"Why would I ever do something so uncouth?"
"You didn't explain?"
"The cleaning lady didn't give me a chance to explain."
"And I was so embarrassed that my mind went blank."
"I didn't react fast enough."
"I just watched the cleaning lady."
"The cleaning lady gave me a complicated look..."
"To tell you not to take your shoes off next time you watch a movie?"
"No."
"That would've been better, actually."
"I could've used the chance to explain."
"She just turned and walked away."
"She went to clean the seats in the back row."
"She looked especially focused."
"I hesitated for a few seconds between going to explain and putting my shoes back on and leaving..."
"I chose to put my shoes on and leave."
"After all, the cleaning lady hadn't said anything."
"Going over to explain to her on purpose..."
"Wouldn't that be weird?"
"It would've been even more embarrassing..."
"Hmm."
"That does make sense..."
"Then weren't you really upset?"
"Yeah."
"I was so upset."
"Even now, telling you about it, I still feel awful."
"Whenever I think about the impression I left on someone—that I take my shoes off in public—"
"Not only did I take my shoes off, but I was wearing socks with holes in them..."
"I just..."
"Uh..."
"That does sound pretty awful."
"The main thing is, I'm not that kind of person."
"That's what really gets to me."
"If I were that kind of person, fine."
"But I'm not!"
Pfft~
Chi Xiuke reached up and covered her mouth.
Her big almond-shaped eyes blinked.
Hmm.
It really was awful to be wrongfully accused.
Especially when someone misunderstood you as having behaved in an uncivilized way...
And might then suspect that you weren't a very decent person.
Thinking about it that way...
She could really