She was conflicted and helpless! Lying on her bed, she didn't know what to say.
"Hitori, did you run into a problem?"
Gotou Hitori—was startled!
The person standing behind her was her mother, Gotou Michiyo, a gentle and cheerful woman. Her only flaw was probably giving birth to this super socially anxious daughter....
"Mom, I... it's nothing. I'm just chatting with a classmate on LINE."
Gotou Michiyo covered her mouth in surprise. "Oh my! Hitori can actually chat with a classmate on LINE? Let me ask, is it a classmate in real life? Not some AI on the internet."
"Of course it's real! It's a classmate from my class!"
Gotou Michiyo stood up, moved, and then shouted outside the room.
"Come quick! Hitori has finally grown up! She can finally chat normally with a classmate!"
Gotou Hitori: "...."
Before long, the entire Gotou family had gathered in Gotou Hitori's room.
Gotou Naoki, whose bangs were so long they covered his eyes, was very moved. "That's great. Can you let Dad see how you two communicate?"
The little girl next to Father Gotou also jumped onto the bed and snatched Bocchi's phone with one hand.
Gotou Hitori: "Futari!!!"
"Oh, oh, sis is just staring at the chat screen, but she hasn't said a word. Let me see... Dad, how do you read this?"
Gotou Hitori tried to grab the phone from her sister's hand, but then saw Gotou Naoki take the phone.
"Hmm, Uchiha Ryo... looks like a boy's name. As expected, making friends is already hard for Hitori. Starting with a male friend is probably too difficult."
Gotou Michiyo was a little disappointed. "Really, when will Hitori ever make a friend? Oh right, your father and I are going out today and won't be back until tonight. You two can just order takeout for dinner."
Mom and Dad are going out?
Wait! If they go out, won't I have to take care of my sister and the dog at home? Then the agreement with Uchiha-kun... won't I have a legitimate reason to skip it!
Gotou Hitori: "Mhm~ Mom and Dad, you can go. I'll take good care of...."
Gotou Michiyo turned and stroked Futari's head. "You have to take good care of your sister, okay? We're going out."
Gotou Futari: "Okay~ But I have a friend coming over to play later...."
After a quick tidying of the house and taking out the snacks for the guest, the Gotou parents left, leaving only the two sisters and a small dog named Jimihen at home.
Gotou Hitori giggled. He said he found a maid teacher for me? I don't want to be a maid! This is great. Now I have a legitimate reason not to go!
Picking up her phone, Gotou Hitori once again got stuck on the input screen.
"Are you chatting with a friend, sis? But you don't have any friends...."
Gotou Hitori put down her phone and placed her hands on Gotou Futari's shoulders.
"How... how could I not have friends? I just don't usually talk about it. I actually have a lot of good friends at school!"
Gotou Futari blinked. "You're lying, sis."
"Don't just joke around saying I don't have friends, okay? Futari needs to become a child who can understand other people's pain."
Gotou Futari nodded. "Oh... sis has a lot of friends."
"Mhm! Of course!"
Gotou Futari: "But you can lie to me, sis. Just don't actually lie to yourself...."
On Saturday afternoon, Gotou Hitori, sitting in her room, was crushed by the words of an elementary schooler.... Looking at her sister, who had collapsed on the floor, Gotou Futari said with a hint of pity.
"Sis.... Eh, my friend is here! I'll go get the door~"
At the Gotou family's front door, as Uchiha Ryo rang the doorbell, a little girl with short pink hair soon came out.
"Hana-oneechan!"
"Futari, I'm here for snacks!"
[System has detected a capturable target]
[Capturable Target's Name: Gotou Futari]
[Current Gotou Futari Affinity: 5]
It seems this system really likes raising daughters.... Uchiha Ryo looked at Shirosaki Hana and Gotou Futari, who were holding hands and chatting.
"Hello, you must be Gotou-san's younger sister, right? I'm her friend, Uchiha Ryo."
Gotou Futari turned her head and looked at Uchiha Ryo with wide, surprised eyes.
Under her fine, short pink hair, her innocent blue eyes blinked, and then she pinched her own little cheek.
"Am I still dreaming, Futari? I'm actually dreaming that my sister's friend would come to visit."
Hayasaka Ai looked at this cute little child, wondering what kind of image her older sister had at home for even a child to think she wouldn't have any friends...
Uchiha Ryo: "Your name is Futari, right? This isn't a dream. I really am your sister's friend."
Gotou Futari breathed a sigh of relief, then looked up at Uchiha Ryo's face excitedly.
"Mhm! My name is Gotou Futari. It's nice to meet you, Ryo-oniichan!"
Gotou Futari was so sunny and cute. It was hard to imagine her sister having a completely opposite personality.
"This way, please! Mom and Dad are out, so it's just me and my sister at home."
Uchiha Ryo nodded. "Is that so? What an unfortunate coincidence (That's great)."
Futari led the three into the living room, and Hana's eyes immediately landed on the snacks laid out on the table.
Shirosaki Hana: "Futari, are these the snacks your mom made that you were talking about? They look delicious."
On the second floor of the Gotou house, Bocchi-chan, hearing the noise, slowly walked down.
"Futari, has your friend arrived...?"
Gotou Hitori saw Shirosaki Hana sitting with her sister, and... sitting opposite them, Uchiha Ryo and an unfamiliar girl.
Uchiha Ryo pulled Hayasaka Ai to her feet. "Hana-chan, you just have fun with Futari downstairs. Ai, let's go. This is the Gotou Hitori I told you about. I have high hopes for her maid talent!"
Gotou Hitori—her whole body trembled violently, and her art style looked like it was about to collapse.
As she kept backing away, Uchiha Ryo also walked up the stairs step by step... and arrived at Gotou Hitori's room.
"A very ordinary room." Uchiha Ryo looked at the small room and the tightly drawn curtains.
Hayasaka Ai nodded. "It has a 'shut-in' feeling..."
Gotou Hitori: "I'm sorry you have to see my humble home.... Um... who is this?"
Uchiha Ryo threw a maid outfit out of the bag. "I'll go downstairs first. Gotou, you change into this. You need to learn well from Hayasaka. That's the only way you'll get over your social anxiety soon."
Gotou Hitori stared at the maid outfit in front of her, entering a dazed state. Hayasaka Ai, on the other hand, had pulled out a pair of rimless glasses and a teaching pointer from somewhere.
"Gotou-san, I will be observing you with the eyes of someone who trains professional maids for the Shinomiya family. I hope you will not disappoint me."
Hayasaka Ai—Teacher Mode, online. Since this was a maid Young Master Ryo had requested her to teach, she would absolutely give it her all!
Gotou Hitori: "I'll... do my best."
Hayasaka Ai's pointer struck the desk, making a "smack" sound.
"The only answers I want to hear are 'Yes' or 'Woof'."
Gotou Hitori: "Mmm, mmm, mmm.... Woof."