After eating, I wash all the dishes and cooking utensils. Meanwhile Ventine-san was still sitting in the dining room sipping ginger ale. We chatted casually.
I asked her about what really happened.
“Umm… all I remember is….” She snapped her fingers one by one. “First… I woke up hungry…. Second… I have nothing but clothes…. Third… I have to find food. Fourth… I can't live with people who lack…. Fifth… I want someone to pick me up,” she replied casually and at a slightly slower tempo.
(Huh? How easy is this flat face lady to say a pick!?)
“Heehhh~ That's why you rejected Hisae-san?”
“Umm… Hisae?”
“O-oh, ah. It's okay, forget it."
(I forgot that Ventine-san isn't that familiar with the local homeless people.)
“Oh… woman… sleeping in… tent?”
“Y-yes….” I nodded.
Ventine-san, from the expression and intonation her voice is very flat like a robot. Even she was like a dazed little girl and her way of thinking was a bit slow.
(I mean, how did an absent-minded woman like that end up like that? Didn't the government monitoring drone also enter the alley?)
"Excuse me, but where is Ventine-san's house?"
“Umm… home…?” he added, twirling the ginger ale cans as I watched from behind. “Like this place…?”
“Y-yes… something like that. Home is where you can do anything. Laying down, playing games, cooking, cleaning, or watching TV…"
“W-woah! Ven-ventine… can do all that?” Her eyes were bright stars and her temperament became excited.
(Hey, hey, why are you even asking?)
I slapped my own forehead. It's a little hard to peel off the shell. Especially the hardest shells are slow and absent-minded people like Ventine-san.
I think I should change my question.
“You see… what did Ventine-san remember after waking up? I-I mean… like in a room? Or…?"
“Um….” Ventine-san was silent for a moment. The wrinkles on her forehead and pursed lips looked like Ventine-san was in a state of concentration.
Meanwhile…
All the dishes have been cleaned, now I sit in front of her sipping Ginger ale which I haven't touched at all.
“Waaaa~!” The straight-faced woman with long straight black hair, Ventine-san, raised her finger, her lips parted. Her eyes filled with a golden glint, as if she had found a potential answer in the limbs of her brain.
(Was my question that difficult?)
“Um….” She looked straight at me and pointed her forefinger at me.
"Ah, Chiba Takeichi,"
“Chiba…~ Ventine remember now…!” now her face looks serious. “Twinkle – twinkle!”
Somehow, seeing her serious face I started to get curious.
“Twinkle - twinkle?” I said while paying attention to each word that seemed like an important clue.
“Uh-huh… uh-huh….” Ventine-san nodded – a small nod. "Hexagon…."
“He-hexagons?”
“Yes… yes….” he added. “Green bed…”
“Green bed?”
(Is this some sort of guesswork? Heh! I hope it's not made easy. Pfft! There's no guesswork I can't figure out!)
Ventine-san nodded the umpteenth time.
“Lonnnnggg snake! And… the sound of the radio…,” she added. "That's what Ventine remembers,"
The second time I slapped my forehead.
(Okay, I give up. It's hard to even understand her, let alone the background. Huh….)
"What is it? Chiba, sick…?” Ventine-san quickly put her hand on my forehead. Her face became worried. Even that elongated tone, sounded very smooth and pleasant to hear.
“Oh no-“ I feel ventine-san's hand feels a bit hot. “Eh?”
(Does she got a fever? It wouldn't be surprising if she got hit by a heavy rain and strong wind like earlier.)
I immediately put my right palm on her forehead. I still uncertain, instead i put my own forehead closer to her to be sure.
Now, I can see Ventine-san very closely. In fact, I felt her breath a bit wheezing. Somewhat surprising from what it looks like and thinks it's a crazy woman, in fact it has the charm of a sleeping beauty's face.
“Uhh…” Ventine-san let out a small yelp.
By the way…
The important point is, her forehead feels hotter than mine. Her breath was also labored and her eyeballs were quite red with black around them.
“Chiba….”
"What?"
“Um… don't look at me like that…. I'm… a bit embarrassed….” Her cheeks were slightly flushed. Ventine-san immediately averted her eyeballs view.
I spontaneously withdrew. "Excuse me! I'm just checking your temperature with an estimate. You have a bit of a fever Ventine-san,”
I quickly got up and took the medicine box on top of the refrigerator. Then sit back.
“Um… fever?”
"Don't worry, anyone who has been hit by heavy rain and strong winds like earlier will definitely have a fever. Tell me, are you dizzy?" I opened the medicine box and searched for the name of the medicine. “Paracetamol… paracetamol….”
Ventine-san nodded slowly.
“Uh-huh. I feel… want to sleep… for a while,”
Ventine-san's eyes are now glazed. Even his head was slightly off balance.
"Okay, after drinking straight to the bed, ‘kay?" I handed her a capsule of the fever-reducing medicine I bought a week ago. Still untouched. But, I'm back to worry about this flat-faced lady.
(D-don't tell me he doesn't know how to take medicine?)
Cause of my worriness, I paid attention to Ventine-san first.
Ventine-san poured the water dispenser into the glass. Then, she tore the aluminum foil on the top right. A tablet is now held her finger. Just as she was about to open her mouth, Ventine-san…
"Chiba ..., are you sick?" Ventine-san who was astonished suddenly turned towards me.
“Uhh-ehh? N-no!” The third time I slapped my forehead. "Please drink."
(That's right! Why am I worried? What kind of idiot can't swallow medicine?)
Ventine-san takes medicine like a normal person. She finally swallowed the fever-reducing tablet. Then, I directed her to Yuka's room.
A room that… hasn't slept in anyone for a long time. It was a very simple room, with white walls like mine and barely any difference. Just one thing.
Yuki's wardrobe. Large wardrobe made of hardwood of lignum with intricate carvings. The shape is not just a rectangle that is placed vertically and boringly, but is made like a half circle at the top. Both doors are engraved with women in royal attire from either India or Egypt, which is clearly from the ancient era.
“Ohhhh…” Ventine-san seems surprised by Yuka's large wardrobe.
“You like it, Ventine-san?”
“Ventine… never seen anything like this….”
I told her that I bought it from old man who really needed money to pay for kidney surgery at the hospital. However, Yuka admonished me not to buy cheap. I was also self-aware even though I wasn't told, after all this carving even though I don't understand art. It must have cost more than 60 thousand yen. So I bought it for three times the price, cash.
“Yuka… good person. Chiba… too.”
"Hm... thank you?" I scratched my head. I don't know how to respond, but Ventine-san makes me blush a little.
After that, Ventine-san lay down on the bed. I was relieved when her head felt comfortable against the latex pillow instead of the pavement.
After saying good night to her, I also quickly buried myself in my bed.
The phone shows the time 23:45…
I can't believe it's this late. I have to keep in shape. After all, my job, both have hours of experience and strict responsibilities. At least they paid me handsomely, I didn't really protest.
It is just…
I wish there was another job. In fact, after 3 years Dai-san resigned….
For 3 years anyway…
Mentally and physically I clashed endlessly. I'm at my limit.
I hate stupid hours!
I mean… is it normal for a software engineer to work from 4:30am?
***
ns 15.158.61.6da2
