107 – Expressionless Maid and Studio Girl – 3
The boy sat on the bench and sipped a can of coffee. He sat down next to him and put his hand inside the bag. I opened the lid of the pudding I took out with a rustling sound and inserted a spoon.
I took a bite and tasted it. I felt the boy’s eyes looking at me.
“…… “Do you like sweets?”
“Yes. Would you like some too, boy?”
“No, I don’t really…” .”
I was spending time sitting on a bench in the park. With the boy who called me to say he had something to say.
“Does the boy like black coffee?”
“Ah… “I just happened to.”
“How?”
“I saw my senior drinking often….”
Do you mean that senior, Eri Takase?
The boy scratched his cheek and avoided eye contact.
“…… I’ll finish it quickly. “Because Shiraishi is home alone too.”
“It’s okay to not be in a hurry.”
“Yes? But….”
It was still okay. At this point.
“I told you not to open the door no matter who comes.”
“I’m not even the kid who keeps the house….”
I had asked the young lady to hang up the laundry once the washing machine was finished. After asking herself to leave it to her, she would have been watching the washing machine running.
“Anyway… About Shiraishi….”
“If you feel uncomfortable, I will leave at any time.”
“Oh, no…” ! That’s not it….”
The boy seemed to feel burdened by eating, sleeping, and living together in the same room. Even when he was sleeping, he was lying alone on the bed, glancing at us who were laying down the bedding on the floor. The young lady said that it was her first time sleeping on the floor and she happily accepted it.
“Or was it unpleasant for you to change your clothes in front of the boy?”
“That’s a problem, but…” That’s not it… !”
I remembered his face turning red and looking back in confusion. It was quite cute, but he felt sorry for invading the boy’s space and mistreating him.
“Shiraishi said he would leave this place after the cultural festival.”
“……… ….”
“I want to talk about that….”
Sipping coffee, the boy looked away with embarrassment.
“…… Is there something wrong?”
“There is nothing but problems.”
The boy said, crumpling the can and throwing it toward her trash can.
“Elena, are you still okay?”
“I am just your servant. “She just quietly follows.”
Hearing those words, the boy showed a slight look of resentment, but soon sighed.
“…… “There is no way Shiraishi can do it alone.”
“……… ….”
“If Elena were by my side, I think she would be okay somehow.”
“The lady….”
He said after putting the last spoonful of pudding in his mouth.
“You were prepared from the beginning.”
“Are you prepared?”
“Yes. “After planning to do something like that at the party, you also expected to be disowned by the family.”
…… And me too.
As I added the afterword, the boy lowered his head and muttered softly.
“…… “I’m not done yet.”
He got up and stood in front of me.
“Can we go to Shiraishi’s home together and persuade him?”
“…… “What do you mean?”
“It is this man who seduced the young lady. “There is nothing wrong with Shiraishi, so please call him back.”
I shook my head.
“I refuse.”
“Why!”
“Because that would be damaging to the boy.”
“But if things continue like this, Shiraishi…” !”
I put the spoon in his mouth and glanced up at him.
It seemed quite desperate, but such a plan was unacceptable.
“I don’t care what happens. Therefore….”
“It matters.”
“No, I’m fine…” !”
I got up from my seat.
The boy was taken aback by the sudden close encounter and took a step back, but he couldn’t get away from me.
“Now, wait a minute, Elena…” .”
“Are you ignoring the people who value you?”
I grabbed his arm and pulled his shoulder with my other hand to face him.
“If the young lady is safe thanks to the boy’s sacrifice…” Do you think other people will be happy?”
“That’s….”
“Miss Haruna or Miss Takase. And even the young lady.”
I looked into the boy’s trembling eyes from a distance so close that my nose was touching.
“No one will be happy. “With that kind of ending.”
“……… ….”
“And me too.”
Place his arms and shoulders.
The boy sat there as if he had lost all strength and was silent for a while.
And then he said as if he was squeezing.
“…… Sorry.”
***
I thought it was definitely reckless.
However, no other method came to mind.
When Shiraishi announced that he would leave this town, only one conclusion came to my mind.
She and her Yuuki are kidnapped. The worst things that happen there.
And now, the process of getting there was different, but the conclusion remained the same.
What if Shiraishi, who is alone, is kidnapped while he is vulnerable?
In the end, regardless of what I have done, she is going through the same thing.
When I thought of that situation, I unconsciously became impatient and urged Elena.
However, when I thought about it with her cold head, Elena’s argument also made sense.
Even if I use the dump alone, Shiraishi will not be happy. The same goes for Haruna and Takase senior, who were left behind.
Then what should we do?
I slowly got up and sat down again.
Elena was calmly eating her second pudding.
“…… If the… “This is a what-if situation.”
Overcoming my hesitation, I barely opened my mouth.
“Shiraishi…” That… Speaking of being harassed by strange men….”
“……… ….”
After seeing Elena still not answering, I bit her lip.
Up to this point, it’s a mixed bag. I had no choice but to try anything.
“In a situation where you cannot receive protection from anyone… If you get kidnapped or something….”
“……… ….”
Elena quietly turned her head and looked at me.
“What should I do then?”
I knew it would sound strange.
A kidnapping out of nowhere. However, it was a question that I kept repeating inside me. One of the instigators was Ryosuke.
Even if you ask me this subtly, I don’t think Elena will take it seriously.
Even though she thought so, it was a concern that she brought up with the feeling that she had no idea.
“……… Did you notice?”
“Yes?”
The answer that came back was completely unexpected.
Elena naturally nodded her head without blinking her eyes.
“There are people following you right now.”
“Ah… ….”
“Did the boy know?”
No… I couldn’t answer that.
There is someone following Shiraishi. She had no idea. She never noticed anything on my side even when I was with her.
“…… “It’s pretty good.”
“Yes…… What….”
If what Elena says is true. Should I say that I am now experiencing the experience of catching a mouse with its back foot?
“There were men following the young lady from the moment she left her home.”
Her quiet voice became quieter than usual.
“From there to the boy’s house.”
“…… “Even now?”
“I’m lurking nearby.”
Then isn’t it dangerous for Shiraishi to be alone now? Without realizing it, I stood up to look around her and then quietly sat down.
Even this kind of behavior can look suspicious.
From noble mtl dot com
“Of course, we are on guard 24 hours a day.”
It was a park near the house, and the building was clearly visible from the direction where we sat. Did Elena even calculate this?
“…… “I haven’t told anyone yet.”
“……… ….”
“I saw it again. After all, you deserve to be called the young lady’s personal butler.”
No, even if I get complimented on something I didn’t know about.
Feeling embarrassed, she lowered her voice and asked quietly.
“Shouldn’t we let you know?”
“…… “If you make a fuss, they might notice and kick you out.”
In other words, Elena plans to reveal their identities.
Is that the trick to keeping quiet all this time?
She was truly a scary maid.
To the point where I thought there was no need for me to worry.
“But it went well. If the boy knew… “I could use some help.”
“……… “If there’s anything I can do.”
As she peeled off the third pudding, Elena looked back at me.
“Yes… “It’s reliable.”
And then he smiled.
As I stroked my head with my outstretched hand, I had the feeling that three might be too many, but I didn’t bother to point it out.
There was something more important going on than that right now.
“…… That’s right, that’s right.”
But is it just my mood?
“Hey, Elena.”
“Yes.”
“Aren’t you treating me too much like a child?”
“That’s not true. Boy.”
“……… ….”
I often got Elena’s head stroked, and I wondered how this woman looked at me.