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Chapter 57
Word's counted -- 1900
Enjoy.
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Yawwwwnnn— "Why isn't there a bed in her room? Sigh, but whatever, I did have a good night's sleep," Aki muttered, stretching his body as he woke up on the couch. His neck was stiff, but at least he managed to get some rest.
First things first, he headed to the bathroom to freshen up. After a quick shower, Aki stepped out with a towel wrapped around his waist, water dripping onto the floor. His hair was still damp, and he rubbed it with the towel lazily, leaving it messy.
"At least she should keep some beauty products... She's a woman, isn't she? Doesn't she care about makeup or something?" Aki sighed, thinking that his mother's should have some collection of self-care items. He ran his hand through his damp hair, trying to make it look somewhat presentable without any products.
As he opened the door, he was startled to find someone already standing there—a member of the cleaning staff. The man was a bit startled himself, looking at Aki, unsure of who he was.
"You're here to clean?" Aki asked, handing over the room key before the cleaner could respond.
"Yes, sir," the cleaner replied, still unsure of the situation.
"Good, here's the key. After you finish, give it to Dr. Tatsu. He might be in the CEO's office," Aki instructed casually, adjusting his shirt as he spoke.
The cleaner's eyes widened in shock. "Sir, that—" Who is he? The CEO's son? The thought flashed through his mind as he tried to process the situation.
Seeing the man's confused face, Aki sighed and shook his head. "New here?"
"Y-Yes, sir..." the cleaner stammered.
"Well, it's fine. Just clean the couch, the floor, and the bathroom. Not much to do after that. I'm leaving now," Aki added, thinking to himself No need to worry about this guy stealing anything—there are cameras everywhere, and he knows better than to mess with rich people.
"Yes, sir, I'll do it properly!" the cleaner shouted, his voice echoing through the hallway as Aki walked away.
Knock knock.
"Who's there?" came a muffled reply from the other side of the door.
"It's me," Aki replied, trying to keep his voice playful.
"'It's me' who?" came the teasing reply, clearly recognizing his voice but still playing along.
"It's me, your lovely, handsome brother, Aki!" he boasted, adding a touch of narcissism to his tone.
"...I don't know you," Yuki shot back with dry sarcasm, but Aki could hear the smile in her voice.
Bang! "What do you mean by that?!" Aki dramatically burst into the room, fake tears in his eyes as he barged in.
Yuki sighed, sitting up slightly in her bed, dark circles under her eyes. "Why are you so noisy this early in the morning, Aki-nii? Can't you let a small child like me sleep properly?" She rubbed her eyes, exhausted.
"Eh? You didn't sleep?" Aki asked, noticing the heavy bags under her eyes.
"I was, but not anymore…" Yuki pointed at the clock on the wall, the time reading 3:12 a.m. "And do you even know what time it is? It's three in the morning."
"Really? Only 3:12? Sigh, well, go back to sleep then. I'll visit you in the evening. I have to go to school today," Aki replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
"Hai, hai, now please go. I want to sleep," Yuki sighed, turning away and snuggling back under the covers.
Aki smiled softly, closing the door behind him. "I messed up. Oh well, before I head home, I should check up on Akane first," he muttered to himself, making his way down the hall.
Knock knock.
"Ah, aunty, sorry for disturbing you this early. I was going to leave if you didn't answer my first knock," Aki apologized when Akane's mother opened the door.
"No, it's fine. We were just getting ready to leave anyway. I was hoping to see you before we left," she replied, smiling warmly. "Please, come in. I wanted to thank you."
Aki waved it off. "Haha, no need to thank me, aunty. But what's the rush?"
Akane's mother sighed. "Akane insists on going to school today, so we're preparing to leave early."
"Ah, is that so?" Aki asked, glancing behind her.
Before her mother could respond, Akane herself appeared from behind, carrying a small bag her mother had packed the day before. "Yes, I want to go to school," she said firmly.
Aki raised an eyebrow, surprised at her determination. "In that case, let me drop you both off. I'm heading home anyway."
"No, that's—" Akane's mother began, surprised that Aki had a vehicle. She assumed it must belong to his parents and didn't want to impose.
"I insist," Aki said, smiling as he held the door open.
Akane's mother sighed, realizing she had no choice. "Alright, but if we're on different routes, just drop us at the train station."
"Hai hai, we can figure that out later. Let's go," Aki said, gesturing for them to follow.
As they reached the ground floor, Aki turned to them. "Have you taken the discharge form?"
Akane's mother's eyes widened. "Oh no, I haven't! I should go—"
"No need, aunty. I'll tell them. Let's head out," Aki said with a confident grin, making a quick call to the desk.
Akane watched Aki quietly, still a little shy but increasingly curious. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, not quite sure what to make of him yet. He had been surprisingly kind, and it wasn't the kind of kindness she was used to.
Aki caught her staring and winked playfully. "Don't worry, I'm not kidnapping you."
Akane rolled her eyes but couldn't stop the small smile that crept onto her face. Despite everything that had happened, something about Aki's presence felt oddly reassuring.
Both Akane and her mother sat nervously in the luxurious car, their bodies stiff as they avoided moving too much, almost afraid of damaging the pristine interior. It was clearly far beyond anything they were accustomed to.
Aki noticed their tension and couldn't help but chuckle. "Don't be so stiff. He's a good driver, I promise," Aki said, glancing toward the front where his driver was focused on the road.
"Umm..." Akane nodded, still unsure but a little more relaxed now.
Wanting to ease the awkwardness and make them feel more comfortable, Aki decided to strike up a conversation. "So, when's your next show?" he asked Akane.
"We usually do our shows on weekends—Saturday and Sunday—since most of us are students," Akane replied, loosening up as the topic shifted to something familiar.
"Oh, that's great! Two days in a row is better than just one," Aki exclaimed.
"Why's that?" Akane asked, puzzled by his enthusiasm.
"Nothing special," Aki replied casually. "I'm usually pretty busy, so even if I miss one of your shows, I can always catch the next day." That wasn't entirely the truth. His real concern was Mitsuha—he hadn't swapped bodies with her for three days, and he couldn't predict when it would happen next. But he knew if it did, it would likely only be for a day, meaning he could miss a Saturday and still make it to the Sunday show.
"You know, you could always watch the pre-recorded episodes," Akane said, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, but watching it live is much better than a recorded video, don't you think?" Aki responded with a grin.
"That's true," Akane chuckled softly, her tension easing even more.
"Sir, we've arrived at Miss Kurokawa's residence," the driver announced, bringing the car to a smooth stop.
Aki blinked, surprised at how fast time had passed. "Oh, so soon? I was hoping we could talk more, but time flies," he sighed, disappointed.
"It's okay, Shijo-kun," Akane's mother chimed in with a warm smile. "You can visit our house anytime you want."
"And if you don't mind, I'd be happy to make you breakfast. You haven't eaten anything today, right?" she offered kindly, hoping to invite Aki over so Akane could spend more time with him. She had been observing their interactions and could sense that Akane was starting to develop feelings for him, though her daughter might not even realize it yet.
Akane's mother suspected these feelings stemmed from a mix of guilt and gratitude, but she knew that over time, they could grow into genuine affection. And while she had only met Aki recently, she felt confident he was a good person who wouldn't harm her daughter. As a supportive mother, she was already prepared to help this potential relationship along.
"Aunty, thank you for the offer, but I've got some things I need to take care of at home. I'll take you up on that visit another time though," Aki said with a smile as Akane and her mother stepped out of the car.
"Is that so? Alright then," Akane's mother sighed, a little disappointed. "But do visit us whenever you like. Oh, Akane, give him your phone number!" She nudged Akane, who had been looking down, slightly dejected when Aki declined the breakfast offer.
Startled by the nudge, Akane jolted. "Ah, yes, yes! Here, you can take my phone!" she blurted, thrusting her phone into Aki's hands without a second thought.
"Um, Akane-san, the lock," Aki said, standing there with two phones in his hands—his and Akane's.
"Oh, right! Sorry!" Akane said, quickly grabbing her phone back. She unlocked it and then, while touching her phone to his, transferred her number into Aki's phone.
"Eh, how?" Aki asked, genuinely surprised. "Since when did technology get this good?" He stared at the phone, slightly impressed and confused.
Akane chuckled at his expression, finding it oddly endearing. "It's been around for a while now, Aki-kun."
Aki scratched his head, feeling a little out of the loop. "I guess I've been living under a rock. Anyway, thanks for the number. I'll be sure to call or text sometime," he said, giving her a playful wink before stepping back toward the car.
Akane's mother smiled, watching their exchange. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"
"Mom…" Akane mumbled, slightly embarrassed but happy nonetheless.
As the car pulled away, Aki waved at them from the window. "Take care, you two! I'll see you soon!"
Akane waved back, a small smile lingering on her face. Despite everything that had happened yesterday—the turmoil of social media hate, the overwhelming guilt, and even her desperate thoughts of ending it all—today, she felt different. Stronger.
Yesterday, her world had crumbled. The weight of the online hate and the overwhelming pressure had driven her to the edge. But today? Today was her turning point. She was going to fight back.
Instead of hiding from the whispers, from the online comments that had haunted her, she would face them head-on. She wouldn't let those voices define her. She still had dreams, a future to fight for, and people who cared about her—more than she had realized before.
What the point of getting depressed by all their nonsense when I can just ignore them. it's not like they are my parents who are disappointed in me, so why should I care.
With a deep breath, Akane turned toward her house, her resolve solidifying. Today wasn't just another day—it was the day she would begin to rebuild herself, stronger than before.
***** Comment error******
Point me out my mistakes okk.
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