My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 191

I've seen clothing that immediately evokes strong European connotations.

"...I think it's called...the Alpine Country Girl Skirt?"

It's the outfit that my cousin Yuanxiang wanted Jienu to try on when we were picking out clothes at university.

I remember it was because the neckline was cut too wide, so I said... no...

"...Oh, no wonder you wear a shawl all the time."

"Who would dare walk around outside wearing something like that! Germans have such strange ideas!"

Isana pulled up the front of her shawl and shouted, "So, the purpose of wearing a shawl is to cover the chest!"

Nan let out a strange "hee hee hee" laugh and grabbed Izana's shoulder from behind.

"It's okay... If we're talking about level of exposure, swimsuits are way more revealing than this... Be confident... It's really not just ordinary color—no, I mean cute..."

"It was clearly meant to be pornographic! It was clearly stated!"

"Still being stubborn—don't you want Irito-san to see?"

“Ouch!”

"Well, you've already experienced it, haven't you? The joy of being told you're cute by someone you like! Since you're just friends, just let him compliment you, there's no need to be shy~~~"

“Wuwuwu…”

"His skill in instigating people is truly masterful..."

Jie gave a wry smile and commented, "This classmate is really something else; he always ends up doing unnecessary things."

I was a bit dumbfounded, but decided to lend a hand.

"Don't force her. Even same-sex relationships can constitute sexual harassment—"

"—If I only glance at it..."

Isana glanced at me a few times and said in a soft voice:

"Just showing it to Mizuto-kun alone... just for a little while... well, okay, come to think of it, I already wore a tank vest and stuff to your house during summer vacation, right? It's not much different... right?"

"Don't ask me..."

That's absolutely right. Compared to that boyfriend shirt from last time, this outfit is much more presentable.

Isana kept waving at me. It seemed like things wouldn't get any progress unless I joined in the commotion. Just as I was about to get closer to Isana, Yui tugged at my uniform sleeve.

"(Make sure to compliment them properly...and don't stare at them for too long.)"

What do you want from me...? Really, what do you want from me?

Yui let go, and I moved closer to Isana again. Minami left as if giving up her seat, and in the clear shadows of the leaves cast by the midday sun, only Isana and I remained.

Isana placed her hands on her shawl, her gaze wandering left and right for a long time before finally looking up at my face.

"Well... then, excuse me..."

With a soft rustling sound, Isana loosened the straps of her shawl… Seeing her so formal made even me nervous. What was the point of all this time? What were we doing in the middle of the day in the corner of the playground?

Just as I was casting my unanswered questions into the void, Isana lifted the shawl covering her chest.

"........."

"........."

…………This is…………

I should have known. An Alpine country girl's dress is a style that exposes a large area of ​​the chest and shoulders. But... how did Izana, whose figure is far better than the average high school student's, end up looking like this?

My breasts, which I claim are G-cup, pushed up my white ruffled blouse, completely exposing the deep valley between my chest and the fabric. A small gap formed between my breasts and the blouse; you could probably slip your fingers in and pull it off.

If that were all, it wouldn't be much different from dressing without any inhibitions during summer vacation. The problem is, the country girl dresses often worn by village girls in fantasy comics perfectly complement the innocent-looking Izana—

"W-how...?"

Isana asked me with an uneasy look in her eyes.

At this moment, I have only one thought in my mind.

I always feel—very unwilling to accept it.

Facing Izana, who is usually dressed extremely casually and doesn't even know how to tease me, I actually felt this way—as if I had lost.

But... from Isana's perspective, if I don't share my thoughts, then she'll have wasted her time being forced to wear this dress.

I spent a few seconds searching for words, but unfortunately, it was just a futile struggle for someone as lacking in literary talent as me.

"You look great in it. I think it's very cute."

"Huh?"

Izana was so surprised that she stared blankly, blinking frequently, her cheeks slowly turning red.

"Really...really?"

"I'm not good at polite conversation. You already knew that, didn't you?"

"Are you referring to the 'cuteness' of puppies and kittens?"

"no."

"...By the way...where is it...?"

"The whole person. Going through all the details would just be disgusting."

"…………Hehehe. Hehehe. Hehehehe…………"

Izana became shy, making sounds that were somewhere between bashful and a nerdy girl's eccentric laughter.

A mysterious sense of defeat made me look away. It makes me feel uneasy that you're so happy.

"Hehe. Since this really hits on Mizuto's fetish, then we'll just have to leave the shawl at home for now~ Hehehe! Oh well, what can I do? It's Mizuto's preference! Hehehehe!"

"...Let me ask and confirm."

"Please speak."

Seeing that Izana was getting carried away with her success in the blink of an eye, I forced her to face reality.

"You're dressed like that... so where's your underwear?"

No matter how you look at it... there's no fabric where a bra should be.

Isana remained frozen for a moment, maintaining her shy, smirking expression—then silently and quickly closed the shawl covering her chest.

"...It's better to cover it up..."

"I also suggest you do that. Unless you want to go to the counseling office."

There's really nothing I can do about her... Luckily, I stopped my cousin Yuanxiang from doing that.

PM01:05 ■ Complex and Enigmatic Girls

"Is this alright, Yume? Although I, as the one who started this, might not be in a position to say so."

As I watched Dongtou, who had regained his senses and put his shawl back on, and Shuidou, who was dumbfounded but also showing a slight smile, Xiaoyue secretly came over and asked me.

I gave a vague smile and said:

"It should be fine, right? This isn't the first time something like this has happened to either of them."

"That's true. The only thing they have in common is their overwhelming affection for each other."

I have experienced this incredibly complex feeling more than once.

Seeing Dongtou's happy face made me happy too... But at the same time, a feeling of envy that was almost jealousy pierced my chest like a needle, and I thought how wonderful it would be if I were the one laughing with him there.

If this were a period when my emotions were still unsettled and my self-perception was wavering, this feeling would have made me very unhappy… But now I clearly know what I want and can accept this complex feeling. Because this proves that I have once again unequivocally fallen for him.

"...Yui, you've matured so much. I can't believe you used to come to me crying because Irito called her name."

"No, actually I still feel uneasy."

I've simply learned how not to let this anxiety overly influence my behavior. I've just been constantly telling myself it's okay, it's okay.

Let's take this as an example. Think about it, he also said I was cute. The Taisho Romantic clothing really hit Mizuto's fetish, right? So it's okay, it's okay, it's a tie.

"So, you can manage on your own from now on?"

Xiaoyue smiled sarcastically, speaking as if she were talking to a child.

You're the one who's petite, like a little child—I swallowed those words and nodded.

"Yes, I can do it... So, Xiaoyue, you can go find Kawanami too, it's okay."

"What are you talking about?! Anyway, that sunny girl is definitely hanging out with other friends!"

I retaliated by joking with her, and sure enough, I got a stubborn and sulky response. She clearly loves being the big sister and taking care of others, but when it comes to her own things, she can't handle it…

"Good luck. The cultural festival is only just beginning."

"What do you mean, 'I need to cheer him on'... Well, if I happen to run into him, I might tease him a bit."

Xiaoyue turned her head and waved her ponytail like a dog wagging its tail.

PM01:10 ■ Natural Little Devil, Irreplaceable

After watching Xiaoyue leave, the three of us decided to go have lunch first.

"Our class is on break for now, but are the vendors still open?"

"Yeah... It's a bit of an overpricing, but I had no other choice. I didn't bring a bento box today."

"Ah...! Um, can I make a request? Is that okay? I want to eat takoyaki!"

To my surprise, Dongtou seemed to really like street vendors. But she's very shy; I doubt she'd dare shop alone... I can totally relate...

We went to a takoyaki stall and each bought one. Although it was more expensive than frozen food, we had received allowance for food, drinks, and entertainment today, so not using it would be a waste.

"It's very hot, be careful."

"Okay! Whew... Hah hah hah."

Although Dongtou is taller than me, the way he stuffs takoyaki into his mouth to avoid burning himself is as cute as a squirrel.

I guess what I'm lacking right now is this kind of cuteness... Okay──...

"...Hahoo!"

I deliberately stuffed the still-cold takoyaki into my mouth, and as expected, I got burned. I covered my mouth with my hand.

Mizuto looked at me with an expression of utter helplessness.

"How dare you criticize others? I'm speechless."

"Ouch... I... I didn't expect it to be so hot!"

I was trying to project a slightly dazed image – but it was so hot I couldn't keep up the act. I might have burned my mouth.

After Dongtou chewed the takoyaki and swallowed it, he covered his mouth with his hand and let out a groan.

"You might have burned your tongue..."

"Please, are you alright?"

"Can you take a look at this for me...?"

A soft "uh-huh".

Suddenly, Dongtou opened his mouth and showed his pink tongue to Shuidou.

Eh! This...this action...! Huh? Aren't you embarrassed at all?!

As it turned out, I was the only one who was stunned. Shuidou calmly leaned over to examine the tongue of the student to the east and said:

"It is indeed a bit scratched. Cool it down with a cold drink or something."

"Troublesome..."

Yes, it's quite cute... and it might even make your heart race a little... tongue... tongue... oh, tongue...

"Water, water bucket..."

"Um?"

I tugged at the hem of Shuidou's uniform.

Next, just open your mouth and stick out your tongue... make an "Mmm" sound... stick out your tongue...