It Seems Like A Girl I Don't Know Is Doing Housework At Home. But It Was Cute So I'll Keep An Eye On It - Chapter 4
Episode 4: Silky, Are You There?
University, compared to previous educational institutions, offers a lot more freedom.
This is particularly evident in the scheduling of classes. Up until middle school or high school, students follow the timetable set by the school. There’s no room for objection here.
But it changes when you get to university. You arrange your own schedule based on your interests, the credits you need to advance, and the timing of classes. So schedules vary greatly. Some go to university in the afternoon, while others finish all their classes for the day in the morning. Some even take the whole day off, tailored to their individual lifestyle.
And what becomes important here is that in university, each “lecture” is essentially independent.
“Never thought there’d be a two-period cancellation.”
So, depending on the instructor, there might be sudden free periods, like today.
“Wow, having the afternoon off is seriously lucky.”
I recall this while stretching out. It was about checking the enrollment form on the university’s student page after the second lecture. There, I found out that the fourth period had been canceled due to the instructor’s illness.
My schedule usually consists of classes for the second, fourth, and fifth periods. Since the fifth period was also canceled the day before, it naturally meant that my afternoon classes were wiped out.
“Now, what should I do in the afternoon?”
I don’t have work today, so I have free time. But gathering with friends seems difficult since they likely have classes.
In that case, I’d be alone even if I go out. And just wandering around without a purpose… seems quite bothersome. After all, I commute to university by bike. If I go from university to the city, I’d have to take the train.
It’s a choice between going home first and going out or leaving my bike at university all day. In that case, it would be more comfortable to just laze around at home.
Well, I’m not the type to go out without a reason anyway. Without a purpose for going out, the sense of “waste” inevitably dominates. If there are additional negative points on top of that…
“This kind of thinking is called being a shut-in, isn’t it?”
Being fine with being alone, having plenty of hobbies to do at home, yet still seeking a purpose for going out.
What can I say? I’m truly hopeless. Few people have such difficulty building relationships with others, to the extent that I do.
And the most hopeless part is that even with awareness, I don’t feel any motivation to improve.
“Well, I guess I’ll quickly make some pasta, do some drawing, and then sleep.”
In the end, I pedaled my bike as usual, took the usual route, and headed home.
“What do I have in the fridge again?”
I parked my bike in the attached bicycle parking, climbed the iron staircase while thinking about lunch.
It’s been ten years since the apartment was built. My room is on the second floor. It’s a small one-room apartment, with a relatively low rent for its location.
“Hmm?”
As I reached out to the doorknob of my proud little room, I suddenly realized.
“I can hear noises from inside.”
I inserted the key into the doorknob, and at the moment it clicked shut, I heard hurried movements from behind the door.
Could it be a burglar? My guard went up. The public safety around here is supposed to be good, but there are no guarantees. Criminals are just that.
“Oh, today’s Wednesday.”
Then I remembered. There was someone I knew who might be entering people’s homes at specific times on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
“…Ah.”
I recalled the hidden camera I set up a while ago. The stalker was captured on video.
The footage was recorded on a Wednesday, just like today. And roughly around the same time.
“I see…”
I naturally let go of the doorknob and leaned against the railing behind me. I absentmindedly looked up at the blue sky.
Unexpectedly encountering this situation? No, it wasn’t unexpected at all. It should have been anticipated.
Of course. The stalker has been timing their intrusion into my house when I’m at university.
Therefore, if I come home earlier, the likelihood of a confrontation naturally increases.
“Hmm…”
But what to do? Should I step back for now? But that would be a hassle too. Why should I, as the homeowner, have to be so considerate?
On the other hand, I hesitate to contact the police. Losing a free housekeeper is, without a doubt, regrettable.
After thinking about it for a few seconds… in the eyes of an outsider, it might seem like a pretty foolish train of thought, but I came to a conclusion.
“…I’ll go in.”
I’ll enter the room without worrying about a confrontation and then completely ignore them.
No matter what they say, I won’t react. I’ll treat them as if they’re not there at all. Hopefully, they’ll leave if I do that—a hopeful assumption.
The exception would be if there’s a threat to my safety, but I think I don’t need to worry too much about that. They’ve shown enough attachment to stalk me, so there’s no need for them to come and harm me intentionally.
Of course, panicking might change things, but that kind of reaction is instinctual. If I completely ignore them and don’t shout at them, I hope they’ll stay calm too.
Well, in the end, I’m just relying on their “weakness of being infatuated,” and there’s no rationality in that.
But considering that I’m about to do something irrational, it’s not like I should factor in rationality from the start.
“Alright.”
So, with my resolve firm, I’ll keep my guard up to the max just in case. Since there’s still a possibility of a burglar, I won’t forget to hold the key as if it’s a makeshift weapon.
The basic plan is to completely ignore them. If there’s a danger to my safety, I’ll retaliate without hesitation. With that plan engraved in my mind, I turned the doorknob of my home.