Dawn Encounter
After sending Bori off, I tackled the remaining housework, thinking it was about time to fix my sleep schedule. I hit the hay earlier than usual. Back in my unemployed days, pulling all-nighters was standard fare... Sure, it was part of job hunting, but constantly burning the midnight oil wasn't good for my health either. So yeah, time to get this sorted for my sake too. Good night! Sweet dreams.
"...Haa."
I couldn't sleep. Well, more precisely, I did sleep... but
"I thought I slept fine. Why..."
I'd nodded off right at 10 p.m., but woke up at 2 a.m. sharp. Only four hours. Try as I might to drift back off—maybe because I'd already woken up, or thanks to my wrecked routine—sleep just wouldn't come. I shut my eyes tight and lay still, pretending everything was normal... but no dice.
They say sleep shortens as you age. Is that it?
No way. My sleep pattern's just trashed, that's all. How old am I, really? Anyway, with sleep refusing to return, I had no choice but to get out of bed.
I parted the blackout curtains just a bit, and sure enough, pitch-black night sky confirmed it was still dawn. A few skyscrapers glowed steadily, lighting up the dark—probably overworked folks or robots pulling late shifts. Back when I was grinding at the factory, I'd done overtime too. Now here I was, peeking from my apartment hole-in-the-wall while everyone else hustled.
"...Dawn makes the thoughts pile up."
Unemployed me had no room for reflection, glued to NewTube or OTT marathons. But now, gearing up to rejoin society, every random worry crashed in. I'd resolved to get a job, but could I really land one? Would I just rot away as a NEET forever, slowly fading into obsolescence?
"Ugh, cut it out. Haven't even started properly, and I'm already killing my own vibe."
They say melancholy hits hard at dawn. Even without depression, these thoughts bubbling up proved it true enough. Good thing I'd weathered this mood plenty before. Time to dust off my twenties trick: I grabbed a windbreaker jacket from the closet to fend off the chilly dawn air, threw on comfy track pants, pocketed my wallet and phone, and headed out.
For some reason, as I reached for the front door, Bori from yesterday popped into my head. That bright-smiled fox maid calling me her benefactor, here to serve in repayment—equal parts weird and wondrous. A silly spark of what if she's out there? flickered up.
Of course, at this hour, she'd be snug in her own place. Or so I thought.
".....Ah."
"...Bori?"
What the hell are you doing here?
*
Bori looked a bit different upon our doorstep reunion. Not her face or anything—just leaves tangled in her hair, her maid outfit dusted with dirt and leaf bits. Like she'd been digging in the earth or something.
"What are you doing here? Didn't you say you had a place to stay?"
"Did you lie to me or..."
When I'd asked if she had a place, she'd nodded and confirmed it. But seeing her crouched by my door at this hour? Yeah, that screamed fib.
"Ah, n-no! I-I went to my nest and came back!"
"It's... kinda early, sure, but I did go, right? Hehe..."
She scratched her head sheepishly, pulling a dopey grin like she knew it was lame.
I raised my hand over her head and—knk-!
"Keheng!?"
I flicked her a solid knucklebomb.
"Keke... ouchies...! Why'd you hit me outta nowhere...!?"
"Lucky it's dawn, or imagine what the other apartment folks would think if they saw this."
Other residents spotting a grubby maid with fox ears and tail squatting by 504? Rumors would explode. I hadn't crossed paths with neighbors much, but gossip spreads like wildfire regardless. Some weird tale would eventually choke me out.
"Ugh... You said come after a day, so I did. What's the problem...?"
"It's past midnight... doesn't that make it the next day...?"
"....."
Bori rubbed her sore scalp furiously with her black-gloved hand, peering up at me through teary, squinting eyes.
Listening to her, one thing clicked: Bori was sorely lacking in social savvy. Yesterday's contract chat showed it too—gaps in basic societal know-how.
"Next day, sure, but common sense says avoid people's sleep hours. What if I'd been asleep?"
"I'd have waited... but you're up now anyway, so it worked out, right?"
Looks like my precious Bori was angling for round two.
"...Should I take that as you wanting another flick?"
"N-no, not that...!"
I raised my fisted hand, and she whipped her head side to side in panic. That painful, huh? It was barely a tap.
Now what? I'd planned a quick mood-reset stroll, but ran into this headache maid instead... Wait. Actually, no issue at all.
The only snag was those clothes...
"Got anything else besides what you're wearing?"
"Huh? Um... I have a few identical sets."
Hmm. Guess I'd have to step in.
"...Come in for a sec."
"Ah! Really? Hehe~ Thank you~!"
Letting her in briefly wiped the knucklebomb pain clean off; she beamed as she stepped inside. I rummaged through my closet for something for her to wear. My build being what it was, it'd be baggy, but less eye-catching than that maid getup.
As I dug, Bori trailed curiously, watching intently like it was the coolest show. Moments like this, she seemed more puppy than fox. Wait, foxes are canines anyway, right? Whatever. Finally, I grabbed two safe picks: a plain gray hoodie and track pants.
...What? Best I could do. The rest was too drab for her vibe.
"Truth is, I couldn't sleep, so I was gonna take a night walk."
"Ended up bumping into you, so change into these and join me."
"M-me too?"
I handed them over; her face lit up like fireworks as she took them.
"Yay! A walk with Daesung...! Fufufufu...!"
Clutching the clothes, she started unbuttoning her maid top right there...
"Whoa whoa whoa!! Stop!! Freeze!!"
"Keheng!? Wh-what!?"
Is she nuts?
"You can't just strip like that!"
"B-but you gave them to change into...?"
"Yeah, but...!"
More blind spots, huh. Benefactor or boss or not...!
"Can't undress in front of a guy! I'll step out; change and come."
"Th-that's the issue...? With you, it's fine to show..."
"Keep it up if you want another flick."
"N-nope! Got it!"
Tasting my persuasion (physical), she shuddered and nodded. She'd listen now. Whew.
I stepped out, leaned by the door, and waited. Soon, the door creaked open—Bori in my remaining slippers.
"All changed? Let me see..."
"How do I look? Cute?"
Gray hoodie and track pants on Bori. Surprisingly not bad. Honestly, the outfit clashed a bit... but her base prettiness made even these dull rags work.
"...Looks good. Comfy? No issues?"
"Yep! Baggy 'cause it's big, but super cozy—and best of all, it's yours!"
She loved it; her perky ears flapped, fluffy tail swishing vigorously. Her "like" metric was a tad off, but whatever.
Slight concern: those ears and tail. But with tech these days, pass 'em as accessories.
"So, where to? Walk, you said..."
"Follow and see."
I led my casually dressed maid out on our stroll route.
"Snuuuurk... haa... fuhehehe..."
"...?"
Odd breathing en route, but I chalked it up to the chill and kept going. Our destination:
"This is... your walk spot...?"
"Yup."
The 24-hour convenience store.
"Can't sleep anyway—let's grab some snacks."
Dawn snack time. Can't resist that.