Chapter 18 Unexpected Incidents During Cleanup

Unexpected Incidents During Cleanup

“Why do things just keep piling up like this…?”

“Because you can’t let go of stuff~. Look, put that on the shelf… Oh, and sort the plates by type!”

“Got it, roger~.”

As I sighed, Kanade gave me precise instructions.

About an hour had passed since we started cleaning.

One thing I had learned in this short time was how efficient Kanade was.

Unlike me, she worked quickly and made decisions with confidence.

Honestly… her cleaning skills are leagues above mine.

No, seriously, I’m really pathetic as an adult…

As I fumbled with the tidying, Kanade sighed and spoke to me.

“Looking at how bad you are at this, Ariga-cchi, I’m surprised you managed to keep your home clean before. Did you just call in professionals whenever your house turned into a garbage dump~?”

“Hey, that’s harsh… I wasn’t that bad, okay? Clumsy as I was, I still managed on my own.”

“Then… it must have taken you a considerable amount of time… Sigh.”

“Haha…”

“Don’t laugh! It’s not something to laugh about…”

She pouted in frustration and shrugged her shoulders in exasperation.

Under her disapproving gaze, which seemed to say “what a hopeless person,” I continued tidying up.

I needed to check the contents of each cardboard box one by one.

I had to figure out what went where…

“Ariga-cchi, once you’re done checking the contents, group the trash together. Tie up the cardboard boxes properly, and if there’s anything like, ‘I brought this during the move but realized I don’t need it,’ let me know. There are some things you can only throw away during a move. Oh, and make sure not to mix different types of garbage. If you’re not sure, just ask me, okay?”

“Whoa… Your instructions are so precise, you’re like my mom, Kanade.”

“Then Ariga-cchi is my child~!”

“Guh…”

“Come on, come on~, we don’t have time, so move faster~. We’ve got a mess to tackle, and we need to finish by tonight!”

Honestly, I felt bad for putting her through this.

But at the same time, I couldn’t help but be impressed by how quickly she was getting things done…

I have to do my best too.

Alright, next, I’ll start organizing the books into the bookshelf we just assembled…

“Oh, speaking of bookshelves, I just remembered. Do cram schools have different supplies depending on the branch?”

“Huh? What’s with the sudden question?”

“Well, during the drinking party, Rika-chan said stuff like… Ahem. ‘Budgeting is so difficult…’ and ‘What’s the best option to buy?’”

“Wow, that imitation is unnecessarily good…”

“Hehe~. Right? I’m pretty proud of it!”

“Please don’t do that in front of her. It’ll probably cause chaos…”

“I’ll do my best~!”

“That sounds like bureaucratic lip service… But yeah, the supplies differ by each branch. Each branch gets a set budget and can decide how to use it within those limits.”

To put it nicely, “freedom.”

To put it bluntly, “neglect.”

Well, that’s just how it is.

As long as it’s for the improvement of the school, we’re given a fair amount of discretion.

Of course, that comes with personal responsibility…

“So, does that mean if there’s something you want to change about the classroom, you can just go ahead and do it?”

“Pretty much. Do you have something in mind?”

“Hmm. Nothing comes to mind right now… but next time, show me the blueprints! I’ll think about it then!”

“Blueprints…? What are you, a contractor!?”

I couldn’t help but retort.

Quite a bit of time had passed since we started cleaning.

I was starting to feel sleepy, and I couldn’t stop yawning.

The sad sight of my messy home was mostly gone, and everything visible was relatively tidy now.

Honestly, I wouldn’t have been able to do this alone. It was all thanks to Kanade.

“Wow~. We cleaned up quite a bit.”

I said that while taking a sip of water.

Kanade was holding a bottle of tea I had given her as a thank-you gift.

By the way, I had to force her to take it because she stubbornly refused to accept any thanks.

“Yeah, I think we’ve cleaned enough to at least get some sleep now. But we still have to deal with the mountain of cardboard boxes in the hallway…”

“Yeah… It’s a harsh reality, but we focused on securing a place to sleep first. At least the big stuff is mostly done, so we’re almost finished.”

“Exactly~. I can’t wait to just flop down and relax…”

“Sorry for keeping you so late, Kanade. If you’re tired, feel free to use the bed and get some rest.”

“Eh~ what, what? Does that mean you want to sleep with me, Ariga-cchi~?”

“No, that’s not it!”

“Ahaha! I’m just joking~. Look at your red face… Oh? Did you actually hope for that?”

“You young people and your wild imaginations…”

“Come on, don’t be shy. We’re close enough for this kind of banter~.”

“Stop poking me.”

“Come on, admit it! What were you imagining?”

“Enough teasing already…!”

“Ah! You were about to pinch my cheeks again, weren’t you? Not happening!!”

She dodged my hand nimbly, stuck her tongue out playfully, and ran into the hallway.

Naturally, I chased after her.

But in her rush, she must have been careless with her footing.

Kanade stepped on some stray paper trash and lost her balance.

The moment a short scream “Kya!” escaped her lips, I reflexively grabbed her arm and pulled her so she wouldn’t fall.

In the process, I ended up colliding with a stack of boxes behind me.

“Whoa…”

The boxes toppled over, burying both of us.

“Ouch… sorry, Kanade. Are you okay?”

“I twisted my ankle a bit, but other than that… How about you, Ariga-cchi?”

Her voice was not her usual energetic tone but rather a gentle one.

…Thank goodness.

It didn’t seem like she was seriously hurt.

The boxes had cushioned her fall, and the heavier ones had landed on me instead.

Which meant… my body was in a lot of pain.

But honestly, as long as Kanade was okay, it was worth it.

If she had been injured, it wouldn’t have been funny…

Wait…

As the pain started to fade and my mind cleared, I became aware of something.

…My position right now was incredibly awkward.

A sweet scent tickled my nose.

A calming, almost mesmerizing fragrance.

That’s right—I was practically on top of Kanade.

“S-sorry!!”

As I hurriedly tried to move away, Kanade gently placed her hand on my cheek.

“Hey… do you want to stay like this for a bit?”

With a sultry smile, she pressed a finger against her lips.

Then, she looked directly into my eyes.

I quickly shifted some cardboard boxes to the side and sat up.

Kanade remained on the floor, looking up at me with a playful smile.

“That was…” I stammered, trying to find the words.

“Just kidding.”

“Huh…? Just… kidding?”

“Yep. Besides, I wouldn’t want to take advantage of someone who’s hurt and in such an awkward situation.”

She said that with a bright smile, as if to diffuse the tension.

“Come on, Ariga-cchi. Your back must hurt, right? Let’s get some cold patches on it.”

“Ah… yeah, thanks.”

Feeling both relieved and embarrassed, I scratched my cheek.

After that, we resumed cleaning, though I’d be lying if I said I could focus properly.