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

Chiaki invited me to a live concert. Personally, I wasn’t thrilled about it, but with her desperate plea, I had no choice but to give in.

The main reason was the other regulars in the band. Even though it was Chiaki’s idea, they’d scheduled the event around my shift, so I couldn’t just flat-out refuse.

“Here it is, huh.”

And so, I arrived at Horoscope, the live house that Chiaki and her crew consider their home base. Despite my reluctance, this place holds a peculiar significance for me.

The reason is simple: depending on their live schedule, my part-time job’s workload can vary dramatically. A normally dead hour can suddenly turn into peak time chaos. While the store’s profits don’t really affect me as just a part-timer… it’s still something, you know?

Anyway, for entirely personal reasons, Horoscope had earned my one-sided exasperation over the years.

“…This place feels kind of intimidating.”

Now that I’m here, taking a direct look at the place, I can’t help but feel how underground the atmosphere is.

It’s twilight now, and the dimming streetlights are accompanied by a neon sign that shines eerily bright. A handful of people, who I assume are customers, seem drawn to it like moths to a flame.

It’s not that there are a lot of people. It’s just that among the few, a decent number have a rather extreme look—punk, gothic, and so on. Their appearance only adds to the strange, sketchy vibe.

Not that I think it’s an illegal place or anything. It’s just that stepping inside takes a bit of courage.

“—Hey, employee?”

“Hmm?”

As I hesitated near the live house, a voice called from behind.

I wasn’t entirely sure they were addressing me, but the word “employee” made me instinctively turn around. There stood a woman who seemed vaguely familiar.

“…You’re one of the regulars, right?”

“Oh, yeah, that’s right! I’m glad you remember.”

“Of course. Good evening.”

“Good evening.”

Phew, that was close. After a brief moment of hesitation, I managed to recall who she was. Thanks to my connection with Chiaki, I’ve become more familiar with the other band members who frequent the store.

That said, I only recognize her face. I know she’s in Chiaki’s band, but I can’t match her face with her name. I’ve heard their names in passing but never been formally introduced, so I don’t know who’s who.

Well, I could’ve asked Chiaki about her bandmates, but that felt like prying. And asking someone their name during work might have come off as rude.

Anyway, the problem is, I don’t know how to address her, which makes continuing the conversation tricky. Should I introduce myself first?

“Ah, sorry. Come to think of it, I never properly introduced myself. I’m Harusaki Megumi.”

“Oh, thank you for the formal introduction. I’m Mizuki Haruto.”

Just as I was worrying about what to do, Harusaki-san introduced herself first. I was impressed by her perceptiveness. As expected of someone in Chiaki’s band, dealing with a rather quirky group.

She looks a bit intimidating, like a confident gal-type, but talking to her reveals she’s polite and well-mannered.

With that in mind, and knowing her first name is Megumi, I’m now certain this must be the Meg-san Chiaki often talks about.

“Uh, so, you’re here for the live show, right? Ran was really excited.”

“Oh, I see. So… I guess you’ve heard a lot about me from Chiaki?”

“Yes, that’s right…”

Her response came with a bitter expression, confirming my suspicion. I’d already guessed she knew about my relationship with Chiaki, especially after Chiaki herself had dramatically described it as ‘enduring Edo-period torture.’

But judging from her reaction, it seems like Chiaki might’ve shared more than I expected.

“My deepest apologies for all the trouble our idiot has caused you.”

“No, no, please don’t bow like that! It’s all in the past now, and it was a matter between us. You really don’t need to apologize for her.”

“Still, I’m really sorry. It’s a relief to hear you say that.”

And with that, she gave me a heartfelt apology. Despite just being bandmates, she’s really going all out to apologize on Chiaki’s behalf. She must have a lot of patience.

Considering Chiaki’s eccentric personality, it seems like they’d be a bad match. Yet, seeing how well they get along, it’s clear that human relationships can be mysterious.

“By the way, Mizuki-san… Is it okay if I call you Mizuki-san?”

“Of course. Please feel free. I’ve already been calling you Harusaki-san, after all.”

“Thank you. Anyway, back to the point, are you into indie music?”

“Ah, not really. To be honest, I don’t know much about it… I’m only here because Chiaki invited me. This is actually my first time at a live house like this.”

“Oh, I see…”

For some reason, Harusaki-san looked a little puzzled by my answer. I wondered if I’d said something wrong, but quickly dismissed the thought.

There wasn’t anything offensive in what I said. Harusaki-san doesn’t seem like the type to get upset over something so trivial. At least, it didn’t match my impression of her.

What stood out more was the look on her face. It wasn’t anger, more like confusion.

“Did I say something weird?”

“Oh, no! That’s not it at all. I just thought, since you arrived so early, that you might be a fan of indie music.”

“Arrived early? Wait, did I get the time wrong?”

“No, you’re on time for the entrance. But the show doesn’t start for another hour, and our band is playing later in the lineup. The time is written on the back of the ticket…”

“The back…”

Following her suggestion, I pulled out the ticket from my bag and checked the back. Sure enough, it listed *Avant-garde*, the band’s name, with a start time much later than I had anticipated.

“So, I assumed you were either here to grab a good spot or planning to watch all the bands. You can enter later if you’re only interested in one band…”

“Oh, I didn’t know that. I didn’t really check the ticket. Chiaki just told me to show up at this time, so…”

“I see… So the reason you’re here so early is Ran’s doing, huh?”

An awkward silence fell between us. It was… uncomfortable.

Not that anything particularly bad had happened, but ultimately, it was my fault for not checking the ticket properly.

“Anyway, let’s head inside. And let’s give that idiot a piece of our minds.”

Even if I tried to object, it didn’t seem like Harusaki-san, who had just been apologizing moments ago, was about to back down.

“Uh, maybe it’s best to avoid interrogations…”

“That idiot! I’m definitely going to strangle her!”

Ah, that was the wrong thing to say. When I see Chiaki, I’ll just silently pray for her.