his cold, Haruto returns to his part-time job as a housekeeper.

Standing in front of the familiar mansion, Haruto hesitates for a moment before pressing the intercom, briefly pulling back his finger. His mind is occupied with thoughts of Ayaka.

“…It’s okay. I’ll pretend to be your girlfriend. In front of your grandmother, I’ll be your girlfriend.”

Her words echo repeatedly in his mind.

“How am I supposed to face her now...?”

Haruto sighs softly.

He feels guilty for involving her in his lie, but at the same time, there's a small part of him that’s happy Ayaka has become his “girlfriend,” even if it’s fake.

“Well, I can’t stand here forever…”

With determination, Haruto presses the intercom.

“Yes?”

“I’m here for the housekeeping. It’s Otsuki.”

“Oh, right. I’ll open the door.”

The door opens with the sound of a lock turning, and Ayaka appears.

“It’s hot outside. Come in quickly.”

“Thank you.”

Haruto steps into the Tojo residence, changing into slippers at the entrance. As he does so, he notices something.

“Hmm? Is Ryota not home today?”

Usually, Ryota would greet him enthusiastically the moment he entered the house. But today, there’s no sign of him.

“Ryota’s playing at the park nearby with the kids from the neighborhood.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Also, my parents are at work today.”

The unusually quiet entrance hall reminds Haruto of his first day working as a housekeeper for the Tojo family. Back then, Ryota had also been out, and when he returned, he had mistaken Haruto in the kitchen for a thief and caused quite a commotion.

Recalling the incident brings a small smile to Haruto’s face.

“Huh? What’s so funny?”

“Oh, I just remembered the first time I came here to work.”

“Oh, right! Ryota screamed, ‘Thief!’ when he saw you.”

“Yeah, I was really panicking then.”

Now, it’s a funny story, but at the time, Haruto was desperately trying to avoid being seen as a criminal. Ayaka, also remembering the event, smiles softly.

“Somehow, even though it was so recent, it feels like such a long time ago.”

“You’re right. This summer vacation feels really long.”

“Yeah… And I never thought I’d be pretending to be your girlfriend, either.”

Ayaka says this while subtly glancing at Haruto’s face, to which Haruto responds with an apologetic expression.

“I really am sorry. If this is uncomfortable for you in any way, please feel free to stop.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s just that... well, I’ve never been in a relationship before, so I don’t really know how to act like a girlfriend…”

Blushing slightly, Ayaka looks up at Haruto.

“So, I was thinking… maybe we should practice being a couple… What do you think?”

“Practice?”

“Yeah.”

Ayaka nods, her face reddening even more. Haruto is momentarily at a loss for words, captivated by her cuteness.

“N-no, I don’t think you need to practice. You’re already convincing enough as a girlfriend... um, very charming…”

“Thanks… but still, I don’t want your grandma to see through our act and get hurt… So, I’d like to practice… Is that okay?”

Once again, Ayaka looks up at Haruto with pleading eyes. Faced with such a request, Haruto has no choice but to agree.

“I’m really sorry for troubling you like this. I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that.”

Ayaka waves her hands dismissively as Haruto bows deeply.

“So, uh… how exactly do we practice?”

Haruto, who, like Ayaka, has no experience in romance, can’t imagine what kind of “practice” she has in mind.

“Well, to practice looking like a couple, I was wondering if you could come earlier for your shifts from now on—maybe around lunchtime?”

Haruto’s current contract for housekeeping at the Tojo residence is from 3 PM to 6 PM.

“Around lunchtime… so about 1 PM?”

“Yeah, but only if it’s not too much trouble.”

So, the two hours from 1 PM to 3 PM would be for their “couple practice,” Ayaka suggests.

“I can do that, but… wouldn’t your parents think it’s strange if I show up early every time just to practice being a couple with you?”

“I’ll just tell them you’re helping me study. You’re smart, right? So, I can say you’re helping me with my summer homework.”

“Oh, that makes sense.”

Haruto nods, understanding Ayaka’s reasoning.

“Plus, we could actually study during that time. I really do need help with my studies.”

Ayaka smiles sheepishly, mentioning that her test scores before summer vacation weren’t great.

“I’d be happy to help you study anytime.”

Haruto, whose room’s air conditioning wasn’t working well, had been struggling to find a cool place to study during the day. He had been hopping between his friend Tomoya’s room and various libraries. The idea of studying in Ayaka’s air-conditioned room sounded like a perfect solution to him, and he could even continue working afterward.

“Alright then, how about you come over at lunchtime starting next time?”

“Sure, I’ll be in your care.”

Haruto bows once again. Ayaka smiles and bows in return.

“Let’s do our best together.”

After a brief exchange of bows, Ayaka, still a little hesitant, speaks again.

“Oh, and one more thing…”

“Yes?”

“The way we address each other… We still call each other by our last names, right?”

Ayaka calls Haruto “Otsuki-kun,” and Haruto usually calls her “Tojo-san.” When there are others around, Haruto calls her “Ayaka-san,” but otherwise, he sticks to her last name.

“Well, I think couples usually call each other by their first names.”

“Do they?”

Haruto tilts his head slightly. He doesn’t think couples necessarily have to call each other by their first names. But Ayaka insists.

“Yeah, couples who are close usually use first names! So, I’d like you to call me by my first name from now on.”

“Uh… should I call you Ayaka-san, then?”

“…Just Ayaka.”

“Huh?”

“No ‘-san.’ Just ‘Ayaka’… Please.”

Blushing and avoiding direct eye contact, Ayaka makes her request shyly. Haruto can’t help but feel his heart race at her adorable behavior.

“…Ayaka…”

He says it quietly. Ayaka’s face immediately brightens with a big smile.

“Yes! What is it, Haruto-kun?”

Her smile is radiant as she steps closer to him, tilting her head slightly. Her cuteness almost feels a little too intentional, but it’s so overwhelming that Haruto forgets to question why she still adds “-kun” to his name.

“Uh… can I save that for just when we’re with my grandma?”

Calling her by her first name, even in this context, made Haruto feel a sudden closeness that was hard to handle. Given his growing feelings for Ayaka, it was a little too much for him to handle comfortably.

Ayaka pauses for a moment, then smiles mischievously.

“Okay. You can call me ‘Ayaka’ in front of your grandma and…”

She looks him straight in the eye, her gentle smile glowing.

“…when it’s just the two of us.”

“…Alright.”

Haruto can only nod in agreement. Ayaka seems very satisfied with the arrangement.

“Oh, sorry for keeping you here in the entryway for so long.”

“It’s fine. So, shall I start the housekeeping? Do you have any requests today?”

“Yeah, my mom asked if you could clean the courtyard.”

As expected from a mansion, the Tojo residence has a large, beautiful courtyard adjacent to the living room, complete with sofas, tables, and a barbecue grill. As Haruto heads towards the living room, he nods in acknowledgment.

“Understood. For dinner tonight, I was thinking of making marinated chicken breast with somen noodles, along with tomato, tuna, and shiso. Does that sound good?”

“That sounds delicious!”

“Great. I’ll start with the courtyard, then.”

As Haruto heads towards the courtyard, Ayaka calls after him.

“Oh, by the way, my parents should be home a little earlier today. Do you want to stay for dinner again?”

“Is that alright?”

Haruto, still feeling awkward about calling her by her first name, responds.

“I think my parents would be happy if you joined us, and Ryota would love it too.”

Recently, Haruto had already joined the Tojo family for breakfast before their trip to the Animal Crossing Park, and he’d had dinner with them the evening before that. It was starting to feel like having meals together was becoming the norm. Haruto chuckles softly to himself.

“In that case, I’ll join you.”

“Great!”

Ayaka beams, clearly pleased with Haruto’s response. As Haruto looks at her, he realizes how much more attractive her smile has become to him recently, and, feeling slightly embarrassed, he quickly looks away.