The familiarity of the view gave my heart a sense of ease. The supermarket, the pastry shops, the bakery, and the salon at the end of the street—all these familiar sights brought me a strange joy. The road was eerily quiet, probably because it was around eleven o'clock.
I felt lonely.
Not wanting to linger any longer, I hurried home. Kaori must be worried about me.
Stepping out of the lift, I walked to the door, expecting it to be open. To my surprise, it was locked. Is she not home yet? She must be busy with work.
I knew she wasn't as free as me, but for some reason, I stood there, waiting for someone to open the door for me. Is this what housewives/house husbands feel when their spouses come home late?
Sighing, I took out my keys, unlocked the door, and entered. Switching on the lights, I headed straight for the dining table to grab a glass of water. As I drank, I noticed my smartphone on the table.
Ah! I forgot it at home.
I picked up the phone and pressed the power button.
Huhhhhhhhhhhh! "36 missed calls!!!"
My gosh! Why did I take this incident lightly? She must have been worried sick about me since morning.
I immediately called her back.
"Come on, Kaori, pick up!"
"Hello?"
"Hello, it's me. I'm home. Where are you right now?" I asked hastily, but there was only silence on the other end. "Kaori? Are y—"
"Adachi-san, WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW? AND WHY DID YOU LEAVE WITHOUT TELLING ME?"
"Please calm down. I'm at home. Where are you?"
"Sniff! Sniff! I'm at the police station."
"The police station?"
"Yes. Wait a moment. Yes, inspector, sir. He came home, so it's okay."
"Wait. Give me the phone. Who does he think he is to make you cry? Hey, listen, you dimwit bastard! Can't you be responsible? How dare you—"
"Hello! Sir, please listen. I'm really sorry for the inconvenience. I'll apologize to her too. Please cancel our complaint."
A police chase is the last thing I need in my life. I'm not even a fan of gangster movies. I haven't even watched The Godfather.
"No, the complaint can't be undone."
"Why, sir?"
"The complaint has been officially registered. You have to come to the station and sign yourself. Then it will be canceled."
"Okay, sir. I will come tomorrow. Is that alright?"
"Fine. But you better be here tomorrow."
"Kaori, please come home. I'll explain everything."
But what would I tell her? I can't just say I got kidnapped by a doppelganger who wants me to take over his life and love affairs. She might either kill me or him!
I need to come up with something believable.
"Okay, I'll be there in ten minutes."
I paced around the living room, pondering excuses for my disappearance. Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang. My heart knew who it was before I even opened the door.
Is it Issei-kun from the High School DxD.
Or is it our dear chad hero from Trash a girlfriend series. But seriously, the protagonist was such a dependable hero. Highly recommended show!
...
...
Drum roll…
...
Drum roll…
That's right, it's my girlfriend, Kaori Sato.
I opened the door. Her eyes, wet and soaked, met mine. Before I could react, she slapped me hard.
"AHHHH! What are you doing? That hurts! What are you, a girl or a bitc—"
Before I could complete my statement I was met with another slap. So, I retracted like a child who just got scolded. I placed my hands over my cheeks and sulked.
"Who are you calling a bitch?"
"W-Wh-Witch... I was calling you a witch."
"Should I be happy about that?"
"I don't know. But why the violence?"
"What are you talking about? Why wouldn't I be mad? Where were you? You left without saying anything!"
Even though I knew it wasn't my fault, I still felt guilty. I mustered up the courage, placed my hands on her cheeks, and looked into her eyes.
"Just why would you do that? Auhhh..." She broke into tears.
I grabbed her, embracing her tightly, and whispered in her ear, "Sorry. But I would never leave you."
Her tears stopped almost instantly. She looked at me sincerely, slightly licking her lips, slowly leaning in.
My girlfriend is very responsible. She never leaves any ends loose. She is almost perfect at any task, so I rarely get a chance to tease her.
"At least until I tell you beforehand, haha..." She sulked and pinched me hard, angrily looking at me.
"Ehhh! Sorry, sorry!! Please don't."
"But you still haven't told me where you were."
"Okay, okay. First, freshen up and change your clothes."
I went to the kitchen, took out some instant noodles, and boiled water. It had been a hectic day for both of us, and neither of us was in the mood to cook or eat something heavy. As I brought the noodles to the dining table, she emerged from the bathroom in her pink night suit, her wet hair being dried with a towel.
"If you want the hair dryer, it's right there."
"No, I'll do it after eating. So, what did you make?"
"None other than the best weapon in such situations, a worthy-waifu of a NEET—Bestcup instant noodles."
She gave me a disappointed look, so I quickly shifted the conversation and handed her a pack.
"Okay, sit. I have something important to discuss with you."
We both sat down, and she started slurping her noodles.
"I've got a job offer."