Book 7: Chapter 2: February 14th (Sunday) – Ayase Saki
A faint metallic sound remained in my ears, but it took me a few seconds to realize this was the sound of the door closing. I slowly opened my eyes and checked the clock next to my pillow… 8:54 am. Almost nine, huh? Well, it’s Sunday, so I can just take my… Wait, I can’t take my time! I’ve got a shift starting at 10 am. I completely overslept! The instant that realization hit, I threw the blanket off me, which caused cold air to hit my body, sending a shiver down my back. I wanted to reach for the AC remote, but even those few seconds I desperately needed.
“Huuup!” I gathered energy from my outburst and took off my clothes.
Normally, I’d wait for my room to warm up a bit before changing, but if I do that today, I’ll end up running late for sure. If everything goes according to my calculations, I should get there 15 minutes before my shift starts. Assuming I run all the way, of course. In my head, I drew my course of action to make it in time, matching the time reflected on my digital clock in the corner of my eyes, moving my arms and hands in unison. I didn’t even have time to think of a proper outfit for the day, and I just went with a matching set of clothes to save myself time.
I stuffed my accessories into my sports bag—because I could still put them on at work—and ran to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth at the speed of light and checked my hair. Yep, no bed hair in sight. But seriously, this just makes me want to have a large mirror in my room! Anyway, I washed my face and checked the scent of my skin. If I don’t like it, I usually add some deodorant alongside my perfume, but I don’t have time right now. I’m looking fresh, too. Probably because I slept so soundly… Too soundly, you could say. I think Yomiuri-san said she needed moisturizer when she began attending university.
I went back to my room to check if I had my phone, wallet, and everything else I needed and put on my coat. To guarantee higher speed, I stuffed my scarf and gloves into my bag and dashed out of my room.
“Saki-chan.”
A voice called out to me so I turned around. My stepdad jingled his car keys around his fingers and stood up from the sofa.
“I’ll drive you there.”
I wanted to decline with the reason that my blunder of oversleeping shouldn’t trouble other people, but I swallowed those words.