After I Started Living Alone, My Place Turned Into a Hangout Spot for Beautiful Girls

Chapter 38.2: If You’re Prepared, You’ll Have No Worries

Today’s outdoor temperature had already exceeded 30 degrees.

Sweat beaded faintly on Sakuya’s forehead from walking from the station.

“Your sweat is pretty bad—why don’t you take a shower?”

“That’s true.”

“It’s still barely July, but it’s really hot…”

As I spoke to her, Sakuya reached into the carry-on case beside me to get some spare clothes.

But halfway through, her hand stopped.

“Hm? Something wrong?”

“I want to take out my underwear, so could you turn around for a bit?”

“Oh, right…”

I turned my back to her.

And while I was at it, I brought up something to Sakuya.

“Since you wouldn’t want me touching your underwear, is it okay if I leave the laundry duty to you? I’ll handle everything else.”

“If Teruaki did the laundry duty, my panties would get stolen, right. Well, if you’re going to do it, at least make sure you don’t get caught?”

“I’m not like you, Sakuya—I wouldn’t steal them. Listen, sexual harassment from a girl gets forgiven because it’s cute, but sexual harassment from a guy doesn’t get forgiven just because it’s cute, okay?”

“…That’s true. There, you can turn around now.”

She must have finished taking out her underwear and such from the carry-on case without issue.

I stopped facing away and turned toward Sakuya.

“I’ll take the carry-on case to your room, then?”

“Sorry about that. Well, I’m going to take a shower…”

Sakuya started walking toward the changing room with familiar steps.

After her figure disappeared from view, I carried the carry-on case to Sakuya’s room.

“Whew… That said, she’s only staying for a month, but she got a proper bed, shelves, a table, a huge cushion that turns into a sofa—she’s such a genuine young lady…”

As I looked around Sakuya’s room, I grumbled to myself.

Dad had such bad blood with Grandpa, who died before I was born, that he even got into a bloody fight over it and declared he didn’t want that damn old man’s money, rejecting the entire inheritance.

That’s the reason our family is well-off but not as loaded as Sakuya’s.

Anyway, since she’ll be unpacking, I should turn on the air conditioner for her.

Sakuya would surely organize the contents of the carry-on case soon enough.

Thinking the room would be too hot for that, I switched on the AC.

I confirmed the cool air starting to blow and was about to leave the room, but I couldn’t stop my curiosity about what was inside the carry-on case.

To be honest, I know Sakuya pretty well.

She wouldn’t show any embarrassment to me even if I saw her underwear that she wasn’t wearing.

So the fact that she made me turn around just to take out her underwear meant there must be something embarrassing for me to see hidden in the carry-on case.

“…Well, she won’t notice.”

I cautiously rummaged to uncover what Sakuya was trying to hide.

Opening the carry-on case with anticipation, I found…

Condoms inside.

Yeah, why? I wondered for a split second, but I quickly realized there was nothing strange about it at all.

“Even though we’re cousins, living under one roof with a guy my age…”

It went without saying that she should prepare for any contingency.

But still, it left me feeling somehow unsettled.

“You don’t trust me that much…? No, I get how you feel, but…”

I could understand Sakuya’s thinking.

But it made me feel like she saw me as some frivolous guy, which was a bit of a shock.

Anyway, there’s nothing else interesting in here, so I’ll put the carry-on case back the way it was…

“Isn’t rummaging through someone’s luggage a bit much?”

A voice suddenly called out from behind me.

When I turned around in trepidation, there stood Sakuya with an exasperated look on her face, like she was saying oh, for heaven’s sake.

“Th-that shower was awfully quick.”

“Because I just rinsed off the light sweat.”

“Sorry. I got curious about what you were hiding, so I snooped around.”

“And what did you think after snooping?”

“Well, at least you’re properly accounting for living under one roof with a guy.”

I said it in a roundabout way because admitting I found the condoms felt a little embarrassing, like I was covering it up.

Then Sakuya let out a sigh and explained it to me.

“Dad handed it to me suddenly this morning.”

“Uncle did?”

“He said to keep it just in case. I get that he’s worried and all, but as a parent, don’t you think it’s weird to just hand over something like this so casually?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, so you didn’t prepare it yourself, Sakuya.”

“Of course not? Who would prepare something like this on their own?”

It had felt like a bit of a shock that Sakuya didn’t trust me.

But apparently, that wasn’t the case.

The weight lifted from my chest, leaving me in a clear, sunny mood.

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

“What? What’s with that bright, cheerful face?”

“No, I was a little shocked thinking you didn’t trust me or something.”

“Good grief, that’s why I hid it earlier. I knew that if sensitive Teruaki saw it, he’d absolutely get down on himself thinking, ‘She doesn’t trust me…’ Well, it was also just embarrassing to have you see me with something like this, but.”

I nodded, getting it now.

It made me quietly happy that Sakuya trusted me after all.

“You’re going to unpack now, right? Since it’s a good chance, want me to help?”

I thought to myself that I was such a pushover, but before I knew it, those words had come out of my mouth to Sakuya.