Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - Childhood Friend and his Little Sister

The day after successfully completing the housekeeping service at the Toujou residence, Haruto visited his best friend, Akagi Tomoya's house.

"Hey, Haru. Weren't you supposed to be studying and working part-time during summer vacation? Is it okay to come over to my place?"

"That was the plan, but you know, I happened to catch a TV special featuring a garbage-filled house last night."

Haruto said as if to poke fun at Tomoya. He then continued arranging the messy stack of magazines on the bookshelf while continuing his explanation.

"I got suddenly worried, you know? Like, what if the next garbage-filled house featured on TV turns out to be my best friend's room?"

"My room isn't that dirty!"

Tomoya, leaning back in the chair, propelled himself forward, lifting his back from the backrest with force.

The relentless heat of summer persisted day after day, and the intense midday sun poured its radiance into Tomoya's room. Nevertheless, even though the room was flooded with sunlight, the air-conditioning kept the temperature comfortably cool.

"Well, my room's air conditioner is acting up, so I just came here to take refuge."

Tomoya shot a suspicious look at Haruto as he casually said as such.

"Hey, I'll bill you for the electricity."

"Then I'll bill you for room cleaning. I'll even go back and charge for the past cleaning sessions."

"Allow me to apologize. Please feel free to use my room as you wish."

Tomoya quickly admitted defeat. Leaning against the backrest of the chair once again, he turned to Haruto and asked.

"By the way, yesterday was your first day at work, right? How was the housekeeping job?"

"Oh, right."

In response to Tomoya's question, Haruto paused his cleaning momentarily, pondered for a bit, and then answered.

"My first client was Toujou-san."

"Oh, I see, Toujou-san... what?"

Tomoya, who seemingly couldn't immediately grasp the meaning of Haruto's words, froze momentarily. Then, once he understood what Haruto had said, he let out a loud exclamation.

"What!? By Toujou-san, you mean THAT Toujou-san!? THE Toujou Ayaka-san!?"

"Well, as far as I can remember, there's only one Toujou-san that I know."

Tomoya's shocked reaction was met with Haruto's nonchalant reply.

"Oh, by the way, don't go blabbing about Toujou-san hiring a housekeeping service, alright? We have to respect customers' privacy and private information, or we'll get scolded by the company I work for. I told you because I trust you, but if you start spreading it everywhere, we're done."

"No way I would go around blabbing, but seriously... For real? So, how was it?"

"What do you mean, 'how'? You mean the job?"

As Haruto resumed cleaning Tomoya's room, the latter's question prompted him to tilt his head in confusion.

"Oh shut it, you. Didn't you go over to Toujou-san's place because she invited you?"

"Invited? Nah."

Haruto looked at Tomoya with an exasperated expression.

"I didn't go to Toujou-san's house to hang out, I went there for work."

"Oh, I see. So, what's her place like? Did it smell good?"

Haruto let out a big "Haah~" in response to his best friend, who, in an eager and curious manner, bombarded him with questions while not paying much attention to what he had just said.

"You sound like a pervert. I already told you, I can't disclose customers' personal information."

"Tch, you're such a cheapskate, you know~ I'm your best friend, right?"

Tomoya pouted his lips intentionally, trying to guilt-trip Haruto, but Haruto expertly ignored him. If it were a cute girl making such gestures, his heart might waver a little, but unfortunately, no matter how much a guy pouts his lips, Haruto's heart remains unmoved. In fact, it only increases his irritation.

"Cheapskate~, Haru's such a cheapskate~. Cheapskate~, cheapskate~."

"Shut it!"

Haruto tossed the music magazine he had in his hand towards Tomoya as he tried to tidy up the room. Tomoya easily dodged it and laughed heartily.

"But I'm glad, Haru."

"What? Glad about what?"

"You might become closer to Toujou-san this summer vacation, right? I'm so jealous~"

Tomoya grinned with a mischievous expression, sitting cross-legged on the chair. However, Haruto frowned, unable to understand Tomoya's reasoning.

"Why do you think going to someone's house once will make you close?"

"Huh? Isn't that the idea? You're gonna be going to Toujou-san's place several times while doing the job, right?"

With a puzzled look on his face, Tomoya said. However, Haruto shook his head as he denied his words.

"No, I'm not. That was a one-time thing. I won't be going to Toujou-san's place again."

"Huh? Why not?"

"You're asking the obvious. I mean, if you think about it normally, it would be unpleasant, right? Having a classmate come to your house and do household chores like cleaning. If I were to request housekeeping services next time, I'd choose someone other than me. Having a classmate do household chores for you would be way too awkward."

"Hmm~? …Is that so?"

As Tomoya listened to Haruto's words, he turned his head slightly and looked at his classmate, Haruto, who was currently cleaning his room.

"Really? I don't think it's that awkward."

"…"

In response to his best friend's nonchalant remark, Haruto's mouth twitched in a strained expression.

"I wonder if I should actually charge you."

Haruto mumbled in a low voice.

"Wha–!? P-Please spare me that! I'm broke right now because I bought this thing!"

Tomoya desperately appealed to Haruto while clutching a black case that was placed nearby.

"Oh? You got a new one?"

The black case Tomoya was clinging to was a guitar case. He had been playing the guitar since elementary school and was now part of a band with boys from another school.

"Yep. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it at the music store the other day."

"Dehehe," with a grin, Tomoya nuzzled his cheek against the guitar case. Haruto, slightly taken aback by his friend's eccentricity, glanced at another guitar propped up against the wall.

"Do you really need two guitars?"

"I do! You can never have too many guitars!"

"Hmm. Is that so?"

Haruto, not very knowledgeable about musical instruments, gave an indifferent response before continuing to clean Tomoya's room.

"Come on, show more interest!"

"I don't know much about instruments, and I don't plan on learning."

"Stop saying that. Haru, why don't you start playing the guitar and join my band?"

"I'll teach you from scratch," Tomoya continued, moving his hands under his armpits as if he were demonstrating. 

"No, I'll pass."

"Come on, how about being the vocalist then? You're really good at singing, aren't you? Our band is planning to perform at this year's cultural festival. If we showcase your singing there, you could captivate all the girls in school!"

As Tomoya raised his thumb and spoke with a bright smile, Haruto continued cleaning without stopping his hands and responded with apparent disinterest.

"No thanks, I'll pass."

"Come on, don't say that~ Join the band with me~!"

Ignoring Tomoya, who was acting like a child, Haruto continued cleaning when suddenly there was a knock on the door. At the same time as the knock, the door was forcefully pushed open.

"Onii! Is Haru-nii here by any chance?"

A girl with bright hair tied up in a side ponytail entered the room, asking that question.

"Hey, Haruka. Opening the door without waiting for a response defeats the purpose of knocking, you know?"

"Onii, you're annoying."

In response to Tomoya's admonishment, the girl who had suddenly appeared replied bluntly before looking at Haruto with her expression lighting up.

"Haru-nii~! I missed you so much~"

Running up to Haruto, the girl hugged his arm tightly, pressing her cheek against him with a wide smile.

"I met Haruka-chan just last Sunday, though."

"That doesn't matter! Not seeing Haru-nii for over a week is like, crazy, you know!"

Haruto, hearing the girl's words, smiled wryly.

Her name is Akagi Haruka. Tomoya's little sister.

To Haruto, Tomoya was both a best friend and a childhood friend. And his sister Haruka had been around since she wore diapers, almost like his own little sister.

"Hey, Haruka! You're clinging to my Haru way too much!"

"Huh? What are you saying, Onii? You're like, seriously gross, so can you get out of the room?"

"No, this is my room!"

Ignoring her older brother's tsukkomi completely, Haruka's cold expression towards him instantly transformed into a radiant smile, much like the sun, when she turned to Haruto.

"It's summer vacation, and Haru-nii hardly ever comes to see me. I've been feeling lonely, you know?"

"Hahaha, sorry about that, Haruka-chan."

While apologizing, Haruto glanced at his left arm, which was currently being hugged by her. He could clearly feel the soft sensation that he hadn't experienced from her in the past. They used to play together often, take baths together, and even sleep in the same futon when they had sleepovers, along with Tomoya.

However, as Haruka reached the upper grades of elementary school, such interactions began to decrease, and once she entered middle school, they disappeared entirely. Now, as a third-year middle school student, she had grown into a young woman, and Haruto found it increasingly difficult to treat her the way he used to.

On the other hand, Haruka didn't seem to be conscious of this change and would still hug Haruto without hesitation. Each time she did, Haruto's heart would race, and he would struggle to suppress any inappropriate thoughts.

"I started a short-term part-time job this summer vacation. And I also have to study while doing everything, so I'm a bit busy."

"Eh? Spill the tea. What kind of part-time job?"

Haruka asked with great interest, hugging Haruto's arm even tighter.

Haruka, who was Tomoya's little sister, also had a good-looking face just like her brother. Her slightly strong-willed appearance was complemented by a straight nose and almond-shaped double eyelids that gave her an idol-like charm with their cute, sparkling nature. Being in the third-year of middle school, she still displayed a hint of childishness, but it was clear to everyone that in a few more years, she would become a beauty capable of turning heads wherever she went. Undoubtedly, she must have been popular among the boys at the middle school she attended. From Haruto's perspective as an older brother figure, he couldn't help but feel a little worried about strange guys approaching her. Yes, to Haruto, Haruka was more like a little sister and a family member. That's why Haruto tried his best to ignore the pleasant and slightly mushy sensation coming from his left arm.

"It's a housekeeping service job."

"Does that mean Haru-nii goes to someone's house to do their housework?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"I want Haru-nii to take care of me too~! Actually, I want to take care of Haru-nii!"

"Haruka really turns into a fool when it comes to Haru, huh?"

"Huh? What's that? Annoying. Didn't I, like, tell you to leave the room? Why are you still here?"

As usual, she still had a strong attitude towards Tomoya. Back in the day, she used to call him "onii-chan" and follow him around, but around the time she entered middle high, she started adopting a cold demeanor. Conversely, she became quite attached to Haruto, often sticking close to him. However, knowing about their close sibling relationship from the past, Haruto felt a bit of loneliness.

"Haru's housekeeping service isn't free, you know. You, who rely on our parents' allowance, can't possibly hire Haru." 

Tomoya said teasingly, and Haruka, spurred on by his provocation, let go of Haruto's arm and narrowed her eyes at her brother.

"I can hire him! If it's for Haru-nii, I'll pay him as much as he wants!"

"Now, now, Haruka-chan. Housekeeping service is not about paying a lot..."

In response to her words, Haruto calmly interjected with his tsukkomi.

"Actually, isn't Onii the one who always makes Haru-nii do the room cleaning? Just make sure you pay Haru-nii properly, onii."

"Uuh... you see... it's like a friendly favor among best friends, you know?"

"Onii, you're a loser."

"Gah..."

Upon hearing his sister's harsh words, Tomoya seemed to have taken quite a hit, clutching his stomach as he crouched down.

Ignoring her brother, Haruka turned to Haruto and asked.

"Hey, hey, are you already working?"

"Yeah, I just started my first shift yesterday."

"Heh~, what kind of people request housekeeping services? Is it like single old men with zero housekeeping skills?"

Haruto chuckled at her biased assumption.

"Well, there are people like that, but it's not just them."

"Oh, right, the first person Haru worked for was a super beautiful girl, right?"

"Eh? What's up with that?"

Interrupting her, Tomoya managed to speak up after recovering from the blow.

"Haru-nii, is what Onii said true?"

"Ah, yeah. Well, it's true... maybe?"

As soon as he said that, Haruto felt an inexplicable pressure from her and broke out in a cold sweat.

"But Haru-nii only went to that beautiful girl's house for work, right? That's all, right?"

"Of course! Besides, I won't be requested for again! There definitely won't be a next time!"

Under the mysterious pressure from Haruka, Haruto hastily put his words together.