The Case of Me, a Guy With Zero Dating Experience, Getting Mistaken for a Stalker by the Angel I Fell for at First Sight, Only to End Up Living Together With Her in a Harem Share House With a 1:9 Gender Ratio - Chapter 26: Suspect K (2)

Chapter 26: Suspect K (2)

By the time Yuuki and Sakura arrived at the Hakurindai Station police box, it was already past 7:30 p.m.

Upon entering the police box, they saw Officer Kurahashi, who had handled Sakura’s stalker report.

“I got a call saying my father, Kengo Saotome, is here…”

Sakura said.

“Yes, oh, you’re the one who filed the stalker report last time…”

Officer Kurahashi asked Sakura.

“I’m Sakura Saotome.”

“Huh, so you’re his daughter…?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m sorry for the trouble my father caused.”

“So that’s how it is…

Oh, and you’re the one who was with her last time… her boyfriend, right?”

Officer Kurahashi asked Yuuki.

“N-No, not her boyfriend, her bodyguard.”

“Oh, right, that’s right.”

“For now, could you confirm if it’s your father?”

Officer Kurahashi let them peek into the adjacent break room.

There, Sakura’s father, Kengo, sat with a tired expression.

“Dad…”

Sakura’s voice slipped out, and her father turned toward her.

“Sakura… you came to get me?”

Kengo looked at Sakura with a relieved expression.

“Dad, why are you at the police box?

…Were you the stalker?”

“No, that’s not it.

There’s no way I’d be a stalker, right?

You understand, don’t you, Sakura…”

Kengo hurriedly explained at his daughter’s harsh words.

Sakura felt pity for her father, desperately trying to justify himself.

He was probably waiting near the share house to check on her and got questioned by the police.

At that moment, Officer Kurahashi interrupted.

“You can catch up later, but first, could you sign these documents?”

When Sakura signed the papers, Kengo was finally released.

Officer Kurahashi explained the situation to Kengo.

There had been a surge in stalker incidents recently, prompting increased patrols.

Sakura had been a victim and filed a report.

“Don’t ever do anything that could be mistaken for stalking again.”

Officer Kurahashi sternly warned Kengo.

“Yes, understood. I’ll keep that in mind.

Thank you, and sorry for the trouble.”

Kengo bowed deeply and left the police box.

Outside, Sakura sighed in exasperation, and her father started ranting again.

“Sakura, who’s this guy?

Your boyfriend!?

When did you get a boyfriend?

I won’t allow it!”

Kengo jumped to the conclusion that Yuuki, who came with his daughter, was her boyfriend.

“Dad, don’t say rude things.

This is Yuuki Shinomiya, who lives in the same share house.

I asked him to be my bodyguard to and from university.”

“B-Bodyguard?

But I heard your share house is girls-only.”

“Look, Yuuki-san is the owner’s brother-in-law.

That’s why his last name is Shinomiya, like the owner’s, got it?”

Passersby stared at the father-daughter argument.

Officer Kurahashi, watching from inside the police box, gave a wry smile.

“Dad, stop it, it’s embarrassing!”

Sakura’s face turned bright red as she tried to stop her father, but Kengo wouldn’t listen.

Unable to stand it, Yuuki stepped between them.

“Talking here is awkward, so how about we move somewhere else?”

“Right, let’s eat somewhere and talk.”

“O-Okay, let’s do that.”

Kengo nodded at Sakura’s suggestion.

“Yuuki-san, I’m sorry, but could you stick with us a bit longer?”

“Sure, I’m in for the ride, so I’ll see it through.”

※

The three entered La Stella, a family restaurant near the station, and were led to a booth in the back.

Kengo and Sakura sat across from each other, with Yuuki next to Sakura.

An awkward atmosphere hung between father and daughter.

While opening the menu, Sakura said to Yuuki,

“Yuuki-san, I’m really sorry for making you leave work early because of my father.

As an apology, order anything you like.

I’ll make my father pay…”

“Huh!? Hey, Sakura!”

Kengo panicked at Sakura’s words but quickly reconsidered.

“No, I mean, Yuuki-kun, order anything you want.”

“No, I’ll pay for my own.”

“No, it’s fine.

I caused trouble, and it seems Sakura’s been in your care, so let me do at least this…”

“Got it… then I’ll take you up on it.”

Yuuki chose the katsu curry set from the menu.

Sakura ordered the cheese hamburger set, and Kengo got the steak set.

Each came with a salad and drink.

After ordering, Sakura began interrogating her father.

“Dad, why did you do something so stalker-like?

Explain it so I can understand!”

Under his daughter’s harsh questioning, Kengo reluctantly spoke.

After finishing a business trip in Tokyo, he came to check on his daughter unannounced.

He planned to have dinner with her afterward.

He disguised himself to avoid being noticed, but it backfired, leading to police questioning.

“I’m speechless…”

Hearing Kengo’s explanation, Sakura let out a big sigh.

Even as they started eating the delivered food, Sakura’s questioning continued.

“I get that you’re worried, but your approach was ridiculous.

And why didn’t you contact me beforehand?”

Kengo dodged his daughter’s persistent questioning.

“Well, I wanted to see how you’re living day-to-day.”

“So you don’t trust me?”

“No, that’s not it, I’m just worried…”

A heavy silence followed, then Kengo turned to his daughter.

“By the way, Sakura… I hear you were a victim of a stalker!

Why didn’t you report it to us right away!”

Now it was the father’s turn to question his daughter.

“I didn’t want to worry you or Mom.

But now, Yuuki-san is my bodyguard every day, so there’s no need to worry.”

“I heard earlier, but why is Yuuki-kun in the share house?

Wasn’t it supposed to be no men allowed?”

“Yuuki-san’s had a tough time…”

Sakura explained that Yuuki’s apartment burned down, leaving him nowhere to go, so he moved into his sister-in-law Asuna’s share house.

“That may be, but isn’t it a problem for one man to live in a women-only share house?”

“It’s not a problem at all.

Because Yuuki-san is the share house’s manager, right, Yuuki-san?”

“Huh, the manager…?

Is that so, Yuuki-kun…”

Kengo asked Yuuki.

Caught off guard by Sakura’s lie, Yuuki could only say, “Yes.”

“If that’s the case, I suppose it’s fine.”

“By the way, Dad.

It’s okay to tell Mom about today, right?”

Kengo’s face paled at Sakura’s words.

“Sakura, please spare me!

If your mother finds out, who knows what she’ll say…!”

Yuuki noticed Kengo’s face turn ashen.

It seemed he was intimidated by his wife.

“Sakura, please keep this a secret…”

Sakura’s father looked utterly distressed.

“Then, I have a condition.

I started working part-time at a café near the university station.

If you approve, I won’t tell Mom.”

“Part-time!?

Sakura, I told you students should focus on studies, so no part-time jobs!”

“Fine, I’ll call Mom then.”

Sakura started dialing her mother on her phone.

“O-Okay!

I approve! I approve, so don’t call!”

Succumbing to his daughter’s threat, Kengo reluctantly agreed.

“Thanks, Dad.”

Sakura beamed and thanked her father.

“Honestly, blackmailing your own parent—what a daughter.”

After the meal, Kengo, of course, paid at the register.

“Thanks for the meal.”

Yuuki bowed to Sakura’s father.

“No, it’s nothing, I caused trouble, and Sakura’s been in your care, so I’m sorry I can only do this…

Next time, I’ll treat you to something fancier.”

Leaving the restaurant, the two walked Kengo, who was staying at a hotel, to the station.

At parting, Kengo said in a slightly lonely tone,

“Yuuki-kun, today… I’m really sorry for the trouble.

I hate to ask, but please take care of my daughter’s bodyguard duties.”

Then, turning to his daughter,

“Sakura… take care of yourself, don’t catch a cold or anything.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Well, I’m off…”

With that, Sakura’s father gave Yuuki a slight nod and hurriedly walked toward the station.