After ringing the intercom, I entered the mansion. The high moat stood out, dominating the other houses. Bright red roses bloomed all around the mansion, and not a single weed grew. It exuded an aura of grandeur that was incomparable to my own house.
I took a deep breath in front of the gate. Pathetically, my knees were shaking. Did I say Father? How should I greet him? Damn, I should have thought of something.
"--Susumu. What's wrong?"
Aika called out to me from beside me. I came back to my senses.
"N-no. I just remembered something important. Can I go home?"
"No."
I tried to make an excuse to get away with it, but it was immediately rejected. Or maybe it was just that I'm not used to lying, so it was obvious that I was lying.
At that moment, my cell phone rang. I looked at the screen and saw the name of the light.
I put the phone to my ear and spoke softly.
"Hello, is this the lighting? It's a bit busy right now, so could you please come later?"
--Susumu. Is Hiiragi there?
A deep voice comes from him, something you'd never imagine coming from his usual playful demeanor.
"Yeah, I'm here. Would you like me to take your place?"
-Get away from Hiiragi right now!
A deafening voice comes from the ears.
This is the first time I've heard him raise his voice like that.
"Huh? What are you talking about? There's no need to leave, we're at Aika's house now."
--If that's the case, then all the more so. Make up an excuse and run away immediately!
"Why? I can't understand unless you tell me the reason."
--Aika Hiiragi. That girl, that girl--
The call then ended. Or rather, Aika had turned off the power.
"What are you talking about, Susumu?"
His voice was cold. Well, it's always cold, but especially now.
"N-no. It seems the lighting had something to say."
"Don't talk to anyone but me."
Then he quickly picked up his cell phone.
"Shall we go? Hurry."
"Ah, yeah..."
I wonder if they'll give it back to me by the time I get home? I thought to myself as I stepped into the mansion.
As I entered the large entrance hall, I was greeted by a woman in her fifties wearing an apron.
"Welcome home, Miss Aika--oh, where are you?"
After bowing deeply, the woman looked at me and said.
"Oh, I'm Aika's classmate, my name is Shindo Susumu. I've been invited to something today."
I had intended to greet her in a harmless manner, but the woman I was talking to stared at me with her eyes wide open.
"Y-You're... Shindo Shin..."
"Mari-san, that's why. Is your father there?"
Aika said this in a cold tone that was hard to believe coming from someone who was speaking to her own housekeeper.
"Oh, yes, yes. You're here. I'll show you around right away."
Mari walked towards her room, bowing her head.
Seeing Aika silently follow behind, I hurriedly followed her as well.
--Taku, what's going on? This strange atmosphere...
"Oh, Aika. Is that Shindo-kun?"
"Yes, Father. I'm very sorry to trouble you when you're busy."
Mari showed me to the main hall, and an elderly man came out.
She is wearing a dark blue gown.
I thought the coolness in her eyes was somehow similar to Aihana's.
"Thank you for interrupting... I'll be back soon, so please don't mind."
He seemed like a very understanding person, but I just don't like rich people.
"I don't want to go home."
Aika wrapped her arm around my elbow.
"I wish I could stay here forever."
"Hey, what are you doing?"
"Hahaha. You're showing off. I'm very sorry to disturb you as we get along, but Aika - could you please leave your seat for a bit?"
"Why? Me too."
Just as Aika was about to speak, her father interrupted.
"I'd like to talk to you two men alone. It won't take long, so please wait in the room."
"Susumu"
Aika looked at me pleadingly.
"That's what your father said too, so please wait a moment, Aika."
"...Hurry up."
Aika reluctantly nodded and returned to her room.
"So, what do you mean by story?"
When Aika had left, my father spoke to me.
"Are you dating that girl?"
Dad looked at me sharply and said,
"That's right. Starting today."
That's all he managed to say.
"The time has finally come for your wish to come true, young lady."
The woman from before, Mari-san, came in carrying a teacup.
Looking around, I saw some very high-quality tea slowly steaming.
"I don't like it. As I get older, my tear ducts get weaker."
Mari rubbed her red eyes.
"That's right. I haven't seen her look like that in a while."
Then my dad looked at me and said,
"As you probably already know, I am Aika's father. This is Mari, who has been our housekeeper for the past 20 years."
"Yes."
"We lost her mother a few months ago. She is our precious only daughter."
"An only daughter? Didn't you have an older sister?"
At that moment, my father and Mari, who was standing behind me, looked shocked.
"Where did you get that?"
"Where did you say... from Aika herself."
My father was silent. I carefully chose my words and asked him.
"Um, aren't you all hiding something? Even Mari was surprised when she heard my name. Haven't you known about me for a while?"
"Ah, ah, ah..."
Behind me, Mari was shaking violently. I thought to myself, "Don't be scared of a high school student who's not even a delinquent." I looked at my father, who was smiling faintly.
"I see. So that's why Aika was attracted to you. If so, maybe that girl was saved in the end."
"The end? What do you mean, saved?"
Dad's smile disappeared.
Then he looked at me with a slightly sad look on his face.
"That's exactly what I said. Even the dead Aika has been saved a little."