My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 153

It was named Operation Taunting.

...Absolutely not because I lack the courage to transform from a girl into a woman or anything like that. I'm just judging from the timeline, and I feel that this is the most I can do. Yeah, that's all.

—Charge!

I strode out of the dressing room with a strong, imposing gait, still wrapped in a bath towel. Although the living room was quiet, Mizuto had just been reading on the sofa. I figured he hadn't left yet.

As I expected, when I opened the living room door, Shuidou's silhouette was still on the sofa.

I told him:

"I'm done washing."

"Um."

After giving a brief answer, Mizuto glanced at me casually.

how about it?

The last time this guy saw it, he spat out all the tea he was drinking—

"I'll go wash up later."

After speaking calmly, Mizuto turned his eyes back to the book in his hands.

...That's strange...?

Did you not notice? Or was it too fast, and you didn't see my face clearly?

"...Phew—it's so hot—..."

As I casually sat down on the sofa, I made myself into the sink's line of sight.

See? Now you can see it clearly, right? You can see the entire leg, starting from the thigh!

I even deliberately crossed my other leg to show him.

However, Mizuto's eyes remained fixed on the book, without moving.

Damn it...! Since that's how it is...!

I reached for the teapot on the table—just for show, of course, so the sink could see my chest. Surely he'd see it now! This man's interest in my breasts isn't just ordinary; he even stole my bra before…!

"........."

Shuidou glanced at me briefly.

Here you are! See? You repressed pervert—

"Um."

The water tap pushed the teapot I was about to take toward me.

The bottle touched my hand.

"...Th-thank you..."

Gurgling, gurgling, gurgling...

There was nothing I could do except pour the tea into the cup.

Mizuto's eyes returned to the book.

—What's going on here!

Last time…! Last time you were so attentive to my every move! Your eyes were constantly darting away, glancing and looking away! But this time you completely ignored me! Look closely! It's kind of embarrassing!

...Calm down...I need to calm down. I gulp down some tea to clear my head.

Last time I could only do this much, but this time I won't let him off so easily.

I have a brilliant plan.

Since you insist on ignoring my existence, I'll create a situation that will force you to look at me!

"...Eh."

When I called him, Mizuto responded with a "Hmm?"

"Could you help me... blow-dry my hair?"

◆ Nan Xiaoyue ◆

"Seriously, can't your hair blow-dry itself?"

"It's no big deal. You guys have it so easy, you just lend a hand once in a while—"

I turned on the hairdryer, and the hot air hummed gently as it caressed my hair.

I sat on the sofa wrapped only in a bath towel, letting the breeze blow across my head. Then, tiny fingers began to run through my hair. The fingers were so rough. But it had been a long time since I'd had anyone other than a beauty salon blow-dry my hair, so it felt quite nice.

"Hey, you should at least put on some clothes. This is someone else's house, after all."

"There's nothing I can do, it's just too hot. Why? You care?"

"Yeah, I'm afraid the towel will slip off you. There's really nowhere on your body to hold it—ugh!"

I nudged the little guy sitting behind me with my elbow. I was sitting on the sofa facing to the side, and he turned halfway around behind me to blow-dry my hair. Before, he had to kneel down to do this, but now he's much taller than me and can touch my whole head of hair while sitting normally.

If I lean back, I can lie directly on his lap. Although I'm a little curious to see his reaction, I'll restrain myself until my hair is dry.

As I let the hot air blow on my hair, I looked at my thighs that were sticking out of the bath towel.

Although I am indeed short and have no bust, I am actually quite confident in my legs. Seeing my thighs, my childhood friend, who suffers from a strange disease, might get a little itchy.

I had thought about this before.

This guy has a phobia of being attracted to someone. Where exactly is the line between safety and rejection? If a girl actively exudes sweet affection, she's definitely out of the running. But what if she unconsciously makes him feel sexually attracted to her, or rather, seduces him while pretending not to have any feelings for him?

I think he still has a sex drive—like that time at the swimming pool, I could feel his heart pounding.

I guess an accidental exposure of underwear might be acceptable, but if it's a deliberate act disguised as an accident, would this guy's allergy detection system be able to detect it?

I'd love to test it out in practice. Knowing where to draw the boundaries is crucial information for the future of our relationship.

It's definitely not because I sometimes want him to treat me like a girl. Absolutely not.

If feigning a casual, seductive encounter works, I plan to tease him until he's completely aroused, then stay home and prevent him from being alone—that's how I'll torment him. If he really can't resist and tries to touch me, I just need to act like it's consensual, and he'll be doomed. It's that simple.

“Eh—”

I braced my hands behind my back, tilted my neck back, and looked up at Xiaoxiao behind me. As the distance closed slightly, her body, wrapped only in a bath towel, became completely defenseless.

"Isn't there a school anniversary celebration after the start of the next semester? Do you know what kind of activities they're going to hold—?"

I raised my thighs in a sports sitting position. It felt like the inside of a bath towel was being subtly revealed.

Incidentally, she wasn't wearing anything under the bath towel.

(Illustration 008)

I'm no longer afraid of this guy seeing me naked. Uh, I'll still be shy though... Anyway, I think this guy would probably say "wearing clothes is sexier than being naked."

Xiaoxiao looked into my eyes and said:

"I don't know. I've only heard that they'll give you a lot of freedom."

"Food and beverage is okay too, right? I think we should open a maid cafe—"

"Holding a maid café for the school anniversary is practically something only seen in manga—but that's not necessarily true, I heard they did it last year..."

"I always feel that the better the school's students are, the wilder they go during their anniversary celebrations—"

I pretended to be just rambling on and on, but I was actually paying attention to the direction of Xiaoxiao's gaze.

He's probably glanced at my thighs three times already. The more I try to tell myself not to look there, the more obvious it becomes.

Oh──

So, as long as it's not discovered that it was intentional, it won't flare up?

I should say, this guy, so he can actually look at me like that. Oh—

Then I'll...

"I don't know what would look best on Yui—and I don't want her to wear anything too revealing—"

As I continued the conversation, "Heave-ho," I adjusted my hip position. My tailbone touched something like my pelvis.

"Is that even a question? It's a different story if it's only worn for Irito to see."

Xiao Xiao dried my hair, her fingers stroking my scalp. I felt that her movements were a little gentler than before.

"The pairing enthusiasts are here again. I don't know how many people from other grades or outside the school will come, but I have to be careful not to get hit on."

"I will. You need to be careful yourself too."

"Huh? What do you mean? Are you telling me I should also be careful about getting hit on?"

"No, what I mean is that since you're sure no one will bother you anyway, you might as well protect Irito-san a little more."

"Show some respect. I've been harassed, okay? It happens occasionally, okay? I've run into lolicons."

"Don't admit you're a loli."

When he touched my left ear with his finger, I almost screamed... Look, isn't there a lolicon here?

While tossing my hair, she secretly massaged the back of my ear with her thumb, then rubbed my earlobe. What was she doing? Actually, there were probably other places she wanted to touch—? Just kidding.

“—Ah.”

I let out a soft moan as a special service, and the fingers immediately released my ear. Hehe, that was fun.

"...Is that enough?"

Xiao Xiao turned off the hair dryer. It seems this is the limit.

This is very helpful. From now on, when I want to cause trouble for him, I'll do it discreetly to avoid being exposed.

"Hello."

“Ah!”

The deep voice tickled my ears, and I shuddered.

"If it's true that someone with a lolicon complex is hitting on you, then you should be careful."

"Why...why are you taking this so seriously? I was just joking..."

"That's good."

He snorted with a snort.

Suddenly, it blew a breath into my ear.

"(Should I leave you a hickey to ward off unwanted attention?)"

A tingling sensation shot straight up my neck.

A soft breath falls on the ear, slowly descending. Cheekbone, neck, collarbone—

"You...! You're an idiot!"

I quickly distanced myself from Xiaoxiao and turned to look at him.

"With that kind of stuff on your body, how can you talk about flirting? You can't even go to school now!"

Seeing me press my hand against the area near my neck where I was exhaling, it gave me a slightly mischievous smile.

"Why are you taking this so seriously? It was just a joke!"

"What...what did you say?"

"I was just thinking about how you left a kiss mark on me back in junior high. It really bothered me back then. I even turned up my collar to try and cover it up, it was so touching. But it just made it more noticeable."

...Yes, it seems like I did that kind of thing.

I was so excited when I discovered that hickeys could really be sucked out. I thought that as long as I left this mark, maybe no bad women would try to seduce Xiaoxiao.

"It suddenly occurred to me that I was thinking of getting revenge, but since it's summer vacation and no one will see, it's pointless. Haha!"

……Really?

Was it because I aroused your desire and you wanted to kiss me? Did you find my neck very alluring and want to taste it?

Of course, I would never say such a thing. If he said it was a joke, then it was a joke.

……so……