My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 144

Aunt Ren smiled broadly.

I glanced at the clock. It was almost midnight. I figured I'd only slept for three or four hours... but she said she wasn't supposed to be there, so was she really coming back this late?

"Actually, it's like this—... Ah, don't tell Yui, okay?"

Aunt Ren raised her index finger in a secret gesture and happily told me.

"I asked Jie Nu if she wanted me to take care of you instead, but she refused, saying she wanted to do it herself."

...To take care of me when I'm sick? All by yourself?

"She's not used to doing this kind of thing, even though she was already very tired. I really don't know when she grew up and became such a responsible child~"

Aunt Ren's words sounded completely innocent; she was simply happy for her child's growth.

However, I cannot understand this matter in such a simplistic way.

I don't think it was just an expression of a sense of responsibility.

Do you like me or hate me?

When we were still siblings, it didn't matter whether we liked or disliked each other. Whether we liked or disliked each other—we were just step-siblings who had once been friends.

But what if you are trying to become another kind of being—

...I felt both elated and depressed, which made me restless.

Feelings of joy and annoyance were mixed together.

At this moment, there is only one thing I am certain of—

"Please thank her for me."

"What?! You should tell me yourself!"

"I'm sorry."

Seeing me look away and speak softly, Aunt Youren blinked several times and said:

"Ugh, you made me want to chuckle...! I never knew you had such a cute side, Mizuto!"

"...Please stop making fun of me."

"Okay, I've made up my mind. I absolutely won't speak up for you!"

"what?"

"If you truly want to thank her, you must express your gratitude yourself. You can find another opportunity to say it later, but you must say it out loud."

"Well……"

"Hehe! Doesn't it look just like your mom?"

Aunt Ren smiled slightly and said:

"This is the secret to living together. I'm giving you this advice as a bad example, someone who made a mistake once!"

...It's really hard to complain about. But...

"I see."

As their children, they could only nod in agreement.

◆ Irito Yume ◆

the next morning.

I woke up much later than usual. Because I stayed with Mizuto until midnight yesterday—I know he's much better and doesn't need me to worry, but he did take care of me when I had a cold in April... so I felt I should stay with him until the end... Also, um, that man's sleeping face is so cute.

But later my mother told me that he had recovered, so the care was over and I went to bed—I just woke up now.

As I was in the living room contemplating lunch, I heard a creaking sound coming from the stairs, followed by the opening of the living room door.

It's a water bucket wearing pajamas.

My hair was all messy from sleeping.

"Ah... good morning."

"........."

Shuidou glanced at me briefly, then went to the kitchen, grabbed a water filter, poured himself a glass of water, and drank it all in one gulp. His complexion had completely returned to normal.

I walked up to him and said:

"Your fever is gone, right?"

"........."

"Are you hungry? I was just about to cook lunch..."

"........."

Shuidou didn't answer a word, but took out frozen fried rice from the refrigerator and turned on the microwave.

W-what's wrong? Why aren't you talking to me? Now that your cold is better, you shouldn't be worried about infecting me, right?

"Hey, I'm asking you—"

I reached out to grab Shuidou's shoulder.

The water bucket quickly dodged aside, putting a step's distance between us.

"what?"

As my hand dangled in mid-air, Shuidou glanced at me casually...

"...Don't get too close to me."

He muttered something under his breath and closed the microwave door.

After the turntable started spinning, the water bucket stared at it intently and then fell silent.

I stared blankly at his profile.

"...What...what's wrong...?"

I took such good care of you while you were sick yesterday…! Don’t you even feel a little bit grateful?!

"hehe……"

My mother, who was resting at the dining table, watched us and chuckled to herself.

"...What's wrong? Why are you smirking?"

"Well, maybe you'll find out later?"

Why wait until later? Can't you tell me now?

No matter how much I wanted to know, my mother and Shuidou refused to give me any answers.

Volume 5: The One and Only You in the World - Higashito Isana Unfazed "...Um...should we go back to our room?"

◆ Irito Mizuto ◆

Not to brag, but I have been to the home of a girl in my grade once.

Again, and I'm not bragging, that girl in the same grade was my girlfriend at the time.

Yes, I'm really not bragging.

Because I've only ever been to my girlfriend's house, and I've never been a guest at a female friend's house.

"Mizuto-kun, would you like to come to my house tomorrow?"

Higashito Isana called me that night, and that was the first thing she said.

"Why? I have no reason to go to your house."

Why so cold—aren't I here?

"I don't need to go to your house, you'll come over on your own."

"That's the problem, right here."

"Where is this place?"

"Because I went to my classmate Mizuto's house almost every day, as a result, my mom..."

"What, finally got scolded?"

"No, no—she said she hoped to visit Irito-san's house."

“Ah—”

I see. Parents with normal thinking would naturally bring this up. Probably.

Judging from what Dongtou usually says, her mother seems to be a person with strong personal characteristics, but she does not seem to lack common sense in this regard.

"But, but, don't you think it's a bit of a hassle to take Mom to a friend's house?"

"A little."

"So, I told my mom that I'd just meet up with Mizuto first."

"You're causing me trouble again... Why should I have to visit your parents?"

"Hehe—it's like we're getting married."

"I don't want to go anymore."

"Please! My mom's going to kill me!"

"I've had suspicions before, was your mother a delinquent or something?"

"No, my mom was never a delinquent. She was just naturally rough around the edges."

"Now I really don't want to go..."

"It's nothing! She just wanted to properly thank and apologize to Mizuto-kun!"

"With all this talk of 'thanking' and 'apologizing,' it just sounds... kind of weird..."

I sighed.

That makes sense, though. Her request is perfectly reasonable, and I'd actually be happy to pay her a visit... Besides, I'm not entirely uninterested in the house on the east side. She's ransacked my bookshelves; it's only fair I retaliate in kind.

But then again...

I looked into the next room.

I wonder what kind of expression that woman would have if I told her I was going to her house in the east end of the city…

"...You don't want to come?"

A somewhat uneasy voice came from the other end of the phone.

"If you really don't want to, then forget it..."

"No problem, I'll go."

The confusion I felt a moment ago seemed like an illusion, and I answered quickly.

The voice from the east end suddenly brightened up:

"Really?"

"Really. It can't always be you eating frogman food."

"Prying into people's privacy?"

"You're digging into people's privacy. I'll strip you naked tomorrow."

"Huh? Well, um, if you're planning on that, uh... I hope the guys can handle the preparations..."

"Say no more. I mean, strip your bookshelf bare."

"You've toyed with my feelings! Mom—!"

"Stop it, you idiot, you pervert!"

What if your mother thinks, "Is this guy here to strip my daughter naked?" when you meet her tomorrow?

"Ugh... Mizuto-kun, be careful! We don't keep any of those things at home."

"I don't have any at home either. In other words, it's just like usual."

"That's true."