When I Started Doing Housework For The Cool Beauty In My Class, She Began Asking Me About The Dinner Menu Every Day. - Chapter 1: An Unexpected Workplace.

An Unexpected Workplace.

“Hey, what’s for dinner tonight?”

“…Omurice.”

“Yay, I can’t wait!”

Until just recently, she was nothing more than a classmate.

She isn’t exactly quiet, but she doesn’t talk much either, carrying an air of coolness and mystery that makes her secretly popular in class. Yet, for some reason, she’s now asking me about dinner, her face breaking into a soft, carefree smile.

A face she shows to no one else—only to me.

The story of how this came to be goes back to a little while ago.

***

The second half of my first summer vacation as a high school freshman was approaching.

I, Shirayanagi Minato, was staring at my wallet and bank app with a pale face.

“Uh-oh, did I get a bit carried away and overspend…?”

It was my first long vacation since starting high school.
After fully enjoying trips to the beach and festivals with my new high school friends, my wallet had become considerably lighter, and the digits displayed in my bank app had dwindled alarmingly.

“What should I do…? Cancel the plans I’ve already made? Even then, it’s going to be tight—no, maybe impossible?”

With only a little summer break left, I still had a few commitments to hang out with friends.
Those plans would require some money, but as they say, you can’t spend what you don’t have.

Even if I were to cancel those outings, the real issue was whether I could survive financially until the end of summer vacation.
I could try cutting back on food expenses, but as a growing high school boy, that wasn’t a sustainable option.
If I were to pass out in this blazing summer heat from under-eating, I’d only rack up additional costs like hospital bills.

In other words, the only course of action left to me was… to send an SOS to my parents.
I never thought I’d have to ask my parents for money.

If it were for unavoidable expenses, I might have felt less guilty, but this was entirely my fault.

With an unusually heavy hand, I swiped over my phone to call my mom.
After a few rings, she picked up, and I felt a wave of tension.

“Uh, h-hello, Mom?”

“Oh, it’s my son! Let me guess—you’re calling to ask for money?”

“…How did you know?”

Even though I hadn’t said a word, my mom had perfectly guessed why I was calling.
It was a bit eerie, honestly, but at least she had brought it up herself, which made it easier to get straight to the point.

“Um… I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I got a little carried away having fun, and now my finances are in trouble.”

“You’ve been talking about going to the beach with your friends and all that, right? Sounds like you’ve been enjoying your youth. That’s a good thing!”

“…Wait, you’re not mad? I thought you’d tell me to manage my money better since I’m living on my own…”

“Hmm? From the sound of it, you’ve already reflected on your actions, haven’t you? You know the cause, and the fact that you reached out for help instead of bottling it up is a gold star in my book.”

What kind of saintly parent is this?

“Besides, you won’t learn how to manage money without making mistakes first. Honestly, I’m impressed you made it this far without any issues. Just to confirm, you’re not cutting back in some weird, unhealthy way, right?”

“No, I’m not. It’s just that I got a little too excited during summer vacation. Normally, I think I’m fine, but… keeping up with friends really does cost more than I expected.”

It’s not that I resent spending money on my friends. Hanging out with them is part of the high school experience.
I had come to realize, though, that if I wasn’t careful, those expenses could spiral out of control.

Up until now, I had been able to enjoy outings with my friends without much thought, thanks to my parents’ behind-the-scenes support.

“If you ever get a girlfriend, it’s going to cost even more, you know. By the way, have you gotten one yet?”

“I haven’t…”

“Oh, that’s a shame. But you’ve got a good face, so I’m sure you’ll charm a girl sooner or later.”

“Charming a girl? That phrasing feels… kind of insulting.”

Well, I do appreciate my parents for giving me a reasonably good appearance, but unfortunately, I don’t have a girlfriend right now.

Sure, I’m interested in romance, and I’d like to have a girlfriend someday. But seriously, being told stuff like that while I’m confessing my financial screw-up? How am I supposed to even think about relationships?

I definitely don’t want to be the guy saying, “I spent all my money goofing around with my girlfriend.”

“Sigh… should I get a part-time job or something?”

“Oh, that sounds great! Working hard to earn money for dates—how romantic!”

“…I’m telling you, I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“You don’t ‘now’, but you might someday, right?”

I can manage to get by with the allowance my parents send me, but I’ve realized how risky things get when my expenses pile up, like this time.

Sure, I feel like my mom would help me out every time I ask, but relying on her constantly just feels… wrong.

Besides, as my mom says, there’s always the chance I’ll have a girlfriend someday. And I’d hate to be unable to take her out on dates because I’m broke.

The most obvious solution to avoid that scenario is for me to get a job myself.

Luckily, it seems like my mom would be okay with it, so getting a part-time job to earn a little pocket money might not be a bad idea.

“Oh, by the way, I have a great opportunity for you,” 

“A great opportunity?”

“Yeah, a friend of mine is thinking about hiring a housework helper. You’re good at chores and cooking, right? I’ll talk to her and set it up for you—why not give it a shot?”

A housework helper, huh?

Well, Mom drilled housework skills into me to make sure I could live alone, so I’m pretty good at it. And these days, part-time jobs like housework services aren’t that uncommon.

If it’s her friend hiring me, it sounds like I can skip the annoying stuff like résumés and interviews. Thinking of it as a one-off housework gig doesn’t sound bad at all.

“Alright, I’ll take you up on that.”

“Okay, I’ll make the arrangements. Once everything’s settled, I’ll send you the date and address, so take care of it, okay?”

“Got it.”

“I’ll also transfer the money, so make sure you eat properly, alright? Take care!”

With that, Mom hung up.

I hadn’t expected her not only to help with my financial troubles but also to set me up with a part-time job. What a mom…

***

The next day.

I received a message from my mom with the address of her friend and the time for the job.

The date is… today? That’s pretty short notice. Well, I’m free, so it’s fine.

The address is… close.

I figured it would be within reach based on how Mom described it, but I didn’t expect it to be this close.

The specified location was an apartment building just a few minutes’ walk away.

Honestly, the lack of a commute makes this convenient for me, but… this part-time job that Mom introduced feels way too good to be true. Between the nature of the work and the proximity, the conditions are almost too perfect.

Then again, on the flip side, the tasks involved in housework can vary quite a bit.

While cleaning, laundry, and cooking are the most common assumptions, housework can also include things like shopping, garden maintenance, or taking out the trash.

I had unconsciously assumed the job would involve cleaning or cooking based on how Mom described it, but there’s a chance I could be asked to handle something entirely different.

For now, I’ll mentally prepare myself to tackle whatever tasks come my way.

***

The agreed-upon time arrived.

I double-checked the specified apartment complex and confirmed the room number.

(Fujisaki-san… Mom’s friend, huh? I wonder what kind of person they are.)

Seeing the surname written on the nameplate, I realized that I hadn’t asked for their first name.

Fujisaki… That’s a pretty familiar name. There’s someone in my class with the same surname, and her face briefly popped into my head… but it’s probably just a coincidence. Mom’s friend isn’t likely to be someone my age, so it shouldn’t be her.

With a slight flutter of nerves in my chest, I pressed the intercom.

“Yes?”

“Ah, hello. I’m Shirayanagi, here for the housework part-time job.”

“…I’ll be right there.”

The intercom clicked off, and I waited for the door to be unlocked.

The voice on the other end was that of a woman, and she sounded quite young.

I had assumed she’d be around the same age as Mom since she was her friend, but you can’t judge someone’s appearance by their voice alone.

As I stood there, wondering what kind of person would appear, the door remained locked.

Not only that, but there were strange muffled noises and even screams coming from inside.

Oh, I just heard a high-pitched “kyaa!” nearby.

The unsettling sounds and faint screams made me uneasy, but then I heard the sound of the lock turning.

The door opened, and peeking out from behind it was—

“F-Fujisaki…?”

“Huh? Ah… Shirayanagi…-kun?”

The person standing before me was none other than the classmate whose face I had imagined earlier, the beautiful Fujisaki Kanon.

Behind her was a hallway that perfectly embodied the word “chaos,” with the entryway so cluttered it was impossible to see the floor.