I Started Working a Housekeeping Job and Ended up Being Liked by the Family of the Most Beautiful Girl in School - Chapter 2
On the third day of summer break, Haruto was standing in front of a grand mansion.
“Wow… My first job is for a celebrity client…”
Haruto murmured with a slightly dejected expression.
Today was his first day working at a housekeeping service. After checking himself to ensure he was presentable, he nervously pressed the intercom button with slightly trembling fingers.
“...Yes?”
“Umm, I’m from the housekeeping service,” he replied, surprised to hear a young woman’s voice through the intercom. Haruto tried to keep his expression firm and his tone steady, aiming for a polite approach.
“Yes, I’ll open the door now. Please wait a moment,” said the voice on the intercom, and Haruto sensed a faint movement behind the door. He took a small breath, trying to calm his racing heartbeat.
Soon, with a click, the front door opened, and the client requesting the housekeeping service appeared.
“Thank you very much for using our housekeeping service. My name is Otsuki, and I’ll be handling your service today…”
Haruto raised his head after politely bowing, following the standard protocol. But as he looked up, he lost his words for a moment, leaving an awkward pause at the end of his greeting.
“Huh? ...Tojo-san?”
To his shock, the client for his first job turned out to be none other than Ayaka Tojo, the idol of his school. Surprised, Haruto couldn’t help but say her name out loud.
Hearing this, Ayaka also looked at Haruto with a startled expression. She scrutinized him for a moment before opening her mouth as if confirming something.
“Could you be… from the same class… Otsuki-kun?”
“Uh… yes, that’s right.”
“Huh? ...Why?”
With a questioning tone, she looked at Haruto with a wary gaze. She likely suspected that he’d taken up this job just to get close to her.
If it had been another girl, Haruto might’ve thought, “What’s with her ego?” But standing before him was the school’s idol. Given her popularity, it was understandable for her to have some level of caution.
“Oh… If you’d prefer, I can have someone else assigned to this job?” Haruto suggested, sensing her wariness. “However, if you switch now, the service time may be a bit shorter than initially scheduled.”
Ayaka had requested a three-hour session for kitchen cleaning and dinner preparation.
“I thought a woman would be coming…”
“Ahaha, I’m sorry…” Haruto smiled awkwardly, apologizing as he responded to her small murmur. While his housekeeping agency mostly employed women, there were a few male staff members like him. Their website displayed a list of employees with photos, allowing clients to request female staff if they preferred. It seemed Ayaka had overlooked this option.
“So, would you like to change the assigned staff?” Haruto asked again, to which Ayaka hesitated briefly before shaking her head slightly.
“No, it’s fine as it is. Please proceed with the housekeeping.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
Expecting her to change staff, Haruto was a bit taken aback by her unexpected response.
“You’re not… here just because of me, are you?”
“Of course not,” he replied firmly.
“Then it’s fine. Come on in.”
Ayaka opened the door wider, inviting Haruto inside.
“Uh… Alright, thank you,” he said, still a bit confused by the unexpected turn of events as he stepped into the entrance of the Tojo residence.
“...Excuse me.” He slipped on the slippers he had brought, bowing slightly.
“The kitchen’s this way. Follow me.”
With that, Tojo walked briskly down the hallway. Following behind her, Haruto looked around the hallway in awe.
This hallway is so long! And it’s so spacious! That’s a mansion for you.
As he walked along, he eventually reached the end of the hallway, where Tojo opened a door and stepped inside.
“This is the living room, and the kitchen is just beyond it,” she said.
Haruto gaped in amazement at the luxurious interior. The space was at least twice, no, three times as large as his own living room. High-end furniture was tastefully arranged, and a large TV hung on the wall. Beyond that, there was a dining area with an island kitchen equipped with the latest cooking appliances.
“Amazing…”
He’d only ever seen a chic and upscale living-dining room like this on a dating reality show.
“...Otsuki-kun?” Tojo looked at Haruto, who was standing there dumbfounded, with a puzzled expression.
Haruto quickly collected himself and proceeded to confirm the details of the job with Tojo.
“Thank you very much for choosing our housekeeping service. Once again, my name is Otsuki, and I’ll be in charge of today’s service. I look forward to working with you.”
Following the script, Haruto bowed and handed Tojo his business card.
“Wow, you have business cards and everything,” she said, sounding impressed as she examined it.
“For today’s request, you’ve booked a three-hour session, correct?”
“Huh? Oh, yes, that’s correct… Though it feels a bit weird to be called ‘ma’am’ when we’re classmates.”
“Even though we’re classmates, you’re my valued client right now,” Haruto replied firmly.
To him, the person before him wasn’t just a classmate or the school idol but a customer. He was here to provide a service in exchange for payment, and he had to maintain a clear distinction. Plus, Tojo would probably feel more comfortable if he approached this professionally.
Haruto continued in a businesslike tone, “We’ll start the service now, but do you have any specific requests?”
“Um, it’s not really a request, but… could you take a look at the kitchen?” she asked a bit shyly, leading Haruto toward the kitchen.
“It was my little brother, not me, but… is it okay to leave it in this state?” she said hesitantly, glancing toward a very messy kitchen.
It looked like someone had attempted to make pancakes. White powder was scattered all over the sink and floor, pancake batter was splattered and dried around the stove, and a pan held the charred remains of what had once been a pancake. On top of that, the sink was filled with bowls and plates, and eggshells were tangled in the drain filter.
Haruto took one look at the chaotic kitchen and put on his professional smile.
“No problem at all. I’ll clean it all up.”
“Really? Thank you, that’s a big help,” Tojo said, visibly relieved.
“I’ll be cleaning the living room too, so let me know if you need anything,” she added, beginning to leave the kitchen.
Keeping his business smile, Haruto offered, “I can handle the living room cleaning as well if you’d like?”
“Huh? It feels a bit excessive to ask you to do all that…”
“It’s part of the job, so please don’t worry.”
“Oh… In that case, I’ll leave the living room cleaning to you as well.”
Haruto accepted her additional request.
“Oh, the vacuum is in that closet over there,” she said, pointing to a slim door beside the living room entrance. Mansions seem to have plenty of storage space, too.
“Alright, I’ll be in my room, so if you need anything, just knock on the door at the top of the stairs to the left,” she added. With a small bow and a quick “Thanks in advance,” she left the living room.
As soon as she disappeared from the living room and her footsteps were heard going up the stairs, Haruto let out a long sigh as though coming up for air.
"Whew... that was nerve-wracking..."
He took a few calming breaths. Why had Ayaka Tojo requested a housekeeping service, anyway? And... was she a wealthy heiress? This was news to him. Plus, it was his first time seeing her up close— she was way cuter than he’d imagined.
Freed from the tension, Haruto's mind overflowed with questions and thoughts. Until now, he hadn’t really taken much interest in Ayaka Tojo. Not that he wasn't interested in girls in general; he was a typical high school boy who would slow down when flipping through magazine pages with a gravure photo spread. However, Haruto had a clear goal he wanted to pursue, and he couldn't afford to waste time daydreaming over an unattainable school idol like her.
"I had no idea she was such a rich girl..." he murmured, scanning the kitchen and living room he was about to clean. The kitchen was chaotic, but the living room looked reasonably clean. Dust on the floor and shelves here and there, but a quick vacuum and wipe-down should suffice.
"She may have thrown me off my game, but this is my first client— I need to do my best!" Rolling up his sleeves, Haruto got ready to work. Checking the clock on the wall, he noted it was three in the afternoon. He had three hours to finish cleaning and cooking dinner.
"Her brother sure went all out with this mess," he muttered with a wry smile, glancing at the tragic state of the frying pan filled with charred pancake remains. To make such a mess, Ayaka’s brother was either totally hopeless at housework or just a little kid. Ayaka had seemed embarrassed about the kitchen’s condition, too.
"She was kind of cute, blushing like that..."
Haruto caught himself almost grinning at the thought of Ayaka’s expression— something he would never see at school. Not to mention, her casual outfit was something fresh to him. An oversized pastel T-shirt with white shorts… it was definitely an appealing look.
"She has an amazing figure..." he thought, shaking his head. He usually only caught glimpses of her from afar, so he hadn't noticed until now. But that image of her kept replaying in his mind.
"No! She’s a client; focus on your job!" He said out loud to dispel his thoughts. Fighting his wandering mind, Haruto tackled the cleaning with his grandmother’s tried-and-true methods.
After an hour, it was around four, and thanks to his total focus, the kitchen sparkled, and the living room was dust-free. He looked around with satisfaction.
Just then, he heard the front door open, followed by a lively boy’s voice.
"I’m hooome!"
Footsteps thudded down the hall, and before Haruto could react, the living room door flew open to reveal a boy around kindergarten age. He froze when he saw Haruto standing in the kitchen.
"..."
"..."
They stared at each other in silence until Haruto tried to explain.
"Um, I’m just the—"
"Thiiiief! There’s a thief in the house!!"
The boy’s scream drowned out Haruto’s words as he ran out of the room, yelling at the top of his lungs. "Thief! Sis, there's a thief!"
"Wait! No! I’m not a thief!" Haruto called, chasing after the boy. But it was no use; the boy was already halfway up the stairs, shouting "Thief!" repeatedly.
"Ryota, what’s all this noise?" Ayaka appeared at the top of the stairs, alerted by her brother’s commotion.
"Sis, there’s a thief in the house!" Ryota cried, pointing at Haruto, who had just caught up to him, panting.
"Sorry, Tojo-san," Haruto said, breathless from his sprint. "Your brother seems to have mistaken me for a burglar."
Ayaka looked at the two of them with amusement and let out a small laugh, covering her mouth.
"Sis?" Ryota tilted his head in confusion. Ayaka gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Ryota, this person isn’t a thief."
"Eh? Isn’t he a thief? Then who is that? is he your boyfriend?"
"Buh!"
At the boy's remark, Haruto couldn’t help but burst out laughing. In contrast to him, Tojo calmly corrects her younger brother's misunderstanding.
"He’s not my boyfriend. This person is the house cleaning service person."
"House cleaning?"
The boy tilts his head at his sister's explanation.
"He’s the one who cleans and cooks for us instead. Do you understand?"
The boy nods in understanding at Tojo's explanation.
"I'm sorry, Otsuki-kun. This is my younger brother, Ryota. He’s still in kindergarten and doesn’t understand the details."
"Ah, no. As long as the misunderstanding is cleared up, I have no problems."
Haruto responds as Tojo bows her head, then squats down to meet Ryota's gaze.
"Ryota-kun, sorry for surprising you earlier. I’m Otsuki Haruto, nice to meet you."
Haruto smiles and extends his hand, and Ryota, now slightly less cautious than before, shakes it back.
"I'm sorry for calling you a thief earlier."
Ryota bows his head slightly. Haruto is a bit surprised.
"Ryota-kun, you’re a really good kid."
Haruto says to Tojo, who smiles slightly.
At his age, realizing his mistake and apologizing before someone else points it out is not something that can be easily done.
Tojo, praised by Haruto, softens her expression a little but makes a slightly troubled face as if hiding her embarrassment.
"But he’s really mischievous, and he scatters his toys everywhere."
"Isn't that a good thing? He’s full of energy."
Tojo continues to smile as she pats her brother's head.
Seeing this, Haruto thinks they are a close brother-sister pair, and as an only child, he feels a bit envious of having siblings.
"Ah, that’s right. Since I finished cleaning, may I ask you to check it once?"
With the appearance of Tojo’s younger brother, Ryota, Haruto remembers the work he almost forgot.
"You’re already done? That was quick."
Saying that, Tojo heads towards the living room. When she sees the cleaned room, her eyes widen in surprise.
"Eh? Wow... It's sparkling."
In the living room, there’s not a speck of dust, and everything is as clean as if it had been mirror-finished—the table and water areas are spotless. The living dining looks like a model house, and Tojo opens her mouth slightly in admiration.
"If you have any complaints or requests regarding the cleaning, please let me know."
Haruto, with a slightly proud smug look on his face, responds according to the manual, and Tojo shakes her head.
"No, it’s perfect. I have no complaints at all."
Tojo looks at the kitchen area, restored beautifully from its chaotic state, and the shelves and tables that are completely dust-free, just feeling amazed.
"Wow, Otsuki-kun, you’re good at cleaning!"
"Well, if I weren’t, I wouldn’t have chosen this part-time job."
"Oh, that’s true."
"Wow! The room is sparkling! The kitchen is back to normal! Hey, sis!! Look it's amazing!!"
Ryota seems excited by the clean kitchen and living room, running around noisily.
Seeing Ryota’s actions, Haruto thinks, 'There’s going to be dust everywhere right after I cleaned...' but feels hesitant to stop the innocent child’s actions and just smiles as he watches.
"Hey, Ryota. Since Otsuki-kun cleaned up for us, don’t kick up dust."
However, Tojo fulfills her role as an older sister and admonishes her brother.
Ryota responds obediently, "Okay," and stops running.
Seeing that scene, Haruto couldn’t help but voice his thoughts.
"Tojo-san, you’re a great big sister."
"Eh? Is that so?"
"Yeah, I think so just by watching."
"Is that so? Thank you..."
Tojo seems a bit embarrassed by the compliment, and with her head slightly bowed, she thanks him, looking up at him, which makes Haruto feel his heart race a little faster.
"Big sisters are really wonderful."
In a moment of adoration for Tojo’s cuteness, Haruto finds himself momentarily losing his thoughts when Ryota approaches him, saying a bit proudly.
"That’s right. My big Sis is a really good big sister."
"But I think Ryota-kun is also a really good little brother, too!"
Haruto squats down to meet Ryota’s gaze and gently ruffles his hair.
"Really? Am I a good little brother?"
"Yeah, Ryota-kun is a good little brother who listens to his big sister."
At Haruto's words, Ryota’s face lights up.
"Sis! I’m a good little brother!!"
"That’s right. Ryota is a good boy."
"Hehe."
Praising from both of them, Ryota beams with a happy smile. This infectious joy brings smiles to Haruto and Tojo's faces as well.
"Ah, right. About dinner, you mentioned you want me to prepare four servings with what’s in the fridge."
While Haruto was being soothed by Tojo’s angelic younger brother, he suddenly snaps back to reality and switches to work mode.
"May I take a look inside the fridge?"
Thanks to his grandmother's teachings, Haruto can cook a variety of dishes, from Japanese to Western to Chinese cuisine. However, without the ingredients, he can do nothing. If there aren't enough ingredients, he would need to go shopping, which is also part of the housekeeping service's responsibilities.
"Ah, um... it’s a bit messy, but go ahead."
"Then, I’ll take a look."
Tojo, feeling slightly embarrassed, agrees, and Haruto opens the fridge door, feeling a bit guilty but reminding himself that this is work.
"Uh... eggs, milk, onions, carrots, cabbage... Oh, there’s ground meat too. Looks like a mix of beef and pork..."
As Haruto checks the fridge, he mentally lists several dishes he could make with the ingredients he finds.
"Excuse me, but I’d like to check the seasonings and spices as well."
"They’re in this drawer."
Tojo opens the drawer under the counter.
"Wow! So many kinds!"
Inside the drawer were far more seasonings and spices than Haruto had imagined.
"Coarse black pepper, Sichuan pepper, star anise, cardamom, cloves, oh, there’s bay leaves, ginger powder, and cinnamon sticks! And is this... nutmeg?"
As someone who enjoys cooking, Haruto feels his excitement rise in front of the abundant spices.
With the ingredients he found in the fridge and the spices he just checked, an idea for one dish comes to mind.
"How about making hamburgers for dinner?"
"Wow!! I want hamburgers!!"
Before Tojo could respond, Ryota reacts to Haruto’s suggestion.
"Sis, can we have hamburgers for dinner!?"
Tojo, seeing her younger brother’s eager expression, smiles wryly and turns to Haruto.
"Please make hamburgers for dinner."
"Understood."
In response to Tojo's words, Haruto exaggeratedly bows. Watching this, Ryota joyfully pumps his fists in the air, exploding with excitement.
As Haruto smiles at Ryota's adorable reaction, he quickly begins preparing dinner.
Hamburgers are one of Haruto's favorite dishes, and he had just made them with his grandmother a few days ago. Thus, he has practiced making them since childhood to replicate his grandmother’s delicious hamburgers.
With skilled hands, Haruto proceeds to make the hamburgers.
Tojo and Ryota sit at the dining table, observing him as he works with smooth, efficient movements. While cooking, Haruto wonders, 'Is Tojo not returning to her room this time?' As he picks up a knife to finely chop the onion, he suddenly feels a gaze on him and looks up to see Ryota watching him with wide, curious eyes.
After smiling briefly, Haruto showcases his impressive speed in chopping the onion. Immediately, Ryota exclaims, "Wow!"
"You’re a good cook, Otsuki-kun!"
With his eyes sparkling, Ryota watches, and Tojo remarks in admiration.
"You clean perfectly and can cook too. Otsuki-kun, your feminine side is off the charts!"
"I think these days, there are fewer men who can’t cook."
"Is that so? Even so, I think Otsuki-kun is on a whole different level!"
"I’m honored by the compliment."
Not only Ryota but Tojo also gazes with interest at Haruto's hands.
Feeling the attention of both spectators, Haruto continues making the hamburgers.
Once he reaches the stage of kneading the mixture, he fills a bowl with ice water and plunges his hands into it.
"...? What are you doing?"
Ryota tilts his head, puzzled by Haruto's sudden strange action.
"I'm keeping the fat from the meat from melting due to body heat."
"Does fat melt?"
"Yep. If the fat melts, we can't make delicious hamburgers."
Ryota tilts his head, clearly not understanding Haruto's explanation, while Tojo nods slightly with a "Hmm."
As Haruto pulls his hands out of the ice water, he quickly wipes them dry and starts kneading. Because he had his hands in the icy water moments before, his hands are now bright red.
"Doesn’t that hurt your hands?"
Ryota asks, concerned for Haruto.
"Thank you, Ryota-kun. But I'm okay. I want you to enjoy a delicious hamburger."
Feeling healed by Ryota's kindness, Haruto kneads the mixture, and when it becomes sticky, he divides it into four portions and shapes them into oval patties.
With just frying left to do, Haruto turns to Tojo and asks,
"Um, should I fry all four hamburgers, or just two first?"
The dinner request from Tojo is for four servings. However, only Ayaka and Ryota are currently present.
The other two servings are likely for their parents, but there’s still no sign of their return. As the cook, Haruto feels that freshly made is best, so he’d prefer their parents to enjoy hot hamburgers as well.
"Uh... yeah. I think I'll have you fry two first. But..."
As Tojo says this, a worried expression crosses her face as she glances at the clock hanging on the living room wall.
The time is just past 5:30 PM. Haruto's contracted time ends at 6:00 PM, and if their parents don't come home soon, it means Haruto won't be there to fry the remaining two.
"I'll leave a note on how to fry them, so if you follow it, they'll turn out the same."
Haruto says reassuringly, dispelling Ayaka's worries.
"Really? Then please only fry our portions."
"Understood."
Haruto places two hamburger patties in the frying pan to start cooking.
While waiting for them to finish, he also plates the consomme soup and vegetables he had been preparing. As the hamburgers finish frying and he serves rice into bowls, it’s now 6:00 PM, marking the end of his contract.
"Well then, since our time is up, I’ll take my leave here."
Haruto says after finishing washing the frying pan and other dishes.
"Yes, thank you. That was a big help."
Tojo says, looking at the dishes laid out on the table with admiration.
"Really, Otsuki-kun, your housekeeping skills are top-notch."
"Thank you very much. I think the hamburgers turned out delicious, so please enjoy them before they cool."
Haruto tells Ayaka this as he begins to prepare to leave.
Just then, Ryota, who had been gazing brightly at the completed hamburgers, suddenly approaches Haruto.
"Huh? What’s wrong, Ryota-kun?"
"…Bye-bye, big brother. See you later."
A bit shy, Ryota waves one hand to say goodbye. His demeanor appears very adorable to Haruto. He can't help but smile back as he waves at Ryota.
"Yeah, see you later, Ryota-kun."
Thinking that they probably won’t meet again, Haruto reflexively responds this way.
This time, he happened to be called to the Tojo household for housekeeping services, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be called again. In fact, if his classmates discover his part-time job, there’s a high chance they’ll request another staff member instead. Having a classmate doing chores at home would certainly feel awkward.
"Otsuki-kun, let me walk you to the entrance."
"Thank you very much."
Feeling a slight sense of reluctance at Ryota’s earnest waving, Haruto gratefully accepts Tojo's offer.
"Thank you so much today, Otsuki-kun."
When they reach the entrance, Tojo bows to Haruto.
"No, thank you for using the housekeeping service."
As Haruto returns Tojo's gratitude, he suddenly remembers and takes a flyer from his bag, handing it to her.
"Um, if you plan to use the housekeeping service again, we have a regular contract option."
Haruto explains while pointing to the flyer he handed to Tojo.
"If you opt for the regular contract, the fees will be more economical than a one-time contract like this, so please consider it for your next use."
Tojo chuckles at Haruto's textbook sales pitch, smiling.
"Wow, Otsuki-kun, you sound like a salesperson."
"Well, it's part of the job."
"It feels strange to be spoken to like that in honorifics by a classmate, like you’re a working adult or something. Can’t we just talk normally?"
"It’s not that you can’t, but, well, Tojo-sama is a customer."
Tojo lets out a wry smile at Haruto's response.
"I see… a customer, huh."
"Yes. Oh, we need to hurry back; the hamburgers will get cold!"
"Oh, right. Then thank you so much today, Otsuki-kun."
"Yes, I look forward to your next use."
After bowing deeply one last time, Haruto leaves the Tojo household.
As he lifts his head, he catches a glimpse of Tojo’s face, and for a moment, her expression looks disappointed, but he tells himself it must be his imagination.
With that reassurance, Haruto concludes his first housekeeping job and heads home.