Abrupt Sparkle

[Shuu Kamino]

"Thank you for today," everyone who attended the club activities shouted as they bowed, saying goodbye to each other.

"Bye〜" I waved at them while running out of the campus gates. It was already quite late and dark, and still, I had to stop by a convenience store to buy some things.

"Did you see the commotion earlier?" a curious student from another school asked her friend.

"The car accident?" the friend replied.

They piqued my interest so I had to come closer to hear their conversation. They were on the opposite aisle than me but I could still hear them clearly.

"It's about the girl who walked straight into the red lights," the friend explained. "I'm not even sure why, she wasn't even looking at her phone or anything in particular," she questions herself.

"Don't you think it was stress or something school-related?" the high-pony-tailed girl says. 

"Don't tell me she was trying to kill herself?" the friend says in shock. "Or she wanted to get some attention," she giggled quietly after her mind came up with another bizarre idea. "But did you see the man who helped her?" she continued.

"Tell me more," the high-ponytailed girl who seemed as if she wasn't there to be able to witness the scene personally.

"The man in a suit was so cool and handsome, I saw girls drooling over him earlier," she giggles.

"Of course, you're one of those girls," after that comment, they both laugh. Then they went to the cashier so I grabbed everything I needed and followed them to line up.

"He even personally drove them to the hospital," that's everything I heard before they finally left the store.

"Next person please," I didn't realize the cashier was already calling for me until a person intentionally bumped my shoulder.

"Sorry," I hurriedly put the basket and got them scanned. I picked some bandages, a big plastic of ice, painkillers, and some ointments. I got a weird look from the boy behind the counter which I returned with a warm smile.

"That'll be 2,362 yen, sir," he says, packing them up with plastic.

"Can you add this too? Sorry," I say and hand him a gum that I saw on the counter.

〜〜

"Thank you for your purchase," he greeted me as I left.

Even as I walked past some other stores, I could still hear people gossiping about the commotion. Was it really that big? I didn't even see any speck of damage in the surroundings. There weren't even any police or tow cars at the scene where it happened.

〜〜

Our door has a fingerprint-automated function handle so I didn't have to worry if it was locked or not.

"I'm home," I say once I stepped inside. "Father?" I called out. I found it pitch dark and nobody was home. I turned the lights on and searched for anyone. I was quite shocked to know that this was the first time that I came home earlier than Father. He was always here to greet me once I came home.

"Nanny isn't even here," I sighed as I threw myself onto the sofa. After a few minutes of lazing around, I made myself make a hot cup of cocoa, changed my clothes, and threw my things on my bed. Of course, I put the ice in the freezer so it won't melt, and the other things onto my bed too.

I first went to the kitchen to clean the dishes and continued cleaning every spot of the house as I was bored.

[Mr. Kamino]

There is no wonder that I've got a mild migraine from all the unnecessary work I've done this evening. It was hectic and I had to personally assist with every paperwork to avoid other troublesome matters that might occur.

After parking my car, I took my time as I walked in front of the door of my house. I figured that my son would be home at this hour and was ready to greet him with a smile. However, that thought vanished after I witnessed how immaculate the place had become. Stars were shining brightly at every corner as if everything was brand new looking.

"Mrs. Beiji," I removed my shoes and carefully stepped on the sparkly floor. "I'm certain that I've instructed anyone needn't come here for today," but there was no response.

I threw my coat and case onto the sofa as I loosened my tie. I immediately inspected the house just to see a perfectly clean sink in the kitchen, mopped floors, dusted furniture, and my bedroom was also cleaned.

I was already confused about what I witnessed around the house, but my heart almost dropped when I arrived at the toilet.

"Father! You're already home," I was greeted by my only son. He was covered in sweat without his t-shirt while holding the brush for the toilet bowl.

Right there and then, I questioned why he was acting this way. 

Does he want something? Did he do something wrong? Is he even my son? Or was my real son got kidnapped and the one before me right now is a con artist pretending to be my son who wants something from us?