The door opened with a creak so dramatic it felt like suspense music should start playing.
And there he was.
Kei.
Impeccable suit. Neutral expression.That kind of calm only people in high positions—and with a full night's sleep—can have.
Harumi froze, broom raised like a katana.Mei hugged Kuma-chan tightly.Takeru held a slipper like a police-issued weapon.
Kei raised an eyebrow.
— Good evening, Harumi.
She swallowed hard.
— …G-good evening… Mr. Kei. I mean—Kei! I mean—boss! I mean—good evening!!!
Her soul left her body for five seconds.
Kei scanned the scene:
Harumi, disheveled.Crooked apron.Children hiding behind furniture.A broom being used as a bladed weapon.
He took a slow breath.
— I came to deliver the documents. The reports for Monday.
Harumi nearly dropped dead.
— OH-MY-GOD-I-FORGOT!!
She tried to fix her hair.Tried to straighten her apron.Tried to look human.
She failed at everything.
— I sent you a message saying I'd stop by today — he continued.
Harumi's eyes widened.
— A message?!— Yes.— I… I was… busy.
Mei whispered:
— Fighting the cockroach.
Kei blinked.
— …The cockroach?
Harumi almost fainted from embarrassment.
But there was no hiding it anymore.
— Kei… there's a cockroach in my house.— I see.— It appeared in the kitchen.— Right.— It flew.— I see.— AND. IT. DISAPPEARED.— …Understood.
He said "understood" like he understood everything—but he clearly understood nothing.
Still…
Kei silently removed his jacket.Rolled up his sleeves.Adjusted his tie.
And stepped inside.
Harumi stood there, blinking in shock.
He murmured quietly—just enough for her to hear:
— …She hasn't changed at all.
When she looked at him, he immediately looked away.
As if saying without words:"I don't know if you remember me. So I'll pretend I don't remember either."
Her heart skipped.
But the cockroach interrupted any human emotion.
Tap… tap… tap…
Mei pointed.
— Auuunt Haaaaruuu…
Harumi slowly turned.
The cockroach was RIGHT NEXT TO HER FOOT.
She screamed so loudly the house's spirit left its body.
— AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
Takeru rushed forward.Mei fell flat on her bottom.Harumi jumped back, dropped the broom, hit the tatami, slipped on the rug.
Kei analyzed the scene like he was reviewing a problematic report.
— Location confirmed — he said. — Excuse me.
He walked with a therapist's calm and a ninja's precision.
Picked up a folded magazine.
Crouched.
And—SMACK.
The impact echoed through the house.
Harumi opened one eye.
— …Did it die?
Kei checked behind the cabinet.
— No. It fell back here.
Harumi internally collapsed.
— SO IT'S STILL ALIVE?!
— Yes.
— THEN I'M STILL IN DANGER?!
— Technically, yes.
Harumi dropped to her knees.
— I CAN'T SURVIVE THIS LIFE!!!
But Kei simply lifted the cabinet with one hand—like it was made of paper.
Harumi froze, forgetting about the cockroach for two full seconds.
— K-Kei…? Since when can you—— Carrying heavy things is sometimes part of the job.
A lie. But he said it far too seriously.
There it was.
The cockroach.
Still.Arrogant.Defiant.
Kei took a breath.
Another strike—SMACK—clean, precise, fatal.
Takeru was impressed.Mei smiled wide.Harumi covered her mouth, shaken.
Kei stood up and put his jacket back on.
— Done.— …It's… gone?— No. Now it is. This time, it's the end.
Harumi almost cried from relief.
Takeru muttered:
— He's kind of scary.Mei added:— He's really strong!
Kei wiped his hands.
Only then did he notice Harumi staring at him like a drama hero.
He looked away—quickly, almost embarrassed.
She did the same.
Two actors pretending they didn't know each other.
— Thank you… boss — she murmured.— No need to thank me — he replied, his voice unexpectedly soft. Almost gentle. — …Good night, Harumi.
And he left.
The moment the door closed—
Harumi face-planted into the tatami.
— …MY BOSS SAW ME FIGHTING A COCKROACH IN A CROOKED APRON.
Takeru crossed his arms.
— Could've been worse.— HOW?!— The cockroach could've won.
Harumi screamed into a pillow.
Mei climbed onto her back.
— Aunt Haru, you were really brave!!
Harumi lifted her head slowly.
And smiled.
Exhausted.Traumatized.Embarrassed.
But… happy.
The door had barely closed behind Kei when Harumi's phone started vibrating on the table like it was possessed:
BZZZZZZBZZZZZZZZZZBZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
— Oh my god, it's another cockroach — Harumi whispered, terrified.
She answered.
— Hello—?
Her sister's voice hit like a punch.
— HARUMI. Tomorrow. Airport. Six a.m. MOM IS ARRIVING.— …What?— Come to dad's house early with the kids. Take the car. Pick us up. We'll go together.— Huh—— It's close, forty minutes, no excuse. Don't be late.— But—— Bye. Click.
The call ended before Harumi's brain caught up.
She stood there.
Silent.Blinking at different speeds.
Takeru looked at her, suspicious.
— …Problem?— Yes — Harumi said, deadpan. — A huge problem. A gigantic problem. A passport-level problem.— What?— My mother.— Is she alive?— THAT'S WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT!!
She grabbed her head.
— Tomorrow. Six a.m. Car. Kids. My sister. My dad. Airport. Traffic.
— …You seem nervous.— BECAUSE I AM!!
Takeru sighed.
And so, with a shared sense of impending disaster,the chapter ended.
Because tomorrow—
Tomorrow, Harumi's Brazilian mother would arrive.
And no one—absolutely no one—was ready for that.
And the banquet…ALL ON THE SAME DAY.
And everything was about to get much worse.