My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 186

"Just tell them that hitting on them is prohibited."

Kawabata said, dumbfounded.

"To be honest, falling for that kind of man's tricks will never end well. Don't be too hasty and too casual with yourself."

“Eh…?”

Maki stared wide-eyed at Kawanami, clutching her chest.

...What's going on?

"Huh? Oh no, I'm actually starting to feel something for you. What's wrong with me, Kawanami! After all that, it's still just as frilly as your face! Be careful your wife doesn't scold you!"

"Wife? Do I look like I'm married?"

"Here he comes! The cheating guy pretending to be single!"

"........."

I didn't say anything, just stared at the cheating guy who was laughing with Maki.

...What's wrong? Asking you to praise my cosplay is like asking you to die. You're so gentle with Maki? Hmph... Oh, is that so... Oh, right...

"(...I'd rather get hit on by a girl again and throw up all over the floor.)"

I won't help you anymore. I hope you become a weirdo, a vomiting man, and be laughed at for the rest of your life.

Just as I turned my head, preparing to enter the staff area...

"You should be careful when it comes to striking up conversations."

Kawanami suddenly spoke to me in a softer tone.

"After all, this is the only thing you're good-looking about. And I don't know if it's just psychological, but cosplay seems to make you look a bit more mature—"

"Huh? You mean me? Mature—"

"--After all, I was wearing boots, which made me a little taller."

"........."

"Ouch! Don't step on my foot! My boots! They're going to be ruined!"

Stomp them to pieces!

AM09:45 ■ The Savior from Taisho

And so the cultural festival began.

Our class of three in the first year was lacking in enthusiasm. We just used a photography exhibition, which required minimal preparation and manpower, to get by with our stall. All we wanted to do was go and see what the other classes had to do and enjoy the cultural festival.

Thanks to this, I didn't get blamed for not doing much. But on that day, which is today, I had nowhere to go and nothing to do but sit in my boring classroom and daydream... Unexpectedly, two girls who were taking turns tending the stall and had nothing to do came up to me, as if they had found a fun toy.

"Hey, Dongtou, aren't you going to play?"

"Uh... I don't plan on that..."

"You're waiting for your boyfriend, right? I remember Irito-san is an executive committee member, she should be busy with inspections and such, and doesn't have much time to spend with you, right?"

"Ah—right—hey, what kind of person is Dongtou's boyfriend? I haven't met him yet—"

"Hmm—I have a bit of a scholarly, weak-looking vibe... Some girls say he's handsome, but I still prefer someone a bit stronger."

"Who's asking about your type?! Sorry, Dongtou! This guy's just a muscle fetishist!"

"How dare you say that to me! You like muscles too, don't you!"

"Ah... Ahahaha──..."

Help! Help! Two girls whose names I don't even know are making me their topic of conversation! They're having a great time chatting, but I can only put on a forced smile!

At that moment, perhaps my heartfelt prayer was conveyed to Heaven.

In stark contrast to the bustling corridor, our classroom, which had become so deserted that it had essentially turned into a rest area, received a visitor.

kimono.

Trousers.

Wearing a cloak and a school cap.

The person dressed like a scholar—

—It was Mizuto.

"...Waaah..." "Eee..."

The moment Mizuto entered the classroom with his black cloak billowing in the wind, the two girls who were chatting enthusiastically let out a groan as if a cold wind were seeping into the room through a crack, and they froze.

me too.

I've heard about it... I've heard about it. They even showed me the photos. But... but this... but this...!

—This level of completion is just too high!—

He's the eldest son of a wealthy family! He's the fiancé chosen by his parents! It's that kind of scenario where, while I'm resentful of my parents' arranged marriage, I happen to meet him before any formal introduction, and without knowing he's my future husband, my heart flutters, thinking, "How wonderful it would be if he were my fiancé..." and it actually happens! That kind of plot! That kind of character!

I was so scared... I was so scared I turned into a dream girl.

Mizuto quickly scanned the classroom and spotted me soon after. He walked over quietly and briskly… Strange? This isn't a dream! He's really coming over to me! Ah! I completely forgot, he's actually my boyfriend!

"Isana."

And he's been calling me by my name for a while now!

"I came to see how you were doing... Are you busy?"

"...Awoo awoo awoo..." "...Hoo hoo hoo..."

Looking into his clear, bright eyes, the two girls who were just chatting and laughing suddenly seemed to have developed a level of communication disorder similar to mine.

Seeing this, Mizuto tilted his head slightly, then turned his eyes back to look at me.

"I have to go on an inspection now, I'll come pick you up at noon... I was forced to wear this outfit for publicity, I'll have to take it off immediately."

"Absolutely not!"

Everyone said it in unison.

Even I, who was just putting on a smiling face, sounded exactly like them.

Seeing us suddenly become united, Mizuto blinked in surprise, but still said:

"Okay, anyway, I just came to check on you. It seems you're not having the trouble I imagined, so I'm relieved. I'm off then."

After saying that, Mizuto left the classroom without looking back.

Two girls, whose names they didn't know, watched his retreating figure in a daze, and said:

"...Perhaps an intellectual type isn't bad either..."

"……Yes……"

He can change a girl's preferences with just one glance... That's terrifying, Mizuto-kun.

10:05 AM ■ A heart full of emotion speaks louder than a thousand words

"Look, look, she's a Taisho-era lady—" "Wow! It really is! So cute!"

Hearing that voice again made my face feel hot.

I thought that there would be cosplay everywhere on the day of the cultural festival, and that even if I wore hakama and boots, I wouldn't stand out too much in the hallway. It seems I was too naive. Besides, I chose this outfit precisely because it was eye-catching.

"Really...! In that case, it would be better to just stay in the shop and serve the customers..."

"Don't mention things you can't do."

"How could you...! Who, who said I couldn't do it! It's just greeting guests!"

I protested against Shuidou, who was dressed like a scholar. Suddenly, he spoke sharply, yet remained completely unconcerned!

Shuidou, wearing a cloak, had a large sign hanging on his back that read "Class 7, Grade 1, Taisho Romantic Cafe!" We went to the classroom before our executive committee inspection, and Xiaoyue ended up hanging this sign on us. To be honest, it was more embarrassing than the outfit, so Shuidou and I took turns hanging it on each other.

"You'd better watch out when I'm on shift. If I'm determined, I can do it!"

"I know. I hear you practicing every night."

"Eek...! How could you eavesdrop...!"

"Who taught you to speak so loudly?"

This shows that living under the same roof isn't always a good thing. For example, what should I do on Valentine's Day? Where should I make chocolates?

During the cultural festival, the most time-consuming task for the executive committee members was patrolling the school. They had to deal with any emergencies, guide lost children, and didn't even have time to be shy.

The reason we allowed the students from Dongtou to come with us to the cultural festival was because of this patrol work. Because isn't that essentially a date?! According to the upperclassmen, it seems some of them started dating after becoming executive committee members together.

I looked at my watch and said:

"Ah... I... I'm telling you, it's about time to go."

"Hmm?...Oh, you mean inspecting a haunted house?"

"Yes! Being late will cause trouble for others, right!"

Conducting safety inspections of the stalls is also part of the work of the cultural festival's executive committee.

That's right, because the interior of the haunted house is dimly lit and prone to accidents, the executive committee members must go in first to conduct a safety check.

This was work, not something I did out of personal desire. It was an obligation! It was out of necessity! That's why it was just the two of us, Mizuto and me, who went into the haunted house...!

"Oh, it seems they're here?" "Are you executive committee members?!" "Wow! Your outfits are so nice!"

When we arrived at the classroom we were in charge of, several students who were responsible for sitting at the counter were waiting for us in front of the classroom, which had been transformed into a ghostly place.

It seems this class almost didn't finish decorating on time, so we have to wait until a little while after the cultural festival starts before we can check... But as expected, they put in the last second to meticulously create it; you can tell just by looking at it that it's very exquisite...

Ignoring my growing fear, Mizuto adopted a businesslike and polite tone and spoke to the other party:

"Would it be convenient for us to check it out?"

"Please come in, please come in—!" "Please come in together—!" "Be careful where you walk, just follow the path!" "...By the way, it's very dark inside, so even if you two stick close together, you won't be noticed!"

Whoa! It even started encouraging us! Turns out this haunted house was designed specifically for couples…!

“…Let’s go.”

After leaving a blank space whose meaning was difficult to discern, Shuidou reached out to lift the black curtain blocking the entrance.

"Wait, wait for me...!"

I hurriedly chased after him and passed through the curtain.

It was incredibly dark inside, almost like daytime. It felt like entering a cave. But in the distance, there was a guiding light, emitting a hazy, eerie glow… What kind of light was that? How was it made?

"The route is very easy to understand..."

The water jet went into working mode, calmly conducting its inspection. Oh, I almost forgot, this guy doesn't seem to be afraid of ghosts? Sigh—it's a real shame I didn't take him to a haunted house when we were dating!

I took a deep breath, made up my mind, and then said:

"...Um...may I...hold your hand...?"

"Huh? Why?"

I was just about to ask "why," okay?! All that cute talk and this is your reaction?!

I relentlessly continued my attack.

"Look, it's so dark here, and we're wearing hakama. If we fall and break something, wouldn't that cause trouble for others? Considering that we might both get into trouble, so... okay."

"...Okay, fine. I understand."

Upon hearing this, I immediately slipped my hand into the water basin's palm and intertwined my fingers with it.

His hands were slender and thin, but a little rough and hard; they were definitely a boy's hands... They seemed a little bigger than when he was in junior high school.

When he noticed me casually gripping my hand in the couple's way, Mizuto glanced at me briefly. But I pretended it was unintentional. "I wasn't thinking that much about it, you're just overthinking it, aren't you?" Seeing my reaction, his gaze quickly averted to the side. Hehehe.

And so, the haunted house date began.

Drip... We walked along the dark, narrow path, listening to the sound of water coming from somewhere. Then—from the lamp we had thought was a guide, appeared the first assassin.

"Oh dear!"

I wasn't scheming; it was just a natural reaction, and I couldn't help grab Shuidou's arm.

Because a strangely shaped figure, clearly not human, appeared on the dimly lit curtain.