My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 170

"........."

"what's wrong?"

"……No."

I don't feel happy about it at all.

I even felt annoyed, fearing that a lot of trouble would arise.

Re-realizing this, I said:

"...I just feel that...I really do belong to a different race."

"Haha! What kind of move is that? It's too late to be acting like a chuunibyou now!"

I said goodbye to Kawanami and left the classroom.

You can't go to the library yet.

Yui, who was supposed to return to the same house as me, of course didn't come along.

"I've...I've finished writing..."

I murmured to myself with a sense of accomplishment.

On the table lay loose-leaf papers covered in writing. The novel meant for Dongtou was finally finished.

As for the result... of course, it can't compare to commercial works, but for a layman high school student, it's passable. Hmm. Initially, I wanted to boldly write a mediocre piece, but I got a little too carried away in the end. However, I wouldn't dare show someone something utterly terrible, so this one should be alright, right? Hmm.

Okay, all I have to do is show this to Dongtou at school tomorrow—but until then…

"...After all, we agreed on that."

I haven't forgotten.

I haven't forgotten my promise to Jie Nu to exchange and read each other's original novels.

Although I'm not obligated to keep my promise, it would be troublesome if she came to make things difficult for me... At least she could help me find any mistakes or omissions. That is, provided she remembers our agreement.

I left the room with the loose-leaf paper. The next room seemed empty, so I went downstairs.

Besides Yui, her father and Aunt Yui were also in the living room. Yui was sitting on the sofa, talking on her cell phone.

"Hmm. Hmm... Wow! That's great! Hmm. Ah—but we can't make a decision on our own, so we'll have to ask you to hold off on this for now..."

They seem to be busy discussing something important. Their tone of voice is rather serious.

"Hmm. Right. We'll decide during the next class meeting—ah."

Jie noticed me walk into the living room and took her ear off her phone.

"You've come at the right time, Mizuto-kun."

When Jie saw her father and the others nearby, she quickly changed how she addressed them.

"Xiaoyue called me and said she might be able to get some clothes."

“…I see.”

"But it's rented, so it depends on how much funding we can get... We'll decide on the specific style of the Cosplay Cafe when we talk about the next class meeting."

"That makes sense... Besides, if you can choose a theme, it's easier to decorate the interior."

"Right? Do you have any ideas?"

"Wasn't the decision supposed to be made in a class meeting?"

"Xiaoyue said that we should decide on a general direction first and consult with classmates beforehand so that we won't have disagreements when making a decision."

"They even negotiated beforehand... Is she really a first-year high school student?"

Their methods are no different from those of politicians.

I glanced quickly at the loose-leaf paper in my hand, then temporarily switched my thoughts.

"...In terms of conditions, overly sentimental cosplay outfits are a no-go. They will definitely be rejected."

"That's true... but what constitutes excessive sentimentality?"

"Based on the information, miniskirts are best ruled out. If a maid cafe is to be launched, the maid outfits must be Victorian style."

"Victoria...? I don't quite understand that, but the rules seem pretty strict..."

"Also, I'm using a maid cafe as an example now, but if only girls are allowed to cosplay, there's a high chance of complaints. Cosplay outfits that boys can also wear are safer. Incidentally, I personally refuse to participate in the kind of nasty jokes unique to cultural festivals, like having boys wear women's clothing."

"Okay, I knew you'd say that. According to Xiaoyue, most girls seem to prefer following the proper traditional path rather than engaging in pranks. Everyone's quite serious about it."

"What a fine tradition... It can be worn by both men and women, and it really takes some creativity to please both the general public and PTA cosplayers."

"The maid outfits and butler uniforms you just mentioned can be worn by both boys and girls, but it seems like they would be duplicates of other classes."

"Yes. If it can combine originality and unique features, it should be able to secure more funding, right?"

"Yes—..."

Just as the girl was pondering silently, trying to think...

"What's wrong? Are you discussing the cultural festival?"

My dad, who was sitting at the dining table, joined the conversation.

Then, Aunt Yu-ren, who was sitting opposite him, opened a small bag of snacks and said:

"They say they're going to open a cosplay cafe at the cultural festival. How youthful!"

"I...I haven't decided whether to do it yet. I need to get the clothes first..."

Seeing Jienu waving her hands in a panic, Dad said in a low voice, "I see."

"In that case, I suggest you talk to Yuanxiang about it."

"Huh? Looking for Cousin Yuanxiang?"

"Hmm. I remember that Madoka was in a drama club in college."

"Really?"

The girl pressed for details, then looked at me. "Don't ask me, this is the first time I've heard of this either." Although our cousin, Yuuka Tanari, does seem like someone who would participate in artistic activities at first glance.

Just as I was thinking this, Aunt Yu-ren tilted her head and said:

"Strange? Isn't this an art enthusiasts' club?"

"Hmm? Is that so?"

"Hmm... I think I mentioned it was the tennis club...?"

How can you not even understand this? Or is it all actually true?

"Haha! In short, one thing is for sure: she has a wide circle of friends. After all, she's always been good at getting along with people. She probably has connections when it comes to clothes. And I remember hearing that she was an executive committee member for the school festival, so maybe she can give you some advice."

"I remember Madoka's university is in Kyoto, right? She's on summer vacation now, so she must be free and would be happy to help you, right?"

Although I'm a little uneasy about the accuracy of the information, it won't hurt to ask around.

"Then let's give it a try... Xiaoyue? Did you hear that? Um, I have a relative who's in college and knows a lot of people—wait, they're girls—breast size? Uh, well... I suggest you don't ask too much..."

...“My relative,” right? I thought I had gradually gotten used to this family environment, but actually hearing Yui address her cousin Madoka, whom she had known for many years, in this way still felt a bit strange.

In short, it seems the matter has been resolved. You don't need to contact me anymore.

But... I still need to talk to her about something.

I tightened my grip on the loose-leaf paper slightly.

"--Huh?"

At that moment, Jie Nu's eyes turned to me again.

"By the way, is there something you need to talk to me about?"

In that instant, without thinking much, I hid the loose-leaf paper behind my back.

why?

It was Jie Nu who asked me to show it to her. I was just keeping my promise; there was no need for me to be timid or hesitant. That's how it should be...

...No, Dad and the others are here now. Jie Nu...is currently trying to familiarize herself with the work of the executive committee, so she probably won't have the time.

"No...it's nothing."

It shouldn't matter if I show it to her now.

After showing it to Dongtou, then show it to this guy... that's all.

It was neither loneliness nor a sense of alienation.

I've only just finished writing a novel, yet I can't think of a suitable adjective.

Only a utterly nauseating sense of disgust welled up inside me. This isn't right, this isn't right, this isn't right. Like a spoiled child, a part of me was making a fuss.

I should have said goodbye to all of that by now. I should have left it all behind in my junior high school years with those few words of farewell.

I cannot accept myself as I am.

If there were a novel with me as the protagonist, I definitely wouldn't want to read that kind of story.

...I remember now. I think I've felt this way before.

I hate the part of me that feels jealous. I hate the part of me that becomes prickly in my words and actions. So, to deny this version of myself, to declare that I am not that kind of person, I—bowed down and apologized to her.

As a result, you—

The version of myself I hate the most is the one I was at that moment.

Because I...

When I apologized to you, and you started throwing a tantrum, accusing me of being unfaithful...

I felt very impatient—but at the same time…

Somewhere in my heart... I also felt at peace.

"...I really have no right to talk about the east side."

I hope everyone can share this desire, perhaps a deep-seated, universal longing...

I sat up in bed. Lying back down might make me fall asleep. Since I'm going to sleep anyway, I should take a shower first and make myself more comfortable.

With that thought in mind, I walked out of the room.

However, I immediately stopped.

Because Jie Nu happened to come up to the second floor at that time.

"...Shall we take a shower now?"

It was a simple question, but for some reason, I paused for a moment.

"……yes."

"That's it."

An ordinary conversation.

After saying those few words, I walked past the woman and prepared to go down the stairs.

"Yeah."

Just then, a voice called out and grabbed me from behind. I turned to look at her.

"today……"

The girl didn't look at me; her gaze was fixed on the floor as she spoke:

"……Thank you."

Hearing her barely audible voice, I frowned slightly.

"...What are you thanking me for?"

"It's about... deciding on the content for the booth..."

"...Although it wasn't out of my own volition, I am an executive committee member. I was just doing my duty."

"But... without you, things definitely wouldn't have gone so smoothly. So, thank you."

Thank you, right?