A Beautiful Model In My Class Comes To The Coffee Shop Where I Work Part-time Only When I'm On Shift - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Good Night

We got into the taxi and headed to Shizuku’s house.

Leaning back deeply in my seat, I looked at her.

“…You can sleep for a bit. I’ll wake you up when we arrive.”

“Is it okay?”

Shizuku, who was dozing off, had a sheepish expression. It was quite a distance to her house. It would be tough for her to stay awake like this. It would be best for her to rest a little now.

“If you can’t sleep, want to use my shoulder? Though that might be uncomfortable…”

“No, Juntaro’s shoulder is fine.”

“Huh?”

Before I knew it, Shizuku had already rested her head on my shoulder.

She must have been very tired. Soon, I could hear her quiet breathing.

A faint scent of Shizuku lingered around me.

Whether it was her usual perfume or not, it smelled like roses coming from Shizuku.

The scent, along with the warmth and weight of her body, gave me a sense of reassurance that she was here.

When I received the message from Inamori-san, I felt like the ground was slipping from under my feet. Shizuku could have gone anywhere. With strong anxiety, my heart felt like it was about to burst.

So when I found Shizuku, I truly, truly felt relieved. It turned out that most of it was set up, which was a relief, but thinking about what would have happened if it wasn’t still sends shivers down my spine.

―Anyway, I’m just glad she’s safe.

I brushed away the hair that fell over Shizuku’s eyes.

Then, to inform Inamori-san and Utahara-san of Shizuku’s safety, I looked down at my phone.

“Sir, we’ve arrived.”

With the driver’s words, I looked up.

Before I knew it, we were in an ordinary residential area. Finding a nameplate that read “Kamisaka,” I understood that this was Shizuku’s house.

“Thank you. How much do I owe you?”

“Oh, it’s a credit card payment, so you’re good to go when you get off.”

It seemed like Inamori-san had taken care of the taxi fare. Even though she was the one who started this mess, I should thank her later.

“Shizuku, we’re here. Can you get off?”

“Mmm…”

Shizuku opened her eyes slightly and looked at me. Still looking sleepy, she took my hand, and we got out of the taxi together.

“Um, thank you.”

“We look forward to serving you again.”

With a nod, the taxi drove off somewhere.

“Shizuku, is anyone home?”

“No… nobody should be home until tomorrow night…”

“I see…”

Shizuku’s house was just an ordinary single-family home.

From the outside, none of the lights were on. So, we’d need a key to get inside.

“Do you have the key?”

“In the side pocket of my bag…”

“Got it.”

Being careful not to rummage through anything else, I took out what seemed to be the house key. I immediately opened the door and led Shizuku inside.

Now, what to do next?

From what I could see on the ground floor, there was only a living room and a washroom. Shizuku’s room was probably upstairs. However, I am reluctant to let Shizuku go up the stairs. Due to her hazy consciousness, she might lose her footing and get a serious injury.

“If nobody’s home… then there’s no other choice.”

I took off Shizuku’s shoes and then took off my own.

“Shizuku, I’ll take you to your room.”

“Okay…”

While supporting Shizuku, we somehow managed to make it upstairs.

There were several rooms lined up, but there was a room with a plate clearly labeled “SHIZUKU,” so I opened it and entered.

It was the first time I had ever entered a girl’s room.

The entire room smelled like Shizuku. —Wait, I know it’s weird for me to say it myself.

“I’ll lay you down on the bed.”

“Hm…”

I gently laid Shizuku, who was light-headed, onto the bed.

I tucked her dangling legs into the bed and covered her with a blanket. She should be able to sleep well like this.

As soon as she lay down, Shizuku started to breathe quietly.

Relieved, I watched her face for a while, but suddenly felt embarrassed and looked away.

My task here is done, and I should probably head home soon.

I left the bed with that thought in mind.

“Juntaro…”
“Huh?”

Suddenly called my name, I stopped in my tracks. When I realized, Shizuku was holding onto my hand. I thought she was awake, so I called out to her, but it seems she wasn’t conscious.

—Sleep-talking, huh.

I gently released her hand and left the bed.

“Don’t leave…”

“……”

I scratched my cheek and turned around.

Even though she might just be sleep-talking, there was no way I could leave after hearing Shizuku say that. I sat down next to the bed and peered at Shizuku’s face.

“Good night, Shizuku. You did well.”

With the intention of comforting her, I gently stroked Shizuku’s head.

It felt like Shizuku’s sleeping face became somewhat serene… Well, it’s probably just my imagination.