Chapter 57 - In the Living Room
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"Hey, Toak. I want to move the wardrobe a bit, can you help me?"
"What? You planning to work your guest like a slave?"
Toak stood up from the sofa without a fuss, despite his displeased expression.
Not grumbling or refusing in the end is Toak's good point, or rather, his cute point. If I said that, he'd sulk, so I won't say it, though.
"Sorry. I just happened to need a man's strength. It's a bit tough to ask Flora to help."
When it comes to something as large as a wardrobe, it's a bit tough even for me alone, despite my strength.
In the first place, it's too big to lift.
"I'm sorry, Toak-san."
"Well, I got to eat lunch, so this much is no problem."
When Flora bowed her head slightly in apology, Toak said it while scratching the back of his head, looking uncomfortable.
He's used to dealing with Aisha and tomboyish village girls, but he's not used to refined and modest women like Flora.
Toak is surprisingly a gentleman toward Flora.
"It's fine, Flora. He's a man, so you should just work him to the bone."
Aisha put honey into her tea while admonishing Flora, who was bowing her head.
"It's annoying when you say it, so stop."
Aisha's face twisted in annoyance at Toak's blunt remark, but after drinking her honey-filled tea, she didn't seem to care anymore.
Now she was drinking her tea with a relaxed expression.
"Well then, Toak, come this way."
Before the two of them could argue any further, I guided Toak to the bedroom.
"...The living room is one thing, but the bedroom has become quite stylish too."
"Flora brought various things over, after all."
The bedroom, which had only a bed, a wardrobe, a chair, and a table at minimum, had become a bit more colorful thanks to the personal belongings Flora had brought in.
On the table were wooden carvings shaped like animals and a small vase. On the bed, there were not only white pillows but also things like handmade-looking pale pink pillows rolling around.
They weren't very large things, but just having them made a difference. It had become a bedroom that was somehow pleasant to the eyes just by being in view.
"I want to adjust the position of the wardrobe here."
"I see. If you put the wardrobe Flora brought next to it, the balance will be bad, so it's better to shift your wardrobe a bit, Aldo."
It was my slightly large wardrobe placed against the wall, but if I didn't shift it a bit, the wardrobe Flora brought wouldn't line up beautifully.
It's not like it wouldn't fit if I didn't shift it, but it's something I use and see every day. I'd want them to be lined up beautifully, wouldn't I?
Besides, I think it's a bit nice to have my wardrobe and Flora's wardrobe lined up beautifully, as it gives off a married couple feeling.
"What are you grinning at the wardrobe for?"
"Hah, sorry. Well then, shall we take out the drawers before moving it?"
I came back to my senses at Toak's exasperated voice and tried to take out the contents of the wardrobe to make it easier to carry.
"Before that, wouldn't it be better to prepare a rag? A lot of dust must have accumulated under the wardrobe, right?"
"True. I'll go prepare a rag for a bit."
"Oh. I'll check if there are any problems with the bed and chairs I made."
Giving a wry smile at Toak's craftsman-like attitude, I left the room to prepare the cleaning tools.
I took a bucket from the storage room in the back, and as I returned to the living room to get water and a rag from the kitchen, I heard Aisha and Flora's voices.
"...Hey, so did you do it with Aldo?"
"E-Eh, what do you mean by 'did it'?"
"That's obvious, isn't it? Sex, sex."
"Wait! Aisha!"
The sound of a chair moving. Even without seeing Flora, the image of her flustered state came to mind.
I suppose even her best friend Aisha is curious now that Flora and I have started living together. Being curious about such things is common in any country.
"What? The two men are working in the back room, so it's fine. They can't hear anyway."
I'm sorry. I can hear you.
What should I do? I don't know at what timing I should enter the living room.
Should I time it right and enter the living room pretending I didn't hear?
"—So? Did you have sex after that day?"
Aisha's voice was heard again while I was wondering what to do.
"...D"
"D?"
"...W-We did."
"You did it!"
Flora's voice, which sounded like it was about to fade away, and Aisha's voice of joy were heard.
Flora-san, you went and said it.
While Aisha's joyful voice echoed, I turned red alone in the hallway near the living room.
But well, Aisha is Flora's childhood friend and someone who understood Flora's circumstances from nine years ago, so I guess it's okay if she knows.
She encouraged Flora many times, gave her advice, and pushed her forward.
There's no doubt that Aisha was the catalyst for Flora and me becoming a couple.
I think Aisha, who supported and cheered on Flora's love life, has the right to hear at least that much.
However, I hope she doesn't say anything more than that.
Knowing Aisha, she's likely to ask Flora vivid things like "How was it?"
It would be awkward if I heard such a conversation, and I also feel guilty for eavesdropping.
I should go out now so the conversation doesn't develop into something suspicious.
I intentionally made footsteps from the hallway and entered the living room pretending to be casual.
"So how was it?"
Then, were Aisha and Flora so absorbed in their conversation that they didn't notice? Despite me being in the living room, Aisha started asking exactly what I expected.
I'm also interested in Flora's reaction, but please spare me for now.
"How was what? Did something happen?"
""Hii!?""
When I spoke from the kitchen, Aisha and Flora both jerked their bodies in unison.
"...Aldo-san, were you perhaps listening?"
"Idiot. If you say it like that, it'll be obvious we were talking about something strange!"
When Flora asked in a voice half an octave higher than usual, Aisha whispered to Flora.
Then, Flora's eyes widened as if she had made a mistake.
Since Flora had an expression mixed with anxiety and shame, I tilted my head slightly and made a suspicious expression.
"...Were you talking about something important?"
"N-No! It was just a trivial conversation! Right, Aisha?"
"Yeah. We were talking about what kind of dish we should have you make next."
Ignoring Flora, who looked flustered and was letting her gaze wander, Aisha told a lie with a pleasant expression.
She had a composed face that didn't look like she was lying at all.
It was as if she was claiming they weren't having any shameful conversation.
Flora, who is weak in emergencies, doesn't seem to be good at lying. Well, I would definitely be shaken if I were in the same position too.
"W-We made meat and vegetables as the main dishes, so maybe a fish dish would be good next!"
"That sounds good! The salt-grilled Ayu from the other day was delicious. Next time I want to catch some Shiragisu and eat them in ways other than salt-grilled too."
Flora and Aisha's topic changed to cooking, and it became a heartwarming conversation.
Relieved by that, I put water into the bucket from the water jar in the kitchen.
After confirming that a good amount of water was in the bucket, I left the living room, and I felt like I heard a sigh of relief from behind.