My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 104

They became brothers and sisters again...

I know this woman's expression all too well.

No wonder it seems like we're in a period of burnout—after all, we don't need to hold hands, and there's no need to even look at each other's expressions.

Her voice, her appearance, her presence.

All of this is around me—it's all too natural.

Whether the staff calls them a couple or they sit around the table with their dads, that probably won't change anything.

"How about we stop by a bookstore on the way home?"

"That's good. That way, we won't have to worry about not having any books to read when we go back to the countryside."

"You seem really uninterested in country vacations."

And so, we went our separate ways, without holding hands.

I originally thought there was nothing wrong with this.

As evening approached, we began our journey home.

The clear summer sky was dyed a fiery red by the sunset. We stepped over the shadows of the telephone poles that stretched across the road like obstructions.

"Since you're leaving at different times, do you think you should also stagger your return times?"

"No need, right? Just say you happened to run into them on your way back."

"...That's true, being too neurotic might seem fake."

Compared to the bustling department stores, there was absolutely no one passing by in this area.

Aside from the rows of houses lining both sides of the road, the faint sounds of children talking or preparing dinner could be heard. On the concrete ground, there were only the shadows of me and Jie Nu.

It was almost like a deliberately orchestrated scene, causing my memories to stubbornly try to resurface. I pushed it to a deep corner of my brain.

No need.

Those memories are no longer necessary.

We get along. Time and habit have solved everything. We are no longer haunted by the dark history of junior high school and can navigate our daily lives, which are no longer unfamiliar, in our own way.

Four months have passed since we became brothers and sisters.

The confusing period has passed.

We were former lovers and siblings. But the past is the past, and the present is the present; we will never mix them up. Both titles can coexist normally, and neither will ever allow the other to overshadow the other.

I understand that perfectly.

--It was perfectly clear to me.

"ah."

Suddenly, Jie stopped in her tracks.

There was a step between us.

"here it is……"

It's a fork in the road.

It's a route we rarely take to and from school when we were in junior high, a route we don't often pass by now.

Moreover—

Looking back, I can only say it was a mistake I made when I was young. However, between my second and third years of junior high school, I had what is commonly known as a girlfriend.

—The route to and from school tinged with the colors of the setting sun.

—The forks in the road that lead to my house and her house respectively.

—Ayai's slightly flushed face.

—The lingering soft touch on the lips.

The memories that flashed through my mind matched the scene before me.

The girl with glasses and a low ponytail looked up at my face from a position slightly closer than I remembered.

Just then, a cool breeze whistled by, and the woman's dome hat was almost blown away.

""ah!""

I quickly reached out my hand.

Jie Nu hurriedly pressed her hand down.

As a result, our hands overlapped.

"........."

"........."

The smooth and cool touch I felt today was like a tingling sensation coming from my fingertips.

That's just what I think.

It was all an illusion, a temporary confusion.

Yes, I only realized this four months ago, didn't I?

But, ah—I've thought that way too.

Seeing my dad bring up the idea of ​​remarrying—I've thought about it too. It seems that no matter how old a person gets, they can't escape moments of confusion.

Since that's the case, then we, who are still just high school students—

—The girl gently squeezed my hand.

He held tightly to the hand that he didn't need to hold, as if trying to hold onto it and take it off his hat.

Then, with his other hand, he took off his hat.

Her face, now clearly visible, adorned with the rosy hues of sunset, seemed to gaze at me with anticipation.

"...Method Four for Overcoming Burnout"

Then, just like in shogi where the king is cornered, an excuse is given.

"Express your feelings through actions."

this is very simple.

We've done this many, many times, countless times.

Conversely... a year ago, it was precisely because we didn't do this that we wasted time and created vulnerabilities.

The woman's eyelids lowered slightly.

Next, I only need to get one step closer to her and bend down slightly.

Very simple.

It's really simple.

If it were a year ago, this would have been really simple.

"—Ouch!"

I flicked the girl's forehead, and she pressed her forehead, nearly rolling her eyes in fright.

"What...what are you doing?!"

"The second way to overcome burnout is to surprise someone—right?"

"What did you say...!"

Jie Nu's ears turned red and her whole body trembled.

I left my stepsister behind and headed home.

"You!...That was...that was completely...!"

"As you requested. I've shown my feelings through my actions."

"What exactly are your feelings towards me?!"

How would I know?

I just... had an idea.

I feel that what I said a year ago was a way to mend a broken mirror, but doing it now just means I'm unwilling to let go.

I can't pretend that none of this happened.

Whether it was a six-month period of burnout, the decision to break up, or becoming step-siblings.

It's also impossible to pretend that Izana from the east hasn't been shaken off.

I just can't pretend nothing happened and go back to the relationship we had a year ago.

I have no regrets.

The reason why Higashito Izana was dumped was not because I still had feelings for my ex-girlfriend.

I no longer need to dwell on the past.

That's how it should be.

That's how it should be...

We returned to the same home.

This is because we are family members living under the same roof.

"Mizuto-kun, this is the book I borrowed from you yesterday."

"Oh... how was it?"

"It's very good. I initially thought it was just using the characters as a selling point, but the puzzle design was surprisingly solid."

"Yeah. I knew my classmate would like it."

"Hmm...uh..."

"........."

"If there are any other interesting books..."

"Oh, um, no problem."

We regained our sense of urgency.

The relaxed attitude from yesterday had vanished without a trace, and we were now acting like newly acquainted step-siblings. We successfully recalled that subtle sense of distance.

Thanks to this, both sets of parents stopped calling us "couples in the burnout phase," a term that damages our reputation.

—They don't call us that anymore.

But Dad said:

Why do you all seem so distant?

Aunt Yu-ren continued:

"Now it seems like couples are starting to think about when to propose."

Hearing this snickering remark, Jie Nu trembled all over and angrily stood up from the sofa.

"Ugh—how annoying! What do you want me to do?! Mom and you guys are just rambling on and on, it's all so confusing!"

"Hahaha! Sorry, sorry. It's just so rare to see a girl get along well with a guy."

"Just consider this practice, practice. When you meet my relatives, they'll tease you even more—? When I told them that Mizuto had a sister, they were incredibly excited."

"...The more I hear it, the less I want to go..."

It turns out we were just being too sensitive; they were just joking.

I really want to say that they're good at causing trouble for people, but it's best if nothing happens, so let's just think of it that way.

As long as Dad and his family can still tell jokes, we can continue to be a family.

"What's wrong?"

The girl looked puzzled and leaned closer to look at my face.