Romantic Troubles of Duanmu-kun

Along the quiet hallway, the Novelist crept forward silently. Each door was carefully pushed open. Indeed, all rooms were empty.

If only this could play out like a romantic comedy where he might chance upon a beautiful girl bathing or changing clothes, completely exposed—but unfortunately, no such encounter occurred even after reaching the end of the hallway.

Fujishima Kaori and Fujishima Misao, the mother-daughter pair, were not in this Western-style house right now. Even though they had been here last night and had promised him and the Class Rep they would wake up early, they were nowhere to be seen. In short, they had “disappeared”—vanished into thin air like something out of a story.

“…”

The Novelist let out a soft sigh after confirming no outsiders had broken in. There was no need for defensive measures taken as precaution.

He returned the vase to its original position. He went to the bedroom where the Class Rep and Misao had stayed last night. The clock hanging on the wall showed twenty minutes past seven.

After pushing open the bedroom door, from the Novelist’s position by the doorway, he could see the Class Rep completely wrapped in her blanket, only her delicate face exposed.

The sleeping girl’s expression was quite adorable, showing a happy smile as she breathed quietly and steadily.

Entering a girl’s private room uninvited while knowing she was sleeping inside was undoubtedly quite rude.

However, he was somewhat worried about the Class Rep’s safety. Although he had his suspicions and didn’t think she was in any danger… he still wanted to confirm it with his own eyes.

Besides, if he delayed any longer, they might run out of time. With only forty minutes left until the appointed time, the driver Yayoi had sent would arrive soon with the car.

“Is the Class Rep unexpectedly a sleepyhead?”

He had thought she was the type of serious girl who strictly demanded perfection from herself in all aspects, including manners and conduct. Who knew she had such a weakness.

The corners of the Novelist’s mouth turned slightly upward. After clearing his throat, he curled his fingers and knocked firmly on the door. He also closed it at the same time.

The crisp sound echoed inside the room. The startled girl furrowed her delicate brows and slowly opened her eyes. Her obsidian pupils gazed blankly upward.

“Are you awake?”

“Liang…kun?”

“May I come in?”

“Yes…?”

Eh, really?

“Then excuse me… I’m coming in.”

“Okay…”

She mumbled drowsily, looking toward the door in confusion, finally noticing the boy standing outside.

“Uu…!”

After a moment, Itou Maho finally realized the situation, her small face turning bright red as her hands tightly gripped the corners of the blanket, wrapping it more securely around herself.

“Don’t worry, I can’t see anything from this distance.” The bedroom was surprisingly large. The distance from the door to the bed was at least six or seven steps.

“That’s… not the issue here?”

The Class Rep protested softly. Because of her drowsy appearance and quiet voice, she completely lacked her usual commanding presence.

“Where’s Misao?”

If she were here, she’d probably launch a flying kick without hesitation. The Novelist sighed quietly. He rubbed his cheeks, trying hard not to let his expression reveal his thoughts. The Class Rep was intelligent and perceptive. If he wasn’t careful, he might expose the truth.

“She went out with Kaori-san. Class Rep should get up soon too, the driver coming to pick us up will be here shortly.”

“Is that so?… I understand.”

The Novelist nodded and closed the door again.

…

After leaving the girl’s bedroom, instead of returning to the living room right away, he turned into the kitchen.

The dishes and bowls from last night’s dinner had all been washed, dried with a towel, and returned to the cabinets. In this situation, even if he wanted to find any traces, it would be impossible.

“Hmm… just as I thought.”

He shifted his attention away from there and opened the cabinet containing seasonings and spices. Standing on tiptoe, he took down all the bottles and jars. He quickly found what he was looking for.

“Alprazolam tablets…”

By its more commonly known name, sleeping pills. One type of such medication.

After twisting open the bottle cap, he found signs of recent use. The newly purchased prescription medication showed a clear decrease in the number of tablets.

“Thanks to this, the Class Rep and I were able to get a good night’s sleep.” After all, it’s beneficial for relieving mental fatigue and anxiety.

They say girls usually spend a lot of time on their morning routines and grooming. The Novelist, sitting on the living room sofa and passing time by reading news on his phone, had mentally prepared himself. In the worst case, they might not make it to morning classes.

But the Class Rep was an exception. By the time the car horn sounded outside, the girl was already fully dressed, carrying her handbag, and standing prettily before him.

“Aunt Kaori… and Misao? Haven’t they returned yet?”

The Class Rep’s expression showed some confusion. She had naturally noticed that those two weren’t in the Western-style house at all.

“Yeah… that’s right. After the rain stopped this morning, they went to the nearby shopping street to buy ingredients, and probably won’t be back for a while.”

The Novelist stood up from the sofa.

“Let’s go. Otherwise we’ll be late for class.”

“Eh… shouldn’t we wait for them to return? Wouldn’t it be impolite to leave without saying goodbye?”

“It’s fine. Kaori-san told me in advance not to worry about them and that we could leave first.”

“…Is that so?”

The Class Rep wore an expression of lingering concern.

However, the Novelist had already pushed open the door and walked out on his own. Itou Maho tilted her head in thought but still followed after him.

…

Before leaving, the girl’s gaze fell on the faint water stains near her feet.

Didn’t Liang-kun say… that Aunt Kaori and Misao left after the rain stopped?

Shaking her head, she closed the front door.

“Bang!”

The silence remained within the Western-style house. Outside the door was the start of a brand new day.

The brilliant sunlight poured down generously, coating the roads, buildings, and vehicles in a glittering golden hue. The fragrance of flowers and grass lingered at the tip of her nose. The fresh post-rain air flowing into her mouth with each breath made her feel refreshed. The boy walking ahead had already opened the door of the sedan that had come to pick them up, and stood waiting for her beside the back seat.

…The uneventful night had passed. And today would likewise be a peaceful and tranquil day. Thinking this way, her mood naturally relaxed.