Post-Trip Recovery

I never thought I would be happy to see my own lumpy and messy bed after a weekend away. After taking a long, hot shower, I went to unpack my bags but it seemed like Jusaburou beat me to it.

"When did you get here?" I asked him.

"While you were in the shower," he answered nonchalantly as he threw my clothes into various piles. "Did you bring me anything?"

"You are such a child," I rolled my eyes as I pushed him out of the way. "I did, but you need to wait until I get to that part."

I felt him wrap his arms around me as he rested his head on top of mine. "You're home early and seem exhausted. Was the trip bad?"

"No, not really," I answered. "Everything was great except for the place I was staying at."

"How come?"

I stopped unpacking to take a deep sigh. "Rats."

"Huh?!" I felt Jusaburou jump back slightly. "You're joking, right?!"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" I said, unenthused. "I was just unwinding on the first night, watching videos when I thought I saw a rat right by my feet."

"You 'thought' you saw it?" he wondered.

"Well, I was tired, so what if I was just imagining it?" I replied. "Regardless, I don't think I was imagining it after I checked under the bed to see if it was still there."

"Was it there?"

"Of course not—but there were rat droppings, so I have pretty good reason to believe there were rats!"

"Did you complain?" he continued to pester me. "Get your money back? Burn the place down?"

"I did try talking to the guy running the place, but he was more concerned about his rating going down and I really wasn't in the mood for it," I sighed. "I didn't see or hear the rat again that night and I tried to sleep through it, but I kept waking up since it got really cold..."

"Aw, so you missed me and my body heat?" he asked, bashfully. "I woulda left if I were you. You're really something else for putting up with that for even a minute."

"I had to be there for the next day to meet my friend," I reminded him. "We had such a fun time. I'm excited to do it again."

"Aw, I'm glad that part was good," he smiled, "but I know that look. What else happened?"

"Well, I was out all day with my friend and got back to my room pretty late, right?" I started. "The whole place was loud because there was a party going on well into the established 'quiet hours' that were set out... It was like a 'rules for thee, not for me' situation, you know?"

"Aw, is that why you didn't get much sleep?"

"I'm used to sleeping through noise because of you," I lightly insulted him, "but as I was drifting off, I heard footsteps in the ceiling that sounded eerily like rats running around above me—"

Jusaburou started sobbing as he held onto me as if I was dying. "-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!"

"And that's why I am exhausted," I concluded. "I didn't want to bother anymore so I left early, hence why I am here now."

"I'm sorry you went through that," he mumbled.

"Honestly, me too," I nodded as I let out a yawn. "Next time, I'm not dealing with an unregulated homestay... And you know what the worst part of all of this was?"

"What?"

"That guy had the audacity to ask me to leave a five-star review in order to 'help his small business'," I scoffed. "After all of that? Really?"

"Why don't you take a nap now and I'll unpack the rest for you, -chan?" he suggested. "What a guy, though. I wish I was that brave to ask something as dumb as that."

"I don't have much left to do," I declined. "Besides, I missed you, Jusaburou. Come to bed after this."

"Mmmmm, okay!" he agreed, "ah, but what did you get me?"

I rolled my eyes as I unzipped a pocket in my bag and pulled out a keychain. "It's made from the fuselage of a decommissioned fighter jet."

"Oh, cool!" he gasped as he took it from my hand and started studying it. "Is it genuine?"

"I hope it is," I yawned again.

Jusaburou couldn't help but chuckle as he gave me a small kiss. "Maybe it's time for that nap."

"Yeah," I said. "I missed you, Jusaburou."

"Me too," he replied. "Welcome home, -chan."