The House in Which Nightmares Dwell 2.3

[touchturnfly]

3

"Welcome back."

Yasuhara was the one who left the desk close to the entrance and immediately greeted them, and Mai stood up from the sofa and adjusted her posture.

"Welcome back. -- Boss, this person wants to make a request."

They certainly seemed like difficult personalities, Hirota thought when he saw the two people who came in. It was immediately clear who was the boss and who was the investigator. The aloof-looking, extremely tall man (more than the average height, even taller than the tall Hirota, so he was fairly tall) naturally had to be the boss here. That was because the full investigator was apparently the boy of the same age as Mai. They wore callous squarish garments, so he guessed that was the office's style one way or another.

-- But he didn't appear to be much of full-fledged type either, Saki also thought when she looked at the boy who appeared to be the investigator. At a glance he was the unforgettable type. Would it be better if to say that he appeared to be an unblemished beauty? He also looked like too much like a doll, because he lacked a facial expression. The abundant contrast of his black appearance and his white skin gave such an impression. Both shortly glanced in the direction of Hirota and the others, but it was the boy who opened his mouth. While taking off his coat, he spoke with a very unkind voice.

"-- The written request."

"I've taken it."

"Put that in line. I'll contact them at a later date."

"But the person herself is here."

At this he answered in a fed-up voice.

"I'm tired."

Mai twitched her eyebrows into a frown and then looked at Hirota and the others.

"Excuse me for a moment."

When they thought she was going to bow her head, she briskly walked into the direction of the two people while holding the file.

"I'm sorry for asking, but how many hours were you on the air plane? 24 hours? 48 hours?"

The two looked back at a dubious Mai. Hirota and others as well once again looked blankly at the firmly standing girl.

"My my, you must be tired from the long trip of course. -- But, Agawa-san has been living in a stressful condition for how many months more than being on board of an air plane. At least read the request directly at this place, boss."

Mai, whose gentle state had vanished until a while ago, roughly thrust the file into the boy's direction. Hirota and the others were all three flabbergasted. -- The boss? Him?

Mai didn't care about being scolded coldly and pushed the file on him.

"Or, if you are that tired, shall I read it for you? If so, I can explain the request to you while you are taking a rest," Mai said and sweetly smiled. "How about having Yasuhara-san read it aloud for you, while I give you a shoulder massage?"

The boy, who was called the boss, sighed. Disappointed he took the file from her.

"-- Tea."

"Yes~"

"I'm sorry for that. -- I am the boss, Shibuya," he said, sat down on the sofa and opened the file. Before the eyes of Hirota and the others, whose jaws had dropped, he began turning the pages of the file.

-- Say what you like, but this is far too young.

Hirota was flabbergasted and felt even more angry.

"You're the boss? -- Is that true?"

The reply was blunt and moreover it depressed him.

"Indeed."

"You said you're -- Shibuya?"

"Is the name important?"

He didn't let his eye depart from the file.

"How old are you? You look extremely young."

"If you are dissatisfied with my age, I can reject this request."

"What's your work history?"

"Hirota-kun," Saki rebuked him with a low voice.

He finally gazed at Hirota. Hirota was born as a man, so he wasn't mindful about a man's personal appearance. However, the intense lack of expression that resembled a doll rubbed his nerves the wrong way.

"The same goes for my career. If you're curious about my age and history, then visit another place. Moreover, you don't seem the be the client Agawa Midori-san."

Hirota suppressed his boiling anger to the best of his ability. He didn't want to fall apart just like a childish person in front of this youngster.

"I'm the one who invited her here. I'd be sorry if there were a strange company."

"Then, how about searching for another organization so you can be more at peace. I don't think it's a very kind thing to introduce someone without confirming beforehand whether it is a place you can trust."

Hirota felt the pressure of his anger rising again. It was inevitable that he would put up with raising his voice.

"That's why I am confirming it right now."

After looking at Hirota without interest, he returned his gaze to the file and spoke with an emotionless voice.

"Then, Agawa-san. Are you going to withdraw your request?"

Midori shook her head.

"-- No. Please help me."

Having become completely ignored, Hirota's mind had not calmed. -- How conceited, his eyes glared, showing his anger. Saki who sat next to him poked him very lightly with her elbow and told him to calm down, but unfortunately it didn't work on Hirota's reasoning.

"If I'm not mistaken, -- I heard that the owner of this place is a foreigner."

He looked at Hirota. Although he had exposed the cards in his hands at last, the anticipated change of facial expression could absolutely not be seen.

"Is it important to know the nationality of the person in charge?"

"You don't look like a foreigner? I wanted to introduce her to the boss. He isn't a part-time working kid named Shibuya, the real person in charge is Oliver Davis."

That facial expression didn't change. Rather, it were Mai and Yasuhara who made surprised faces.

Hirota smiled.

"Why don't you call out Davis-shi?"

He closed the file. Still, any kind of facial expression was not in sight.

"-- Agawa-san. It seems that your cousin is dissatisfied with this place. How about consulting him once you go home today?"

Midori worriedly looked from him to Hirota.

"The one who requested this is me. ... ... May I ask you something?"

"Please go ahead."

"Are you the person in charge?"

"Indeed."

Midori nodded at the concise reply.

"Then, I'll be in your care."

"... ... Midori-san."

Midori looked back at Hirota who had spoken up.

"Hirota-san may not understand, but mother and I can not take it any more. If I want to receive help, I'm willing to rely on anyone."

"But."

"At the very least I've come to like this place. So please, let me do what I want."

At Midori's unexpectedly firm attitude, Hirota reluctantly nodded.

"... ... I understand."

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