My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 139

"Mizuto-kun—how about we switch to lying down next—?"

"So, it's coming from behind next—!"

"East corner! I'm on the phone, don't talk to me!"

It took me a lot of effort to calm Nan down, who was furious from the beginning, and get her to understand the situation.

It seems that the girl, Yui, had a misunderstanding and asked her for help.

"Hey, do you know what I'm angry about?"

"Why don't you ask Kawanami about this?"

"These past few days, you guys went back to the countryside, and I haven't seen Jie'er at all. I heard you'd be back today, and I've been wondering all morning: will you call me? Or not? And then you actually called—! I was so happy talking about it when she told me her friends and family were being affectionate, and then she went on and on crying! Right now, I'm just asking you, do you even understand how I feel?!"

"I'm so sorry."

It was a complete disaster. That woman spread gossip way too fast! Did she think she had the flu?

"...So? You really did it?"

Nan said, her tone full of surprise.

Having a third party mediate might have been the right thing to do, judging from the outcome.

"How could that be? Dongtou tripped over a book on the floor and almost fell. I was in such a hurry to help her up..."

"And then, just as we weren't strong enough to catch each other and fell together, someone saw us? How cliché..."

"It's precisely because it's a cliché that it's hard to explain clearly."

"To be honest, I'm starting to doubt whether you're making this up."

"I think so."

I would probably think the same way if I were in that situation.

"Let me ask Dongtou."

"Okay. I'll turn on the speakerphone."

I switched my phone to speaker mode and pointed it at the east side where I was reading in bed.

Dongtou looked up from his book and said:

"Ah—Nan-kun, it's been a long time—"

"Long time no see—so, did Irito-san push you down?"

"Eh~?...Hehe, I'm so shy..."

The evidence is conclusive.

"Hey, Dongtou, don't joke around with me."

Why deliberately create the atmosphere of stepping into a new stage of growth?

Dongtou, no longer feigning shyness, said:

"Mizuto is very fierce, so I'll be honest, I'm still a virgin. He still hasn't touched me even once."

"Is Irito-kun really a man? If it were me, I would have had at least two kids by now!"

"Hehe. Child support will be quite substantial."

"Can't you guys just focus on the main topic?"

I was simply trying to remain rational and honest, so why do I have to be criticized like this?

"So now you know it was all a misunderstanding, right? Nan, could you please explain this to that guy for me?"

"Huh? You want me to explain?"

"What's the problem?"

"It would be more reasonable for Irito to explain, logically speaking."

A crackling sound came from the phone. It sounded like someone was eating snacks.

"If you ask me, I'd rather she continue to misunderstand. Irito-san, you know what I mean, right?"

"...I understand."

Higashi, who knew nothing about the situation, listened in a daze, unaware that Nan had once been excessively obsessed with Yui, even planning to marry me to become Yui's sister. Later, a series of events involving Higashi and her relationship with Kawanami made it seem as if she had given up on her plan to marry me, but her excessive obsession with Yui probably hadn't changed.

From this perspective, Nan really had no reason to clear up Jie's misunderstanding—

"But..."

*Crack!* The sound of someone forcefully biting into a snack came from the phone.

"I can't just leave Yui crying, and I can't tolerate a guy asking someone else to comfort her. Do you understand?"

"...Huh?"

Hearing what she said, my mind went blank for a moment.

"Crying?...You mean her?"

"Yeah? She was crying her eyes out. I excitedly answered the phone, only to hear this sound. Do you even understand how I feel—"

Forgive my rudeness, but I didn't listen to Nan's initial complaints.

she cried?

Did you see me push down the east end?

Wouldn't that make it seem like she'd been hurt?

She was the one ignoring me before. She was the one who cursed at me with such awful language.

What on earth happened... and now it's like this again?

"...Sigh..."

After letting out the biggest sigh of my life, I reluctantly stood up.

Then, he handed the phone, which Nan was still grumbling on and on, to Dongtou.

"Dongtou, I'm sorry, you talk to Nan for a bit while I get back."

"Are you going to see her?"

"Um."

I walked towards the door.

"I absolutely have to say something to her."

◆ Irito Yume ◆

“…Hmm…”

I...I fell asleep...

After pouring out my heart to Xiaoyue, I suddenly felt so tired... and then...

After taking a nap, I feel much better. Or maybe it was Xiaoyue who listened to my complaints that made me feel better? I'll have to find a way to thank her next time.

...I don't know how long I slept. Is Dongtou still in his room...?

—Knock knock.

"Ugh!"

Suddenly someone knocked on the door, which startled me so much that my shoulder jumped.

I remember that way of knocking. This is the second time today!

"I'm going in."

"No...no, no, no! Please wait!"

I forced my still-sleepy body to rouse myself and, at the last second, blocked the door, preventing the water from entering.

I haven't even answered the door yet, why are you trying to force your way in, you idiot!

"W-What are you going to do...?"

"Let's go inside and talk."

"Not now!"

Why?

Because I had just cried, my face was all messed up and my hair was all smudged. I couldn't possibly show my face to anyone!

"Wait, just a little while... really just a little while!"

I rushed to the vanity, tidied my messy hair, and tried to hide my swollen eyes. Very good. This is fine. Unless someone gets very close, they shouldn't be able to tell…

"Are you done yet?"

"Okay, that's enough. That's fine."

Hearing the click of the doorknob turning, I suddenly realized that something was wrong.

No, no, no, where is that okay?

I was physically prepared, but I wasn't mentally prepared at all.

How am I supposed to face Shuidou, who just did *that* with Dongtou?!

However, what's done is done. A promise made cannot be taken back.

The door opened coldly, and Mizuto walked into the room with a calm expression.

...You're so calm and collected. You were just admiring Dongtou's huge breasts a moment ago...!

I sat on the edge of the bed and glared at him fiercely. "Sigh," Mizuto sighed.

"How many times do I have to go into this room today? Can't I just go in all at once?"

"...Is it my fault? You came here of your own accord..."

"Isn't it all your fault for forcing me to come here?"

"Huh?"

So it's my fault? I don't know why you came to see me, but it's all because you were doing *that* kind of thing in the next room...!

...No, actually, thinking about it, he wasn't wrong to do that. It's not surprising that two people who like each other would do that, and his room was next to mine because we're family. Of course, those kinds of situations happen sometimes...

"I'm sorry to bother you with that troubled look on your face, but I'm afraid you're just making trouble for yourself."

"what?"

Shuidou sat cross-legged in the center of the carpet and calmly said:

"You've misunderstood. Dongtou and I weren't doing anything bad just now."

"...Huh?"

I was furious.

Trying to find an excuse? What's the point of doing that? Using such words to cover up what happened between you and Dongtou, isn't that incredibly rude to her?

"What did I misunderstand? You clearly pushed Dongtou down, didn't you!"

"Oh, we just lost our balance temporarily."

"What the hell?!"

Not only did they try to lie and cover up the truth, they also plagiarized me!

"Who would believe such an excuse! You don't even think before you lie!"

"Oh? So 'temporarily losing balance' isn't a good excuse, right?"

"Ugh...!"

The criticism has backfired on him.

But... I really was lying...

"We really just lost our balance and tripped over a book on the floor. Dongtou tripped over it, and I tried to help her up, but my muscles weren't strong enough. Seriously, why did I deliberately push her down onto the hard floor? What's the point of a bed?"

"Waaaaah...!"