Hajime was just as surprised as everybody else when the light bulb gave off light. He rubbed his eyes while squinting, trying to figure out if he was in a dream or not.
He wasn't.
"I thought you didn't have electricity." Megumi suspiciously looked at Hajime whilst trying to change the topic about her and the others following Hajime. After all, It had been an awkward moment when Hajime found all of them gathered outside (he already knew that they were following him though) but no one talked about it. It wasn't all that surprising considering that Akamine-sensei basically dragged him away. That alone is enough reason to pique their interest.
"I'm sure I didn't. I haven't paid my bills in a year." Hajime pinched himself and it didn't work either.
"It looks like you've been tricked, young sir," Franz smiled as he seated himself down.
Franz's action was the cue that Akamine-sensei needed so she proceeded to hand everyone a popsicle each. This was the first time she'd been in Hajime's house so she didn't perceive the light as a big deal. Same goes for Fuuka and Natsumi as well. It was just a normal light, surely Hajime was exaggerating when he said that he hasn't paid for his electricity for a year.
To their obliviousness though, Hajime was telling the truth, and his expression of surprise was genuine.
"Yeah, last time I slept here you only had candles. Don't tell me you didn't check the lights for a couple of months?" Megumi casually asked, totally forgetting that there were other people in the room. It totally flew out of her mind since she was too comfortable on the couch, eating her ice cream.
"You what?!" Fuuka's words were like knives cutting deep into someone's skin as she asked the most important question of confirmation. She was the only one who had the gall to ask since the others were too afraid to do so.
Megumi glanced towards Fuuka, wondering what was wrong with her, acting as if she just said something ridiculous. After giving her a mild stare, she proceeded to finish the popsicle she was eating... comfortably...
... that's when she noticed that everyone was actually staring at her, not just Fuuka.
"Oi, what are you talking about." Hajime hissed. At this point, he was already walking on thin ice so he didn't blurt out a question that outright denied Megumi's claims. While it is true that she spent the night at his place, it was because both of them didn't have any choice. It was an accident, nothing more, nothing less— and yet Hajime couldn't say it... doing so would just be another nail in the coffin.
"Heh~ so you spent the night here? Heh~" Akamine-sensei started nudging at Megumi, teasing her even more and causing her to blush.
"W-w-w-wha— " At this point, Natsumi couldn't even finish the first word of the question she'd been meaning to ask. She was the most surprised out of the group.
Meanwhile, Megumi was just as surprised as everyone else when she realized what she just said. Everything made sense now— or so that's what she thought when her mouth hung open in shock and the liquefied ice cream flowed out of it, creating a sticky mess of a waterfall running down her lips to her chin.
"Ehrmm... " While the silent commotion ensued, Franz cleared the throat to get everyone's attention. As the Kikuchi Household's butler and the young miss's personal driver, he was prepared for such a misunderstanding to occur. That's why he didn't panic. Instead, he had an ace up his sleeves that would counter the young miss's claims and wipe out the misunderstanding that she accidentally caused.
While it is true that she did spend the night in Hajime's place, Franz knew that it would reflect a bad reputation if everyone here were to know of such a fact... seeing that they'd take it the wrong way before Megumi would have a chance to explain/ defend herself.
"I'm afraid that the young miss took the joke so far." Franz cleared his throat three times to signal that Megumi should regain her composure. Megumi got the signal and she immediately wiped the ice cream off her chin. "It was a sarcastic remark, I hope everyone didn't take it the wrong way."
Fortunately, Megumi picked up on the signal and she began to chuckle. "Just kidding! Hahha~ everyone fell for that one... even this guy— " Megumi then glared at Hajime so as to put an icing to the cake that is her acting.
"Who wouldn't take that the wrong way?" Hajime reasoned out as he inwardly felt relief.
"Ah, so it was a joke ha-ha-" Natsumi hung her head. Somehow she felt defeated even though nothing really happened. Absent-mindedly, she bit on her ice cream, giving her a nice dose of brain freeze in the process.
"A-a-a-a-mmmph!" Fuuka stuttered before Akamine-sensei covered her mouth while forcefully laughing herself. "Here, take another ice cream," She continued, shoving ice cream in Fuuka's mouth so she could silence her for good.
.....
An hour or so later,
It was getting rather late, but Hajime had no idea how to put it in words. He couldn't just drive them out even though he was exhausted, so he silently sat there while everyone enjoyed the rest of the popsicles.
'I guess it's time to wrap things up.' Seeing Hajime's worn-out expression, Franz bowed to him, implying that he understood his body language.
'I'll leave it to you, Franz-san,' Hajime secretively gave Franz a thumbs up as he cleared his throat once again.
"Young miss, I'm afraid we have to go." Franz then pointed at his watch.
"I-I see,"
With Megumi the first one to excuse herself, the others were prompted to do the same. Needless to say, it all worked out just as Franz expected.
As the group exited the place, Hajime stole a glance at the tangerines sitting on the sink. A smile swept across his face before he headed towards the door to see everyone out.
"Thank you so much, goodnight Hajime!" Fuuka waved her hands enthusiastically. "I'll come visit again next time!"
'Please no-' Hajime thought to himself. He's had enough excitement in his house for the year.
As for Natsumi and Megumi, they only muttered a soft goodnight before heading their separate ways.
"You're going to attend the morning class tomorrow, right?" Akamine-sensei asked while she wore her black shoes.
Hajime nodded. "Um, sensei, once again... thank you so much for going out of your way to— "
"You don't owe me anything, Hajime, anyone would've done the same thing," Akamine-sensei responded, cutting Hajime short. "In fact, I'm quite honored that you relied on me for once. You should do that more, Hajime, relying on people, I mean."
Since Akamine-sensei seemed like she didn't want to talk about it, Hajime responded with a ninety-degree bow. It was his sincere way of expressing his thank you for the third time.