Kei: Okay! Obana-chan, GO—!
After he sees me point towards the entrance hall, Obana-chan tilts his head and looks at Tsudzura-chan.
Tsudzura: Obana, go ahead.
When she gives the order, he exits out into the hallway with nary an audible footfall.
……Apparently he doesn’t intend to listen to me at all.
Kei: Uuu……
Tsudzura: What are we going to do with you~
She holds her hand helpless and outstretched for a moment before letting it fall.
Kei: Thank you, Tsudzura-chan.
Tsudzura: No no, it is of no consequence. Anyway, why did you send Obana?
Kei: Fufufu! This way they can have the same surprise I did when I came!
If they were chased by the pouring rain and just happened upon this house, just like the start of a horror film, I’ll bet their acting would be brought up a notch.
Tsudzura: Oh dear… Kei-oneesan, you’re more childish than I thought.
Kei: Uuu…… but……
Tsudzura: You opened the door, Onee-san, but this is your own dwelling, and the door is locked tonight, anyway.
Kei: Ah……
Tsudzura: Obana is remarkably intelligent, but in the end, he is still a fox, and with hands like his, it is probably beyond his means.
Kei: I guess so……
Tsudzura: I think I will go have a look.
Kei: Ah, wait, I’m going to!
———————————
Dripping wet woman: ——and there you have it. I’ll be an extra head here for a while.
The one who happened by was Asama Sakuya-san.
She’s a longtime friend of my mother’s, and similarly an old friend of mine.
Kei: But Sakuya-san, why did you come here?
Sakuya: I came for work, you know. Work. It’s all right here.
What Sakuya-san waves between us as she speaks thusly is her usual camera, with a big lens attached.
Sakuya-san mainly provides for herself as a photographer of natural subjects and animals, and apparently came here on just such an assignment.
She doubles as a reportage writer, and claims that it’s her mainline occupation, but mom said it was her photographs that had the greater following and earnings.
Kei: That must be tough……
Sakuya: This is nothing. The squalls I saw before in the jungles of south Asia were a whole lot worse.
Kei: Is your camera okay with getting wet?
Sakuya: Fairly. I was thinking of durability when I picked it out. Anyway, it’s not a bad idea to avoid it getting wet, and it’s not like I have to put myself through all of that.
Sakuya: By the way, Kei, you got towels or something I could use?
Kei: Ah, right. I wonder if there are any clothes you could change into…