Kentaro staggered back into his home in Chiba Prefecture three days later, utterly drained.
If it weren't for Satoshi Harada's last-minute escapade that Kentaro was literally forced to join, he would have been back in Ichihara yesterday, as he had originally planned.
But his father just had to start a power play and keep him hostage for an extra day, working him like a mule. Tsk.
Without a care, Kentaro carelessly flung his bag aside and collapsed onto his bed, with no intention of budging for the next hour or two. He fully intended to catch some much-needed shut-eye before attempting any semblance of productivity.
"Oh, Kentaro dear, you're back," a voice of surprise echoed from his bedroom door.
Ginger, who hadn't expected the cleaning aunty to be around that day, was a little taken aback. Adjusting his posture to sit upright, he greeted her while inquiring, "Did I mix up the dates? I thought you were coming tomorrow."
The elderly woman - Mrs. Fujiwara - brandished her duster in the air. "Not at all, actually. I had wanted to discuss it with you yesterday, but I couldn't get hold of you. I have an important commitment in the next few days, so I won't be able to make it until Saturday. That's why I rescheduled my visit. I hope it's not an inconvenience."
Kentaro never dared to bring his cellphone to the Harada Estate. With their absurdly thorough inspections, it would only be a matter of time before the gadget was discovered, and Satoshi would inevitably grow suspicious.
Of course, Mrs. Fujiwara remained oblivious to this fact, unaware of Kentaro's predicament. In all honesty, she merely saw him as a wealthy young master sent away from home to broaden his horizons (which wasn't too far from the truth).
When Kentaro hired her over a year ago, the woman had been flabbergasted to learn that a thirteen-year-old resided in such a grand house all by himself. As an elderly mother with children of her own, it was only natural for her to worry.
But once she discovered that Kentaro would return home periodically to visit his family, her concerns significantly diminished. It also helped that this young master seemed to have school friends who often came by, especially that Fukudas' kid who lived in the same neighborhood.
Kentaro and that boy appeared to be 'particularly close'.
After half a year of working under him and earning his trust, Mrs. Fujiwara had been given a spare house key by Kentaro, making things more convenient for everyone.
She had free rein to roam wherever she pleased, as long as it didn't extend to his room unless he explicitly gave her the go-ahead.
"No problem at all," Kentaro replied to Mrs. Fujiwara's explanation. "Take as much time off as you need."
Truthfully, despite the size of his house, it wasn't challenging to keep it clean. Everything Kentaro required was in the downstairs area, so the upper floor remained untouched. It merely needed regular attention to prevent it from becoming a dust-collecting ghost house.
When he was still in the process of finding a place to stay, he'd originally planned on settling for a smaller place. However, none of the other options appealed to him. There would always be something lacking in each one.
Renting an apartment was out of the question since he'd wanted a place with a yard. Then there was the possibility of lodging in someone else's home...
...No, thank you. He preferred not to share a confined space with strangers.
In the end, this place had been his best bet. He preferred living in tranquil, clean spaces.
"Thank you, dear. Would you like me to prepare a snack for you? You must be exhausted from your trip," Mrs. Fujiwara thoughtfully offered.
"That's alright, I'll just rest for a bit," Kentaro glanced at the clock on his wall. It was already past four in the afternoon, so he could have dinner with the Fukudas later.
Ah, that's right. He still hadn't informed Haruki of his return. Since he should have been back by yesterday, Kentaro hoped he hadn't worried the other person.
After expressing his gratitude to Mrs. Fujiwara as she departed, Kentaro finally had some privacy and proceeded with his plan of getting some shut-eye.
But not before sending Haruki a text to inform him he was back.
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