Chapter 373: Breaking In and Catching Them Red-Handed
After finishing their discussion about romance and chatting about various other miscellaneous topics, they finished their food and said goodbye, separating at the entrance of the fast-food restaurant.
Taking out his phone, Kaede was about to call Eriri to ask how the Cat's check-up went, but his phone rang first.
Pressing the answer button, Kaede said with a smile, "Eriri, is the check-up done? I was just about to call you."
"Hehe, doesn't that prove we're soulmates?"
On the other end of the phone, Eriri, carrying the Cat carrier out of the pet hospital, had a sweet smile on her face, which made Sawamura Sayuri beside her unable to help but laugh.
"Kaede-kun, the check-up is done! We've also scheduled the surgery time—it's this Friday!"
"Mhm, I know. We'll go straight there after school then."
"Also, also, Kaede-kun, there's one more thing I need to tell you." Eriri said somewhat urgently, "Is the place where you met Shirogane-senpai close to the school?"
"The school? It's quite close. Only about a five-minute walk. Why?"
"I left something at school, in the clubroom." Eriri explained, "I went to draw in the clubroom at noon and left a printed draft that I forgot to put away. Kaede-kun, can you go get it for me?"
"Sure, I just came out of the fast-food restaurant anyway. Eriri, you go on home first, and I'll come back after I grab the item."
"Okay! I'll prepare dinner once I get back!"
Hanging up the phone, Eriri said to Sawamura Sayuri, "Mom, why don't you come over and eat dinner with us tonight? You're not going to say Dad has another meeting, are you?"
Sawamura Sayuri smiled and patted her daughter's head: "Will I be disturbing you two?"
"Of course not!"
On the other side, Kaede returned to the school.
It wasn't very late yet. There were still many students at school, especially those in sports clubs who were training, and some students who had just finished their club activities were leaving.
Entering the teaching building, changing into his indoor shoes, Kaede went straight upstairs to the Art Club.
Only Kaede and the club president had the key. It would have been inconvenient for Eriri to come back and get it herself.
Arriving at the clubroom door, Kaede took out the key, preparing to unlock it, but found that the activity room door was not locked.
Huh? Someone's still here? Club activities should have ended by this time. Did someone forget to lock the door?
With that question in mind, Kaede opened the activity room door directly, and then saw a sight that surprised him.
Inside the clubroom, Uchimaki Subaru was sitting on a chair with an easel in front of him, holding a brush.
And sitting across from him was Usami, but not the usual Usami—it was Usami wearing a Lolita dress.
It was the first time Kaede had seen Usami wear clothes like this. Although he had heard from Eriri that she sometimes cosplayed when she went out with Uchimaki, he had only heard about it.
He had to admit, she looked quite good?
When Kaede entered, Uchimaki and Usami were slow to react, and both were stunned the moment they saw him.
Finally, Kaede was the first to recover and spoke, "Uh, I'm just here to grab something. Eriri left something here at noon."
Saying this, he walked straight to Eriri's seat, found the draft she mentioned, picked it up, and headed directly for the door.
As he closed the door, Kaede took one last look at the two of them, smiled, and said, "Carry on, but don't forget the time you have to leave school. Bye-bye~"
"Bang!"
The door closed. Usami's face, which had been stiff, gradually turned crimson.
"Aaaahhhhh!!!!"
Uchimaki Subaru, across from her, had already anticipated this and covered his ears. Only after Usami finished shouting did he say, "Well, it's nothing big, right? Asakura just happened to see us, and we weren't doing anything."
"But this is the second time already!"
Usami grabbed the hem of her dress with both hands and said gloomily, "We finally decided on the theme for the competition, and before I could even finish drawing, Asakura saw us! At least he shouldn't have seen me wearing this outfit!"
"Alright, alright, don't be angry."
Uchimaki Subaru could only try his best to comfort Usami, saying, "Anyway, Usami, you look great in it, so it doesn't matter. Now, let's get back into position. We're almost finished!"
"Ugh... fine."
Out of consideration for Uchimaki Subaru, Usami finally adjusted her mindset and sat up straight again, acting as Uchimaki Subaru's model... It didn't take long for Kaede to return home.
Upon entering, he saw Sawamura Sayuri playing with the Cat in the living room.
"Sayuri-auntie."
"Kaede-kun, you're back."
Putting Camearra down from her embrace, Sawamura Sayuri smiled and stood up: "Eriri made dinner tonight. It's been a while since I had her cooking, and I was quite surprised; her improvement is really great."
Putting down his school bag, Kaede nodded: "Yes, Eriri is indeed very capable."
Eriri, busy in the kitchen, heard their conversation, smiled, turned around, gestured with the spatula in her hand, and said with a smile: "If you're going to praise me, do it to my face, not behind my back!"
Kaede picked up Golza from his feet, handed it to Sawamura Sayuri, then went to the kitchen, took his apron hanging on the wall, and put it on.
"Don't I praise you often? Come, let me see what Eriri plans to make today? Oh! Sauerkraut fish?"
"Hehe, not bad, right?"
Pinching Eriri's cheek affectionately, Kaede said: "Then I'll leave the sauerkraut fish to you. I'll make the other dishes."
"Then I'll be a bit lazy~~~"
While chopping vegetables, Kaede thought for a moment and said softly: "Eriri, I have something interesting to tell you."
"Huh? What is it?"
When I went back to school to get something for you, I found the club room door wasn't closed. Usami and Uchimaki hadn't left even after the club activities ended.
"...Eh? They didn't leave?"
Eriri paused her action of slicing fish, almost ruining a piece, then turned excitedly to Kaede and pressed on: "They were alone in the club room? What were they doing? It couldn't be..."
Kaede poked Eriri's forehead speechlessly and explained: "How could it be something like that? Usami had changed into a LO dress that she had never worn in front of us, and she was modeling for Uchimaki. I'm guessing it's for the theme of the work they're going to submit for the upcoming competition."
"Ah~~~"
Eriri's eyes widened, then she said with a disappointed tone: "If I had known, I would have gone myself. What a miscalculation!"