The arrogant young lady in the class works as a maid in my house

(If only she could express her happiness openly. There must be a limit to being too stubborn.)

"Then I'll go clean the living room and the room."

"Ah, you don't need to clean the second floor. I've almost finished cleaning the living room, so all you have to do is clean the Japanese-style room next door."

"why?"

"Ah... well, actually, the second floor is where my parents and I live. I'm embarrassed to show you my room. As for my parents' room, it's not messy because it's never been used."

"Huh...? I haven't used it yet. Why is that?"

"Well, it doesn't matter what the reason is. Anyway, my parents' room doesn't need to be cleaned."

Hearing Shinnosuke's gritted teeth, Himeno looked a little surprised. But she probably also felt that it would be better not to ask any further questions.

"I understand. Then, I'll go clean the Japanese-style room. Master, please enjoy your meal."

"Didn't I tell you to stop calling me Master if that's too hard to say."

"That's the rule."

"Are you serious? No, you're really serious."

"Yeah, I'm a stickler for details. That's just my personality, there's nothing I can do about it."

"Uh...I see."

It seems that her personality seems to be quite stubborn and strong.

Shinnosuke was a little angry about what Himeno said, but he couldn't do anything about her, so he had to give up the argument.

*

"Is this enough cleaning?"

Himeno cleaned the Japanese-style room with a vacuum cleaner, mopped the floor, and then returned to the living room where Shinnosuke was.

"Ah, yes."

"Then my work is done. I shall be returning."

Although Himeno wasn't very skilled at cleaning, she did try her best, so Shinnosuke thanked her frankly.

"Thank you."

Shinnosuke came to the entrance to see Himeno off.

In front of the entrance door, Jinai stopped and turned around.

Looking at Himeno once more, her features were exquisitely perfect, truly beautiful. Her hazel eyes, staring straight at him, were so beautiful that Shinnosuke felt as if they were being sucked into his consciousness.

"By the way, Azuma-san."

"Eh? You're not calling me 'Master'?"

"What? That's the work rule. I'm not going to yell like that since the work is over."

“I-I see…”

(You really do keep your public and private lives separate. Uh... that's as it should be.)

"By the way...Nishikawa, what do you want to tell me?"

"I hope you won't tell anyone that I'm working part-time."

"Didn't you tell your friends about your part-time job?"

"I didn't say that."

Shinnosuke also quickly realized that she seemed to be hiding something.

"Oh, okay, I understand."

"You absolutely cannot tell me that."

"I know what I'm saying. Don't you believe me?"

"It's not that I don't trust you...but after all, you're just too careless in school."

"I'm not not serious. I just can't get excited about studying."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"That's different!"

Shinnosuke couldn't help but say it in a strong tone.

"what?"

Jino showed a slightly frightened expression.

"Ah... sorry. I'm not angry."

"It doesn't matter."

Himeno said this, but her expression seemed a little unhappy. Shinnosuke's conscience seemed to be a little bit harsh, and he said in a heavy tone:

"I just mentioned that my parents' room has never been used. Actually, my parents are not in this house. That's why I haven't been interested in studying or family matters. If you want to say that this is not serious, then that's probably what you mean."

"You mean... your parents are not around?"

Himeno gasped when she heard what Shinnosuke said.

The client for the housekeeping service was originally a grandfather in his seventies, but when he arrived at the house, he discovered that it was Shinnosuke. The dispatch company did not tell Shinnosuke why his family had commissioned the housekeeping service.

"My mother passed away from illness when I was in junior high school. Since then, my father and I have lived in this house."

"So...that's how it is."

What a heavy topic. Himeno listened to Shinnosuke's words with a serious expression.

"But six months ago, my dad was transferred overseas for work. I've been living alone ever since."

"Eh...? Agatsuma-san, did your father abandon you?"

"Well...it's not like he left me. Dad asked me if I wanted to go abroad with him, but I didn't want to transfer schools during my freshman year, so it was me who said no."

"So...that's how it is."

"Yeah. After all, after my mother passed away, I was the one who did most of the cleaning, washing, ironing, and cooking. I didn't have to worry about anything in life. So my father respected my wishes."

"Eh? Come to think of it, can Agatsuma-san do the housework herself?"

"Well, I can live a normal life now."

“No way…”

Jino's expression suddenly turned pale. Then she muttered to herself:

“I thought Azuma-san was completely incapable of housework, and she even boasted about it… but I didn’t expect she’s actually quite good at it… Uwaaa, wait, this is so embarrassing…”

"Eh? What did you just say?"

"No, no, I didn't say anything!"

Jino waved her hands hastily beside her flushed cheeks.

"That's it."

"But, if that's the case, why don't you just do the housework yourself? Why do you need to entrust it to a housekeeping service?"

“Hmm~ well…”

Shinnosuke looked embarrassed, scratched his head and replied:

"When I'm with my dad, my body starts moving automatically when I think about doing it for him."

"That's it."

"Yeah. My dad's always busy at work, and I'm motivated to keep him focused on his work. But when I'm alone, I just can't muster the energy. So I'm living a decadent life, and my grandfather is worried about me."

Shinnosuke has this personality type: someone who can give his all for others but doesn't care about his own affairs.

The grandfather is also aware of Shinnosuke's personality and, more importantly, sympathizes with him. Because Shinnosuke is still a high school student living without parents, he entrusts the housework service for the sake of his lovely grandson.

"I understand the family situation. What about studying?"

"When I was in elementary school, my mother would be very happy when I got good grades, so I studied hard. But after she passed away, I lost my motivation."

"I'm studying just to make my parents happy... I don't think that's right."

"I know it's wrong. But I can't do anything about it because I don't have the motivation."

Himeno, whose parents were both alive and who grew up in a wealthy family, couldn't understand Shinnosuke's feelings. So when he said, "There's nothing I can do about it," she couldn't refute him.

"Nishikawa must be studying very hard. You're always among the top students."

"Yeah...yes. I studied very hard, and I also worked hard on sports. I practiced really hard when no one could see me. I won't deny that."

"You really are serious."

"No……"

──Am I studying so hard because I am serious?

Can the driving force behind my hard work in studying and exercising be simply summed up in one word: "seriousness"?

Shinnosuke's casual words immediately made Himeno feel confused.

She was raised by a father of high social standing and a rather strict disposition. She had always been taught that academic excellence was a given. Even those around her seemed to have never questioned this value.

So is Shinnosuke not serious if he doesn't study seriously?

From my first impression of him today, he definitely doesn't seem like a careless person.

Jinai had this feeling for some unknown reason.

"That's right. I was wrong when I said you weren't serious."

"Oh, it's okay."

Shinnosuke was shocked to see Himeno apologizing honestly.

At school, Himeno's attitude is always cold and everyone is a little afraid of her. Her classmates think she is a proud and arrogant young lady, and Shinnosuke has always believed this.

She certainly had a strong personality, and her tone was always cold. Add to that the fact that her father was a member of Congress and that her ancestors were aristocrats, and it's understandable that people would assume she was aloof and overbearing.

But seeing her up close for the first time today, Shinnosuke began to feel that he had misunderstood her. She was acting a bit clumsy and didn't look like someone who was so proud.

——This is how Shinnosuke feels.

"I know that Azuma-san is not being unserious. Anyway, please keep my affairs confidential."

Why does the eldest daughter of a wealthy family have to work?

Although this question has not been answered yet, working part-time should be a shameful thing for her.

"Okay, no problem."

After Shinnosuke finished speaking, he suddenly remembered something.

"Let's just barely talk to each other while we're at school, as usual."

"what?"

"Think about it. If we suddenly start talking more often, someone might get suspicious."

"Yeah, you're right. Let's do it."

After hearing Shinnosuke's suggestion, Himeno looked relieved, put on a coat over her maid outfit, and went back.

Shinnosuke looked around the living room, which had suddenly become quiet.

Ji Nai's movements were clumsy but she cleaned very seriously. Thanks to her, the house was so clean that people doubted their eyes.

If a maid comes to clean the house every week from now on, I will be able to live in a clean house.

But Ji Nai was so reluctant that if she found someone to replace her, she would not come again.

"That would make it easier for me. After all, I don't want to worry about a girl who's terrible at housework and has a strong personality."

Shinnosuke was talking to himself in the empty house.

◇ ◆ ◇

Located in the hilly area of ​​Kobe, there is one of the most exclusive residential areas in the area. In one of the rooms of a particularly large chalk rock mansion, Nishikawa Himeno was troubled.

“Ahh… I had no choice but to be seen in such an embarrassing state by my classmates…”