My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

Page 198

However, there were so many unexpected events on this day.

Since that's the case—

—She frowned slightly as her cousin Yuanxiang pestered her.

Seeing Dongtou's cosplay, I felt a little resentful for some reason.

—Looking at the escape game's puzzles, he calmly pondered the answers.

◆ Irito Mizuto ◆

—Even though she was on the verge of her limit from nervousness, she still greeted the guests with utmost care.

—Looking at Takema, whom his cousin Yuanxiang brought, his eyes were like those of his own sister.

—Staring intently at the escape game puzzle, he frowned and pondered deeply.

Memories surged and overflowed like a tidal wave.

I remember everything. I remember everything. I remember everything.

I didn't try to memorize them specifically, but I remember them all.

She wasn't looking at me, but I was looking at her.

He stared at her without permission. Unilaterally. Unnecessarily.

I realized that I had been watching her all these years.

I felt dizzy for a moment.

My vision went completely black.

How to do?

Oh no! What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?

I don't know what to do.

Because, because, isn't that right?

I... have never done anything on my own initiative.

"Speaking of which, Mizuto-kun... actually, there was something I wanted to ask you earlier, but I didn't get a chance."

Isana, with her back against the iron fence, suddenly said this.

"When we were in junior high school, who confessed their feelings to whom, Mizuto or Yui?"

I gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"...Do I look like the kind of person who would confess their feelings?"

"So, who was the first to ask you out?"

"...It's her."

"What about your first kiss?"

"...It was the atmosphere she created."

"Primary body──"

"I told you I didn't do it."

To be precise—it was something they intended to do, but failed.

At the time... I arranged everything, but in the end, I did nothing.

"...I have always been in a passive position."

The words that came out of his mouth were a confession.

"I never did anything proactively. I always just enjoyed the fruits of his labor and the lucky breaks that fell from the sky. Even when things went wrong in our relationship, he tried to salvage it until the very last moment... but I couldn't do anything about it."

Prolonged self-harm behavior.

I cannot accept myself like this, I cannot tolerate being forgiven like this, and I cannot tolerate my self-loathing causing her to suffer unjustly.

Looking back now, I realize I was always dependent on her.

I relied on her efforts, I relied on her gentleness. So—even if the other person was just a friend, perhaps at the time I couldn't accept that the object of her affections had become someone else.

I was Ayai Yume's boyfriend for a year and a half—during which time I did absolutely nothing.

"Um... Well, excuse me, just one more question."

"Just like a detective in a TV drama," Izana said.

"Who was it that first struck up a conversation with the other person?"

—You also like mystery novels?

I still remember.

It's impossible to forget.

"...Uh, oh..."

That is the most hateful memory for me—and also the hardest memory to let go of.

A trap set by God.

In other words, it was the moment when fate bared its fangs—the moment I saw a beautiful dream.

"...Ugh, sob sob...!"

That's right.

That's right.

That's right.

Even if it was just a coincidence, the person who started it all—

"────…………It's me…………"

That person... was me.

Only that one time... was it my initiative.

Even though I accomplished nothing, it was only that one time...

"Hehehe...that's just like me back then."

For some reason, Isana smiled shyly and happily.

"That's such a shame. If you hadn't met Yui-chan first, you might have dated me."

I gritted my teeth and suppressed the emotions welling up from deep in my throat.

All along—I have always, always, always regarded that as a failure.

I consider that year and a half as an irreparable failure.

I always thought that Yui's courageous confession, her growth, her happiness... were ruined by my ridiculous possessiveness. I always thought it was just a failure...

but.

Without that one sentence, we wouldn't be where we are today.

I will not go to this school, nor will I meet Izana.

I'll maintain a distant relationship with that guy, and that's how we'll become step-siblings.

The reason it didn't turn out that way...

The reason I feel so happy right now, receiving this kind of care from a friend, and thinking of her profile, makes me so overjoyed I don't know what to do...

It's because I—took the initiative to talk to her.

This is the only thing I've accomplished.

Swallowing the emotions welling up inside me, I looked down through the iron fence.

There were probably several hundred people in total, among a vast number of students from whom it was impossible to recognize anyone...

I found the profile I know best in the world.

"...Isana."

So I told my best friend.

I'll make it up to you another day.

"Hehe~♪ I'll be looking forward to it!"

So I left the rooftop.

—It wasn't because I couldn't say it back then.

Rather, it's to convey to her what I need to say now.

◆ Irito Yume ◆

The huge bonfire was finally almost completely burned out.

And that concludes the cultural festival.

These past few weeks of busy preparations are finally coming to an end.

Looking back, this is probably the first time I've ever completed such a large-scale project since I was born... Just thinking about it makes me feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

Actually, I still have work to do tomorrow, and a second celebratory banquet later. It's a bit too early to be basking in this sense of accomplishment...

I switched my mindset and thought about what was going to happen next.

Staying here alone will only make you catch a cold. You should hurry back to the group to avoid being late for the meeting.

Just as I was thinking this... I heard footsteps.

Slow footsteps approached and stopped... Then, the person sat down on the bench where I was sitting, about two hand spans away from me.

He placed his hand there, as if trying to fill the gap.

I placed my hand next to that hand.

If you stretch your arms out a little, you can overlap each other's hands. But if you don't stretch them out, you can only touch the cold chair surface.

Looking back, we always maintained this distance.

We thought we would live like this forever.

But—but.

Only the very tip of the little finger, that tiny little part.

Only the slightest contact, where even body temperature is barely felt.

Even so—neither of us ran away, and our fingertips did indeed touch.

"...You're so slow. The fire was almost out."

I looked at the campfire that was gradually burning out and said.

"It's just fire, nothing special... I'm just here to do my homework."

He spoke rudely, as usual.

Is this also a mask she puts on after trying to guess my thoughts?

If that's the case... this mask is really poorly made.

"Thank you."

Shuidou told me.

He said something that he would never have said frankly under normal circumstances.

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

"There are many things. There are so many things that have happened so far, I can't list them all. Like when you were an executive committee member, you cared about me, and there must be a lot of things at home that you have to worry about—besides, Aunt Yu-ren also asked me to do so."

"Mother?"

"You took care of me when I had a cold, and she wants me to thank you."

I blinked and couldn't help but look to the side.