My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 173

—How...how do I launch an offensive...? Or rather, what exactly constitutes an offensive...? How about offering some incentives...?

—Hehehe, let me teach you. This is how to launch an offensive against your crush!

--So...?

In short, it's like, "Could this girl like me?"

--…………I've already kissed him, what other tricks can he come up with…………?

Well, uh, ah... good luck!

Although she was quite irresponsible in the end, Xiaoyue at least taught me a set of basic tricks.

For example, when walking, get half a step closer to him than usual.

For example, find an opportunity to subtly touch his shoulder or hand, etc.

For example, when speaking, focus intently on the other person's eyes.

Okay, putting aside the opposite sex, if someone you like does these little things to you, it can certainly make you wonder if they have feelings for you, but...

-- Uh, Xiaoyue? I want to ask a completely unrelated question.

--What's the problem?

—Have you actually tried any of the things you're talking about?

──……………………

"—Xiaoyue? Why aren't you saying anything, Xiaoyue?"

Recently, I've started to notice it.

Xiaoyue always gives me advice whenever I have problems, which has really helped me a lot. I am very grateful to her. However... regarding love, since we have been childhood sweethearts living next door since we were young, does that mean she is actually no different from a layman when it comes to the technical aspects...?

Not really, right? Of course I know she's more trustworthy than someone with no male experience. But still, I feel like she definitely hasn't tried to bridge the gap with her childhood friend through physical contact, has she?

Well, I'm not really qualified to judge others based on my experience. My success in junior high was purely a stroke of luck—I still don't understand how we even started dating. If I want to surpass that miraculous success, I should try every possible method.

In short, I quietly took half a step closer to him.

"........."

"........."

I glanced at his expression discreetly; he didn't seem to be paying attention to me.

A healthy boy should react if a girl is within shoulder-to-shoulder distance! -- That's exactly what Xiaoyue said.

Thinking about it carefully, what's so great about this level of intimacy?

After all, we live under the same roof every day—it's just that our shoulders are close when we walk, which is nothing compared to our daily lives.

In fact, my heart wasn't beating very fast—to a certain extent.

Being too close isn't necessarily a good thing...

"Sigh..."

"What's wrong?"

"No...it's just that there are too many people, and I feel a little dizzy."

The outlook is truly bleak.

We took the subway to Kyoto Station, then took the Nara Line, and transferred to the Keihan Railway at Tofukuji Station. Taking the express train, it was only a few stops away from the station closest to my cousin Enka's university.

The route is so simple you won't get lost. Just turn one corner after exiting the station and walk straight ahead, and you'll see the entrance to the university campus.

Although it was almost mid-September, the universities seemed to still be on summer vacation. Perhaps because of this, there were very few pedestrians on the street. We walked along the wall of the elementary school next to the station.

"There's an elementary school right next to the university...it's not an affiliated school or anything, is it?"

"I don't think it was an affiliated primary school. It was just two completely unrelated schools."

"I never imagined that schools would be built so close together in some places..."

"What's the big deal? I remember there's a police academy next to the university campus."

"Huh! Three schools all in one place?"

Although I often hear that there are many schools in Kyoto, there is no need for them to be crammed into the same place.

The school gates were open to the general public. I looked around curiously as I stepped through the university gates for the first time in my life. Wow, I was really inside!

"You look so suspicious. You might get arrested by the police even if you haven't done anything."

"No, there's nothing I can do. I've never had the chance to go inside a university!"

"It's not like we're supposed to come in and read it aloud, this is such an exaggeration..."

What's wrong?! Would it kill you to share your feelings of being touched with me?!

Mizuto found the campus map and calmly walked there. Seeing his completely inconsiderate attitude, I was angry, not just frustrated. Even if it wasn't a date, he shouldn't be so insensitive!

I was speechless with anger (misusing an idiom), while looking at the map with Mizuto. I remembered the place I'd arranged to meet my cousin, Madoka—

"Let me see...Xian...Zhenguan? Is that how it's pronounced?"

"Why do we always have to give facilities names with such easily confused Chinese characters...?"

Although it doesn't look like one, this university is actually a Buddhist school, and the names of its facilities seem to be taken from Buddhist stories. In this respect, it is very different from junior high or high school.

As we were looking at the campus map, our heads were all tangled up, when someone arrived.

"Ah—! You're all here!"

A familiar voice suddenly came from behind...

"Hi! How are you two?!"

The man patted us on the back.

I turned around in surprise and saw a stylish older woman wearing glasses laughing mischievously.

She was wearing a light-colored blouse and a flowing long skirt. Her appearance could only be described as that of a pure and innocent older sister, and her full bust, which filled out the blouse high, was the same woman I had met in the countryside a month ago.

My cousin, Yuanxiang.

Shuidou's—she's also my second cousin.

"It's been a month! How have you been?"

"We're doing well. How have you been, Cousin Yuanxiang...?"

"Yeah, Yui is doing well too...we're totally wearing the same outfit!"

"ah."

Upon closer inspection, I realized that my cousin Yuanxiang and I were dressed so similarly today that it looked like we were wearing matching outfits.

"I'm sorry, I forgot..."

"It's okay, it's okay~ I need to change clothes anyway! Hehehe!"

My cousin, Madoka, is still the same, radiating sunshine and energy that completely contradicts her usual style. Mizuto didn't say a word, but if I were in middle school, I probably would have reacted the same way.

"My cousin Mizuto, it's been so long! When was the last time I saw you outside the countryside?"

"...I don't remember, it was probably some kind of Buddhist ceremony."

"Oh—I see! Wow, you've grown taller!"

Despite Shuidou's cold response, Cousin Yuanxiang didn't back down at all. She smiled and spoke like an aunt. But I felt that we had only met a month ago, so she couldn't have grown that much.

"Then let's make the most of our time and go! Leave the clothes at the clubhouse!"

My cousin Yuanxiang leaned against me naturally and took my arm as if it were the most natural thing in the world. My arm felt like it was sinking into her full, soft breasts. Even though I'm a girl, I screamed "Ooh wow!" in my mind.

Even the firm touch of the bra made my heart race. This is the power of an F-cup… If that’s the case… I wonder what Mizuto, who’s constantly being clung to by Dongtou’s G-cup, thinks? How can he always remain so unmoved? Is he frigid?

I didn't shake off my cousin, and we walked hand in hand through the nearly deserted campus. As we crossed the plaza that had been set up with a stage and a cafe, my cousin Yuanxiang secretly leaned her face closer.

"(Yui, Yui. What happened after what happened last time?)"

"(That matter refers to...)"

"(It's about that female classmate surnamed Dongtou who became my cousin Shuidou's girlfriend! All the other relatives believed it, but it was just a misunderstanding, right?)"

"(It's... a misunderstanding, that's right. But...)"

"(Wow~ Things are obviously not that simple.)"

While keeping an eye on Mizuto who was silently following behind, I briefly explained what had happened recently. I told her that the rumors about Mizuto and the boy from the east end weren't just among their relatives; the whole school knew about it, and it had practically become an open secret…

"(That's really... well, how should I put it... this is going to be difficult to solve.)"

"(real……)"

There's really no other way to describe it except that it's incredibly difficult to solve.

"(So this time it feels like you're using the cultural festival preparations as an excuse to try and turn the tables? You're pretty clever, aren't you? ♪)"

"(Well, I guess so... even though it was a friend's idea.)"

"(Oh. It seems you have a wise and decisive friend. Perhaps we get along quite well.)"

Cousin Yuanxiang and classmate Xiaoyue are both sunny and cheerful, so they might indeed get along, but Cousin Yuanxiang is clearly terrible at matchmaking. I really don't know where this strong-willed aura comes from.

We walked out of the main gate, which was so large that we had to look up to it, and temporarily left the campus.

She said the student council building was located on another campus. We crossed the pedestrian crossing and entered the beautiful, modern facility.

"Did my cousin Yuanxiang join the drama club? My mother wasn't very clear about it."

"I'm not officially a member of any club—but my boyfriend is in a drama club, and I occasionally help out. I guess I'm like a prospective member?"

"Huh? Is it okay to borrow clothes like this?"

"It's okay, it's okay. I've already talked to them, and the club members are all friends anyway. They said as long as I repay the loan, I don't need to pay—"

That's incredible. Only a truly sunny person would say something like "We're all friends."

“Ah, but…”

My cousin Yuanxiang suddenly giggled and brought her mouth close to my ear.

"(Don't use it for anything lewd. It'll get your clothes dirty!)"

"(I had no idea... if you hadn't told me!)"

How could I possibly do something like that! ...If wearing cosplay could solve the problem, I would have already... *sobs*

We let our cousin Yuanxiang walk in front, and then we climbed a few steps.

Walking down the corridor, I could faintly hear voices and laughter coming from the rows of doors. This atmosphere struck me as novel, but my cousin Yuanxiang, of course, didn't react at all and led us directly into the Drama Club's office—is that the right name? Or should it be called the Club's office?

The room was cluttered with items, including comic books and empty plastic bottles that looked like personal belongings, which were simply thrown on the table. Countless corrugated cardboard boxes were piled up against the wall.

Wow...it feels just like a club office!

"The clothes are in those cardboard boxes. Just open them and pick whatever you like."

"Uh...? Is it okay to save it so casually?"

"Actually, there is a connection, but renting a wardrobe also costs money."

As she spoke, Cousin Yuanxiang rustled as she unpacked a cardboard box with the word "Clothing" scrawled on it in marker.

Looking into the box, it was indeed filled with costumes that couldn't be called ordinary Western-style dresses; they had a very theatrical feel. But since they were meant for acting, a theatrical feel was to be expected.

"Hmm... I thought it would be more organized, but it seems like I just stuffed everything into the boxes randomly. Yume, cousin Mizuto, let's divide the work and open all the boxes."

"OK!"

Before I could answer, Mizuto silently opened the cardboard box himself. How could this man treat even his relatives so badly?

We're looking for costumes suitable for a cosplay cafe. Therefore, to enhance the appeal, they should have a clear and concise concept. So, we can't just pick rare and unusual clothes. They must be instantly recognizable and visually appealing…

"Oh!...Hehe, how about this kind of girl?"

When I saw my cousin Yuanxiang smilingly spreading out the clothes for me to see, I didn't think too much at first, I just thought, "Ah, so cute."

It's an outfit with a waitress-style apron and a short-sleeved blouse, exuding a distinctly European flair.

But...upon closer inspection...

"Uh... this... isn't the chest... cut too low...?"