I Am Hated, Or So I Thought Volume 1

Chapter 7 - Sleepover

"—so, that's how it is. Can you help me? I'll properly compensate you for helping me. So, please?"

"....simply put, help you clean your house before your niece come here tomorrow. I'm not your housekeeper, Mister Aikawa."

Mister Aikawa put both of his hands together as he begged me to clean his house. I understood that he was not someone who could keep himself and his place clean all the time but he should be able to make his own place livable. From what I saw when I entered his house, it was literally a garbage place. Food wastes were here and there, tissues and clothes were everywhere and his drafts were messy. The only place I could see clean was his own table work.

It was not impossible to clean his house by tomorrow, but it would take a lot of time to do that. Perhaps, even if I don't return home, I would be cleaning until next morning.

"Come on, please do me a favour here. I know I'm asking a lot but I don't really know what to do in this catastrophe."

"....fine, but you'll be cleaning too."

"Thank you! I knew that I can count on you."

For now, let's just accept his request. He probably would not be able to write his novel if he spend even a day to clean his house. Still, seriously I would not be able to go home this time. Well, not like anyone would be worried about me. That was a plus I guess.

"... Mister Aikawa can clean and arrange your own drafts and works at you table first. I'll deal with the wastes and trashes for now."

"I understand. Just leave it to me."

Since I had taken the job, I would do my best. But, seeing all these messy stuffs everywhere really dampened my determination and motivation.

Time passed as we cleaned the house one thing at a time. Before I noticed it, the sun had already set and it was past the time I was supposed to come home. I did not care about that, so I just continued cleaning the house. It was almost done since there was only things to be thrown away and laundry. I had already mopped the floor and cleaned the dishes. Therefore, to remove the smell of some mixed abominations, I sprayed some gentle smelling liquid and turned on the air purifier.

Since the guest to be was a girl, she probably would not want to smell an old man's smell. This kind of stuff was sensitive to a girl of my age. I only knew that she was my peer when Mister Aikawa mentioned it to me when we were talking.

When I was outside to throw out the last plastic of thrashes, my phone rang and the name of Minamoto Akari popped up. I took the call and put it near my ear.

—Yozora, where are you right now? It's almost dinner.

Miss Minamoto's harsh and strict voice permeated through the phone. She sounded angry as she questioned me. I answered her as fast as I could not to make her angrier.

"...I'm outside. I won't be needing dinner tonight.....I'm outside. I'll be sleeping somewhere else tonight.

Since she already called me, I guessed I could inform her what I would do. At least they would not be thinking that I run away from home or something. If that was the case, I would be very troubled since the police and all those things would be coming after me like I was a criminal.

—Mom had cooked us dinner already. Don't you think it's a pity not to eat it. She even cooked your favorite food.

Miss Minamoto was home? She went home early this time. Usually she would not even return after the clock's hand passed by the number eleven. Did she have something to do at home? Why did she cook my favorite food? Did she even know it?