After I Started Living Alone, My Place Turned Into a Hangout Spot for Beautiful Girls - Chapter 8: Sakuya Ieyiri (Part 1)

Chapter 8: Sakuya Ieyiri (Part 1)

After school on the day Shizuru caused the him-shirt commotion.

When I got home, the front door key was unlocked.

I thought it was probably that guy coming to check on me, but I did not panic at all and headed to the living room.

Yes, it seemed that was the case after all.

In the living room was—

My cousin, Sakuya Ieyiri.

She was the daughter of my uncle, who was the head of the main Ieyiri family, a large landowner, and who served as my guardian in place of my father overseas.

With her long hair reaching down to her waist and her refined features, she was a girl who seemed mature and carried a sharpness that made her somewhat unapproachable.

I was about to speak to Sakuya, who had used the spare key to enter my house first and was probably sitting on the sofa in the living room waiting for me.

However, she spoke to me first.

“Why was Shizuru wearing your shirt?”

It seemed Sakuya had seen the him-shirt commotion that morning.

Yes, Sakuya and I were cousins and also classmates.

By the way, the reason most girls called me Teruaki-kun familiarly by my first name was because there were two Ieyiris.

Anyway, putting aside that preamble, I had to respond to Sakuya’s question.

“Well, why did you assume that was my shirt?”

“I saw it. The writing had faded, but I could faintly make out ‘Ieyiri.’ So, the shirt Shizuru was wearing is yours, right?”

“Well, yes, but…”

“…I see.”

Sakuya placed her hand on her chin and narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

Then, after a brief silence, Sakuya opened her mouth hesitantly.

“Are the two of you dating?”

Well, she would ask that.

It was no wonder Sakuya was concerned.

Without any hesitation, I stated only the plain facts.

“We’re just friends.”

Even though I said it clearly, Sakuya looked at me with eyes full of doubt.

No, we really are just friends, I thought with a wry smile.

Perhaps because she saw me like that, Sakuya still had a reluctant expression, but for now, she seemed to accept it.

“Well, if you say so, then that’s how it is.”

“Do you think someone as plain as me could be dating that Shizuru?”

“I can’t see it at all.”

“Right?”

“But let me confirm one more time: it’s really okay to say you’re just friends?”

“Wait, did you come here just to check on something like that?”

It was at that moment when I asked about the reason Sakuya, who never spoke to me at school because she hated anyone finding out we were cousins, had come to my house.

The intercom rang.

When I checked the monitor to see what was happening at the entrance, Shizuru was standing there.

It was not a club day today, so why had she come to my house?

I spoke to Shizuru through the intercom.

『Yes, this is Ieyiri. What brings you here today?』

Shizuru brought her face close to the intercom’s microphone and spoke.

『I came because I wanted to talk a bit.』

Normally, I would unlock the door here and invite her in.

But today, Sakuya was in the house.

“It’s better not to let Shizuru into the house, right? See, Sakuya has completely hidden that she’s related to me at school.”

“…I have various things I want to ask Shizuru, and although it’s regrettable, I’ve decided to reveal my relationship with you. Call her in here.”

“We’ve gone to such lengths to pretend at school that we’re complete strangers with the same surname?”

“It’s unavoidable. Aunt asked me to look after you. Isn’t it necessary to check if you’re engaging in improper relations with the opposite sex with Shizuru?”

So that was why Sakuya had come to interrogate me today.

Oh, because I suddenly went silent, Shizuru seemed a bit worried.

I said to Shizuru, who was looking puzzled with an “Huh?” at the entrance.

『I was a bit tied up. I’m heading to open the door now.』

Ah, time’s up.

Since time had passed since the intercom rang, the microphone function had automatically turned off, and my voice did not reach Shizuru.

Because of that, I hurriedly headed to the entrance to let Shizuru into the house.

※

Shizuru, who had come to my house again today.

As soon as she arrived in the living room, she widened her eyes in surprise.

“Eh, why is Sakuya-chan here?”

Yes, because our classmate Sakuya Ieyiri was in my house.

To the surprised Shizuru, Sakuya said without any agitation.

“Hello, Shizuru.”

“Y-yeah. Hey, Teruaki. What is this?”

“Ah, at school, Sakuya and I say we’re total strangers who just happen to have the same surname, but…”

“N-no way…”

“Actually, that was a big lie. Normally, Sakuya and I are relatives and cousins.”

“Eh!?”

Shizuru exaggerated her surprise.

I thought she had a good reaction, and then Sakuya continued the explanation in my place.

“That’s right. Unfortunately, this guy and I are cousins, that’s a fact.”

“B-but I hear that relatives don’t end up in the same class?”

“We’re not in the special advanced class with only one section. So, even if we wanted to separate, we couldn’t.”

“Oh, true! By the way, why did you two keep it a secret that you’re relatives?”

“Because we don’t want people making a fuss or staring just because we’re cousins. Anyway, I have a question for you too, Shizuru. …Are you prepared?”

Sakuya pierced Shizuru with a sharp gaze.

Shizuru struck a mysterious fighting pose and braced herself to counter.

“C-come at me!”

Sakuya stood up and approached Shizuru.

Then, while tapping around the chest area of the dress shirt with her finger, she said.

“This is Teruaki’s, right?”

To Sakuya, who had a somewhat pressurized demeanor, Shizuru explained while flinching.

“Th-this is one I borrowed to return to Teruaki, but I accidentally wore it here…”

“If you borrowed a shirt from Teruaki, does that mean you two are in that kind of relationship?”

“Wh-what kind of relationship?”

“Whether you’re lovers. Because, don’t you think lending and borrowing uniform shirts is something that doesn’t happen unless you’re in that kind of relationship?”

As Sakuya pressed in on Shizuru, Shizuru said to her in a flustered manner.

“N-no, it’s not like that!? Teruaki is just a friend, and he lent me the shirt because I spilled curry on mine… R-really, just friends!”

I already knew that, but somehow, having her deny it so desperately hurt a little.

As I quietly took some damage, Sakuya continued with another question.

“…Friends, huh. Then why do you come to play at Teruaki’s house, Shizuru?”

“That’s to borrow the shower.”

“So it is that kind of relationship after all?”

“N-no, it’s not! I was worried about smelling sweaty, so I insisted and asked Teruaki to let me use his shower, that’s all?”

“Y-you managed to make that kind of request to a boy right in the middle of puberty…”

Sakuya’s face twitched slightly.

Shizuru did not miss that momentary opening.

“Hey, can I ask something too?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“What’s your goal in grilling me with questions like this, Sakuya-chan? Could it be that you like Teruaki and you’re worried I might take him away?”

Shizuru asked Sakuya with a teasing grin.

Hey, Shizuru. That’s a landmine.

For some reason, Sakuya dislikes me, you know?

If you say something like that…

“Huh? Who said I like this guy?”

Sakuya declared it while glaring at me with eyes full of murderous intent.

Shizuru shrank back at the sheer intensity.

“S-sorry?”

“…Yes, don’t ever say that again.”

“Y-yeah. I-I absolutely won’t!”

“Anyway, shall I answer why I’m concerned about you two? It’s a pretty simple story. Aunt asked me to. She said, please keep an eye on Teruaki so he doesn’t get too wild living alone? Of course, it’s because Aunt asked me, and I don’t feel anything particular about that guy sitting there, so don’t get the wrong idea.”

“I-I see.”

“Anyway, from this interrogation, it seems like you’re in the clear normally.”

Sakuya had suspected that I and Shizuru were engaging in improper relations with the opposite sex, but it seemed that misunderstanding was being cleared up.

“…Well, I’ll still keep an eye on things a bit more.”

That said, her suspicions had not fully cleared after all.

Even so, Sakuya was really dutiful, huh.

She properly acted as my watchdog just because Mom asked her to.