The Beautiful Girl I Accidentally Helped Who Has Somehow Become Attached To Me. - Chapter 26: Mikami Hina Doesn't Want to Go Home.

Mikami Hina Doesn’t Want to Go Home.

With Mikami-san’s “oversight” of the equipment upgrades in my place—a.k.a. her subtle invasion—my apartment’s vibe had completely changed.

Not that I had any complaints; the place was more comfortable, which was nice.

Well, if I had to nitpick, maybe it’s too comfortable for Mikami-san.

“Mikami-san, it’s past eight. Don’t you think you should head back soon?”

“…I’m fine for now.”

“Even if you say that, it’s still late. I know it’s just upstairs, but wouldn’t your parents worry?”

“There’s no problem. I have permission.”

Once I let her in, getting her to leave became a challenge. Sure, it’s not as if she’s walking through dark alleys at night—she just lives upstairs. But still, we’re a high school boy and girl, and hanging out late isn’t exactly ideal. Yet Mikami-san seemed completely at ease, especially on Fridays and Saturdays when the next day was a holiday, making it even harder to convince her to go.

“Hehe… it’s my house now. So cozy~.”

She even went so far as to call it her own place. There she was, lying comfortably on my couch, stretched out without a care in the world. Her uniform was a bit disheveled, showing her stomach and more than I’d think she’d be okay with. Seriously, have some shame.

“Kirishima-san…do you dislike spending time with me?”

“Of course not. If I did, I wouldn’t have let you in to begin with.”

She hugged a cushion and looked up at me from the couch with a gaze that made me feel guilty, as if I’d done something wrong.

But it’s not that I want to kick her out or anything. We’re just high schoolers, after all, and staying this late alone together isn’t exactly the best idea. It’s great she feels comfortable in the space she’s helped create here, but we should still have some boundaries.

“One more hour?”

“No.”

“…How about three?”

“No.”

“Then… I’ll head back tomorrow morning?”

“No.”

“Alright, how about… a two-night stay?”

“Are you trying a reverse door-in-the-face technique? You know it’s supposed to be the other way around to get someone to agree, right?”

The “door-in-the-face” technique is a strategy to gain agreement by making an initially large request (that you expect will be refused), followed by a smaller request that seems more reasonable by comparison.

In Mikami-san’s case, if she had asked for three more hours first, only to follow up with just one hour afterward, I might have considered it. But instead, she’s just increasing her demands each time.

With her requests escalating by the minute, compromise seems far off. And no, casually suggesting a high school girl stay overnight at a high school guy’s place is definitely not the way to go, Mikami-san. Stop smirking about staying here for two nights!

“Alright then, I’ll take the ‘free time’ option, please.”

“I’m not sure what you’re expecting here, but this isn’t that kind of place, and I don’t offer that service, alright?”

“In that case, I’ll take the eight-hour extension.”

“Do you think this is a karaoke place or something?”

“Oh, karaoke sounds fun! Why don’t we go sometime?”

“Maybe after exams for a celebration… but for now, how about you head home? You’ll be back tomorrow anyway, right?”

“If I’m coming tomorrow, I don’t see the point in going home now.”

“I do.”

I really don’t know what to do with Mikami-san and her “free time” or “extension” requests like this is some kind of karaoke hangout. She even managed to make me promise to go to karaoke. That’s fine, but how do I get her to actually leave?

“Mikami-san, are you really refusing to go home?”

“I can go home and change, then come back, if that’s better?”

“It’s not.”

“So… you’re saying I should just change here?”

“I didn’t say that! Don’t jump to conclusions.”

Honestly, Mikami-san is terrifying—she might actually go through with it. The situation should be setting off her sense of propriety, but instead, I’m the one feeling uneasy.

She’s got her cheeks puffed up, trying every trick in the book to wear me down. Normally, I’d give in by now, but this time, I have to stay firm. There are boundaries to uphold. I just have to find a way to make her understand… though I’m definitely starting to feel the pressure here.

“Alright, fine. Let’s negotiate.”

“…I’m listening.”

“I’d like you to head home tonight, Mikami-san. Not just to leave and come back, but to actually spend the night at your place, and then come over again tomorrow. In the morning.”

“Does tomorrow start at midnight, by any chance?”

“No. After 8 a.m., please.”

“…I’m afraid negotiations have failed.”

“What? Why? We can still talk about it!”

It was a bit too quick for the negotiation to break down, don’t you think? She hasn’t even heard my terms yet. Just give it a chance, Mikami-san. I’m sure we can find a middle ground if we keep talking.

“Look, Mikami-san, I know you’re probably enjoying your freedom right now, but if your parents start worrying and impose strict curfews or restrictions on you, that’s going to be a problem for you, right?”

“…You really hit the nail on the head there…”

Mikami-san is an absolute cutie, no doubt about it. But she’s still just a high school student. From a parent’s perspective, she’s still a child, and whether or not she has permission to stay out late, that doesn’t mean she can disregard boundaries altogether. Especially not if it means coming home in the morning; that’s completely out of the question.

“Alright, I get it. I wouldn’t want to give my parents any reason to worry either. So… what are your terms for this deal, Kirishima-san?”

“How about a favor from me in the future? Just a little something to keep it fair?”

“…That sounds tempting.”

I still don’t quite understand why I’m the one who has to owe her, but for now, I’ll roll with it. I really don’t get it, but if it works, then that’s what matters.

“So, is the negotiation…?”

“Agreed. I’ll head home for now.”

Well, I’m relieved to see that she’s finally getting ready to leave. If she had insisted on staying any longer, I really would have been at a loss.

I walk with her to the door to see her off.

“See you tomorrow! Take care on your way home!”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow…?”

That farewell felt a bit off, but it’s too much of a hassle to dwell on it. I suppose I should just greet her with a “welcome back” when she comes over tomorrow… right?