(Friday night — the eve of the big banquet)
Night fell fast.One of those cold nights where the wind seems to shove your soul right into your coat.
In the living room, Mei was molding clay with the kind of focus usually reserved for rocket science.Takeru was reading a book like he was cramming for a national exam.And Harumi…
Harumi was in a full-blown spiral.
— Tomorrow's the banquet… — she muttered, opening cabinets, drawers, and doors like a deranged detective.— I need to cook! I need to clean! I need… help…
She opened the kitchen cabinet, searching for ingredients like someone hunting for lost treasure.She found… expired flour, three packets of tea, a suspicious noodle, and a can of beans that definitely didn't belong in this timeline.
Harumi took a deep breath.
— Okay… I can work with this. I just need creativity, determination, and—
And then she saw it.
It.
The Roach.
Tiny.Still.Striking the kind of arrogant pose that screams, "I own this house."
The world slowed down.Its antenna twitched like a sinister little wave.
And Harumi exploded:
— YYYIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
Mei dropped her clay.Takeru raised an eyebrow like, "Not again…"
Harumi backed up like a poorly trained ninja.
— There's… there's… there's A MONSTER IN MY HOUSE!!— It's just a cockroach. — Takeru said without even looking up.— JUST a cockroach?! Takeru, it looked at me!!— They don't have expressions.— EXACTLY! That's worse!!
Mei jumped on the couch.
— AUNT HARU, IT'S MOVING ITS LITTLE LEG!!
Harumi brandished a broom like a warrior on a castle wall.
— CHILDREN! EMERGENCY MODE!— Haru… — Takeru stood — let me handle it.— NO! I'm the responsible adult here!— You're shaking.— RESPONSIBILITY MAKES PEOPLE SHAKE!
The roach took a step to the left.
Harumi took two steps back.
— GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, SIX-LEGGED DEMON!!!
Takeru grabbed a slipper.Mei pointed her clay like it was a magic wand.
The tension was thicker than an anime finale.
Harumi whispered:
— Okay, Takeru. You go left. I'll go right. Mei, you light it with your phone.— But I don't have a phone.— THEN LIGHT IT WITH HOPE, MEI!!
And then…
The roach flew.
A.Roach.FLEW.
Harumi screamed so loud the echo probably reached the next prefecture.
— IT FLEW!!!— Calm down! — Takeru tried to catch it mid-air.— I'M LEAVING!! I'M LEAVING MY OWN HOUSE!!— Haru, careful! — Mei cried, laughing and sobbing simultaneously.— DON'T PANIC! — Takeru shouted, panicking fully.
Harumi ran across the kitchen, slipped on a cloth, slammed into the fridge, spun, and landed on her knees.
— THIS HOUSE WANTS TO KILL ME!!
At least, that's how it felt.
The roach landed on the ceiling.Then disappeared.Completely.
Three seconds of absolute silence.
Harumi covered her mouth.
— …It's gone.— Is that bad? — Mei asked.— BAD?! — Harumi shouted — THAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN!!!
She started pacing in circles.
— A missing roach is like…— Like what? — Takeru asked.— LIKE A TIME BOMB!!
Takeru put his hand on his forehead.
— Harumi…— I'M NEVER SLEEPING IN THIS HOUSE AGAIN!— Harumi—— PACK YOUR BAGS!! WE'RE LEAVING!!
Mei's eyes went wide.
— But Aunt Haru… what about the banquet?— THE BANQUET IS HAPPENING AT THE ROACH'S HOUSE NOW.
Takeru sighed so hard even the tatami sagged a millimeter.
Harumi was breathing fast, completely consumed by chaos.
And then—
DING-DONG.
The doorbell.
At this hour?At this moment???
Harumi froze.
— …It's them. The roach called reinforcements.
Takeru rolled his eyes.
— Harumi, just answer the door.
She walked slowly, broom raised, like opening the door to a ghost.
She opened it.
And there he was.
Kei.
HER BOSS.
In a suit.Impeccable.Cold as always.
Harumi blinked.
Kei blinked.
"Wait… Harumi has KIDS?!?! Oh no… hahaha… must be her nephews… phew."
Harumi, apron crooked, hair wild, broom in hand like a katana;Takeru holding a slipper like it's a weapon;And Mei staring at the so-called MONSTER.
Harumi took a deep breath and asked:
— …Do you happen to have… insecticide?
— Hm? — Kei said, jaw dropped, completely bewildered.