It Seems Like a Girl I Don’t Know Is Doing Housework at My Place. But She’s Cute, So I’m Watching Her.

When you’re a university student, you often end up going out to eat with friends. And sometimes, those friends bring along their friends, so you might find yourself eating with strangers before you even realize it.

“Hey, how’s it going? I’m Haruto Mizuki. I’ve known Yosuke since high school.”

“I’m Sato, from the same seminar as Yosuke. Sorry for interrupting your meal. I accidentally took home the USB with his report data.”

“Dude, you really need to be more careful. The deadline’s tomorrow, and I was freaking out.”

“Sorry, sorry.”

This time was quite unusual, but the flow remained the same. We met up and decided to have a meal together.

Some people might not like this kind of situation, but it doesn’t bother me. I’m not shy and don’t get hung up on social interactions. Though, some say I’m a bit standoffish because of it.

“So, Mizuki, you work at a café? Are you a server or do you work in the kitchen?”

Naturally, when you’re eating with someone for the first time, the conversation tends to revolve around introductions.

“Both, actually. It’s a small, privately-owned place, so it depends on the day and how busy we are. You could say I’m a convenient multitasker.”

“This guy here, he’s got a serious poker face and is kind of lazy, so you wouldn’t think he’d be suited for service or cooking, but he’s surprisingly good at almost anything. He recently started something new too.”

“Yeah, drawing. I got a second-hand tablet from my cousin, so I’ve been doodling a bit.”

“Oh, are you posting your drawings on social media?”

“I made an account for it. I uploaded a drawing from a popular anime as a test, and it blew up.”

“Why didn’t I know about this? You’re seriously talented, man! Give me your account!”

“No way.”

After exchanging introductions and some personal stories, the conversation drifts here and there. Once alcohol is involved, the topics become even more random.

“Speaking of which, summer’s coming up soon. Do you guys have any scary stories?”

“Does almost failing a required course because of too many absences count as a scary story?”

“That’s your own fault.”

“Hey, it’s not my fault I can’t wake up for early classes! They shouldn’t schedule them so early!”

“You’re really passionate about this.”

Sato seems to have trouble waking up in the morning. Fortunately, Yosuke and I are morning people, so we don’t have to worry about failing due to tardiness. Yosuke does have a few subjects he might fail, though.

“What about you, Yosuke? Any scary stories?”

“Nope. If I had to say, maybe shochu scares me.”

“That’s not a scary story; that’s just you drinking too much.”

“Then stop drinking, you drunkard.”

Seriously, Yosuke is a heavy drinker. Even I, who don’t drink at all, and Sato, who drinks a fair bit, are amazed by how much he can drink. I’m worried he’ll damage his liver eventually.

“Alright, we’ve shared our stories, so now it’s your turn, Haruto.”

“Don’t hassle me, you drunk. Scary stories, huh…”

I’m at a loss. I don’t go to haunted houses or anything, and my daily life is pretty normal. Oh, wait.

“I don’t find it particularly scary, but there’s something that might be considered creepy to most people.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

“Tell us!”

“Well, I think I have a stalker.”

“Excuse me?”

“A while back, I lost my house key. Since then, it seems like the stalker has been coming into my house.”

“What?”

“Every time I come home, things are slightly out of place. Nothing has been stolen, so I found it creepy but ignored it.”

“Why?”

“Recently, it’s escalated. Dishes I left out have been washed, and my room has been cleaned. They’re starting to make their presence known.”

“Wait, what?!”

“Reacting now seems pointless, and having someone do housework for me is helpful, so I’ve started thinking of the stalker as a fairy or something.”

“Why would you do that?!”