The Disconsolate Maiden

Chapter Thirty-Nine

"Great job Homura," the girl's boss praised her as she was handed a bathrobe to cover herself. She had never felt more ashamed in her entire life. Each and every time her boss would say such, it felt much more like a scolding.

"I keep trying to do it with no effort...but no matter what I do now, the boss just praises me more and more..." Homura thought in agony, looking at the clock on the wall. She had just completed her finally scheduled shooting, meaning she was going to be off for a week.

"It'll be hard for me not to see you all week, my lady," the man who had done the shooting with her said, winking at her. "But until then, enjoy yourself. I could have sworn you were just now, but I guess not."

"Go away," Homura whimpered, her instincts telling her to run to her boss for moral support. "It's over, I don't want to talk to you."

"Salty, are we?" the man said, his hair still dripping wet with sweat. "I'll gladly return the favors you've done for me any day."

"I want to leave..." Homura whimpered as she did just as she wanted, running up to her boss, praying he would help her.

Her boss just slapped her on the back and congratulated her for absolutely no reason.

"Have fun on your week off," he finally said. Those were the last words Homura heard as she ran out of the set to her dressing room and got dressed with all of her shame.

"I can do it now," Homura said quietly, grabbing her purse as she zipped up her red skirt with her other, free hand. "And I don't have to listen to what he told me, right...?"

Homura walked outside, inhaling and exhaling as she looked around, trying to find the nearest train station.

"I know I kept paying for the old house..." Homura thought, praying nobody had broken in. It was likely that someone had, since her house had just been empty for ten years. Yet out of self hatred for herself, Homura lived frugally while she payed for lawn care and other monthly payments, which she made sure were mailed to her apartment.

"Homura! Homura! Homura!" Hikana called out as she exited the idol facility, dashing to meet her coworker. "I just..."

Hikana bent over on her knees, catching her breath.

"What is it?" Homura asked patiently, though on the inside, she was screaming to return to the home she hadn't seen for years.

"I have a train ticket for you," Hikana said. "You're going home, right? To rest?"

"H-How did you know I was going to that home?" Homura asked worriedly.

"Ahaha don't sweat the small stuff," Hikana laughed, handing over a small ticket to Homura. "I just figured, if you wanted to rest, you'd go to the place you once found lots of rest, right?"

"Y-Yeah I get it..." Homura sighed, accepting the ticket. "T-Thank you."

"It's really not a problem. Just be careful out in public, okay?" Hikana said, giving Homura a gentle pat on the back before she began to walk in the opposite direction.