September 30th.
The very last day of September just happened to fall on a Monday. On this day, Kuroba Akira didn't go to the Literature Club to work on the light novel as usual. Instead, he told Class Rep he had something to do and went straight home early.
All to "capture" Tashiro Benika.
Both yesterday and the day before had been days off, so logically, Tashiro Benika should've been at home. But all weekend, Akira didn't see a trace of her.
What's more, Akira noticed that whenever Benika-san had work, she'd wear her beloved red high heels, but on weekends, those heels always sat neatly in the shoe cabinet. That meant she hadn't been working overtime like Shion said—she just wasn't home.
Then Akira realized: overtime was just an excuse. She was obviously avoiding him.
It reminded him of when they'd first met, half a year ago. Back then, Benika-san always avoided him, doing her best not to interact.
Maybe having a young man as a housemate made her feel unsafe.
So really, it was only after that recent drunken night that Akira got on closer terms with Benika-san, but now, for some reason, things had gone back to how they were.
He already had some suspicions about this in his heart… but so far, no hard evidence.
Either way, in order to have a proper talk with Benika-san, he headed home even earlier than usual.
Back at Kobayashi House, Akira entered and checked the shoe cabinet by the entryway. Benika-san's red high heels were still there—meaning she hadn't gone out to work yet.
"Akira-kun, you're home early today," Shiginomiya Shion greeted him like an NPC who always respawned at the door, and today she seemed even happier than usual.
These days, Akira had been coming home late, around eight, because of Literature Club activities. Shion was a bit sulky about it—less time to spend with him.
So seeing him home early today made her genuinely happy.
Akira pressed his index finger to his lips, signaling her to keep quiet.
"Shh..."
Shion quickly clapped both hands over her mouth and nodded, her expression turning tense.
She had no idea what was happening, but she knew to just do as Akira said.
Then Akira leaned close and whispered into her ear.
"Shion, is Benika-san home?"
"Mm…"
Feeling his breath tickling her ear, Shion's whole body felt like it was melting—she almost wanted to just fall into his arms.
"Shion?"
Snapping out of it, Shion shoved those pink thoughts away and answered after thinking it over.
"Mm... Yeah, she should be home. Benika-san came back this morning. I haven't seen her leave since."
"Alright, got it."
"Are you looking for Benika-san?"
"Yeah, about her being your manager. Has she mentioned it to you?"
"Ah, I actually asked her about it before… but she didn't give me a straight answer. Said she hasn't made up her mind yet."
"Still no answer, huh…"
If she really didn't want to become a manager, she could've just said so. Why hesitate for so long?
She must be waiting for something.
But waiting till the very last day—she still hasn't decided?
No, it's not that she hasn't decided. It's that she can't—her thoughts are at odds.
Akira thought it over, then turned and took those red high heels out of the shoe cabinet.
He told Shion, "I'm going upstairs to find Benika-san now. Shion, stay down here. If she tries to run, help me stop her."
"Okay!"
Shion nodded obediently, no hesitation at all. If it was a choice between Benika-san and Akira, she'd pick her beloved without a second thought.
Then Akira crept upstairs with the red high heels in hand, coming to Benika-san's door.
He thought about just barging in, but realized there was no need to go that far, so he knocked and called out,
"Benika-san, are you in? I want to talk about what we discussed before…"
No response.
Akira pressed his ear against the door.
Not a sound.
Not home?
No, she was definitely pretending not to be!
But this time, she wasn't getting away with it!
It wasn't right to enter someone else's room without permission, but Akira couldn't care less now.
He grabbed the doorknob and barged in.
"Benika-san! Let's have a proper talk!"
The curtains were drawn and the lights were off, making the room gloomy.
Plus, Benika-san's room was a mess as always—Akira couldn't even see where she was hiding.
Maybe in the closet… He moved further into the room, planning to search.
But the moment he entered, he heard hurried footsteps behind him.
Just as he turned around, someone shoved him hard from behind, forcing him all the way into Benika-san's room.
Akira quickly rolled over and sat up, catching a glimpse of Benika-san's complicated expression—but only for a moment, as she slammed the door shut.
Akira instantly understood what was going on.
Benika-san must've guessed he'd come looking for her, so she hid in the bathroom beforehand. When he walked into her room, she rushed out and trapped him inside.
Sure enough, Akira soon heard the metallic sound of a key turning. Benika-san was locking the door from the outside.
For safety reasons, the bedroom doors at Kobayashi House all had deadbolts. If you locked them from outside with a key, the person inside couldn't get out without one.
Crap! Am I getting imprisoned?!
…As if.
But honestly, what was the point of locking him in here…? There was a spare key with Kobayashi-obaasan, so anyone could open it from outside.
Was all this really necessary?
As long as Benika-san didn't move out, she'd have to run into Akira eventually… She could dodge him for a while, but how could she avoid him forever?
And why was she running away in the first place? If she really didn't want to do it, couldn't she just say no?
Akira was baffled—none of it made sense. He had no idea what she was thinking, so he got up and knocked on the door.
"Benika-san, I just want to hear your answer. No need to go this far! Hey? Benika-san, are you still there?"
"...I'll do it…"
"Huh?"
"I'll become… Shion's manager."
"That's a good thing, isn't it? Then why lock me in here? Let's talk it through, okay?"
"…"
She didn't reply, and she didn't leave.
Akira hesitated for a moment, but finally asked the question that had been on his mind all along.
"Um, Benika-san… Are you still the same 'Benika-san' I know?"
"…"
Still no answer.
But this time, hurried footsteps rang out.
She fled.
And that's how Akira knew for sure.
The Tashiro Benika standing there just now was not the Benika-san he knew.
She really did have two personalities.
---
T/N: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT TWO PERSONALITIES
T/N2: heres ur updates :3 meeting the 4 chaps a week quota :3 do u think itd be better to do it earlier in the week to make u guys wait more for the bonus chapters
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
discord.gg/wisetl
patreon.com/wisetl