It Seems Like a Girl I Don’t Know Is Doing Housework at My Place. But She’s Cute, So I’m Watching Her.

“Oh, you startled me. Weren’t you supposed to be at university around this time?”

“……”

As I munch on the macaron cookie, I shift my attention to the stalker who’s made her usual illegal entry into my apartment.

I continue my silent treatment, refusing to acknowledge her presence with my gaze. Instead, I track her movements through the sound of her footsteps, her presence, and her annoyingly loud voice. It sounds like something out of a manga, but it’s more like what anyone living at home might do when they’re too lazy to get up and check. After doing this nearly every day, it’s second nature by now.

“……”

While paying minimal attention to her, my thoughts shift to something else. Specifically, the lunch I just had. Having eaten garlic as part of my meal, I’m a bit self-conscious about the smell. Though I’m fully aware that I shouldn’t care about this stalker, I can’t help but feel uneasy. If someone else were here, they’d probably call me out for worrying about such a thing in front of her.

But I can’t help it. It’s a simple matter of etiquette. Even though she’s not exactly someone worthy of that courtesy, my ingrained sense of decency kicks in automatically. Why am I the one feeling awkward about this when she’s the one trespassing in my home?

“Ugh… I wasn’t prepared to run into you today.”

And she, on the other hand, seems oddly uncomfortable, as if she’s the one caught off guard. That’s not how someone who’s trespassing should act.

What’s so inconvenient about today, anyway? She’s barged in multiple times before while I was home, and I’ve never complained about it. I mean, there’s a fundamental problem here, but we won’t go into that.

“You seem fine health-wise, but did you skip school today? Why today of all days…?”

“……”

Why am I getting scolded for skipping university by the very person who’s trespassing in my home? Even if she doesn’t sound like she’s actually scolding me, it’s still making me feel weird. To be honest, I do feel a little guilty about skipping, so being called out on it, no matter how casual, is uncomfortable.

By the way, what was she planning to do if I wasn’t home?

“Well… nothing I can do about it now.”

She lets out a heavy sigh. I can’t see her face, but I can tell from her tone that she’s disappointed. It’s not just disappointment—there’s a sense of resignation, like she’s made up her mind to do something… Wait, is she about to do something here? Is she just going to carry out whatever she had planned right in front of me?

“……”

I wish she wouldn’t, but I can’t say anything. It’s such a tight spot I’m in. My senses sharpen, trying to gather as much information as I can from the sounds and subtle cues she’s giving off, but then she suddenly approaches me, kneeling in front of me.

“Umm, excuse me.”

“……?”

My mind fills with question marks. Why’s she acting all formal now? And why sit directly in front of me like that? Ignoring her like this is mentally exhausting. Staring at each other like this just makes it even harder for me to maintain the silent treatment.

If I look at her now, she’ll know I’m aware of her, and that’s a problem. I need to be extra careful not to let my eyes wander. On the other hand, moving away under the pretense of doing something else would also be a mistake. No matter how natural I try to make it seem, in this situation, any movement would be suspicious.

If I give her any indication that I’m paying attention, she’ll likely take that as an opportunity to pester me further.

“*Sigh*…”

She lets out another big sigh. Or maybe it’s a deep breath this time. Either way, she’s clearly preparing herself for something. Please, no… it’s exhausting pretending I don’t see her when she’s right in front of me.

Before I know it, she gracefully places her hands down and bows low in a formal kneeling position.

“Even though it’s a bit late, I’d like to take this opportunity to formally introduce myself and apologize! My name is Ran Chiaki!”

“Wh-what…!?”

Wait… did she just introduce herself? Why now? What’s going on!?

“My hobby is music! And I also love doing housework in Haruto-kun’s apartment! My dream is to stop relying on robot vacuums!”

Stop, stop, stop! Why are you suddenly throwing out such random nonsense in the middle of this confusing situation!? What the heck does ‘quitting robot vacuums’ even mean!? …No, seriously, what does that mean?

“And I’m really sorry for all the times I’ve broken in and everything else I’ve done! That said, I have a request—would it be okay if I continued doing your housework? I’ll even pay you if I have to, so please let me!!”

Does she think my home is some kind of host club!? This is getting ridiculous!

“*Sigh*… Just raise your head, will you? Please.”

“H-Haruto-kun actually responded to me…!?”

“How could I possibly ignore all this…?”

There’s a limit to how much I can handle in silence. Honestly, I’d been considering acknowledging her if she introduced herself, and after that bathroom incident a while ago, I’d already resolved to confront her at some point.

So, I guess the time has come.

…Still, I’m trembling at the thought of dealing with this runaway train from now on.